CHAPTER 6

Kiki dropped me at home, and I opened the door to see something I never expected.

“Welcome home Norah” they all greeted in sync I ran toward Kyle and jumped on him, he is back, yes, my cousin is back.

“I missed you so much” I whispered to him while he pecks my forehead and then let go of me I looked at my parents who were standing at the back and ran upstairs not wanting to talk to them.

I quickly press the passcode to my door and ran inside slamming the door behind me. Why will they show up just like that thinking I will be surprised, people that have left me since almost eight months ago. I only wanted to see Kyle anyway.

I slipped out of my dress and entered the bathroom to take a proper shower then after doing all the necessary body wash, I put on my Kelvin Plein pink short and a tank top, then I jumped on my bed to have a very sound sleep and before that, I made sure to go through my messages then realized Kyle have sent me a message and also Fed, two missed calls from Bran and a WhatsApp message from Kiki also popped up but I decided to check them all after waking up.

I woke up to the touch of some who can’t be anyone else than my father, being a millionaire and a classic man, he has his special sweet-smelling cologne that you can never smell on anyone else aside from him.

“wake up Candy” he mumbled

“I don’t want to see you, dad”

“We have to talk so will you respect dad?” he asked in more of a pleading tone I opened my eye and sat myself up comfortably

“We are sorry for not coming for your birthday, you have to understand we have a lot of company and businesses to monitor”

“I know dad, but that still doesn’t stop you from caring for your only child” I replied My dad looked at me and pulled me into a hug and after few seconds he let go and stood up from the edge of my bed where he was sitting “Come downstairs Candy, let us see Mom,” he said gesturing to me to please do that for him.

I picked up the Beanie cap that I left on the couch in my room the other day and wear it on my rough hair before going out of my room. I was about to get down the last stair when my mother ran towards me and pulled me into a hug. I later let go of myself when I realized she wasn’t ready and immediately Kyle brought out a box for me and I collected it.

“Candy that is for you,” my mom said gesturing to the box in my hand and I looked at my Dad nodding at me to open it I opened it to see a portrait picture of myself. I opened my mouth in awe and I couldn’t do anything other than to jump on the three of them one after the other.

“I have always wanted this” I screamed and jumped happily then continue “who brought the idea?”

“Do you like it?” Kyle asked smiling at me “very much” I replied sounding as excited as ever “Kyle told us this is the only thing that can make you happy right now” Dad explained I can’t still figure out how Kyle used to know almost everything about me.

“see candy, we have to catch our flight back by 5 pm today” Mom broke the sad news as always “I know; you guys never do your Mondays at home” I replied sounding as low as I can “Kyle is here now, and he can always take care of you” Dad stated trying to make me feel good “I am seventeen now and I have been taking care of myself perfectly for a year now” I replied “Oh, I can see the reason why you looked so skinny like a malnourished Dog” Kyle teased pulling his tongue out mockingly “looking at myself, I look so perfect and not skinny and also I won’t let this slide” I retorted “I will surely take care of her” he assured my parents finally before they took their leave.

I did some catching up talks with Kyle and I realized he has changed in a way I couldn’t figure out yet. Kyle went to Zimbabwe on a scholarship granted to him by my dad as he felt he have to learn some technology skills and other business management skills for him to be able to know about his business and take care of it just in case something unplanned happened to him. Kyle is my cousin, who has been with us since when I was just two years old. He is three years older than me and I grew up with him as a big brother of mine.

I checked the time, and it was already 7:30 pm “Bed calling,” I said as I stood up from where I was sitting opposite Kyle and headed towards the stairs “good night,” he said finally, and I quickly made my way up the stairs and to my room. I landed myself on the soft comfort of my bed and checked the messages that I neglected the other time.

Fed sent me a message saying, “we are in danger please call the cops”. I jumped up from my bed and I started breathing heavily.

I tried Bran’s number and it was switched off and when I was about to dial Kiki’s number, I received a voicemail from her saying “I am so scared, and I don’t know what will happen next”.

I started panicking as my breathing became heavier and I started to choke, I then realized I have to slow things down if I don’t want it to result in a panic attack.

“Just calm down”

“you don’t know what is happening to them right now”

“I don’t want anything bad to happen to them”

“more reason you have to get up now and go save them”

I stood up and changed into a long grey sweatpant and a brown Adidas hoodie, I was about to step out of my room when I remember Kyle is back now, so I decided to go out through the back door. I quietly used the back door and then hurriedly jumped the stairs. I got to the parking lot and realized Kyle’s Car is no more there. I couldn’t start thinking about where he can be, so I just hopped on my bike and made my way to Kiki’s house.

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I knocked for some minutes but no reply. I turned back to go when a thought popped up in my mind “why can’t you just go in through her window”

I smiled at myself and turned to where the window to Kiki’s room is located. She is also staying on the second floor so how am I going to enter through the window I laughed at myself after realizing the idea is useless and then muttered “Beatrice can you just shut the fuck up for the rest of today and allow me to think straight!!” loud enough for only me to hear.

I sat down on the grass behind the wall thinking of what next to do as the time is going then something dropped at my front. Then I quickly realized it was a bird dropping and I am actually under a tree “so I was so over worried that I didn’t realize I can climb this tree up to her window” I muttered again and started climbing.

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“Kiki, where are you????” I shouted after successfully entering her room through the window “I am here tied down” Kiki replied me, and she seems to be talking from her bathroom I quickie entered the bathroom and met my friend with her hands tied to the back and bruises over her body. I quickly untied her and pulled her into a tight hug “I am sorry” I rumbled enough for her to hear while I can feel her smile on my body.

“let us go and see the guys,” Kiki said, and we quickly let go of each other We jumped on my bike while I ride at the highest speed’ I mean the one a person with a death wish will prefer to ride on. After like 10 minutes we got to Bran’s house.

Kiki forced the door open before I was able to park well and she barged into the house while I followed close behind her. We searched through the whole Mansion but couldn’t find them, so we decided to go and look around the surrounding as Kiki guessed we do.

“what gave you the assurance that they are still in this place” I asked curiously “Because you met me at home” she answered looking as hard as ever and I must say this is the first time I will be seeing Kiki carrying this type of face.

We searched the whole compound for like 20 minutes and we were tired, but we decided to check the basement last and after that, if we still couldn’t find them, we will agree they aren’t in the compound or house.

We got to the basement to see the greatest shock of our lives. We met the three of them tied back-to-back with a very strong rope and the mouths plastered looking so lifeless with different bruises and cuts all over their body. We quickly rushed to them and untied them while they crashed on the floor “what are we going to do with them?” I asked Kiki who is looking as worried as I am “We firstly have to call 911” she replied Bad idea “That is a bad idea, we can’t call 911 without ending up in a potential mess” I replied to her, and she nodded “We have to know who did all this first” I concluded, and she nodded again …………………………………………………………………………………

After carrying, dragging the guys into the main house we decided to google some first aid processes at least to make them conscious.

“I think I got something,” I said looking a little excited

“Get into action Doc” Kiki said gesturing as if she was saluting me I quickly explained the processes to Kiki, and she got into action too starting with Mathis I found myself in front of Bran and my heart sank, water piled up in my eyes ready to drop but I quickly wiped it away with the back of my hand. I placed my finger in front of his nostrils to check if he was still breathing and I can feel he wasn’t breathing well, I checked his pulse and realized it is slowing down.

I looked at Kiki who has made Mathis conscious and Fed happened to wake up on his own before Kiki even finished with Mathis.

I calmed myself down and checked Bran’s pulse again then realized he wasn’t breathing again; I can feel tears running down my face. I quickly tore his shirt revealing his chest and began to do chest compression for him after doing that for a minute I tilted his head and lifted his chin to open his airway, I placed my lips on his and started doing rescue breath for him. I did that for some seconds with tears dropping from my eye to his face. After more seconds, Bran coughed, and I raised my head later placing it back on his chest holding him so tight to myself.

“I think that is enough” Fed said making me to pull away and go on to hug Fed and then Mathis Kiki and I made them something to eat and we treated their cuts against tetanus and to hasten the healing, Kiki only had bruises that will disappear before daybreak.

After making sure they are okay, we all agreed to talk about it tomorrow then Kiki and I headed back to her house to carry her backpack then back to my house.