Beckoned Through The Dark

88 // Lesego // Crimson

"Thanks for cleaning my room, Nthabiseng," I said, standing in front of my bedroom door.

She waved me off. "Oh, please! It is the least I can do to pay you for convincing your mother to let us stay here," She said with a warm smile on her face.

Honestly, I was glad I met her. she was a nice person. Too bad my mother did not like her.

"This is your home too, Aunt. You don't have to feel like you owe me anything."

She laughed and shook her head. "Ha-ha, I'll keep that in mind, but I'll also try to forget that you ever called me aunt."

I rolled my eyes at her.

"Yeah, just wanted to emphasize that you are family, okay? Good night, AUNT." I hugged her.

"Goodnight, Lesego. I'm glad to have met you."

I still couldn't believe the bond between us. It was as if I'd known her my entire life.

"Me too," I said sincerely.

She went into the guestroom just opposite my room, and I walked into my room to find Lesego packing up a few things.

"Where are you going at this time of the night? Stay. Just don't take out your anger on our guests," I said and climbed into my bed. She sighed and put her things aside.

"I am so sorry, I really am," She said, sitting at the edge of my bed.

I smiled at her, but deep down I was used to her manipulative ways. You'd swear we had spent all our lives together, but she was just too easy to read, and I'd be a fool to believe anything she said.

I couldn't believe she was going on as if nothing happened when she was the one who kidnapped Dineo.

I took off my ring and placed it under my pillow. "Goodnight, Karabelo."

"Goodnight, Lesego," she said, an uncertain glint in her eyes.

Something told me she was up to no good, but I didn't want to read too much into it.

I only hoped Abigail would have a solution by tomorrow, because I was tired of having to look over my back all the time.

Karabelo was more than capable of killing me in my sleep.

Ugh, I'm sure the ring will protect me even when it is under the pillow, I thought dreadfully.

Besides, nothing bad can happen now, could it?

I mean, the 'Alliance' must fear me for being able to see through their little stunt.

"Are you sure she took off her ring?" I heard mom's voice ask.

"Do you see any ring on her fingers?" Karabelo responded. "I'm not sure where she put it though, but I doubt anyone else can wear that ring, so we have nothing to worry about."

I thought I was dreaming, until I heard mom speak.

"Good. Ryan, put extra duct tape on her mouth. We can't risk being caught."

I opened my eyes the moment I heard that.

THEY ARE TRYING TO ABDUCT ME. I thought, alarmed.

I tried to scream, but my mouth was covered.

No!

I tried to grab my ring under the pillow, but my hands were tied.

I pushed the pillow with my head so that the ring could be in the clear, but it only moved a little.

"I'm sorry, twinnie," Karabelo mocked.

Detective Daniels scoffed. "Are you really?"  He asked rhetorically, and then carried me over his shoulders. Babe?

Lesego and the detective were lovers? Ha, why am I even surprised? They were allies.

Now I understood why Abigail hated Karabelo so much.

What confused me was how he seemed ready to put an end to Karabelo a few days ago, what changed?

"Take her out, and hurry because we don't wanna get caught. Lwandle is waiting outside," My mom ordered, and he did as she said.

I squirmed, hoping that someone would hear me, but mom and Karabelo laughed as they followed behind us.

We left the house without a single soul coming out to save me.

"Oh, Les! That duct tape was actually unnecessary, maybe for the neighbours, yes, but for the family, with the food mom gave them, they are not gonna wake up anytime sooner." Karabelo laughed.

I knew it! I knew something was up, but I didn't think it would be this bad.

The detective finally stopped walking, and I heard someone opening a car door or something.

"Put her in the boot," Lwandle said, "And blindfold her. We don't want her to get overexcited now, do we?"

He threw me into the boot and then shut it, leaving me in the dark.

I felt the car start to move.

I tried to listen to the sound, but there was no point in doing so.

I cried until I fell asleep.

"Hey, wake up. We are finally here!" I heard Karabelo say excitedly.

The detective took me out of the boot and put me over his shoulders again. "You are in for a big surprise, Karabelo," He said.

"Hurry up, you two!" My mom shouted.

I heard some music from a distance, and I think I recognized the place.

"Hmm...I see you guys are prepared. Well done.," Lwandle said proudly.

As usual, my mom started giving out orders. "Put her on that chair and tie her entire body to it. And when you are done, make sure that you unfold her eyes. I want her to see us."

I was roughly placed on a chair, and then tied up to it.

I squirmed in pain as I felt the rope tighten against my stomach.

"Not so hard!" Mom warned.

So, she has a heart after all.

"Take that thing off her eyes."

They removed the blindfold, but I kept my eyes closed just to pull myself together.

I faced down and opened my eyes at last.

"Look up!" Mom barked. When I didn't do as she said, she slapped me, causing me to sit straight. "That's better." She stepped back so that I could see everyone. There were additional members to the alliance – Jessica, she gracefully walked to the front and stood in front of me with a smirk on her face.

"I think you forgot to remove the duct tape," she said mockingly and ripped the tape out, leaving me in temporary pain. "Much better."

"SURPRISE!" Karabelo shouted like it was a freaking surprise party. "Oh, she is speechless!" Jessica cooed. "You, brat!" She drew her hand back and slapped me, making my brain feel like it was vibrating. "You stole my life!" Before I could even have the chance to recover, another ear-piercing slap came.

How did I steal her life? I knew she hated me, but I just did not know how much, and I never got to find out why.

She stood back, and Karabelo stepped in, not giving me the chance to recover when she punched me on the face. "That's for taking my Clay!" She snarled. Thank the gods I didn't have long hair, otherwise she would have pulled it. "Oh, poor Lesego. It's a pity that things had to get to this; you should have just succumbed and died in prison; you know?"

I felt anger burning inside of me.

"Beat her up!" Mom said.

Detective Daniels looked at her and smirked.

"That would be a pleasure, mother-in-law." He took slow steady steps, sizing me up with every move.

Without warning, he punched me on my stomach, knocking my breath out of me. The pain I felt was like nothing I'd felt before, I howled as his fist connected on the same spot again, causing me to spit blood.

"Don't be so soft on her," mom snarled.

Hot tears rolled down my face. I couldn't believe the people I trusted with my life were doing this to me.

The detective laughed maniacally and took off his T-shirt. "I would love to touch this beautiful face." He held my chin tightly, forcing me to face him. He stared at me for a second, then his palm came connecting with my cheekbones. His slap was much more painful than that of Jessica.

"Ugh, Ryan, you can do better than that. Show her how it's done," Lwandle teased, causing everyone to laugh.

I noticed how everyone was enjoying the show, except for Karabelo who flinched with every attack upon me. The man continued the torture by punching me all over the show, and when he was satisfied with his work, he stood back and admired the results.

I noticed how his knuckles were covered in blood, and my fear multiplied when I saw blood dripping down my lap.

"Oh, Lesego, do you see any white hair now?" Lwandle asked, standing in front of me. She held my face up and looked me in the eye. I took this chance, ignoring all the pain and spit on her face. She looked aside and let go of me.

She was possessed, I could feel it. She laughed and walked past me, and then she opened the door and looked back. "If I touch you, I will kill you. So, Ryan, she is all yours. Everybody else, follow me," She ordered before leaving the apartment.

I wondered where Clay was and how they managed to get me here.

Jessica and mom left, and Karabelo and Ryan remained behind. "I'm so sorry, twinnie," Karabelo said, kneeling in front of me. "I really am." For a moment something flashed in her eyes, and she smiled weakly. "Maybe in another life things could have been different."

"Why?" I asked in a weak voice, tears streaming down my face.

"I have to. It's either me or you." For the first time since I've met her, I saw her shed tears. "You probably don't remember this," she recalled, wiping my tears with her thumb. "But ever since we were young it has always been you, Lesego this, Lesego that. You always had all the attention, and everyone loved you more. Mom chose you over me."

"You know she is not our real mother, don't you?" I asked, hoping she would see some light.

"I know. I've known for the longest time. She may not be my biological mother; she may not be the best mother either. But she understands me, and in her own way, she loves me."

"Are you coming or not?" Mom asked from outside.

"What about Dineo?" I asked.

"She's safe and will be back home soon." Karabelo stood up and placed a tender kiss on my head. "Goodbye, sister." She turned to Ryan and gave him a firm nod before she left.

"I'm going to give you the goodbye you deserve, sweetie," Ryan said and took out his gun.

My eyes widened in horror as I saw my fate in the hands of this man.