A Dance with the Devil

"Anna!"

"Coming!"

Anna walked in with a basket of Vegetables.

"It's not like I escaped, at least, that will never happen as long as you're still alive" She replied. Diana glared at her daughter, her gaze capturing her curves and beautiful face.

"You've got more pretty and thick, the men are treating you better, how's your night with Mr Will?"

Anna dropped the basket and moved over to the wet clothes in the bowl. She took one out and shook it, the little drops that shrunk out, wet her skin.

"Mr Will is just a brute" She replied as she dry out the clothes on the thin line in the backyard.

"I've told you to watch that mouth of yours, it will get you into trouble"

"Why are you yelling? Who do you think I learned it from, if not you"

"What?! Have you ever seen me going around cursing people?"

"I think that's what you thought me" Diana knew better than to argue with her daughter so she kept her mouth shut and left the backyard, leaving her to the chores.

" And there she goes again, leaving her unfortunate daughter to everything" Anna murmured as she continued to dry out the clothes. After she was done, she sat to sort out the fresh vegetables.

" Where in the word is she? Isn't she supposed to be here to help me out? I'm so going to kill her when I see her in the market place"

" Looking for me? " Anna flinched loudly at the sudden voice behind her.

Abigail, knowing she's successful in scaring her friend, laughed loudly as she emerged from the clothes on the line.

"You scared me, you thin girl!"

"And now someone is not pleased to actually see me, she's calling me a thin girl, I better leave for the market" Abigail muttered knowingly and pretended to leave.

Anna sighed and held her tiny wrist, forcing her to sit beside her. Abigail smiled and started out with the portion that was left out for her.

"What's your mom up to again?"

"Who knows what that crazy bitch has up her sleeves, I don't want to care"

"Is it true about your marriage?" Anna asked.

Abigail sighed and stopped working for a while as she stared at the blue sky. Noon was drawing near, faster.

"It's true but I managed to talk it out with the supposed groom arranged for me..."

"So...did he agree to stop?"

"No...he obviously has no other choice too"

"How old is he?"

"I heard...he's in his early twenties, lucky me....I thought I'll be getting married to a man with big pot belly" They laughed crazily.

"I'm happy for you" Anna smiled sweetly.

"I don't want to get married though"

"I know, but I think this is the best opportunity you have...what if you after rejecting him, they decide to set you up with a man with big pot belly?"

" I guess you're right, I can't believe we're getting married" Tears stung her eyes.

Anna smiled at first but when she had to process her words, she blinked at her in confusion.

" Wait what? We're getting married or you're getting married? "

Abigail wiped the stray tears at the corner of her eyes and sniffed as she stared at her clueless friend. Or was she really clueless?

" You didn't hear? "

" Hear what? " Anna kept her gaze fixed to her as if asking her to hurry up and tell her what she doesn't know.

" You're getting married this week on the day of the maize festival"

Everywhere got silent and Anna's hold tightened around Abigail's arm. Abigail flinched slightly.

" Okay...you have to keep calm, breathe in and out" She instructed while Anna followed her instructions silently.

'Oh thank goodness, she kept calm...' Abigail sighed, but it just didn't seem to work as she heard Anna's scream next.

" Ahhh!!! "

Even the birds that had landed over to find food flew away in a frenzy, their wings flapping hard as they flew high, only the feathers that fell from their wings was the only evidence to their presence, a while ago.

Abigail shut her eyes while her palms covered her ears, protectively and Anna was out of the backyard and exiting the kitchen, swiftly.

Abigail opened her eyes and what met was a silent and empty backyard. Is she going to ruin things again?

"No, no, no...Anna, wait!..." She rose to her feet and lifted her skirt before rushing out, in chase of Anna. She had an idea, things won't end well.

On her way home, she was marching on like a soldier heading on to war, her eyes were turning red and she didn't stop to answer Abigail who was screaming out her name from afar, nor the market people stopping to wish her on her scheduled marriage.

An older woman who had sight her coming from afar quickly got inside the shop to bring out the present she had prepare for her daily buyer. As Anna nearest her store, she stretched out the present, ready to give her already composed speech.

"Anna, I wish you..." The present flew and fell to the ground, it's contents spilling out as Anna walked by, without stopping to say a word. Abigail who saw what happened, moved closer to the old woman who finds it difficult to bend, and packed up the contents back into the wrapped container.

"Elder, I'm so sorry about that, she's currently angry right now, that was why she was like that...Elder, you know that's how she behaves too, don't you?"

"Yeah...I know, I can remember, I was just surprised..."

"Do not worry Elder, she'll come back to give an apology...let me hold onto this for her"

"Alright, my dear"

Abigail clutched the present tightly and stared ahead, there's no sight of Anna. She turned to give the Elder a smile and ran off.

Anna got home and didn't bother to knock, she barged in and what she saw, only made her more mad than she already was.

Three pair of eyes settled on her as she stood by the door, her skirt was tied to settle on her knee, she looked more like a mad woman, and her glares sent shiver down the groom's spine.

"Oh...I'm sorry, my daughter doesn't actually dress like this, I don't know what's wrong with her... " Diana chuckled nervously as she came to stand beside her fuming daughter.

Her fingers pinched Anna skin as she led her over to seat, her eyes was telling her to cooperate. It sure was threatening.

" Evan...this is my daughter, Anna...and Anna, this is your husband to be and his father, say hello"

Anna stared at her in-laws and her glare only deepened, her brows furrowed the more, but then, who was she? She's Anna Chadwick. She let out a deep and overly sweet smile.

"Hi Evan, I heard you're my husband to be, I'm Anna, your wife to be"

"Nice to meet you, lady Anna"

"Nice to meet you too, Husband" She saw Evan blushed and she wondered what was wrong with him? Why is he blushing so hard?