LEGEND OF DEATH'S ASSASSINS

CHAPTER 11

“You did it,” Nadi repeated and stood up from the bed.

Bella did not speak, she hugged herself and those almond eyes of hers were just wide on her skull. They were staring blankly at Nadi as if he was a ghost raised from hell.

“How…” She swallowed, unable to continue. A fresh wave of tears had also clouded her vision, and amid the sorrow, there was a trace of joy. Sadness was there too, but the joy was just obvious.

“I told you, Bella. I told you something was amiss.” Nadi held her into his arms.

There was a comfort in holding her. It felt as if his beginning and ending were in his sister’s arms. Holding her made him feel so relieved and secure. He couldn’t imagine anything hurting her. They would die before getting to her, he was going to kill them. He was going to keep this peace. Thinking about it, there was a small part of him that made him realize that his purpose could just be to keep her alive. Maybe he was her shield and her defender.

“It’s so good to be true,”

The sound of Bella’s voice made him pull away. He cupped her face into his palms and held their gaze locked for a while until Bella started speaking again.

“If I have this power, then it’s a good thing. I should work with the doctors and try and save everyone in the village. With this power I could also protect people from dying.”

Nadi laughed and shook his head at the hilarious idea of his little sister.

“I don’t think that would be ideal.”

“Why so? I will prove it to the others.”

“And how many of them will be willing to listen to a ten year old girl, let alone believe you.”

“They will believe me, Nadi. Most of the villagers saw what happened the day you passed away. They will believe me. I am sure they will.”

“Don’t be fooled, dear sister.” Nadi snigger and removed the cannula from the back of his arms. “How long did it take me to convince you?”

Bella stepped backwards but did not say anything. She seemed to have gotten the point. It is one thing to have something that would interest everyone, but it’s another to get them listen or believe you. There have been times when some fishermen had claimed that they saw some shark on one of their fishing routine. Even though the claim would have changed the way people fished in the village, nobody had believed them. Not until people started missing, and boats started getting damaged. Nobody had believe the men earlier on. Some did not even believe until Isak, Nadi’s father had killed the shark all by himself.

“Plus,” Nadi continued, “We don’t even know what power it is or where it is coming from.”

“Or how to control it.” Bella added and studied her palms.

“Exactly,” Nadi looked towards the door.

There was not a soul in the hospital or as far as he could see, and the lack of music outside, suggest that this must be midnight. It was just the perfect timing. Nobody would notice him. They would all be relieve in the morning when they find out that he was gone and never to return again.

“What’s that look?”

“What look,” Nadi tried to smile, but ended up frowning.

It was one thing he hated about being around Bella. She was too familiar with almost all his body movement and gestures that sometimes he feels like screaming. She knows him too well for her own good.

“The look.” Bella said and started blinking her eyes.

“Hey, hey. What are you doing?”

“Mimicking you of course. That’s how you always blink whenever you have a plan of running off like some stray dog.”

“First, I don’t blink like that. And running off? Jesus, Bella, who taught you about stray dogs?”

“That’s not the answer to my question.”

Nadi bit the side of his lips, knowing there was no way to avoid her, even if he wanted to try, she would just keep on pressing and pressing until she wears him out.

“I have to leave. I want to get away from here. As far as possible and I am not going to return.”

“And where are you going, if I may ask?”

That was one question he has been struggling with. There was nowhere to go. He didn’t have any money on him or a friend staying outside the village or country. All he wanted was to get away from this place. Anywhere that was far away from home. A place where he would wake up in the morning and have a breath of fresh air. Just the perfect place where the strings of his parents would not be the chains that held him captive. So yes, anywhere would be fine. Anywhere away from home.

Nadi rubbed his nose and avoided eye contact as he sauntered towards the door. They’d wasted enough time, and he knows that soon the doctors might be on their way to carry out the surgery. But that’s if his father had agreed to sign the papers.

“I can’t say for sure.” Nadi finally grunted. But for the hospital gown that covered his body, he was totally naked.

“Your cloth got burned to nothing,” Bella said when she noticed the uneasiness hanging on his shoulders.

Nadi only nodded and was about to open the door when Bella’s words made him pause.

“I am coming with you.”

There was an icy chill in those words. Nadi could not express it, but he suddenly saw himself struggling to get enough food that would satisfy them, in a city where he neither has a friend, family or even an enemy. It was going to be a rough life and he didn’t want to get his sister involved. No, what kind of brother would he be? Bella was so fragile and beautiful and intelligent. She was not made for street life. Such hard-knock life was for the likes of him that were lost and rejected by the society. The ‘stray dogs’ as Bella had put it earlier. He was the street kid. Bella deserved better than to be running around with him from one street to another.

“You are not leaving this village. Over my dead body.”

“I wasn’t seeking your opinion.” Bella said.

“Like seriously.” Nadi leaned away from the door and looked back into the room, “You want us to argue over this.”

“No, Big bro. Not argue. I am just telling you what I am going to do. If you refuse to let me join you, I am just going to runaway anyway.”

“This is absurd Bel, where are you going to go?”

“I will tell you if you tell me.”

Nadi shook his head and returned his attention to the door. Bella was as stubborn as their father. He hated her attitude sometimes. Even though he would love to have her by his side, he would not be so heartless to allow her wander the city with him. This matter was none negotiable. The priority now was to get out from the hospital. He would runaway afterwards, without her.

Nadi turned the knob of the door and stepped outside. The coldness of the tiled floor made him remember fishing. He hated the cold, and the sour stench that usually succumbed the air. Not that he hated eating fish. He just hated fishing.

The nurse sitting behind the counter, had her nose on the register in front of her. The pitch in her snore seemed to be rising every now and then, and the drool from her mouth were forming a pool around the parameters of the book. It would be a miracle if the pages does not tear off when the nurse finally wakes up.

“This way.” Nadi hurried to the door behind the counter. He knew this place by heart. When he was still in the Jangos gang, they had infiltrated this place once and had stolen everything in the hospital. It had been a clean operation and no one had been injured or killed in the process.

As expected, the door opened with ease and they hurried into the dark alley. Only few knew about this place. Those that are not working in the hospital though. That’s why it didn’t surprise Nadi when Bella suddenly held his hands. This place was a mortuary. The most quiet place in the hospital.

“Am scared.”

“Do worry,” Nadi said and turned the knob of the last door, “We are safe.”

They stepped out of the hospital, and were welcomed by the fresh blazing air that surrounded the entire place. Right in front of them was the blinking lights of the city, far away from their village. But the grace of the fresh evening air was welcomed and Nadi was glad to have his sister by his side.

The next phase of his plan would be to steal his father’s boat and head for the city. He would run away from all these troubles. He would get his freedom back.