"no Joey... No. I love you Joey" he said repeatedly, reassuring her as he set her loose from the rope and laid her on his lap, weeping profusely. She held her hand up and he took it in his,she smiled and... And that was all. No sound. No more gasping. No movement. No breathing. Nothing.
"Nooooooooooooooooooooooo!" Paschal was in awe.
"No! Joey no!"he roared.
"Noooooooooooooooooo!"he screamed.
"I love you Joey,I love you,I love you,I love you Joey" he sobbed holding her up in his arms kissing her hair. "I love you" his voice trailed of.
"Joey!" They all shouted.
They were all doing their various activities when they had a shout from Rachel's room and quickly ran towards were the noise was coming from and found Joey laid on Paschal's lap.
"No no no no no no no" Mariam said patting her to wake up.
"Wake up Joey!" Max cried out "you're alive. I know it" he continued.
"Wilson check her. Check her Wilson" Mariam was already in tears.
Wilson quickly grabbed her wrist and listened for a pulse. None. He put his head on her chest in between her breasts and listened carefully for a heartbeat. He was getting pissed now as the whole family including Paschal watched. He hit her chest many times hoping for a beat and then he weakened.
"Wassup bruh?!" Max asked impatiently.
"Wilson?!" Mariam said paled. Wilson looked up at Mariam in awe. "Talk to me Wilson" she said rapidly, highly scared. "Talk" she said quietly at first "talk Wilson!" She screamed.
"She's dead!"
"Ha! Joey!" She paralysed. "No no no no baby. Baby it's gonna be fine,it's gonna be fine!" She was mad. "What did you do to her?!" She yelled at Paschal. "I did nothing ma'am. I did nothing" he wept. "Oh you scornful beast! You killed my child!!" She lamented. "No I didn't!" He defended.
"Shut up!" Max roared at him in disgust.
"I saw her hanged and helped her down,I did nothing! You think I killed her?!" He wept bitterly. Scratching his head in disgust,eyes drained red by tears,throat dried up, he screamed; "I didn't,I didn't kill my own Joey. No!" He couldn't help the droplets of spits that came out of his mouth while he spoke because of rage.
He was utterly hurt.
"Now get out" Max said eyes red from crying.
"You see this?" Paschal said bringing out a piece of paper "...you see this? This is the letter I read,her letter! That's what led me here!" He squirmed the letter at their wet hateful faces. "Oh! You think I wrote the letter and made to make all this up? Here's her signature. Now I signed right? Or don't you know her signature?!" He was utterly devastated.
"How could you say I killed my Joey? How can I kill my Joey?" He sobbed painfully.
"Just leave!" Mariam screamed, holding Joey.
Paschal rested his back on a wall as he wept helplessly, not believing what his eyes was seeing. Joey's "dead body" and then his eyes roved towards Davidson. "You killed her!" Pointing at Davidson, he continued; "you caused everything! Motherfucker you're the creator of this... You devil!" Paschal actually roared diving Davidson who actually took to his heels.
"You asshole! You should be ashamed of yourself, you're the sole proprietor of the death of your dau--" she broke off. She couldn't continue anymore as she wept profusely. "Oh my baby,oh my Joey" she repeated lamenting.
Chloe was just shocked and as speechless as she was shocked. She stood, looking at her dead sister,only God knew what was going through her mind.
Max wept alongside Mariam and Wilson cried softly from behind. He was in great pain than anyone could ever think.
Paschal sobbed, coming closer to Joey's dead body. "Give me my Joey... I won't leave without my Joey,please give me my Joey" he squeaked.
"Don't even think of coming any closer. She's gone. Leave us" Mariam said.
Paschal looked at each of them for any hopeful reply.
"Please leave... And never return" Max said.
Wilson couldn't bear it any more. He ran away from the room as mother and son cried.