"I came to turn myself in."
"Turn yourself in, for what?"
"I'm responsible for Joana's kidnap."
June's parents were shocked by her statement but it was nothing new to the policemen around. They could do nothing but watch in utter perplexion as she was taken immediately to the interrogation room for questioning.
"So," The police officer sitting opposite her began as he held his hands together. "I guess what happened is that you planned your sister's kidnap because of some grudge, or perhaps that boy... And now you're feeling guilty so you chose to turn yourself in."
"No, that's not it." June replied.
"It's not?" The man asked with a bit of skepticism. "So what is it then?"
June decided to start from the very beginning, from the time when they became friends with Joana and how they attended the party, and how they started playing the game.
"So you expect me to believe that this kidnap is a direct result of a game?" Th
"June, remember what you told me before? Tell these two men exactly the same thing."June repeated the same thing she told Officer Simon to Officer James and Ade, and with every word she said, the pieces began to fit in James' head."So you're saying that when Margret said that Sylvester left them, you girls were just covering up his death, and the day Raymond died, you girls went to the party to prevent his death?""Yes." June answered.To Officer Ade, it all seemed delusional."Come on James, you're not saying you believe this nonsense do you?"Officer James remained quiet which only seemed to piss him off."You better say the truth if you know what is good for you." He said to June with a mean stare. "Did you girls kill them or not?""I don't think they did." James finally spoke up."What?"Officer Ade and Simon uttered."I don't think they killed anyone. I think someone is trying to mess with them; someon
As Joana slowly opened her eyes, she had no idea of where she was. Both her hands and legs were tied up with a cord and her head was banging with a throbbing ache. The only that flashed in her mind was John's cousin driving and then the crash. How did she get here? Where was she?She raised her head to observe the room. It was small. The roof had no ceiling, the floor was concrete and the only light that penetrated the room was from a wooden window at the left side of the room. That wasn't all. Someone was in the room with her."W-Who's there?" She said as she squinted her eyes at the figure who sat with a crossed leg on a steel chair."Good, you're awake." The figure said getting up then walked closer to Joana."Veronica--" Joana said, her jaw dropped in awe."Uhm, no darling." Cassandra said tapping the tip of her nose. "Guess again.""Were you lying to us about your name being Veronica?""No dear, Veronica is real alrig
James stepped out of the interrogation to address June's parents. It was decided among the three officers that it was best if he lead the case since he was the only one who had any idea of what was going on but James knew it was because he was the only one ready to believe June's theory.He met Gabriel and Gladys sitting on a long bench but they got up as soon as he appeared."Good afternoon sir and ma.""Good afternoon officer," Gabriel answered. "So what did our daughter tell you? Did she really kidnap her sister?""No, June meant it figuratively.""I don't understand you." Gladys replied."What she meant by that was that she incited what lead to Joana's kidnap, not the actual kidnap itself." James studied their faces and knew immediately that they didn't understand what he was saying. "I'm sorry, let me start from the beginning."James narrated everything to June's parents just like she had said earlier. There was a mix
"Veronica, wake up."Veronica opened her eyes slowly to see Hakim Bello's face staring down at her."Uncle Kim," Veronica said getting up, making Hakim move backward."Why aren't you in school?"Veronica placed the back of her hand in front of her mouth in an effort to cover it as she yawned. In no time she realized she was in the living room. But how did she get there? She had no idea. It was like there were blank gaps in her memory. Veronica had been experiencing it ever since she came to Ketu town, blacking out and waking up moments later with no idea of what she was doing before. But it was beginning to happen more frequently and also seemed like she was blacking out for longer hours."Eh, I'm tired I guess." She said as she stood up."Okay, but this is surprising... You have never slept on the couch before and you are mostly locked up in your room. Now you are here, napping on the couch and leaving your shoes on."Veronica looked
Wasting no more time, Officer James quickly dispatched as many other officers available to go search for Margret and Veronica. June had told him earlier that she had warned Margret before turning herself in and he was not likely to find her at her house. Still, James decided to head there first not just because it was the best place to look and trace Margret, but because he wanted to be the one to break the news of what was going on gently to her mother.He went with his partner, Officer Ade who was reading James the entire time they drove to the house."You don't know what you're going to say, do you?" Ade asked just as James was about to knock on the door. James held his hand back immediately Ade spoke, his only response being an awkward silence which seemed to put a naughty smile on Ade's face."You're crushing on the woman! Oh, I must see who she is today--"Embarrassed by his partner's words, James spoke back in a harsh whisper."Stop it! I am
Hakim Bello was still in the kitchen fixing the pipes when the police came to the house."Who's there?" He yelled, responding to the banging on the door."It's the police, please open the door."'The police? Why were they here?' He pondered as he walked to do the door."May I help you?" He said with a frown that formed lines on his thick forehead."We are looking for a Veronica Bello." The policeman answered. "Is she inside?""No, she hasn't been home since morning." Hakeem lied before realizing that he didn't even know why they were after her. "But why are you looking for her? Is she in any trouble?""Yes, who is she to you?" The other policeman spoke."She is my niece." Mr. Bello answered. "Now I ask again, is she in any trouble?""Not particularly sir, but we have reason to believe that a killer is targeting her and friends and we want to bring them in.""What the hell!" Hakeem explained. "Why should I believe
Chapter 45 ~"So this is the place?" Margret said feeling a bit skeptical as she looked at the house Cassandra had brought her to. The whole environment looked so quiet and calm with a few uncompleted buildings around it. The house itself was a story building without any painting done on the exterior."I don't think I have ever been to this part of town before... I don't think people even live around here." She said looking around."Look, would you prefer we go to a place where we would easily be found?" Cassandra said with a glare."I'm just saying, this place is more or less like a construction site." Margret replied shaking off the red sand that got on her boots."That's what makes it even better, now can we go in or not?"Still feeling a bit reluctant, Margret decided to ask her a question that had been lingering on her mind since she came over."Why did you lie to us about your surname?""What?""We know that your n
Due to what Officer James had told about the police car, Grace decided to alight earlier at a bus stop outside of the town while she sneaked back in on foot. It was much easier than she had thought as the two policemen had no idea what she was wearing and were busy waiting for a girl to step down from a bus whereas all she did was walk right past them. Standing from a distance, she watched as the two policemen searched the bus in confusion when they couldn't find any girl that matched the description that Officer James had given. It took a while and after they realized that they couldn't find Grace, they got back into their car and drove off.As she walked on, she tried to access the situation at hand. The first part done, she had evaded the police. The next thing now was how to stop Cassandra. Grace knew that meeting Cassandra without a plan was basically handing herself out on a silver platter. She also knew that going alone won't be to her advantage. She needed help,
A week has passed since Hakim's and the day every senior student at Ketu High finally came. Graduation. The four girls stayed in June's house that morning to do each other make-up and hair to look absolutely stunning for the event. Grace stared deeply at the small dressing mirror she sat in front of while June brushed her hair.Everything wasn't quite back to normal yet. They were still the talk of everyone in the town as well as in their school but they were not going to let it bring them down as they looked to put the event behind them and make the most out of the day."How is it?" June asked, admiring her masterpiece."I look like Barbie princess," Grace replied with a little sarcasm in her tone."You look beautiful, you mean." Joana said as she gazed at Grace, monetarily taking her eyes from Margret who she was helping with her make-up."Let me say what I want to say," She retorted then took a moment to look at herself again. Every other
The atmosphere outside was gloomy in the aftermath of Hakim's death despite the huge relief everyone had that the girls were still alive. Two ambulances had arrived minutes later in addition to the five police cars already on the scene. They all went to work immediately, gathering pieces of evidence and tying up loose ends as Hakim's body was taken out on a stretcher. Joana and Margret were by the other ambulance, receiving medical treatment. Grace and Veronica sat by the stairs leading to the front door of the house as Officer James interrogated them."So let me this straight," He said. "Hakim was behind all of this? He was the killer?""Yes." Grace answered as she and Veronica stared at each other. Veronica tried nibbling at her fingers to keep her composure but it wasn't working, her knees were shaking badly and Grace could feel it."Is that true, Veronica?" James asked.Grace's eyes were sharply fixed on hers without blinking, warning and pleadi
"Let her go or I'll shoot!" Hakim yelled."She's killing Grace shoot her!" Joana yelled."Stop it Uncle Kim," Cassandra said with her hand still pressing down Grace's neck. "We both know you won't shoot.""Please, I don't want to hurt you." Hakim said in tears. "Veronica, please."Suddenly, it seemed like Cassandra's mood changed, but Veronica was now awake."Kill me, please, I'm begging you.""You heard her, shoot.""No, d-don't." Grace said even as she choked. "We can help her... Put the gun down."Hakim slowly lowered his arm as he with Margret and Joana watched in anticipation of what Grace meant."V-Veron-ica... li-sten to me..." Grace said. "She's got nothing on you, it's your b-body... You can take back control.""I-I can't." Veronica replied in tears. Her hands were still strangling Grace, she couldn't stop herself. "She's stronger than me.""That's a lie and you know it... You're one of the stronge
Joana said what she said so that Cassandra would be unsettled and it worked. As Cassandra looked down at the road from the upstairs window, she began wondering if she had underestimated Grace. If she did, then everything may not go smoothly as she wanted it to go."She is spineless, they all are!" She reassured herself and placed her focus back on the road. Grace would be there any minute.Soon enough, Grace appeared and was standing in front of the building. She brought out her phone and dialed Cassandra."I'm outside now.""Yeah, I see you. Come inside.""No, how do I know that my friends are inside? How do I know you won't kill me the moment I step in?""Well you will just have to step in and find out, won't you?" Cassandra replied but Grace didn't seem to budge. "Tick tock Grace..." She said finally before Grace tools a deep breath and step came in."I'm inside now." She said."Keep going further, enter the room at the end
Due to what Officer James had told about the police car, Grace decided to alight earlier at a bus stop outside of the town while she sneaked back in on foot. It was much easier than she had thought as the two policemen had no idea what she was wearing and were busy waiting for a girl to step down from a bus whereas all she did was walk right past them. Standing from a distance, she watched as the two policemen searched the bus in confusion when they couldn't find any girl that matched the description that Officer James had given. It took a while and after they realized that they couldn't find Grace, they got back into their car and drove off.As she walked on, she tried to access the situation at hand. The first part done, she had evaded the police. The next thing now was how to stop Cassandra. Grace knew that meeting Cassandra without a plan was basically handing herself out on a silver platter. She also knew that going alone won't be to her advantage. She needed help,
Chapter 45 ~"So this is the place?" Margret said feeling a bit skeptical as she looked at the house Cassandra had brought her to. The whole environment looked so quiet and calm with a few uncompleted buildings around it. The house itself was a story building without any painting done on the exterior."I don't think I have ever been to this part of town before... I don't think people even live around here." She said looking around."Look, would you prefer we go to a place where we would easily be found?" Cassandra said with a glare."I'm just saying, this place is more or less like a construction site." Margret replied shaking off the red sand that got on her boots."That's what makes it even better, now can we go in or not?"Still feeling a bit reluctant, Margret decided to ask her a question that had been lingering on her mind since she came over."Why did you lie to us about your surname?""What?""We know that your n
Hakim Bello was still in the kitchen fixing the pipes when the police came to the house."Who's there?" He yelled, responding to the banging on the door."It's the police, please open the door."'The police? Why were they here?' He pondered as he walked to do the door."May I help you?" He said with a frown that formed lines on his thick forehead."We are looking for a Veronica Bello." The policeman answered. "Is she inside?""No, she hasn't been home since morning." Hakeem lied before realizing that he didn't even know why they were after her. "But why are you looking for her? Is she in any trouble?""Yes, who is she to you?" The other policeman spoke."She is my niece." Mr. Bello answered. "Now I ask again, is she in any trouble?""Not particularly sir, but we have reason to believe that a killer is targeting her and friends and we want to bring them in.""What the hell!" Hakeem explained. "Why should I believe
Wasting no more time, Officer James quickly dispatched as many other officers available to go search for Margret and Veronica. June had told him earlier that she had warned Margret before turning herself in and he was not likely to find her at her house. Still, James decided to head there first not just because it was the best place to look and trace Margret, but because he wanted to be the one to break the news of what was going on gently to her mother.He went with his partner, Officer Ade who was reading James the entire time they drove to the house."You don't know what you're going to say, do you?" Ade asked just as James was about to knock on the door. James held his hand back immediately Ade spoke, his only response being an awkward silence which seemed to put a naughty smile on Ade's face."You're crushing on the woman! Oh, I must see who she is today--"Embarrassed by his partner's words, James spoke back in a harsh whisper."Stop it! I am
"Veronica, wake up."Veronica opened her eyes slowly to see Hakim Bello's face staring down at her."Uncle Kim," Veronica said getting up, making Hakim move backward."Why aren't you in school?"Veronica placed the back of her hand in front of her mouth in an effort to cover it as she yawned. In no time she realized she was in the living room. But how did she get there? She had no idea. It was like there were blank gaps in her memory. Veronica had been experiencing it ever since she came to Ketu town, blacking out and waking up moments later with no idea of what she was doing before. But it was beginning to happen more frequently and also seemed like she was blacking out for longer hours."Eh, I'm tired I guess." She said as she stood up."Okay, but this is surprising... You have never slept on the couch before and you are mostly locked up in your room. Now you are here, napping on the couch and leaving your shoes on."Veronica looked