FAILING MISSION

"Why didn't you inform us on what was happening to you?" Sandra asked helplessly. She sighed when her eyes landed on Liam's legs. They were trembling like jerry. He could barely stand properly. she took Liam's arm and kept it around her neck to support him. it was pretty obvious he was having difficulty standing "you do know how to take care of me. You succeeded" she stated helplessly.

"succeeded?" Liam asked curiously with a weary shaky voice.

'succeeded' that word echoed in James' head. He understood clearly what she meant by that. They were turning back! Just when he was few steps from obtaining the item. He eyes quickly turned red "no no no" he said with a scorn while shaking his finger faster which he raised up. "you didn't succeed. No one is turning back till I get the item…but you could turn back" he said the last sentence looking at Liam with widened eyes.

"what are you saying? We can't continue while Liam is in this state" Sandra said with a sorrowful voice. Terror was written all over her face for she was worried about her brother who looked completely pale.

"he brought it upon himself!" James shouted at her. he was angry "if you had listened you wouldn't be in this state" he turned to Liam and said slowly while stressing his statement.

Liam weakly responded before James could finish talking "how could I have left my sister in your care?".

"and that's what you are doing now. You're quite good at taking care of her" James frustratingly wiped his face with his palm "I pleaded with you, I told you how my life and mom's depended on this. I will be ruined, my mother will die" he looked away with hints of tears in his eyes trying to hold them back "…but nobody cares about me, nobody apart from my mother. Not even those I call friends. They are all the same" he looked at Liam disappointedly.

"James stop this your melodrama. We will return for the ite…" Sandra stated worriedly.

A sarcastic laughter echoed out. James stopped laughing and looked at Sandra with a smile on his face "melodrama you say? you are not in my shoe. It's all my fault I would have collected your blood while you were unconscious. There would have been no need to ask for your permission or be here sprouting rubbish the both of you can't understand"

Sandra didn't say a word to him. she only felt Liam's pain and wanted to get him to the hospital as soon as possible. She adjusted Liam and turned to Leave. Liam open his mouth to speak but James was ahead of him.

James snuffed and walked to their front blocking them "no no no, like I said you are not going anywhere till I get collect that item" he told Sandra. "you are coming with me" he suddenly dragged her. Making Liam who can't fully support himself to fall on his face. he groaned in pain but James didn't care.

Sandra tried to push off his hand to attend to Liam but his grip on her was too strong,

James then said "why am I trying to bring you there?" he said this wearing a thoughtful expression. "you don't need to come…I just need your blood" he reached out and tore the hem of his trouser. He planned on collecting her blood with it since there wasn't with any bottle whatsoever. He will just have to rush before it clots. Anyway blood is still blood even if it clots.

"James let me go" Sandra panicked and struggled as he brought her finger closer to his mouth.

"James please stop" Liam said lying on the floor. He couldn't stand no matter how much he struggled although it didn't look like he was struggling to stand.

"shut up!" James shouted at Liam while he brought Sandra's finger closer to his mouth, ready to graze it with his teeth "stay still" he struggled because Sandra kept pulling back.

Suddenly Liam started coughing and coughed out a mouth full of blood. He coughed hard that he got James and Sandra's attention. They looked at him in horror when he coughed out a mouth full of blood. That was when James released Sandra.

Sandra quickly bent "Liam's it okay. You will be fine" she cleaned his mouth quickly and helped him up with his arm on her shoulder. With her full strength she turned and walked back to where they came from. It was very difficult to support Liam because he could no longer move his legs. His legs just dragged along as they walked but could stand with her support.

James just stood still, frozen. His head became a bit clear when he saw Liam coughed out blood. Morals and emotions were kicking into his head. His best friend was dying. He stood there for a while suddenly his expression became cold. He paced to them and took Liam.

"James please I beg you…" Sandra was still talking then James bent and carried Liam in a bridal way. She just closed her mouth and watched as James paced to the posterior end of the giraffe. She followed behind them.

"young master!" a deep voice called out. the voice came from behind. Both James and Sandra quickly turned back surprised that someone was inside. How did he come in?

It was James guard, Sandra could tell from his attire and the badge on his shirt. He wore the same uniform with the other guards. Black long sleeves shirt, black pant and black shoes; the shirt had two brown stripe on both arms.

The same guard James had blocked off with a rock from spying on them. James quickly turned his head to his front, the posterior end of the giraffe and gazed at where he had place the large rock with Liam earlier. there was slight a shift that a slim person can manage to pass through it.

The guard ran up to them and asked "what is wrong with Liam?".

James sneered 'you came at the right time' he said this in his thought and asked the Guard "what are you doing here?" retaining his cool. He asked the question he already knew the answer just to play along. 'how persistent. Father you are always on my tail. no breathing space' he said to himself trying not to get emotional.

"Butler Jones sent me to follow you, to ensure your safety" The guard replied humbly.

'he must think that am a fool. Why step out now?' James spoke in his mind with no expression on. "push that rock away let's get Liam to the hospital" He coldly said to the guard, waiting for him to persuade him to stay back.

The Guard nodded and went forward and began pushing the rock away. James was surprised by his action. The guard didn't show any sign not reluctance and commenced to do as James requested. James began to doubt whether he was truly sent by his father.

Sandra said nothing, her eyes were fixed on Liam who was getting weaker as the time passed by. At first she was suspicious of the guard, on how he got inside. According to what she overheard from Liam and James' conversation a long time ago, nobody cared about James in the mansion apart from Mr. Jones. She had few questions to ask but pushed it aside. Her brother was more important.

James remained still with Liam's arm hanging weightlessly on his neck. He was twisting his mouth in a cold way, watching the guard struggle. it was obvious he was thinking. He began to move forward when the Guard had successfully pushed the rock away. The guard quickly came to him, carried Liam and asked "young master, what are you doing here?" he asked moving to the posterior end with Liam, now backing James and Sandra. he got close to where they would squat down and crawl out.

James closely watched his actions and responded "we are here to collect flowers for our school project"

This time James was hoping that he was sent by his father. His eyes were still fixed on the guard. wondering how he got through the elephant grass without a cut. Suddenly he grinned 'only my father could easily pass here apart from Sandra without a cut. Since he maintains the topiary here. He must have sent this guard and both of them would know the secret to pass freely'.

"young master, I don't see any flowers in your hands. Are you returning because you are worried about Master Liam? don't worry he will recover. I will rush him to the hospital. Go and obtain… the flower with Miss Sandra" the guard said.

Hearing, this James grinned. Sandra was about to speak but he quickly held her hand, gently squeezing it for her to calm down. "how are you sure he will be fine? do you know what happened to him?" he asked the guard, playing along.