Oasis: Zarah and Royalty

2: And the end

I bring Michael's gift bag along with me before leaving the house. I decide to take to work so I can find someone to gift it to. Mom insisted it gift it to someone special. I might gift it to a friend or to the most engaging female student in the class today because I might not have looked at what he bought, but I'm a hundred percent sure that this gift is particularly meant for the female gender.

I step out of the car and walk towards the university building and once inside its gates, I make my way towards the lecture hall which my class will be holding today with both bags in my hand.

"Wait for me Zarah," I hear the voice of Raymond call out as he runs after me.

He gets to where I am and breathe down heavily. "Girl for someone on heels you do walk really fast!" He comment, still trying to catch his breath.

Ray was the one person apart form Michael that made me feel welcome when I started working at this university three years ago and we've grown and become really good friends since then. I take a moment to wait for him, taking note that he is wearing a brown Ankara top and trouser on a black sneakers and though we've argued in the past about it, he calls it fashion. His hair used to be much longer, but something mysterious happened and he cut it off, now rearing a low cut.

"Good morning Ray, why are you running?" I ask, my brows furrowing suspiciously.

He holds up a finger, silently requesting for a moment to regain his strength and once he gets that, he straightens up and begins to speak. "Yemi came to me yesterday with his research, he said he came to you first and you turned him down, you crushed the boy. What exactly did you do to him?"

I sigh and briefly close and open my eyes, I think I know where this talk is going to. "I did nothing. I told him that that wasn't my line and I told him I didn't believe in the existence of some magical, mystical place, some other professor might be of better assistance. Did you offer him any assistance?" I asks, my brow rising as I await his answer.

"Do I look like someone suffering from a delusion?" He demand, his own brow rising defiantly, causing me to chuckle a little, "but common I couldn't say that to his face, that would be crushing his dream and completely mean." He informs with a not so happy eyes, turning the tables on me.

I turn away and continue walking, "I get it, I'm the bad guy then. I'll meet him and apologise for the way I shut him down since honesty is no longer the best policy."

"You've got a boyfriend I don't know about?" He asks, ignoring what I just said.

His question surprises me and makes me pause on my steps and wonder out loud. "What makes you say that?"

"You're holding a gift bag in your hand, only take a genius to know." He explains himself, eyeing my bag before stepping closer, "What's in it?"

I bite my lips clueless of what the content in it is and therefore unable to answer his question as I turn to him. He must have read the expression on my face because his eyes widened and his jaw drops unbelievably, "you don't even know, let me guess it's from Michael."

Ray knows about my relationship with Michael and how bad it ended and he was one of those people I had in my corner. He got me through those depressing times, telling me it wasn't my fault that Michael cheated on me. So I know he probably figure why the gift bag is untouched.

I twitch my lips a little less bothered about it, "Yes and I'm not looking into it."

"Fine, I will." He reaches to take the gift bag from me and I don't stop him when he does take hold of it.

He looks into it before dipping his hand into it and he brings a little box from it and then opens the box and brings out a sliver necklace before looking back at me. Okay, even I have to admit it is beautiful and must have cost Michael a lot to get this.

"This must have cost a lot," he mumbled under his breathe as though reading my very thought "Rethinking?" He asks, staring at me.

I shake my head in denial, "No, I'm not. I still see her, Idara, the student he cheated on me with and I think I've seen a similar necklace on her neck before. But that does not mean I don't think it's beautiful. At least I know what I'll be gifting out now."

"Who are you gifting it to?" He asks putting the necklace into the box and closing it and returning the box into the bag.

"I don't know yet," I reply with all honesty, "maybe someone special. Do you want it?"

His brows pull together as he frowns at me, "You are even asking? You know I'm not a girl right?"

"I am not blind Ray, I know." I answer, trying to surpress a laughter at his insinuations. "I don't want it and I think it's better to give it to someone that might appreciate it."

"You should give it to someone special and who also isn't a guy." He cracks up quietly.

I laugh but nod in agreement, that was my first plan, "Even better, I've got to get to class."

"Go and kill it." He winks at me and hands me the gift bag.

I smile, "Thanks for the encouraging words, but I know you really meant go crash and burn."

.

AS MY LECTURE FINISHES for the day, I wrap up to make my way back home. I gifted the gift to Ade, the most engaging student in today's class  and the smile on her face was priceless and I couldn't be happier. At least someone loves the gift.

Like I promised mom and dad this morning, I plan on taking us all out for a fun time out. Flora gardens is the newest chill out place in the city and it's the perfect spot for us. Cool environment, less crowded space and an enticing atmosphere and I swear to god their place better be as astounding as the advert made it out to be or there will be problem.

I search my phone out and press on the video call button as I reach Sean's name and after a few ring, he picks up the call and his wide face comes into view. His face is rough with stubble he hasn't had time to take care of, his brown eyes dull, but still holding a bit of life in them and his hair shabby and unkept and I wonder what he's done in the last two days since we last spoke to make him look this shabby.

"Hello Zarah." He says cheerfully, laughing and looking over his shoulder even while speaking to me and I notice that the white T-shirt he's wearing has black stain almost all over.

"Hey Sean, bad time?" I asks a little skeptical that I didn't give him a heads-up before calling.

He scoffs insantly, "As if you would ever ask before calling, but it's not a bad time." He says with a chuckle before looking over his shoulder again.

"What is it you keep looking at?" I enquire, my brow pulling together in curiosity.

"My car," he replies which immediately sounds absurd to my ears, but he continues to speak, "we are to build a car that runs completely on solar power all on our own and submit when we resume." He tells me with an almost prideful tone.

Understanding better I asks, "Oh, well how's that going?"

"See for yourself," he says and taps on the camera flipping it around so I can see a somewhat medium sized grey car on the floor next to him before flipping the camera back so his face comes on the screen. "What do you think? We are not yet done with this session, but my group is already done with our holiday assignment, I'm group leader and I might add a few upgrade later." He explains, trying to tone down his smugness but he can only do so much.

My eyes are still wide and I'm overwhelmed with how smart and creative Sean can be sometimes, "You guys built that unassisted?" I asks and he nod proudly, "It's amazing, way to go Sean, at least now you get to keep that ego of yours."

"That means so much." He beams, slightly tilting his imaginary hat to me.

"Listen, I told Dad about your plans to miss out on this year's holiday. He's kinda hurt and sad, but I think he understands. He said to tell you that you should take care of yourself, that he love you and he said he is sorry for letting you down."

Sean eyes drops sadly, and his contenance falls which is the complete opposite of his emotions a minute ago and I see him trying to form words but failing miserably. "He shouldn't be sorry, I wish I was there to be of help and be of some assistance to him in the past month. Tell him that he shouldn't be sorry and that I love him." His hand goes up to rub his eyes as they begin to tear up while he speaks.

I smile at him, "Yes I know and I told him you would say that too. I'm taking us out today I will call you again so you can talk to both mom and dad when I get home."

"Great, thanks August, you're the best."

I grin at him, "I know right?"

He rolls his eyes,  it still has a smile on his face. "Later then." He says before ending the call."

Getting stuck in traffic for 3 hours was not part of the plan I made for today, but sadly it's the reality that I've been stuck with. I called Mom about an hour ago informing her about the traffic ordeal, but assuring her we were still going out as planned and that we just had to reschedule the time. She told me to get back safe and promise that dad will be dressed and ready when I get home. Finally after another twenty minutes, I made a turn to the road that leads to my house which is freer than the main road and I glance at my wrist watch to check the time and I'm not surprised when it reads 6:30pm.

I sigh, as I pull up in front of my house grateful to be home.

I get out of the car, getting embraced by the coldness of the evening at once and I wonder why it so cold in the early months of December. I wonder if this is happening because of the month (because December is usually very cold) or if it's because of the time of the day, but then again yesterday was also December and I came home around this time and it was not this cold; so what's happening?! I make my way to the door in a haste trying to escape the cold and once there, I fetch out my keys, open the door and enter into the house.

I turn on the lights and set my bag on the couch close to the door and just like yesterday, the house is awfully quiet and I assume mom and dad are in their room getting ready for our outing. I know it's getting late but I have to be optimistic that everything will work out fine.

"Mom, dad, I'm home late I know, but we can still make it!" I announce, ebulliently, kicking off my heals and bending to pick them up as I move further into the parlour. "I'll just freshen up and we'll go, Flora garden it's not very far away so we will be there in no time."

I pause when I am still greeted by an unusual silence which only happen when they are out or sleeping, but they can't be out, I'm the one taking us out and they can't be sleeping, that's absurd. Then I notice a red stain which looks like a drop on the golden coloured couch which I am most certain wasn't there before and I walk towards it, wondering what might have gotten it there. I walk over to the corner of the room that leads to the kitchen where the couch is and getting to it, I touched it and it is a sticky substance that look and feels so much like blood.

My heart drops in my chest and I bend down as I see the same red substance on the floor, only bigger and that is when I notice that there is a trail of red b****y substance leading into the kitchen and my heart begins to hammer terribly against my chest. I get up and I slowly follow the trail into the kitchen and once inside, I turn on the light and I find Dad's wheelchair covered in blood and facing the floor, but dad is no where to be found.

I'm beyond shock, I'm terrified and freaking out of my mind as to what could have happened to my parents. "Mom? Where are you??"

I leave the kitchen in a haste and run to their rooms and though their room is untouched, I find no trace of them there either and my fear and worries increase with every passing second.

Did someone break in? But the door I opened earlier didn't seem to be one broken into and the neighbours would have seen if someone was trying to get in and alerted the police or called me.

What is happening?!

My head is spinning and I feel like the walls are closing in and I do not know where on Earth I'm going to start from in search of mom and dad.

My hands are shaking as I dread to think what might have happened to my parents and wonder if I'm safe within these walls and tears are already running down in pain, confusion and frustration.

I dip my hand into my pocket and bring out my phone, dial the emergency line and quickly make my way to the door. The line begins to ring after and the seconds ring, the call is picked.

"Hello 112 emergency line, where are you calling from and how may we help you?" Comes the feminine voice on the emergency line.

"Hello..." I find my voice in the mist of my trouble to say, opening the door and stepping out of the house. "I c–can't fin—"

A bright light is turned on and my vision is blinded immediately and my phone slips out of my hand in the atmost shock and I hear it hit the ground, making a loud shattering sound. Although I can't see anything for the next moments that passes, but I hear footsteps running towards me. Completely weak and frozen, I cannot bring myself to take a step or speak anymore and in my mind I know this is the end and my eyes closed and tears run down my face.

"Hands above your head and get down on the ground now!" I hear a deep authoritative voice orders in a very loud voice.

Even though I feel numb, out of my body already and still greatly confused in regards to what exactly is happening, I bring myself to obey and raise my hands above my head while I drop to my knees as instructed. "What is happening?" I scream out even though I'm not sure that I'm audible anymore.

A man steps in front of the light, pointing a g*n at me and I see he is in his blue and black uniform, letting me know he is a policeman, "Get on the ground now!" He orders again, this time moving closer.

I get down on the floor mumbling, "This must be a mistake, this is must be some kind of mistake."

The policeman walk over to me, handcuff my hands before leading me away from my house.