by A H Alhaila
“Yeah.”, said Steven. “I’m okay. I’m just waiting for Oliver’s parents, child sleeping next to my daughter Joanna, to return. His parents left him with me, so they can go get the rest of their children.”
“Poor kid!”, said Adam.
“Why are you still up?”, asked Steven.
“I was lying down actually but couldn’t sleep.”, said Adam. “Perhaps it’s because I’m tense.”, he added.
“I know how you feel.”, said Steven.
“Where’s your wife?”, asked Adam hesitantly.
“Her memories made my tears fall.”, replied Steven.
“I’m sorry I didn’t intrude. I’m sorry for your loss.”, said Adam.
“It’s okay. Don’t worry’, said Steven. “I always think about her so it’s like she’s always with me. What about you?”, added Steven.
“I’m not married. Have some friends who I hang out and … well … you know.”, said Adam.
Adam turned around and saw Joanna heading their way. “Your daughter is coming, and I don’t think you’d like her to see you like this.”, said Adam. Steven turned towards his daughter, smiled and said, “Has Oliver fell asleep?”
“Yes, he did.”, said Joanna.
Joanna sat next to her father as Steven introduced her to Adam. “This is Joanna, my daughter.”, said Steven.
Adam looked at her as if he’s seen somewhere before. “Pleased to meet you, Sarah!”.
Both Steven and Joanna had a surprised, shocking look on their faces!
“It’s me, Adam!”, he continued. “Don’t you remember me?”.
In a mixture of happiness and amazement, Joanna said “Impossible!”.
“Wait a minute!”, said Steven. “What’s going on here?”.
“Tell me first your story with your daughter, and I’ll tell you ours.”, said Adam.
Steven knew from Adam’s confidence that he knew about Joanna. He said, “Okay, I’ll tell you my story with my daughter…”
They sat in front of the glass with the moon shinning upon them. The perfect setting for a story. For a few moments, the three of them forgot their fear. Steven said, “It was in a cold midwinter day, during one of the worst years of my life. The same year that some good politicians were assassinated, including the president causing havoc throughout the country. This was three months after being told that I wouldn’t be able to have children. The problems just kept rolling in after that. Hope just disappeared from my life completely. I was on my way back home after a hectic day and I was leaning on one of the street lamps from exhaustion. That’s when, I heard a voice coming out of the piles of trash. I looked closely towards the rattle, thinking at first that it was a cat looking for food. But when I looked again, I saw the most beautiful girl I’ve ever seen! Words can’t describe what I felt when I first saw Joanna. I was strangely drawn to her. I went up to her with a smile. Like a father smiling to his daughter. She was scared at first. But then she smiled too. In that moment, I forgot my exhaustion. She was a blessing from God. I kneeled down in front of her, as a prince would in front of a princess and said, ‘What are you doing out here alone?”.
“I’m looking for things that can help me.”, she replied.
I took out some money out of my wallet and said, “This might help you.”
I looked into her eyes and felt she was happy to see me. “I don’t need this.”, she replied.
I was shocked she didn’t take them, so I kept silent for a while. Then she said, “But you can buy a piece of cloth from me from the pile over there.”
“Sure.”, I replied.
I bought a piece of cloth that had some nice patterns on it and with nice colors. I started looking at it’s good quality. My hand brushed over a piece of paper on top of the clothes. I was confused at why it was there. I thought it was hers, so I looked at her. “Read it.”, she said.
I was surprised at curious to read the paper. It said, “I am the mother of this child. I know this is not the right place for her to be, but, I will be dead soon. If you wish to adopt her the please protect her, care for her, and make her happy. If not, then be on your way. Just know that her brother and his friends will keep an eye on you to make sure she’s okay.”
I thought of how happy my wife will be when she sees her. Before I took her in, I asked, “Why don’t we help your mother?”
“There’s no use. My brother will look after her.”, she replied.
I fell silent not knowing what to say. She then said, “My mother would be happy knowing I will be safe after she dies. If you want to.”
I finally took her with me. That’s my story with Joanna. My daughter Joanna”.
“Now Adam. You tell how you know her.”, said Steven.
“First I’m going to tell you my own story.”, said Adam. “I grew up in a poor area run by gangs that stole from people. Unfortunately, I was a member of one of those gangs. I learned how to steal and get money. My mother was an old sick woman who was unable to provide food for us. She didn’t know I was part of a gang. My father had left my mother and I was trying to get her the medicine she needed. One day, while I was wandering around our, I saw Joanna. Or Sarah, as my mother called her. I found her wounded and looking helpless. Part of her was afraid while the other wanted my help. I went up to her and took her home with me. Mom felt sorry for her. She put her on the bed and started healing her. After having some food, she laid down, crying softly until she fell asleep. We waited for her to wake and when she finally did, she was terrified. It was like she saw a nightmare. My mother went to her and said, “You’re safe here. Don’t worry, honey. Where’s your family?”.
Sarah started crying. We knew something might have happened to them, so my mother started comforting her. All the time, I was watching. I had no siblings but felt like she was my sister … I didn’t really know what to do!
After a while, Sarah calmed down, allowing my mother to ask her again in a different way. “Where’s your father, honey?”, she said.
She started crying again and said, “After giving birth to me, my mother left me in front of a house. They took me in and raised me. After I had grown up, the man who raised me started using me to get money. He was mean, and he drank all the time. He abused me and hit me. The wounds are because of him. So, I escaped. And now I’m here. I don’t want to go back there again.”
My mother felt sorry for her and said, “You’ll stay with us now honey.”.
I was providing for her and my mother. She stayed with us for a few months and so she asked me to get her a needle and cloth. She wanted to be useful and wanted to knit them and sell them. I asked her, “How are you going to sell it? It’s dangerous for you out there on the streets!”
“I’ll sell it in front of our building.”, she said.
I agreed and said, “Okay. But you’ll have to cover your face or people will think that you’re new here. That can be dangerous too.”
“Okay.”, she said.
So, I did buy her what she wanted. Incredibly, our income doubled, and we were close to gathering enough money for my mother’s surgery which she needed badly after her illness got worse. I was making more money faster and Sarah was finding new ways to make money with me. But my gang found out and felt cheated on because I wasn’t splitting the money Sarah had made with them. They wanted her to join the gang, but I refused. My mother got even worse, but we were able to gather the money needed for the surgery. My mother knew it was too late and the chance for the operation to succeed was very slim. She also found out I in. a gang and feared for my life and Sarah’s. “I’m giving the money you’ve collected to Sarah and to your gang to make things right.”
My mother was the one who wrote the note you read Steven when you found her. The money was given to the gang as my mother wanted. I told them that I had sold Sarah. It was mom’s idea to protect me and Sarah form the gang and of what they may do. Her plan worked. The gang bought it and accepted the money as redemption. I then left Sarah in one of the alleys and saw
you as you took her home. Not only that. I followed you until you both got home, and I made sure she was safe.
“What an incredible story!”, said Steven.
He then turned to Joanna and said, “Why didn’t you tell me this?”.
Joanna was looking towards the floor the whole time silently and said, “I was very discreet. Just like my father wanted.”.
Steven interrupted her and said, “So you know your father!”.
“Yes, but not anymore. I’ll tell you my story.”, said Joanna.
“So, you lied to me when you said you father left you on the staircase of a house?”, said Adam.
“I’m tell you both everything. But first, Adam, is your mother…?”, said Joanna.
Joanna stopped as if she became lost for words. Adam, knowing what she was going to ask, dropped his head and said, “Yes, she passed away.”.
Joanna started crying heavily as she found it difficult to breathe. She started breathing slowly to calm down, closed her eyes and said, “Believe me, I will never forget your mother. I owe you both so much.”
“Thank you.”, said Adam.
They remained silent for a while, and finally Joanna said, “Okay. I come from a from a wealthy family, and I was the eldest among my siblings. I would always spend time with my father. We were like friends. He depended on me in some in things like laws and certain calculations. He liked my intelligence which he sometimes needed. Corruption was everywhere, but my father was a courageous man who didn’t fear those who were unjust no matter how powerful they were. He believed that justice would in the end prevail. My father was known for being philanthropist and for fighting against corruption. He would bring us all to the poor areas like where Adam use to live and make us wear regular clothes and drive in a regular car to draw attention of the gangs. My father sponsored many projects of the people in that area Those who knew him loved him because he was always supporting them. One time, I was in the backseat of my father’s car, when a flower-girl knocked my father’s window. My father took out a small box and gave it to her, then he continued driving. I was looking at him through the rear-view mirror and asked, “What’s in the small box?”. It was like he knew I was going to ask that question. “100 dollars!”, he replied.
I turned around quickly to see the woman’s reaction and saw her jumping out of joy. She ran towards her family. At that moment, I felt an overwhelming sense of happiness. I knew that my father was doing this in front of us so that we would one day do the same. He would always tell us stories whenever we pass by a place where it happened. One day, we were buying things from there, when my father was driving around, checking on the people’s projects that he sponsored. After that, we all headed towards the car. Everyone got in except for me. I had forgotten something that I had bought earlier at the back of the store. “I forgot something in the store. I’ll be right back.”, I said.
I ran quickly and found what I was looking for. Suddenly, on my way back, the car my family was in exploded as I was running towards it. The explosion knocked me to the floor. I got some wounds and I felt then that I was lost, and I didn’t know what to do.
“Wait a minute. Are you the president’s daughter?”, said Steven.
“Yes. I am.”, said Joanna.
Adam stood in shock, raising both his hands above his head. Steven started weeping like a child and repeated, “Oh God! Oh God!”
Joanna had never seen him as emotional as he is now. “Are you okay?”, she asked.
Her question made him cry even more!
He calmed down and said, “I’m okay.”
From the Joanna’s story, Steven knew that she was the president’s daughter. It was how he was assassinated!
“How did they find you?”, asked Adam.
Joanna continued saying, “Although we were dressed simply, they knew it was my father and there. Someone may have been following us! I thought they might recognize me, so I ran before they knew that one of his children survived. I ran into an alley and that where Adam found me. The rest you already know. I didn’t tell you who I am or who my father was, because dad told us never to tell people our real names or who we were. Also, because I was afraid people would know who I really am. Especially that the person who killed my family is still out there. Corruption is clearly everywhere and hard to control. But my father never backed down”.
While trying to wipe off his tears, Steven said “I’m so shocked! I know you. You always keep a promise, even towards your father”.
“Why didn’t you call the police?”, said Adam.
“Father use to always say that there were rotten police officers. I was afraid to call and fall in the hands of one!”, said Joanna.
“Unfortunately, she’s right.”, said Steven. “Now I know why you asked if the killer who escaped was the one who assassinated the president or not.”.
“Yes.”, said Joanna. “I’m waiting for the time to get my revenge”.
“Do you know who the killer is?”, said Adam.
“Yes. It’s a long story.”, said Steven.
“What happened?”, said Joseph interrupting them.
“Nothing happened. Everything’s okay.”, replied Steven.
“From the way you three were talking, people thought you may have discovered something.”, said Joseph.
“We’re sorry.”, said Steven.
“No, it’s okay.”, said Joseph. “There’s a kid here crying and calling for his parents.”, he continued.
Joseph looked at Adam and Joanna and asked, “Are you his parents?”.
Adam got embarrassed. “I’m the kid’s older sister. Thank you for telling me.”, said Joanna.
“You’re welcome.”, said Joseph.
Joseph was about to leave when Steven said, “Why don’t you come to sit with us?”
“I’m in charge of the weapons. Or have you forgotten?”, replied Joseph.
“Oh, right.”, said Steven. “Thank you for your dedication.”.
“It’s my job.”, said Joseph.
After Joseph had left, Steven told his daughter, “We’ll talk later. I think it’s now time to get some rest.”
“I’ll stay on guard.”, said Adam.
Steven and his daughter went to sleep. They placed Oliver between them and slept. Adam couldn’t fight the sleep and slept sitting on a chair in front of the glass.
Chapter Seven
A Disoriented Group
At 2:30 past midnight, strange sounds started to appear. Adam opened his eyes, imagining that he would wake up in his room, but he saw the glass and remembered everything. Still on the chair, he asked himself, “Did I hear something, or was I just imagining it?”.
He heard the sound again and started looking around trying to find the its source! He then realized that the sound came from the chair as it moved backwards. He laughed, and said, “This is what happens when you sleep.”
Suddenly, Adam heard the footsteps of someone running barefoot in the ground floor. The sound had a loud echo which startled Adam. “Is this real?”, he asked.
He looked around and found everyone asleep. Afraid, he ran towards Steven. (The glass was at the front of the shopping center. Everyone was sleeping at the end of it. There was a large opening in the middle looking over the ground floor. The celling had a glass opening which allowed the moonlight through lightly shinning the dark place) Adam walked beside the center opening to find the source of the sound as he slowly moved towards Steven. He didn’t want to look towards the ground floor, but he reluctantly did to see where the sound came from so that he can run away from it. As he walked, he saw something moving in the shadows of the ground floor. He focused his flashlight towards the sound and a creature with the same characteristics as Steven describe looked directly at him. The creature looked horrific. He screamed out of fear moving backwards quickly, hitting his back on the glass of one of the stores, breaking it. He got up and started walking by the stores until he got to Steven. He looked down to the ground floor once again and fou
nd the creature still looking at him moving adjacent to him. Adam got scared even more. Not wanting the creature to see him, Adam crawled, screaming, waking everyone up. Steven and Joanna got their swords as the others got their guns and other means to defend themselves. They looked at Adam and found him crawling. Everyone got scared and gathered at a corner. One man ran towards Adam to help him, but Steven stopped him saying, “There might be someone close to him”.
Not knowing what happened, the group began looking around thinking that the creatures found their way upstairs and hurt Adam. Everyone froze in fear, until Adam started shouting, “The creature is downstairs! It’s downstairs!”
“Everybody stay where you are. I’ll go help him.”, said Steven.
Steven walked carefully until he reached Adam and said, “Are you hurt?”
“No.”, replied Adam.
“Why are you crawling then?”, said Steven.
“I felt petrified because of what I saw. I didn’t want that ugly white monster to see me.”, said Adam.
As soon as Steven brought Adam back to the group, everyone started asking him, “What happened? Are you hurt? Did you see the creature?”.
“Yes.”, said Adam. “It’s downstairs. I got scared.”.
“Perhaps imagined it.”, said Joseph.
“I saw it just as I’m seeing you right now.”, replied Adam.
“There’s no harm in checking. Let’s make sure they haven’t come upstairs.”, said Steven.
After they made sure that there were no creatures upstairs, they headed to the center opening overlooking the ground floor. They started searching for the creature, until Joanna found it. She focused her flashlight on it, screaming, “There it is!”.
Everyone saw it and felt horrified. “Are you sure you locked all doors, and that they won’t be able to come up here?”, Joseph asked Steven.
“Positive!”, said Steven. “There’s nothing to be afraid of.”, he added.
Steven ordered Adam to make sure that the staircase doors were locked. Steven then went to the opposite side so that he could be directly above the creature. Steven started waving his hand, getting the creature’s attention. He then started walking towards the glass to keep the creature away from the crowd. His daughter Joanna followed. “You see! There’s nothing to be afraid of.”, said Steven. “They can’t reach us.”, he added.