The Spider Diaries [FIRST DRAFT]

Friday, 23 August, 2002: Visit of Mine

I'm a brave soul, aren't I? I lost my dad at five, my best friend at fourteen. I've been through a lot, I think. But I'm a sucker for punishment. I'm going to visit my ex-boyfriend in jail where he was put because he came clean about his gang killing Colby and Amazon. I booked my flight to go to Nigeria to give Amazon's family her necklace back. It's still around my neck. I play with the charm at the end while walking into the building. After this visit, I'm leaving for the airport. I want to tell him that I'm going because he needs to know I'm going to apologise for him as well as Cedar Woods for what they've done to the family.

I take deep breaths as I move closer to the glass. "Cole Thatch." I mumble to the guard when he asks who I'm seeing.

I sit down hesitantly in the plastic chair on the legal side of the glass. Five minutes later Cole sits down across from me. I tense up but try smile at him.

He crosses his one arm over his chest and picks up the black plastic phone and places it against his ear. I follow suit.

"Hi, Cole. I'm sorry I haven't co-" I start, but am quickly cut off.

"Goodbye, Jane." he says monotonously. He puts the receiver down and leaves.

Well, then. He must have read the first letter I wrote him.

I sigh. "I'm sorry, Cole." I mutter to myself and leave merely five minutes after arriving, without the well wishes from Cole.

***

After a six and a half hour flight, I arrive in Lagos National Airport. I sigh in relief when I look at my watch and see that it's only 15:30 and I have time to find Amazon's family meadow.

I ask around and they all shrug. Eventually I find someone who knows who I'm talking about. The woman points out to the skirts of the city. I thank her and walk that way. I don't have money for a taxi, so my feet will have to do. I didn't even bring a suitcase. My return flight leaves at 20:00 so I don't even need a change of clothes.

I get to the edge of the city and look around. I see hedge walls across the road. It looks exactly like how Colby described it all those years ago. A perfect circle of hedge walls and a small house in the centre, but it looks like a second building - which reminds me of a stable - and a third -which looks like a separate house - are built in the field as well.

I take a calming breath. What if they don't want to see me? What if they take their anger of losing their daughter or sister or mother out on me?

No. Don't think about this now. You're here. So, just do it. I take the necklace with the glass dolphin charm with a grain of rice in the charm with Amazon written on it off and clutch it in my hand as I walk up to the nearest house, the newer one.

I stop in front of the door racked with nerves.

I take a deep breath, trying to calm myself.

I raise my hand to knock but freeze. I can do this. I can do this. I can do this.

I knock three times and lower my hand.

I hold my breath as I wait for someone to open the door.

I'm about to knock again when the door opens and a girl, who looked my age, looks at me confused.

"Umm, hi? Can I help you?" she asks. She's beautiful with dark milk chocolate skin, though she has a little acne on her forehead and the sides of her face. Instead of brown I see on most Africans, she has dark olive green eyes.

"Hi. I'm looking for the relatives of Amazon. I was told they still live here?" it came out as a question.

Her face seems to brighten and she looks behind me, probably hoping to see Amazon behind me. I feel my heart clench with pain as she realises Amazon's not here.