Mended Pieces

Chapter one: Memories

***

*February 14, 1996*

Mr. Sanchez laid on his bed restless as a car light flashes through his eyes from the window…

“He knew they were here and he has always waited for this day but he just didn’t expect them this soon.

He got up to his seven years old son who was sleeping in a room across him, he had to hid him somewhere, he was his only child and didn’t deserve to die this way. Jude was just seven years old and Mr. Sanchez last hope for revenge…

***

“Babe where are you heading to? It’s late and am scared you might get hurt, can’t you travel tomorrow, Ariel asked the husband looking worried… “don’t worry about me, I’ll be fine and yes this operation can’t wait as it is very important we axe it out today, to avoid lot of people being in danger, It’s for the best my love, take care of yourself and our daughter but I’ll be back before sun set tomorrow.

“C’mon how can you say this? Alex is just two years and she needs you… “I know and that’s why I promise to be back by your side before sunset. George kisses the wife and gave a peck to the little soul who slept on their bed, with that he carried his bag and was off. “I’ll make sure to know the nature of this your job that takes you away from us when you return, Ariel calls to the husband, “I’ll make sure to tell you everything since this will be my last operation, came George’s reply.

***

The sound of a gunshot and the crash of the door wakes little Jay who is terrified and runs to his ‘safe hands’ but tonight something was different, “his safe hands were terrified and he could see the glimpse of fear in the adult eyes staring back at him.

“Jay you have to follow my instructions now and I promise you’ll be fine, Mr. Sanchez said to his little boy with a voice that sounded more like a man who will soon face the devil, he was breaking down and he hated to show his weak side to his son, he thought, “maybe he should have hired personal securities than rely on the Government securities, but it was already too late. Jay held on to his father’s leg, who asked him to hide in the wardrobe before walking gently with those tiny legs to the wardrobe but what Mr. Sanchez didn’t know was that his little boy could still see through the wardrobe and didn’t obey fully to close his eyes while in there.

The Satanas made their way in and met Sanchez sitting on the bed, Sanchez looked up at them and they were all covered in mask with a black caftan on them except one person… A woman! his wife! Sanchez couldn’t believe his eyes… he was sold out to the mafia by his woman, the mother of his boy!!! He looked at her with resentment and swore never to forgive her in death and in life, if nature let him survive the night.

A member of the gang gave Sanchez a punch on the face followed by multiple punch on the waist region that took him closer to his ghost like nature with teary mucus dripping out, and then another who seems to be the leader came with a gun and handed it to the woman, his wife!!, a command from his voice was heard followed by the sound of two gunshots -Banggg! Banggg! That was the sound of peace to them but a sound of bitterness and hopelessness to Jay…Sanchez was gone!

Jay stood there inside the wardrobe watching every terrible scene of the night, he couldn’t believe his eyes, his mother just killed his father but “WHY? I believed we were one happy family, what changed? He thought, but the answers to those questions in his small head were not coming anytime soon…

The men made a turn to leave but the woman called out to them, ”George Knight! She screamed; you can’t leave my son, I need to take him with me”, the men dragged her away, with George replying with “sort that out later woman, but right now, we’ve got no time left, we should leave here as soon as possible to avoid complications”

Soaked in tears, little Jay has lost his voice, wobbling down to his dead father’s body, he sat close to his carcass with his legs hurled to his face and his head rested on those tiny tired legs. He was shocked, exhausted and traumatized…that he became a living ghost.

***

*SEPTEMBER 13, 2017*

Full grown Alexandra George is done with college and is so happy to see her mother, father and kid brother. Dropping from the cab which brought her back home, Alex pull her luggage with her, calling out to her mom while heading to their entrance.

A knock on the door, “Mom! Dad! Where are you guys, your favourite daughter is back… Mom! Mom! It seems you guys didn’t miss me, Mom, your professional Journalist is here, I’m now a certified journalist and I bet you don’t wanna miss all the gist that comes with it, I got plenty of the gist for you guys,both the funny, annoying and sad moments even the lovey dovey moments… Alex continue whining while calling out to them.

She moves to her brother’s, mother and father’s room but was shocked to see no one there, Alex was shocked cos her parent never leave the house door open… “where could they be, she thought. After much thought, she decided to check out their garage to see if they went out with the car, moving towards the garage she started calling out… Mom! Mom! Dad! Mom… a huge palm suddenly covered her face dragging her away. Alex couldn’t decipher what was happening at the moment, she just felt herself being dragged away and suddenly felt herself landing hard on the cold floor…” wait, was I just being thrown on this hard floor, she thought.

She opened her eyes to the reality she was in and was shocked to see her family being tied up, her dad was badly beaten and injured, her Mom looks like she has been crying all day, she kept observing the scene and her eyes moved to the corner of the garage, there lay her kid brother who was dead by a gunshot… Alex couldn’t hold it back and she let out a scream. A tall man who look like the man in charge walked up to her and gave her a hard slap across the face, Alex couldn’t feel herself anymore as she fell to the floor sobbing, George call out to the man who just slapped his daughter, “Blacko, nah, you can do any other thing but hitting my daughter is off limit…, the sound of a c****d gun by Blacko, pointed at George’s wife,“ no, no Blacko don’t do this please, we can talk this out, face me and let my family go, I know it’s me you are looking for please. George begged.

“Man, yunno this isn’t me but I have to obey the gang’s order, yunno how this thing works man. The sound of two gunshot and that was it, George’s wife was gone and Alex couldn’t believe her eyes “her kid bro and mother was gone under few hours, she couldn’t help but think what connection her dad possibly had with this people and why they were killing his loved ones. “Was she going to be the next victim, the thought of that sent shivers down her spine and she couldn’t help but close her eyes in prayer and awaits her fate.

The sound of another c****d gun, Alex could hear her father’s plea for her survival but fear couldn’t bring her to open her eyes. She couldn’t help but wish the man can just kill her cos her life was already shattered before her eyes and she didn’t see the need to live anymore. Fear gripped her when she felt pulled up by heavy cold hands. “she knew these hands didn’t belong to his dad and she opened her eyes, right in front of her was a devastated George, her father, she could feel the sorry from his eyes staring right at her. She felt like strangling him for hiding a lot of things from his family and causing their misfortune but a greater part of her felt pity for him seeing that her strong father was crying like a baby while staring at her, she knew at that point her father could do anything to save her. All she heard him say was “sorry, I brought this on us” A gun was handed to her by one of the members of the gang, “shoot your father with that and I’ll spare your life, George let’s see how brave your little angel has grown, Blacko said and Alex got up emotionless and pointed the gun towards Blacko, “if I were you I wouldn’t do that baby girl,

“Alex please don’t do it, just do as he says, George said

“why should we do as he says dad’ why!!! Shouted Alex, ‘I can’t explain it now but you have to live, please do as he says, George kept pleading with Alex.

The sound of another c****d gun and this time around it was pointed towards Alex, “ I don’t have time for this chit chat between you two, in ten counts, if you can’t do it young girl then I’ll have to spare no one and with that the countdown begins. 1..6,7…

“Alex please do it, 8…, George knew his innocent daughter won’t do it willingly and he started to plead with Blacko.

“please Blacko you know we’ve come a long way and I wouldn’t do this to you if I were in your position, take my life and spare her instead please. The sound of a gunshot and Alex thought everything has finally ended but she was still alive, then who was shot? She turned around and her father’s body lay there lifeless in cold blood. He was dead, the realization sets in and Alex discovered her father was shot and not her. She was now alone without a family.