BACK TO LIFE

Shamim finally sits on a two seater couch close to Ella's bed after standing for hours, running all sort of errands. Earlier after everyone had left, he was told to get some things at the pharmaceutical shop again, and by that time about three hundred people were on the queue. He had no choice than to join the queue and wait his turn. "My legs really hurt." He whispers to himself massaging his feet gently. He looks at Ella for a second or two. "Get well soon Ella, I don't like it in here. Please, I won't complain of you trying to get control over my life anymore, I won't scold you for not going out or having a boyfriend. Please, do not die on me." He notices she moves her finger. "Open your eyes Ella, it's so terrible to see you lay lifeless like that on the bed." He whispers but gets no positive reply. "I guess I have to wait then." Shamim gently rests his back on the couch with one leg on the other and closes his eyes to sleep.

Ella coughs gently and her brother jumps up to see if he heard right. He quickly rushes to her and looks at her with the expectations for her to open her eyes. "Please open your eyes." He pleads.

Miss Smith coughs again and gently and slowly she opens her eyes. "Is this heaven or hell?" she asks almost whispering.

Shamim smiles with sincerity and scoffs. "Are there hospitals in the heaven or hell?" He asks and touches her forehead to observe her body temperature. "Thank you." He whispers almost in her ears.

"For what?" Ella asks.

"For coming back to me, and I am sorry for all I have done, only if I had listened to you concerning Cassndra. I am sure things wouldn't have ended like this."

Ella opens her eyes wide as if she just remembered something. "What of dad and uncle Eric?" she asks the with a bit of fear in her voice. "They are safe, aren't they?"

"Come on Ella, you are laying In the sick bed and you still care about other people's we'll being?"

"What are you talking about? How can you refer to dad and uncle Eric as other people?"She pauses and asks again. "By chance, did anything bad happen to them in the process if saving me?"

"No." Shamim shakes his head. "Everyine is fine, they will be here by morning to say hi to you." He sits and smiles. "When you have fully recovered, there is a particular restaurant I will like us to visit, I am sure you will like it."

"You know almost will the classic restaurants in the whole of Burundi." She teases.

"You can say that again." Shmaim laughs. "Hold on, let me go and call the doctor."

"Do not stay long, I hate this place so much, when my daddy comes, I will leave this place." She nags looking around the ward.

"You act like you are the only child Mr Malik has, have you forgotten we are four?"

"Well, I am his first daughter, his first jewel." she smiles. "What more do you expect from him?"

"As your lordship pleases. I will be right back." He says and walks out.

***********

"Eric, what is the problem?why did you ask me to come?" Malik asks as soon as he steps out of his car and sees Eric.

"Please come with me."

"Just tell us whatever it is and didn't leave us in suspense." Darifa whispers in fear.

"We are stressed out as it is already, leaving us in suspense will do us no good sir." Abdullah says trying to be reasonable.

"Look, it's about Jessica and Emerens-" He suddenly stops and sighs. "Please come in and take a look." He leads the way inside. When they finally arrive at the cell. "He turns to them and says please come in and see what I saw." He turns his back at them and faces a police officer who is standing by the cell gate. "Open it."

"Yes sir." The police officer obeys.

"Let's go in." Eric whispers and walks in with them. "Take a look." He says pointing to the bed.

"What is that?" Darifa asks as she can only see something or someone covered with a white sheets. "I hope it's not what I am thinking." She murmurs and rushes to the bed pulling the white sheets off to see who or what was underneath it. Darifa drops the sheet in extreme shock and covers her mouth with a palm when she sees her ex friends laying dead but still holding hands.

"Jessica!" Abdullah calls loudly.

"What happened? How did this happen here? Didn't I give you the instruction to put them in different cells?" Malik asks already annoyed.

"So did I sir, I only stepped out to drop something off at home after making sure they were placed in different cells. But I got a call that the both of them killed themselves with the aid of poison." He says and points to the small container on the floor.

"What are the speculations?" Malik asks again seeming to have calm a bit.

"Speculations has it that the particular officer in duty and was in charge of Jessica's cell was the one who helped her out by giving her the keys and replacing someone with her."

"Where is the stupid officer now?" Malik asks again in annoyance.

"Sir, he is no where to be found around here. I have sent some men to check his house and parents house to see if they could find him or anything that can help us find him."

"How could they do these to themselves?" Darifa asks no one in particular and tears roll down her cheeks.

Abdullah embraces his friend and whispers to her. "It's okay, stop crying."

"Is there anyone that will claim their body?" Malik asks.

"I called Emerens mom but she refused to come." Eric sighs sadly. "No mother will willingly want to claim her child's dead body."

"Who is Jessica?" Darifa asks facing Malik and Eric, but none of them gives a reply so she asks again. "Who is Jessica?"

Eric points to one of the ladies. "She is Jessica."

"Oh my God!" she exclaims gently and covers her face with both palms, settling for the tears to flow freely out her eyes.

"Pack them up and bury them, don't forget to keep the entire issue a secret, I musn't find my daughter's face in any papers or news."

"Yes sir." Eric replies with a salute.

"Darifa." Malik calls. "I know it's hard for you now, but there is nothing we can do, stop crying and accept it as fate."

"Her fate was to live and die with her best friend." Abdullah whispers.

"Let's go home." Malik holds Darifa and walks her out if the cell.