THE STORY 2 EP. 7

 EPISODE SEVEN

THE STORY 2

BY PRAISE UMORU

(Malia)

It’s been four days since Jeremy had been lock up and the crew still haven’t had their first lead. Malia has been restless for the past four days and decides to go meet Jeremy.

The warden brought Jeremy out and Malia immediately sighted him. Even if Jeremy didn’t seem quite pleased to see her, Malia didn’t mind. Her heart fell seeing the one that gave her one of her best relationships; after two breakups, look so unkempt. Jeremy always had a fast grown hair and in the period of just four days, his hair had become bushy and dreaded. Although his trimmed beards still looked the same, but there was still a need for a bit of touch on it.

His hands were still handcuffed when he sat on the stool directly opposite Malia

“Hey” it sounded more like a whisper from Malia’s lips. She inhaled slowly hindering her tears from falling

“What are you doing here?” Jeremy asked coldly

Malia was shocked by his response “I came to see you” she replied with the hurt escaping from her voice

“Well now you have seen me, so you better go”

Malia could not comprehend the man that sat in front of her. She plundered if it was the same Jeremy that made her heart flutter, and brought butterflies into her belly.

“Jeremy what is wrong with you” Malia couldn’t hide her hurt “I know you didn’t kill Frank, I know you.” Jeremy felt his heart drop at Malia’s trust in him “Because you were accused doesn’t mean you did it. Stop acting cold like a bad guy or something”

“And what If I’m actually a bad guy” Jeremy tried to act tough but Malia could see through him. She stretched her arm to touch his face. Jeremy saw pity in her eyes and he pulled back

“Malia leave”…

(Tony and Eli)

Tony and Eli decided to take a walk. For weeks they haven’t had time for themselves but they decided to rule out 30mintutes of their busy schedule just to catch the scent of fresh air together

“I’m sorry I haven’t had time for us for a while now” Tony said as he sat on a rock along with Eli at the river bank

“I also should apologize.” Eli said “With all the test and projects going on. We both haven’t had time for us” she leaned closer and placed her head on his shoulders and Tony wrapped his right hand around her “and when we thought things would get better, Jeremy gets arrested” she sighed

Tony rested a kiss on her head “when everything is over, I promise to give you a wonderful dinner date. Just two of us, no school, no story to distract us, just us. I promise…”

Eli couldn’t help her blushing smile as she wrapped her hands round him in an embrace “I love you”

Tony’s heart skipped a beat. He pulled her away and gazed intently into her eyes. His hands caressed her cheeks 

“What?” Eli asked softly with a blushing smile

Tony took a deep breath and drew her back into his arms “I’m just so lucky to have you” he quickly pressed another kiss on her head “I love you too…so much”

The two returned their attention back to the water as it flowed calmly with a soothing breeze. Eli strolled her gaze to the river bank that harbored a lot of flowers and green grass. She smiled at the beauty of nature and then her eyes lit up

She pulled herself slowly away from Tony’s embrace, sitting up, her thoughts tried to figure things out 

“What is it?” Tony asked looking at her troubled and curious face

“Quinn said Dr. Badmus told her Frank was poisoned by poisonous plant right?” Tony nodded affirmatively to her rhetorical question. “He also said the plant tends to grow in the commonest places”

“Okay… where are you heading with this?” Tony sounded confused

“What if Frank wasn’t actually poisoned by someone? What if he must have gone to…” Eli thought for a while “maybe a garden or even a place like this and unknowingly…he either stepped on it, brush through it or even held it unknown to him?” Tony nodded continuously seeing sense to what Eli said “I mean, not everyone knows of poisonous plants like this. None of us knew about it until Frank’s death.”

“Tony what if… just what if Jeremy was wrongly accused for Frank’s own accidental mistake. It could happen to anyone”…

(Malia)

“Malia I said leave!” Jeremy yelled

“I know you didn’t kill Frank, why didn’t you protest? Why would you take the blame? Do you even know the consequences for murder?”

“And what if I want to die, and take the blame for something I didn’t do, what do you care?!” Jeremy snapped

“I CARE THAT YOU LIVE!!” Malia yelled back which flabbergasted Jeremy “I care that you don’t die” Malia’s tears streamed down. “Even if you no longer feel the same for me, Jeremy I still love you. You of all people know the importance of life and that’s why you want to be a doctor. I can’t let you take the blame for something you didn’t do.”

Malia wiped her tears away quickly. Silence creaked in between them for a brief moment

“Just help me here…” Malia continued “if we can’t find out a way to get you out before your trial starts, just please Jeremy, don’t plead guilty. I beg you. Promise me…” Jeremy shifted his gaze from hers “Jeremy say something”

Jeremy bowed his head and spoke softly “I told you I wanted to be a doctor so I could save lives… if I decide I no longer want to be a doctor and no longer save lives, how does that concern you” he raised his head and fixed a cold gaze at Malia who was confused and stunned at his words “just leave and don’t ever come back”

He stood up slowly and aimed towards the warden… 

(Alex)

“You are an ingrate! Mr. Deka yelled at his wife

“What did you just call me?!” Mrs. Deka snapped back “if I am an ingrate then you are a born fool!”

Mr. Deka screamed out his rage and attempted to slap his wife but he restrained himself 

“Eh! You want to slap me! Slap me!! I said slap me!!” she yelled at him hysterically “look at you, you call yourself a pastor” she scoffed a hard laugh “holy and ever humble pastor wants to slap his wife” Mr. Deka tried walking away ignoring his wife but she ran towards him and caught his shirt “I thought you want to beat me, have you not slapped me before, and beating me is itching you right?! If you don’t answer my question today you are going nowhere!”

“Tinuke get your hands off my shirt” he tried to sound calm but she didn’t listen “Tinuke I said leave my shirt!” he snapped back at her and pushed her to the floor

Mrs. Deka fell hard on the floor

Alex could hear his mother’s continuous curses penetrating his headset. It had become a normal thing in his father’s house. Since his Father’s house was very close to the school, he decided to stay home since his mother pleaded for him to stay and make her less lonely. Alex remembered regretfully his approval to stay since she couldn’t be alone. His mom was a house wife and didn’t quite mingle with the neighbors because of her condition.

After his mum lost both her parents, they left a bit of fortune behind for their children, but in the case of Alex’s mum, her parents left the fortune for their grandchildren. According to the will, since Alex mother never acted like a good daughter compared to her only sister, her parents didn’t consider her worthy of their fortune unlike her sister, so they decided to pass it on to her offspring(s) immediately he(Alex) becomes twenty years of age. Ever since then, Alex mum has directed her anger towards everyone around her including her only son; Alex who was a year into gaining access to the will”

Alex’s father never helped issues as he seemed to have had enough of his wife. Everyday had a fight of its own, some for things that made little sense, some for things that made no sense and some for things that were just absurd to classify.

He decided to pay deaf ears to one of their many humiliating quarrels again and concentrate on the music he listened to but a multi call from Tony and Quinn broke his concentration

“Guy we got something” Tony said without a greeting. Eli continued without giving Alex a space to talk “Quinn hope you are listening” Quinn verified with a yes “okay so we came up with an idea. What if Frank accidentally came across the poisonous plant unknown to him and Jeremy was wrongly accused

“Why would you think so?” Quinn asked

“Remember the doctor said the poisonous plant tends to grow in common areas… so, what if he went to a place where the poisonous hemlock could be found and accidentally came in contact with it

“For reals?” Alex finally responded

“That could mean, Jeremy isn’t guilty.” Quinn said cheerfully “Malia is going to be so happy when she gets to hear about this. I’m gonna give her a call now, you guys take care.”

Quinn hurriedly hangs up with so much excitement

On the other hand, Alex parents were still laying curses at each other when Eli asked “Alex is everything okay, your voice sounded cold before and what’s with all the noise at the background?”

Alex didn’t want to be treated as a kid any longer. Being the youngest among the crew gave them the reason to treat him more like a kid and he detested it. Most time it made him do things he never thought he could do just so he could be treated maturely, but most times it just made matters worse “I’m fine…I gatto go”

“He hanged up the call. He heard his mother’s scream immediately the call dropped. Alex assumed his dad must have slapped her again or did something more drastic. He rushed to the living room panicking and it hurt him to be right about his assumption as he gazed at his mom’s hand on her face

He yelled before his mom could send out the curse that bobbled in her mouth “WOULD YOU TWO JUST STOP!!!” his parents stopped in their track.

Alex began to shake as a result of his own fright and exhaustion. He looked at his father, whose clothes were partly torn and mercilessly squeezed. He looked at his mom, with her fair facial skin having a mixture of five red finger print.

“How could you?” he turned to his father with tears in his eyes “how could you do this to a woman you claim to love?”

“No…” Mr. Deka reacted “I married this woman because there was something to love inside of her, but right now all I see is hatred, bitterness, jealousy, envy…all I see is evil and lack of satisfaction!” he snapped

“Oh really!” Mrs. Deka rebelled “what about you, you are nothing but a self-centered man, a woman chaser, a deceit, nothing but a scum!!”

Alex stood speechless gazing at the horror right in front of him 

“Can you hear her, can you hear the…the stupid trash she is laying out?!” Mr. yelled towards his son

“Me! Stupid trash…”

“Mom please would you just stop!” Alex pleaded with tears in his eyes but all was paid to deaf ears

“I WANT A DIVORCE!” 

Mrs. Deka’s words echoed in Alex’s ears unbelievably

“WELL YOU GOT IT!!”

Mr. Deka’s words pushed Alex to the ground…

(Malia)

Malia picked the call seeing the ID caller as Quinn

She had just stepped out from the jail edifice

“Malia we got good news and it’s about Jeremy” Quinn spoke excitedly “Jeremy isn’t going to die I promise, we are sorting something out” Quinn wanted to continue and tell her in details but Malia cut her short in the coldest tone

“I don’t care anymore, Jeremy wants to die, so let him die”…

To be continued…

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