Finding Solace - Episode 7

 

QUICK RECAP
We know that Nick lost his family in a tragic accident
Fiona had a memory flash
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FIONA
I stood, arm akimbo, I watched as Nick put a spoonful of the egg sauce in his mouth and I held my breath to see his reaction.
He closed his eyes and chewed a little before swallowing, then he opened his eyes.
“Not bad at all. That was just delicious.”
I smiled confidently before taking my seat.
“I told you.” You should stop paying all those people.”
“Definitely, I would.” He replied while sipping from a cup of juice.
 As we were talking the door bell rang.
“Let me get it.” I said, pushing back my seat and standing up . I walked towards the door and pulled it open. 
I was confronted by two men. Their looks sent some chills down my spine. They looked muscular, like soldiers. Their skin was black like the midnight and they both wore black sunglasses with rifles hanging on their shoulders. The shorter of the two carried a sack in his other arm and he was wiping his muddy boots against the foot mat. 

“Hi.”I said quietly.
“Hey. Where is Nick and who are you?” One of them, the shorter one asked

All episodes of this story can be found here >> https://www.ebonystory.com/story/finding-solace

. His lips were black, like those that have smoked for a longer period of time.
“Hi Joe. Come on in.” Nick quickly replied behind me. 
The two men came in, while the taller one addressed Nick, the other was giving me stare down.
“She is Fiona, she is er..er, a friend. Fiona, these are my family friends.” Nick introduced.
“Nice to meet you.” I said with a fake smile and not waiting for a reply, I walked to the dining.
They didn’t sit, they were talking inaudibly. I ate in silence as I watched suspiciously. There was something so cold about these two men. It was just off somehow and I found myself uncomfortable in their presence, especially with the other man sending me a deadly glare.
After a while, they did a bump-fist and left.
Nick came down to join me.
“Those men gave me the creeps.” I finally confessed to Nick who just smiled. “They are just here on business, they didn’t come for you.”
“Are they soldiers?” I asked curiously.
He thought for a while before answering. “Something like that. They found my mom and sis bodies. They were the ones that alerted me.”
“Oh..ok.” 
We were done eating so I packed the plates to the kitchen and dumped them in the sink. Grabbing the sponge, I put a drop of liquid wash ,added some water and began to scrub gently. Suddenly, the black lips of the shorter man flashed in my head, he grinned, revealing his charcoal-stained teeth and then it disappeared, leaving me with a very sharp burning headache.
I groaned in pain, dropping the plate as it crashed to the floor.
“Are you okay Fi.” Nick said quickly, rushing to my side.
“I..yea…don’t know what happened. There was this flash and then this headache.” 
He turned on the tap and washed the soap off my hands.
“Leave it please and go lie down.”
“Okay. Thank you.” I replied and walked slowly to my room. 
When I got inside, I locked the door behind me and lay down, shitting my eyes but as soon as I did, the flashes started again. I saw footsteps , running, I could hear someone …no several people panting and jumping. The rustling of dried leaves, branches snapping, heart beating loudly followed by a laughter.
I opened my eyes again. “What is happening to me?”

NICK
I cleaned my hands with a dried towel after washing the dishes. I knew I would still have to call the cook and  the cleaners to resume duty. “There is no way she would be able to do this.”
I left the kitchen and turned on the T.V.
My mind drifted to the men that had come earlier. I didn’t expect them again so soon after the accident.

Read " Returned " by the same author ( Tobi Loba )

. They had said an animal attacked my parents and I have gotten over it. Now they had come to ask if there was any strange thing I may have noticed around. I had no idea what they were talking about.
I remembered Fiona was nervous around them, I had lied to her but they were no family friends. 
My phone rang and I picked it. It was one of my clients. We spoke for some time before I ended the call. I would be travelling without any idea of when I would be back. I haven’t told Yvonne anything about Fiona or Fiona about Yvonne, it was just so difficult for me.
I heard Fiona climbed down the stairs and I turned around.
“Are you okay?”
She shook her head.
“What is the matter?” I asked curiously.
“I think we should visit the doctor. I am having these strange flashes and they are so painful.” 
“Alright Fi, I am so sorry about that. I would need to change my shirt and we can go, okay?”
“Alright Nick.”

NARRATOR-
He sat cross-legged behind the screen. They were on their way to the hospital. Could she be having memory flashes? If that would be the case then his showing up  would be sooner than he expected.