Redemption - Episode 19

 

Benedicta:

The footsteps are getting closer and I gather my wits for the risk I am about to take. I nod determinatively to the nurse before picking her charts and opening the door. I am so relieved when I open the door and see it is just two women passing the room and not Luis. I don't wait anymore seconds as I pick up my pace and head out of the hospital.
  My heart is in my mouth as I walk to the reception area and my eye catches Luis and coming my way. I quickly retrace my steps a little and hide behind a pillar . Oh my God. I should just turn back. He's going to kill me if he catches me. I feel like I will have an heart attack soon with the way my heart is beating erratically.
"The doctor wasn't even in his damn office. What kind of services do the people run in here?." I hear Luis's voice and it is closer now. I am rooted to this spot. Going forward would get me caught and going back will mean giving up to being s*xually and emotionally molested. I can't let that be my life but I still can't move. It is like being caught between the devil and the deep blue sea.
Come on Benedicta. Take the chance. He might not recognize you in this uniform. I push one of my shaky legs forward but gasp and drop the nurse's chart in shock when I am grabbed from behind and pushed into the room just behind the pillar I was resting on just moments ago.
"What__" I want to struggle but then I turn to see the nurse who helped me

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

. She presses her index finger to her lips to get me to be quiet and I nod.
"Nurse! Nurse!" I hear Luis call and his voice sounds so close. Please just go on. I will, Luis in my mind but my luck is just too bad. The handle of the door starts turning and my eyes go bigger in fear. The nurse jerk back also.
"Nurse, you dropped___" Luis opens the door and I see the chart I dropped in his hands. His eyes meet mine and they go cold.
"Benedicta. I thought we were over this? You can't run away from me. Damn it!" He yells in my face and flings the chart to the wall. He starts stalking towards me while I move backward in fear.
"Come on. We are going back home and I am locking you up in your room again." Luis is so focused on me that he doesn't even notice the nurse standing behind him with an empty Pepsi bottle in her grasp. Luis notices my eyes focused behind him and he turns but not quick enough as the nurse bashes the bottle against the side of his head.
I scream in horror as Luis slump on the floor groaning in pain.
"Get out of here!" The nurse yell at me and my legs kick into action as Luis tries to get up to his feet.
"Go on!" The nurse yell again and I flee. I run like a deranged woman out of the hospital and I don't stop even when I get out into the heavy downpour of rain. I keep running for my life until my legs hurts too much and I can run no more.
  Tears and rain blind me as I walk into the road trying to hail down cars in vain. No one wants to pick up a bloodied woman at this time of the night even in this weather. I don't even know where I am right now. I have been in Benin for more than a month but most of the times, I have been locked up so this place is till unfamiliar to me. I didn't really plan this part of my escape. I was just thinking about how to get away from Luis, I didn't plan how I would get home to my family.
  I look around the lonely and dark street. There are no tall buildings here. This place is undeveloped with old bungalows. I am shivering so bad and my teeth are clattering from the cold. The rain has dulled down to a drizzle but I am drenched to my skin. I need a place to sleep tonight. When it is morning, I can find a way to get back home. I walk down the street till I see a small store which is covered partially by a tattered roof and this is where I lay my head throughout the cold wet night.

***********
It is just six twenty am and as usual Mrs Lisa is already on her way to her shop. It is the school period so a lot of people usually patronize her this early in the morning and she does well to wake up before five and prepare her kids for school before going to her shop. Her shop is just outside the compound she's currently renting, making things easier for her.
This morning was just like every other week days morning for Mrs Lisa until she gets to her shop and find a frozen young girl lying on the wet floor surrounded by dirt. She quickly crouch down to tap the young girl. The strange girl doesn't rouse and the temperature exuding from her was enough to roast fresh corn.
"Wake up." She slapped the shoulder of the young girl but still gets no reply. The first thought that enters her head is that the young girl was dead.
"Chineke me o. Help o. Neighbors!" Mrs Lisa screamed for all the neighbors. People started coming out of their houses to watch the spectacle while a few came to her rescue. Among them was a nysc youth corper who just got posted here. He takes charge of the situation quickly. Mrs Lisa watch as he places his hand on the young girl's pulse then sigh in relief.
"She's alive but we need to get her warm." He announces to the spectators.
"My house. You can take her into my house" Mrs Lisa volunteers. He quickly picks the young girl up without stress and carries her into the compound and into the apartment of Mrs Lisa.
"Get me lots of dry clothes so she can change out of these wet ones. Get blankets. Wrappers. And umm get your stove out." He orders and Mrs Lisa goes into her house to get everything.
"Honey. Can you hear me?" He whispers to the young girl. She only mumbles some incoherent words while shivering violently.
"Here." Mrs Lisa comes back out with lots of clothes.
"Okay. I would go out for a bit so you can change her clothes.
He stands up quickly to give both women privacy.

***********
Benedicta:
Hot. I feel hot. Am I dead? I blink my eyes open a little to come face to face with a guy. Luis?
"Ahhhhh!! Help!!!!" I scream.
"Wait. Be calm. I__" he tries to touch me but I scramble away.
"I heard screaming." An unfamiliar woman rushes out of the inner room and smiles when her eyes meet mine.
"She's awake. Thank you Jesus" she looks to the ceiling in silent prayers before walking to stand beside the guy I just realized isn't Luis. I look at both of them confused. I look around and see various wrappers and a lit stove beside me.
"You have been out of it for two days. We managed to get food and water into your system but you got us scared. I was already going to suggest we take you to the hospital." The guy tells me. His eyes look kind but I don't trust men. Not any more. I just keep watching him.
"I think we should still take her to the hospital. Just to be__"
"No. No hospitals. I am fine." I cut the woman off. Luis might still be at that hospital which is the closest to this place.
"Are you sure, honey?" The kind woman asks and I nod.
"I am just a little hungry" I say honestly. I am starving. I rest my hand against my stomach and pray my baby is fine.
"I will go get you the food I prepared. Give me some minutes." The kind woman tells me and exit the room. Leaving me with the man in the room.
"Hey, I am glad you are awake. I am not Luis okay?" He says and I frown. How does he know about luis?
"You kept mumbling his name last night while crying for him to let you go home. Listen, I will get you home safe even if it is the last thing I do okay?" He tells me and I nod lightly. I really need to get home and I would take all the help I need.

*************
Next day:

"Drop us off here, driver." The kind man who promised to get me home tells the taxi driver who swerves off the road and stop the car just outside the park. I alight the car while he pays the driver and walk into the park. I want to cry tears of Joy as I feel my freedom so close to my grasp.
"Thank you so much." I tell the man and he nods.
"Your brother would be here any minute. He just texted me." He tells me and I freeze. My brother? How did he get my brother's number? How did my brother know where I am? No. Something is very wrong.
"What do you mean my brother?" I ask tentatively.
"Last night. He came looking for you. Said his name is Favour. He had your picture with him so I believed him. I told him you were asleep and would bring you to the park this morning" he tells me and I bite my lips. Favour is here? The kind man must have noticed my expression because his brow furrows.
"Are you okay?" He asks me and I shake my head.
"Don't be scared. Luis can't hurt you anymore. I will personally hand you over to your brother and if he isn't who he says he is, I would take you away okay?" He assures me and I nod. I look around the busy park. This is too public for Luis to try something. Maybe Favour really is here. If it isn't Favour, at least this guy would help me.
  I stand beside the kind man as I wait anxiously for Favour. It doesn't take long before I hear my name behind me. I grab a hold of the kind man's hand in fear. I don't have to look behind me to know the owner of that voice. It is Luis. The bastard can't leave me alone. He can't win now though. I have this kind man with me.
"Hey. He's here." The kind man tells me.
"Benedicta. Mom even came with me this time. You have to come home okay?" Luis calls from behind me. Has this man gone crazy? My mother is dead. I turn back and I see Luis with the nurse from the hospital. Oh no.
"Bennie. Come on.

Read " To Live For Once (Set Me Free II) " by the same author ( Ameh juliet )

. Let's go home. Mom's life depends on your cooperation." He says and smirk. He's going to kill her.
"What is he talking about? Is he really your brother?" The kind man ask me while eyeing Luis dubiously. Hot tears fall down my face as I nod.
"Mom!" I yell then run to the kind nurse and embrace her.
"I am sorry." She whispers into my ear and I sob out in heart wrenching tears. How did I get to this state? How did my life take this wrong turn?
"Are you okay dear?" The kind Man walks up to us and asks me. I want to say no and call the police but I know Luis is a crazy guy. Something could go wrong and I would have the blood of an innocent person on my hands. This kind man may even be dragged into this madness. I wipe my tears and smile.
"Yes. Thank you so much for reuniting me with my family." I tell him and shake his hand firmly. Luis eye the man up and down and the man doesn't back down.
"Let's go Lu__I mean Favour." I say and pull on Luis's hand.
He grabs my waist harshly as we walk out of the park with the nurse.
I am back to square one yet again.