The Inner Gate – episode 7

THE INNER GATE
(RISING BONES)
Episode 7
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Written by Bright Daniel
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From the storey building, Rose decided to keep mute since Dave’s mind was on Olivia’s suspicious movement thereby neglecting her interrogations. Both stared at the young lady until she went out of sight. Only then did Dave’s came back to his senses. He looked at Rose feeling sorry for being absent-minded. Of course he knew the consequences if eventually Benjamin and the village at large know about his power to see the death of every individual especially now that captain Joe is on suspicion because he believed he has a c*ckroach in his coudboard. Before he could say anything to Rose, she had said to him already, “Are you here with me now?”
“I’m Sorry.. Just.. ” he paused while Rose stared at him to continue. But what was he gonna tell her? That Olivia might be going to Benjamin’s or he has a secret he cannot tell to anyone? He became speechless letting his eyes to do the talking.
“You behave as if you have something going on with you and Olivia. Or better still, you’re trying to hide something from me” Rose said.
“No, not really” he smiled.
“Is okay” she stood up while Dave watched her from ground but finally stood up instantly too.
“Uhm.. are you upset?” he asked almost with a disturbing heart.
“No, I have to leave. Enjoy your stay” she began to go.
Just before she went out of sight, Dave said aloud, “Will I see you again?”
“You always see me, it’s a small village” her voice echoed.
“No, that’s not what I mean”
Rose didn’t reply again rather smiled at him, shook her hair backward and finally climbed down the building. Dave kept staring at the direction even though there was no sign of her image again. He suddenly began to smile but when he turned back to the direction Olivia took, he frownd.
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Ben’s residence was left open when Olivia arrived. She became not only surprise to see the door wide opened but also to perceive an irresistible aroma coming out from the minor sanctum. She silently entered without knocking. She was always seen wearing a trouser which also gave her the best outfit too giving her butt a round shape. She also wore a round collar T-shirt that covered up to her neck. Following the aroma, she found herself in the the kitchen where Ben was cutting vegetables. She stood at the door watching him without his knowledge.
Ben had no shirt on his body but trouser and a singlet. He was quite muscular and modrate in height. Suddenly, he turned to see Olivia which, of course, startled him.
“Hey! You scared me”
“Uhm.. I’m sorry. I saw the door opened so..”
“What are you doing here” he interrupted going to close the door but Olivia never left the door of the kitchen until he came back. “You and Dave paid me a surprise visit earlier today and now?”
“The aroma of your food attracted me” she finally walked in,side the kitchen, stood beside him as he continued cutting the vegetable. “I never knew you can cook” she added.
“I do, even my wife to be will testify for it”
“There will be no wife, Ben”
“What do you mean?” he stopped cutting and looked at her wondering why she said such a thing. “Are you saying I’m not gonna get married or what?” he added.
“No,” Olivia washed her hands then took over from where he stopped. He did nothing but to watch her cut the vegetable and began to pour it in,side a pot. “All I’m trying to say here is we all are subjected to death. So no one knows if he gonna get married or not” she broke the silence.
“Listen, I understand you’re ups€× with this issue judging from how you try to drag with captain Joe. You need to face reality”
Olivia continue without looking back at him. “Let me ask you something, what will you do if you know you’re the next to be killed by Defity? Won’t you find a way to prevent your death?”
“Definitely I will but.. but.. I can’t be the next person to die. In fact, Defity can’t take my bones”
“How sure are you?”
“Very sure, I mean captain Joe assured me that”
Hearing that, Olivia turned after closing the lid of the pot. The statement drew her attention more than a man with six packs. Dave had suspected Captain Joe and here comes more prove to it. Therefore she looked at the young man and said, “What right does captain Joe have on deciding who to die and who cannot die?”
Ben remained quiet for a while before he spread his hands in the air, shook his head negatively and said, “I have no idea”
Olivia turned to the boiling pot again and put off the fire. “Food is ready” she announced with a smile then walked out, thus rendering the young man speechless.
*****
Diego had remained indoors throughout the day. He wanted to be on his own and eventually think himself out of the situation he found himself. However, Elina had not appeared to him again.
Diego’s room illuminated with energy bulb. He laid face up on his bed with two hands crossed at the back of his head. He wore a singlet, boxers and a white pair of stockings. “The blood of a god runs in my vein” he began to think critically. “For that it must be used to save a village. Is that actually the reason why Elina is pushing me there? Why would she send me to go and die? Who is this Elina by the way? Elina Celina..” He repeated, sat up, took a pen and wrote down the name on a paper. He began to stared at it as he thought critically. “Elina..” he repeated for the sencond time but vocal this time around. “The name Elina is a Spanish Baby Name. In Spanish, the meaning of the name Elina is: Shining light, or bright one” he soliloquized, stood up and began to rub his hair as if he was about to go mad. “..shining light or bright one” he repeated. “Wait..” he returned to the paper. “Elina means shining light while Celina is a French Baby Name meaning ‘sky’ or ‘heaven’. Of my God! Elina is a light from heaven. Elina is the almighty God!!” he shouted aloud in the room as he stood up with tears in his eyes coz it seemed he was going through a transfiguration. He hit the wall hærdly calling the name ‘Elina Celina’ severally. He hopped to see her again if he turns around from the wall. Therefore he gradually turned with tears in his eyes but saw nobody. He sat down on the floor and began to cry bitterly….
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TO BE CONTINUED

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