ALONE

CHAPTER 20

The crowd began to shout, "take her away!!", and the officers took me away.

For what? A crime i did not commit.

I wasn't whimpering, I wasn't whining, I wasn't making a sound, I just walked with them to the car.

"Watch your head", the officer said and I got into the car.

Tears were flowing uncontrollably from my eyes.

I gave happiness a chance, I trusted my instincts which told me to go after happiness. I ignored every warning that came my way, the hatred, the dream and most especially, Sophie's eyes.

I wish I listened to them when they told me to run.

How could I be so stupid to trust? How did I get carried away? Why did I ever believe that I could be happy? Happiness became an illusion after my parents' death, so why did I think that it could ever become reality?

The pain I felt in my heart couldn't be compared to anything.

I was snapped out of my trance by the sudden break of the car, causing me to lean forward and back.

I was pulled out of the car, with such force, I almost stumbled.

"This way", an officer said as he walked ahead.

I looked around, this was a police station. I bent my head down in shame and embarrassment. This wasn't how I planned to make mom and dad proud, this wasn't how I wanted my life to be. I get it now, I had no control over anything, not even my own life.

My cuffs were unlocked and I was put in a cell.

I stood in the same position they left me, staring at the wall with tears in my eyes. I was probably waiting for the dream to end so that I'd wake up.

I walked to the wall and leaned my head.

I couldn't stop crying, everything felt so unreal to me.

I sat on the floor and watched the door, waiting, expecting, hoping that the door would be opened and I'd be let out of here.

Seconds turned to minutes and minutes to hours, no one had come to release me. I wasn't supposed to stay here this long because I was a minor, I couldn't explain why I was still here.

Have they finally left me? Is this where my life would end? How would I make mom and dad proud when I'm in here? I'm sure they are ashamed of me right now.

I heard footsteps treading towards the cell, I stood up quickly and walked to the door.

"Excuse me officer, when do I leave here?", I asked an officer who was passing by.

"Soon, someone named Maria Jackson would be here in ten minutes", he said and walked away.

Maria Jackson? Who is that? Wait, no, it can't be uncle Dew's possessed wife, or can it? 
It was more than ten minutes and I was still waiting.

I was coiled up on the cold floor, I wasn't crying anymore, I was just trying to fall asleep, maybe finally wake up from this nightmare.

I fell asleep. 

I woke up, I couldn't tell if it was day or night because there was no way any source of natural light could penetrate into the cell.

Every part of my body ached, I stayed in my sleeping position, I didn't have the energy to suppress any body pains.

No one was coming.

I don't know how long I've been here but I know I wasn't leaving anytime soon or at all.

Days passing by, I couldn't tell what was going on, I was hungry, thirsty and weary.

Few minutes passed.

I heard the jiggling of keys, the door was opened.

Why are they coming now? I was getting comfortable in this cold cell.

"You're free to go now", an officer said.

I stood up, weak, my head was spinning, I staggered almost falling. I thought the officer would give me a hand but he didn't.

"Hurry up!", he yelled at me.

I managed to get a hold of myself and walked out of the cell successfully.

"Let's go", Maria said as soon as she saw me.

I walked quietly to where the car was parked with my head down in shame.

"So, this was what your parents did to become..", I cut uncle Dew off.

"Not my parents, stop talking about my parents!", I shouted, tears streaming from my eyes as I remembered their death all over again.

They were stunned.

"I told you we should have left her there to rot a little longer", Maria said to uncle Dew.

The car became silent.

We arrived their home, this hell I couldn't call my home or even a home.

I came down quickly and ran inside.

"Stop", I heard Maria's voice as I was half way upstairs.

"Get down here", she ordered and as the obedient puppy I've been, I went down. I didn't want to do anything, I wanted to be left alone, I wanted my mind to heal and regain my sanity. 

I saw that same elderly man, what's his name again? I've forgotten. No, Barrister Evert. I guess I didn't notice him when I walked in. 

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Thank you for reading.