Ultimate Sacrifice - Episode 5

 

Becka

“You know of all the things you could have been i never figured you out as a murderer.” Said Hazel.

Becka calmly stood up from her bed then with one move she pinned an un-expecting Hazel Grace on top of the bed. With one arm she firmly secured her neck and had her legs trapped between her thighs. Hazel look into her eyes . They were glassy brown now, looking cold and calculative. She tried to struggle but couldn’t move and most importantly, she couldn’t breathe. Becka tilted her head studying the face of a completely surprised and terrified Hazel. 

“Antonina begs to disagree.” She responded while releasing Hazel from her hold.

Hazel stood up rubbing her neck on the process. She had determined one thing. Becka could really defend herself or even hurt someone if she wanted to. 

“Nice move.”

“Tony didn’t think it was nice.”

“Stop scaring me.” Hazel said looking away.

“When you look at a Zebra, the black and white stripes looks so beautiful to the eyes, but the fascinating thing is that the colors that we see are the ones that the body rejected. So the beauty of a person is in the soul not on the physical appearance or in the characters one may choose to portray to the outside world.”

“I get the point loud and clear, my neck does too except for the fact that I don’t believe you.”

“Don’t say that loud Hazel, you might get in trouble.”

Silence followed.

“I must get going to my duties, will be back with your lunch.”

“Please get me something to read from the library.”

“The librarian quit.’

Becka who was back in bed closed her eyes while sighing loudly

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. This was going to be one of those forever days. Her life had shifted. She remembered the look on Stacy’s face, accusing. Lucy on the other hand had not been easy to tell. 

“They are never going to forgive me.” She mumbled softly.

“It doesn’t matter now, since the deed is done.”

“Good, you catch on quickly.” Becka replied with a quick smile patting her cousin’s shoulder.

“I must leave.”

“Act your part.” Becka said then winked and turned on her bed to face the other side.

Hazel left. Becka laid on the infirmary bed sickened by the smell of medicine. The nurse had exempted her from going back to normal Juvy duties. How was she going to move on with her life having a record? She was possibly going to be convicted as an adult after two years. Being on her best behaviour wasn’t necessary going to do any good as long as she was out there. She had only two options now. For the sake of her family and her best friends.

Her best friend laid cold in her death casket. Today the body would being transported to their ancestral homeland for the burial rights to be conducted. Her dad wanted nothing to do with her. Her mum was forever going to pay for her crimes, knowing the kind of mediocre his dad was. She shouldn’t have been there, Antonina would doubtlessly be still alive.

She closed her eyes and remembered all the good moments they shared. She could hear her effortless fun laughter in her head. Antonina loved to dance. She remembered her in her green dress during the final year bash dancing her body out in an attempt to show how grateful she was to finish high school. 

“Come on, loosen up.” She had said while trying pulling her to join her in the dancing.

“Tony you know I don’t fancy that.”

“Fiiiiiine.” She responded grudgingly. “You only live once.”

The words pierced deeply. You only live once. Had Tony even lived?

Tony faced loomed over her mind shifting effortlessly like a movie, reliving all the experiences they had encountered but hitting pause at one point, Antonina body going limp in her arms. This was no life. 

She slowly rose up and opened one of the lockers. She then pulled out a bottle of aspirin and swallowed its contents then whispered.

“Am sorry, you know I am.”

**********************

Kim

The police station was cool. Not in the sense of coolness but rather quite. Kim walked towards Det. Paul’s office. He had asked him to come down here for routine questioning. After the stunt he had pulled yesterday a police station was not the most comfortable place to be in.

He found Paul standing by his door waiting for him. 

“Come on in, have a seat.” He said in a relaxed manner.

He had seen him before, yesterday at Kavete Juvenile prison. He must have been their still investigating the case. He sat on the chair opposite the Detective which he found more comfortable than it actually looked. He eyed him curiously not wanting to betray any emotions whatsoever except for the part that he was grieving.

“Mr. Karugu, i called you down here for routine questioning, you are not under any form of obligation to answer my questions and you are free to leave at any moment. My intention is to go over everything so as to ensure that the person detained is the person actually responsible.”

A moment of silence followed.

“You understand everything i just said? Mr. Karugu?”

“Yes, I do.”

“Okay. Let’s begin. Tell me about the victim, whom I understand was your girlfriend.”

Kim rubbed his palms together. He wasn’t sure what the detective wanted him to say. He had never been interrogated by an officer before. He wondered if all that he watched in the movies actually happened in real life. He cleared his throat then paused for a second.

“Tony was...”

“Tony? The detective asked.

“Antonina … we normally call her Tony…” Kim clarified.

“I see continue.”

“Tony was an amazing person inside and out. She was one bubbly person, full of life, very intelligent and a go getter. She is… was the kind of person that could get along with anyone by just striking a simple conversation.” Kim looked at the detective waiting for a prompt question.

“I understand they were four very close knit friends, do you think there was any reason anyone of them would want to kill Antonina?”

Kim hesitated before answering this particular question. Paul did not miss it.

“No, no I don’t think so. They do throw girl tantrums at each other but nothing strong enough to destroy a friendship over. Besides Antonina would have told me but...”

“But?” Det.

Read " Imagine Mountains " by the same author ( DORSILA ANYANGO )

. Paul asked.

“But she didn’t.” Kim responded.

“Do you believe Becka killed Tony?” 

Kim wasn’t expecting such a question. He tried to change his sitting position.

“I mean all the evidence point to her, she must have done it.” He was afraid to look at the detective.

“Is that why you went to Kavete yesterday?”

Kim kept mum. He wasn’t sure what to say to the detective. He knew he had an option to walk out but that would show he was hiding something. He decided to stay but not answer the question.

“Do you believe the Becka you know could have killed Antonina Mr. Karugu?”

“People do hide their character sometimes and Becka was good at it.” Kim responded swallowing hard after.

“What would you say Becka was like in person, before the incident?”

“She was super intelligent, she was caring though that was not obvious but she came out to me as more caring than the rest of the group.”

“Even more than your girlfriend?”

“Especially more than my girlfriend.”

“That will be all for today Mr. Karugu. I understand today the body is going to be transported to the ancestral home, may you be comforted in this trying times. Am sorry for your loss.”

“Thanks so much sir, I will take my leave now.”

Kim stood up and left the police precinct. He was not sure what to feel about the interview. He had tried to be honest.

**************

Author’s note

Toda,

Dorsila.