Chapter 15

Cagilaba’s words came to mind.

There was no measure of time here. Nina wondered what time it was up there on the earthly plane.

‘What is he doing now? Is he trying to rescue me?’

She wanted to see him so bad.

‘Wishful thinking. I don’t think he knows where I am.’

Cagilaba chose that moment to stride into the lounge where she and her aunt were. The place was deceptive. One minute you were in a lounge. The next your surroundings changed. It was quite frustrating. The strange part was, she wasn’t surprised, nor scared. She knew she would not leave this place alive.

That took more priority than a magic room ‘But I’m not scared. Why am I not scared at the prospect? Is this acceptance?’

“Are you ready?”

“For what?”

She would not make it easy even though she had accepted her fate.

His face changed in a split second from the easygoing one to aggression. His stance told her he would not make it easy as well.

“I am going to make you happy down here. No matter what.” He vowed, a steely resolve in his voice.

“How can I be happy with someone who abducted me? Would you?”

He snarled, then exited the room.

Her aunt gave a sickly grin.

“That put him in his place. But how long is he going to let you get away with it? He intends to have you. No matter if you are agreeable or not.”

“I know. But I don’t intend to stand around waiting for that. I’m going to find a way out.”

Her aunt grimaced.

“Don’t you think we have tried? I had to cause a diversion, so Semi could get to you that one time.”

Nina was filled with regret.

“I know you have. I’m sorry I couldn’t help then. But that won’t stop me trying now.”

Nina wasn’t going to let her aunt’s defeatist attitude stop her. If she did, she would have to give up the glimmer of hope left she had stored hidden deep within her.

“If I die, I want to die topside.” She said aloud.

Nina hadn’t meant to voice that aloud. Now that she had, she felt good. She accepted she had to die in order to free her relatives.

‘But I want it on my terms.’

There was a commotion out front.

Before she could move, the room changed. They were now in the foyer. Nina recognized it as the way Cagilaba had brought her in earlier. Her cousin Semi was there. The commotion came from him trying to barge past the two guards who had been placed there.

He was yelling at the top of his lungs.

“LET ME PASS!”

He stopped when he saw Nina and his mother.

“Oh, there you are.”

He spoke in his normal tone. Nina began to smile.

“Thank God you haven’t changed, cuz.” She teased.

Her eyes began to smart.

“Never…”

He began.

Then he winced and doubled over. One of the guards had swung a fist into his gut. Semi groaned as he threw another one. The other guard stepped in.

Nina screamed out.

“STOP!”

She was livid.

They froze.

“STOP! WHAT THE EFF…?”

Her furious cry echoed off the walls.

She charged them.

Their hefty build didn’t deter her. Her only intent was on saving her cousin from more pain.

They backed off.

Nina pushed through the guards, to throw her arms around Semi. His arms crept around her as he straightened. Tears sprang into her eyes. They dripped down her cheeks, as she cradled him.

“Oh my God. Semi. I never thought I’d hold you in my arms again.”

She held him at arm’s length as she searched see his beloved face. His eyes were red as he gazed back at her. The joyous expression shining through the tears. His Adams apple moved as he gasped out.

“Me too, sis.”

The love in his voice calmed her down. She didn’t care about anything at this moment, except that they were together again.

With their arms around each other’s others waist, they moved towards Nina’ s aunt. She was waiting at the door they had entered through. Her eyes were troubled.

When they were within her reach, she embraced them both. Nina closed her eyes, then rested her head against her aunts.

It was like a group prayer. They stayed that way for a few seconds.

Until their emotions were under control.

“Kana time.”

Aunt Seni moved away from them. (‘Kana’ being the Fijian word for eat, and food.)

Nina was famished.

Then she remembered something she had been taught.

“But I can’t. Won’t eating food here make me stay forever?”

She felt cheated.

Her aunt looked at her with pity.

“Honey, you are never getting out of here. Once you’re here, you stay. Forever.” A relentless cruelty seeped through her fateful words. “So, you might as well eat.”

Nina’s stomach chose that moment to rumble.

Semi, who had been glaring at his mom, grinned.

“Let’s go eat, sis.” He laughed aloud.

In a lull in the conversation, her thoughts turned to Brett.

‘When he finds me. Then what?’

Without a shadow of a doubt, she knew he would. If she died, she would still see him. She had no doubt he could get to where she would be sent.

‘For sure he wouldn’t allow me to stay down here with an obsessive demon.’

The wry thought caused her to smile.

But she wasn’t going to starve, while waiting for him. She made an effort to push negative thoughts to the back of her mind.

“Oh yes, I am salivating.”

She followed Semi to the table which had just now appeared. It was laden with all of her favorite foods. Semi glanced back at her.

“Someone is trying to impress the love of his life.” He teased.

“Eww…Not impressed. Just starved for food.” Nina returned.

She picked up a plate to dish some of the ‘lovo’ food. The delicious smells wafting from the dishes that had been baked in an earth oven were making her mouth water. She made an effort to push negative thoughts to the back of her mind. The fish cooked in lolo, (coconut cream); was delicious.

Her aunt had outdone herself with the lolo fish, palusami (taro leaves cooked in coconut cream in an earth oven or, the modern version of it, gas or electric oven), and taro itself.

Her eyes popped open.

“Wail. Do they plant dalo (taro), here?”

Semi shrugged. “You can plant anything here, doll.”

“Whoa., Amazing.”

And she was amazed.

Cagilaba strolled in at dessert time. Hatred boiled up in Nina. The sight of him spoiled her appetite. She pushed her cheesecake away as he came to stand across from her.

He didn’t mince words.

‘Tomorrow you’re coming to live at my place. You’ve had your family reunion. So…”

“Hell. No.” Nina retorted, incensed. “I will never live with you.”

His handsome face turned murderous.

His black eyes glittered red.

“You will do as I say. Down here I am king.”

His voice had softened, but there was still menace contained in it.

“You will come, or your family is no more.”

The steel underlying his words caused Semi to jerk and turn pale.

She turned to look at him.

“What? What does he mean?” She stammered.

Semi gulped, then shook his head.

Nina turned to her aunt.

Her aunt’s face had blanched. She was trembling. Nina placed her hand over her aunts on the table.

“Aunty, what is it?” She entreated.

“It means, we cease to exist.”

“What? No. He hasn’t got that much power. Has he?” Nina was baffled.

“I don’t want to test that theory.”

Semi’s words held such dread, she didn’t want too either.

“He hasn’t done that to anyone yet, has he?”

“Not that I’ve heard. But I still don’t want to test it. Who knows what he can do? He had us down here for ages until now. So, who knows what he’s capable of, or not capable of? As I said, I don’t want to test that theory.”

Nina knew all too well, how stubborn Semi could be.

“YES, I HAVE THAT MUCH POWER.”

Cagilaba’s booming voice echoed off the walls.

Nina clapped her hands over her ears. The other two did the same.

“Now that I have your attention again.”

He bowed in mockery.

Nina couldn’t believe they had forgotten he had been standing there all this time.

“Yes, Nina, if you don’t move into my home tomorrow, these two are pfft. If you do, I will see to it that they do go to a better place. It’s your call.”

He vanished.

They sat in silence for almost a minute.

Then they all spoke up at once. They were so vocal, no one heard what the other was saying.

“STOP…” The forceful yell shut the two of them up.

Aunt Seni seldom yelled. But when she did, Nina and Semi stopped whatever they were doing, to listen. She was scary when she got mad.

At least to them she was.

“Good…” She stood up.

“You two arguing will not solve what is happening here. So, let’s think about this. We know what he wants. We know what he’ll do when he does not get it. What happens if you give in?”

“Why would I?” Nina spluttered.

“Why should she?”

Semi’s furious voice echoed hers.

Aunt Seni looked at Nina, then at Semi with pitying looks.

“Because she has no other choice.”

Nina’s protest never spewed from her mouth.

She subsided, speechless. Semi was still mutinous.

“No, I won’t ask that of her. I will never let her do such a foolish thing. I don’t care what happens to…”

“But I do.” Nina finally spoke up. She turned to Semi.

“I do care what happens to you and Aunty. It’s within my power to get you out of here. I have been running too long. Now I have to do what needs to be done.”

A sadness settled upon her, but she was resolute.

‘This has to end.’

This was the only resolution.

“No, I won’t allow you to do that.” Semi wouldn’t let it go.

‘I forgot. I really forgot he can be a stubborn ass.’

That thought brought another wry smile to her lips.

“We’re dead. You’re not.”

Before he could finish, his mother interrupted.

“If she wants to help us get out of here, then why are you trying to stop her?”

Semi had turned to look at his mother in surprise.

“What is wrong with you?”

He looked like he was seeing her for the first time.

“I love her too much to allow her to sacrifice herself for us.”

She couldn’t believe Semi was saying those words. Loving him, she had always overlooked his selfish ways. He had changed. She loved this new side of him.

“I don’t think your vote counts.”

His mother looked at Nina as she spoke. Semi glared at her. “It does.”

“She’s right.”

Nina avoided their eyes.

Semi looked incredulous, her aunt, oddly satisfied.

“I owe this to you both. But don’t worry.’

She reached out to grip Semi’s hand.

“We will be together. That’s all I ever wanted.”

She hoped he couldn’t see through the lie.