Slowly, life seemed calm and breezy. No reason for worries, no pain, just bliss. Floaters bounced off imaginary platforms on his eyes, no sound was heard except the humming in his eardrum. He kept staring at the sky until a shadow came over his line of vision. The shadow bent down, shaking him vigorously, but he couldn't understand why? The shadow became clearer as it drew nearer with its mouth moving, but nothing was heard.
'So this is the beginning of the afterlife'... Thoughts running through his mind, a soothing flow of memories began playing in his mind, forming a cast like a cinematic show from a projector. The show suddenly stopped as he felt a piercing pain in between his brachial plexus, then he felt his pupil dilating and his vision became clearer. Someone came over and started pressing hard on his chest with a rhythm. Regardless of whatever they did, Chase felt himself slipping away, into a chasm, into a void. His vision became dimmer and his heartbeat began losing rhythm.
"He is dead". That was the last thing Chase heard before oblivion.
Martha had driven to the outskirt of the town before she stopped, rushed out of the car and vomited. Her eyes was swollen and red as she was seen shivering. The shock of Chase been dead had left her appalled.
After feeling relieved of the urge to vomit, she turned towards Orion who was still in the car with his pale white facial expression, "why did you go to the Police to report?"
"Can't you see we were trying to help?"
"How foolish were you to have thought they would help, after I told you about the animal laboratory?"
"Now you just...got my man killed. You!" Martha shrilled.
"You don't expect me to trust you after you killed my dad and left my mom in a vegetable state" Orion snapped.
"We...I know but it wasn't I that eventually killed your dad, it was someone else, like a contract killer". Martha replied angrily.
"Huh! The contract killer you hired!" Orion said rolling up his fist.
"You dumbf*ck! It was a setup, can't you see. I got an inside info that he died via a sniper to his head, have you gone to see his corpse?" Martha replied.
"Sniper? There was none in the CCTV coverage".
"Yes, that's because a sniper doesn't have to be at close range. These same people who controlled the laboratory are the ones that killed your dad, so they could pin it on me. Your mom was just a collateral".
The atmosphere became drier, and the air was caustic. Orion remembered he has not seen his mom in two days, since he left.
"Even if you weren't the one that killed him, you made an attempt and don't think I would forget that". Orion said.
"You don't need to forgive me, but if you want revenge, I am not your enemy". "Let's go see your mom" Martha said.
She got in the car and drove off to Cape Town Specialist Hospital.
Orion returned to his mom's ward alone after escorting Martha to the top most floor where Rodrygo was in the hospital. He had left after Martha and Rodrygo started discussing and came into his mom's room when he felt a piercing pain in his neck. He lost his balance due to the sudden jab and staggered towards his mom's bed. Turning around to see who had stabbed him, he felt dizzy and disoriented, slowly losing his gait and leg strength. He tried to fight it off, but was failing at it.
His vision became dimmer as he fell to the ground, stretching his hands in protest, "who are you?".
The man came forward, pulled down his dark shades, "Hello Boy, we meet again".
Then he made a move with his finger and two hefty men pulled out a sack and a bag.
Orion struggled, but when the men came forward, everything went dark.
Rodrygo had popped his last tablet medication since the nurse had said he would be discharged tomorrow. He was about to swallow his tabs when Martha came in. The unexpected sight of Martha made him choke on his tab.
Stunned to have seen Martha, He stood up and hugged her so tight he could feel her warmth through her dress.
"Martha, I'm sorry for leaving you to yourself all these while, I got into an accident and I lost my memory.."
'Lost his memory. Oh! I see....I think this is good at least...for now' Martha introspected.
"I was told I'll be discharged tomorrow, you came right in time. Well, I haven't seen you since I was admitted here. How are you doing? Are you fine? Did you just recovered too?" Rodrygo bombarded her with questions like he wanted to know everything at that moment.
"Well, as you can see, I'm fine too. I'm glad you are back. I'll drive you home tomorrow". Martha responded.
Rodrygo lit up radiantly. His wife to be was back.
A wave of morning sickness had hit her immediately she perceived the smell of coffee her mom had made for her in the morning. Feeling nauseous, she ran into the toilet to throw up. Not understanding what was happening, she had left her coffee to sleep. By the time she had woken up, it was sunset.
She had heard her mom calling her, she opened her eyes, and tried to stand up but instantly felt light-headed. After some minutes, she went to meet her mom.
"Welcome back mom, how was work?". Ashanté greeted.
"I'm fine dear. Work is....Come come, what's wrong with you?" Ashanté mom moved closer to her daughter to assess her. "Ashanté, are you?" She paused. Checked Ashanté again.
"Mom, what's it?".
"Ashanté, when last did you see your period?"
"Period? I can't remember, mom. You're scaring me".
"Does he know?" Ashanté mom asked while she bit her fingers
"Mom! Know about what? Who?".
"Ashanté, you're pregnant". Her mom snapped. "Dress up, we're going to the hospital to run a test and meet your baby daddy if the results proves positive".
"Mom, no, we don't have to. I'm not pregnant, I think it's just a mild fever" Ashanté protested.
"Get in the car now!".