FIGHTING TO BE FREE

CHAPTER ONE

Maira run down the street unseeing, rain pouring down on her, as strong wind batted her frozen face but she didn't care. She ran all the way from the hotel to her former home. Her feet felt numb but she didn't seem to care, all she wanted was to be there.

Why did she have to watch the damn news. She always hated watching the local news all they ever talk about is politics what the politicians are saying or the mindless opinion shows which to her meant nothing but show how politician are vain and only think of their own selfish interests.

Tripping behind a bush, she crouched under a tree . She watched as there seem to be a celebration going on, only to realise that she knew the people in there. She fought to breath as pain sliced through her heart. How could they? She remembered how once that home had been surrounded by her family's laughter now she sat behind the bushes an unwelcome visitor, watching as the people her father had once trusted celebrate without a care in the world. They too seem to be celebrating with the rest of the country about the collapse of the ICC  cases. For her they seem to be celebrating on top of her parent's graves. Which were literally a few steps away from where the celebration was.

She sat there watching as her heart broke all over again. To her it was as if a band aid had been ripped from an already healing wound. She still remembered them every single day since they died, the horrifying screams coming from the house. She had cursed herself for not being there with them she could have died with them she actually preferred it. Because the pain of lose and the sufferings she had been through in the ensuing months had been so much more. This now was like the final straw that broke the camels back. A police car passed by signify the importance and power the people living there held.

The ICC chameleon's verdict didn't provide finality or closure. The people who had been accused had been given a chance to enjoy the benefit of due process of the law in court despite political propaganda. To the victims, it was triple the pain. They were the once that suffered irreparable scars, the government ignored and abandoned their quest for justice and the ICC seems helpless. She remembers how the political class made themselves available every time one of the accused was to be in court no day had any of them been present when the victims were there it seemed to them the rich and powerful were more Kenyans than the rest.

Many people died, others were displaced but right now as celebrations broke out across the entire country, the people who were accused seem more important than the dead, the displaced or even those who lost there entire families. They accuse the foreign nations who to her seem to be the only ones who where fighting for them. How ironic. It seem as if the people killed were not Kenyans but foreigners. Today more than ever she felt like an outsider with every celebration she felt as if it were a stab at her already battered heart.

A hand tapped on her shoulder startling her but relaxed when she saw that it was her friend.

"Hey let's get out of here," she told her practically dragging her out of there before she could be arrested. She didn't care though but her friend could here none of it.

She wished she could live in the oblivion of her library writing her books or reading only for her to escape reality even for just a few hours. She still didn't know why she had flipped through the local channels. Once she had been optimistic that her parents would get justice. She had lost all hope because she realised belatedly, there is a serious deficit of accountability in the world they live in. Perpetrators of crimes, especially the political and socially influential figures, are never prosecuted, and criminality and impunity clearly prevails. They is a saying going on in the social media that says, 'in this country you are guilt until proven rich,' .

"Hold it." A voice said startling Razia making her scream in fright.

"This is a restricted area." The man said making Maira look up to his face and gasped.

The moment her eyes met his, her belly clenched recognition slammed into her. She watched dry mouthed as he too recognised her, silver eyes pierced into hers drilling hard as if he wanted to know her very last secret.

Liam couldn't believe what his eyes were seeing. It was her. Even in the dim light from the security light above them, he could see that all colour has drained from her face and eyes leaving them bleak. It was the opposite of the reaction she'd once had to his presence when her eyes had light up with affection and welcome. There no welcome now, no! Horror described her expression best.

"Baby, what is the hold up?" A shrilling voice of a female she recognized so well said behind him, forcing him to break eye contact.

"Let's get out if here Raz." She said dragging her confused friend away. She speed dialed her driver not knowing if her legs could carry her fast enough.

"Come get us now." She whispered shouted near hysteria.

"Maira?" A disbelieving voice called out to her. She ignored it almost sprinting to a run.

Liam called out again trying to catch her, while Miriam whined behind him not wanting to be ignored. A car came to an abrupt stop near them and he watched frustratedly as Maira and her friend jumped into it and it sped away before he could reach them.

"Damn!" He cursed pulling his phone out of his pocket to call his driver. He
told him the cars plates and asked him follow it.

Its been nine years since he had seen her. She was this plumb girl who he had dated. She was too clingy and had even attempted to trap him with a lie.

He had left for the United Kingdom the next day and had just returned home to marry her cousin Miriam. She looked different and had a look in her eyes of anger and pure hatred emanated from them. To whom it was directed at he wasn't sure, but she seemed to be disgusted more with him. He wondered why that was, he was suppose to be the one angry at her he had learnt a few years ago that her family had gone bankrupt and in an attempt to gain money from his family, her father had sent her to seduce him. She had succeeded but not in framing him for pregnancy. It was pathetic but he couldn't believe when he heard that her father had burnt their home not being able to stand humiliation.

There bodies had been found but not that of the daughter and her family had searched for her to no avail. And she just appeared now as if nothing happened, but why now of all the time?

He wanted answers and he would find her if its the last thing he had to do. And he went to the party vowing to do just.

Miriam's father, being his father in-law and his fathers best friend, had decided to throw him a home coming party also to announce there engagement. He didn't love Miriam but she had been his friends for years now and if it wasn't for her warning him about Maira's intentions, he could have fallen for her trick.
As the party continued his father approached him someone had told him about his run in with Maira and he was worried. He asked for the car information so he could help look for her and because he knew he had more resources he gave it to him.