CHAPTER SEVEN (Stop The Media cont..)

Lucas

I felt my heart race faster than it should, and exhale deeply, trying to cool the anger in me. It is one thing I hate experiencing because it never ended well. I looked straight at Mr. Philip and I watch him jerk from his position in fear. He has been too comfortable around me for the past 4 months, I guess that is why he thinks he can disagree with me. It was time to show him that I harbor pains inside of me. Pains that I want to quench but couldn’t, pains that I can pass to anyone if I could. 

Unfortunately, he is a victim. I walked slowly to my bed and drew out a little cupboard behind the headboard and pull out my gun. It was as if I was just waiting to see the gun, the anger in me triggered, and I swiftly brought out a silencer and fix it on the barrel. 

“Don’t move an inch” I ordered, then turned and saw him shivering and side-walking towards the door. He halt at the very instant and dropped to the floor and berried his face on the ground. 

“I -I -I am so-rry Master Dowell, I didn’t mean to disobey you, my statement was based on the revenue generated in the company. 2 months ago, we nearly went bankrupt. Please forgive me,” he begged with a trembling voice.

I couldn’t react or say a word, my only desire was to lift the pain that has been inflicting me off my heart. The pain of not having a choice, the pain that brought chaos to my mind and life, I just wanted it to go. I didn’t care for a second about his life,  It means nothing to me, as long as it will cure the pain. I can always get a new assistant anytime, anywhere.  Because my family arranged for him to be my assistant doesn’t give him the right to disobey me. Adding up his fault and the pain I am feeling to punish him somehow gives me a sense of justification.

I tapped the gun in my hand as I majestically strode toward him, the veins on my forehead have now become so prominent that I could feel their thickness. My mind was already fixed on killing Mr. Philip, my next move was to pull the trigger as I reached him on the floor. 

He lifted his face and begged for forgiveness, but too bad I ran out of compassion, I never had. I crooked the gun and pointed it at his head.

“That lady, Helen, she’s still outside, she seemed stuck and helpless.”

My muscle weaken the moment I heard her name and I felt a quack in between my joint, the gun became heavy in my hand and I dropped it and exhale deeply. The anger that once tugged deep in my heart disappeared into thin air. It felt like someone poured cold water on my head. I was refreshed, pity filled my mind, and the heavy feeling of killing vanish and was replaced by a feeling I still can’t describe.

“Go and bring her here now,” I said in a snare.

“Yes sir” he hurried out.

Helen 

My feet became heavy like I was nailed to my shoe. The burning morning sun felt different from burning my skin. Mr. Rex that just drove out was damn serious, I knew that from what he said. I could boldly say he isn’t human, he is a devil with no mind. He has the power and the money to ruin everything I have worked. 

I was devastated, my face pale as I was in between deciding to throw my virginity to Mr. Rex and leaving my dreams down the trail. The thought kept coming, I didn’t even notice I was at the same spot for 30 mins. It was so hard to leave that spot when I imagined Mr. Rex's heavy tummy on top of me and the pain that would be mine to bear. 

I was hopeless and more tears dropped from my eyes, my body shook and my once-dried palm became sweaty.  A sudden wave rushed through me and the urge of seeing my mother set in. I wanted to see her, to pour out my heart on a deaf ear, I know she won't hear me, and I don't want that either. She shouldn’t add to what she’s going through by knowing my pains. Hers is alright to sustain, adding mine to hers will be suicide, she can’t bear it. I dragged my feet off the ground as I scanned the busy road looking for a taxi. 

Soon a taxi drove by, I tried with the little strength I had left to lift my hands and brought it to a stop. I sluggishly opened the door and hopped in, then we headed to the hospital. The sun keeps flaming high, its rays sparkle each passing car, which outshone the daylight.

I rested at the back of the car near the window and turned my gaze away from the drive. I wanted to be out of the world. I put on my headset and exposed my pouted face through the window, hoping the wind from the bustling road would cool off my head as the music played in my ears. It was so hard to stop recounting the hard times I have experienced, no matter how hard I tried.

Not long, we pull over at the hospital parking lot.  I alighted and handed the driver a couple of dollars and headed to the entrance. The City Hospital was where my mum lie. It's a hospital that renders different levels of health care services to different levels of people in the city. It has standard wards for special and important people, it also has wards for the middle class and poor people respectively. I couldn’t afford to pay for the special and middle class, I could only come close to the poor category. 

My mum was admitted to the first floor, which save me the stress of traveling the 5-story building. I arrived at her bed when the doctor was examining her.

“Good morning, doctor.” he took off the stethoscope from his ear and turned towards me. 

“Good morning, Miss Mark, I am glad you're here. We were able to reduce the inflammation around her anus and with my prognosis, I am certain that she’ll be fit for the surgery in a month. But then, Miss Mark, I am sorry to tell you that we will not proceed any further until the outstanding bill is settled, and half payment is made for the commencement of the surgery. Here is the total breakdown of the bill” He handed over a document to me and left the room.

I held the papers, staring at them, but honestly couldn’t read a word, not because I had bad sight but because tears had already clouded my eyes, causing me a blur of vision. Again, I started thinking about where I'd get the money to settle these pressing bills. I was still lost in thought when I felt a tap on my back.

I turned reluctantly to meet with 4 built men behind me. I never knew these men, their faces were not even familiar.

“ Good day, ma’am, my boss requests your presence immediately”. I got a closer look at them and with their outfit of all suits, I could tell they are bodyguards, Mr. Rex’s. I felt my heart sink to my stomach when I realize it was an hour since he said I should call him. There was nothing I could do, the deed has already been done. The sight of my poor mother couldn’t let me decline. If that’ll make her feel ok, and make my career straight once more, I will gladly do it.

I held my mum’s hand and gave her a gentle squeeze before arranging it perfectly on the bed. I turn to the four men and nod, they make way for me and I walk past them. They followed behind carefully with me on the front clutching firmly my little hand bay and the doctor's paper document, both hands on waist level.

Soon we reach a black-tinted glass car and one of the bodyguards opened the door for me, immediately I entered the car, it speeds up into the highway. That wasn’t what I expected, at least I wanted to talk and agree on certain things before we move.

I shouted, but it was in vain– inside a soundproof car on a crowded highway, I shouldn’t have even thought of screaming.