THE RUN AWAY BRIDE

ON THE RUN

Demmy could not contain the senerio that just happened, how could she board a vehicle going o Abuja? Abuja, she has no relative or friends in Abuja, how was she going to survive without shelter, she was confused and calm at the same time.

"how much is the money?" she asked the woman, "20,000 naira, if I may ask, did you run away from a wedding? or what?"

"I am a model , so I ran away from the studio when photographer tried to take advantage of me" Demmy told a lie plainly to avoid more questions from the woman.

"ohhh, wow sorry about that, but you should have at least run to the police station not this bus, now you are going o pay like 40,000 to go and come," the woman kept on talking on and on, Demmy got tired, but she knew it was risky to tell the woman that she's currently on the run fir her life.

"I didn't have time to think, I had to run as fast as possible. As long as I am safe, I can still make more money." Demmy rested her head on the chair back and slept off holding her dress, she kept the card in her breast for safe keeping. The woman looked at the lady that was quick to sleep

"this life ehn, e no balance at all".

***

Dare along side the guards went to every place in the town, they went to Tolani's house at first and ransacked the building, but Demmy wasn't there, then they went to the places they knew she could go to, but still it was futile.

When he got home, it was already in the night, Mr. Bello was just leaving, he saw Dare and tapped on his shoulders

"don't worry, the police will search for her, and the media will carry the news, a huge compensation will be given to anyone who finds her."

"no sir, when the kidnapers sees it they'll have more course to end her life"

"you are right, I have thought about it, the media will only carry the news, if there is no call from any kidnapper. The police will also their job"

Dare nodded, Mr Bello left their house.

Then Dare ran to the chair and sat down close to his father

"now tell me, which one of you assisted Abidemi to escape? because there is no way she would have passed the security guards without someone 's help, and she couldn't have passed the fence because of the wires and how high the fence is. So which one of you bastards helped Abidemi?" their father asked still vexed

"Baami I swear, I'm not the one" Daniel said

"I was inside with you through out so I'm ot the one sir" David said

"then who? I mean, I searched every where in this town, we divided ourselves ooo" Dare spoke already frustrated

"she can't go far, she's somewhere we in this town." Their father spoke with authority

"for the last time, before I loose my patience, who helped her among you idiots?... who?" he raised his voice and slammed the table

"please just let it go, the deed has been done just let us fin my daughter, please." Anike spoke out in fear, though she never said the truth. Her husband got angrier and slapped her, he slapped her again

"Baami stop! daddy now, please stop"

Dare and David ran to help their mother, their father kept on hitting and pushing her like she was an object

"I gave you one job, stay with her, but you failed, you failed as a good wife and mother, you let her escape with your nonchalant attitude, you this stupid woman" he kicked her and went to the room, in fury he slammed the door.

The boys went to their weak mother on the floor, blood was oozing out of her mouth and face, he held her belly painfully and still smiled to her son's.

"never," she coughed out blood

"when you have a wife, never hit her okay? no matter how much she offends you" she smiled and struggled to sit up, David was already crying, they helped her to sit up,

"go and get some water quickly" Dare commanded, so Daniel ran to get water for their mother.