Hello, this chapter is really sensitive although i have tried my best to make it subtle. You may wish to skip it. You have been warned!⚠️
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"Adeelah is missing. I hope the kidnapper kills her." Rano giggled, with venom etched in it's sound. He had no iota of pity in him. He's talking as though he didn't have a child too. As bizarre as it sounded, he's married twice and he had three kids. He lost his first wife to some kidnappers as rumours had it because she was found in pieces in a sack. But Danbatta knew it's a schematic way of deceiving people. Rano sacrificed her.
Abba could hardly move a hand but he's heard Rano, alright. "I know you can't talk because of pain. Haha." He laughed again, staring down at one hollow socket of Abba's eye which he removed quite a few days after he's caught him peeking at him during rituals. It's a very unskilled operation with zero anaesthesia because Abba passed out a number of times. Rano made sure he didn't die though. He wanted him so disfigured before disposing him near his house. He had to pay for the people he's hurt. If Karma was playing ignorant, He,Rano, would make sure Danbatta suffered in life. Because of the life he led, the deceits and all. Rano didn't forgive as long as he was breathing. He didn't forget too. He would avenge for all the women Danbatta had duped, for even sacrificing Aayat's kidney and not some other woman, for not taking good care of his parents till they died. Such a loser Danbatta was! Rano laughed again.
He didn't grow up with his parents but a step mother whom he first sacrificed. He had zero compassion for others. He had a hardened heart, a dead one that lived only for one reason. He's capable of suicide but he wouldn't because of his only daughter whom he loved so much. Hannah. He loved Hannah more than anything because she's the one that proved to him that he had a heart when she was born. She even looked exactly like him. She loved him so much as much as he did.
Hannah, the apple of his eyes caused the death of Beebo.
The room smelled terribly of dead remnants of other people and Beebo. It's where Rano hid away his bad stuff and the room next was where he performed his rituals.
Abba had peeked at him when he was kneeling before the wooden carved human figure in which the spirits lived in. He was drinking a bowl of bloody stuff and money was coming out of the wooden figures mouth. Abba would have fainted if he didn't know it was magic. So when the door creaked, Rano knew Abba was there watching him. It's where he got all the money he gave Beebo, Danbatta and money while all they did was to supply him with sapiens' parts as per his requests. They were never part of the cult society. They just helped him being in there and he would never let them go free because he's also there forever.
Screwing out one of Abba's eyes was the next thing he thought of when he saw him peeking. And he called his partner who did the work. After Abba had regained consciousness, he served him food and some cuttings of meat which he forced him to eat and swallow.
"Do you know what you just ate?" He asked, rocking on his chair, his laughter sounding groggy behind the nose mask he's worn. The smelling was too much for him but he didn't care if Dambatta would suffocate.
"You just ate your precious not so little eye. Let's hope it grows back." He laughed while Abba tried to puke but nothing came out. He wanted to cry but he couldnt. The last time he cried was a week ago when Beebo was killed right before his eyes.
Rano had laughed, since laughter had became a hobby for him. "I'm so happy you had to watch her die. I'm so happy i left one eye for you to do the task. I can't wait for when you will see me have fun with Adeelah."
Abba had screamed at that but Rano left him. Right now, Rano just received a call that had him go out like a mad man.
Abba began crying as he battled with the flies around him. They had fed on Beebo and now they wanted to inflict him more pain. As though being in cahoots with Rano in helping suck Beebo's blood wasn't enough.
He could clearly remember what happened that day. Why Beebo was killed as she begged. She watched death in form of a machete flashed before her eyes before it started gliding through her neck slowly and at intervals.
Rano received a call that day. He recieved the most ugliest call in his life as he said.
He had looked at Abba and laughed maniacally.
"Lawan Rimi, my closest friend and the person who Hannah loves second to me sacrificed her. I just recieved a call from a member and a picture of her head running on the floor before the lords. Danbatta you know i love Hannah more than the way you love Adeelah..." he had paced, this time his eyes filling up with tears.
Danbatta and Beebo exchanged looks and looked away.
"She was born on a tuesday. Her mother, Aisha, my beloved Aisha gave me that gift. I was with her till she delievered and i carried Hannah on my arms. I was with them throughout her diapers days, i fed her cereals, i stayed up for her while Aisha slept, i was capable of loving, i was capable of being caring, i took her to school myself, she would always hug me and say i love you daddy, she would always say daddy goodnight i love you, she made me a parent, a good father, not a bad person and a loser as my guardian used to say, not some engine as Aisha would say, Hannah would look at me in the eye and say daddy i love you and i am proud of you. And Hannah made me feel like a human. And you say I shouldn't be mad and crazy when i saw Hannah's laughter cut away by her second dad? Why would he do that? I would surely kill him but Hannah is worth more than a single soul to me. Danbatta i want you to feel this pain right now and that your stubborn daughter is hard to get." He paused and glanced at Beebo.
"I have loved Beebo and aimed for her a countless times but you outshone me. I know you love Beebo even if it's not as much she did for you. She does for you because i know she still loves you. Danbatta!!!" He thundered, beating a drum nearby.
Abba and Beebo flinched together.
"Hannah had to watch death before her eyes, Hannah had to leave when she didn't want to. When she didn't get to say i love you daddy. You have a part in this because if I wasn't here with you, because your wretched selves decided to be stubborn, i would have been with her. In that case, Beebo will have to go. I need to share this pain with you Danbatta." He said, shaking his head and crying as if he's looking for sympathy.
Beebo's eyes bulged and Danbatta tried to stand up. "Rano please." She managed to cry out. But he never listened. He aimed for the machete and placed it on her throat slightly. Once blood was drizzling, he laughed and looked at Danbatta.
"For Hannah's sake stop this nonsense and barbaric act Rano!" Abba said out loud. He had treat them like they were animals in this boy's quarters of the house. There are three rooms next door. Aside his ritual room and this room, the other room was extremely clean and cozy.
"For Hannah's sake i will let you and her have your last words." He said, feeling as if he did them a favor. He had tried at least because they mentioned Hannah who's now a history. He had other kids but he loved her more.
Tears weren't coming out of Beebo's eyes. Her eyes were red though and perched on Danbatta's.
"Repeat after me Beebo."
"I bear witness that there is no God but Allah and i bear witness that prophet Muhammad may peace be upon him is the messenger of Allah." She kept repeating after him till her voice was only a whisper and Abba had close his only eye. He's happy though that she's able to keep saying it.
"I love you Beebo." He finally said. And right then, her voice faded as Rano deepened his matchete near her jugular vein till her neck and her head were different entities.
He laughed madly and carried the head to God knows where. He left and Abba started crying. He's not sure but he knew he cried for days. And since then he couldn't cry anymore till today. After he's done crying, he stood up and aimed for the gate.
He's flabbergasted to see that it was open. Something big really had to make Rano forget the gate open. He heard a sound and looked, then he noticed that Rano was there standing making another call. Someone must have come and take his car away. Abba inched back, slowly and fed the machete that still had dried blood of Beebo.
He aimed it at Rano's head from the back. He slammed the sharp end to his skull. Blood spilled out the same time Rano fell on the floor.
Abba called his police friend with Rano's bloody phone which just fell down. As soon as they arrived, he passed out. He had managed to remain sane throughout the days he had stayed. He had watched death, he had watch carcasses, he had seen many animalistic behaviors Rano did with Beebo, he had seen rituals, he had heard deadly sounds, he had had deadly dreams, disturbing dreams. He barely had time to think of his family even unless Adeelah was mentioned. He had forgotten what fresh air was like. He had forgotten how it smelled like, he had forgotten the color of the sky and the glimmer of the sun.
All his body deserved that time was passing out. Life had been really cruel. Life had been disgusting.
Life had been unfair and hard.
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Salisu was compelled to stay far away from Adeelah because of the event that unfolded after she's opened her eyes and set them on Celine. He had been eavesdropping on their conversations two days later. Because that day, after waking up the first thing she did was to lock her room and never walk till she heard Celine's voice.
"I don't want to see that man Celine. I really don't want to see Salisu. He kidnapped my father." She had said. If not because he had warned Celine not say anything, she wold have tell Adeelah that she didn't know who Salish was. She only knew Mr Elmusty.
So when he heard Celine's answer, he was satisfied.
"He's left. If you're not comfortable, how about you move in to my apartment whenever I won't come? It's not a big though." Adeelah had nodded at her.
Now as he sat in his room, thinking of why she would accuse him of such a crime, it dawned on him. She must have received a message or a call and she walked out. Maybe she's forgotten that she messaged him! Anyhoo, he would love to clear it out for her.
He wanted to go out but he's scared that she would catch him one more time when he's not ready. He's tired on feeding on chocolates, cookies and water from his fridge. He could hear her in the parlor so he relaxed back on his couch.
Right then he remembered the diary he'd stole from Muhammad's place. It would be a nice distraction. He would love to revisit some memories.
So he picked it and opened the first page.
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Last chapter didn't get the votes I expected but for my loyal readers, enjoy!