Beneath The Glitter

Chapter Two

‘Did I say anything out of place, Sammie? That was the agreement. That at the end of such time as this, if the debt is not repaid, I will collect it in whichever way I deem fit. Why is everyone looking at me like I’m some fallen angel that fell during the heavenly war?’

‘I pleaded with you for time, Dars.’

‘Oh come on, Sammie. You and I know you are quarter to the grave. Look at you-isn’t that blood I see dripping from a corner of your mouth? Look at your eyes, screaming tiredness. Look at your house, forlorn and empty as ever. I’m sure that’s an empty medication can on your daughter’s hands. You have tried, Sammie. Give it up already. You can’t always win in life. That God you believe in, I believe He will agree to how far you have come, and all the effort you have made. I don’t have all day….’

Sammie let out another hair-raising cough.

Dars raised his shoulders in agreement.

‘You see what I’m saying? Even your infirmity agrees. So, what is it going to be? You have a gem here, sweet, succulent and ripe. I consider her more than enough recompense for this….’ He moved closer, and stroked Cindy’s hair softly. She knocked his hand off, time and again.

‘No, Dars. You won’t take my daughter. She has no part in this. Leave her alone!’

‘This is what I am taking, Sammie. You owe me two hundred thousand shillings. Over two years. I say it’s enough compensation since you have refused to, or rather, cannot pay up….’

By now he had strutted forward, and pulled Cindy close to him, kneading her breasts with the pistol-laden hand.

Sammie had had enough. He leaped out of the bed towards Dars, but met a smoking nozzle. The bullet had barked out of the weapon twice, hitting him in the chest. He collapsed on the bare floor, jerking in spasms. Blood was pouring from his mouth in rivulets.

‘Daddy!’

She ran to his side, wailing and crying. ‘No! You can’t do this! Don’t die, Daddy! Please!’

‘Because I am a very kind person, I will let you have your final father-daughter moment…you know, out of my benevolence…you have just two minutes…’

Sammie jerked his last, and stopped moving. The surrounding ground, his shirt, Cindy’s hands had reddened appreciably. An adventurous red flow had started its journey to other parts of the large bedroom. Cindy, torn between rage and grief, stared in horror as her father’s eyes closed of their own accord.

‘Okay baby, its time. We have to go…’

The hand with which Dars stretched out to lift Cindy received a generous s***h from a knife whose origin no one could tell. Before he could recover and position the other hand, his thigh received a deep s***h twice. Screaming with rage, she lunged at him with all the energy she could muster, and was on him in seconds, though she was prevented from further damage by the thugs who dashed forward and pulled her off him. The tallest of them held her, divested her of the knife, and pried her hands open, holding her in a vulnerable state for the boss to do whatever he wanted with her.

Dars got up.

He looked at his bloodied body.

He nodded to the other thug, and he materialized with a large handkerchief. He was dabbed clean, and the wounds were securely tied.

He moved towards Cindy, took a cool look at her. He turned his back and left.

They all left, dragging a protesting Cindy with them.

Inside the Range Rover Sport which they rode to Dars’ mansion, Cindy made it a point of duty to make life a living hell for everyone.

She pretended to cooperate for the first few steps to the car, and as soon as she was securely sandwiched between two of them, she scanned the car for something that could be of help. There was a sheaf of papers behind the seat in front of her, and a casual look revealed nothing of consequence. Just above the head of the tall thug was the fire extinguisher but it was way beyond her reach. When it became obvious that she was reaching the mansion in one piece whether she liked it or not, she decided to take her fate in her hands. Her father was dead-her siblings would most probably be hunted and killed-there was little to lose. She would break free, or die trying.

She lunged for the open window, intent on shattering the glass with her head and jumping out. She was stopped by the thug, who shoved her head backward, but did not realize how determined she was. He received a generous head butt for his effort, but her waist was encircled in no time, and three backhand slaps racked her face immediately, drawing blood. The fight in her was not sated, as the third hand which threatened her face was caught, and shoved to her mouth in an instant. She bit into the hand with all the force in her mouth, and with a wail of pain, he had to let go. Mad with fury and rage, she went for the same window, but the man had recovered, and gripped her neck as tightly as he could.

He squeezed.

Her eyes lost power, rolled to the left and upwards, and she went limp.

‘I am surely going to enjoy this…..’ Dars said, speaking for the first time since the journey to his mansion began.

‘You know, I like them feisty and stubborn. I like them with a lot of fight. This will be so much fun. You know how funny it is- I give your father money and he refuses to pay me. I take my fair worth and it’s a problem. These children….’

The driver of the car, now relaxed, put the gun down from where he had raised it. He balanced on the driver’s seat, and put his foot further down the accelerator. The car responded efficiently, and nosed down the Hittingson bridge at top speed.