Desperate appeal
Without waiting for another explanation she made to dash out of his presence but before she could take two steps he held her tightly from behind. She couldn't understand how someone who was barely looking at her could predict her next move. His grip on her was so tight that she could barely move. For a brief moment she though he was about to kill her.
"You should stay here, go downstairs and I would be unable to protect you. There is nothing you can do" he said to her hoping to calm her down.
Bug Tara would hear none of it, the message was clear to her now. Every scene began to make sense to her. The many unfamiliar faces on black, the vans in the compound, and the absence of her father's men outside the house. The message was clear, the life of every member of her family was in danger.
"Let me go, she screamed as she fought hard to escape but he would not shift grounds. He held her tightly as if his life depended on it.
" Everyone in your family is dead, there is nothing you can do about it " He whispered into her ears making her more agitated. How was she to believe that the people she saw just a few minutes ago were all dead?
"I don't believe you, let me go she screamed harder as she tore into his hands with her fingers hoping it would hurt him enough but she was disappointed as he didn't loosen his grip for even one second. They struggled kike that for the next three minutes with Tara getting weaker and Lakan barely showing signs of tiredness.
" Lakan please let me go" she pleaded in a low tone after realizing she wasn't going to win by force.
"Let me see my family again for one last time she pleaded in tears.
Her pleas seem to have an effect on him as he decided to let her go.
Tara hurriedly left the room with her heart in her hands. She didn't know what to expect when she gets downstairs but she just needed to see things for herself.
With trembling feet, she descended downstairs, she could tell He was following her but she didn't care.
What she saw sank her heart, the lifeless bodies of her family members on the floor with no single Blacwaters around. She came face to face with the unfamiliar faces again. Her mother was being carried out by those men when she arrived.
She fell to the floor as her legs gave way, a heavy burden on her heart. How was this possible? How did these killings occur without a single disturbance? The silencers must have been the weapons used here. Her world seems to have crumbled just before her. Lakan was right there was nothing she could have done
At that moment Mr. Blackwaters walked in as he was dishing instructions to the men. He wanted them to take the bodies to the vans as soon as possible and re-organize the table for their dinner. They were still planning on having dinner as if nothing happened.
He noticed her on the floor and felt disgusted.
" how is it she is still alive, make her join her parents " he ordered one of his men who walked up to her to kill her.
Tara closed her eyes as she submitted herself to her fate. She knew there was no escape from this present situation.
"You dare not touch her or I will blow your brains off " a voice thundered from behind her.
Without turning back she knew who it was. Lakan has come to save her but she wasn't sure if she needed to be saved at this moment. There was nothing for her to live for.
The man who was supposed to put her out of her misery stopped in his track as he looked toward Mr. Blackwaters to see what he would have to say. Even if you are working under a particular order you should be sure not to cross another person who can easily end your life. Everyone working for the Blackwaters knew that hence no one who dare cross Lakan, especially as the woman in question was his wife.
"Lakan what are you doing? His father asked looking at him with anger in his eyes
" I made it clear go, everyone. You can kill anyone you like but my wife must not be touched by anyone."
"Why?"
"We need her alive, we will need someone to hand over the Lockwood properties to us. After she is done with that I will end her life by myself " he replied
"We don't need their properties we will leave it to the wild" his father replied meaning they would leave it to his men who would share it amongst themselves the way they like.
"This is for power not for properties " He reminded him.
"As the only person who married into this family, I think it is my right. Anyone who wants to dispute that will have to go through me" Lakan responded as he reached for his gun from his belt.
Tara felt more disappointed hearing that the reason Lakan kept her alive was for the sake of her Father's property and not because he cared about her.
"Do as you wish " Mr. Blackwaters finally gave in after some seconds of thought. He would not love to lose any member of his own family over an issue that was so trivial.
The men went back to their duty leaving her to Lakan.
At this stage, Tara felt like dying. She could not imagine herself living life after this incident. All she wanted was to die.
"Just kill me," she said turning to face Lakan with her head fo the ground.
He took a step towards her and went down on his knees beside her.
"I need you to be alive. It would be a shame to see you die. You need to be alive to avenge the death of members of your family" he whispered to her.
She paused to reason what he just said. "Instead of revenge is it not better this never occurred? She asked herself.
Desperate and traumatized she pleaded for a way to reverse this tragedy. She didn't believe in her gods but at that moment she prayed to any supernatural being to help her as she blacked out