The cold morning breeze swept across his face as he struggled to raise his eye lids. The nightmares were here again. This time around he saw Grace and Derrick laughing maniacally as they chased after him from behind.
"No... No... No!!!!! No!!!!!" He screamed and woke up panting heavily. He looked around the room fearfully and noticed he was in a strange place.
"Hey... Are you ok?" He heard a lady's voice converging the room. The room was bright with the lights from the sun penetrating from the windows. She walked Into the room dressed in a black nightie and he flinched on sighting her.
"Hey. .. Don't be scared…" She said as she approached him on the bed.
"Where I'm...I'm..I?" He asked fearfully as he continued looking around the room.
"You're safe with me..I've succeeded in reaching your grandma and she's on her way here" she replied with a warm smile.
On hearing that, his nerves relaxed and he exhaled deeply. His body ached badly and his lips were sore and swollen. He held on to the blanket covering his unclad Chest.
"I'm Maryanne," she said with a warm smile while he nodded. She looked the same age with his mother, pretty, tall, with a cinnamon brown skin and dark straight hairs. Her accent was Spanish though her English were well spoken.
"I'll prepare a warm bath for you. I'll be back" she said before walking out.
After taking his bath, she prepared breakfast for him and he ate silently while she stared at him from the sofa.
"Gracias…" He muttered to her and she smiled.
"Co'mo est'as?" (How are you) she asked in Spanish. He nodded slowly and turned to his meal.
She stood up from the sofa and sat beside him on the dinning after he finished his breakfast.
"I want to know about the bad woman…" She said and Eden flinched. He looked at her and saw the serious look on her face.
"Who was after your life?" She asked again
"Um...um…" He was trying to speak when a knock on the door interrupted him. She stood up and went to open the door.
"Holla," (hello), Granny Rodrigo greeted from the door.
"Buenos di'as" (good morning), the lady greeted
"Are you Mrs Maryanne?" The granny asked
"Yes…" the lady replied
"I'm Rodrigo Samara, Eden's grandmother.The little boy with you.." Grandma tried to explain.
"Oh... Venir venir" (come in)... She ushered happily.
Eden rushed out of the dinning as soon as he heard his grandma's voice.
"Granny!!!" He exclaimed, running towards her, she lifted him up and they both began to sob.
"My son," she said passionately as she rubbed his hair.
"Granny .. I miss you.." He cried. "Please take me home I want to go with you" he added fearfully as he clung to his Grandma.
"Yes.. I'm taking you home already.." She cried and pecked his cheek. She turned to the lady who was smiling at them.
"Thanks ma'am, I'm grateful for your help.." Granny said to the lady who had been staring at them.
"You're welcome granny.. It's my pleasure," she replied with a smile.
"I will take him home now, his parents are on their way" Granny said
"I don't wanna see them, please don't let them take me.." Eden cried.
"Hey Eden she's not taking you to them ok? You'll be fine with Granny," Maryanne assured
"Yes son, I won't let them take you.." Granny promised.
After sometime, they left for Granny's home. His parents arrived no sooner than they arrived home.
"Eden!" His mother cried, rushing into the house.
Eden shifted backwards and hid behind his granny as she approached him.
"Son, what came over you!" Emilio yelled at him.
He remained behind his granny as he stared at his parents with contempt.
"Hey, you both should go easy on the boy, he's just a Child" Granny defended.
"I don't know if a demon has possessed him mom, he almost killed Derrick and now he bit Grace with his teeth almost tearing her skin off…" Emilia related with concern.
"We need to take him to see a priest.." Emilio said
"You're taking him nowhere.. You've both failed over this child and I'm keeping him with me.." Granny refuted.
"Eden... Come over here now!!" Emilio yelled but he remained reluctant.
"Eden!! Are you ok? What's gotten over you.." Emilia yelled.
"Grandma I need to discipline him right now.." Emilio said, trying to drag him from behind the granny.
"Let him be!," Granny protested, shoving his arms away.
"I want to know why he bit Grace in that manner, I want to know!!" Emilio yelled.
"Ask her yourself.." Granny retorted
"She said she was bathing when Eden walked into the bathroom with a knife and tried to stab her. She struggled with him and he bit her so hard" Emilio related.
Eden flinched as he heard those words. Grace had lied to everyone, he thought. But he couldn't say a word. His parents were not worth telling the truth, and it's best he keeps this dirty secret with him for the rest of his life.
"Well, I guess he's no longer comfortable staying around you both. I'll keep him with me then.." The Granny insisted.
"It's fine mom, because he's getting dangerous with each passing day. let him stay with you.." Emilia suggested.
"Yes I think so.. Let him stay here with you we'll check on him from time to time.." Emilio added with a sigh of relief.
He felt so happy at those words, and he couldn't wait for them to leave. He loved his grandma more than his parents. But then he thought of Julius.
"Mother…" He called to Emilia as she was about to leave the house.
"What?" She asked with a frown.
"Julius... Is he alright?" He asked shyly.
"Oh, you finally want to talk now. well, Julius and his mother left Mexico after his mother was diagnosed of a heart disease. Theyflew back to Spain for a surgery, so I heard," Emilia replied.
His countenance changed at once. A tear escaped his eyes knowing he would never see Julius again.
That night, as he slept beside his granny, he slept with peace of mind. With no Derrick neither Grace around him, he knew he was safe with his Granny and a new life had just begun.
But just when his life was about to take a new turn, the unexpected happened.
10 YEARS LATER MAXIMUM SECURITY CAMP, JUAREZ The lights fluctuated and the sounds of his leather boots could be heard as he walked hastily through the hallway. Holding a tray of tea, he kept a straight face as he walked past the warders and the heavily armed men mounting in front of the cells on both sides of the hallway. He took a left turn where he could see a passageway holding up to three cells. Two heavily armed policemen could be seen patrolling along the passage which was as calm as a graveyard. He stopped in front of the cell with a number tag, G3. The sound of the steel gate could be heard as it opened wide and he walked into the cell slowly. She rose up from the bunker bed and heaved a sigh as she turned to face him. Her lips curved into a mischievous smile as she saw him holding the tray with his head bowed. "Gracias" she muttered with a smile as she took the tray from him and he turned to walk away immediately. She sat on the bed with the tray resting on her legs.
"Hey," Julius called as he walked over to him with a glass of fruit juice in his hand. "Hey man," Eden called as he munched his fries "You know, I'm proud of you" Julius said with a smile He nodded "Thank you for being a true friend" he said and Julius smiled. "You know, Smoke's perspective about you has changed a lot. He no longer sees you as an enemy to the state" he said "Oh, really?" Eden asked in surprise "Yeah. He sends his regards. He has been transferred away from chimalpa" he said and he nodded. "My mom sends her regards too. She's really happy right now that you did the right thing. She has spent a couple of months praying for you" he said and Eden smiled "I wish I could meet her one more time" he said and they both smiled. "Eden, my worst fear is life in prison for you. You know how many of those guys you've put in there and they're probably waiting for you right now" he said anxiously He gulped and exhaled. "I know and I've been thinking about that. I will have
He stood up from the bunker bed as he heard the sound of the steel gate opening. He has been placed in the city's minimum security prison before his transfer to a maximum security prison in Joanesco. He followed behind the warder as they walked through the hallway which holds different cell rooms. A few armed men in uniforms could be seen, mounting in front of the prison cells. He was led into a large field in the open where he could see a few inmates who were having a good time with their family and friends. Heavily armed Security personnels could be seen, patrolling around the facility which was fenced all round. His face beamed with smiles as he saw his family and friends waving over him at the field. As he walked closer to them, he could see Jessica running to meet him. "Eden!" She cried as she hugged him tightly. He held her closely for a while as everyone watched with smiles on their faces. He looked ahead of her and he could see His father and mother standing with his sist
There was tension in court as Nanny Cassie was called up into the witness dock. Grace shut her eyes for a moment as she saw the Nanny who was standing on the dock with her head bowed. After taking the oath, Tracy began to throw series of questions at her. "How long have you been working at the Smith's mansion?" She asked "For almost three decades" she stated "Great. Now as a Nanny who has witness a lot that has been ongoing in the Smith's mansion, tell us what you know about the abuse case and Mrs Grace's involvement in the murder of Mrs Rodrigo Eden's grandmother" she continued. "When Eden was taken back to the mansion, I began to notice a few unusual things about him. He sometimes refuses his meals, and he becomes emaciated. Sometimes, he would lock himself up in the room and I would hear him cry. One night, I saw Grace take him out of his room and she led him into the Master's room while he was away on a business trip. I tiptoed and leaned on the door listening to their voices
There was a pandemonium in the court premises as a lot of chants could be heard by the crowd who had gathered in front of the court gate, holding placards and banners as they continued to sing and chant in Spanish. "libertad al rey!!"(Freedom to the King) were the words that could be heard echoing around the whole place as the young men and women tried to gain entry into the court premises. The police and other security agencies could be seen, trying to enforce peace and order as they engaged the crowd who were causing a pandemonium over the premises with their chants. As the police van zoomed into the court premises, the chants increased and the gate of the Court was shut immediately while the crowd continued to chant outside. He was led out of the police van with Spider beside him. As he looked back at the crowd, he was filled with awe and his eyes welled up as he saw the crowd which was made up of mainly students from the states University chanting his name gracefully. The pres
Her wide full lips broke into a warm smile as she watched him being led into the visitors room with a policeman beside him. As he walked closer to her, his face beamed with a smile and he couldn’t explain the feelings of seeing her here again. “Hey,” she called with a smile as he took the seat facing her. He kept silent and stared at her face for a moment, with his face full of smiles “What?” She asked with a chuckle “You’re getting robust” he blurted and they both laughed. They kept silent for a moment with their eyes burning into each other. “I miss you Eden, i want you to come out of all this” she broke into tears immediately He heaved a sigh as his heart became heavy ``Jess, stop it” he said with emotions written all over his voice. She sniffed and wiped the tears off her face as she raised up her head to look at him. “You don’t really have to go to prison. You have an unborn child Eden, you have me” she cried and he looked away from her sadly. “I’m sorry for putting you