Roses and Thorns – Episode 35

Roses and Thorns – Episode 35
It was early in the morning when Joel got a text from the detective stating that they would visit the asylum that morning and also announcing the death of the old man to him. He sighed and got up going to the bathroom to freshen up, the water splashed on his body and flowed slowly. He remembered Melody and hissed, “she didn’t even bother to come last night” he shook his head turning off the shower. few minutes after, he was clad in a black joggers and a blue polo with a white sneakers, he left the house afterwards.
When he got to the asylum, he called the detective who came to take him in,side with Udoka. They entered an almost empty room painted with white all through, the only things in the room were the bed, a ceiling fan and a young man sitting on the bed with his hands and legs bound in chains, his back turned towards them making him oblivious of their entry. He looked on in pity as they approached the young man.
“Okenwa, we meet again” Udoka said
“Udo? what are you doing here? who told you i was here?” Okenwa asked looking from him to the two other unfamiliar faces.
“Your brother told us at the company how you started exhibiting mental disorderliness and how you killed your father afterwards, so the police brought you here” he explained with a sigh.
“Trust me, i didn’t kill my father, Ezenwa did, and he has been killing innocent ladies since then, he doesn’t want me to expose him, the reason he he brought me here and the stupid doctor doesn’t want to believe me” Okenwa replied with so much eargerness.
“I know you didn’t kill your father, Ezenwa did, both the first and the second time” Udoka replied staring at the chains.
“Which one is first and second time?” he asked staring at the strangers who were calm, probably waiting for his chat with Udoka to end before they would introduce themselves.
“Your father didn’t die the first time, i saved him and took him to a hospital at the outskirt of Asaba, he was in coma for a very long time and when he finally woke up, your brother came back to kill him disguised as a doctor” he looked away hiding the tears.
“Wait a minute, you mean he didn’t die then? and i never got to see him till his second death, but where were you when Ezenwa killed him?” Okenwa asked with a gritted teeth.
“I received a text from the company saying my attention was needed, you know as the head of the marketing department, i rushed to the company after giving orders to the nurses at the hospital on how and when your father should get his meal. But when i got to the company, nobody consented to sending me the text message, i felt something was odd then i rushed back to the hospital but he was already dead” he sighed yet again.
“Damnit and i was longing for my father’s presence all these while, i wish I can leave this place” Okenwa howled.
“That is the reason you need to talk to these two men here, they will help kill your brother and you will also leave this place” he said giving the detective and Joel signal for them to introduce themselves.
“Hi, am detective Bode and my company here is Captain Joel, we learnt from Udoka that you are not mad and your brother kept you here against your will” the detective said occupying the position Udoka was sitting on earlier. Joel chuckled on realising that he had been working with the detective for more than a month but yet, he didn’t know his name yet until that day.
“Yes, am very okay, but the doctor never believed me, he kept on giving me injections even though i cried and pleaded with him” he had anger creeping up his face.
“The doctor knew you were not mad as well, we kept you here to protect you from your brother’s wrath, if you had left like you wanted, you would have been dead by now” Udoka spoke from his new position adjacent to the bed.
“What?” Okenwa shrieked straining his head to look at Udoka “That doctor gives me injection almost everyday and you are saying he knows that am not mad” he added barking.
“Those injections were just sleeping pills and pain killers, they are not harmful in any way” Udoka shrugged.
“damn it, why didn’t he tell me?” Okenwa asked no one in particular.
Joel’s phone rung, he stared at it and sighed after knowing who the caller was. he pressed the power button and the phone stopped ringing out loud. few seconds after, the person called again, he decided to answer and hear what she had to say.
“Hello” he said casually rolling his eyes.
“Am in trouble, i think the killer is right behind me now” he heard her say and his heart sank in to his stomach.
“Hold on, where are you?” he felt like the weight of the world was on him.
“I left the house earlier, i know i made a mistake and now there is a car trailing me” he could hear her breathing fast and then a screeching sound followed by her scre-m then the line went dead.
“Hello? Melody?” he said but got no reply. “damn it detective, am leaving here this minute” he said already heading towards the door.
“Wait captain, what happened?” the detective asked standing up to his feet. Udoka glared at them too curiously.
“It is Melody, she is in trouble, the killer already got to her” he replied p-nting.
“Wait a minute, is she not supposed to be be in your house? how did the killer get her?” the detective asked confused.
“She left the house I guess, I need to get going” Joel said again trying to leave the room.
“Wait first, do you know where the killer took her to?, calm down and let us plan this thing out” the detective told him holding his hand preventing him from leaving the room.
“Did you hear that? your brother has kidnapped his girlfriend after killing the previous one, do you know where we can find him? like his house?” the detective asked Okenwa still holding unto Joel.
“My brother cannot take his victim to the house, he is smarter than that” Okenwa replied slyly with a slight chuckle.
“Then where the hell are we gonna find him?” Joel yelled.
“The farm house, that is where he takes his victims to, unless he violated the victim in her own apartment” Okenwa replied with a shrug.
“How do we get to this farm house?” the detective asked calmly.
“It is my father’s farm house outside Asaba town, he had wanted to start up farm produce business, but he didn’t live to fulfill it. He had built the cottage in the bush, it was going to serve as a resting place for him whenever he visited there” Okenwa said again with a shrug.
“Then take us there” Joel yelled again.
“Calm down captain, yelling won’t solve any problem here” the detective said already getting angry. “you will get men from your division while i will also get men from my own division and together, we will match to the farm house with Okenwa leading the way” he added later after hissing at Joel.
“Well, i can’t do that while still bound in chains” he said sarcastically raising his hands up for them to see.
“Udoka, go get the key to the chain” the detective told Udoka while turning to look at Joel, he had left his hand a while ago.
“How many men do you need from my division” Joel asked him.
“10 or 20, as many as you can, i will get 10 of my men, i inclusive, will make us 11” the detective replied him bringing his phone out. Joel took that as a cue and fished his phone out too.
“Hello Chidiebube, i want you to gather 15 soldiers and wait up for me at the Asaba town mall now,” silence and then he continued “i will explain everything when we meet, just know that we are going on a rescue mission” he completed hanging up.
“All done?” the detective asked.
“Yes, all done” he replied and then added almost immediately “If that psycho as much as lay his filthy hands on my Melody, i swear i will castrate him” his eyes turned red in anger, he balled his palm in a fist and gritted his teeth.