Beckoned Through The Dark

62 // Abigail // Tormented

I'd managed to keep my anxiety and emotions under control for the past week, but my soul was still rattled.

After the talk I had with Claudia, I had more than I could handle on my plate; I couldn’t stop thinking about everything she said and wondering if my father was still alive. Dead or alive, it didn’t change the fact that I was the reason he left, it didn’t change that even after he had another child, my absence drove him away.

Claudia had every right to hate me, I hated myself more now, so I didn’t blame her. Bridgette has been calling me nonstop, but I wasn’t in the mood for her, I didn’t want to hear what excuses she would come up with to make me feel better about everything. The only time I was going to talk to her was if it had to do with Lesego.

Speaking of, Lesego seemed to be still doing well with her family, especially after Bridgette cleansed the place to remove her sister’s evil energy and gave her some beads to protect them from evil spirits.

Quite honestly, things seemed to be calm, but not knowing what was going on with Karabelo was stressing me out. This peace and quiet was just too good to be true; if she was still out there, whether bound or not, nobody was safe.

I stared at my husband as he put away some of the boxes, we’d just moved into a new house, it was long overdue, but the reason we moved was because I didn’t feel safe at the compound anymore; I felt like I was being watched, even worse something about the place didn’t feel the same, there was an unnatural presence, and I had no doubt Lwandle had everything to do with it.

There was no trace of the best friend I once knew, she had completely changed, I couldn’t handle staying under the same building as her anymore. She was officially in my past now.

Ryan was not spending as much time in the office like he used to, there were rumours that a new detective was coming to town, and we already knew that Ryan was in the firing line, but he was stressed out, and he was doing a bad job at hiding it.

As if that’s not enough, Karabelo was probably on his radar, she wasn’t going to forget the betrayals that easily; releasing Sihle was probably one of his worst mistakes, he was always looking over his shoulder, it actually made me wonder if he’s been in contact with her.

"Babe, when was the last time you heard from Karabelo?"

He turned to me in surprise. “And why are you asking me that?” He asked tiredly, his shouldered hanging low.

His reaction perplexed me, it was as if he was saying ‘I think about her enough already, why do you have to remind me?’

“Nothing!” I said hastily. “No reason at all.” I couldn’t even look him in the eye, he was a freaking detective for goodness sake, so he knew I was lying.

“You are a terrible liar, you know that? The people who don’t normally pick up on your lies just don’t know you.”

I looked up in shock, was he calling me a serial liar? “Says the pot calling the kettle black.” He flinched as if I had just poured ice-cold water on him. “I’m sorry, I just-” I took a deep breath.

“Are you going to tell me what’s going on? I can see this is stressing you out, you’ve been acting strange the entire week.” Damn, I didn’t think he noticed. But what was I supposed to do now, could I trust him with the truth? “The hesitation in your eyes is what scares me more than anything.” He shook his head and walked away.

“Ryan, wait!” This was a break or make moment, the truth would either bring us closer or tear us apart, and loyalty was the most important thing. I took a deep breath and ran my palms down my face. “Last week, uhm… Bridgette uh set a trap for Karabelo,” I blurted out.

He stared at me in shock. “What?” He asked, the look in his eyes made me shrink back. “I don’t understand.”

Considering how much he disliked my calling, he knew how it worked, and I knew I didn't have to explain any further.

"I don't get it, why would you involve more people in this mess? It is dangerous enough as it is."

"I know–"

"You don't know!" He yelled, his eyes wide as saucers, "you have no idea what Karabelo is capable of!"

My blood ran cold at the fear in his eyes. What had she done to him? He fished out his phone and ran his fingers on the screen like a maniac. "I understand that it sounds crazy, but–"

"It is not just about that, Abigail, it's about the fact that you left a human being out in the cold for an entire week without any food or water, without even considering that there might be wild animals wherever she is!"

Why didn't I ever think of that? This was a brilliant idea, Karabelo was probably dead by now; this meant that we were through with her. "I don't get why you are so freaked out about this; it would be best for everyone if she was dead," I said nonchalantly.

"How so? By having a murder docket opened against us?" He asked.

His phone beeped in his hand, and he checked the screen. "I have to go," he said hastily and grabbed his motorcycle keys.

I frowned at him. "Where are you going?"

"I'm going to work."

"It's your off day."

"Well, criminals don't care who's on or off."

"You don't say."

"You are a nurse; you know we always have to be on standby."

The funny part about this whole thing was that he was lying to my face, and I wasn't even hurt, not to mention that we had promised that we wouldn't keep any more secrets from each other.

I don't think he even realised how ridiculous he looked, he was still in his pyjama pants, barefooted, and his hair was quite a mess. And then he wants to convince me that he's going to work, who's gonna take him serious looking like that?

"Yeah, uh..." I scratched my nose. "Say hi to her for me when you find her," I said, and he went rigid. "And while at it, if you are going to walk out that door, at least make sure that you look representative." He grimaced as if he was finally noticing his flaws for the first time.

"Abigail–" I walked away and went to the bathroom to splash some water on my face.

This was exactly what I was talking about, this peace and quiet wouldn't last for as long as Karabelo was alive.

I remember back then before I even knew about Lesego, Ryan had met Karabelo in the city while investigating a murder case linked to one of her employees. Something that Karabelo had which distinguished her from her sister was her attractiveness, yes, Lesego was attractive, but she was raised to hide it, while her twin actually embraced it and knew how to use it to her advantage. Karabelo was irresistible and she had men bowing at her feet, and Ryan was no exception.

Things were a bit rocky in our marriage at the time, but it got worse when he met her; he became a serial liar and would go crazy whenever she was in question.

What I saw back there was nothing new, but for the first time ever I didn't care; I knew that whatever happened from now on, I would always have something to fall back on, because I wasn't alone anymore.

The bathroom door opened, and in walked in and sat on the toilet seat. "That was too obvious, wasn't it?" He asked, fiddling with his car keys.

I scoffed. "Obvious? You go crazy whenever she's concerned." I rolled my eyes when I caught his fidgety reflection on the mirror. "How were you planning to find her?" I asked.

He waved his phone in the air. "I planted an advanced microscopic tracking device on her." My heart did a strange dance when he said that it was a sort of triumph over that little detail.

He threw his head back and sighed. "It's not what you think, you know?" I turned around and leaned against the basin. "I just..." I tilted my head and watched him intently, and for the first time in weeks I saw him for exactly what he was, and it tore me. It didn't matter how I looked at it, Ryan was broken and was no longer the man I once knew. "You are right, it would be good for all of us if she was dead," he admitted, setting his eyes on me. "It will be easier for you and everyone else, because you will be looking at it as justice, but that's not the case for me, Abby." He shook his head, his eyes bloodshot as he continued in a broken voice, "I don't want more blood on my hands."

A staggering breath escaped my lungs as I took in his words, and my hands dropped to my side. "I- I don't... I don't get it. What do you mean you don't want any more blood on your hands?" I asked.

"I see her every time I close my eyes, sometimes I see her in my sleep." He shut his eyes tightly and gulped intensely. "Sometimes I think I hear her voice begging me to help her, she's not going to rest until she gets justice."

"Ryan, who are you talking about?"

"That jail still smells of her, the writings on the wall."

"Ryan." I keeled down in front of him and took his hands, but he remained facing down while blabbing. "Ryan, look at him!" I lifted his head and looked into his teary eyes. "Who are you talking about?"

He sniffed, more tears pouring down his face. "Lesego." I dropped his hands and put some distance between us. He slid off the toilet seat, and his body convulsed as he wept on the floor with his knees on his chest.

Hot tears trailed down my face as I started to put together all the puzzles, so this was what she was doing to him, tormenting him to keep him closer.

The sight of him completely out of it broke my heart, the pain was unbearable. I felt sorry for him, but then what if Lesego had indeed died – how much longer would we have had to endure all this?

"She's alive," I whispered, but he didn't he didn't hear me. I crawled closer to him and touched his knee. "Ryan, Lesego is alive." He looked up in confusion, his chest moving up and down in silent cries. "She's at home with her family as we speak."

Tears poured down his cheeks like hot lava, but there was a different glimmer in his eyes, a spark of hope; he was looking at me as if I was his last hope. I nodded my head in affirmation, and his body weakened as he threw his arms around me.

I had no idea what was going to happen next, but I knew I never wanted to see that side of him ever again. Karabelo had to go, and I knew exactly what to do.

I grabbed Ryan's phone off the floor and checked the location, and then I forwarded it to my phone.

I deleted the message and put the phone back in its place before wrapping my hands around him.

I sighed in contemplation. "Don't worry, my love, everything is going to be okay. I'll make sure of it."