The times had changed from one season to another and now was the time of winter, the lush forest was now covered in snow and gave off a white scenery. Emily was now 7 and she was growing more beautiful now an inch or two inches taller.
Two years had passed since the time Emily had that dream,her memories of it had faded leaving only fragments behind but that wasn't the only thing that was fading. Emily's mum who once used to be so strong had with time slowly diminished, her health deteriorating further and further every passing day, leaving some of the work to her little daughter as she couldn't afford to do them anymore but that didn't deter her from doing the little she could.
Emily who just came in from fetching the wood her small hands carrying the little she could rushed over to her mum catching sight of her mum cleaning the utensils
"Mama! You shouldn't be standing, you should rest and not do chores, here give it to me I'll do it. How would you get better if you don't rest"?! She scolded her mum who was finding it hard to stand, her once lush black hair had lost it colour, her vibrant black eyes had now dimmed and her body fragile as a result of the constant coughing of blood and less consumption of food. And though still a child she noticed her mum once happy and vibrant face had now dulled.
Emily remembered how it all started, it was months after she had that dream,she was woken from her slumber with the sight of her mother coughing and hurled on the ground why holding her stomach. They had taught it was cold but the constant cough didn't stop but only worsened to her throwing blood and no longer being able to consume food, she wished her mother will get better and become the way she used to be.
"Don't worry my pumpkin this little work won't harm me,Go light the fireplace" her mother's voice broke her train of thoughts she saw her mom smile at her so much concern while patting her head, her daughter seemed to be growing too fast,and though she said that, the next moment a series of deep coughs resounded inside the house, Emily came close to her mom trying to help while noticing how the cough wrecked her mum, while she writhed in pain , she stood there holding her mum's hand in support looking helpless as she was young and couldn't be of much help.
The medications weren't of much help either as she threw them all away even the food she consumed was thrown out. Her face now had black spots under her eyes as she couldn't sleep her stomach ached badly like it wanted to constrict and squeeze, the constant cough made her wheeze and her voice now become slightly hoarsed,she wished there was a way to stop the pain as tears dropped from her eye but she knew that there wasn't much time anymore she couldn't delay it anymore she had stalled as much time as she could in other to spend time with her daughter but it couldn't be done anymore, it was now or never.