Chances

Chapter Seventeen

Tina slept while she felt the cold air sending chills through her body. She also forgot to lock her door, it just escaped her. As she slept, flashes of the past haunted her. She kept on remembering the days she had spent in prison.

They weren't her favorite dreams, yet once a while she would dream about them. What made her sick was those images weren't just dreams, they actually happened to her. She remembered how the dirty handcuffs heavily ate into her skin as she was always dragged around, receiving al sort of beatings and kicks.

She slept on the hard cemented surface of the building whenever she fought in there. All in the name of detention, she would eat nothing. She would be pushed and pulled so many times by the officers.

The prisoners were her worse enemies. They would pick up a fight with her and whenu she fought back, she would be the only one they catched: they'd run away and made sure she never escaped the officers. They would also gang up and fish only her out when they asked who had caused or started the fight.

No one visited her while she was in there and when someone ever did, it was Leah; the last person she wanted to see. Not only did she come there, she always brought her annoying friend with her also.

It was annoying seeing them both as they bring her food to eat and water to drink. It wasn't quite allowed to eat outside food but since the two of them were their 'stars', they turned blind eyes on it all in the name of protocol. But immediately they left, she was back to facing their harsh treatments.

Sleeping had always been hard for Tina even when she left prison. Whenever she slept, she was scared she'd open her eyes: to open her eyes and see she was living in a lie and realize she was still in prison would kill her totally. She feared as she slept on a comfortable bed, she would wake up and open her eyes to the four cornered room of the cell: more like three cornered room since nobody dared to move or step into one of the corners, it was meant for only an inmate who had been there for more than thirty years.

Even though she kept reassuring herself she was out and would never go in there again, the bad dreams kept chasing her whenever she shut her eyes. So most at times when she woke up, she first touched the curtains to make sure she woke up at the right side of her dreams.

And in her dreams, Tina felt a cold object on her forehead. It was as if someone were staring down at her. She felt her surrounding being heavy. She wanted to open her eyes and see who it was, but she couldn't. She just kept on turning her head left and right. She was shivering and kept chanting;

Don't touch me unless you want to die. Don't, stop. Go away.

She hoped one day, she would sleep and never be haunted again in her sleep. She wished to sleep peacefully and calmly as a new born child; who had no worries about the world and slept as if nothing were wrong with the planet itself.

The next morning, Tina woke up to the sound of her phone ringing. Sitting up, her eyes furiously scanned on the screen as she saw Jimmy's name showing up after every sound. Her eyes blinked at the phone as if she did not know who was calling her.

She picked it up and he sounded mad. It wasn't as if he had ever been happy. There had been not a day, he was happy.

“Calm down, what is it?" She tiredly required from him, clenching her phone to her ear, hoping it wouldn't break after the call ended.

“Have you found out where he is being kept?" He impatiently screamed out the words, making her move the phone away from her ear, fearing for her pretty little ears.

“Yes, he's at the police hospital. The one closer to the run about and behind the Catholic church. I have forgotten the name of the hospital but I know the location. I'll text it to you. I just told you so now go and do your work," she also barked into the phone.

“Don't shout at me. And it's not going to be me, it will be you finishing him off. So better get that lazy head off yours to think straight. Don't ever forget I'm in charge here. I alone speak and you listen!" he also yelled back at her.

“Well unfortunately for you, I can't go out of the house. They would suspect me. Also I have a wound, have you forgotten so soon? It wouldn't help me work faster unless you want them to catch me. So it is still going to be you," she silently whispered.

By his silence, Tina knew he was thinking about it. It crossed Jimmy he had to do it himself. If he insisted on her doing it, she would probably get caught. She always messed things up for them and he had to clean up the mess.

“OK, I will do it myself. Let me know when something comes up. Don't keep anything to yourself. I need every information you get," he told her and hanged up on her before she could say something else... not as if she wanted to say anything.

She threw her legs out of bed when an object fell on her stomach. She took it into her palms and realized someone had actually come into her room the other night when she was having one of her nightmares and breakdowns.

The person had placed a towel on her forehead. Who that had been, she didn't know since she was engulfed by the fear of her own dream.

She looked around to see if perhaps there was something suspicious the person could see when he or she came in there. Finding none, she pulled herself into the washroom to take her bathe. The water was cold, yet calming as it touched her skin.

Checking the clock, Tina realized she had slept in. It was almost 12 o'clock when she just finished dressing up. She sighed heavily and shamefully walked downstairs. Everyone had finished eating already and she wondered if they even noticed she wasn't around the table while they were eating.

She was sad, even though she didn't want to accept it. She looked around and found Marisca, Leah and David sitting down and watching a movie together.

When they saw her, Marisca quickly rushed to her side, she looked concerned. Her lips drew a thin line and her eyes grew bigger as she reached Tina's side.

“Are you feeling fine?" She queried as she touched her forehead and cheeks. Flinching away, she confusedly search for answers on Marisca's face but she found nothing.

“Yes I'm fine...w-why d-do y-y-you ask?" she stammered as she also threw a question back at her. She was amused by her approach.

“Leah told us you weren't feeling well last night. She said you had a mild fever. Have you taken any drug? You should take some." she explained and begged while touching her again.

She then knew the person who put the towel on her forehead. It was Leah. Tina again flinched as Marisca touched her. She wasn't used to people showing affection toward her. And by the way Marisca was reacting, it would be because she looked bad or Leah exaggerated what she saw the previous night.

Leah realized the situation and jumped in, "OK girl leave her alone. She said she's fine. Come and sit so she can go and eat. Her food is already cold. Go ahead," she pulled Marisca away from Tina. Making her hate her for stealing the moment away from her.

Tina silently finished her food. She was thinking all this while. Her heart had flipped when she realized Leah was the one who placed the towel on her and she also remembered how Marisca's eyes moved with concern towards her.

David had only shot her a smile. That was usual of him. He always smiled at her, even though he heard her conversation with Jimmy the last time. He didn't question or keep an eye on her like he had warned.

When she got up and emptied her plate and also washed it, she heard Jad's voice in the hall. She cursed and decided to keep long in there. But then Dean had to come in and ask her to bring Jad a glass of water.

She however had to do it. She sent the water and the jerk even didn't want to drink anything.

“Man you make me feel human!" Dean shot at Jad, knowing he was speaking the opposite of the situation.

Dean was never Jad's fan. He hated his guts. Jad was always arrogant and he never tried to hide it.

It seemed he was proud of that trait and Tina wished she could have it her way and just torture him till he changed.

“OK, so I was around the area and decided to pass here and greet you all. And personally tell you Ken is out of danger and is conscious now...just not yet awake. But he'll be in a short period of time. He's our only witness and our only hope of catching the culprit so there is a tight security at his place," he quickly finished telling them as he turned to leave.

Dean would call himself a fool if he didn't tell him what he was thinking about. He opened his mouth and groaned, "So you came into our house to tell us this? Man, is there a woman in here that you like?" He let out a chuckle before continuing, "Because if he's not awake, why would you even have bothered? You already told us he's out of danger, like two days ago.”

“As I said before talking, I was around the neighborhood and decided to pass here. I'm leaving, you can suck on the news, Dean. I'm leaving," he mocked Dean and left.

“Such an i***t! He's an arrogant fool. Huh! 'You can suck on the news, Dean' i***t!," Dean was boiling with anger, imitating how he mocked him.

Tina wondered if the two had some personal issues. They both seemed to hate each other.

“Oh poor guy. If you like him, just chase after him and tell him. You don't have to pick up a fight with him every single day he comes here. Who knows, he might be also interested in you," Marisca mocked him too.

Dean chuckled as he eyed after the closed door. He could smash the young detective's head if there were lawlessness in the country. Getting his attention back to Marisca, her words registered in his head and a naughty smile displayed on his lips as he turned to face the other female in the room.

“Would you like to spend a night with me to find out?" He suggested while looking at Leah, "Well, at least so you can tell them what you found out.”

Marisca grinned, almost teasing Leah with it. She had passed that comment but he was directing his nonsense at Leah.

Lately Leah couldn't help but notice he didn't hide his flirting anymore. He openly showed her and every time he did, she would blush and look away. It seemed he enjoyed it every time he saw the colours brightened her cheeks.

“OK, I'm off to the gym. The big fight has been rescheduled. It's going to be next week. You are all free to come," she playfully dared as she looked into Dean's eyes, knowing how he felt about it the last time.

What she didn't know was, he sure was going to be there again and always..