“Yes, I saw the files littered all over your bed. I carefully put them back inside the envelope and placed it inside your drawer,” he read my thoughts instantly.
“Oh!” I winced in pain and he gently rocked my fingers with concern. “Thank you.”
“We could talk about it, you know?”
I heaved a sigh of relief and looked away. My hands recoiled and he gently cupped it in his hands, again. He wasn't ready to let go and I knew better than to struggle. A teardrop escaped my eyes and ran through to my lips. It was a struggle to keep the next one from streaming down so, I allowed it to flow freely.
“Hey! Are you okay?” He asked and came over to the other side of the bed.
“It's fine if you don't want to talk about it now. I know it's too much for you to take in.”
“My mum doesn't have cancer truthfully. The anonymous sender was right and detailed and he or she leaves me to wonder what's their end goal. The parcel I received today is still unbelievable.”
I was sitting upright now and I leaned on his shoulder for support while he stroked my hair with affection.
“Do you think Audrey knows she's adopted?”
“Maybe or maybe not.”
I felt bad for Audrey and it took me just a second to retract myself from being in her shoes because I would never want to be like her.
My stepmother failed at raising her and the result is a messy one. Audrey is spoiled and needs a form of exorcism to salvage her life.
She is not just a replica of her mother now a foster mother. She is the worst version of herself and wields more power than ever. Audrey needs help!
“This is getting complicated and this anonymous parcel sender is making it worse.
Why did he or she choose now to unravel all this to me? Is there something I am missing?
Thoughts of how to get to the root of the matter and unravel this mystery occupied my mind and I slowly fell asleep in Damien's arms.
************
Someone is banging at the door!
The noise was so deafening that it woke me up. I quickly scanned the room and noticed a change.
The interior was still the same and the table, cushion and bean bag were still at the same spot but there was an addition.
The floor was littered with red flower petals and two scented candles were lit up and it gave a sweet aura and scent to the room. I was astounded as to what level Damien had to go to just so I could feel relaxed.
Beside the head of the bed, on the side table was a flower and a written note. Pink rose is my favorite and he got exactly what I wanted.
“I made some pancakes for you.” I read out the note and smiled. He really got me on this one because the sudden urge to satisfy my taste buds came rushing and that was what brought me to reality.
Someone was still banging at the door and I wondered why no one was opening the door for the person.
The door forcibly opened and Damien rushed in almost panting like a hare and immediately I stood upright in alertness.
As he went back to lock the door, he couldn't. Someone was trying to open the door and he kept pushing to disarm the other person. Beads of perspiration were already on my temples, my forehead, my chin and my hands were sweaty.
“Damien! What the fuck is going on?” I screamed in fright, almost scurrying off through the window.
Before he could answer, I heard a gunshot and my stomach turned upside down and I almost fainted in shock.
What sent me to the heavens was when I looked into Damien's eyes and I saw a teardrop escaping his right eyelash. Then I followed his right hand to his stomach. He was trying to cover something but, my eyes couldn't escape that. His fingers were covered with blood and a patch of his white t-shirt where he placed his hands looked like a tomato stew. He winced in pain and began sliding down, his face filled with regrets.
I couldn't scream. I couldn't utter a word. I just stood still, my legs shaking but, I couldn't move them. I stretched out my hands but, it didn't go further. I opened my mouth again and no words came out.
I watched him hit the floor slowly, his left hand stretched toward me while the right one still held onto the place he got shot. Damien was crying and wincing in pain. He was struggling to open his mouth and keep his eyes open. His left hand began to recoil back and I noticed his breath almost faint and the heaving of his chest was no longer there.
“I….I… loveee …….” And that was it.
He hands went still and his mouth stopped moving. He stopped breathing and the side of his stomach was covered now with so much blood that it covered the area of the floor he fell on.
That was when I understood what just happened before my eyes.
Shit! Shit!! Shit!!!
Damien is dead? My Damien? How? What just happened?
I tried to run to him but, my legs failed me. Tears were gushing down my eyes in torrents and all I could do was force myself to say something at least.
It was as if my brain just shut down and all my brain nerves couldn't function again because my motor muscles were not activated. My fingers were not moving and everything was just off.
Fuck! Fuck!!
What is going on? Am I dead? Why can't I move my body again? What is wrong with me?
I wanted to save Damien but, I couldn't even do a single first aid to at least apply pressure on the affected area.
The door was forced open against the weight of Damien and the figure that walked in kept my mouth open for seconds.
She walked in with a gun, with blood stains all over her face and pink gown. There was an evil smirk plastered all over her face and she made no effort to hide the fact that she just killed someone. That she just killed Damien. My Damien!
Shit! Damien is dead! He's gone!
Maybe he's still breathing and I can save him.
She stared at me then stared at his body on the floor and then did the unthinkable.
She shot him again. Then again and again. She shot him thrice and this time on the chest just to make sure he's dead and gone forever.
She made to approach me but, instead went over to the side table and threw the contents on the floor. The flower, the written note, the scented candles and the red petals were scattered all over the place.
Then, she sat on the bed and smiled at me. She slowly lifted the gun to my forehead level and pulled the trigger.
“Say hello to your mother, dearest stepdaughter.”
I can swear that I saw the bullet coming and before I slumped on the floor, I saw her walking away majestically, a smile of triumph on her lips.
She banged the door behind her and I woke up instantly, sweating despite the air-conditioned room.
I looked around and there were red flower petals on the floor, two scented candles on the side table and a rose flower. Then, I saw the note beside it and my skin crawled in with fear.
Was that just a dream? Why is everything replaying?
The gentle knock on the door scared the shit out of me and I sat upright in fear forgetting that I had a cannula connected to a drip stand.
The door gently opened and Damien walked in slowly, not a single smile on his face. He looked like someone in pain. He was wincing.
My hands were trembling and the reality of what was happening got to me.
Has he been shot?