Sister Deborah episode 22 – 23

SISTER DEBORAH 💝💖

Episode 22
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‘Blackmail.’

I marked that word in quote. Blackmail was a strong word to use, for a cheat who claimed to be a victim of rape, despite the evident proof of a video tape that clearly exposed her outrageous and inhumane act.

In spite of my profound dislike for Deborah, somehow, a tingling s£nsat!on evoked emotions on my conscience, overwhelming me with guilt and causing me to see reasons with most of her words. Deborah claimed to have been raped, and supposedly blackmailed, too. I found it humorous and ridiculous, partly because of her reactions in the video tape. A rape victim, as she claimed to be, was not supposed to m0an with pleasure and ecstasy in her situation. Whereas, Deborahʼs case was the actual description of how she reacted.

Thoughts upon thoughts streamed in my head in numerous waves all through my ride in a taxi, which I had chartered to Annabelʼs hostel. I needed someone to talk to — to clear my head and relax in comfort and peace.

“Oga?” The taxi driverʼs voice jolted me out of my unpleasant reverie. “We are here, sir.”

Without saying a word, I paid my fare and got off from the taxi. Normally, I would have called to inform Annabel whenever I intended to visit her but my foul mood had pushed me to act on impulse.

After walking past the gate, I climbed the stairs to the fourth floor of the building where Annabelʼs room was situated. She lived alone in a small apartment on the outskirts of the campus. I placed a gentle knock on the door while I waited there, by the doorstep. I could hear loud music playing from inside the room.
I intended to knock again before the door opened up and Annabel showed up, dressed in a very transparent gown that barely stretched above her knees and revealed much of her cleavage. She looked amused and somewhat surprised to see me.

“Neche!” Annabel walked closer and wrapped her arms around me, with a broad, bright smile. “You didn’t tell me you were coming early.”

She withdrew her hands away from me after noticing my countenance. “What’s up, dear? You look too moody. Is anything wrong?”

“I am fine.” I faked a smile. Despite the evident concern laced on her voice, I still couldn’t compel myself to tell her anything that had transpired between me and Deborah. Annabelʼs birthday party was a few moments ahead. I had no intention to ruin her day or her mood as well.

“Are you sure you are fine, dear? Honestly, you don’t look too good.”

“Annabel I am okay, trust me.” I assured her.

“Okay then, letʼs go in.” She said after a moment of hesitation, lacing her hand with mine as she gestured towards the door.

Annabel led me into the room and shut the door behind her. She ushered me to a seat and turned down the volume of the loud music playing from the DVD player. Thereafter, she joined me on the couch where I was seated, absentmindedly admiring her fancy apartment.

“You are my first guest since today, Neche.” Annabel announced. “Where is my birthday gift?”

“So soon?” I responded jovially. “It isn’t even time for your birthday party yet.”
“Does it matter?” She countered. “I am dead serious — no kidding. Whereʼs my gift?”

“Annabel, I am hungry.”
“You dare not change the subject. I need my gift, now!” She pestered on adamantly.
I was about to respond back to her when a loud beeping sound buzzed from my phone. I removed it from my pocket, clicked on the message icon on the display bar and my countenance changed instantly. Annabel noticed my moody countenance and collected the phone from me to have a view too, and her facial expression turned sour at the message which reads thus:

“Bro, this is unfair! This is really inhumane! What couldʼve prompted you to act the way you did to her? Where are you now? Deborah just had another asthma attack and fainted. She is been rushed to the school clinic as I text this message. You need to rush down here, as soon as possible!”

“Who sent this?” Annabel demanded, evidently curious. She glared at me with keen curiosity.

“Timi.” I replied genuinely.
“I don’t understand. How come?” She pushed on inquisitively. “What has Deborah got to do with this?”

“Annabel, itʼs a long story. You won’t understand.”

“Then make me understand, Neche!” She was sounding annoyed. “Don’t tell me you are still seeing that w—e after all sheʼs done to you!”

“Is that what you think?” I was irritated by her flimsy assumption. “Annie, you of all people should know me too well by now. Whatsoever I had with Deborah died on that same night she betrayed me. How can you think this way? I am disappointed.”

Read – the sleeping beauty episode 69 – end

Despite the severity of my words, Annabelʼs doubt and curiosity only worsened. She stood up from the couch, crossed her arms with a fixed, sour look and an intent gaze on me, and muttered the least of all questions I expected from her.

“Do you love me?”
I was with no doubt taken aback by the sudden, unexpected question. Do I love her? It was a complicated question to answer.
“I do.” I hesitantly responded.
“Why did you hesitate?” Annabelʼs sour look and the frown on her face grew worse. “For you to hesitate alone before saying it, it only means that you are simply insincere. You still love that girl, Neche. Admit it.”

“What are you insinuating?” I was getting annoyed. “Annabel, I am more than disappointed in you. You seem not to know the kind of person I am. Once I am done with something, I am done with that thing for life. I don’t go back to my vomit. You disappoint me.”

With those words, Annabelʼs curiosity and doubt gradually lessened after she realized the sincerity from my voice. She sat back on the couch, shifted close to me and put her hand on my hair, caressing it lightly.

“I am sorry.” She apologized genuinely.
“Annie, I am disappointed to be honest.”
“I am sorry na!” She ruffled my hair softly with a sad, guilty look. “I was only curious. Don’t be offended.”

“Itʼs okay. I forgive you.” I assured her. She gleefully shifted closer to me and sealed her lips on mine for a brief kiss. After withdrawing from the kiss, she continued caressing my hair tenderly.

“What would you like to eat?” She asked, smiling.

“I am at your mercy.” I smiled back, too.
“Noodles?”
“Noodles will do.” I affirmed.

“Give me a minute then.” Annabel said and kissed my cheek, before getting up from the couch and headed to the kitchen. She swayed her bums as she walked and sent me arousing stares until she eventually got into the kitchen.

Read – I love her alot episode 52

While alone in the living room, none of the programmes showing on the TV caught my interest, so I stood up and searched a small shelf by the edge of the room filled with books instead to get something to read. Along the line, I found a small book with the inscription “My Diary” on the front page. Annabelʼs full name was boldly written on it, so it invariably had to be hers. I had a decent respect for peopleʼs privacy a lot. I was intent on keeping it back when something, in form of a SIM pack slipped out from the diary.
I picked it up and to my surprise, it was an Airtel SIM card with a familiar number. The number was too familiar so out of sheer curiosity, I took out my phone and cross-checked it with an unknown number on my contact list, and to my utmost surprise, it appeared to be the same exact number with the SIM card. I was beyond shocked and baffled. I was bewildered.

Partly because, this same number had sent me the videos and photos of Deborahʼs alleged rape. The same unknown number had told me a lot of spiteful, unpleasant things about Deborah through text messages mostly. How possibly could it be Annabelʼs?

In the heat of that tense moment, Annabel walked out from the kitchen and at that instant, she froze still on her spot after noticing the SIM pack and her diary I held.

She looked utterly horrified beyond measures!…………………

SISTER DEBORAH 💝💖

Episode 23

Annabelʼs facial expression was a mixture of pure shock and plain fright combined. She looked bewildered beyond doubts.

“Itʼs not what you th–think.” She stuttered, frightened.

“Itʼs not what I think, as how?” I urged her on, lifting her diary and the SIM pack which I held on both hands up for emphasis. Annabel stammered and stuttered as she tried to speak, all to no avail. She was lost for words.

“I can’t believe this.” I shook my head with utter disbelief. “So it’s been you all this time, Annabel?”

She couldn’t speak. She was numb.
“You sent me those fake messages? You were behind Deborah’s sex-tape videos and the pictures, too? You were behind this whole thing the whole time? You planned all of this?”

Beads of tears were sliding ceaselessly from Annabelʼs eyes as I fumed. I was engulfed with rage.

“Canʼt you talk?” I screamed and threw the diary I held straight at her, but she was quick to dodge it. It diverted and hit a certain framed painting on the wall instead which fell off and broke into shreds. I advanced closer towards Annabel with a fuming, enraged countenance. I got hold of her and dragged her to the wall, tightening her neck with both hands, attempting to choke her to death with all ounce of strength left in me.

Read – Fancy Ballerina episode 4

Annabel coughed and screamed in agony. She kicked and struggled to loose free from my grasp. I eventually released my hold from her neck and stepped back, still fuming and enraged. She fell to the floor and coughed ceaselessly, using her hands to soothe her neck.

“I won’t be the one to kill you.” I stepped backwards, picked up my phone from the table and dialled Timiʼs line. The moment he picked up, I asked him to describe the name and location of the hospital where Deborah was taken to for me. Thereafter, I put on my shoes, took up the Airtel SIM pack and faced Annabel who still lay on the floor breathing heavily, with one last glance.

“You see you, ehn, I will be back for you. I promise you.” I turned and made my way for the exit door. “Heartless animal like you. Good for nothing idiot.”

“I – I did it for–for you. I did it for–for love. Please,” Annabel coughed amidst tears as she spoke, “please forgive me, come back.”

I paid deaf ears to her pleas and forged out of her apartment. I chartered a taxi by the roadside and described the location of the hospital where I was heading to with haste.
—
—
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Some moments later, I arrived at the venue described to me by Timi. Without wasting further time, I hastened my steps into the hospital and rushed to the counter-side where some nurses occupied.

“Good evening, sir.” One of the nurses addressed me formally. “How may I help you?”

“Someone. I need to see her. Sheʼs in this hospital. It’s urgent.” I rushed my words.
“Your name, sir?”
“Chinecherem Stanley.”
“Her name, sir?”

“Deborah Etomi.” I answered hurriedly.
“Who is she to you?” The nurse asked as she jotted the details on a note.

“Iʼm her boyfriend — we are close. Please, I am in a hurry. I need to see her.”

“Hold on, sir.” The nurse said while she scanned a huge note-book quickly, then she said. “Ward 14. Take the stairs, go straight, turn by your left and make a right turn, sir.”
“Thank you.” I appreciated with a thankful gesture and scaled through the stairs as I followed the nurseʼs description.

One, two, three — I counted with a beating, trembling heart as I walked along some ward rooms — four, five, six — fourteen. I halted by the hallway after I saw Deborah’s father, her step-mother, Divine, Timi and Mr Fabian, Deborah’s family driver, all standing by the hallway in tears, excluding Timi and Fabian.

Deborah’s father shot me a harsh look. “You again? Haven’t you done enough?” He spoke with uncontrollable tears as he pointed at me.

“What happened?” I looked at Timi, transferred my gaze to Divine who was also in tears, and then finally at Mr. Fabian.

“Somebody speak to me, please.” I lost my cool, gripping tightly onto Mr Fabianʼs suit. I was scared of the worst.

Then right there and then, right before my eyes, the door to the ward opened up from the inside and two nurses dressed in medical outfits, wearing hand-gloves and a mask-like material, came out of the ward room, both pushing a stretcher containing the lifeless body of an unknown figure covered in white cloth from head to toe.

“DEBORAH!” I screamed at the top of my lungs, watching the nurses wheel away the lifeless body of the unknown figure right before my very eyes. I almost ran mad……….

Please don’t read without commenting…. it’s very bad and discouraging. I’ll make sure I block all ghost readers