Naila's Apartment - Living Room
The monster stood in the middle of the room, its red eyes glowing menacingly. Its claws scraped against the floor, leaving deep marks in the wood. The air around it was cold and heavy.
Gerlie stepped forward, her treble clef pendant glowing brightly. Her usual confident smile was gone, replaced by a look of fierce determination.
"You're not welcome here," she said, her voice steady.
The monster laughed; a deep, rumbling sound that shook the walls. "You cannot stop me, Music Girl. I was created by the sister. I am darkness itself."
"I don't care who created you. You're hurting my Mama. And that's not allowed."
Naila's eyes widened. "Gerlie, wait—"
But Gerlie was already moving. She hummed a powerful note, and a wave of musical energy shot from her pendant.
The monster staggered back. "You... are strong..."
"Awesome, I know!"
The monster lunged. Gerlie dodged, humming another note. Books flew off the shelves, hitting the monster.
The monster roared. "You cannot defeat me!"
"Watch me!"82Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpcPzmiNV8s
The room was chaos. Gerlie and the monster circled each other. Musical energy clashed with dark magic. Lamps shattered. Pictures fell off the walls. The TV exploded.
The others hid behind the couch.
Chima was gripping Fatimah's arm. "WHAT IS HAPPENING?!"
Fatimah was trying to stay calm. "Gerlie is fighting the monster!"
Alice, despite everything, was still filming. "THIS IS THE BEST THING EVER!"
Wony was still unconscious on the floor.
Naila was watching with wide eyes. "Gerlie... be careful..."
Gerlie glanced back and smiled. "Don't worry, Mama! I've got this!"
She hummed a powerful chord. The energy built up around her. The pendant glowed brighter and brighter.
The monster charged.
Gerlie released the energy.
The blast hit the monster. It screamed a terrible and piercing scream. Dark energy exploded everywhere.
Then silence.
The monster was gone.
Gerlie stood in the middle of the room, breathing heavily. Her pendant was still glowing, but it was fading.
She turned to look at Naila.
And smiled.82Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo7jp3Icg9q
Gerlie's body began to glow. But this time, it wasn't the bright, vibrant glow of her music.
It was a soft, fading light.
Naila's heart dropped. "Gerlie? What's happening?"
Gerlie looked down at her hands. They were becoming transparent.
"Oh," she said softly. "I think... I used too much power."
"NO!" Naila scrambled to her feet. "No, no, no, Gerlie—"
Gerlie smiled gently. "It's okay, Mama. I was never meant to stay forever. I was just a drawing."
"You're not just a drawing! You're Gerlie! You're my—" Naila stopped.
Gerlie's eyes widened. "I'm your what, Mama?"
Naila's voice was barely a whisper. "You're my daughter."
Gerlie's face lit up with joy. "Really?"
"Really."
Gerlie's form was almost completely transparent now. She was fading fast.
"Thank you, Mama," she whispered. "For creating me. For giving me life. Even if it was just for a little while."
Naila was crying. "Don't go. Please don't go."
Gerlie reached out and touched Naila's cheek. Her hand was cold and light.
"I have to," she said softly. "But I'll always be with you. In your drawings. In your heart. In your music."
"I don't want you to go."
"I don't want to go either. But I don't regret a single moment. Because I got to be your daughter."
Naila sobbed. "You were the best daughter I never knew I needed."
Gerlie smiled, her signature confident smile, but softer now.
"Awesome, I know."82Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMu9g9Il88Q
Gerlie was almost gone. Just a faint outline of light.
"Remember, Mama," she said, her voice fading. "Don't stop creating. Don't stop dreaming. And don't stop loving."
"I won't," Naila promised. "I promise."
Gerlie's smile grew wider. "One last thing."
"What?"
"I love you, Mama. And I'll always be proud to be your creation."
Naila cried harder. "I love you too, Gerlie. I love you so much."
Gerlie's form began to dissolve into golden light.
"Thank you," she whispered. "For everything."
And then she was gone.
A single golden spark floated in the air for a moment, then vanished.
Naila collapsed to her knees.
***
Naila's Apartment - Later
The room was destroyed. But no one cared.
Naila was sitting on the floor, staring at the spot where Gerlie had disappeared. Her eyes were red and puffy.
The others gathered around her.
Fatimah knelt beside her. "Naila... are you okay?"
Naila shook her head. "No. No, I'm not."
Chima put a hand on her shoulder. "She was amazing, Naila. She saved us."
"I know. And I couldn't even save her."
"Don't say that. She chose to fight. She chose to protect you."
Naila looked up. "She called me Mama. She really thought of me as her mother."
Chima nodded. "Because you were. You were her mother."
Naila cried again.
Alice sat beside her. "Hey, Naila. She would want you to keep drawing, right? Keep creating?"
Naila nodded slowly. "She said that."
"Then you should do it. For her."
Wony, who had finally woken up, knelt beside Naila. "We'll help you. Whatever you need."
Naila looked at her friends. "You guys... you're the best."
Fatimah smiled. "That's what friends are for."
***
Naila's Room - Evening
Naila sat at her desk. The paper where she had drawn Gerlie was still there.
But now, there was something new.
In the corner of the paper, in tiny golden letters, was a message:
"Awesome, I know."
Naila smiled through her tears.
She picked up her pen and started drawing.
She drew Gerlie; beautiful, confident, full of life.
And she kept drawing.
Because that was what Gerlie would have wanted.
***
Naila's Apartment - Night
Naila sat on the couch with her friends. The room was still a mess, but no one cared.
"I miss her," Naila said quietly. "She was only here for a day. But I miss her so much."
Fatimah squeezed her hand. "She made an impact. That's what matters."
Chima nodded. "She called you Mama. She loved you. And you loved her. That's real."
Alice was uncharacteristically quiet. Then she said, "She was awesome. Really, really awesome."
Naila smiled. "She would have said 'Awesome, I know.'"
They all laughed.
Wony wiped her eyes. "I didn't know her for long. But I loved her. She was... magnificent."
Naila nodded. "She was."
She looked at the drawing in her hands. Gerlie smiled back at her, frozen in time.
"I'll never forget her," Naila said. "Never."
And she never did.82Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy7PAPNIQYS
and then Add to home screen.