Chapter Four
(...Nora arrives at her house still feeling intense about what happened earlier today and what Lucy said kept on repeating in her head "it's better not to have a father than to a monster as one ".
(...She packs her car in the garage..)
Nora: (breathing heavily )Calm down Nora (talking to herself) they are just words and nothing more OK!!, Just go into the house, straight to your room, and get some rest that's all you need to do right now".
(...She comes down from her car with her handbag then walks to the door...)
Nora : ( Takes a deep breath and knocks on the door) Linda!!? (she yells) it's noon already, and her car is parked outside (looking at the white Jeep packed close to the house ). Linda!!? (knocks again)
(...Inside the house...)
Linda : (exclaimed) Holy shit!!.
Am coming. (she walks to the door and opens it)
Nora: Finally... what were you doing in here? (enters into the house and places her bag on the table in the living room )
Linda: Well I was making use of the microwave and my potatoes got burnt!
Nora: You didn't set it on the timer? (moves to the kitchen )
Linda: I did, I set it up to five minutes, and it's not up to five minutes but my potatoes got burnt!!
Nora: What were you doing within that five minutes?
Linda: Chatting
Nora :(looks at her and chuckles)
Linda: Now that I'm thinking about it, I think I spent close to ten minutes with my phone (shakes her head)
Nora: You think!! . So... you didn't go to work today?
Linda: Yea, I just got the mechanic to fix my car and brought it back home
Nora: Hmm....( Entering into the kitchen) Here smells nice, what are you cooking?
Linda: Accordion potatoes with Rosemary and garlic!! Hmm... Yummy! (smiles)
( places the food on the table)
Nora: Nah... I'll pass!! ( Pushes it back)
Linda: But it tastes good and you can have this one, I'll make another one for myself...
Nora: No am good, I don't really like potatoes. Is there is any vegetable salad in the fridge?
Linda: Yea, freshly made just for you (opens the fridge, takes the food pack, and places it on the table) here!!
Nora :(Opens it) Wow thanks. But... wait, what's the catch?... You're being too nice...ce
Linda: Am serious, no catch!!
Nora: Hmm. if you say so
Linda :(laughs) By the way, how was work yesterday? ...and... today yea!!
Nora: Exhausting and fun but exhausting!!, I just wanna go up to my room and gets some rest...
Linda : (chuckles) No breaks at the hospital?
Nora: Have you ever looked at the mirror and see another version of yourself standing upright with a creepy smile on its face and blood dripping from its finger!!?
Linda: You need rest... urgently!!...
Nora: You don't need to tell me twice (smiles and walks up the stairs)
Linda: Hmm... one more thing?
Nora : (stops and turns around) what's that?
Linda: We're out of groceries and... Pantries
Nora: Sure no problem, later in the evening we'll go to the grocery shop downtown to get them ...(entering her room)
Linda: OK... um...you forgot
Nora :(slams the door behind her )
Linda: Never mind.
(inside her room) .
(...Nora drops the food pack on the reading table and enters the bathroom. She takes her bath, puts on a pair of shorts with a white vest, and wore a pair of colored socks then she sits on her bed and looks at herself in the mirror "still marveled ". She stares at her self for a while, then lays down on her bed
Tries to sleep but can't, constantly changing her sleeping position but all to no avail. Once she closes her eyes, she sees flashy images of her past and hears the screaming of a girl ...
Nora : (sighs) I can't sleep!!! (she takes the pillows on her bed and throws them on the floor with force, then sits up and opens the drawer by the side of the bed)
...just then ...
Linda :(opens the door) Nora!! Are you awake?
Nora: Yea (closes the drawer). (sighs ) Can't sleep (passing her fingers through her hair)
Linda : (Enters the room and closes the door) Well sorry (sits on her bed) am sure you haven't touched your salad?
Nora :(sits up and places her legs in between each other) Yea doesn't have the appetite, so what do want?
Linda: Well!!, (starts talking quickly) I just wanted to say that am sorry OK. What I did yesterday when you dropped me off at work wasn't right, I mean "I just slammed the door of the car, walked away without saying thank you or goodbye for sparing you time to drop me at work (sighs) and it has been on my mind, "am sorry ". (looks at her) are you even listening!!?
Nora : (laughs) I knew there was a catch! Linda Rico isn't that nice!! (laughs)
Linda: Oh stop!! , am the nicest person in this house...
Nora: Please don't say that again, so the walls won't hear you "shhhhhh..."
Linda: Am being sincere here and you're taking it for a joke...
Nora: Girl!! am not upset and I know you too well, you're like a sister to me it's not everything you do that makes me angry, sometimes I just overlook it cuz I know you and I understand you (smiles ) so just forget about it okay!!
Linda: Wow!!...that was reliving (chuckles softly)
Nora: That reminds me !!, why did you tell Eric to come over to the hospital to check if I was there?
Linda: Um...m I was scared cuz I have been calling you but you weren't responding. So when Eric told me that he would be passing your workplace, I asked him to drop by and see if you were there!!. Did I do any wrong in checking in on my friend?
Nora: No you didn't (stands up from the bed), but you did by telling him to bring food for me!!...
Linda: Oh no... No, I didn't when I know perfectly well that you ain't gonna eat it
Nora: True. I guess he lied about it...
Linda: You know Eric has a weird way of saying I'm in love with ...
Nora: Change the topic! (sits on the couch)
Linda: To be sincere you have to go to the hospital for a checkup concerning this habit of you losing your appetite...
Nora: hmm... It hasn't turned into a habit!! . I drank coffee this morning
Linda: Coffee isn't food!!
Nora: You know what? how about you and I dress up and go to the grocery store and get some stuff cuz I'm In the mood to bake something...
Linda: Like what? (said excitedly)
Nora: hmm... Cookies and maybe we'll have it with warm milk for dinner
Linda: Yummy!! I'll go dress up (gets up from the bed and opens the door...), wait are we taking the car?
Nora: Nope. We are gonna walk and on our way there, I'll tell you everything that happened at the hospital between yesterday and today (smiles)
Linda: Finally!! (literally danced her way out of Nora's room and closed the door)
Nora : (laughs) Funny girl (falls on the bed)
(...They both dressed up and strolled down to the store, on their way there Nora told Linda everything that happened at the hospital including Lucy's part but she didn't tell her about the creepy voice that she heard calling her name and the reflection she saw in the mirror in the hallway...)
Linda: Well I hope that asshole ends up in jail, I mean who does that to a child!!!
Nora: A monster (chuckles)
(...They both enter into the store and grabs two strollers...)
Linda: I'll get the provisions and foodstuffs while...
Nora: I'll get the baking items, got it!!
Linda: And will meet at the counter over there (points at the counter)
Nora: Counter five got it
(...They both went their separate ways. Nora moves to the baking line and started to chose the items she wanted...)
Creepy voice: Nora!!!...Nora!!
(...she turns around to see who called her but no one, she only saw a little girl standing with a man who seems to be her father...)
Litter girl: Daddy! , would mom like it if I bake the cake for her birthday?
Her dad: of course she will. She gonna love cuz we love you (kisses her forehead)
Litter girl :(chuckles)
(...Nora looked at both of them and turns around. She places her hand on her head and bends down as she sees flashy images of her past although they aren't clear. After a while she gets up and continues to push the stroller absent-minded...)
Creepy voice: Nora!!!!...Nora!!!!...
(... She continues to move absent-mindedly then collided with someone's stroller. She bends down to pick the items that fell from the strollers ...)
Nora: Am so sorry!! (looks at him and slowly stands up). You!!! (breathing heavily) you!!! (pointing at him)
(... She becomes scared as she looks at his face, the man was just standing upright staring back at her with a weird look on his face...)
The man: Am back!! (said in spooky kinda voice)
Nora: No!!...no!!!! (shivering) ...no!!!!!!(screams out loud)
(...This created a scene and catch everyone's attention including Linda's, the security guard walked up to her and tries to come her down but she just stood there "shaking and breathing heavily" ...)
Linda: Sorry sir!!, she's my friend (moves closer to her and touches her) Nora!!..Nora!! can you hear me?
Nora : (points at the man) him...he... (muttering)
Linda : (looks at the person she is pointing at) the elderly woman!!, what happened to her?
Nora: Where is he? (looks around) , he... he was right here, I... um...collided with him!! (shivering)
Elder woman: I was the one you collided with, you better go to the mental asylum (hisses and walks away with her stroller)
Nora : (looks confused) I don't understand, he was right here !! (looking around)
Linda: Are you sure you are okay?!!
Nora : (tries to calm herself down) am okay, I just need some fresh air, I need to walk!!
Linda: Okay!... okay!! . You go and I will continue with the shopping, see you at home by Six okay!?
Nora: yea sure
(...She walks out of the store and strolls into another street that is quieter and no one around. She continues to walk, just trying to put herself together...)
Nora : (talking to herself) What is fear "False Events Appearing Real", it's just an illusion Nora!! put yourself together okay.
(...she manages to calm herself down, just then she hears a feminist voice coming from the darker side of the street "screaming and yelling for help ". she follows the voice and saw a young girl been raped by a young-looking man, she quickly but quietly walk up to them with a stick on her hand . she moves closer and "bang!! "she uses it to hit the man on his head and he falls to the ground "groaning " as she tries to help the teen up from the floor, the man gets up and drags her by her hair, she struggles to remove his hand then uses her knee to hit him on his groin "he screams out loud" then she uses her elbow to hit him at his back with full force and finally knocks him out with a pouch on his jaw with her hand...)
Nora :( sits on the ground, gasping for breath) Oh my word!! (panting) wow!! that was one excise!!.
(... She gets up, moves closer to the teenager, and helps her up. They both sat down for a while silently looking at each other until ...)
Nora : (breaks the silence) How about we start with some introduction, what's your name? Mirabelle: Mirabelle ( said weakly)
Nora :(in her mind)" Oh dear she looks weak, it's like she has been struggling and yelling at the same time" .(clears her throat) my name is "Nora". So Mirabelle I guess you must be twenty years or above,
Mirabelle: No am eighteen years of age
Nora: Wow!! , so tell me, what is a girl of your age doing here all alone in this lonely and dark street?
Mirabelle: Please what's the time? (she asked softly)
Nora : (looks at her wristwatch) it's 6:30 pm
Mirabelle: OK well I (starts talking)
Nora : (deep in thoughts)"Wait!! , how long have I been walking? gosh!!.
Mirabelle : (touches her) Miss Nora?
Nora: hmm..um... sorry about that, what were you saying?
Mirabelle: I don't live around you see, I came to see a friend, and hmm...I stayed longer than I should. My mom told me to be back home before dinner which is by six, so when I checked the time I knew I was going to be late, so I decided to take a shortcut to the main road so I could get a bus quickly. While walking down this path, I was attacked by this stupid being over there (pointing at him). I screamed at the top of my voice until you came. Thank you
Nora: You are welcome, although I arrived late cuz he had already started!
Mirabelle: But either way, you saved my life. I mean what would my mom say, "That her child was raped for the second time and died during the process ", it's better to be alive to tell the story than to be dead (coughs)
Nora: Wait! what!!, this is your second encounter with a rapist!?
(no answer)
Nora: Sorry about that
Mirabelle: No it's okay. After all, everyone said the first incident was my fault
Nora: How?
Mirabelle: Well the man in question is old enough to be my father, when my parents took the case up, everyone said that it was my fault because of how I dress (sighs), they said he was seduced by me
Nora: Well that's no excuse for a man who lacks self-control...
Mirabelle: In the end, he won, then my parents decided we move to another place cuz seeing him each day wouldn't be good especially for my dad "he wants to kill him "(chuckles)
Nora : (looks at her from head to toe) what happened to your dress? ( Looking at the white net-like short gown)
Mirabelle: Nothing, this was what I wore out... It's fashion
Nora: Out of your house?
Mirabelle: Yes my mom is cool with it!, although she didn't see what I wore today!
Nora : (sighs) This isn't a fashion, I can see your undies. You can dress classy and fashionable and not show what you have!
Mirabelle: You can?
Nora: Yea!. If you should stand at the bus stop looking for a bus, with that dress, a lot of people would see you as a commercial sex worker and not as the innocent teenager that you are, because the way we dress is the way we wanna be addressed...
Mirabelle: But I don't want that!
Nora: Yea, so we gonna be expecting a change in the dressing?
Mirabelle: Definitely !!
Nora: That's good (smiles). Here is some money for transport, make sure you go straight home (gives her the money)
Mirabelle: I will (takes the money)
Nora: Good and hmm...(pulls her jacket and wears it on Mirabelle) and here's my card in case anything arises okay?
Mirabelle : (takes the card and looks at it) You are a medical doctor!!
Nora: Yes, surprised?
Mirabelle: Yea. How do you know how to fight like that!?
Nora: Lived on the streets once, there I learned a lot of things
Mirabelle :(puzzled) Wow!!!!. I thought nothing good ever comes out from those living in the streets?
Nora: Well it's not like that, it's conditions that make young adults run to the streets and when life gives them another opportunity to have a better life, some embrace it while others don't. The truth of the matter "where you are, doesn't make you who you are"
Mirabelle: Wow!! Thank you (hugs her)
Nora: You are welcome
Mirabelle: So what are we gonna do to him? ( Pointing at the unconscious man laying on the floor)
Nora: Slaughter him into seven parts and burn it!!
Mirabelle :(shocked) You are joking right?!! ( Chuckles nervously)
Nora: Of course (laughs), you should have seen the look on your face when I say that (laughs) Mirabelle :(laughs hysterically)
Nora: I'll take him to the police station
Mirabelle: OK but can I do something to him?
Nora: yea sure, as far as it's not gonna kill him
(...Mirabelle moves closer to the man's unconscious body and kicks him very hard on groins and to add a finishing touch, uses her leg to march his face)
(blanks out....)
(...knocks on the door...)
Linda: I'm coming (opens the door). Are you kidding me!!?
Nora: (enters into the house) what?
Linda: I was scared, I thought something must have happened to you know!!
Nora: Why would you think like that I told you I wanted some fresh air right?
Linda: You were receiving fresh air for three hours!!
Nora: what's the time?
Linda : (looks at the wall clock) it's 8:45 pm!!
Nora: Wow!!, oh well (walks to the kitchen)
Linda: Look at me Nora (follows her to the kitchen and faces her). What is wrong? talk to me, please?
Nora: Am good OK, there is no need for you to worry. Am just exhausted and need some rest that's all!!
Linda: OK?!!, where is your jacket!?
Nora: Oops!!...um... hmm... I got... Um...
Linda: You are trying to lie to me
Nora: No am not!
Linda: Yes you are cuz your left eye is blinking fast and whenever that happens, you are trying to lie
Nora:(sighs ) okay!! I gave the jacket to someone who needs it more than I do satisfied!!?
Linda: Hmm... Very well then.
Nora: Thank you
Linda: By the way, I have already baked the cookies and set the table. You can go ahead and eat now
Nora: Wow thanks
Linda: Yea yeah whatever
Nora :(chuckles)
(...Nora walks to the dinner table and sits down, it took time before started eating, so many things were just running through her mind so she ended up eating a little ...)
Linda : (from the living room) Nora come check out the News!!
Nora : (Enters into the living room and sits close the Linda) Yes!! what about it?
Linda: The police found a guy in front of their station with a written letter saying that "he was found raping a girl"...
Nora :(in her mind) " Yea that's my handwork "
Linda: Are you even listening?
Nora: Yea I am!!
Linda: According to them, they said he already has a criminal record, but was pardoned and now I don't think he will be pardoned again!! , cuz who so ever beat him up like that, has already punished him enough I mean take a good look at his face
Nora: Who cares ( walks up to the television and switches it off)
Linda: Why do you say that?!
Nora: Cuz you won't understand. Rape isn't a topic we should be talking about please, change the subject or "adios "
Linda: Fine then, good Night
Nora: Good night (entering her room) no horror movies this night, please
Linda: Yea sure
Nora : (in her mind) "my day was horrified enough " (slams the door)...