The Flu

Chapter 17

3 YEARS LATER

Everyone had now forgotten about Nana's disappearance but not her family. They always felt it and talked less about it. A picture of her and ashes of a banana stalk burn to represent her put in a blue vase had been placed in what was once her room and letters from her well wishers when she had disappeared were placed all around it

Epy had just left the room when his daughter  made his first step. Tommy had called out cheerfully. Everyone had rushed down stairs to watch Aurora.

They clapped as she made her first few steps and the sat smiling at everyone and trying to clap like they had been doing. Her nanny had been capturing it all in a video.

"Glorious! That was marvelous. Remember when she first said Tommy's name instead of mama or papa. It was so disappointing." Nella reminded everyone as they laughed.

It was beautiful to see them so happy together.

*******

Nana had waited for her son to show up for almost an hour now. Then a tall thin figure over shadowing her stood behind her. She had turned around to meet a man looking familiar. She had smiled and extended her hand.

"Good evening." she had echoed trying to remember where she had seen the man.

"Evening ma', am here to drop this borrowed books. Came in abit late and saw they were closed. So who are you waiting on?" he had asked.

"Am waiting on my son. He was supposed to come in an hour ago..."

"To pick you up perhaps? Where do you stay?"

He had asked.

Then it occurred to her why he looked familiar. He was Stanley's kid. Looked very much like Stanley himself though thin. She had been tricked.

"Tell your father he got me alright!" she said dropping her head. Her hopes all gone. Her son really didn't survive.

" He sends his regards actually. You cost him his legs, it will cost you even more. I know him too well. Now stand, keep walking into the car and let's go. " he had told her.

She didn't move. She felt weak, broken and tricked. Her mind wasn't clear, she didn't even hear what Stanley's son had said. She was shoved into the car.

She found herself in total darkness on a cold floor. Light had started to show in between the wooden walls. Then she heard gun shots.

The door was opened and she was taken out. Outside was a pile of dead bodies of young to old people.

" Your son failed! He made me feel like a failure. I have invested my all in this research and all of them failed. The first strong serum we had created we had no time to save it when your army invaded our bunkers. The research all burnt out and none of this people remembers the method to it. Because of you Catherine! Why did you do this to me? " Stanley was covered in blood. It seemed he had been shooting the people himself. The dead people wore similar lab coats.

" Father this is insane! You have killed every one of your workers! What does it gain... " Stanley shot at him too and killed his only son.

"You see," he continued, "Even my son doubts my decisions. No one believes me!"
Then he started laughing and wheeled himself to where Nana lay all tired up. He pulled out the cloth out of her mouth. She was crying and tried to bite his hand. He shot at her foot.

"Dont try to be clever, we are in this together. No way out. You see this, it's a failed mission like yours was. Many of my respected men died in failed missions. So why should we also live?"

He laughed again and shot into the air.

"Where is my son?" was all she could ask in total pain and bitterness. She guessed it had been days without water or food as to how her lips cracked and her stomach turning.

"Oh! He is dead. You killed him with your plan. You didn't even love him. Did you? Feel it!" he shot at her hand.

She scream.

"How sweet it is to hear your pain pierce through my ears down my nape to my heart. How my heart beats to its rhythm. Never felt so alive!" he said.

"Mad man!" she shouted.

He dropped himself on top of her and opened his jacket. Inside it was a bomb.

"Few seconds left Catherine! What is it you will pray?" he had asked

Nana just cried even more. She was helpless now. She said a little prayer to the heavens and hoped it kept her family safe..

"God, if ever humanity tries to be you, send many more of my kind to save and protect the world...."

       THE END

My first book in 2020...hope you enjoy reading it. Am still learning to do longer books  and this I let the characters take me wherever they want. The setting is a modern African one. Didn't mention countries to avoid being biased.... Share the book and recommend it where possible.