Chapter 12 — Lines of Deception

Entering the back bedroom of the Bradshaw’s household, where the children usually occupied for sleeping, Corporal Banks tried resting Devon on top of the bed, so he could finish off his sleeping there. But, as soon as the back of his hand touched the mattress, he realize that it was soaking wet. Causing him to retrace his steps back into the living room area. And just as he was trying to make his roundabout turn for the living room, he found himself losing his balance. Constantly, slipping away while still holding the sleeping child upon his shoulders.

Bracing himself against one of the walls of the room, he managed to look down on the surface of the floor and notice that it had a thick red substance there. It was blood! And in a state of complete disbelieve, Corporal Banks, held onto the little boy in his hands as tightly as he could, as though, his grip on his body was soliciting – begging some sort of comfort from him.

Still in a state of unbalance, Corporal Banks managed to maneuver himself out of the bedroom and back into the living room where he placed Devon onto one of the long sofa beds there.

Completely, forgetting anything about Ella, the corporal hastily made his way back inside the cram bedroom to investigate what was actually there. And there, he witnessed the shock of his life.

Ms. Nella was sprawled out on the floor, between the two full-size beds, almost unrecognizable and dead.

It was only his numerous encounter with her that gave him any indication that it was her who was lying there on the floor.

She was dead alright… completely gone!

But, the corporal checked her pulse anyway, making sure that she was actually expired from this earth; as he was trained to do.

“Ella!”

Corporal Banks shouted repeatedly.

“Could you please get inside here now and tell me what the hell happened here!”

The officer went on to say.

But having second thoughts, he concluded that this wasn’t such of a good idea, and then hastily walked towards the gate to speak with her, instead.

Still frightened, Ella’s mouth opened not to speak a single word.

Her countenance was just the same as before; like a statue. The only difference now, her muscular calves and footwear were completely wet... soaking in piss – warm urine.

Enfolding her into his arms, Corporal Banks lifted Ella and brought her inside the living room of her mother’s house, and then, he sat her down there on one of the smaller sofa chairs.

“Ella, Ella, do you know what happen to your mother sometime last night or this morning?”

Corporal Banks asked while gently massaging Ella’s cheeks with both his hands.

But, Ella only sat there, staring into space and wouldn’t respond.

Soon, Dion was awakened and began banging on the tinted window of the pick-up truck.

Presumably quite terrified of the strange surroundings that she had opened her eyes to.

Hurryingly, Corporal Banks ran to his truck, opened its door and lifted Dion from off the back seat of the vehicle. He then brought her to the living room where her two other siblings were, and seated her there.

Once again, the man of the law started picking at Ella pertaining to the death of her mother, but this time around his questionings were only answered with stream of tears.

Ella has been, Dion and Devon’s guider, protector and keeper from the day their mother had brought them home from the hospital. And now that they were seeing their protector floundering in tears, they both felt; the corporal was doing something to harm their big sister. Igniting an act of terror in little Dion, that no one had ever seen before now. Swiftly, she ran to the kitchen, pull the machete from its position, in one of the corners of the kitchen, brought it back to the living room and then began waving it at the police officer. A man of the law who had rescue them and fed them meals more than once.

Weeping bitterly, Dion cried out;

“Leave my Sister Ella alone, she didn’t do anything wrong to you!”

Startled by the action of the five-year-old, Corporal Banks flee from the living room and made his way onto the veranda of the house.

Immediately, Ella got standing on both her feet, knowing that she somehow needed to neutralize this situation before her baby sister’s action became even worse.

Removing the tool used for chopping and digging up plants from her little sister’s hands, Ella convince her that the police man wasn’t there trying to arm her. But, he was only there asking her questions about what had happen to their mother.

Removing the sharp cutlass from her sister’s hand, Ella brought it back to the kitchen, but this time, she place it on the top of her mother’s refrigerator where either of her younger siblings were able to reach for it there. While, Corporal Banks slowly return to the living room to continue on with the interrogation of the death of the children’s mother.

But, Ella had nothing whatsoever to tell him!

“Ella, where is your brother, Philip… could he have done this?”

Corporal Banks asked.

Uncertain of the time, Ella informed the police officer that her brother could still be by the hut. In all actuality, Philip had already left for work more than an hour ago and had traveled through the back bushes to get there, instead of on the main streets.

Following Ella’s lead, they both realized that Philip was nowhere in sight, and getting no answer after making numerous calling of his name, Ella concluded that he could be at the crusher company by then. Therefore, informed Corporal Banks that her brother was at his place of work.

Trying to get some answers pertaining to Ms. Nell’s sudden death, Corporal Banks jumped into his pick-up truck and made his way to the crushing company which wasn’t too far off from the Bradshaw residence. And there, the man of the law, began making inquiries about the death of the unkind woman who hated her own children and would often ill treat them. And whose husband was no different either. She beating them mercilessly very often – daily. And he on the other hand, would beat them hardheartedly at prolong distance of time, after meticulously calculating a number of wrongs he believed that they had done in a specific time frame.

But would Corporal Banks get the correct answers he was seeking after?

After arriving at the crusher company, the officer spoke with the owner of the company, Mr. Marshall. Requesting of him to please stop the workers from their duties, so he could communicate with one Phillip Bradshaw about some serious matters.

Shovel in hand, Philip eagerly walked over to the corporal’s pick-up truck, hoping to answer his questions and return to his work. And upon asking Philip what he knew about his mother’s violent death. The young man with all confidence, held his head high and expressed to the interrogating officer that he was clueless about who had killed his mother. Or, that he knew that she was even dead.

There was not even an ounce of evidence that showed on Philip’s expression that he was indeed lying. But, Corporal Banks, wanting to manipulate the situation to provide his findings, out rightly told Philip that his sister Ella had told him that he was the one who was responsible for murdering their mother. Because, she was allowing them to sleep out into the cold and keeping food away from them.

Philip, absolutely couldn’t believe what he was hearing!

“My sister Ella told you that?”

Philip emphasized repeatedly.

Looking Philip dead straight in the eye, Corporal Banks nodded his head, indicating that he was being truthful about the young man’s sister’s confession.

Bursting out in floods of tears, Philip broke down and soon, he started uttering in heartfelt emotions, desperate, he was trying to convince the man of the law; “No, officer, my sister Ella could never have told you such a dreadful thing… she knew, after I came home from work last evening, I showered, eat dinner and went straight to rest on the cot she had built for me! And I didn’t move from there until, the fire started, where we have been spending our nights for the past week or so. I swear to you and god; officer, I didn’t do it!”

Not even blinking an eyelid, officer Banks stood his ground, and convincingly he informed Philp that his sister had practically threw him under the bus – snitch, notified him that he was their mother’s killer.

But, would Corporal Banks ever get away with this terrible act of betrayal?

Throwing his shovel to the ground in an angry and frustrating outrage, Philip walked off his job, demanding that Corporal Banks take him to Ella at once. And without any hesitance or reluctances, the officer with a straight face, immediately open both his doors, one leading to the passenger’s seat and the other, the driver’s seat. And then invited the still weeping young lad, to hop into his pick-up truck.

Less than five minutes later, Philip and the officer were parking in front of the Bradshaw’s house and tooting horn.

Ella who was still seated inside the living room, came to the front door after hearing the tooting of the horn. She was totally amazed to see her brother returned with the officer and in a state of disarray – a look of frenzy and fright showing on his countenance.

Quite assured, he would singlehandedly crack this case, Corporal Banks, did exactly the same thing that he had done to Philip few minutes ago, to Ella. Hoping, that she would have gotten confused and gave up her brother, or, have her brother give her up.

Therefore, Officer Banks, now with a stern look on his face… more of an intimidating stare, came outright asking Ella;

“What did you tell me about what your brother had done to your mother, earlier on this morning?”

Ella was puzzled and held her breath for a while before she could start speaking again.

“What are you talking about, Mr. Banks… Corporal Banks?”

Ella inquired with a look of dismay showing all over her face, as her eyes kept on dancing back and forth, from the officer to her brother.

“Don’t stand there and play dumb with me Ella! You know exactly what you have told me about your brother’s criminal activities towards your mother, sometime last night or early this morning!”

Corporal Banks said with eyes staring wide open.

For a moment, there was dead silence between the three!

Ella trying very hard to recall when and where she had held any form of conversation with the policeman, pertaining to her brother doing anything criminal. Philip staring at his sister with suspicious eyes, and Corporal Banks, standing there, looking dead serious, in his position of authority.

But soon, it clicked into Ella’s mind that they were being tricked!

Carefully, she thought about what the Corporal had said to her, and positively concluded that she had not said any such thing to him. Now, her temper began boiling, preconceiving that the officer was adamantly lying to them and was only trying to play them against each other to figure out the truth.

“I don’t recall saying any such thing to you, Officer Banks!”

Ella said, finally breaking her silence.

Just as Corporal Banks was about to open his mouth once again, to convincingly tell her that she had done so, Ella excused herself, claiming that she wanted to use the bathroom.

And upon her return to the front of the yard, she came back with a shovel and rope in hand. Not even foretelling what she was about to do, Ella turned to her brother, and with a face as serious as a judge, she calmingly and barefaced expressed;

“Philip, I think there is the smell, of some stinking dog shit in this yard that quickly needs cleaning up!”

Before Philip could finish his sentence; in asking his sister what the hell she was talking about, dog shit, Ella walked behind the officer and gave him one hard slap, across the head with the shovel.

“I hate mother fucking liars… you’re the man of the law who is supposed to grant us justice, and here you are, trying to send me and my brother to prison for no damn reason at all!”

Ella lashed out while angrily throwing down some serious licks; one after the other on Corporal Banks head and entire body parts. She was determined to do to him what she had done to her mother. Coming down heavy on his body with the edge and sharp parts of the shovel; causing him to be begging for his life and apologizing to her for what he had just done.

But, his pleading and utterances of regret, only went into thin air.

Philip had never seen his sister so irritably insane, and ready to take a life. Realizing that this could be the death penalty for the both of them, Philip put his feet into his hands, bolted from out of the yard and started shouting for help as he made his way back to the crushing company. Anticipating that he could get some assistance from the rest of men working there.

“Where the fuck are you going, Philip?”

Ella shouted as her brother hit the corner of the road, running and screaming for help.

Left alone to contend with her troubles, the teenager went easy on the officer, brought the shovel to the standpipe where she hastily began washing away the blood residue from it. Quickly, she then brought back the long piece of rope into the kitchen, hurried back to the corporal’s side where, she soon began granting him comfort. Granting him comfort as if, she wasn’t the one who was just trying to knock the life from out of him.

Philip’s alarm had brought about lots of help and attention to the front of the Bradshaw’s property. The crowd of workmen, arriving there in front of the yard where Philip claimed that something fatal was happening, were totally dumfounded to witness the wounded policeman, resting his head comfortably on Ella’s lap moaning. Meanwhile, she sat there weeping.

Mr. Marshall was the very first to act, quickly lifting Corporal Banks from off Ella’s lap, with the aid of some of his workmen, and then assisting him into the back of his vehicle and rushing off with him to receive treatment at the hospital. While, the inquisitive crowd lingered around the yard, trying to get some answers about what had happened to the police officer. But Ella’s mouth was now sealed and so was her brother’s. Because, now, he was totally afraid of his sister… afraid that she would snuff out his life with a plank or the machete during his sleep; if he should ever as much as whisper her name to anyone standing around them.

Strangely, enough, no one believed that Ella had done such a thing. And so, they began wondering, if her brother was proclaiming the truth. Repeatedly, they were asking him to explain to them over and over again, what he said happened at his house. But now, very little words were coming from Philip’s mouth, so, the lingering crowd lost interest in the mysterious story and began taking themselves away from off the Bradshaw’s property.

Feeling as though, she had gotten away with attempted murdered, Ella prepared dinner for herself and three other siblings as usual. But, Philip wouldn’t touch the food, much less, bring to his mouth what his sister had prepared and shared out on his plate for him to eat. His appetite was dead, his mind was worried and he decided to sleep on the veranda that very night, instead of inside the hut with his older sister and two other relations.

Bright and early Sunday morning, Dion and Devon were the first persons to be up and about… began moving around the hut before their sister Ella had even open her eyes. And soon, their wondering imagination had brought them down by the big house where their brother Philip was also still fast asleep. But somehow and strangely, their presences around him had caused him to open his eyes and began gazing at them suspiciously for a moment, before saying a word.

“Where is Ella?”

Philip inquired.

“Still sleeping!”

Dion, the elder of the two responded.

“Do you know what day it is today?”

Philip went on to question.

Silently standing there with wonderment in her eyes, Dion soon began shaking her head, indicating that she was clueless about the significance of the day. And upon realizing that his baby sister was ignorant of the importance that this day was about to represent. In tears, Philip started explaining to her that their sister Lillian would be put into the ground and laid to rest for good on this day.

Not one hundred percent sure, of what their brother was actually explaining to them, they too began crying, simply to the fact that he mentioned that Lillian would be place into the ground for good and laid to rest there permanently. And for a moment, all three sat on the veranda where Philip had both his hands outstretch around his brother and sister, as they sat there weeping their hearts out.

Dion and Devon somehow knew at that time, there was a divide inside their house and their family, even though, they were unable to articulate such clearly in words. And it was showing in their eyes and all over their faces, speculating of when it would be their turn next to disappear from amongst the family or from each other.

Approximately, an hour and a half later. Ella’s voice could be heard, terrifyingly calling out for Dion and Devon.

“In Jesus Christ name, where did they go?”

She could be heard uttering after shouting out Dion’s and Devon’s name repeatedly. Therefore, Philip decided to bring them to her.

Abruptly, the look of relief was written all over her face as soon as she had seen a glimpse of her brother with the two little ones on each side of his thighs, while stepping through the bushes towards where the hut stood. And silently, Ella stood there watching them for a while, until, they were almost in the vicinity of where the hut stood.

Philip unsure of his sister’s mental capacity, stayed at a distance while Dion and Devon ran into their sister’s arms. He somehow sense that she wouldn’t hurt them now and needed them to help her cope with her growing troubles. But from a distance Philip spoke to her.

“How are you doing, Ella?”

He ask, while searching her eyes, trying hard to detect what mood she could be in now. But seeing all three of them around her at that present moment, she seemed pleasant and responded.

“I’m doing all right… very good, brother!”

“Have you started preparing for Lillian’s funeral – you know, her burial is happening today, right?”

Philip questioned with surprise in his eyes.

Sadly, with balls of tears bubbling up in her eyes, Ella nodded her head and tearfully answered; “I know… I know brother I know!”

Observing his sister quickly breaking down disposition, taking place right in front of him, Philip immediately walked over to her. And soon he began embracing her into his arms while she rested her head upon his shoulders and began pouring out all her tears. It wasn’t until, she was unable to weep any longer and her face had turned enormously red and nostrils became stuffy that she lifted her head from her brother’s shoulders.

Releasing herself from her brother’s embrace, Ella told him that she needed to get to the hospital and see Corporal Banks, because she wanted to apologize to him for what she had done to him.

But her brother warned against it, telling her that such wasn’t a good idea, because, he could be under guard twenty-four-seven and they might even think she could be visiting him to cause him more harm than good. Instead, though, they should all focus on getting something to eat for breakfast and try reaching the church for their sister’s sendoff ceremony.

A practical suggestion which had Ella squeezing out even more tears than before, and nodding here head, finally agreeing with her brother’s remarks.

However, the commencement for Lillian’s funeral wasn’t supposed to be until, around one-thirty in the afternoon, when most of the other churches in the nearby community were done conducting their morning services and the saving of souls. Allowing for Lillian’s friends and schoolmate attending those other churches to attend her goodbye ceremony. Thankfully, Corporal Banks had taken on much of the responsibility when it came down to Lillian’s departure and all that it would entail pertaining to her being buried.

It was with his help and influence that the large Catholic Church, located on top of the hill, overlooking the Duckenfield community, had offered its time and space for free for conducting the farewell ceremony of the young Bradshaw girl.

The time was still early, but both Ella and Philip knew, if they didn’t start preparing now, one-thirty would be upon them in no time and they might ended up missing out on the last day they had left with their sister.

Hence, Ella began moving swiftly with fixing the food and also with preparing the clothing that each of them would be wearing to the sendoff ceremony of one of their siblings.

But, all during this time of readying themselves for this important occasion, Ella’s mind was working like a wizard. Because, she was bend-set on not taking the rap for her mother’s death or the injuries Corporal Banks had sustain from her sudden attack upon him.

Indeed, she was extremely remorseful for hurting the man of the law who had been so very generous to her and her other siblings. However, him trying to trick her brother to believing that she was the one who had told him that it was him, who had finished off their mother, had opened a new can of worms between the both of them. And someone was going to pay for this can of worms.

Nonetheless, the bright fullness of the sun was practically standing still above their heads. A sign, which Philip usually use to presume that it was already noonday. Caring not to delay their mission of reaching the church in time, Ella, Philip, Dion and Devon, hastily got themselves dress and was out by the gateway, anxiously waiting to catch the first ride that came along, heading to the church.

Gladly though, their wait wasn’t for too long, because, there came, Mr. Marshal driving a van crowded with children and quite a few of Lillian’s teachers as well. And many of these children were either Lillian’s classmates or school mates.

Stopping at the Bradshaw’s yard gate, he told the family of four to get inside the vehicle and find a seat, because, they were all going at the same place… Lillian’s sendoff party.

And that’s what all four siblings did.

The Catholic Church yard was crowded with people of all sorts when Mr. Marshall’s vehicle arrived at the scene. Many of whom wanted to say goodbye to the young girl who had had enough of her parents drastic beatings, she took her own life.

The big brown doors of the church was wide open, allowing persons to enter inside the church building and view the face of Lillian Bradshaw one last time. And before Ella and her brother could exited the large silvery looking van, they were abruptly stopped by Mr. Marshall, who blatantly – deliberately informed then that he was only doing this job, of picking up passengers who wanted to say goodbye to their sister, and bringing them to the church, because Corporal Banks had practically begged him to do so.

This sudden information had caused Ella to start crying once again. And soon, she began inquiring from Mr. Marshall, wanting to know if the police officer who had walked in their life and showed much compassion to her and family was doing all right. But, Mr. Marshall wasn’t at any liberty to give her much information about corporal, now resting up in the hospital trying to have his wounds, aches and pain hopefully disappear.

Instead, he expressed to Ella Bradshaw with curiosity in his voice;

“Only time will tell how he is doing and has done so far!”

All four children then entered the massive auditorium of the church all at once. But either one of them wanted to walk up to where the casket stood and view the body of their sister. And neither did they care to sit close beside it either. The four siblings sadly took their position on the second row of the pew where they patiently waited for the priest to officiate their sister’s body. And then for the procession to take place.

Meanwhile, many students from the school, Lillian use to attend, said poems befitting the occasion, song songs that were touching to the emotions of the congregation; causing many to stand up and praise god while others sat down and curse the devil. And many of her classmate kept on commenting in tears, on what wonderful persons their friend Lilian was to them and how they were going to missed her terribly.

Majority of the eyes in that church building were soaking wet, and no amount of handkerchief could dab away the tears and keep the eyes dry. Even the hardest of hearts were in a sobbing state.

Some persons were bitterly letting out their bottles of tears because the young girl from their community had lost her life in a dreadful manner. And according to the saying, she would never see the face of God, because it was the belief that persons, who carried out such an act of suicide had no place in the heavenly kingdom of the gods.

While, many others were weeping because, they had received news that there was a double whammy in the family… Ms. Nella too was also dead and lying on freezing ice in the morgue. And her husband case wasn’t pretty either, since he was presently admitted to the hospital suffering from some very serious wounds and fighting for his damn life. Then, there were the whisperings of many utterings within and without the church premises that this was an act of the parent’s retribution because, they were downright cruel people. And no mercy was ever shown to their children by them.

And whatever negative words that would reach Ella’s hearing, she softly mumbled to herself that she needed to get the hell out of this mother fucking church, because many were not there to give her sister a good sending off but to gossip about her family. While Philp sat quietly in his seat, listing in on some of the remarks that were flying from everywhere. Anticipating that persons will soon stop with their yapping, and then move on to something else which had gotten their interests.

But would people ever stop talking about what had been going on in the Bradshaw’s family or household?

Hyacinth, the eldest of the girls who their mother had burned right in the center of her back, at the lining of her spine, went off into the city and never returned home, not even once or sent a word back to her parents.

Their son Phillip was beaten so badly that the center of his face, has shifted to the left making him look like a Halloween character.

Lillian who was doing so well in school work, regardless, of the turmoil and struggles at home has now committed suicide.

Ella, although, unproven, has beaten her mother to death, her father to a point of weakness and now a police officer, with a variety of bodily wounds.

While Dion and Devon, quietly absorbing the actions of violence surrounding them.

However, the weeping congregation soon learn that there would be a priest and a pastor who would be conducting ceremonial prayers and rituals over Lillian Bradshaw’s body. And just after the pastor was introduced to the grieving congregation, he began walking up and down the middle of the church isle like a confused rooster, and then started laying hands on heads while praying for everyone in the congregation. While vigorously shaking their heads allowing many to lose their hats and even their hairstyles as well. As though, he was equipped to remove all their sorrows and pain away.

“In the name of Jesus! “He shouted on top of his voice box into the microphone; “I break every yoke right now, causing our children to commit suicide, bringing altercations, inflections and strife between parents and child, sisters and brothers, man and woman, policemen and the entire nation! In the name that is higher than no other name, I pray, Amen!”

Upon making his way, back to the podium where Lillian Bradshaw laid in her beautiful casket, the pastor filled with charisma, stopped where Ella and her other siblings were quietly seated. And there, in front of the congregation, he performed the unthinkable; ramming his tongue into Ella Bradshaw’s mouth and began sucking on hers while sliding his hand under her dress and into her panties. Soon, his fingers were penetrating her vaginal opening and groping her in the crotch right there. As he used his body to block way whatever he was doing from her brothers and little sister’s eye sight.

Moments later, he released his tongue from her mouth, his fingers from her crotch, and then, he march right back onto the church pulpit, as if, nothing at all had happened just now. He was stepping onto the rostrum where around three other priest were seated, dressed in full white robes, with large rods in hand, as though, they were heavenly shepherds, sent to right all wrong.

Ella was in a state of shock uncertain of what to say or do with herself; not to mention all those who had witnessed this unforgiven act, including the priests of the Catholic Church as well. Who with bulging eyes, were totally dumbfounded of something like this happening right in front of their very presences!

Ella, unable to speak, just sat there, still as a concrete wall, unsure of what had just happened to her.

This was her very first funeral and she wondered, if this was part of the ceremonial practices, being done to the disease relatives during the funeral service. But, she certainly intend on finding out, as soon as the funeral service was dismissed and persons were making their way to the burial site someplace in the church yard.

While persons kept on looking at her strangely, she felt as though, something was wrong, but she wasn’t quite sure of what to make of it.

But, was this a constant practice of Pastor’s Adel, and did he just molested the wrong girl?

The service was concluded and the armor-bearers brought Lillian’s casket to the slope of the hill where a hole was already dogged in the ground waiting for her. But instead of following the procession – the crowd, Ella went running after the pastor who just sexually assaulted her. She was running after him like one running after the last bus of the night. Abruptly asking him, if, what he had just done to her, few minutes ago inside of the church was appropriate. Or, was it a part of the ceremonial rituals.

Many who had seen the act had a tight lip, even though, they knew that such an act was extremely wrong. Especially to a teenager, in the house of worship and at a time when she was putting her sister to rest in the ground. But probably, they were still too frightened to say anything or was too overcome with the fact that they were grieving, at this present point in time, since the community had lost such a young and promising life, in their midst.

Adding insults to injuries, Pastor Adel, stood there amongst the crowd and covertly commented to Ella that he was only checking out, if she was ready to have a man in her life as yet. Meanwhile, placing the fingers he had used for fondling her, across his nostrils and sniffing at them. As if, he was performing aromatic testing for some large perfume corporation.

“Ready to have a man!”

Ella exclaimed angrily.

Having those insulting words marinated into her consciousness, Ella’s temper grew wild and now her shoes were off her feet and used for ponding on the pastor’s head and neck repeatedly.

“What the fuck did you think? That because my mother and father are accustomed to mistreating me, you have the damn right to come into my fucking life and take fucking advantage of me?”

Ella lashed out loudly and furiously.

Suddenly, everything stopped!

The singing of the hymnal stopped!

The Priests stopped with the procession!

The Armor-bearers stopped with the casket in hand!

The tearful and weeping crowd also stopped in their tracks!

All heads were now turned and looking in the direction where Ella and charismatic pastor stood fighting.

He blocking her blows with the gigantic bible in his hands and she, blazing out as many colorful profanities at him as she could, while throwing down heavy licks on all parts of his body with her shoes and at other times, with her hands.

Everyone was in a standstill, not knowing if they should intervene and stop the fight or just let them be until they were tired of each other and then gave up fighting.

Strangely and suddenly, a loud annoying sound went out into the atmosphere. It was a sound which had gotten everyone’s attention, and had Ella quickly putting back her shoes on her feet, thinking someone had called the police about the matter. Meanwhile, Pastor Adel ran to his car for cover.

The ambulance then pulled up in the back parking lot of the church yard and parked. And soon to be exited from its doors was no other person than Christopher Bradshaw.

He was properly dressed in funeral attire, seemed to be lent to him by someone at the hospital and had his eyes filled with tears.

Philip still holding on to the casket, stared upon his father with pity before he began crying. Ella held her ground and the two little ones, did the same as well, because they were uncertain of what to really do since there weren’t any loving affections between them and their father from they came into this world.

As though, preaching to the large crowd, Christopher Bradshaw spoke with sorrow in his heart and tears streaming down his face; announcing to the crowd that he had to beg persons in the hospital to let him come and say goodbye to his daughter Lillian. Before, she was place into the ground.

“It is I, and her mother who had brought her into this world and now that her mother had passed on, I couldn’t lay still up in that damn hospital and don’t come to give her my last respect – tell her my sincere goodbye!”

Christopher Bradshaw declared wiping away tears from his eyes.

Just after voicing what was inside his heart, the rain began drizzling down and some persons in the crowd started shouting that Lillian was in the heavens and making peace with her father or those who had mistreated her here on earth. While the officiating priest, with eyes bulging, began hurrying the armor-bearers to swiftly carry the casket odd to the graveside, so he could finish with consecrating the body and placing it into the ground.

Few minutes later, the priest was loudly declaring; “Ashes to ashes and dust to dust!” Meanwhile, he and the rest of the congregation began sprinkling ashes, dirt, flowers and also notes of love; into the large whole prepared for burying Lillian Bradshaw. As the coffin slowly sank deeper and deeper into the cemented vault.

Now that the coffin had been descended, persons still wiping away tears from their eyes, began removing themselves from off the burial scene and gradually away from within the premises of the church.

Ella, Dion and Devon, were one of those last to leave the grave site. Because, Ella wanted that moment alone with her sister where she could tell her how she was hurting and how she was so sorry that she had kicked the bucket so damn soon. She also was requesting in a prayer like fashion that her sister keep a watchful eye over her and the little ones hanging onto her skirt tail, because, her troubles were growing more immensely by the minute.

Feeling satisfied, her sister would somehow grant her the wishes she was asking of her, Ella held onto Dion and Devon little hands and walking toward the van that Mr. Marshall had driven them into at the church. But, Mr. Marshall wouldn’t allow for Ella to be seated into the vehicle until she could somehow explain to him, what the hell she and Poster Adel were fighting about.

Shamelessly Ella blurted out angrily; “You didn’t see what he was doing to me… you didn’t see that right in front of my dead sister, he was pushing and shoving his fingers right into my pussy-hole and stuffing his stinking tongue deep into my mouth, so I could hardly breathe?”

Gripping onto his chest, as though, he was about to suffer from several embolism in the chest, with his mouth opened wide, Mr. Marshall shook his head in great disbelief.

Breaking his silence while stepping into the large silvery vehicle, he then said, vexingly;

“That son-of-a-bitch will pay for it… one way other the other… you mark my words!”

Philip who had gone to have word with his father earlier on, before he was hurried off back to the hospital compound, was now seated in the front of the van beside his boss. And hearing his sister’s comment, he shook his head and sadly uttered;

“This is why wickedness can’t done!”

Forty-five minutes later, the Bradshaw children were back at the place which had caused them so much turmoil and grief over the years. And stepping out of the vehicle, they thanked Mr. Marshall for the ride home, said goodbye to the other passengers in the van, and in that moment, Philip promise his employer that he would see him at work in the morning.

Tooting his horn, Mr. Marshall drove away from the gate of the Bradshaw’s property. And now, the four siblings were on their own once again to figure out their outlook – their stance in life.

But what would their tomorrow be?