It was Friday and there was a field fight happening at the moment. A fight that wasn't supposed to happen. It was all about the death of Mustapha and Emmanuel. One way or the other, someone knew it was from us and the former members of We Roar Group resolved to be together to get justice for them. Their boss was long dead, but the people's loyalty was something else.
Henry had been contacted though and they had been threatening him, telling him they were coming for him. All these had been happening in my absence and I was grateful I wasn't notified. And when I arrived yesterday, I was briefed about it all.
According to Jasper, he said if those people didn't subdue their anger or try to hear us out, it was going to be a tough fight. A life or death fight. We had to be more prepared than ever before and try not to get killed. If I told you I wasn't scared of hearing that, it was a lie. If I told you the thought of Jeremy didn't cross my mind, it was a lie because he was still waiting for my decision. And if I told you I wished I had said one month or two weeks instead, it was a lie.
Fear had clouded my thoughts then that I thought I would rather run away. My fear abounded unlike before when I started. Before I met Jeremy.
With the help of Sir Edward, his members joined forces with us. At first, we didn't know if we were going to be fighting or not, but Henry told us to be prepared. He was under pressure too. The agreement was to talk things out on the battlefield which the We Roar Group had chosen for us and to depart peacefully. Jasper had talked about the death of Joe and how what we did was to avenge his death.
The leader in charge had said it was all nonsense and that we were definitely the ones who killed their boss for the group to scatter so we could get our hands on Mustapha and Emmanuel.
Looking at the numbers opposite us, I knew it was impossible to reach so many members that much, so it was certain they joined forces with other gang members. With all the things Jasper could say to calm the people down, it didn't work. It was obvious they wanted bloodshed on this battlefield.
Gradually, it began to drizzle and then it started raining.
"Rain or not, we fight for their justice, people! We are the roaring people and we'll roar till our voices are heard. And roaring did they do before they attacked us. Brutally and roughly. No slowdowns, no breaks. Just fight till your last breath or your opponent's.
Nothing else mattered to me. Not my family, not Jeremy, not my besties and not even granny, except to live. If I die, I die, if I live, I live. And I was selfish, with no human feeling. Fighting strong for my life. We only fought with our fists and a pocket knife.
The rain made things a little crazy for me. It was either I couldn't see properly or the washing of dead bodies' blood on the ground frightened me. It could be my dead body at any moment from now if I didn't survive, which I badly wanted to.
This fight went on for hours. I was surprised my determination made me alive with cuts, bruises and blood dripping down my skin. I looked around the field that was filled with corpses, or dying bodies that might be fed by vultures. There were faces that I knew from our group and others from the other group. Just a few people were still fighting till their last breath but I wasn't fighting again.
I cried out in serious agony and mentally nagged at myself for how I got this far. Just how? Well, I chose this path. I was the one who suggested they reinvestigate the case of Joe and that was what brought us here. And if we hadn't, then the truth wouldn't have been revealed. It was best we did it.
I caught sight of Bisola on the ground, breathing hard and anxiety kicked into me and I blinked. Maybe I was seeing things, maybe not, one way to find out was to go near her.
I ran as fast as my legs could carry me and slid to her side. I lifted her on my laps, shaking her to open her eyes. "Hey, hey, open your eyes!" I shook her and removed her mask.
I glanced down at her hand which was covered in blood as she held her bleeding stomach. "I was stabbed from behind," she said weakly.
She shouldn't have come back. She was probably a target if anyone knew her to be Joe's ex-girlfriend.
"You are going to be fine. Just promise me you will hang in there."
"I don't think I can." She tried to shake her head. "This fight is worth it anyway." She smiled.
"Not you dying. No." I pleaded, crying. "You will be fine."
"I think I'm going to die."
"No, you aren't."
"It hurt so bad. I'm bleeding so much."
"We'll get you to the hospital soon."
Bisola raised her hand to my face and smiled. "You have been a wonderful best friend."
"Stop talking..."
"Be there for Toyin like she's been for you. She's having a hard time with her parents. She is the only child you know and she is missing home as badly as I am."
Shit! I didn't even notice this. "Me too."
"Too bad I won't see Jeremy."
"Of course, you will." By this time, I was already crying badly with mucus drawing down.
"I don't think so. It hurt so bad." She cried in anguish and I felt pain for her. "I thought no one was going to see me die..."
"You aren't going to die."
"I'm glad you saw me. All these," she rolled her beautiful eyes, "is worth fighting for. Joe was worth fighting for. And to be honest, I didn't trust Joe when I heard of the rape issue. I trusted him with anything but that rape case made me question myself. I was such a fool. Bella had the right to be disappointed in me."
Tears kept coming as I sadly listened to my best friend. If that was all I could do, I would listen to her voice. "I'm glad you fought for him, Bisola. You loved him and you still do, even when you dated that scumbag, Emma."
"You think so?"
"I know so. Joe is proud of you wherever he is. And I'm sure he wants you to fight this pain and stay alive. You still have a lot to do. We have to hang out more. We have to have the girls' night together soon."
Bisola smiled. "I don't want to fight anymore. I'm tired of it all. I want to rest."
"Not like this, Bisola."
"Be there for Toyin. She is very sentimental." Her eyes began to close. "Say hello to Victoria." Her voice faded at the last sentence.
"No, no, no."
"I want to be next to Joe. Tell my parents I love them. You know, I wrote my will. I met a lawyer through Henry. My money is going to my family. And to Kitan. Sell my car and use the money to hang out with Toyin. I love you. And tell Toyin I love her so much. Thank you for being there for me."
Bisola's hand left my face with a blood stain on it and finally closed her eyes.
"You shouldn't die!" I cried.
Her eyes flicked open when I thought she had died. "Just one question, where do you think I will go? Heaven or Hell?"
I snorted, almost like a pathetic cough. "I don't know. You have done bad things, but you are the most generous, selfless person I have ever known. You put people first before yourself."
She grunted and spat out blood. "That wouldn't guarantee me Heaven. Well, I guess Jesus will have to decide that Himself. I have never been born again or something, but I will do this anyway. Jesus, please forgive me," she said sadly, her eyes closed with a smile on her face. And from there, I knew she was gone. She breathed her last in my hand.
The pain I was feeling felt like it was squeezing my heart to bleed. I felt so broken inside that I looked up to the sky as the rain dropped on my face. I looked around me and saw just a few people left. Members of the Scorpion Group. Those that made it alive. Yes, we must have shed blood, used our strength, and time and sacrificed our lives, but most importantly, we beat them. A small sad smile twitched on my lips but then the death of Bisola was unexpected and it saddened me.
_________________
After I ran away from the scene, I ran away to the mansion with tears unfailingly proceeding down my bruised face. The mansion was deserted like there was no living being in the house. I ran into the kitchen and saw Samantha and Mrs Lizzy cooking.
"What's happening? You are covered in blood!" Mrs Lizzy freaked out as a frying pan fell off her hand.
"Are you okay, Mrs Tosin?" Samantha took steps forward but I held my hand up to stop her. "Where is Henry?"
"His guest, Sir Edward, just left and he accompanied him to his car before he retreated to the other house.”
"Other house?" I frowned.
"Yes, the other one no one is allowed in. He told me he was going there."
"Thank you," I said.
Painfully, I held my stomach as it hurt at a side from all the running I had done and made my way to the second house that was forbidden. I knew it was one of the rules. The number twelve rule. But then Henry had to hear about the death of Bisola. I wasn't sure if he had heard the sad news that Bisola was dead and so were the other strong and agile Gangsters but he had to hear it and do something. I didn't even know if Toyin and Jasper were saved before running home.
I pushed the gate and entered the house. I broke the rule but it was for a good purpose. Henry would understand. After knocking on the door with no answer, I anxiously opened it and stepped in.
The first thing I saw was the sitting room. It was all white, neat and in order. If this place was so clean, then someone was doing the cleaning. Was it Henry himself? I temporarily forgot my intention here and was captivated by my surroundings.
I gazed around and saw pictures of a man and a white woman. My observation was all taken in subconsciously and then I recalled my purpose of being here. I walked like a crazy lady here and there around the house as I was managing to find my way.
"Henry?" I called, going down the corridor where I just heard a door close. "Henry?" I hastened my steps. When I finally got to the door, I waited patiently, straining my ears to hear anything. And I did. Henry was humming a song. How incredible!
I didn't want to open the door without an invitation, knowing fully well that I had already broken the rule. So I stood there uncertain of what to do. Then an idea from nowhere occurred to me. My curiosity got the better of me. Well, perhaps I had always been so curious about Henry and I didn't think twice to brush the thought away. Anyway, I bent down to peep through the keyhole and quickly stepped back just in time! Henry was about to remove his mask as he sat down at a desk with a computer on it.
Should I back away? Maybe this wasn't a bad idea. I had been wanting to know what he was like anyway. I stood my ground, bent down and looked through again.
Henry lifted his mask gently and turned his back. Disappointedly, I could barely catch his face. He had dark hair, alright and moderate ears. "Oh, Lord," he groaned. But with a different voice I was familiar with.
Henry spoke in a different voice. What is going on? He massaged his face with his finger, turned and stretched. He turned! I blinked to adjust my blurry vision to see clearly.
What the heck?!! What I saw was the most shocking thing I had ever expected in my life. Henry was Jeremy! I flinched away and moved back quickly and quietly. I took a look again to convince my eyes but it was Jeremy I was seeing.
Taking steps backwards with an anxiously pounding heart beneath an unsteady rising chest, tears kept rushing down as if they had just escaped from nowhere after being locked for a long time.
When I got to the mini gate, I flung it open and slammed it. Henry was Jeremy? Jeremy was Henry? Whichever one it was, all I knew that was freaking the life out of me was that the man I made love with was my boss? Jer... Henry was Jeremy!
Jesus! No! No! This couldn't be happening. I ran into the mansion and started pacing in my room, thinking of what to do.
Oh yeah! I snapped my finger. "Victoria," I muttered and took my passport with a few clothes. I had to run away!
I quickly dropped my bag into my car and drove away. I had to get away. And Toyin? Jesus, she must have been trying to reach me. I managed to scan the car as I drove then I realised that I put my phone on the bed when I was packing my clothes into the bag. Christ! I had brought it out from the drawer I kept it in before the battlefield to take it with me. Now what?
Now run!
I accelerated more as I made my way to Victoria's house.