The Clock Is Ticking – Episode 59

Sequence 59

 

*****

 

They instantly moved into action, grabbed their guns and leaped to their feet, without hesitating Chibuye shoot at X right in the heart and he dropped dead in his tracks.

 

Sensing disaster Sam quickly spun around on his heel and went dashing towards Trinity.

 

He grabbed her around her neck, getting a firm grip on her and then he turned towards Chibuye’s drawn gun.

 

Trinny gave a chocked cry.

 

‘I am sure you don’t want to see this little girl get hurt, drop your weapons now,’ he said

 

Everyone else dropped their weapons to the ground except for Chibuye. ‘Drop your gun,’ Sam yelled, ‘Do it now.’

 

He focused on the gun that Sam was holding to Trinny’s head, his mind raced, could he grab the gun and turn it on him? Could he get Trinny away from him?

 

 

‘Just drop your gun dude before he hurts her,’ Chard pleaded, Mattie would never forgive him if anything were to happen to Trinny.

 

Chibuye didn’t badge in, he still had his gun pointed at Sam. He was unsure of what to do he had learnt during his training that giving up his weapon and his defensive position was suicide.

 

‘Do it Chibuye,’ Chard said nearly choking the words out, ‘Please do as he says let’s not get the little girl killed.’

 

‘Seriously, drop your gun or I will blow her brains out right now.’

 

As Chibuye reluctantly laid his weapon on the floor, one of his men leapt to his feet and tackled Sam. He went at him with the strength of a mad man, disregarding the risk of being shot.

 

Both men fell to the ground.

 

Trinny ran towards Chard and he carried her in his arms.

 

‘Get her out of here,’ Chibuye screamed before he pounced on Mark and knocked him to the floor. They too engaged in a wresting bout. They punched and kicked from one end of the room to the other.

 

Meanwhile the other man found the strength to wrestle the gun out of Sam’s hand without a shot being fired.

 

He quickly got to his feet and pointed the gun at Sam’s foot and pulled the trigger,

 

shooting his leg.

 

Sam yelled in pain.

 

The struggle between Chibuye and Mark was a fierce one but Chibuye eventually overpowered him and seizing him behind mastered his arms and tied them.

 

Once both men were tied down, he called for backup and an ambulance. *******

 

She had prayed for this moment the past few hours, she had been kneeling by her bed praying that God would send her daughter and Chard back to her safe and sound.

 

As soon as the door opened Trinny ran towards her mother almost falling with her little arms wide open.

 

‘My child,’ tears ran down her face and her screaming turned into a wailing cry as she scooped Trinny into her arms.

 

‘Thank you my God,’ the held each other tightly as if their very lives depended on it.

 

‘I was so afraid I would never see you alive, Mama Bear.’ ‘I am scared,’ she whispered

 

‘It’s okay now my baby, no one will hurt you,’ she said

 

‘Bring her to me, I will run her a bath,’ Auntie Debby said

 

Mattie was hesitant about giving the child to her she didn’t want to let her out of her sight.

 

‘She will be fine.’

 

Finally she handed Trinny to Auntie Debby and turned towards Chard, her heart

 

was filled with joy and gratitude.

 

He smiled at her.

 

She ran towards him with tears in her eyes and hugged him tight, Chard too hugged her tight.

 

‘Thank you,’ she whispered.

 

‘It’s nothing you know I would do anything for you.’

 

‘You risked your life to bring my baby back, how can I ever repay you?’ ‘I did this because I love you, you don’t have to repay me in any way.’ ‘Thank you.’

 

******

 

A week later

 

After the two men had been arrested, they had also mentioned one of Andrew’s female accomplices ‘Trinny’s teacher’ the woman had been located and instantly arrested, their case would be heard in the court of law in a month’s time.

 

Mattie walked into her sister’s hospital room she tripped over a chair on her way to her bed. Her heart ached as she stared at the numerous tubes running in and out of her body.

 

They were connected to large screens on both sides of her showing important information that she couldn’t interpret. She felt guilty and worried her sister had gotten in this situation in a bid to save Trinity.

 

She should have stopped her from leaving the house that night or better yet she shouldn’t have allowed her to face Andrew alone.

 

‘Lord please you’ve got to save her she needs to see how beautiful Hannah looks.’ Vanessa had prepared for her little girl for months she had even started setting up a nursery.

 

‘I miss you Vanessa, you have a beautiful baby girl she looks just like you. I named her Hannah, I hope you don’t mind. Please wake up, you have a lot to live for, Hannah needs a mother.’

 

‘Speaking of Hannah, I am taking her home with me today I will take care of her as if she were my own.’

 

She quickly wiped the tears from her eyes and kissed her sister on forehead, ‘I love you,’ she said before she walked out of the ICU.

 

When she walked out she found Chard waiting for her outside.

 

‘You are okay?’ he asked

 

She nodded her head, ‘I will be fine.’

 

‘Shall we.’

 

‘Yes.’

 

He held her hand and they walked towards the NICU, as they entered the room, the nurse came up to greet them, she had had written down all the instructions up on a paper. A list of things to watch out for and Doctor’s appointments.

 

They had decided to discharge the baby because she was healthy and stable. After going through everything with the nurses, they finally handed the child to Mattie. ‘She is beautiful she looks just like her mother,’ Chard said

 

Mattie chocked on the word mother, fearing that if her sister didn’t wake up this little girl would have to grow up without a mother.

 

‘She is a strong woman, she will pull through you don’t have to worry.’

 

‘Thanks for everything.’

 

‘You are welcome.’

 

They walked out of the hospital to the car park. Just as Mattie was about to climb into the back seat of the car with the baby, her mother appeared.

 

‘And who gave you the right to take this baby out of this hospital without my consent?’

 

‘Good morning mum,’ she responded ignoring her question.

 

‘What’s so good about this morning?’ she asked

 

Mattie chose to remain quiet.

 

‘That’s the only reminder I have of Andrew and my daughter Vanessa, you have to

 

give her to me,’ she pleaded

 

‘Vanessa is still alive.’

 

‘She is as good as dead, have you seen the state she is in?’ ‘I am sorry I cannot give the child to you.’

 

‘You are wicked?’ she yelled almost slapping her but she quickly withdrew her hand when she realized, she could hurt the baby in the process.

 

‘We have to go,’ she finally said

 

‘You go but be rest assured I will fight you for that child, I will get her back.’ ‘Okay.’

 

Chard opened the car door for her and she climbed in, he went round to the driver’s seat.

 

‘Let’s go home,’ she said.

 

*****

 

 

Later in the evening, Mattie had just put the baby to sleep and was about to have her supper when a knock sounded at the door.

 

‘Let me get it,’ Auntie Debby stood up

 

‘It’s okay, I will get it,’ Mattie said

 

She walked towards the door with her plate of food still in her hands and opened it to reveal a woman, who was wearing a long black dress and a scarf that was covering her face except for her eyes standing on her door step.

 

‘Who are you?’ Mattie asked with raised eyebrows.

 

‘Auntie Mattie it’s me let me in?’ said the familiar voice.

 

Mattie stepped aside and allowed her to enter then she closed the door behind her back.

 

‘Is this really you?’ she asked

 

‘Yes,’ she said removing the scarf that had been covering her face.

 

‘It is you? Where did you go?’ Mattie gasped in surprise

 

‘It’s a long story.’

 

*****

 

TBC

 

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The Clock is Ticking

 

Ella