The Truth About Mariam

Chapter 7

Chapter 7†

★

I have been to only two funerals in the sixteen years of my existence. The first one was for my grandfather who had passed from cancer. It wasn't a difficult situation and I mean that in the most sensitive way as possible. It was just expected. My family and I had been preparing for months,spending time with him as much as possible.
We knew death icy hands were on him, he also knew that,we prayed for a miracle, but when he died, we accepted our fate.

Mariam's own was number two, what made it hard was that I didn't except her to die, No one did.

This made the pain strike harder as it did  when I lost grandad.

The knot in my stomach tightened into a suffocating squeeze, my hands were shaking and I felt so weak.

I won't say she was my best friend, but she was a friend and the pain of losing a friend, the pain of losing a classmate, the pain of losing a loved one, the pain of seeing a person's lifeless body, the pain of her being referred to as Dead. It was excruciating.

Mariam mentioned to me Her parents knew she was dating an older guy. They were also suspects in her death.

Right now, I couldn't think straight, the tears just kept coming till my eyes were sore.

" I can't believe she's gone, My baby is gone, Who did this, her death is all over the news but still there's no information on her killer." Said Helen, Mariam's mom, joining me at the pews.

I didnt have the strength to give her a reply.

I had to get out of here, I just had to, i can't take it anymore , So with another breath, I bolted.

I ran to my dad's parked car. I don't think I can do this anymore, be involved in Mariam's death case. What if the killer was out to get me.

Mom was right, i can't ruin my life over someone who is dead.

In two months  from now, my external exams starts.  I haven't even gotten any clues or anything about Mariam's death case.

I am not a detective, i am a student, who made a promise to a friend to find her killer. And a friend who's failing on that promise.

I closed my eyes. I heard footsteps, So I opened them, it was Hillary.

I clenched my jaws as he touched my shoulder.

"What do you want?" I wasn't in the mood for any of his lame flirting or jokes.

"Nothing, look, I know Mariam's death hurt you, it hurt all of us, including me. And anytime I sleep, I have these nightmares that someone's after my life."

" Why were you ignoring me for the past one week then?"

" I don't know, I am sorry, I don't have an excuse to give you, because I was actually ignoring you. But before you say anything else, I have something to show you." He dug his hands into his pocket and he brought out a squeezed white paper. " Read this, i found this in one of Mariam's book that she borrowed me before she passed."

I took the paper from him, it was rough and squeezed. I unfolded and straightened the paper as I began to read.

‡‡

*  If you are reading this right now, that means i'm no more.

I wanted to write this, because i had no other way to express the pain I was going through and no one to tell, I feared what others would think of me.

I dated one of my Dad's friend, the time i disappeared for over three weeks, i wasn't at a relative's house. Rather I was in Ghana with my boyfriend.

My parents planned the whole thing, they were even planning for me to get married to him after I graduated from high school.

He was a rich man, and he used to molest me with the contest of my parents.

Many times, I tried to commit suicide, i couldn't report to anybody. I had no one.

I'm not the Mariam Lawal everyone knows, I'm not the perfect student and the best daughter they all see me as.

I betrayed a friend greatly, i pray she forgives me.
    
                                                      Mariam(¬_¬).

I was speechless... The words couldn't come out from my mouth.

" Should we hand the letter over to the police?" Hillary asked.

" No, they would just keep the letter and still they won't track the killer."

" So what do you expect us to do. Keep the letter? We are adding to our problems Asake."

" I don't care, I have made up my mind that I am going to find whoever killed Mariam"

" How are you going to do that? Sit down and repeat those same words till her killer kills more ?" His voice is thick and filled with anger.

"No, i am not"

" Come on Asake, You don't know what you are doing, If the killer finds out you are unto him or her, he would kill you and do you want that? You want to die young, do you? You don't know they are wicked people out there who won't think twice before they murder you, they are maniacs, louts and here you are saying you want to find her killer.

I would advise you as a friend, Don't, Don't try to act like you know what to do or you would be next in line." He spat and walked away from me.

I was terrified. God, why did I ever enter this school, if i haven't, none of this would have happened. I might have just heard it on the news. Hillary's words scared me.

And I think he's also involved in her death, I just don't know how to prove any.

I look at the paper again and I kept in my shirt pocket.

I entered the car and waited for my parents to arrive.