FIFTY-EIGHT

SOUTHRAIN CITY NEWS ONLINE

…..police have finally managed to capture the man behind the kidnappings that have been happening in Southrain. Israel Bassard, who also uses the name Eden Salatto, has been apprehended but is currently unconscious in the ICU at the de Milo Private Hospital in Southrain.

His reasons for kidnapping are still not clear, for he never demanded a ransom from the de Milos. A total of four people were held hostage by him, Dylan de Milo, Anisha Meyerton and the son of the CEO of Double L Waste Management Company, Lucas la Martina. The fourth person who was held hostage, Pastor Noel Everdeen, was reported dead a few hours after rescue by the police. His body was also flown into Southrain for his funeral. Mourners are gathered at his home....

DYLAN'S POV

Darkness. Darkness and more darkness. That was all I could see. I felt a heavy weight on my chest, and my head was aching so bad that I thought it was just going to burst open. I tried to shift and realized that my body seemed too heavy for me, for I could not even lift up my own hand.

"Where am I?", I asked myself in my heart. And then I remembered. Anisha! Was Anisha next to me? Had she recovered? She was coughing and throwing up...Anisha? Where was she? And Liam! The little man, oh little man, where was he? And the pastor? Pastor Noel Everdeen... then Eden…..or was it Israel…whatever his name was! Where was he? What had he done to us? I remembered the gas. Oh yes, Israel had let the gas out on us. I struggled to turn my head to check on Anisha. She was not there. I saw snow-white curtains which looked all too familiar.

Oh yes, how could I not tell? I was in hospital. So it meant that someone had found and rescued us? How sure could I be, that we had been rescued. I struggled to sit up and although I thought I was going to call out, "hello!", a chocked groan came out instead.

Immediately a nurse rushed in and called out, "Doctor de Milo is awake!"

"He's awake!" she screamed louder while ringing the bell.

I tried again to talk, but my throat did not allow me. Despite my whole body being all heavy and numb as if it was made of steel, my throat also felt as if I was being chocked. Parched, I seriously wanted some water, and generally I was feeling hot.

My mother ran in, closely followed by my dad and sisters.

"Dylan Dylan, oh you scared us!" Ciera hugged me tight and cried.

"Dylan!" Arianna hugged me too.

"Don't squeeze him that much, girls!", my mother smiled as she came closer to also hug me.

"Son," my dad smiled at me and opened the medical file next to my bed as he checked on it.

Carl and Iris entered immediately and smiled at me.

"You're alive, sir Dylan", Carl squeezed my hand.

"Sir Dylan", Iris nodded and smiled with tearful eyes.

Pete literally ran in with a grin. "You're alive, man!" Pete beamed in joy as he came in and patted me on my shoulder before he pinched my cheeks.

Honestly I knew that he meant well, but the pinch did nothing but cause me pain. He must have realised, for he quickly said sorry, and thank God, he reached out for a glass of water to give to me.

He used a straw for me to drink, while he slightly lifted my head off the pillow. Soon after taking the water, I felt multiple times better. My voice seemed to come back right at that moment, and although I was still in pain, I opened my mouth to speak,

"A…" I failed to go on.

"Arianna. Your brother is calling for you, Arianna," my mother was quick to pull Arianna and make her stand next to me.

"Yes Dylan," Arianna stroked my hair and looked closely at me, with eyes full of pity.

I used all my strength, struggled and managed to get the name out, "Anisha."

"She's still unconscious," Pete explained. "All of you, including the lunatic that kidnapped you, were seriously sick."

I felt the aching in my whole body, but I did my best to talk again, "I want to see Anisha!"

I was starting to feel better, at least I had regained control over my speech, although I was still weak.

"Not so fast, son! You need to rest!" my mother snapped.

I rested my head on the pillow and listened as Pete told me that Anisha was still unconscious. He went on to narrate how Pastor Noel Everdeen had died, how Israel had was fighting for his life just two wards away from me, and how Liam was doing much better that all of us.

The news of Pastor Everdeen death really hit me hard. I had not expected him to die.

"His burial will be on Wednesday morning. A service will be held at the God Comes First main Church here in Southrain." Pete informed me.

"I want to attend his funeral. It's the least I can do for him. He was a good man; for the short time that I knew him"

"But you're not yet well", my mother tried to convince me not to attend the funeral.

"I'm well mum. I spent a month with him during one of the most terrible times of my life! I believe it was also the most terrible time of his life! That one month brought us together. We suffered together! I can't let him down at the last moment! I have to attend his burial. It's the last respect I can offer him."

"If you insist; but you will go with bodyguards!" my mother said firmly; in a tone that showed that she did not want to be opposed.

"I'll go with him as well," Pete said.

My mother merely nodded, rolled her eyes and took two steps back.

"I really want to see Anisha now." I said.

Sensing that my mother was about to oppose me, I quickly added, "please get me a wheelchair so that I may go and see her."

I knew I was strong enough to walk on my own, but I just needed to ease my mother's worries. Pete immediately asked someone to bring me a wheelchair.

"I'll push you, man! You better start walking soon. Remember my wedding is coming up soon!"

"Oh by the way your wedding is coming soon! I had almost forgotten!" I laughed.

"How dare you forget my wedding! To think that Raelynn and I almost postponed our wedding because of you! how could we go on with it while you were missing? And then you dare forget about the wedding!" Pete faked annoyance and everyone laughed. Everyone except for my mother.

His words touched my heart. He pushed the wheelchair and we entered into Anisha's room. She looked so calm and peaceful, and she was very beautiful as she lay in that bed.

"Anisha", I sighed and picked her hand. It was thin and looked very frail. There were still some marks on her wrists, where the handcuffs had been.

"You will be just fine, Anisha. You have been through the worst. Don't give in at the last minute. You can't leave me now; after I have just found you." I said, still holding her hand in mine.

"I think I might have to give you two some time alone," Pete started to retreat with a wide grin.

I quickly realized that I had even forgotten that Pete was with us. I smiled awkwardly and said, "no no no please stay."

"I don't want to hear what I shouldn't hear", he laughed.

"No Pete, please stay. She's just a friend."

"Just a friend…mmmm, just a friend!" Pete widened his eyes before he burst into laughter.

"Come on, Pete! You'll wake her up, you're too noisy!"

"Oh yeah? Now I am too noisy for the Mrs? Ok, I'm out of here now! I'll wait by the door, and I promise, I won't eavesdrop", he brought his hands to his ears and closed them while smiling widely. He walked out, and before he closed the door, he peeped in and whispered, "I'm calling Raelynn now. We need to add one more guest to our list. Plan to bring Anisha, your significant other to the wedding!" he chuckled and without waiting for my response, closed the door behind him.

"Anisha, I know you are worried about Liam. He is fine. I am going to see him just now, but I have been informed that he's doing much better than both of us! The little man is the strongest of us all, isn't he?" I stopped and stared at her beautiful face. She was the most beautiful girl I had ever seen; and just staring at her face gave me a lot of satisfaction.

Slowly the door opened and assuming that it was Pete, I did not turn to look. Instead, I continued to talk to Anisha, "the kidnapping was a nightmare, but one great thing came out of it: I met you. You don't know how much I looked for you, Anisha. I tried to look for you, but I was young then. I did not know how to look for a person properly. I didn't have enough resources to do so. I thought I had lost you back then," I felt hot tears stinging my eyes, "Anisha, I thought I had lost you! Thanks to Eden...Israel…whether he is Israel or Eden is not important. The important thing for now is that he brought you back to me. He brought us back together, Anisha. He brought us back together, and this time I am not losing you! I can't lose you twice!"

Someone behind me cleared her throat and I turned to see Iris standing there, looking at me.

"Sir Dylan", she whispered.

"Yes, Iris?", I used the back of my hand to wipe a small tear which was threatening to escape from my eye.

"Ma'am de Milo sent me to come and check on you. Are you fine? Do you need anything?", she cleared her throat again.

"I am well. I'll be with you guys in a moment", I informed her. She immediately nodded and left the room.

"I lost you before, Anisha. I cannot lose you again. This time I am making sure that I get to know you well, to become your best friend, and to bring you home to mum and dad.", I smiled.