Fate

Part seven: 11th January 2005 (morning)

Chapter 24 - Stephanie

Yesterday evening was manic. When Mrs Potter knocked and shouted to get in. I had no idea what to do about Lee, he wasn't supposed to be in here and if they found out we would have both been in serious trouble. Luckily Lee thought of the idea of hiding under my roughly made bed and it seemed work. Mrs didn't seem to notice anything wrong. And after all that shouting and banging, she just wanted to tell me it was time for tea. What a waste of time that was. Least that is out of the way.

Anyway, today is a big day for two reasons:

1. Today is my last full day here in Bangladesh, because I have to leave tomorrow afternoon

2. Sadly, this afternoon is when Lee is supposed to be executed.

I hate the idea of Lee being killed. That boss is just messed up. I just hope mine and Lee's plan work. The plan is that we are switching places this afternoon in the lunchtime rush between the workers and the guests, so I pretend to be Lee and he pretends to be me. I stand up and prepared to get executed but before they do it, I take off either a hat or a hood and show that it is me. Meanwhile, the guests get invited to see it, but 'Stephanie' is going to refuse to go as it will be upsetting. Then Lee will pretend to be me and stay in my room all day. I escape after the chaos and lock myself in the room with Lee until tomorrow afternoon. Hopefully nothing should go wrong. Who am I kidding, this plan is too complicated. Something is bound to go wrong somewhere down the line.

Believe me when I say that I have gone in over my head. I am going to be like a fish out of water.

Chapter 25 - Lee

Today is the day. I can't believe how quickly the time had gone since Stephanie and the rest of then shown up. This afternoon is going to be dramatic. I mean what if something goes wrong?

That would actually make this a life or death situation. I mean what happens if Stephanie doesn't take her hat off on time? I don't want her hurt. And if they realise that Stephanie has been the one who has been helping me, the boss might excute her too. This is all my fault, if I wasn't here then she wouldn't have any problems.

Because today is the 'big day' I am not allowed to leave this dirty cell until it is time. The thing about this cell is that the light yellow walls are becoming damp and developing a bad smell to it. I am now coughing more and my voice is becoming weaker than before, but the boss wouldn't do anything about it. I am hopeless. As I sat down on the cold concrete floor, tears crawled down my damaged face. The tears were like a river flowing down my cheeks and landing on my holy top. I wanted to stop but I couldn't, more and more just came out and eventually I lost control. But, down the hallway I heard a familar voice. It wasn't Stephanie's voice and it wasn't the bosses however who ever it was was running now and quickly. It was my mum and my brother. Olly was calling my name and sounded like he was expecting a reply, but I never gave one. The footsteps then stopped.

"We haven't missed him have we mum?" Olly asked mum. He sounded like he was going to cry soon too.

"Hopefully not Olly. We just need to pray"The footsteps then started again and I saw mum's nervous face peeking around the corner towards me and then her face lit up.

"Olly, I have found him!" Mum shouted as she and Olly sprinted to my side. I haven't properly seen them in a while and this was making me cry even more. They both opened their arms and hugged me tight, like they didn't want me to leave. This wasn't how it worked though.

"Hello guys ... sorry I don't know what to say." I was saying to mum and Olly. The pause was because a lump in the back of my throat prevented me from talking.

"How are you feeling honey?" Mum asked. That was the most stupidest thing she could have said. Words couldn't realise describe how I was feeling.

"I don't really know how I feel right now. But there is one thing I have learnt from all of this," I began saying, whilst I was cleaning up my dirty and tear strained face. "I have learnt that life is precious. It is so previous that when it is gone, it's gone. I just wish that I wasn't here and that I would have had a better life before all of this happened."

"Don't speak like that Lee." Olly told me. He was wiping his hand up and down my crooked back bone. I looked up at his scarred face and I could tell he was feeling uncomfortable and lost for words. There was a deep cut under his hazel coloured eyes, he had teeth missing at the front of his dry mouth and his eyes are now a crimson red. Man, I want a better life for us.

"What are we going to do now dear? We have been investigating it and there seems to be no way to get you out of this alive!" Mum shouted at me. I had to quiet her down by placing my finger over my crusty lips, I didn't want anyone to hear us.

"But there is a way out of this, for all of us." I whispered to mum and Olly quietly. "You know that new girl who spoke out in the hall at the start of that British trip?"

"Lee, you can't be hanging out with them British children! You would get a bigger punishment!" Olly shouted, I had to quiet him after that.

"You don't understand guys!" I then explained the plan which me and Stephanie created. Mum nodded her head and I noticed the scratched marks placed onto the side of her neck. Olly smiled but he looked worried. I felt sorry for him. I then explained to them slowly what the plan was. Olly seemed to like the idea, but mum looked concerned and anxious. I don't really care what she says about all of this; this is the only idea we have so we have to go for it and give it our best shot.

It is almost afternoon rush.

Almost time for the plan to start.