Chapter 9

She felt the hand over her shoulder as she struggled between darkness and light.it was just like a light feather or probably she was just imagining things, probably she was still sitting there,gently fed on by rats and awaiting her death.no,she was already death.

With superhuman efforts,she lifted her eye lids and let them close again,she was sure she was on her way to purgatory led by the angel of doom.didnt her father taught her from the good book that whoever did evil was sent there to pay for their sins?she had committed more evil than necessary and she was definitely sure this was her way to serve punishment.

Was she not the one back then in college who had hit Katherine on her nose because she was such a mean girl,well,she would explain and maybe God and the angels will understand but didn't the good book say?,—no,it was taught by the son of God,if someone strike you on your right cheek turn the left for him to do so.so she was wrong for hitting Katherine.

A strong foul odour penetrated into her nostrils and went straight into her head in her subconscious mind,she could swear it was the strong odour of sulphur and brimstone.and maybe the decaying bodies of her partner and comrade in crime.she knew she was being dragged and taken along yet she had no strength to resist or even protest or open her eyes to behold the face of this angel who had taken it upon himself to see that she was duly punished.

Finally,she could feel herself dropped with a thud on something,the moment had come when she would be chopped into pieces and left to burn,no,maybe she was receiving her judgement now.she strained her ear so hard,so desperately hard to hear the words that would be pronounced on her head.instead,her ears were greeted with whispers.so low that she couldn't make head nor tail from it.she resigned herself to fate and quietly retired to that tranquility and solitude within.

********************************************************************************************************************************************************

She scanned the faces of this people seated before her,greedy set of people who cared about nothing more than themselves.if they did care they would have understood that she did what she needed to do.they probably never knew what it felt like to lose a child.this men,who were ready to criticize her but no matter what she would not regret neither would she flinch.

  "Agent Ross,do you realize you are before the disciplinary committee and you are not supposed to drift off just like that?"the stern face behind the voice brought her back from her riverie.

  "Sorry sir"she muttered with her head bent.

  "You know the gravity of your offence".

  "No sir"

  "Do u realize that we lost half our unit due to your rash decisions?"

  "We lost half the unit,yes sir but my decision was not rash that was necessary in that situation".

  "Without properly scrutinizing the situation and the information you got you went ahead to ruin us and the lives of those young soldiers".

  "But sir…,"

  "No buts,"he raised his hand to indicate silence. "We have reached the conclusion that you go on probation for 5months atleast".

  "Sir…,"

  "Don't argue agent,this is the decision of the disciplinary committee"he turned to the other members who had been busy all along nodding in agreement to whatever he said "do any of you have any objections?".

They all shook their head in the negative "well then,"he continued "you will leave the base and hand over any case you had on your hands to agent Ricky".

She nodded mechanically stopping herself from looking at their faces "consider this as a vacation,you really need this to help clear your head"he patted her and walked out then stopped abruptly by the door "you have an hour to clear out"

  "Yes sir"she responded and watched their back as they walked off.

Sarah looked at the beautiful little cottage before her,it was all what she could ever dream of.she was sitting out in the garden watching her little boys and their father washing the car and splashing water on each other.she smiled sheepishly at them and tried to call them but it seems they were so engrossed in what they were doing that they did not hear.she could not see the man who was presumably her husband,he had his back to her.

She watched them for some little time again and on impulse she waved her hand again,the kids saw her and called the man's attention to her then he turned.

He had that dangerous menacing smile on his face,he looked really familiar that she wondered where she had seen him before.yes he was her husband,and it would have been understanding to say he was familiar but there was something definitely about him that she knew she had seen somewhere.

The looked at her and slowly his eyes were now burning red like the coals of fire on a hot winter afternoon, before her very eyes,his head had started producing horns which were coming out of the scalp of his head.he had suddenly grow long teeth's and finger nails.by now,her eyes had bulged out of their socket as she stared open mouthed at the creature who was taking form before her.

She made an effort to call out to her kids who were oblivious of this sudden transformation since he had his back to them but the words hanged suddenly to her throat refusing to come out from her vocals.

The creature smiled,that dreadful creature smiled at her as he made to turn and grab the youngest of the boys who had run up to him in the course of their play in a desperate attempt,she made to stand up from the chair she was sitting on  and realized that in a bid to still do something,she mustard all her energy and strength and screamed loudly only for her to wake up covered in her own sweat on a bunk.

Her half closed eyes scanned the room wearily,there was only that little whispers which were becoming a nuisance to her already tired ears.she turned her head gently to the side and she could make out blur features of people standing around.she could not make out their gender since her eyes were still dim but she could see a little of what they were doing.the figure walked over to her holding something up her mouth was dry as she tried to say something but only succeeded in producing a little whimper,she stared blandly but her heart pleaded and gently her half closed eyes went totally shut.

The phone vibrated gently on the table,he dropped his pipe and looked at the screen.hesitant at first he decided to pick it 

A merry female voice rang from the other end "oh Lycan darling how are you doing".

  "Cut the crab Maria,what do you want"he barked angrily.

She chuckled "you know exactly what I want".

  "Listen to me Maria,whatever happened between us was just a charade to get your miserable husband out of the way for you".

  "I know,I know dear Lycan. But that does not change the fact that I love you".

  "To hell with your love!!"he yelled angrily "I will strangle you to death if I ever set my eyes on you anywhere around me".

Her voice was subdued yet angry "well then,I just wanted to let you know that your little bunny is right in my best and you know what to do if you want her back".

  "You know what happens to anyone who mess around my properties,she is worth a million naira with interest"

She laughed heartily "I know you love money alot but I love you so I don't mind doing anything to get who I want.see you by 10pm tonight".

There was a beep then the line went death,he looked at the blank screen gritting his teeth angrily and muttered "bitch" bitterly.