Chapter three

★★3 MONTH LATER★★

Jail certainly wasn't a place for Lisa. One could tell by just looking at her. Her body was pale with rashes and bug stings, her hair was quite messy with chewing gum in it. Her lips too had injuries and dry blood on it which she got from the bullies who had beaten her up. Her jail cloth were torn in so many places but no one bothered about that. She was seen as a criminal afterall.

In jail,everyone had their different category according to your crime and with different level of punishment. Easy, hard and extremely hard. And being accused of murder, her category of punishment was extremely hard not minding the fact that she was a girl.

So many people fell into this category including rapist and they were quite much that it shocked Lisa at first but gradually, she got accustomed to it.

Lisa was doing the manual labour giving to her by the jail warden. Her hand were chained with big rocks attached to the end of the chain making her movement slow and heavy. She was done with her portion and immediately grabbed her plate to get her food.

She has been starving for 3days straight. Why? Because others kept snatching her food after beating her. She had once reported to the jail warden but they paid deaf ears and instead mocked.

"That's what benefits a murder. You better get used to it cause you'll be here for a long time" those were the exact words of the jail warden to her.

After every beating, Lisa would only cry herself to sleep and await the horrors of the next day.

She joined the queue of others and the moment it reached her turn, she was served a bowl of soup. Actually, she didn't really know what she was served. It was quite weird to look at even but she wouldn't be given any other thing and jail food was served once in a day after labour.

The moment she carried her food and began walking away, she felt a slight push from behind making her trip and her soup pouring completely.

She looked up to see Brinda, her biggest bully in the prison who didn't miss any opportunity to harm her. She was the reason for her injured lips and the chewing gum in her hair.

"Weakling" Brinda mocked and walked away stylishly leaving Lisa on the floor helpless.

"Are you okay?" Celine said offering her hand to Lisa which she took.

"Am fine, I think" she added getting up with the help of Celine.

Truthfully,Celine had become her friend with the little time she spent in jail and she was always grateful to her.

"Don't mind that...that...she goat" Celine finally said after thinking of what noun to call Brinda.

"Its okay. Am lucky she didn't beat me up today." Lisa replied calmly.

" Thank goodness. Here, let's share my soup" Celine offered but Lisa immediately shook her head.

"No. It's your meal after all the work,I can't take it. You know you won't get another one for the rest of the day" Lisa reasoned but Celine also shook her head.

" I know but what about you?. You too won't get any till tomorrow. Come on, let's share. I don't mind" Celine said softly. Her words pricked Lisa heart.

Celine was so kind hearted which made Lisa wonder why she was in jail. Although Celine Already told her. She had murdered her mother's boyfriend.

Her dad passed away and in not less than 6months, her mother brought another man saying he would be her new father, Her stepfather. Celine loathed the man. She tried to change her mom's mind but she wouldn't agree so she had no other choice than to kill him which she was arrested for and that's why she ended up here.

"No Celine. Besides, I've lost my appetite. Just eat your food okay?" Lisa said and patted her hair before leaving for her cell.

"Miss Williams" Lisa turned to see a female cop approaching her before she could enter her cellroom.

"Yes"

"Follow me" the cop ordered and Lisa immediately followed her. She led her to a room.

The officer got a key and began unlocking the chackles on her hand and leg.

Lisa looked at her confused but didn't say anything.

"You have been released. You'll be heading home soon" the cop answered her questions and Lisa looked at her surprised..

She was released. She was going home away from this Terrible place. She was finally free.

But why?

Wasn't she supposed to spend life imprisonment for murder so how come? Was she finally proven innocent? Or was she pardon by the state or something?

Nothing made sense but nevertheless, she was happy.

"Go in there and take your bath" the officer led her into a Smaller room which she entered and found a shower and soap.

She immediately took her bath, washing her body thoroughly. She came out naked but the female cop was gone. However she found a gown on a small table and a scissors. She immediately wore the gown and trimmed out the chewing gum from her hair.

She looked at her skin. Although the bug bites and injuries were still there,no doubt they'll eventually go.

"You ready?" She heard the cop asked and she turned nodding.

"Good. Let's go. Your driver is waiting" joy overflowed in her as she followed the cop outside.

But then she remembered someone.

Celine...her only close friend. She turned wanting to go back and say goodbye but she saw her a little distance away.

She waved at her enthusiastically.

"Am happy for you" she mouthed with a smile with Lisa returned and waved at her. She finally turned and left with happiness.

********

★★TWO DAYS LATER★★

When she got home, she didn't see her mom but however she met Andy who was quite happy to see her. And so was Lisa. She never thought she would leave prison so soon but she did and she couldn't be more happy than that.

Today was her mom birthday and her mom would also be returning from wherever she went. Lisa asked Andy who told her that he had no idea where their mother went but she had assured him of coming in two days time which was today.

And on a better note, today was her mom birthday. Lisa immediately set to make her a birthday cake to welcome her back. And also for appeasement.

Baking was one of Lisa favorite hobby and for the fact that she is doing it for her mother made her very Happy.

She hummed and sang as she baked the cake. She put in so much love.

"Happy birthday dearest mother" Lisa wrote on the cake in bold italics.

" Perfect" she commented.

Soon she heard the gates opening and she immediately guessed it was her mother

"Just on time. I hope she likes it" Lisa said to herself. Hoping so much.

She packaged the cake and waited a bit. She looked at the birthday cake before carrying and heading for the sitting room where her brother and mother was. Her heart was slamming against her chest as she thought of ways to give her her cake.

She wasn't sure if her mom would want to celebrate it. Because she didn't normally celebrate it these previous years since her father's death but then, she was welcoming her.

" Stop being scared Lisa. She is my mother afterall and I love her no matter what and she loves me too" Lisa tried convincing herself as she held the cake heading for the door. She has never felt this nervous in her entire life. It was probably because her mom thought of her as Lia's murderer and Lisa certainly wasn't sure if her mentality has changed.

But then, the driver said it was her mom who pulled a few strings to get her out of jail. She must have surely forgiven her. Right?

"...happy birthday to you.. long life and prosperity... Hip hip hip hooray..." She heard her brother and maid conclude the birthday song for my mom.

She would have been part of the singing but....

"And now... Time to cut your cake mom" she heard her brother Andy say from inside and she knew it was her cue to enter.

Praying and hoping mom doesn't reject her cake, she slowly opened the door with one hand while holding on to the cake in the other hand.

"Oh Lord, pls let her accept it." she prayed silently.

Lisa entered the sitting room fully and watched as her mom smiling face turned sour on spotting her. She forced a smile to her face and mustered courage to move closer to her.

"Happy birthday Mom" Lisa wished her sincerely with a smile. Andy and the maid made way for her to go towards her mom

"Keep it to yourself. I don't need your wishes." She said with anger and glared at her.

" I don't need your damn cake. Get out of my room with this poison you call cake" she suddenly yelled when Lisa made no response to her first statement.

Lisa felt her heart shattering into a million pieces as she heard those words. But she tried to compose myself.

"She is still angry at me". Lisa said in her mind biting her lip mindlessly.

She dropped the cake and lit the candle that was on it.

"At least, blow the candle and make a wish mom even if you don't eat the cake" Lisa said with pleading eyes hoping she would agree. Nothing would make her happier if she agreed.

A smirk graced her lips as she stared at Lisa hatefully.

"I wish you die a cruel death just as you murdered your sister" her voice was laced with so much venom as she spoke to Lisa .

Lisa tried to control the tears that were threatening to fall. Her Mom still blamed me for Lia's sister death till date. She hated her more than ever.

But Lisa loved Lia with her life.

"Just go to hell with your cake" her mom yelled and threw the cake down.. everything scattering.

Lisa looked at the cake hurtfully as a tears slide down her cheeks.

"But mom, Cathy spent time and money on the cake and also love. You shouldn't waste it" Andy spoke up defending lisa and what Happened next was definitely unexpected.

Lisa and the maid gasped as her mom slapped Andy right across the face. He held his cheeks, Tears brimming in his eyes.

"How dare you talk back at me?" She lashed at him and was about to hit him again when Lisa stepped in the way.

He was only trying to defend her but she took out her anger on him. He was the only one who didn't blame me for my twin sister. If anything, he has been there for her Even though she was older with 5years, he always shared and understood my sorrows.

And now because of her, her mom had to hit him. Something she has never done since he was birthed.

"Please don't hit him. Hit me instead" Lisa pleaded closing her eyes waiting for the sting of her palms on my face but it never came.

She heard the door slam shut. She immediately guessed Andy left the room because mom hit him.

"Get out of my room" she said turning her back on her.

This was enough prove for lisa. She still care and love her even though she's angry. She can't even bring herself to hit her own daughter. Only daughter

"But mom..." Lisa opened her mouth to say something but she turned to face her. Her eyes red with tears in them.

"Don't ever call me that again. You lost the right to call me that when you murdered my child" she yelled painfully.

Lisa could literally feel and hear the pain in her voice.

"And knowing that you have her face is Killing me inside. I see her everywhere"

"I'll never forgive you for killing her. Never. You aren't my daughter, your a murderer" she yelled even more.

Lisa heart clenched at her words as I cried silently while staring at her.

"If you really want to give me a birthday gift, bring back my child you took" she yelled hatefully.

" You killed your own sister. You are a murderer. A bloody murderer" she screamed with anger and rushed to the bathroom slamming the door.

"Miss... Are you..."Lisa felt Sarah our maid touch my shoulder but she bolted out of the room before she could complete her statement.

She ran out the house as she always did when she felt hurt and sad. She didn't even know where she was going. All she knew is her legs were running. Running into the unknown.

Her mother's words kept resounding in her ears. It was worst than Lia's words and it pained more.

' you killed your own sister'

'you are a murderer'

'... A bloody murderer..' her words echoed in Lisa ears.

Her tears never stopped even though she was running with the wind slapping my face. She never stopped. Not until she got to the cemetery.

The cemetery where Lia was buried.

She fell on her knees as she cried harder touching her grave.

"I wish I could turn back the hands of time. I wish I could bring you back. I wish everything was back to normal. Why did you have to leave? Why? " Lisa lamented crying harder.

Ever since Lia was raped, I was blamed. She hated me so much. The love they shared, the bond everything died.

She needed her but Lisa wasn't there for her. It's all because of m

Her. If only she had been with her the day she was raped, the rape would never have happened

"Mom's right. Am a murderer" she cried

***