Gladly, I'm not yet dead. When I finally woke and felt the existence of life, my sight was blocked and everything was dark. I tried opening my eyes but couldn't feel them. I lifted my hands to my eyes, and that is when I realized that I was tied to something and blindfolded. I kicked out my legs, they were free, but what use are they to me in this situation? I can't untie myself with my legs. I made to scream but my throat was as dry as a rock, so I retired to moving and muffling sounds to attract whoever to rescue me. I am certain I'm laid on a bed and tied to the bedpost for I can feel the softness of bedsheets on my back. The squeaks as I move and kick the air, tell me this may be a metal bed or a wooden weak one. I kept kicking and muffling until I got tired and decided to do a little thinking about my fate. I don't know what I have done to deserve this. If it isn't what I have done, Who is doing this to me and why? As much as I do not care to know my dad's kind of business, I
I am driven for a long time that I could no longer feel my buttocks. It feels like I am breathing through my asshole; it hasn't stopped throbbing since my encounter. Sitting here isn't helping my condition but I had to do as was harshly instructed by a different voice from the one in the room which filled my eardrum all day. He warned me against trying to untie the blindfold since he set my hands free. He shouldn't bother sending his warnings, I am too exhausted to fight anyway. I could smell the presence of more than two people here. I do not care how many they are anymore but to get dropped alive. This voice has made it worst for me than the one who enjoyed the scene back in my confinement and I couldn't stop imagining what an ugly face owns such a coarse voice. He had roughly shaken me off my slumber after I was helplessly drained by that stranger and ordered me to wear my school uniform which he flung to my face. Still in a blindfold, I dressed up, got dragged, and seated in h
A knock on my door got me to a sitting position which I have dreaded doing after my bath. I nearly shrink to death in the tub, my bottom hurts like hell and I was only able to manage a minor bath. I know I need a proper bath, I will see to it by tomorrow, when it won't hurt so bad. With Granny's meal, I got most of my sanity back. She made pastuiia and half-heated vegetable salad for me and that took the day's ordeal away. Not all true. I doubt if I could ever forget it and as I do not want to think about it anymore, I lay quietly on my bed praying to be taken by sleep. The knock on my door interrupted the plan and I turned to gape at it in wonder. No one has ever entered my room, except James who would never knock. This visitor is formal, it must be Granny. Neither Mum nor Dad had bothered to take an interest in accessing my room. They quite understood my want for absolutely no intrusion, and hearing a knock, I knew it can only be Granny and I can't keep her out tonight. In a
In my mask, I joined James on the long road trip which he can't deny planning before now for I do not understand where he has been driving us for the past three hours. "Keep on with that look, and I will drive further," James shouted while laughing out loud. He is enjoying himself. He raked his fingers through his wind-tossed hair daring me to react. "Didn't you say you are taking me to the hospital?" I shouted so he could hear me too amidst the loud music leaping from his cassette. "Clinic!" "They are the same!" "Snap it off Greg and enjoy this...feel the fresh air of the universe...wooh!" He looks happy and gosh! My brother is handsome. With his hair flying beautifully in the air, I see why every lady is dying to have him. That sunshade is doing wonders on his face for right now, he looks so graceful. I refused to wear it when he offered for my eyes needed a handful of freedom after yesterday's blindfold. "We are almost there ok" "I am tired of hearing that." "Hahaha...Hey
I moved out of bed at exactly 5:05 AM. I can't stop my eyes from opening at this hour. I only can stop my legs from stepping out of the house earlier. I have promised on James' fingers not to leave the house so early anymore. Not like he will be awake to see me keep to it but I know it is to my advantage. I took a slow shower and headed out to prepare for school. It was a tough weekend. My behind testified to it. James didn't abandon me, he ensured I applied the cream from the doctor to my butt all weekend and saw I take my drugs. I am ready for Monday, but not in a rush. I spent quality time getting ready. At 6:30 Am, I decided I had delayed enough and went downstairs to meet Granny who must have been thinking at this moment that I had sneaked out. "Oh! Child, I am beginning to think I miss you again" she cried happily at my appearance. In her hands were my breakfast and lunch. "You wouldn't let me even if I want." Smiling at her, I stretched my hands to take the glass of milk
I didn't wait a second at the bus stop before my school bus arrived and I hopped in. The driver had a big grin on his face that was forced to stare intently at him. "Hello," he greeted cheerfully. The attitude is all new and I wonder why he is acting informal. The mood was suspicious and it immediately occurred to me that is my birthday. School drivers behave more dearly to students on their special day and I found it pretentious and repulsive. Oh, god! I hope Mum hasn't done anything; hope she hasn't let everyone know of the birthday. She has kept my stories a secret from the school since I started with them. She should not disappoint me today, I pray. Mum may have hidden my identity from the students, but she was unable to do so before the principal, Mrs. Crown. Mrs. Crown knows everything about me. I still find it remarkable how she turned a blind eye on me; no special treatment or any sort of seeking privileges. She has also been doing a great job at keeping my identity o
Mrs. Grater travels to her hometown every year for her late husband's memorial. Her only child lives in Japan with her Japanese husband. She'd return yearly for her father's memorial but not this year. Granny looked sad when she told me during our little chat in the kitchen about her daughter's inability to attend the memorial. She began her preparation at the surface of July. She would be leaving by month end or at the rise of August, her choice. She doesn't need permission like other employees to leave duty. Everyone in the family has given the month of August to her privacy and today, the 25th of July, she set to leave. As always, she would cook a whole food of August and preserve it in the refrigerator for us. Mum has told her how unnecessary it is to go through all that trouble. We have other housekeepers to do that when she is away. She threw Mum's words in the bin again and made food for the family herself. She'd say other housekeepers can cook for themselves and other empl
The drive was smooth and quiet. This is one thing about road trips James won't understand. The driver had the music soft-tuned and the air, conditioned to the right body need. James will never do that. He will ensure the music is tuned to max, with his windows all scrolled down. Well, James would have provided us with snacks and more, but Granny is too decent to eat in Mr. Waldeen's dear car. The road is familiar. It looks like the route James has taken during our visit to that clinic months ago. It is. I am sure. Though at a point, the driver went off the tarred road unto a lonely path. He drove carefully into the noiseless town for a long time. "It is unlike the city, my dear. It is oddly calm here." Granny must have seen my curious look out of the window. If I wasn't seated beside Granny, I would fear for my safety. "I noticed." I responded to Granny's explanation with my eyes fixed on the road. The city isn't noisy though, it just doesn't have trees and shrubs settling on both
Nicholas spent the entire night pleasing Greg and trying not to say anything that had Rahul in it. Greg refused to stop talking about it anyway. He complained about how Nicholas couldn’t stop looking at and admiring Rahul. “You should have hugged and kissed him since you missed him so much,” he nagged. “Babe, I can’t kiss and hug your brother’s boyfriend.” “What if he wasn’t my brother’s boyfriend?” “Then he wouldn’t have appeared to make my fiance so jealous.” “I am not jealous. I am angry!” “Why?” Greg rolled his eyes and thought of the reason he was angry, and when he couldn’t confirm any, he shook funnily, went into the bathroom, and banged the door. "My love..." Nicholas knocked at the door. "Let me join you, okay?" "Go away, and prepare the couch! You will sleep there tonight!" "Sweedy..." "Two nights!" Nicholas couldn’t raise the topic of their tomorrow's supposed wedding. Instead, he waited for weeks until Greg came to terms that Rahul would only be his
GREG: “Attention, ladies and gentlemen,” Nicholas’ voice erupted through the speakers and everyone unleashed their attention to him. “Thank you." “What is he doing?” I asked Frederick. “I hope it is not what I am thinking.” “My name is Nicholas,” he echoed. “Ehh, I am not a public talker; stage fright is real, so please, reduce the attentiveness.” Everyone laughed at his silly humor. “It is happening,” Frederick blurted out. “Yeah, and it is going to be fun.” “Greg…" “Just listen.” Damn it! Frederick is disturbing. “First, I want to thank Mrs. Crown, Mrs. Freyet, Mr. Sam. Ms. Cecilia, Janie, and everyone for coming out today to celebrate the graduates. And congratulations to you all in that deserving gown; you did it!” The graduates cheered and clapped, including me. “Are you seriously clapping?” Frederick asked. “I am a graduate, Freddie.” I twisted to face him. “Okay, what is it?” “We should stop him.” “Why? he is doing fine.” “Wendy said something
GREG: Time flies. A two-week stay-in vacation came and ended in a day. I rolled on every day wishing it would last a lifetime, yet, it didn’t. Each day with Nicholas is an unforgettable experience, and it hurts to see it over. It is alright, I will ask him to marry me. I am graduating soon and will propose then; waiting a few more days to own him forever won’t hurt too much. Nicholas is everything but the one to ask me to marry him. I have insisted on not moving in with him until we are married in the guise of knotting and pushing up his actions, but nothing has happened. He thinks it doesn’t matter. I spend nearly every day with him; what difference does it make? But I want it official. I am dying to upgrade from the boyfriend title, and it is clear the manifestation is my call. I make huge proposals in our relationship anyway; I asked him to be my boyfriend, and since he is waiting I ask him to marry me as well; I will. And I will do it before everyone. Meanwhile, I need t
(FOUR YEARS LATER) NICHOLAS: “You ditched me.” Greg cried. “Is that even possible?” I missed his calls in an early queue for coffee. Getting back to the car, and seeing the notification, I decided to call him after dealing with the morning rush, but here I am, facing a trial of loving him less. “How do you explain missing my calls and still breathing fine?” “I didn’t survive. You are talking to my ghost.” “No jokes.” “Sweedy…” “You do care only about your clinic.” “Tell me to close down this fuvking clinic and I will. Just a word and it is over.” He chuckled at the other end of the phone. “No more fuvking word, Babe.” “I am fuvking trying.” “Fuvking try harder.” I laugh out loud, having a few nurses turn to me in admiration. I am a dentist, a successful one, in my magnificent clinic. I owe this achievement to the Waldeens and Lansey, who have in the past years, become a bosom friend. Despite returning to his country, we kept the communication nourished. My clinic didn’
GREG: Preparation for Granny's late husband’s memorial went on. Since I didn't intend to embark on the trip, Mr. Ben would drive her to the countryside and return to the city. “He should stay all through, Dad.” I pleaded. I couldn’t have her alone in her home. With Nicholas in the city, attending his therapy, and Elena living with the doctors, Granny will have her enormous yard lonely and deserted. “Ben will be needed.” The last trip kept Mr. Ben in the countryside, and whereby I decided to use this holiday for a personal plot, Dad saw no reason Mr. Ben should stay back. “It is a remote area, Dad. Please, she shouldn’t be alone.” “Jerome would be helpful.” “But…” “Assign more help to her.” “Thank you.” I let it be. I comprehend Dad’s choices. Mr. Ben remains his most trusted and cherished driver; sharing him was for me. Dad also knows Mr. Ben has been more than a driver, and for such development, he’d prefer he patrol within my reach rather than away. Jerome dro
NICHOLAS: My joy was evident. It had me doing extraordinary things. I wrote beyond the class lessons and every read textbook and marked my final paper as the best. Last night created that effect; having accessed Greg’s hole more than I hoped for was a grand experience — He was nothing like my past encounters. In addition to the news about Elena, my spirit elevated and circulated the air. Wendy and Park caught up on it and offered to join my visit to her. Greg climbed behind me, with Park and Frederick riding in Wendy’s car, we went to the hospital at the end of the examination. Everyone abandoned the students’ celebration to partake in my life. They chose to participate only in tomorrow’s graduation ceremony for the call to see Elena. We arrived at the hospital, eyes on us. Neatly uniformed D’caprias representatives alongside Greg Waldeen, is a topic and rouse. We got into the exclusive elevator together, against everyone’s curiosity, and ascended to the twelfth floor of the hospi
GREG: “Right now?!” “Hmmm." “We can stay here.” “Do you not want me in your room?” How do I explain his photos on my wall and every corner of my room? “I…” “We can stay here,” he said sadly. “Can I use the bathroom? Your father made me sweaty.” He tried to joke and appear cool, but I saw his disappointment. “I have a towel in my room. Would you like to use it?” “Yes, please.” That is it! Nothing beyond existence can happen. Finding out my obsession will only give me a moment of embarrassment. I turned to Nicholas and tried to warn him again. “Come on, Greg, open the door already.” “You must promise not to laugh or make a mock of me.” “What do you have in there? Nude postcards?” I opened the door to him and as Nicholas saw himself all over my life, he stood speechless. I knew it! He would see me as creepy and obsessive. He walked into the room, looking at the pictures with wide eyes and a mix of admiration. “Say something.” He ogled at me and went
NICHOLAS: My face bleached at the curt reflection of sunlight, and I put out an arm for a shade, yawned, and rose from the pillow. “Arise and Shrink!” Park came loud and disturbing. He lifted the curtains to my face. I didn’t see but could hear in his voice all he had done. “Damn it…” I groaned and held my head from collapsing as I tried to open my eyes but felt them heavy. “Do you need some water?” Park isn’t asking out of care. He is threatening. He is ready to assist my waking with a bowl of water, and if I do not kick out this dizziness, I will have myself drenched and dripping. “Are you alright?” Wendy resonated deeper and consoling yet I was unimpressed. His voice lifted my drowsiness; I opened my eyes to him, leaning against the wall with arms and legs crossed, doubling my incertitude. “What is happening?” I stretched for better sight. “What is this ambush all about?” “Do you feel better?” “Why? Is something wrong with me?” I remember nothing except getti
GREG: Nothing is more satisfying than having Nicholas with me. He has proven his repentance, and if I were to choose, I see no reason for any discussion. All I want is to get back with him. Bringing him to school is secondary; I am not ashamed to voice it. “Where are we going?” I asked as we left the elevator to the building's car park. I know where we should go. We should be in his apartment, making up for the days apart rather than doing a bulky head of talk. “Anywhere.” He said. “Are you sure I can choose?” We indeed needed to talk. But that doesn’t mean we can’t after what I had in mind. If only he agrees I decide, I will lead us to a perfect location. “Greg, please.” Too bad, Nicholas is having it grim and strict. “Okay, serious head, we can drive to D’caprias if all you want to be is focused and determined.” “Shit!” He exclaimed and turned to me in horror. “Stop the car!” “What?!” “Pull over.” “What now?” I pulled to a pathway and Nicholas loosened his seat belt. “W