Bought #complete (Sequel to Sold)

Chapter Two

Fear Not, for I am with you

She jerked out of bed with an intensity that made her head spin. She sat upright and placed her hands on her chest as if to still her racing heart. Tears began to stream down her face. Abigail, she had seen Abigail in her dream. She held her in her arms as her blood covered the entire floor. Her lips were dry and her eyes were red and filled with accusation.

"Sisi, it is all your fault that I'm dead. You killed me" Aby's words echoed in her ears. Guilt filled her to the point of death. She placed her hands over her ears and held her eyes tightly shut. She was a murderer who had killed so many people. She had killed all her children, she had killed Aby and it was all her fault Jummy died. She didn't deserve to live.

A loud sob escaped her lips and her tears poured with an increased intensity. She placed one leg after the other on the floor and stood up from the bed. Making her way down the flight of stairs, she went straight to the kitchen and began to dig for a knife. Something, anything. She wanted to die! She found nothing. Of course, foolish her. This was a new house and the former occupants must have emptied it before they left. She fell to the floor with a loud thud and sat there. Drawing her knees up to her chest, she wrapped her arms around her knees, placed her head on her arms and rocked herself back and forth.

"Murderer, murderer" She whispered, her entire body trembling.

Gentle arms encircled her and she stiffened. For a brief second, she thought it was Remi. He was always close enough to wipe away her tears whenever she was having a nightmare. She almost relaxed into the embrace but these arms around her felt small, a child. Jesse, perhaps. Her beautiful Jesse had come to comfort her.

"Aunty" An unfamiliar female voice. Was she imagining things? She struggled against the stranger's hold on her. "It's me, Tia"

She relaxed. Tia, the girl who had come with the house. What was she doing down here? What would she think of her now, would she think she is a crazy woman who can't seem to sleep well at night?

"Tia, go back to bed" She whispered against her knees. "I just need to be alone"

"Forgive my intrusion but I heard all the noise you were making by pulling drawers open. I thought it was an intruder. Came down stairs to find you seated on the floor. Are you okay?"

Sisi shook her head. She wasn't okay. She couldn't even pretend to be okay, she hadn't been okay in many years. Nothing was okay. A loud sob escaped her lips.

"Then I will stay here with you" She felt Tia sit beside her and lean her head on her shoulder. She smiled a half smile at her insistence and her loyalty. Maybe, just maybe she could have a friend in Tia.

"Thank you" She whispered, finding solace in the arms of a stranger.