CAST OUT

Abducted

The day everyone had been expecting. The awful day that was gonna decide their life was just a day away, and that day, she feared, she didn’t want to die because of it or want anything to happen to her or Barbra or anyone in the mansion. Her brother Aziel and her shadow sambas. She missed them.

A lot.

She closed the drapes on the window and stepped aside from it.

“You ain’t going to Carols are you?”

She asked as she watched her get dressed, putting on her jeans. Then she went on to fix her bra.

Elina slumped by the bed. With a sigh.

“I’m gonna get a few pieces of stuff and hurry back home, I’ll be quick. We’ve been absent for a long time now.”

Elina rolled her eyes. Went there yesterday and the day before. What was she talking about now?

“Have you gotten yourself another boyfriend?”

“No!” She yelled.

“Why yelling, it was just a question, now you’re acting more suspicious.”

“I don’t have any boyfriend and I’m not seeing anyone.”

“Not even Ray.”

She hesitated, before replying.

“No,”

“Damn you liar.” She hissed.

“You’re seeing Ray, ain’t you.”

“What makes you think I’m seeing him. I’m not.”

“That has to be the reason you’re going to carol every day, or you ain’t going to carol but somewhere else and use that as an excuse. Barbra, you said we shouldn’t keep things under wraps. You said that. Now you’re doing it.”

“I.. I.. I…”

“You have something to say.”

“I know you haven’t been going to carol, where have you been going Barbra?”

“It’s not… I just… I thought… I wasn’t…”

“What are you saying.”

“I’m sorry..”

“You’re hiding something.”

“I have been seeing Ray. Somewhere else. I couldn’t bring him here, so we met somewhere else. That’s why I’ve been leaving the house and now, he suddenly wants to see me. Though we met yesterday, I don’t know why he said it’s important. So I’m going to see him.”

“Seems the love has skyrocketed.”

“Shut up!” Barbra giggled.

“How is he?”

“Still not over you. But he’s good.”© 2024 Nôv/el/Dram/a.Org.

“You should get going, don’t wanna be late for your date, and mostly, don’t come home late.”

“We’ll talk a little and then I’ll head back home.”

“You’re saying it like it’s gonna be simple. Where are you gonna meet up.”

“Over the bridge.”

“The bridge?”

“Yeah.”

“Why the bridge? Isn’t it too far from here? It’s like an hour’s drive.”

“Stop exaggerating. It’s not an hour’s drive. You just don’t want me to see him.”

“You saw him yesterday. It won’t be a big deal not seeing him today. I don’t wanna be alone today.”

“C’mon El, you stayed yesterday. I won’t stay long I promise, I just wanna hear what he has to say, and then I’ll run over. Maybe he’s gonna propose his love to me. You can never tell.”

“I don’t wanna be alone. I kinda feel insecure. I’m having the awful feeling.”

“I know why you’re like that. It’s because you’re worried about Kenzo, you haven’t heard from him, that’s why you’re feeling that way, take your thought off him for a moment and you’ll be fine. I already made breakfast, you should eat.”

“I’m not hungry.”

“You’re, Just eat.” She slips the polo shirt on, hurried over to the mirror to brush her hair.

Maybe she was right, she had been thinking about Kenzo since he left, what would have happened to him, what was he doing, how are they preparing. She had been worried. Because of that.

Sighing, she hugged the pillow to herself.

“Can you buy some fried chicken on your way?”

“He gave you his credit card, didn’t he? He purposely left him here, he didn’t want you to reject them, that’s why he did that. Kenzo.” She chuckled amusingly. Opening the drawers she took the credit card.

“I’ll buy some fruits as well.”

“Just buy something. I give you an hour. I want you back before noon.”

“I’ll be back before you know it. Make sure you eat.”

“Yeah.”

Barbara nodded. Took her small band bag, giving Elina a wink as she walks out of the house.

Elina sighed. She was alone again, this time, she felt she was being consumed by it. She hugged the pillow tightly to herself. Taking her phone beside the bed. She scroll down her contact, who was she gonna call. There was no one. Halfway down her list, she stopped, staring at the number.

Aziel, he wasn’t just Aziel, Kenzo’s right-hand man, he was her brother, the brother she never knew they had.

She put a call through him, he picked up at the first ring.

“Elina..” She had missed the way he called her, sweet and tender. Like he was the one who gave her the name.

For some seconds she didn’t say anything but listen to his breathing.

“Elina..”

“Aziel..” she sniffed.

“Have you been crying..”

“I just got emotional talking to you. I missed you that’s why.”

“I missed you more.”

She cried softly. Holding the phone to her ear.

“What’s wrong?”

“I don’t know why I’m so emotional right now. Are you guys okay?”

“We’re fine. Trying to put things in order. Kenzo is fine. Just busy. We all are. Don’t go out tonight, don’t go anywhere, don’t open for anyone, anyone at all.”

She nods.

“I won’t.”

“Okay, I shouldn’t be taking now, I’ll call you later.”

“Okay.” She pulled the phone away from her ear and sighed. What was this feeling she was having?

She lay on the bed, with the pillow holding it close to her chest. She still wasn’t feeling it.

Just then she heard the front door open. Barbra was back so soon.

She was glad she made it back very quickly. Sitting up, she exhaled. Maybe she didn’t meet Ray or maybe the discussion was very

quick.

“Barbra I..”

“Ray?”

“El..”

The shock was written all over her face, she still couldn’t understand why Ray was here when he was supposed to meet up with Barbra.

“Why are you here?” She asked standing up from the bed.

“Where’s Barbra? Why isn’t she with you?”

“What do you mean?” He asked, stepping in closer to her.

“By the way, how did you get in.”

“The door wasn’t locked.”

“And you didn’t knock.”

“I did. Maybe you didn’t hear. That’s why I got in.”

Elina picked up her phone. Calling Barbra, it went directly into voicemail.

“What’s wrong? She isn’t picking up the call. You told her to meet you over the bridge and she went there and now this…”

“I didn’t tell her anything, I didn’t ask her to meet up with me.”

She ruffled her hair.

“What could have gone wrong? What’s all this. And now I can’t reach her.” She reached out for her jacket, putting them on.

“Ain’t you gonna ask about me, you didn’t even hug me, you couldn’t even look at me. Do I disgust you that much El?”

She paused in her movement and turned to face Ray.

“I was having this feeling on my guts, that’s something is gonna happen. And it got me worried. I haven’t been able to think. I’m sorry.”

“I only wanted to see those looks in your eyes. That you cared but it seems you don’t care about me anymore. It hurts you know.”

“I do care, a lot about you. Ray. You shouldn’t think that way.”

“You’re making me think that way. It’s okay, I get it, I’m not important. Let’s go. Let’s look for Barbra.”

“Ray…”

“I’m good.” He replied, turning towards the door like he was gonna go out but he did. He stopped and faced her again. She was backing him. Tying her hair in a ponytail. Taking large steps towards her. Standing behind her.

“Ray..”

He hits her on the head. With the vase.

She fell.

Her head came in contact with the table.

“Why… Ray?” she groaned as her eyes fell shut.

“Sorry, El… if you had looked at me with those eyes, I would have done a rethink. If you had shown that you cared, I won’t have hurt you this much. I’m sorry.”

He squat and pulled her off her feet, hurled her over his shoulders, and walked out of the room.

She was the final bait, a bait Kenzo was gonna fall for. A bait she was, she was gonna end it all. And she was Elina Brooke the once nerd.