Should the sins of the father be visited upon the children? Amy didn’t think so, but here she was paying for her mother’s sin. She knew there was no turning back from this. The man before her was bent on having his revenge on her and her family and this was probably the end of the road for her, and her mother had brought her there.
Her mother wasn’t entirely at fault, she was also to blame, she had been the architect of it all. If she hadn’t dated Micheal in the first place, If she hadn’t cut all ties with him, and had tried to maintain a platonic relationship with him, after all, that happened, maybe she would have known something was wrong with him when he went missing. If only she had been a bit more attentive towards him, then maybe he’d still be alive today. There were so many ‘ifs’ going through her mind and they all made her choke. She was full of guilt and regret and she felt suffocated by it.
The guilt was eating her up she didn’t know what to do with herself, it wasn’t like she could do anything for herself at the moment. She was tied up and donned in a wedding dress that felt heavy and was currently pulling her down, her condition right now didn’t look good. She looked down at the ticking device on her waist and she noticed the timer was down to an hour. She has been standing there for more than two hours, and she has to wait for one more?
This was the longest wait of her life. Her anxiety was growing and she couldn’t hold on any longer. If he wanted to kill her why hasn’t he killed her already? The wait was exhausting and it was making her nervous and was building up fear in her heart. It would have been better if he was quick about it.
“Can I know what you’re going to do to my family? Are you going to hurt them too?” Amy couldn’t stop herself from asking.
The man looked at her and sighed, “That’s for them to find out.” He replied coldly.
From his tone, Amy could tell he was going to harm her whole family. She was sure of it. Her father, her brothers, they were all innocent. They didn’t have to die for something they had no hand in. If killing her would make him find some peace then she’d willingly agree to it. She’ll accept this as her fate but he shouldn’t hurt her family.
Amy’s eyes began to well up again, “Can I please make a request?” Amy asked in a small voice, tears streaming down her eyes.
He wasn’t interested in hearing her request or honouring it, but he found himself asking her, “What is it?”
Amy sniffled as she tried to stop her tears, “Can you please not hurt my family? I know what my mother did is unforgivable but can you not harm them. I give myself as payment for our sins. I know we can never bring back what you’ve lost, not your family or the years you’ve lost with them, but please can you kill me instead and leave my family alone. I know it’s selfish of me to make this request, but I can’t help it. Please I beg you.” Amy pleaded, each word she said was slow, filled with pain, hurt and sorrow. But this was the sacrifice she was going to make. She could try to plead with him to spare her life but that would be useless. He was determined to kill her so there was no need to beg him to spare her life.
She’d rather die alone than let her family suffer with her too.
He looked at her with scrutiny, “Aren’t you asking for too much?” He cocked a brow at her.
Amy drew in breaths as she nodded her head. Yes, she was asking for too much, but she couldn’t help it.
“I know I’m asking for too much but please I’m begging you.”
“You have no right to beg” He drawled.
“Please I beg you. Just like your innocent family, my father and brothers have nothing to do with this. They had no clue about Micheal and they’ve been trying to find him because they feel guilty–”
“As they should!” He snapped at her.
“Then let them die with the guilt but kill me instead. Just me I beg you.” She begged even more.
Deep down in her heart, Amy didn’t want to die. She had never imagined death upon herself at such a young age. She had so many things to achieve, she hasn’t done anything with her life yet, she hasn’t experienced love except her childhood love. She had yearned to hear the man she now loves tell her how much he loves her but it seems she’d never be able to hear it. She won’t even be able to say goodbye to him, to Jade or her family. Tears flowed out of her eyes at those thoughts.
“I’m sure Micheal and your family would be happy to mock me and torture me for my family’s wrong. So just let me die alone, and let the pain of losing a child follow my family to their grave, just like how you’re feeling now.”
“Shut up you know nothing about how I feel.” He. roared at her.
“Exactly, they won’t know and killing them won’t let them know either, rather it would make them escape it. Didn’t you say someone said the best way to get revenge was to inflict that same pain on the ones who caused you pain? If you kill all of us, how do we experience this pain? Kill me and I assure you they’ll experience the same pain you’re feeling right now. This is how you get your revenge.” Amy said in a firm tone.
She didn’t mean any of those things she had said. She didn’t want her family to suffer, but she also didn’t want them to die. They’d miss her but they’ll definitely forget about her someday and get on with their lives, just as she hoped the man standing in front of her whatever his name was, would find peace with himself after this.
He stared at her as her words kept resounding in his head.
“Kill me now and find your peace. You don’t have to wait for whatever you’re waiting for. I accept my punishment for not loving your brother enough and for being the cause of his death.” Amy gingered on.
“If he hadn’t loved me he’d probably be alive now, so why blame others when I’m the one to blame? Just take out a gun and kill me already!” Amy yelled at him.
His eyes flashed with anger and his lips twitched angrily.
Amy nodded when she saw him becoming angry. “Death will be too easy for my mother. Kill me and you’ll have her begging for her own death and my whole family turned against her, what more can you ask for? Will you truly give them peace in death or you’ll make them burn with pain until their dying day?” Amy asked challengingly.
“Just kill me already and get this over with. You don’t have to wait and torture yourself by seeing your brother’s murderer!”
By this time his eyes were red and Amy could see the pain as well as the fury burning in them, this was what she wanted. This was the only way to save her family.
“You know what? I think you’re right, I’ll kill you now and watch your family suffer with me, but then I will give you a slow and a painful death. How about watching you bleed to death before that bomb goes off, that way, even your family won’t get your carcass to bury?” He asked as he pulled out a gun from the waistline of his trousers.
Amy felt her heart clench out of fear but she gripped herself and nodded her head and said, “I couldn’t agree more.”
“Then I’ll have my revenge” He drawled as he cocked his gun.
**********
Lair looked at the time, they had less than an hour remaining. They had received that message about twenty minutes ago. The city square was far from their location but he had to get there before time. He looked at his mother who was silently crying in the back seat beside his father. James was driving behind in his car.
This was the first time he was seeing his mother cry. He had at a time thought that she was incapable of crying. A part of him hated her for what she had done and for what Amy was passing through at the moment, but another part of him still ached for her, after all, she was still his mother. But he couldn’t let sentiment get the better of him. He’d never support her sinister ways and this must be done to save Amy.
When they arrived at the city square, Lair was surprised by the number of reporters who were standing outside of the building. It was as if every reporter in the city was present there.
This was Micheal’s doing no doubt. He looked at his father, he could see the pain in his eyes but he was trying so hard to hide it. He knew the fate of his wife the moment she confessed to her crime. It would be the end of the road for her, but what can he do?
It was either his wife or his daughter.
He looked at her one last time before giving Lair a nod as he stepped out of the car.
The moment the door opened and he stepped while Lair helped his mother out, all the reporters dashed towards them, like they knew they were the ones they have been waiting for.
Lair leaned closer to his mother’s ears.
“Mother, please do this for Amy” He begged while she slowly nodded her head as she wiped her tears.
Jake kept pacing the hallway of the hospital, it’s been so long since Jade was taken into the theatre and he was beginning to worry. He had pulled his hair so much his scalp was beginning to hurt but the pain combined with that of his wounded hand was nowhere compared to the one in his heart.
His pacing was beginning to make his friends feel dizzy but there was nothing they could do. He hissed for what seemed like the hundredth time. Jake wasn’t just nervous because of Jade but also because of her friend, Amy and also because of Blake. He was supposed to be out there with him searching for Amy but he couldn’t leave here until he knew Jade was fine.
_______
“Jake” Phil called when he saw two people heading towards them. With the worried look on their face and the way the young boy was pointing at Jake he guessed it was the people, Jake had called minutes ago.
Jake turned towards Phil who tilted his chin towards the direction of the people coming.
“Jake” Grace called panicly.
“Mom” He walked towards her.
Grace gasped when she saw his blood-stained clothes.
“Is…is that my…” She couldn’t say the words out of her mouth. Jake closed his eyes when he realized what she was trying to say. Yes, it was Jade’s blood. He didn’t have the time to change out of it, and it also didn’t occur to him it would scare her this much. His sky blue shirt was now dyed in blood except for some part of his collar and the sleeves.
“Where is Jade? Where is my Jade? What happened to her?” She asked with tears were already streaming down her eyes.
“Brother Jake where’s my sister?” Kevin also asked, his eyes were also teary as he tried to hold his mother up.
Jake sighed as he walked towards Grace, he held her up by the arm, “Don’t cry, Jade’s in surgery and she’ll be fine.” He assured her when he also needed that assurance. He didn’t know what was going on in there. His mind was on the verge of blowing up but he had to be strong. He had never felt this much pain and anxiety in his entire life. Even when his father died he was sure he didn’t feel this way. Because right now, he’d rather take her place than have her go through all this.
“Are you sure?” Grace asked desperately.
“Yes, she will” She has to be. He added in his mind. If anything happened to her, he might as well die.
“Sister will be fine right?” Kevin asked just to be sure.
Jake placed a hand on his head as he nodded.
“Come sit” He helped Grace to the seat he had previously occupied. He patted her shoulder before excusing himself. He had to make a call.
“Where is he?” He asked the person from the other side of the phone as soon as he answered the call.
“He’s driving towards the outskirt of town, I’m on his trail.” The man reported.
“Okay, keep him safe. Send me the location the moment you get there. I’ll be there soon.” He ordered before ending the call. He couldn’t be more grateful for hiring private security for everyone just yesterday. Had he known Jade was also in danger, he would have gotten one for her as well. But he hadn’t, because he knew Hillary wouldn’t go after her. But who knew danger was lurking around in the form of an ex-boyfriend?
He called the house to inquire about his grandfather and dropped some orders before returning to where the others were seated. When he saw the tired look on his friend’s face he couldn’t be more grateful for having friends like Phil, Rick, Mike and Dan. Though they terrible in their own kind of way, they were still the best friends anyone could ask for.
They hadn’t waited much when the light of the theatre went off, indicating the surgery was over. They all jerked to their feet when the door opened and the doctors stepped out.
Jake hurried over with the others following behind.
“How did it go?” Jake nervously asked.
“Well the surgery was successful, we were able to save her at the nick of time but she suffered quite some damage to the head due to the impact and the blood she lost. We can’t be conclusive on her current state until she wakes up.” One of the doctors explained.
“What do you mean you can’t be conclusive? When is she going to wake up?” Jake asked sternly. He didn’t like the doctor’s reply and it was making him angry.
“I’m sorry we don’t know.” The doctor replied. Jake felt blood rush up his head.
What does he mean by he doesn’t know?
“What do you mean you don’t know. You’ve got to know something, aren’t you the doctors?” Phil snapped. He has been having a hard time because of Jake’s predicament and having an inconclusive answer was going to chatter the man more.
“I’m sorry sir but the patient had slipped into a coma so we can only wait, hopefully, she might wake up in a week or two, or a month. But she’ll wake up.” The doctor tried to comfort them.
Jake staggered backwards when he heard that. Jade had slipped into a coma? Was this some kind of Joke?
Grace had already burst out in tears when she heard what the doctor had said.
“Can we see her?” Jake asked in a defeated voice.
“She’ll be brought out soon and would be taken into a ward, then you can see her.” The doctor replied while Jake nodded his head. He looked at Grace who looked like she was about to faint. He put his hand around her to hold her up, and Grace clung to his shirt as she began to cry.
Her poor child. Her poor sweet girl. What wrong has she done?
Jake was still holding on to Grace when Jade was wheeled out.
“Mom, Jade” Kelvin tapped on her shoulder. She let go of Jake and hurried towards her and held her hand as the nurses pushed her to a room, she looked so pale, and with the way her eyes were closed she looked almost lifeless.
Jake stood frozen to the ground as he watched them wheel her past him.
This was unfair.
WATCHOUT FOR EPISODE 44
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