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,
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
"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
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
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
All of Grace's friends could tell she was the least enthusiastic about their graduation coming up in two months. Of course, she was glad and eager to leave high school after six years of tolerating "irritating teenagers, frustrating teachers, and a silly excuse for a principal" as she fondly puts it. Bottom line, she was angry and it didn't help to see everyone happy about it. There was nothing she could count as memorable in all her years in Ketu town. It was a boring school and a boring town and although she didn't want it to end that way she had no choice but to settle in for what fate gave her until she saw a tiny opportunity to turn it all around and she was damn well going to make work. "Something's got you in a good mood. It's a boy right?" June teased. "June, Haba even if it's a guy, it's not your business." Joana countered "Or are you jealous that you might soon be the only one among us without a boyfriend?" She added and shifted her attention to John, the captain of the foo
Hakim Bello had always been grateful to the Badmus family for assistance after his father who was Mike's driver, died of a tragic illness. So it didn't cause any problems when he got a call from them asking for a favor in return, especially when he was going to be compensated for all his troubles. He was a lanky man in his forties, had a small mouth and pale eyes that could keep one staring at his face for a long time but somehow, the boss had chosen him as the perfect guy for the job. He just had to act as a guardian to their only child, Veronica while she proved she could handle settling back in with her peers by proving it in a town she didn't know anyone. Easy, he had thought had first. Veronica although from a rich background wasn't a brat. She was as respectful to him as anyone younger could be and she always minded her business but Hakim was starting to get worried. It was already two weeks and from what Veronica had told him, she wasn't fitting in, rather she was being isolate
"Joana!" John called softly from the end of the chair where he sat opposite Joana. He had taken her to a fast food restaurant- the same place they had special dates like Valentine's day and birthdays. It wasn't too much for a small town but Joana seemed to like the food there so they always went there. Ever since they got there, she seemed lost in her thoughts and oblivious of everything else that was going on. 'What's going on with her.' He thought as he watched her. Her eyes were fixed on the menu she held in her hands. He called her name again."What?" She said taking her eyes off the menu."What are you ordering?" He said with a concerned look in his eyes."Huh?""This man has been standing here for a minute now waiting for you. What are you ordering?"Joana's attention came back immediately as she saw the man standing impatiently by her side."Oh my God! I'm so sorry... Just give me what he is having."The waiter shot a glare at her which she wasted no time to return. He then ro
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