Episode 14
Val’s side of the story continues
7:30am, the next morning
—
I woke up with a jolt, very surprised that I was even able to sleep inside the car. Perhaps it was all due to the
exhaustion of the long trip of the previous day that made me sleep so easily.
I yawned, breathed deeply and checked my phone for any missed call as the events of the previous night slowly played backed in my head. I nervously dialed Clara’s number with prayers in my lips but unfortunately she failed to pick up her phone and after trying for the tenth time, I decided to call Vivian and talk to her.
Yes Even though I was extremely angry with Vivian over what she did to me, I knew it was pointless fighting with her at the meantime. I still had the chance of fixing my mistakes and I felt talking to her could be beneficial in the long run. Luckily Vivian picked up my call the moment her phone rang. I heaved a sigh of relief as I quickly formed out the best words to use on her.
‘’please can we talk for some minutes. It’s very urgent?” I pleaded. She kept quiet for few seconds.
‘’please’’ I pushed on.
‘’okay where are you?’’ she asked.
‘’I’m at the gate’’ I replied.
‘’ I will be there in few minutes’’ she accepted.
‘’fine, I’m waiting’’ I breathed and hung up.
———–
Nervously I waited for her to show up as I prepared my questions and all I wished to tell her. I was very desperate. Yes I was very eager to fix things but I equally was still very confused on how to go about it, the right approach to use. Exactly ten minutes later, Vivian appeared from the compound and joined me in the car, looking very serious
and uptight.
‘’good morning’’ she managed to greet.
‘’you really messed me up yesterday’’ I breathed as I faced her. She looked down and said nothing.
‘’I thought we were friends. I thought we understood each other?. What will you achieve in ruining my assignment?’’ I asked breathlessly. She shrugged.
‘’sleeping with Clara was never part of your assignment. I was only protecting my sister. I only told her the truth about you and nothing else’’ she replied softly, trying hard to appear calm. However I couldn’t help but notice that her hands trembled. Her face looked pale and troubled.
‘’it’s okay. So how is Clara?’’ I asked.
‘’you care only about Clara but never for once cared to know how I feel’’ she muttered, bringing up her face to meet my gaze for the first time. We silently exchanged glances as the tension between us heightened. I really felt like smashing her head on the car dashboard but then I had to control the anger in me. I tried to say something but my lips refused to open.
Just that moment a Toyota SUV emerged from the compound, headed out of the gate and moved into the runway, gaining our attention. The driver of the car was no other person than Clara and of course I was very stunned to see her driving out of the compound that early in the day. At first I really didn’t know what to do.
‘’that’s Clara’’ Vivian breathed as I quickly switched on my car engine, very eager to follow her up.
‘’what are you trying to do?’’ she asked suspiciously.
‘’it’s my job to follow her wherever she goes and that’s what I’m doing’’ I replied as I threw her a quick look while she grabbed the door handle by her side in a bid to get out of the car. Unfortunately for me the attention I gave her distracted me from noticing on time a Toyota sienna which pulled up in a commando fashion, blocking Clara’s car. Before I could even blink or grab my small service pistol, two masked men jumped out of the sienna brandishing AK47 rifles which they fired on my car, shattering the windscreen as Vivian and I managed to take cover under the dashboard.
Few seconds later the Toyota sienna and Clara’s car disappeared without a trace while I frantically radioed for help.
I couldn’t believe Clara was gone for real. The poor girl was just kidnapped before me and I couldn’t even fire a shot to save her.
I couldn’t help but wonder if it was all a setup that cashed in on the confusion between us or just an opportunity that played into the hands of the kidnappers.
‘’but where could Clara be heading to by this time of the day?’’ I wondered over and over.
Of course I was s.crewed
To be continued
Clara the state governor’s daughter