Eleven

Erica sat in her range rover waiting for her fiancé, Jean. She saw him coming from a distance with a woman talking and laughing. She grabbed her cigarette. She looked for a lighter but couldn’t find one in the car. Jean and the woman separated and Jean went to Erica’s car. As soon as he got into the car, she started shouting at him. Jean was used to Erica’s tantrums that he would just watch her blubber till she got tired.

“Are you done Erica?” Jean asked her.

“Who is that whore?” She eyed him.

“A workmate,” he responded looking away.

“Hhhhmmm. You also said the same about the last one till I found out you were shagging her,” she said.

“How many people do you whore around with in the name of family business?”

“You wouldn’t be here if I wasn’t doing that. Don’t you ever dare question what i do. I hope you are saying the truth because you know what happens to your whores,” Erica said.

Ignoring her, he asked, “What was the urgent call about?”

“I need your help.”

“Can’t this wait? I’m still working.”

“No it can’t,” Erica started the car.

“Wait Erica, I didn’t tell anyone I left,” Jean told her.

“Don’t worry, that’s my family’s company,” she drove out of the parking lot.

They didn’t say much but both looked at the road. Jean was accustomed to Erica picking him up from work like this to run errands with her. One thing he had learned dealing with Erica was never to ask questions. He knew what she was capable of. In many occasions he had witnessed her wrath and questioning her was not even a thing to think about.

“We are here,” Erica said looking at the street.

Jean was quiet.

“So here is what I want you to do. Go in the backseat and hide properly,” Erica looked at Jean.

“Hide?”

“You heard me,” Erica’s forehead puckered.

Jean didn’t argue. He found himself in the backseat waiting for Erica’s next order. Erica drove in the street looking around. She reached for her hunters dry bottle and sipped on it.

“Well, I’ll be damned,” she chuckled.

“What?” Jean asked peeping.

“Just the girl we are here for,” Erica changed lanes. “I want you to make her unconscious once she gets in. You hear me?”

“Unconscious?”

“Yes. Don’t kill her. At least not yet.”

Erica hooted the car countless times until she parked on the roadside. Jean looked at her leave the car. He couldn’t see clearly but there was a girl she was talking to. Erica talked to the girl and came back with her after some minutes. Jean hid himself properly behind the front passengers seat. He listened to Erica make conversation with the girl. When she rolled up the windows of the car, he knew it was a signal to attack. He quickly emerged from behind the girl and wrapped his strong arms around the girl’s neck and strangled her.

“Don’t kill her,” Erica turned the car around.

“I’m not killing her,” Jean said while he struggled with the strangling as the girl was resisting.

Finally, he managed. She was powerless and became unconscious.

Jean exhaled, “she’s a tough one.”

“You are just weak,” Erica expelled her breathe in a wheeze.

Jean looked at her as he dragged the girl in the backseat and laid her on the seat. He moved to the front seat and took a sip from Erica’s bottle.

“Who is she?” He asked.

Erica looked at him. “Some girl.”

“You just made me strangle someone and you are saying 'some girl'?”

“I don’t think I need to explain anything to you, Jean. Do I?” Erica asked.

Jean ignored her.

“If any consolation, her name is Ludo.”

Jean looked at Ludo laying unconsciously in the backseat and wondered what she could have done to find herself in opposition with Erica.

“Take me back to work Jezebel,” he scolded her.

“You know I hate it when you call me Jezebel. You are not supposed to call me that, it's not for you. I’m your girl,” she complained.

Jean noticed he had hurt her feelings.

“I’m sorry love.”

She didn’t respond but drove.

“We are going home to drop the package together.”

Jean knew her decision was final. She drove them to New Kasama where Erica’s parents’ house was located. It was a beauty of a mansion. Just the house itself would make someone think they were in heaven. The electric gate opened and gave a view of a water fountain. Beautiful flowers surrounded the whole yard and was tidy. There was not even a single piece of paper. The house was located at the centre surrounded by beautiful flowers and two swimming pools on the right and left. There was a stable at the far end of the compound. Strong heavily built men could be spotted guarding the premises. Erica drove in and parked her car just by the entrance to the house.

“Isn’t that your brother?” Jean asked.

“Well, if it isn’t Mr. Brains,” Erica rolled her eyes.

Erica and Jean got out of the car. Two men came towards their direction and went to the car. They opened the back doors and carried Ludo to the house while Brains walked towards Erica and Jean.

“If it isn’t Jezebel and her slave,” Brains said.

“Cut it out Evan,” she walked past him.

He strongly held her hand and said, “You don’t call me by my real name in front of your slave.”

“Leave me,” she shook herself off him. “Jean let’s go.”

“Wooo wooo, wait,” Evan blocked Jean. “This is family business. I knew you probably had a hand in this but we’ll take it from here.”

Jean looked at Erica.

Erica bowed her head.

“Shooo shooo, off you go,” Evan pushed Jean.

Erica threw her keys to Jean.

“Do you realise that the rover you are making him drive has given him a ticket to punani?” Evan asked Erica as they entered the house.

“Just shut up Evan!” She yelled at him.

“I don’t even know what you see in that trash,” he said.

“That trash will soon be my husband.”

They entered the house and walked straight upstairs to a room they called 'the dark room'. They found one of the guys who took Ludo inside standing, motionless.

Evan looked at the guard and he just nodded. They entered the room and found Ludo seated on a chair still unconscious.

“Are you kidding me?” Evan looked at Erica.

“What?”

“This is her?” He pointed at Ludo.

“According to the picture you showed me and the name, it's definitely her,” Erica grabbed a chair and sat.

“Can someone wake her up!” Evan yelled.

The man at the door hurriedly entered and poured cold water on Ludo. She slowly woke up to a strange room and people. She touched her neck which was hurting.

“You can go outside now,” Evan ordered the man.

“Where am I?” Ludo asked scared.

“Don’t worry darling,” Erica rubbed her eyes. “I don’t like the light in this room,” she complained.

Evan looked at her and reached for the manuscript in the drawer of a table. He walked to Ludo. Ludo recognized the manuscript.

“The Family that kills together, stays together,” Evan read the title.

“Is that my manuscript?” Ludo asked.

“Ludo Sakala?”

“That’s me!”

“Then it’s yours.”

“Where did you get it?”

“Doesn’t matter. What matters is, where did you get all the stuff you wrote about in this manuscript of yours?” Evan rubbed his chin.

Ludo couldn’t fathom was happening.

“Where am I?” She was finally coming to her senses.

“I don’t like that question,” Evan clenched his fist.

“I asked you a question Ludo,” Evan knelt before Ludo with the manuscript in his hand.

“I don’t know what you want. Please let me go,” Ludo tried to get up and run for the door.

Even let her pass him. He looked at Erica.

“My pleasure,” Erica stood up.

Ludo couldn’t open the door. She screamed for help.

“You should listen to your elders,” Erica said as she bounced on her toes.

Before Ludo could turn around, she felt hands in her hair and found herself being dragged back to the chair.

“It hurts,” she cried out.

“All your fault,” Evan said stepping aside.

“Now sit like a jumbo,” Erica’s eyes were burning with fury.

Ludo sat back in the chair shaking.

“Let’s start again, shall we?” Evan adjusted his tie and walked to Ludo. “The manuscript. Who gave you the information in it?”

“That’s my story,” Ludo answered.

Evan and Erica laughed.

“It’s true. I didn’t plagiarise it, I wrote it alone,” Ludo defended herself.

“If you think you can play with us, you’re wrong,” Erica gave out a bitter laugh.

“I don’t know what’s happening honestly. Whatever it is you think I did, it's not me please.”

Evan and Erica looked at each other.

Evan nodded at Erica.

Erica drew in a long breath and walked to Ludo.

“Do you know we are showing you mercy?” Erica asked Ludo.

Ludo looked at Erica expressionless.

“We have a brother. I and him,” she pointed at Evan. ” As a matter of fact, his twin. Everything we are doing here, he would amplify it. So before we take you to him, tell us who gave you the information.”

“No one. I wrote it myself I promise you. Is it Mr. Visashi? Isn’t he happy with my work?” Ludo questioned Erica.

Erica looked at Evan, “Who is Mr. Visashi?”

“An editor who wanted to publish her book,” Evan answered flipping the pages of the manuscript.

“No darling its not Mr. Visashi. What you wrote in this manuscript talks about us. I’m sure you know us and you are just pretending,” Erica was getting angry.

“I don’t know you people,” Ludo dropped a tear.

“Let me just break the ice,” Evan stepped forward.

“Don’t,” Erica stopped him.

“What?” Evan asked. “If she admits to it, we will just kill her.”

Ludo continued crying.

“What if it's not them?” Erica asked Evan.

“Who else can want this information to be made public apart from them?” Evan pushed Erica away from Ludo.

“Is it the Patels?” He folded his hands.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about please, let me go,” Ludo sobbed.

Evan’s chest rose and fell with rapid breaths. He looked at Erica and nodded his head. He jerked Ludo’s head in the direction of Erica.

“Look at her!” He shouted furiously.

Ludo cried.

“That is Jezebel in your book.”

“Hi,” Erica waved at Ludo.

“And guess who I am?”

Ludo couldn’t get her voice out in between sobs.

“I’m Brains. And my brother, well my brother. You don’t need to meet him. I hope you don’t meet him.”

In that moment, Ludo’s eyes turned white. Evan let go of her and stepped backwards as he looked at Erica in shock. Ludo fell on the floor and started shaking.

“What have you done?” Erica asked Evan.

“s***!” Evan cussed. “She’s sick,” he readjusted his tie.

They left her in the room and went downstairs. They didn’t have anything to say each to other. They had been given a task which was simple and it was obvious they were failing. They both knew that if they didn’t get the information from Ludo, they would be in trouble.

“What do you think?” Erica asked Evan.

“I don’t know. She seems innocent and she’s sick. Damn!”

“Don’t let her sickness fool you. She knows something.”

“The Patels have a way of making their minions die with a NO. I wouldn’t be surprised. Those Indians!” Evan fidgeted.

“Sir there is a girl outside saying she wants to see you,” the maid told Evan.

“Who is it?” Evan asked.

“She said she’s Melanie.”

“What the hell? How did she get in?”

“I don’t know sir but she said you are expecting her.”

“Who is Melanie?” Erica asked.

“Some random chic I banged last week. I can’t believe I gave her the address.”

“You have already gotten over Hi...?” Erica was about to mention one of Evan's side chics.

“Don’t mention her name. I don’t know where she is. It gets me worried,” Evan’s face turned sad.

“Sir what should I tell her?” The maid asked.

“Go tell her to wait. I’m coming.”

The maid left.

“This Ludo?” Evan stiffened.

“Let’s wait for her to calm down. She will curl,” Erica said. “And what do we do with her when we find out she’s lying?”

“Get rid of her.”

Ludo woke up. She tried to figure out what was happening around her. She remembered what was happening and ran to the corner and entwined herself. She cried for her parents but had a feeling they were far away.

The door opened. An old classy lady entered the room with a glass of water in her hand. She walked to Ludo without saying a word and handed her the cup.

“Drink my child,” she said.

Ludo got the cup and drank the water in a flash.

“Who are you?” Ludo asked moving backwards.

The lady smiled and told Ludo to stand up.

“Let’s leave this room,” she held Ludo’s room. “Someone has to work on the light in this room.”

Ludo and the old lady walked downstairs. As soon as they reached the floor, they found Erica drinking from a bottle of wine which she let go of once she saw Ludo and the woman.

“Mom!” She shouted. “What are you doing here?”

Ludo let go of the woman and stepped away from her.

“Don’t be afraid my child,” she looked at Ludo. “Last I checked, this is my house,” She answered Erica.

“But we thought you and Ethan are out of the country,” Erica tapped her foot.

“Lioness leaves her den and this is what happens?” she looked inquisitively at Erica.

“I can explain mom,” Erica said shaking. “It is Evan’s fault.”

“What is?” Evan asked entering the room. “Mom!” He equally yelled. “What a surprise!”

“Who is that?” She asked Evan.

Evan looked behind and Melanie was awkwardly standing there.

“I told you to leave,” he shouted at her.

“I’m not going until you tell me the truth,” Melanie said. “I thought you said you loved me.”

“When will you ever grow up, Evan?” His mother asked disappointed.

Ludo recognised the voice. She looked over and saw Melanie.

“Melanie!” She called her.

“Ludo!” Melanie called her back surprised. “What are you doing here?”

Evan, Erica and their mother looked at each other.

“You two know each other?” Erica asked.

“Yes. From high school,” Melanie ran and hugged Ludo.

Ludo whispered in Melanie’s ear, “Help me please.”

“Girls, break it off,” Evan’s mother said grabbing Ludo’s hand. “Evan, take good care of your guest. It’s late. They are spending the night here.”

“But mom.”

“No buts. Sleep with her in your bedroom,” she commanded him. “Melanie are you okay with that?”

“Yes mom, I am,” Melanie answered excitedly.

Erica looked at Melanie disgustingly.

“Now you young lady. Let me show you where to sleep. We have a lot to discuss tomorrow,” Evans' mother said to Ludo.

Ludo was led to a beautiful guest bedroom. She was told to take a shower and was given food to eat.

“Now rest my child,” Evan’s mother told Ludo.

“Why are you being so nice to me?” Ludo asked.

“Sometimes my children behave like animals. I wouldn’t blame them because I raised them like that,” she sighed.

Evan’s mother stood up.

“Wait madam! The manuscript. Your children are saying I ……”

“Shhhhhhh. You have to rest now,” Evans mother interrupted Ludo. “By the way, you can call me Elise,” she closed the door behind her.

Ludo could hear that the door was locked from outside. She got up and went to the windows but they were also locked. Ludo couldn’t do anything but wait for the following morning. What the day held for her, she didn’t know. All she could do was pray and hope that things wouldn’t be as bad as they had been on that day.