The phone rang.

She looked at it multiple times, trying to decide whether to take the call or not. The screen displayed only a number that had not been previously registered on her phone. It rang a few more times and then stopped. She tossed the phone into the river and continued walking.

That night had been hard for her. She felt like she needed to take a stroll or else she would lose her mind.

Stopping at the Clareyny Bridge that had long stood in the heart of Kabwe, she put her hands on the railing that lay erect by the sides.

Now deep in thought, she remembered what she had heard a girl there before once say, "Harmony brings wealth and nothing that's ever worth keeping comes easily".

Tears rolled down her eyes as she stared at the river beyond.

"If only I could see the moonlight in the image I remember it to be, from my earlier years on earth" .

***

Carly used to be an artist whose love for music and everything creative distinguished her from her peers. The life she led was one that those around her helplessly went green with envy for. At the young, ripe age of 18, she had already scored herself a deal with Wycombe Records, the largest record label in her country, making her an accomplished young girl.

She was known as the girl with the golden voice...and brains for during her schooling days, she would always come out on top of her class, not-to-speak of her entire school. After her high school graduation, she was stuck between the devil and the deep blue sea about what career path to take.

Despite the indecision, she was sure of one thing.... she loved to sing. As a matter of fact, she felt the happiest whenever she sang. Those who heard her sing would say they could feel all her emotions & few would even say goose pimples would take form on their skin immediately they heard her voice. She had been deriving pleasure from singing to the masses but an event at one of her gigs changed this forever....

***

"...5 minutes till you get on stage. Be on standby...", a guy from the stage crew said.

"Alright, thank you", voiced her manager from the dressing room she was assigned.

Within a few minutes, they were backstage waiting for the Minister of National Entertainment & Broadcasting to finish his speech. He was done in no time.

Just as she was about to step into the platform that led to the stage, she heard a loud scream from behind her, "you witch, don't you dare take to the stage or you will die."

Alarmed by this, security on ground dragged the man out of the auditorium and threw him out onto the tarred road that stood outside the vicinity.

Carly, now overtaken by terror, told her manager, "I can't stay here. I must leave. Can we just cancel this event?" "No, we can't. A lot of people from places far and wide paid to come and see you perform so you cannot let them down like that. And besides, it will be unprofessional of you to just leave. You should know better than me that unless it's grave, a singer should have no reason to leave the stage"

Her anxiety kicked in, but her manager was too preoccupied to notice.

She pointed in the direction of the Minister and continued,

"Moreover, you know how crazy the minister is. Should you leave now, that man will do something terrifying to you. So, my dear Carly, forget your fear and JUST DO IT!" That was the end of the conversation. Carly was going to perform. The music played for a few minutes, people danced, sang along and were merry until......

Boom!

She woke up a few days later in a hospital bed with two other people wondering why she was there in the first place. She tried to open her eyes but all she could see was darkness. She tried calling to her manager, but her manager wouldn’t come.

The few people around her looked on as she began to panic.

Carly's panic attacks began after high school when she saw her parents lying in the mortuary as a result of a road traffic accident.

“Don’t waste your voice. You were in a fatal accident that left you unconscious for a month”, said her neighbour.

“Apparently the attacker was someone who hated you and she wanted you dead. However, the police have not been able to make any arrests yet.”, she continued.

“But what about my manager? Is she okay? And why is it so dark in here?”, she asked entirely confused.

“well, rumour has it that right after  incident, your agency sent her to the sister branch and that none of the faculty ever visited you since that day.”

At this point, Carly didn't know what to make of this situation. She was confused, amazed, perplexed and scared, just like a little child who had been left to strangers by her mother.

Feelings of uncertainty, betrayal and unease all took over.

She had trouble taking in what she had just heard, she asked, “but why is it so dark?", She finally asked.

Her neighbour looked around to see if there was someone around and when she was sure there was no one, moved closer to her and told her about what she heard from the doctors.

Neighbour: "I'll tell you but let's take it that I didn't tell you this"

Carly: "what is it? Tell me"

Neighbour: "you have to promise first"

Carly: "okay, I promise. I didn't hear this from you"

Neighbour: "I overheard the doctors saying that your optional- no....optical or optic- nerve- something like that was was pinched and that you lost your vision. That's all I heard.

Carly: "......"

Neighbour: "You've had a surgery to restore your sight but they are pessimistic about the outcome.

Carly: "......"

The neighbour felt bad about breaking the news in this way to the singer.

She looked at her, now weeping bitterly and then said, "can you please say something? You're scaring me. Say something"