"What happened to Lucy…..? What did you people did to her?" Thaddeus asked his head facing downward
Mr Suliman sighed "after we brought her to Ogun state, she was tied and blind folded for the remaining four days of her life"
"She was starved and was only given a cup water once a day, hot charcoal were placed deeply on her body I can still remember her crying and begging to leave but for it to work we chose to ignore her"
"Once in a while she would be placed under the hot sun bear footed with heavy cloths on her for at least five hours, on the third day before she died she was placed in a room with no window only a door that was shut tightly, the room was filled with a chocking gas from burning charcoal, she would cry till evening some time ms and we will ignore"
"On the fourth day which was her birthday we brought her out, we were quite surprised to see that she was still alive which was a good thing according to the herbalist he said our riches and wealth would last us for at least four generations"
"Before we finally killed her, her two big toe and thumbs were cut off while she was still alive, she was then bathed with hot water that wasn't mixed-"
"Enough!!!!" Thaddeus yelled angrily cutting him off, he moved forward to punch him but Richard was faster, he blocked it and patted his son back calming him down, he was using the greatest self control he had not to kill this heartless fellow
"You know you can't do that!" He said
Thaddeus hissed and punched the wall as tears escaped his eyes, how could they have the heart to do that, it all makes sense…..those things Lilian was expressing were her dead sister's memory, it was what this heartless people did to her when she was still alive, Lucy could nearly hold on but a five year old…how?
"You really need a sword through that heartless heart of yours" Victory sobbed. The old man wanted to say something but could only point out his shacks fingers before collapsing on the chair.
"Father….." Mr Suliman said worriedly
The old man rejected his son's offer to assist him, running his face away from him
"You've stressed yourself today you have to rest!" Clara said worriedly after examining him
"Just a little longer!"
"Why does Mr Agbebi wants to kill her?" Richard asked
"That bastard" he caused which made his father sneer "three month after her death, the old man told us that someone would have to bear the wrath of the spirit, none of us wanted to take the responsibility of that so we chose her sister Lilian to be the one"
"Later on i and Agbebi went to the old man that if we want to end the consequences how would we do it, he said on her eighteenth birthday we must assemble the body parts that was cut from her and bury it in a place full of Lilies then the spirt will leave us alone but the money won't be as much as we may be think, unless if the host of the body also dies…."
"And if any of us dies, the person's share would be splitted among the others, that's why that bastard killed the other two and I am next, he will have to kill me before that day,her birthday "
"That's why you on plan on leaving the country?" Thaddeus scoffed
"Yes…..you have to help me if not I will die!!!"he pleaded
"Incase if you don't know, you are under arrest now sir, there's no going out of this country for you, it was really foolish of you thinking we would pity you, what a delusion? On what grounds?" Victor sneered
"We will have to lure them out?" Clara said
"No one knows what the spirit wants exactly since she was there when the rest of them died" the old man said
"True, Mt Suliman will go back to his house, Victor prepare the team no one leave still the two of them shows up" Richard ordered
"Yes sir!"
"We will have to find her body part in their houses!" Thaddeus said
"Tell Collins to prepare a search warrant against Mr Agbebi property, I heard he acquired The twins father house I will go their personally" Richard said
"There's a room my father forbade me and sister to enter it might be there" victory said
"What part was shred among you?" Thaddeus asked facing Mr Suliman
"I and Mr Agbaya her big toes,her father and Mr Botigar her thumb" he said, his head facing downwards knowing he was fine for"
"It's already past eleven,we will start as early as five tomorrow, every one should rest this night we've lost Lucy but we won't lose Lilian" Richard said, everyone nodded in approval heading to their room, Thaddeus glanced at Suliman and walked past him
It wasn't yet five when the house was already active again, Richard,Clara, Thaddeus and Victory dropped Suliman at his house and retrieved, Lucy's finger then they dropped Victory at her house before heading to Mr Adelusi house
Around two in the afternoon,they found it and headed towards where his parents were and help in searching, the house was quiet big and was too plain making it harder for them to find it
"Dad what's the matter?@ Thaddeus asked noticing his father troubled expression after a call
"They are there already!" He said
"No it shouldn't be we haven't found the remaining two and still haven't buried it yet" Victory panicked
*************
At Mr Suliman house
"You should have joined me then none of these would have happened" Mr Agbebi said making his way towards Suliman with a knife in his hand
"Just give it up, we are both done for" Mr Suliman said and threw some glass vase at him
"Useless….." Mr Agbebi sneered and attacked
Mr Suliman ram to the basement leaping, blood tricking down his forehead and arm, he was about to enter on of his cars when Mr Agbebi pounced on him, they both crashed ti the ground rolling over each other.
Nearly escaping, he stood up leaping then he saw Lucy standing there expressionless, no ounce of pity could be found on her face, it was then he heart tightened in regret
Distracted by his thoughts, Agbebi used this opportunity to attack him, using the remaining strength in him to grab Agbebi hand that was holding a knife aiming for his chest
Suliman looked at Lucy then Agbebi, she was the one controlling him, she used him as her weapon because she did not want to get her hands dirty just as they used the herbalist to kill her she's using him to kill them, shittt, he cursed "I'm sorry Lucy" he yelled
Lucy clenched her fist, until blood was dripping, why…..? She begged also, she cried yet they didn't help her. She just couldn't understand why they did this to her and yet he thinks a simple sorry would earase those painful memories form her mind, what a joke?
Seeing she wasn't relenting and he was already loosing strength he reluctantly accepted his fate but just as he was about to let go, Victor quickly pushed Agbebi off him with great strength, twisting both hands at the same time and handcuffed them together before handcuffing them aging ti an iron pole.
Mr Agbebi struggled but it was all in vain.
No....no....they should all die…. "Die…." She yelled picked up the knife and pounced on Suliman "die!!!!!" She yelled
"No….." Suliman begged
"Lucy don't….."
It was as if time stopped and everywhere fell strangely quiet. Thaddeus ran in panting along with Victory they almost did not make it
The scene he met was quiet shocking it took him a second or two to understand it.
He looked at Lucy and was sure things were not back to normal yet but they've found the last two and buried them all why was she still here
"Why should I?" She smirked still hovering the knife a few inches away from Mr Suliman
"Your sister will get hurt if you do?" Thaddeus said
She scoffed " don't you dare mention my sister name, none of you have the right to do that all you all ever do is give her a fake smile on the outside and hurt her on the inside, none of you have good intentions toward her"
"I'll killl those that hurt me so that they won't do the same to my sister ever single one of them , I won't let them arm my sister"
"Are you sure you are not the one hurting her instead, I know you love your sister but….you are the one hurting her" Thaddeus said pointing to her arm, until the did she notice the cut and blood dripping from her hang and her lower abdomen, even the white bandage were already soaked
In disbelieve she standard "no...no... I don't do this…..I...I…..Lilian…..she hurt I need to get her out of here" she yelled and ran out
"Lucy….."
Bammm!!!!!
Her body was sent flying in air by an oncoming truck before it landed on the floor. Thaddeus rushed toward her but she was uncoincious, thankfully she was still breathing and an ambulance had already arrive and quickly rushed her to the hospital
By the time Clara and old man arrived she was still not out, the surgery was still in process she had lot of cuts and damaged organs. Clara walked toward her som whose shirt was covered in her blood, slowly she sat down and hugged him patting his back.
"What if she doesn't make it?" He asked in a very low tone but the fear could not just be hidden that even his shoulders shook slightly
"Do say such nonsense!" Clara said
Slowly she had became a part of him, he had no idea of when it started his how it even started, the first word he said to her it how they met or what made him so attached to her that he could not just avoid her even when others do, yet the thought of her dying had so much effect on him that he could only keep on telling himself that everything would be alright
*********
A week after the incident, Mr Agbebi and Mr Suliman we're both sent to sent to life imprisonment with hard labour while doctor Mohammed was sentenced to 45 years imprisonment and his medical licenses were terminated
Like a wind the news soon spread round the whole city with people showing their sympathy and anger both physical and online there
******
Sound of panting and weak breathing could be heard Lilian looked up and saw weak light admits the darkness she was in, she weakly stretched dirty her hand out but just as it was about to back down something pulled her up
Cold breeze swept across the tall tree making it leaves to dance
Lilian looked up she knew this place, this was one of their favorite spot in their fathers farm, she smiled weakly as old memories of her and her sister flashed in her mind
"Lily..!" A five year old girl without thumb and her two big toes called out to her, little Lilian turned back to see her sister standing a few miles away from her, happiness covered her face as she ran and hugged her
"Lily I'm sorry I hurt you" she sobbed
Lilian shock her head " I'm okay Lucy" she said and hugged her again "I miss you"
"Me too"
"When will you be back?" Little Lilian asked
Lucy smiled weakly and hugged her sister back " I don't want to leave!"
"You don't have to"
Lucy raised up her head only to see Lilian in her seventeen year old form starring at her, tears slowly rolled down her cheek
"We can always share my body?" She suggested
Lucy shook her head in disapproval "I've spent enough years on earth, I'll have to go back" she said "promise….promise me you won't forget me?"
Lilian smiled and hugged her before saying in a low voice "I promise"
Boom
Her eyes lashes flickered gentle like a butterfly wings, tilting her head slightly, she slowly regained her senses, the smell of drugs made her feel nauseous. Her eyes opened slowly it was a little dark but she could hear the sound of people moving, where was she? She asked herself as she set up
Lilian looked down and saw a familiar figure fast asleep, probably due to her movements he was awakened
Thaddeus opened his sleepy eyes and yawned lightly, he must have fallen asleep again at the hospital, looking up he saw her sitting on the bed, her pale face was now covered with liveness, she's awake
Seconds flew by and he was still silent, Lilian wanted to speak when suddenly she felt someone hug her, she was really awake, he want hallucinating , she was really awake, he thought and continued to hug her
After the doctor ran a test on her, did they finally let down their guard, with just one phone call from him they all instantly came to the hospital
Clara passionately hugged her when she saw her sitting by herself on the bed and kept I kissing her forehead.
Victory too had also rushed over when she received his call, instantly hugging her as she got there, checking her temperature from time to time at first "are uncomfortable anywhere" she asked
"No…..not at all" Lilian said
"You caused quite a ruckus" Richard said patting her head "you were unconscious for three months" Lilian eyes widens in shock, was it really that long
"Ohh I see that's what happened" Lilian said aster listening to the narration of what happened in the end
"Lilian I really sorry for what my father did" Victory said apologetically
"It's okay beside my father was more shameless" she said "I think I'll prefer Lucy more than my real name" she added which made Victory smile
"What of your sister?" Clara asked
"Don't worry she's resting in peace" Lucy said
Thaddeus sighed in relief the two of them are nothing like their father, for her sister she forgot her revenge when she knew the truth, they must have taken after their mother
"What's wrong people we should be celebrating alright" Victory said as she shared drink and gave Lucy milk instead instantly the room was back to it happiness again
Richard wanted to say something, they were supposed to be at school well maybe they can skip a day
"What of grandfather?"Lucy asked
Clara sighed helplessly "he went to Zaria to get some traditional medicine for you, that man doesn't listen" she said which made the others laugh
Another month passed and she was discharged from the hospital. On her way home she felt weird as people started at her
"What's wrong?" Thaddeus asked
"Nothing but they stare at me differently now" she said "I guess I'll finally live a normal life now" she giggled
"And the next step for that is to have me" he said, the next thing Lucy knew was a hand gently grabbing her waist and a pair of warm lips pressed firmly against hers, it took her a second to reacted
"Cough cough!" Victory rubbed her nose
"I think we should start discussing about the bride price!" Clara said
"Agreed!!" The old man said
Victor"...."Fell speechless as he looked at Clara and the old man
Richard was even more speechless, why are they more eager than the couples "cough….I think a nice happy family don't you think?" He said
Lucy blushed and covered her face when she discovered she was cut by the whole family
"Please I'm hungry!" She said and matched inside the others followed talking happily
Thaddeus smiled and kissed her forehead,he then intertwined tiger hands and said softly "let's go!"
THE END.