Chapter 31

Chapter 31

I peeped from the balcony to see the cops arriving at my house. I went into the room and awaited their arrival. 

Like perfect timing, Belcarlis eyes twitched and then fully open.

"Morning" she greeted and I didn't respond.

"Are you okay?" She continued and I remained silent still.

I was still in denial of something that was glaring at me with genuine evidence. 

"How could you?" I asked

"What's wrong?" She sat upright

"Why did you do it!" I exclaimed and became furious at the way she exuded innocence whereas she had been deceitful all this while.

The cops barged into my room observing all protocols before cuffing and dragging her out.

"What's going on here? I didn't do anything. Jordan" she called out

I stood still trying to get a grip as her voice trailed off.

"We need to go" Jason announced and I walked behind him as we entered his car and drove to the station.

Sophie, Mathew, Megan, and Vanessa arrived shortly.

"What did she do to my daughter?" Sophie asked as she rushed in.

"You need to calm down ma'am" Naya a police officer Sophie had gotten acquainted with over the last few days of the investigation came to pacify her.

"What about my daughter? O God!" She paused as if reminiscing about something and then attacked me by grabbing the neck of my sweatshirt "this is all your fault! You are bad news, everything around you is bad and whoever comes close to you ends up affected with your bad luck. " 

Mathew came to the rescue by easing her hands off me and taking her to a corner where she broke down in tears.

"You need to come see this Jordan" Fred said, motioning me to another room.

Mathew and I followed Fred into the room and saw another detective who was viewing something on Bel's phone. It was pictures of April covered in bruises looking unkempt and scathed. Some pictures had her tied and others while she's seated.

For the first time in my life, I felt helpless, disappointed at myself, and most of all in complete ruined. What have they done to her?

"We found out that she is currently being held captive in the city with other girls who will be taken to Mexico tonight, we have also been able to track their location by putting a call through to the number she's been in contact with. We are storming the area tonight before they leave midnight.." The detective explained.

I collected the phone from his hand and scrolled through all the pictures. 

APRIL

I woke up and found myself still tied face down on the bed. My arm and legs were hurting and the thought of dying slowly crept its way into my mind. I wanted to die and be rid of this torture. Today, I will be taken to Mexico and there's nothing I can do about it cause it seems I was left here so as not to run which means I can't escape if I want to. 

  "Dear God, please save me" I managed to speak due to how weak I'd gotten from the continuous torture.

The door swung open and I figured after everything I'd gone through, nothing can be worse than that. Diego and Louis began to clean my body with a wet towel. They untied and cleaned the front of my body as I numbly watched. They took off my clothes and wore a clean one over my head.

"She's learned her lesson. Look at how calm and collected she is" Diego said as he roughly paddled my hair with a brush.

"Boss wants you Diego" Sameera peeped in and Diego left with her.

Louis left the room and I noticed he forgot to lock the door.

Was this a sign from God for me to escape finally?

I slowly opened the door and carefully made sure the dark hallway was empty before proceeding down the stairs.

I tiptoed my way out of the house and knew I had to battle my way out of the highly secured compound. From where I stood, there were fifteen headcounts. It seemed impossible to escape as there was a barb wire fence as tall as me around the mansion.

What should I so? I obviously can't use the gate.

An idea immediately crossed my mind. I hurried to the closest trash bin and buried myself under the filth.

"Have you check the North? Did you find her?" I heard someone say and lots of footsteps stomping the ground.

"No boss, she's not there" another replied.

They must have figured out I was missing. I didn't expect it to be so quick. I stood still in the bin and was careful not to make a sound when the strong smell of the filth filled my lungs to a point where I couldn't breathe anymore. Flashbacks of my life appeared before me as I began to lose consciousness.

I felt someone's hand pull me out of the bin and was hoping it was my saving grace but the sight of Diego made me think otherwise.

I'd been found again. This time I was sure to be killed.

"Good thing we have a camera in this direction" Diego said as he carried me on his shoulder into the room.

"You have worried my men. Much so that we had to halt the conveyance plane to look for you and for that girl, you won't be coming with to Mexico. You will be a big problem no doubt when you arrive there. So boys, tie her, whip her until her last breath and if she has a stubborn soul, finish her with a bullet in her head!"

They tied me and whipped me as far as the fifth stroke when Sameera rushed in again.

"The popos are here we need to leave now!" Sameera announced and as she did I heaved a sigh of surrender at whatever happened next, hopefully, I don't die before someone saves me. Diego and Louis hurried around out of the room. 

I could see a white light and someone beckoning me to come closer. 

JORDAN

"Where is she?" I punched the man called Diego in the face as the cops took him away. I ran back and took the stairs that led to a dark hallway and plenty of room side by side on the right. I opened each door and in the second, I couldn't believe what I was seeing. A countless number of girls looking helpless at me.

What the hell?!

"Please I am looking for this woman, is she here?" I showed them the picture of April on my phone.

"I know her!" One shouted "she's in the last room. If I were you, I'd hurry because last I heard she was going to be killed"

I hurried out and went straight to the last room. Upon entering the darkroom, I hurried to the bed and quickly untied her.

"April" I called out but she didn't respond.  I carried her out of the building and into the ambulance.

"Her pulse is weak, we need to leave here now and take her to the nearest hospital for better treatment before we lose her. " 

The Doctor said and within seconds, we were out of the crime scene.

We arrived at the hospital and as they wheeled April into the ER I held her hand.

"Please April, fight this. I need you." Uncontrollable tears streamed down my face.  "I can't lose you"

"You need to stay out here Sir," a nurse said as she closed the door to the Emergency room. 

DAYS LATER

"How is she?" Megan said as she dropped the bouquet of flowers with her into the vase.

"She's still unconscious but fine," I replied gently stroking the upper part of April's palm.

"Have you had anything to eat at all?" She paused for a while "April would want you to remain healthy until she wakes up so don't worry about leaving her, I'll wait here until you arrive"

"No Megan, I want to be here when she wakes up. I want to be the first person she sees when she's conscious. I want to be here. I need to be here"

"She's a strong girl. I am sure she'll wake up very soon." She said giving me a slight pat on my back.  

Moments later...

I felt April's palm tightly squeezing mine and it alerted me on my toes.

"April" I called out "I'll be right back let me get the doctor"  I rushed out and return with the doctor who took and vitals and left after confirming she was fine.

"Oh my God April" I squeezed her in a tight embrace.

"It hurts" She laughed and I quickly eased. 

DAYS LATER

APRIL

Jordan carried me in his arms into his room and laid me on the bed covering my body with the duvet.

Megan, Vanessa, My mom, Mathew, Mariah, Jason, and Jordan were all present.

"What can I get you, Aunt?" Mariah said stepping forward.

"Nothing for now dear but in the meantime, you can go downstairs and watch TV okay?"

Mariah replied with a nod and excused herself out.

"I really appreciate you guys being here for me."

"Don't mention April," Vanessa said while dropping my bag of clothes on the floor.

"April dear are you hungry? I can fix you something" My mum offered.

"Don't worry mum, I am filled to the brim mum"

"I just want to rest guys," I said hoping they'll leave soon.

"Ok dear, I'll be back tomorrow to check on you"

"This is why I didn't want to go to your place Mum, you worry too much. Jordan here will take good care of me, you need not worry about me okay?"

"Don't go tough on me young lady. You are still my little girl no matter what" She joked and I smiled.

"I thought I was, considering the number of men you've been trying to get me married to"

Everyone laughed.

"We'll be going now then. Are you tomorrow" My mum kissed me on the cheek and was careful not to make contact with my sore body as I was still healing from the wound marks that surfaced from the beating I'd received in the hands of José. My mum, Mariah, and Mathew left the house first followed by Jason, Vanessa, and Megan.

"How are you feeling?"

"I am tired of everyone asking me that" 

He'd explained to me about the kiss that happened and the whole kidnapping event being Belcarlis's fault, I didn't want to forgive him that easily but I knew I had to because it wasn't his fault.

"I just want to sleep Jordan"

"I'm really sorry about everything that happened April"

"Hmm mm," I closed my eyes and forced myself to sleep. 

________

"Hey" 

I heard Jordan say as he continued to tap me to wake up.

"Stop doing that it hurts!" I complained. He's not being understanding by touching me everywhere. He's clearly aware of the fact that my entire body hurts and somehow it always skips his mind.

"I am sorry, it's late and I just thought you'd be hungry and decided..."

"If I was hungry Jordan I'd have woken up. I've not been able to sleep all this while because of the constant visit I received in the hospital and the only reason I came here was that I figured I won't be disturbed. Now I'm beginning to think I'd make a grave mistake coming here"

"I am so sorry April. I didn't think about that. "

"It's fine, I'll just take a hot shower to soothe the wounds" I rose up from the bed and headed to the closet to pick a nightwear.

"Whose is this?" I asked holding a Pyjamas that obviously didn't belong to me.

"I can explain. It belongs to Bel and they are only there because she stayed over a couple of times while still pretending to care. I'll trash it out"

She'd been here. No doubt slept on this bed too.

He collected the piece of clothing from me and quickly dashed out of the room.

Did something else happen while she was still pretending to care?

I locked the bathroom door and walked to the front of the mirror. As I turned my back, the scars began to slowly become visible. They were huge and long marks all over my back and my legs. I'd not been able to see the amount of damage done to my skin because there was no mirror in the hospital. I had whip marks on my chest, stomach, back, and legs. The sight irked me and tears began to travel down the corners of my face.

I went into the tub and turned on the hot shower. I buried my face beneath the water length, ready to end this suffering once and for all.  Who would want me with this kind of body? Certainly not Jordan.

I could feel the water filling my lungs but I stopped immediately by rising up. I couldn't even complete this simple task of committing suicide.

"April?" Jordan called out, his hand rested on the knob whilst trying to open it from outside.

"Almost done"

"Ok babe"

I stepped out of the shower and into the room minutes later already changed to full pajamas.

"I am not hungry but you can place the tray on the table just in case"

"We need to talk April"

"There's nothing to talk about" I laid on my side and covered my body.

"There is April," He said as he laid next to me. "Talk to me April"

"If you have something to say you are free to speak and as for me, I have nothing to say"

He remained quiet.

"I bought you something" He brought out a necklace that had a small love shaped pendant.

He wore the necklace around my neck.

"Can I sleep now?"

I took his silence for yes and shut my eyes.

"Please don't shut me out April" He begged and it hurts because he's hurting too. I don't want him to get hurt in the process of me still trying to figure out how to move on from all of this.

I love you Jordan but, right now I am very confused and at crossroads.

I could feel his eyes on me. Could feel his sight burning into my skin. I was tempted to open my eyes and kiss him but I am not prepared for him to see how horrible I look if we decide to go beyond kissing.

"I love you April. I love you so much. I am incomplete without you tease" he scoffed " I wish I can turn back time and erase all the bad things that happened. I wish I can just save you from pain before it ever happens. I wish I can undo it all April. I am so sorry for hurting you and I promise to better. I love you. Never forget that"