Young & pregnant

Saint or Sinner

There was no clue on how to find Susan as all trails had suddenly gone cold. The detectives had given up after a week of fruitless search and investigations. Susan's mother became a regular at the police station and almost slept there on several occasions insisting they must provide her daughter. The police were fed up with the case. The only information they got about the principal suspect, Femi Akin or F.K, was that he was once arrested for fraud few years back but the case was dismissed for lack of concrete evidence against him.
The detectives had moved on to a simpler and more intense cases and left Susan's mother on her knees praying. She became tired of the police stations because of the long distance she had to trek to get there. She no longer had money for bus fair haven spent all she had.  Life became difficult and the reality of it was best imagined.
It has been two weeks since Susan was last seen. Her mother could remember the broad smile on her face as she entered the car with Femi. She waved at them in ecstasy overwhelmed by her daughter newly found joy. Susan's happiness was all she wanted and that of her other children. Haven struggled to cater for them for years, it was only misfortune that led to Susan being missing. She wondered why she was suffering so much. She went deep in thoughts sitting on a bench outside. Nobody came anymore to see her, it had become her burden to bear alone.
The tears continued to roll down freely down her chin. She makes small attempts to stifle a cry in the presence of her children who were not immune to the anguish of not seeing their older sister in days. School was no longer important to them. Sometimes they stayed at home to make sure their mother doesn't cry herself to stupor. Comforting each other was the only thing they were left with.
In the cool of the evening, Susan's mother is at the back removing clothes from the line. She folds them neatly as she removes each one from the rope. The youngest of her children, Kemi, rushes towards her bidding her to come quickly. She was hesitant wondering what could make her this hysterical. "Sister is back". The seven year old child says in excitement. Susan's mother jumped at once letting go of anything in her hands and runs after her daughter like an insane person. She comes out to the front to find Susan in company of the neighbours. They helped her walk from the road to the house. Susan looked weak and dirty, bare footed. Her hair was loosed and matted together. She could barely speak. Her mother falls to the ground rolling left to right full of joy and excitement. 
"Take her in let her bath and eat". The neighbours advises. "She needs to regain her strength". Susan did have a story to tell on her whereabouts for fourteen days, who she was with and how she came back but she needed to regain much strength enough for the tale that could take hours to tell. No one seemed to be in a hurry to know, she is back, this was enough for the time being and the excitement spoke volumes of it. Even though she was weak, she could still hold her siblings in her embrace careful enough not to hurt her baby holding still in her womb through the rough, thick and thin probably just as overwhelmed.     
         Susan could not have imagined she would go through such an experience considering how much faith she had bestowed on Femi. She was very inept to believe Femi could be guilty of any crime, she tried to convince herself that he was a victim as well as she was. The dream of the lady in white became more rampant. She decides to pose the question to Femi who was seemingly broken by the hard knocks he had received in days. Susan needed to know who he had offended to warrant such punishment. " I have wronged no one". Femi cries "I can't tell".
Susan narrates her dream to him. Femi becomes more and more confused looking rather beguiled by the tale. Susan could sense he was not completely honest but it was hard to tell if he was completely innocent. " don't worry my love, I will get you out of here, I promise". Femi says with gasping for breadth. Susan gulps in fear, "he is dieing, how can a dieing man save me". Susan thought relinquishing any hope that may arise from Femi's assuring spiel. At the brink of insanity, Susan was let loose without any input from Femi. " you are free to go". They said to her. She staggered off unable to vent for Femi who remained bound in chains. "Go my love, you are free". Femi bades her goodbye. Susan refused to look behind her running as fast as her weak legs could take her away from the shack. She came to a point were she regained sight of freedom, sight of civilisation. Looking back at her ordeal, Susan was hunted by a stern desire to go back and save Femi.
The police evaded the scene following Susan's report. The old rusted warehouse is found empty void of any human presence. The shock in Susan sank deeper as she looked awe struck. " what in the world did they do to my Femi?". She thought to herself. Days goes by and Susan remained hopeful that Femi would come to her front door perhaps to make her know he is okay. She cried herself in and out of sleep wearied by the thought that he may not have made it out alive. Who the abductors were and what they wanted remained a mystery and made her misery deepen. A week went past, Femi never came, Susan thought it was time to move past that ugly experience and look ahead.