Zach’s POV
I hated that I had to keep dragging this retarded woman along with me. She was slowing me down and even though I was happy to be rid of her troublesome daughter, it didn’t make any sense that I had to now take over taking care of her.
“Why can’t you walk faster than this? If you do not move fast enough, we won’t be able to meet with the men at the border.” I snapped at Edna, angry that she was putting me through a stress that I did not deserve.
“I am walking as fast as I can. You are the one who keeps us turning around these forests in a circle, and I am tired. Can we take a break?” She said, her voice softening but only worked at irritating me more than I already was.
“Are you trying to blame me for how slow you are right now, Edna? Moreover, we have taken four breaks today. That is more than enough for even people trekking across the cities.” I snapped at her again and continued walking.
“You should have thought about that before choosing this route. What happened to all the money I gave you? You told me we needed to do so many things and sent me an outrageous amount of money to send to you, which I did. Now, you are putting me through the worst travel conditions, and you are expecting me to do better than this?” She asked me, her nostrils flaring in anger.
“Who do you think you are to ask me such a stupid question? Are you querying me for how I chose to save you from that hellhole those people put you in?” I yelled at her, knowing that the money she had sent was now waiting for me to spend as soon as we crossed the border.
“It’s my money, Zach. I have a right to know how you spent it because everything you told me you wanted to use it for, I can’t seem to find.” She fired back, annoying me the more.
She was not supposed to ask any questions, the doctor had told me that her condition would only get worse, and soon she would close her eyes, never to open them to another sunrise again.
“I am getting you out of there like we agreed and taking you somewhere better. You know they will be on the lookout for you and that little tramp everywhere around. This was the safest route and like I have said a million times, once we get to the border, everything will be alright.” I assured her, even though I was beginning to devise an evil plan to get rid of her, faster than initially planned.
“We better get to that border soon. I’m running out of strength and patience. I don’t know how long I can continue to walk in this condition.” She complained and stomped past me angrily.
Whatever she was feeling was none of my business as long as she kept moving at the pace that she was now that she was angry.
The surrounding quietness finally helped me sate my emotions with the thought of financial freedom that was to come right after.
“You better wait up and drink some water. If you keep walking like that, you will pass out soon, and I do not have the energy to drag you along because there’s no way I will be carrying you.” I scoffed at her, finally showing my disgust for her person, now that I was finally able to recognize familiar tracks and know that the border was no longer far from where we were.
“Keep your water. You are being so mean to me today. I don’t know what on earth I could have done to you to deserve being treated this way.” She complained in her tiny voice which she uses whenever she wants to manipulate me into feeling any kind of pity for her.
The truth was that I never loved Edna and I never will. She was easy prey who paid me the most, so she was one of the numerous women that I did not want to lose. I wondered why she had lied to her daughter that I was her biological father when I had my scrotum removed several years ago.
“Don’t be stubborn about this Edna. I’m trying my best here, do not frustrate my efforts.” I chided her and matched her pace, stepping in front of her and pulling her back.
“I’m talking to you,” I yelled.
“What if I do not want to talk to you?” She pouted childishly at me.
“There’s no one here for you to talk to, you would pull out your hair from boredom,” I said to her and fed her some water from my bottle.
“Don’t speak to me like that, okay? We should be on the same side here. I have a big surprise waiting for you once we settle. Just know that as it stands right now, I have no more heirs to leave my wealth for. I have a copy of my will stashed somewhere, I can have it sent to me and I will change who is on the beneficiary list.” She smiled, and my ears perked up with interest.
My plan had been to have her sold to some of the men at the border, but seeing that I had more to gain with her alive, there was no need to go through with the plan anymore since hers made more sense.
“You would really do that for me?” I gasped in pretend surprise, almost like I was not planning to discard her a few minutes ago.
“I would do anything to make you happy Zach. You have shown me so much love, what more could a woman like me want?” She whispered with so much affection in her eyes.
For a brief moment, I saw that crazy look in her eyes. One that told me I was falling right into her trap, but as fast as it came, it disappeared again, leaving me wondering if anything like that was ever there in the first place.