Taking a restorative breath she continued. ‘I tried anyways. I opened my mouth and screamed, but my scream was cut off when he backhanded me across the mouth. We struggled for a while. I kicked and pushed, but he was too strong for me. Ignoring my cries, he forced himself upon me.’ Abigale choked on the last sentence.
‘What a bastard!’ Sean exclaimed angrily. ‘I am sorry, so very sorry to hear this Abby. You mean to tell me neither your aunt nor the boys heard your cries. None came to your aid?’
‘Well it seems to me that you really did not have a choice. If you had stayed back your life might have been at stake and you would not have seen either of your babies. Who knows what this Pablo character is capable of, huh?’ Sean declared.‘Yes, I agree, but it broke my heart to leave my aunt and in particular under such circumstances. What would happen now to her the boys? Would they be safe? So many questions flooded into my mind at once. I felt overwhelmed and thought about staying, but then I remembered the baby by my side and that hardened my resolve. ‘
When she did not respond he turned to face her.‘I will be going alone, Sean.’ ‘What? I am not allowing you to go out to God-knows-where, searching all alone. I will accompany you, and that is final.’‘No it is not. The children need a parent and both of us cannot leave, not this time.’ Sean to
He ran all the way. There was no one out this early morning. It was around two or three o’clock if his judgment was correct. He did not pause to check on his surroundings. The earlier he got to Richard’s, the better. He hoped that the boy was alright. How did this slip him? He should have known. Reaching Richard’s doorstep, he pounded loudly on the front door. He waited. When he did not get a response, he went to one of the windows, trying to pry it open and shouted, ‘Richard, Jerald! Can you hear me?’Suddenly the door opened with Richard standing in his pajamas. &lsqu
Patting his pants pocket, Sean felt around for a small pen light. At the end of the instrument was a tiny knife. Both men had to bend low to avoid the trees which were overhanging at the entrance. Sean waited until they both were inside the trapdoor, then put on the flashlight on dim. They found themselves in a dusty, smelly room. Something scurried across their path, making Richard utter an expletive.‘Be quiet. We don’t want to alert them.’‘I am trying my best. What is this roo
Where was Richard, surely ten minutes had passed? ‘Now, now Peter. There is no need for that. Why don’t you and Fautina tell me what you want? We can reach a compromise; no-one has to be hurt.’Chuckling, Fautina went across to the far corner of the room where Lydia kept the wine, and poured generously into a wineglass.‘Hmm, sister, this is really good wine. Father must have spent a fortune on it.’
It had taken a few hours for things to settle down. By the time the two police men arrived, the whole community was up. Word had spread like wildfire, bringing men, women, and even children, out of bed. Dawn was slowly breaking. The orange hue of the sun slowly crept into the early morning gloom. Most of them wanted to see with their own eyes the culprits, and follow firsthand the story of the crime committed. Sean glanced at the crowd. A few of the women were in their nightgowns and head ties assembled in small groups whispering. The men were pushing their way through the temporary barricad
Larouse, Choiseul, September 1961 The lone young woman limped through the thick, green underbrush as fast as her weak legs could carry her. Barefoot and bruised she trembled as she stumbled yet again, this time on a coconut branch lying in her path. She hardly noticed the debris in her way or the burning sensation under her feet. With every step, she could feel her toes sinking deeper into the rough dry gravel. Wincing, she bit her lower lip against the pain and protectively clutched the small bundle in her arms to her breasts. She was drenched, soaked to the bone from sweat and dirty water that had splashed across her body from stepping into many potholes. She could smell herself; the remnants of rotten fruit and chicken droppings still clung to her, but she could not worry about that now. Her dress was almost in tatters and she shivered against the chilly wind. Dusk had just set in, bringing with it a gray, overcast sky. Somewhere, an owl screeched eerily;
12 years later Sean Montgomery was in deep shit. Slumped dejectedly on a three-legged stool in the only rum shop in the small neighborhood nursing his fourth shot of whiskey, he gazed unseeingly at the light brown liquid; pondering his dilemma. He shifted his tall build, trying to get a comfortable position; but the stool creaked in protest. Someone had done a poor job of adding a fourth piece of wood for stability, but it would not hold for long. Sooner rather than later, it would crash under its occupant. He hoped it did not happen tonight. A burst of hearty laughter erupted across the room behind him. The place was crowded tonight. He wondered how much money would roll in. Not much, he thought, these bastards usually order everything on credit. His gaze roamed across the room. The shop had a warm glow from the kerosene lamps spread evenly at the four corners. With a few tables and benches scattered carelessly across the area, there was no structure or for
It had taken a few hours for things to settle down. By the time the two police men arrived, the whole community was up. Word had spread like wildfire, bringing men, women, and even children, out of bed. Dawn was slowly breaking. The orange hue of the sun slowly crept into the early morning gloom. Most of them wanted to see with their own eyes the culprits, and follow firsthand the story of the crime committed. Sean glanced at the crowd. A few of the women were in their nightgowns and head ties assembled in small groups whispering. The men were pushing their way through the temporary barricad
Where was Richard, surely ten minutes had passed? ‘Now, now Peter. There is no need for that. Why don’t you and Fautina tell me what you want? We can reach a compromise; no-one has to be hurt.’Chuckling, Fautina went across to the far corner of the room where Lydia kept the wine, and poured generously into a wineglass.‘Hmm, sister, this is really good wine. Father must have spent a fortune on it.’
Patting his pants pocket, Sean felt around for a small pen light. At the end of the instrument was a tiny knife. Both men had to bend low to avoid the trees which were overhanging at the entrance. Sean waited until they both were inside the trapdoor, then put on the flashlight on dim. They found themselves in a dusty, smelly room. Something scurried across their path, making Richard utter an expletive.‘Be quiet. We don’t want to alert them.’‘I am trying my best. What is this roo
He ran all the way. There was no one out this early morning. It was around two or three o’clock if his judgment was correct. He did not pause to check on his surroundings. The earlier he got to Richard’s, the better. He hoped that the boy was alright. How did this slip him? He should have known. Reaching Richard’s doorstep, he pounded loudly on the front door. He waited. When he did not get a response, he went to one of the windows, trying to pry it open and shouted, ‘Richard, Jerald! Can you hear me?’Suddenly the door opened with Richard standing in his pajamas. &lsqu
When she did not respond he turned to face her.‘I will be going alone, Sean.’ ‘What? I am not allowing you to go out to God-knows-where, searching all alone. I will accompany you, and that is final.’‘No it is not. The children need a parent and both of us cannot leave, not this time.’ Sean to
‘Well it seems to me that you really did not have a choice. If you had stayed back your life might have been at stake and you would not have seen either of your babies. Who knows what this Pablo character is capable of, huh?’ Sean declared.‘Yes, I agree, but it broke my heart to leave my aunt and in particular under such circumstances. What would happen now to her the boys? Would they be safe? So many questions flooded into my mind at once. I felt overwhelmed and thought about staying, but then I remembered the baby by my side and that hardened my resolve. ‘
Taking a restorative breath she continued. ‘I tried anyways. I opened my mouth and screamed, but my scream was cut off when he backhanded me across the mouth. We struggled for a while. I kicked and pushed, but he was too strong for me. Ignoring my cries, he forced himself upon me.’ Abigale choked on the last sentence.‘What a bastard!’ Sean exclaimed angrily. ‘I am sorry, so very sorry to hear this Abby. You mean to tell me neither your aunt nor the boys heard your cries. None came to your aid?’
Abigale watched him crawl into bed and closed her eyes. She was so tired, tired of the guilt and the pain. She also knew that she was being unfair to Sean, but she did not want to continue to burden him with her past. Nothing bad happen to people based on a few nightmares. But she knew she was kidding herself, because for the two months her nightmares were more frequent and more alive. Maybe it was a sign that she needed to unburden herself. Making up her mind, she changed her clothes, sat down beside Sean, and shook him. Instantly he opened his eyes. ‘I think it is time that you know my full
Sean lazily watched the two ladies work and marvelled at how tall Suzie had grown over the past year. She was almost the same height and size as her mother. She was a looker, and in a few years, he would be beating the young men away from his door. He was proud to be her father; she was a quiet but strong-willed child. She had a good brain on her head. He was always happy to see her engrossed in her books. He knew Abby was proud of that also, although she might not show it openly. Recalling the conversation he had had earlier on with Jerald, he knew he had to confront Richard. He would lead him to the second person that Suzie must have s