CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

“You know Rose, I had friends once. People I could even call family” the beast of a man said looking out the window, I hummed knowing that if I kept quiet he would get upset. He sighed tiredly like telling me was a heavy load to unload “I trusted them with everything, I loved them so blindly that I did not see what they had done to me. They used me! They betrayed me! I killed my dreams like they were nothing but child’s play!” he growled and faced me with so much hatred than I had seen in him before.

Why would they do that to him? He did nothing wrong to them yet they did to him the unthinkable. They betrayed him! Thereby they caused him to be who he was, a beast clothed in the skin of man. That time I did not know what to feel for the beast of a man, but now that I looked back. I felt connected to him, it was like I was looking at a reflection of myself.

He walked towards me like a predator, I looked up as he stood before me, no longer was I afraid of the man in front of me “And do you know what I did after they ruined me?” he asked enthusiastically with that mischief he always had glinting in his eyes like a knife in the sun, I shook my head and he smiled that sinister infamous smirk of his.

His bad breath fanned my ear shell and his body shook as he chuckled and he whispered “I killed them. One by one”.

I slowly turned around and released a sigh of relief as I saw Lindy in the door way with a look of pure shook and fear plastered on her cute face “Why did you kill her?” she asked shocked, I felt the warm substance dripping from my hand onto the floor where Lizzie laid in a peaceful sleep for eternity or a tormenting nightmare.

I could hear my own heartbeat as I brought my shaking hands to my face, that was my fourth time killing someone and it scared me how I did it so easily without a care in the world, but it also brought me some type of peace as I glided my thumb over my blue coated nails, her blood was starting to get cold.

“She was on my list” I answered her as I mindlessly walked back to the corner to grab my stuff “You’re crazy!” Lindy shrieked with disgust and fear, I rolled my eyes and packed my stuff just as the sound of footsteps echoed outside and I jumped out the window “Don’t leave me!” Lindy shrieked again and I cringed.

As soon as I landed I ran towards the office buildings as the sun started setting, I could still hear her footsteps trying to catch up with me. I was annoyed at her; why couldn’t she just live me alone? I wondered and stopped running when realization struck me. She had no one.

Even though I hated her, I held on to that little light that I spotted in the darkness, I had no one. We both had no one. I waited for her until she caught up “You’re- you are still crazy” she choked out as she panted, I rolled my eyes and a small smile graced my lips “let’s get going, this area is finished…for now” I said and she looked at me with tears in her eyes like I saved her from death.

I raised one eyebrow in question to which she vigorously wiped her eyes with her brown sweater, I waited for her even as people started to come out of the building to look at the commotion. She nodded her head with a smile and we walked back to the apartment without anyone spotting us…or so I thought. But even the walls had ears.

The apartment was empty as I predicted, Neil was with Nwosu at the headquarters and Ma’ was at the tea shop “Let’s get going, the sooner we get out the better” I said as Lindy sat down on the chair, I walked to my room and grabbed the bag pack I had already packed with all my things inside.

As I walked by Neil room, my feet halted even though my mind told me to continue on. I knew that I would miss them, I got attached and I will take the blame for everything. ‘This is my punishment’ I thought and continued walking towards Lindy who stood up when she heard me.

“I’m gonna miss this place” she said as I closed the door of the apartment, I hummed “so am I” I started and she looked at me like she could not believe me “Look, you came to me and I already have a path set in stone. I’m giving you a choice; you follow me now and say goodbye to all the good stuff or you go now and choose your own path without the angels of death hovering over you” I said and she stopped walking.

I stopped as well, giving her enough time to make the right choice and enjoy what light the world had to offer, but what she said shocked me “I’ll go with you. I owe you my life and I will follow your rules. This world is cruel, most of the people in this world are cruel. I have no one and nowhere to go. They took her away, even though you killed the one who killed my mother. The one who gave him the order will surely pay” she said with a promise.

I looked in her eyes that held determination and mischief, I even felt bad for those who were bound feel her wrath, but I admired her. With that said, we walked in silence.

We arrived at the market without trouble or any interaction, everyone was in their own world; doing their own things. The sky started getting dark as the sun said its goodbyes, it was only a matter of time for Ma’ and Neil to know that I wasn’t home. And for Nwosu to understand that I wasn’t coming back.

“So, where are we going Rose?” Lindy asked as the area changed to trees and long grass “I don’t know, but far from here” I said as I pushed away a branch that was blocking my view “I think I know a place” Lindy said and I looked at her over my shoulder “As long as it’s safe” I said just as the teleportation beam came into view.

It was covered with sticks and grass like it had not been used for a long time “I knew it was you!” someone exclaimed boredly and I turned in alert to see a girl walking towards us dressed in rich people clothes if that was what a thing. I tensed up as she came into view with a smile on her face but it seemed forced even for me.

Lindy stood behind me like I was her shield causing me to roll my eyes internally “Who are you?” I asked glaring at her, I did not like the vibe that I was getting from her, she walked towards us like a fox until she stood before us looking down on us “My, must I say you have grown from the last time I saw you. It’s still a shock that you’re even alive” she said and I looked at her; she had this long hair that was bright red, but it looked fake even from far away, and these cat like eyes of hers that were once blue but now they were covered with brown contacts.

“Stacey” I acknowledged with bitterness, she was on my list “Rose, I almost did not recognize you with this new look” she said smugly and I had to restrain myself from killing her right there “That was the point, though I see you’re still copying me even though I was dead” I stated and she huffed at the truth.

“Not that I care but what do you want?” I asked her, I had to hurry before anyone started looking for me. She sighed “I want in on whatever you’re doing” she stated seriously but I could not help the sound that passed from my lips, I laughed at her. Like I believe her, she was a fox and a trickster.

She glared at me “I’m serious. My life is boring and I happened to see what you did to poor Lizzie, but I can’t say she didn’t have it coming” she said, I sighed I did not want to deal with her. She was delaying me “Fine, but you are under my orders, don’t let me repeat myself” I said and turned around to the transportation beam and walked away with them following behind me.

AREA 95 HEADQUATERS:

“Any information on Elizabeth?” Nwosu asked his uncle as he walked into the office, he was exhausted and he missed Joy even though it had been only three days since her departure “Unfortunately, the police are investigating it. Ah! They are interrogated every student, and three are missing; Stacey, Lindy and Joy” he said.

Nwosu’s uncle was the Areain of area ninety-five, he swore to protect and lead them. Sure they were some shady things happening but never one like this, were a student was brutally murdered in the school grounds.

“Oh! Joy and Lindy are friends of mine, Joy had gone to visit her family, but I don’t know about Lindy or that Stacey girl. But knowing Lindy, she probably went with Joy seeing as they are cousins” Nwosu said dismissing the idea of his precious Joy doing such cruelty, his uncle hummed “Just to be sure, I’ll send out some people to find them and see if what they said is true” his uncle said and dismissed Nwosu.

“She wouldn’t do that, would she?” he wondered as he walked to his room.