Chapter 20 — Midnight Heist

The absence of Ronald Marshall had left the two sisters to divulge in conversations of their life’s journey, both the bad and the ugly. And in this moment, sitting in partially darkness on their veranda, Ella Bradshaw – the younger of the two sisters, began pouring out her heart about the death of their youngest sister, Lillian and how Mr. Marshall had stepped in and began helping their family since then.

In the catching up of their stories, Ella also went on to mention of the terrible things their own mother had continued doing to her and Philip during her absences. Such as, throwing them out of the house, catching their clothing on fire, and when they had built a hut into the bushes, how she came there in the middle of the night to set it ablaze with fire.

“That woman is simply, straight-up wicked, and I have the scare in my back to prove it. It is just best for her to get going to her grave from now on; than later on in her old age when she would have probably knock the sweet innocence out of little Dion and Devon. Because, I know for sure, I won’t be the one who would be lifting a finger to assist her in her old age. Not to mention, what Dada had done to Philip’s face, have him looking like something from out of a scary movie; is evidence to the point of their deep rooted cruelty to us. No jesting or kidding about those two, they both deserve each other now and also in hell as well!”

Hyacinth mildly ranted.

“I tell you, Sis, if it wasn’t for Mr. Marshall, sticking by our side, I don’t know what the shit I would be doing with myself!”

Ella said sighing, releasing the tension bottled up in her thoughts.

“What kind of parents, refuse from giving their children bus fare for their schooling, set ablaze their few pieces of clothing! Having the guts, denying them something like food when she has much of it stored up in the damn fridge; and then turn around, locking them out of the house at nights for the mysteries of the nights to take hold of them?”

Ella went on divulging.

Although, filling in her sister Hyacinth, with much of the dilemmas, which had happened around the house ever since she left, Ella was also anxious to hear about her sister’s stories of life in the city. And breaking from her ranting, she asked; “So what are you doing with yourself in the big-shot people them city?”

“Well, I’m working at nights, going school in the days, and trying to keep-up with the big-shot people of the city!”

Hyacinth answered swinging her head while having all her ten fingers dancing above her head.

“Okay!” Ella said giggling; “That’s why you showed up here looking like one of those damn aristocrats, with false hair draping over your shoulders like a damn mermaid!”

“What you want from me, Ella! You really want me looking like I’m still residing deep into the forest while living amongst these city dwellers with hot bodies and everything shiny glittering!”

Hyacinth replied with a flair of excitement in her voice.

“Well, probably, I would be doing the same damn thing as you, if I was there living city life, or, even visiting the damn place!”

Ella said with another sigh.

Her face was dead serious.

Her eyes peered out into the darkness, deeply thinking about what her immediate future was going to be like, with working during the days, sending Dion and Devon to school and possibly doing some classes few nights per week.

“I thank, Mr. Marshall, allowing me to work with him so I was able to save up enough money for both Dion and Devon schooling, and also keep the lights and water on in this house.”

Ella said with an air of sadness in her voice.

“You have open an account to keep this money?”

Hyacinth inquired.

“Of course not… I haven’t gotten that sophisticate as yet… I’m only on the job around three to four weeks now!

Responded, Ella.

“You, don’t tell me, you’re sleeping with all that money under the mattress like one of those old cave miser?”

Hyacinth expressed.

“Not at all, Sis!” Ella replied; “I have some of it into a small box in the corner of the bedroom. And the rest, I have it snatch away into the mango tree where Lillian had hanged herself; no one can ever find it there unless, they are cutting down that damn mango tree!”

“Once it’s in safe keepings for your use later when you are ready for it, that’s what matters!”

Hyacinth said encouragingly to her sister while seated in the dark.

“And if things works out well for me, next month on the job, I’ll surely be sending you a few extra dollar; so you can have it to splurge on yourself a bit, like you’re living big city life!”

Said Hyacinth with a burst of enthusiasm.

Almost two hours had been spent on the veranda, chit-chatting away. And eye-lids being weary, especially Ella’s who had been up from the very break of dawn.

Since her sister was now like a guest in the family surroundings, she wanted her to have the best space in the house to sleep. So, she allowed her sister to sleep inside the room which she was occupying at the time while she took her position on one of the large settee chairs inside of the living room. Because, she was quite uncertain, if that lude of a man they called father, would spontaneously show up at the house, then comes waltzing straight into the bedroom he was using, before he went missing in action, while she was inside there sleeping and start a fight.

Fluffing the pillow to her head, elevating both feet on the handle of the chair, Ella then went off sleeping, deeply. But just after securely locking the front door of the house with the key.

And even if, the trumpet for judgement day was blasting in the air for the entire universe to hear, she was so dead far gone sleeping, she wouldn’t have heard it. Deservingly, it was rest which her poor body had been craving from the last part of the evening and now it was getting it.

However, Hyacinth who had her fair share of sleep, after returning to the house from the funeral, wasn’t feeling that much weight of weariness any longer, but could still do with a little more shut-eye, before morning came. Since, she had drastically exhausted herself catching the various buses to reach her mother’s funeral in time or before they place her coffin into the ground.

But for most of the night, all that was occupying Hyacinth’s mind, was where the dickens, Ella had snatch her money. Laying on the bed, sprawled out on her back, her skin was badly itching to get up and go in search for the handsome amount of dough. But, she was too afraid Ella would have heard her, got up and entered the room to investigate.

The temptations were quite frequent, and every so often, Hyacinth was out of bed, standing in the dark, wondering and anticipating if Ella was going wake up and inquire about why she was up at that hour of the night. And with several attempts made to go digging for the lute, not a single sound came from Ella’s mouth. But realizing that her getaway plan wasn’t well organized, Hyacinth decided to go to bed and abort her scheming plans for another day.

Six hours later, the inevitable was realize, and both sisters started the day greeting each other with friendly morning salutes, before starting with their first round of chit-chatting for the day.

Ella got off the settee, stretched, folded the sheets she had used to cover herself during the night, and then burst the front door wide open, the way she was accustomed to doing each and every morning. Claiming to be letting in the morning air and helpful angels on their daily errands.

Hyacinth went to sit on one of the smaller of the settee chairs, while inquiring from her sister; “How was your sleep last night?”

Tossing the sheets for folding and yawning wide, Ella responded; “Tell you the truth, I was out like a log, from my poor head touched the pillows last night!”

Bringing the folded sheets to the bedroom, Ella gently tossed them in the corner above the box where she had her snatch of cash. And soon, she returned to the living room where she went on to ask her sister; what she wanted for breakfast.

“Anything you’re having, I’ll have!”

Hyacinth replied.

“I have eggs… we could do eggs, dumplings and sardines!”

Ella said, standing, with both hands resting at the nape of her neck.

“That sounds good!”

Happily voiced, Hyacinth.

Readying to go wash herself and take care of breakfast, there came the loud noise from Mr. Marshall’s truck horn.

He had stopped dead center of the driveway!

His window to the passenger side was down and joyfully, he began yelling; “Not stopping… only saying hello and finding out how you girls are doing!”

“We’re quite good!”

Ella shouted, waving her hand in the air at him.

“Have a good day!”

Continued to shout, the teenager.

“You too, Ella!”

Mr. Marshall said loudly with a smile and a wave while pressing the gas pedal to proceed.

It was a friendly interruption which had temporarily caused Ella to completely forget what she was about to do next. Therefore, she sat in one of the chairs and began divulging in a conversation with her sister, about how nice Mr. Marshall had been to her. But fifteen minutes or so into her story telling, her elder sister nicely reminded her, that the pot needed to be on the fire in order for the morning feast to begin.

Returning from the shower, getting herself dress for the day, Ella took up her position inside of the kitchen. Meanwhile, Hyacinth took her turn for getting under the shower. But before she could get herself undressed, Ella, blocking the entrance way with her body, pleasantly ask;

“So how long, will you be hanging around here with me, Sis, before returning to the big Kingston City?”

“Until tomorrow evening… Friday evening, is what I already had planned for traveling!”

Answered, Hyacinth.

“Okay then!”

Came Ella’s outburst, sounding enthused.

“We can do the beach, the library, walk by the stores; do something fun, between now and tomorrow midday!”

Continued Ella with a lit countenance.

“Let me get wash and then we can decided on that!”

Spoke Hyacinth.

“Right!”

Uttered Ella, while retracing her steps into the kitchen to start with breakfast.

Less than forty minutes later, the scrumptious breakfast was done being prepared. Both young ladies took up stay inside of the living room where they sat, ate and did their discussions on what would be their recreation for the day.

Ella was eager to visit anyone of the beaches, presuming that doing such would ease some of the muscular pain she had been enduring for the past four days.

Hyacinth too, thought such was a perfect choice; since living in the city afforded her very little time or access to any of the beaches on the outskirts of the urban areas.

Gobbling down that delicious morning meal, both girls were now dressed in beach attires – white shorts and T-shirts. A change of clothing, stuffed into their handbags, soon they were standing by the side of the poorly trafficked road, waving down their first ride to their fun destination.

Fortunately, a ride came twenty minutes afterwards, taking them into town. Few minutes later, they were in another taxi cab, going to Wilson’s Beach. A ride of twenty-five minutes or so.

The water, turquoise blue and crystal clear; one could see the sand and creatures moving about the shallow ocean floors.

Flowing of the waves were softly and gently rippling back and forth, repeatedly in slow motion towards the shorelines.

While the sun glares kept on dancing nonstop upon the surface of the water, as though, in great celebration.

Seeing the water appearing so tranquil and quite inviting, Hyacinth was the first to dive into it; wetting from head to toe. Ella on the other hand, had to swallow her pain pills, first, before physically connecting with the flowing of the large ocean coming to the shores periodically, to meet her.

It was an absolutely fun day and the beach for the sisters.

Splashing about in the crystal clear body of water like dolphins, taking breaks to full their bellies and then returning to the water to repeat those fun filled movements, until, physically exhausted. The ladies soon concluded that it was now time for them to journey back home, after noticing that the sun was no longer around or prancing about on the surface of the water.

For Ella, it was one of the best days of her entire life, and she had mentally marked it down as such.

But, would this actually be the day, Ella Bradshaw, could honestly declared; she experienced liberty, joyfulness with her family and a little richness in her pocket?

The dark shadows of the evening were moving fast ahead and Ella and Hyacinth wanted to reach home before it had gotten too dark. But no such luck was afforded them. Since many of the vehicles serving passengers on the streets were jam-pack before reaching their stop. Hence, walking into town was the only other option at that moment that they had. And with one foot before the other, the young ladies were almost in the center of town before a taxi driver stopped, encouraging them to get inside his vehicle. But since they were almost at their other point of obtaining a transportation for home, they flatly rejected his offer.

Luckily, standing in the center of town, the first vehicle came along, they made their way into it. Happily, less than half hour later, the two Bradshaw sisters were standing on the veranda of their house with the cab driver, shining bright headlights onto the front door. Allowing them to see the keyhole on the door and for entering the house.

“Thank you!”

They shouted repeatedly once the doorknob cracked open, allowing them access to the inside of their dwelling place.

Washing away salty water from their ashy skin, fixing something to eat and then jumping into bed was the order of the evening.

Stomach filled with white rice, heavily seasoned tin mackerels and her dosage of pain pills and water, Ella went off into a deep sleep just like she had done the night before.

Her sister, however, sat up in the bed with itchy fingers, fighting off sleep. For an hour she waited up, clearing her throat every now and again, hoping to get a response out of Ella. And soon after learning that Ella was off fast asleep, she began fumbling and rumbling in the corner of the bedroom where her sister had her snatch of cash hidden inside of a box.

It wasn’t long after she had found it. And with the coil of cash in her hands, she stuff the pile of it between the pages of her diary, and then shoved it into the bottom of the oversize bag she had travelled there with, over her shoulders.

Unfortunately for Ella, the heist wasn’t over just now.

Because, Hyacinth also wanted, the money she had snatched away in the top center of the mango tree as well.

A box of matches pushed down into her bosom, Hyacinth made her way to back room which their father had been occupying; through the passageway of the bathroom and then through the backdoor of the house. Seconds later, she was standing in the backyard, staring in the darkness, trying to figure out which of trees was the mango tree with the money snatched away in the top of it.

Striking three sticks of matches, she found herself up-close to two of the mango trees in close proximity of each other. For a while, she stood there wondering and analyzing which one of the trees were the correct one housing and safe guarding the hidden dough.

One tree had branches stemming at the trunk of it; the other didn’t. Therefore, Hyacinth concluded that it had to be the tree with the branches attach to the middle of its trunk.

Wasting no time, she quickly sprang into action, climbing up onto the tree trunk, like a hungry gator after dead meat. And for her, her first go was a lucky one.

Dipping her hand in the center of the tree with the lager branches separating off to their various direction, there sat a good size hole around twelve inches deep. Cautiously, Hyacinth dipped one hand into it while holding the lit matched with the other, and frantically, she came up with the hefty roll of cash in her hand.

She was elated!

Immediately, though, Hyacinth intuitively realize that this was no ordinary money… something else was attach to it… it was just too much, and where it had been hidden was starting to tell her another story.

“What the hell is Ella involved in?”

Hyacinth questioned herself.

Nevertheless, Hyacinth stuffed the money inside of her bosom just like she had done with the box of matches. And quickly she made her way out of the mango tree; with her thirty-two double-D breast size now looking more like a forty-four double-D.

Safely, Hyacinth made her way back inside of the house closing the door behind her, tip-toing past her sister and then right back into her room.

She just couldn’t believe her ruckus that she had this much money in her possession and stroked anther stick of matches to examined it – to take a careful look at it once again. But this was not the time and the place for counting it. So, instead, she stuffed it way down into the bottom of the oversize handbag she had brought with her, piled-up all her belongings on top of it, and then zipped the damn bag up. Only leaving out the clothing she intended on waring back into the city come Friday evening.

And like an anxious lamb, Hyacinth kept on thinking, before she went off sleeping.

However, it wasn’t any sweet sleep for her, since the demons from hell came crawling into her sub-consciousness, soul and spirit.

All she was experiencing in her dreams from her head hit the pillow and her eyes went closed; were pure blood all around her. What exactly it meant or represented, that she was clueless about. But she certainly knew, it could never be anything good.

Be it as it may, Hyacinth had no godly intentions of returning that money from where she had taken it from. Therefore, getting out of the house before any complexity or trouble started was now her main concern. So, laying in the bed, she began planning her method of escape.

Would she make it to her destination alive?

Anxious to make her getaway, Hyacinth got out of bed before the break of dawn, minutes before 4:00 a.m., and before the cocks had started crowing. She had gotten herself dressed and quietly tip-toed herself past her sister Ella, still asleep on the settee chair. Griping tightly to the bag of money over her shoulder, she made her way through their father’s bedroom, into the bathroom passageway and then out through the backdoor. Gently, she shut the door behind her and then made an Olympic dash for it.

Hastily on foot, she began making her way along the long stretch of whining roads, in the darkness; nervously hoping, she would catch a ride from anyone of those early-bird employees, working in the hospitals or carrying out business in the city.

Unfortunately for her, such luck wouldn’t come her way until after she had already covered over three miles of footwork on the long, dark un-trafficked road with thick lush buses on both sides of it. And thick black asphalt, and on some graveled roads as well.

Few miles out of her immediate community, Hyacinth saw one of those big buses across from the large land mass between her and the road, from where she were. Undoubtedly, lifting her heart with joy!

Immediately she told herself that there is no way, she can afford to allow for this bus to miss her. And so, she began shouting for the driver or anyone else on the bus, for that matter, to hear her while making quick strides towards the vehicle “Hay!!!! Hay!!!! Hay!!!! Wait for me!!!”

Hyacinth shouted repeatedly.

Luckily, some passengers gazing through the bus windows, saw her frantic movements in the changing clouds of the dawn of morning, gotten the driver’s attention and had him abruptly stopping the bus for her.

Now she began running with all her might to make her full mode of escape from her sister, Ella’s hands. Upon reaching the doorway of the bus, Hyacinth plopped herself down on its steps and with sweat dripping from her face and puffs of shortness of breath she began bellowing out repeatedly; “Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!”

Her gratitude loudly expressed and heard by all inside of the bus, she was ushered to tiny seat by the bus conductor and then the bus was once again on its way.

Leaving her sister in this predicament of financial owes, Hyacinth felt and confidently anticipated, that she would never turn head at this side of the globe, ever again. Her thoughts were now mainly filled with what she was about to spend this money on and the new life she was going to lead because of it. Elatedly, she fantasied about those persons whom she would be impressing along life’s journey, with her new found wealth; even though, stolen.

Feeling she had now “Arrived” her mind bombarded with thoughts of her glorious future, Hyacinth fell fast asleep on the bus, clutching tightly onto her bag of stolen cash, as the morning air from the bus windows, hit against her face while making the trip back into the city.

Just like her sister Hyacinth, Ella too was enjoying sweet sleep on top of the large comfy settee chair, inside of the grand living room space. But, morning would soon come exposing her to another sad tale which had navigated her life.

Could she ever bounce back from this kind of a predicament?

It was just after 7:00 a.m., when Ella came out of her nightly sleep and back to reality. The house sounded too quiet and peaceful and not even a tiny quake of breathing sound, was coming from her sister Hyacinth, or, even from the room she occupied. To, Ella, the entire house felt totally still, and she wanted to find out if, her sister was still fast asleep or, using the restroom.

Knocking and pushing the bedroom door wide open, Ella realized, her sister’s bed was empty and unmade. Seeing such, she eagerly presumed, she had be no other place but inside of the bathroom. Especially, since the front door to the house was still locked. But, upon entering the bathroom space, Ella realize that it too was very empty. The only other place, she thought searching for her sister was by the standpipe situated at the side of the house. And to her amazement, there too came up short… there were just no signs of her there either.

Ella was now lost for words and lost out of her mind.

However, she did the very best thing she thought would get her sister’s attention and that was yelling out her name as loudly as she possibly could.

On the top of her voice box, she shouted out numerous times;

“Hya! Hyacinth! Hya! Hyacinth!” but no response came echoing back at her in the quiet atmosphere of the morning.

Making her way to the front-yard for any clues lingering around of the disappearance of her elder sister, Mr. Marshall seeing Ella, slow down his truck to say good morning to her. But the look on her face told him that something terribly wrong was going on there; so he reverse the vehicle a bit and then drove it into the yard.

“Ella, you’re looking perplex; what’s wrong?”

Mr. Marshall questioned.

“It’s my sister!” Ella said franticly; “I woke up this morning and she is nowhere to be found! She has just gone missing! I looked around the house, in the yard, shouted her name several times, and gotten no answers!”

“Probably, she made an early start back to the city!”

Mr. Marshall suggested.

“Without telling me!”

Ella lashed out asking.

“She told me, she would be leaving back to the city this evening… Friday evening… she wouldn’t have left here without saying a word to me!” Continued Ella.

“Is her belongings still inside the room?”

Inquired Mr. Marshall.

“I didn’t take notice; I just open the door, look on the bed and saw that she wasn’t there!”

Explained, Ella.

“Let me go and check!”

She then said, as she hastily made her way to the bedroom where her sister had been occupying.

With laser-beam eyes, she stood there, looking from one corner of the room to the next.

“Wait a fucking minute!”

She lashed out, learning that not one piece of clothing belonging to her sister was still there in the room.

Realizing that the corner of the room where she had her money snatched away, seemed to be quite ruffled, as if, a robber searching for gold was being hurried by some unseen forces; leaving the spot messy.

Ella’s heart, immediately, began pounding against her chest like a sledge hammer in the hands of a carpenter!

Instantaneously, sweat began pouring out of her skin like that of Dunn’s River Falls!

Her eyes became wild and her entire mouth became dry!

Fear and shock was eating at her at lighting speed!

And with trembling hands, like an aged old woman whose nervous system had gone on retirement; she moved towards the corner of the room where she had her money carefully hidden away!

Shakenly, she swiftly began removing each piece of item one after the other from the corner of the room and placing them onto the bed. Until, she came across the red box where she had her money secretly snatched away. And finding the box completely empty, Ella violently began pounding on the walls of the room with sudden hysteria; bringing Mr. Marshall’s attention there.

In total shock, the words she wanted to express, couldn’t come to her mouth right away. Now, she was face to face with Mr. Marshall giving him unreadable sign language that he couldn’t comprehend.

Tears dripping, saliva slowly creeping back into her larynges, Ella finally spoke.

“That fucking brandish devil, gone with all my fucking money!”

Ella uttered with a cringing face almost dripping tears.

“Are you certain?”

Mr. Marshall ask with a look of shock showing on his face.

“What do you mean if I’m… sure? Do I look… delusional to you?”

Ella lashed out, now restraining her tongue; reminding herself that this was her boss whom she was speaking to. And also, the kind gentle soul who has been standing by her side, helping her, during her many trials.

Her heart was still heavily pounding under her ribs, and now she wasn’t sure what to do with herself. She felt like collapsing on the floor one minute, she felt like running mad on the streets the next, and then she just wanted to jump on top of the bed, curled-up and die!

But instead, she opened both hands wide and threw them around Mr. Marshall’s waist, held them there and began weeping bitterly.

“How can Hyacinth do something like this to me? If I can’t trust her, who the hell can I trust? I cooked her breakfast! We went to the beach together and had fun there all day, and now look what she has done to me?”

Ella stated with floods of tears pouring out of her face and her chest vibrating against Mr. Marshall’s belly.

The pain was just too much for her to contain.

“Hold me boss-man, hold me! I say hold me boss-man; don’t let me slip to the ground!”

Ella tearfully lashed out with an echoing of lamentation from deep within her soul as the strength in her knees began losing its power – faded, and her strong arms, slowly began slipping downwards from the waistline of the Good Samaritan’s masculine figure.

Struggling, Mr. Marshall tried bringing her back to her feet and the living room area where he could easily seat her down on one of the settee chairs to rest. Instead of heisting her weightiness on top of the gigantic bed all by himself; possibly causing a misalignment of his back.

And with gradual twirling, wiggling, shifting of feet and pulling, they finally made it there; where Ella was gently seated, and then soon given a glass of water.

Taking one sip of the water, Ella concluded that all hope was now gone from her life.

“This was the money I was religiously saving to put Dion and Devon through school and keep the light and water on; around here! What the hell I’m I suppose to do now?”

Ella bellowed out asking with much frustration in her voice and a very wet face.

Soon she recalled that she still had some money hidden in a hole in the mango tree where Lillian had took her last breath. But that was money she couldn’t let anyone like Mr. Marshall, know anything about. Since such would definitely tie her to the murder of Corporal Banks. She had already broken protocol by telling Hyacinth about it, and needed not for a single soul else to know that information. Having such recollection of her tightened, penny-pinching savings safely secured; some hopefulness was now being restored in Ella’s life once again.

The tears began drying up!

Until, Mr. Marshall left for work, promising her, he would returned there later on that day, to quickly check upon her. And then, she would happily went off, climbing into the mango tree to see about the dough, she assumingly still had safeguarded there.

But, would Ella’s spanking, newfound revelation, kept her fully strengthened or have her killing herself, right there on the spot?

Eliminating tears and snorts from her face, Ella soulfully thanked Mr. Marshall, for being a comforting and supporting source for her during this moment of family betrayal and emotional upheaval; as he made his way back to his truck.

“Take it easy, Ella, and don’t think of doing anything stupid!”

The kindhearted soul said, as he opened the door to his truck.

“I won’t!”

The teenager mumbled, eager for her boss and now best friend, to leave off the property.

And as soon as the truck was clearly out of sight, Ella went racing to the backyard, praying and swearing at the same time.

“Jesus Christ of little children, please don’t let that evil bitch touch this money! Or else, it’s going to be the total last of me and her, on this planet!”

Came the words from Ella’s mouth as she hurryingly stepped over anything in her way while heading towards the large mango tree.

Swiftly, she firmly gripped one of the tree limbs, then one foot was up to where she first positioned her hand. Soon the other foot was up in the tree and Ella began moving up the bark of the tree like a slithering python. Moments later, she was in the middle of the huge mango tree where the branches split east, north and south.

Anxious to find out if her money was still there in its place, Ella with all urgency, quickly stuck her hand in the hole in the center of the tree, carved out there by nature, and came up empty handed… realizing that it too was all gone.

Completely disappeared! Utterly missing! Totally vanished!

Lost for words and deeply in shock, Ella shaking, kept on hugging tightly onto the hard barks of the mango tree for dear life, fearing, if she didn’t, she would have certainly plummeted out of the tree, possibly breaking her damn neck. Or, even a hip!

Her breathing heavy, her heart beating quite fast, and her entire nervous system went totally out of whack like viruses consuming a computer – functionally utterly down.

Almost near to an hour, Ella kept hugging onto the barky limb of the mango tree, until, her anxiety came to a state of neutralization. It was several minutes of inhaling and exhaling like she was in a yoga class, which had gotten her to that place of respiratory control and physical relaxation. While, her mind perplexed with multiple questions of who actually had stolen her chunk of cash.

“Was it her sister Hyacinth or her father Christopher who had taken her money?” Wondered, Ella.

Especially, since he had gone missing in action for almost two full days now! He could have been the only other possibly person, who knew of the money being hidden there in the mango tree, even though, she hadn’t told him anything about it being there.

Unable to rectify her problem standing up in the mango tree, one foot descended then the other, guided by both hands and then, Ella was back on the ground standing on both feet once more.

Though, severely hurt and broken hearted, she tried making herself busy, doing as much as she possible could around the house for the rest of that day. Meanwhile, her mind went into full gear, imagining all the horrible thing she wanted to carry out against her sister, if she should encounter her, ever again.

She desired to see Hyacinth’s hands mutilated – totally chopped off!

She wanted to see her down in the gutters, begging for daily bread and no mercies being extended to her!

She wanted to catch a ride into the city, hunt her down like a bounty killer and beat every ounce of shit from out of her gut.

But unfortunately for her, no information was available to her of where in the city Hyacinth had been living or owning employment.

But these unlovely thoughts were only just that; her imagination producing the cruelest of visions to be carried out or be performed from the one who had stolen her pile of cash. Because they had left her feeling insecure and vulnerable once again.

Thankfully, though, Mr. Marshall continues to be a mediator of calmness in her life; soothing away some of the harsh thoughts that had been consuming and harboring in her mind.

However, would the Good Samaritan, soothing words be enough to keep her restraint from flying off the handle, inflicting pain and murdering someone else again?