Justice, Law and The City

11

Hope ends the call. She'd been trying to reach Tammy and Faith all through the weekend. She'd gone for Toyin's party and had found that they left just as she was coming in. Were they so mad at her that they were ignoring her calls? Whatever it was they would sort it out when they met.

"Oga dropping oh," she calls at the driver.

"Dropping?"

"Yes." She answers and the cab stops. She alights from it about to go when the driver interrupts.

"You don give me money?" he asks.

"Ehen nau. You use my money find change for that girl." She answers a little impatiently as the passengers stared at her. The man apologizes and drives away.

She started down the street. When she got to the lodge where she had formerly shared with Faith, the place swam with faces that she could not recognize. She squeezed her way through aiming for Faith's room. It was then she realized that the crowd were filing in and out of Faith's room. The thought that all these strangers were invading the privacy of a place she had once stayed irritated her.

She stood at the door scanning for familiar faces. Toyin was the first person she saw and then the rest came into view. Their eyes red and puffy and they seemed to be standing over someone. She walked to then before she realized that it was Faith sitting in the midst of them, but what caught her off guard was the tears and the way with which she held her chest in tears. Alarmed, she rushed at them.

"What's wrong?" she asked Faith but all she did was continue crying. She turned her attention to the girls who had started crying again. No one replied the question that her stare held.

"What is it?" she scanned the place and for some reason something seemed out of place. "Where's Tammy? Does he know you're crying?" No reply came just more intensified tears.

Realizing that no one would reply her if she wasn't direct she tried again. "Toyin what is it?" no reply. She knelt before Edna her heart failing for fear and worry. "Please Edna, please, what's wrong?"

Edna still crying sniffled before she answered, "It's Tammy." It came out more like a whisper but Hope had read her lips. It made her alert. "What happened to him? Was he in an accident?" she asked her eyes getting teary. No one answered her. She stood and went to where the boys were seating down. Tears streaming down Hamzat and Andrew's face, Mike all the while battling with his emotions and trying to be the strong friend but failing woefully.

"Mike please what's wrong?" she ask's her voice already breaking.

Mike buried his head in his hands, eyes too red to deceive anyone that he wasn't crying. "SARS," he muttered.

Hope is shocked and she cannot move. "He was arrested?" fear paralyzing her.

Mike shakes his head. "No, they killed him." Overcome by emotions he starts crying.

Hope stands unmoving and unflinching. She knows her face is wet but she does not know how she is still breathing. It was as if someone knocked life out of her. And then the most painful sob she had ever heard was wrenched out of her. She collapsed catching herself as she cried. She should run to Faith, or Andrew, Tammy's best friend but he was like an elder brother to her. The bag containing red apples – his favourites falls and scatters in the room.

Suddenly she was 15 years again and coming back from choir lesson. They were four. She could still remember them like the back of her hands. And she could still feel every burning mark on her body, she doubted hell could burn so. She was once again taken to that night, helpless, begging and crying. Scratching had come last.

They would have fired if someone hadn't heard her cries and had been bold enough to come, but they came late. They came when she wished they would fire, the ecstasy with which she awaited death. They called her 'princess'. One said she carried heavens in between her legs as he buttoned up his trousers. 'You sweet pass my wife.'

It was when Mike held her hair up patting her back as she unloaded the painful memory into the WC did, she realize that it had darkened. Steadying herself, she turned as her eyes fell on them, this people who were connected together because of one life. One life who they had now lost. They sat down on the floor; Andrew rocking Faith who had grown too weak to cry. No one said anything, no one moved either. Just a suppressed whimper from every throat.

*AUTHORS NOTE*

Heyo!!

I know I said I would drop an update but I got so excited to share all this with you guys and I'm trying to finish this book so I can move into it's 3rd draft , 4th and 5th. I plan to publish this book. (eeeep!!!) I'm so excited.

Eitherway what are your thoughts concerning everything so far. Talk about Drama!! I know right?

Do not forget to comment, like, share and vote. It would be much appreciated.

Thanks in advance. Muah :"

PS: I will not make an update this week seeing I published 9 Chapters.