UNDERGROUND MARKET, 7:30PM*

"Dad will cover everything " Teal assured.

*

6PM

Tate came out of the twentieth house without success, and she was already feeling itchy in the throat and tired at the same time.

She decided to rest in front of the house before going across the road to get some water.

She sat on the bench, placing her bag on her laps.

"Aren't you trying too hard?" Richard's croaky voice said beside her, and her eyes widened as she spranged up to see him standing by the door.

He's wearing a black suit, hands in pockets and a smug smile on his ghastly face.

"You animal!!!" Tate lunged forward to him, but he moved out of the way, so she fell weakly.

Richard tsked loudly..

"Are you eating well? You look pitiful" he said, and Tate spranged up vengefully again, picking a gun from her bag.

Before she could fire at him, Teal and the guys appeared, snatching it from her easily.

She grabbed Teal, and Teal scoffed.

"Let go of me old woman!"

She pushed her, and Tate fell again.

Teal left with the gun, and the guys followed her.

"What did I do to you, Richard? Why!!! They were two...two girls...they did nothing wrong!!!" Tate cried heart-wrenchingly.

Richard lowered himself sinisterly.

"Sybil did nothing wrong, she was just unfortunate. My adopted daughter wanted her life as a compensation for her dead mother's life, and I couldn't say no." He shrugged.

Tate cried harder.

"And as for Pearl...I think we both know her sin is being your husband's daughter" he said, turning serious.

"You're telling me you killed my daughter cos of what you heard Adrian saying about your infertility?" Tate said.

"No" Richard replied, and Tate spranged up.

"Then why? Why!!!" She yelled breathlessly.

"Adrian himself is the cause of my infertility!" Richard yelled back, and Tate gasped, going silent.

"I found out Adrian poisoned the water i used in my house. I dunno what he injected into my water pipes but that thing rendered me infertile! He knew how serious our father always took childbirth, and that was the only way to make him step me down as the CEO. I became infertile cos of Adrian, and I got stepped down for him! Adrian ruined my life because of the family company! I can't have a child of my own so tell me why his own child should be alive!!!" Richard yelled.

Tate stumbled through tears.

"No, no you're not... you're not in...

She fell back on the bench before she could finish the words, and her tears started in full.

*

UNDERGROUND MARKET, 7:30PM*

BJ just finished treating Pearl's arm, and he's currently wrapping a piece of cloth on it, serving as bandage.

Getting used to this place even after three weeks is an impossible task.

All she does is cry, and she can't stop.

Even right now, she has tears in her eyes.

"You should really stop the habit of crying everytime, baby" BJ told her.

Pearl sniffled like a baby, her gown stinking to her so much.

The guard in charge of food dropped their food bowl for the night at the door, and the second girl went for it immediately.

She came back with the bowl containing two packs of chips, then a red apple.

"Are they kidding? Y'all expect me to eat this for dinner? If you're gonna sell me then feed me well man!" BJ shouted menacingly.

"Take what you see and shut the fûck up, black monkey!" One of the guards shouted back.

"Your mama didn't teach you manners? Screw you! I'm black and I'm damn proud of it!" BJ yelled angrily, and the guard came back.

BJ was dragged out of the cell, and Pearl spranged up, watching as they took him away.

He was stripped naked, made to lay on his chest, and the bunch of guards started whipping him with belts, but he still didn't stop cursing.

• BJ loves trouble.

• Dude should learn to shut up.

• I like him though

"Do something!" Pearl told the second girl who's just sitting neutrally.

"Something? That's not his first time getting beaten. He's stubborn, and he'll still do it tomorrow" the girl replied, and Pearl slowly sat back.

"Where's he from?" She asked, wiping the tears on her red sick face.

BJ's curses and screams could still be heard, resonating through the cells.

"His late father is from Africa, and his late mother is an American. He was kidnapped from a slum in America" the girl replied.

"What about you? You haven't even told me your name" Pearl said.

"You wanna know my name?"

"Yeah, it's been three weeks and I still don't know" Pearl softly said.

"No one knows that, not even BJ, and that's why he calls me Parrot" she replied.

"But you rarely talk" Pearl said, and she smiled slightly.

"That's because I'm not used to you. The moment you stop crying everytime, we'll click. I really hate tears" the girl replied, sounding a little cold.

Pearl wiped her tears again, and she nodded.

"Good"

Pearl sniffled.

"Keep my name a secret though" the girl said, shifting closer.

"I promise" Pearl faced her.

"My father owns a casino in Spain, and my mother is Chinese... My name is Silver, Silver Banks"