” Theophilus ! You would have to choose one of two crafts. Drinking or working!” Said Camilla who was done, putting up with the excessive drinking of her husband. For a cruise, it was okay to drink. For official purposes. It wasn’t and she made it clear to her husband, the senator of Northern Texas.
” Let me be woman. The People love me. It’s why they brought me to serve them. I’m only tipsy and not drunk. How do you live a life with a clear head. I will just die of all the worries of my constituents.” Said Theophilus who had just returned from work and unapologetically had a bottle of wine in his hands. He was a jolly fellow who enjoyed nothing more than drinking of alcohol. He once bragged on how he could live without water but was going to die without Alcohol. He argued to a fact, that he drank alcohol not because he enjoyed the emotional trips but because he was suffering from a mental problem that always needed him to feel high in order to live a normal life. People did not care about his claim since he had money and could do what he liked. For all they cared, there were people who didn’t take a drop of Alcohol and had nothing to show for it. The first years of his administration as a senator was excellent. He was key in exhibiting lots of social projects that brought relief to the masses. Soon, his cronies discovered that he had weakness for alcohol and could sign even his death warrant when he was drunk, thus they capitalized on it to commit so much havoc using the name of his office.
” You have a daughter. Amelia is seven. She’s no longer a kid. She looks up to me and you for inspiration. How come you keep drinking, embarrassing us publicly without having regards for her image.” Camilla asksed. As she forcefully took the bottle off his hands.
” I don’t blame you woman. It’s not easy living a day in my shoe. This is my medicine. It’s not for ecstasy.” He said and didn’t take his eyes of the bottle of wine as she towed it away. ” Daddy!!” Said Amelia and rushed to take her father’s bag.
” Amelia!” Her mother shouted in caution, causing her to halt in her steps.
” You won’t stop me from conversing with my daughter would you woman!” He protested with a scowl, his hands still wide open In wait for the daughter that didn’t come through. She was so scared of her mum that she didn’t think twice at waiving at her father and rushing back into her room.
” Quit Alcohol once and for all. At school and on the streets, they call my daughter names. Very untold names of mockery.” She cried out.
” And you care? Perhaps tell me one of the girl’s father who Is a senator. I only drink alcohol I don’t kill people. I provide for you and your family. You ought to show me some respect woman.” Said Theophilus as he sashayed to the seat where his dinner was already kept for him.
” Is everything really about food and pleasure to you. Your attitude is destroying our life and you can’t even bring yourself to seeing such things as they are. Alcohol has made you weak. Day in day out, there is always a new accusation emanating from your office. Just look at the news on the dailies. Military personnel’s have accused you of swindling their benefits. They claim you have collaborated with the governor to cut down their benefits and deliberately sack some of them so you can swallow the money down your stomach.
” Deliberately Sack. My goodness I will never do a thing like that. Gallagher and Dubois were in my office about a week ago. They urged me to sign a petition to cut down staffs from the state military and Employ him and his boys to do some protection around town. I declined it.” Said Theophilus as he gazed at the dailies in shock.
” But did you sign?” Camilla asked him with her eyes pressing at him for the truth. No I don’t remember signing, we drank seriously afterwards but I signed nothing if I can remember.” He said and began to rub his head in confusion.
” Damn you! You have to stop drinking so much. Hell yes you signed. The documents were captured and it’s in your hand. Look at page four. You will get us killed if you keep letting people rubbish your office the way and manner they like. Resign if you can’t keep on with the pressure. I’m not sure we can withstand the wrath of the people. ” She cried out with more concern for the life of her daughter than anyone else.
The Senator was silent for a while and eventually spoke. ” Oh yes. Both men returned with a bottle of Azule. That shit cost a fortune. I haven’t had a wine so refreshing as it. I drank it and signed some papers. They told me it was for a sport competition. I didn’t know it was for relief of scores of innocent workers. They will pay for this ..”
” Shut up ! Are you a kid! How can you not read and start signing things without thinking about the repercussions. There’s going to be life threat’s from all angle. Please Theo resign once and for all before it’s too late.” Said Camilla at the top of voice. She turned around and saw her daughter standing silently with her giant teddy clutched in her hands.
” Oh my dear. You shouldn’t be listening to any part of this. Go and sleep.” She said to Amelia in honeyed voice of compassion while her husband kept on peering at the signature on the leaked document. In the heights of his drunkenness he could tell it was his own.
” Mum I’m scared.” The little car whispered as she gazed around in circles. She could hear the footsteps of people serenading the house.
” Come her my love do you hear those noises. We have company.” Camilla said as she rushed and grabbed her daughter closer to her. She was silent for a while, peeking through the window to see if she could find the owners of the doorsteps.
” Mum I’m….”.
” Shhh silence.” Camilla cautioned, holding her daughter tighter to her embrace while she kept on searching answers from the window. The randy senator did nothing but peer at the signature. Soon there was total silence and just when both mother and daughter thought the noises had been a figment of their imaginations. A bullet was dispensed from its Barrel, hitting the window and shattering the glass.
” Run!” Camilla shouted to caution her husband who wasn’t sober enough to decipher the sound of a gun. She and her daughter were half way out of the living room when she noticed her husband was still more absorbed with dailies In his hand the hash abnormally going on around him. She quickly ran back to grab his hands and fell to the ground after another window was shattered by an unsuspecting bullet.
” Mum?” Amelia whispered as the hands of her mum disconnected from her. She rushed down to see the cause of the fall and found her mom motionless in a pool of blood.
” Mum!!!!” She screamed out, while her father kept on peering at the signature as if it was forged.
” Easy now dear lady. Easy” said the suiting voice of a man. Amelia flipped her lids open. Alas she wasn’t dead yet.
The hut scene was filled with a smoky fog that had a peculiar smell which could only be medicinal or poison. Since she wasn’t dead she concluded it had to be medicinal even though it made her choke as soon as her brain could register it. The presence of sunshine gave her an assurance that she had not spent a lifetime in Coma. She remembered passing out while being attacked by a giant bear and that was all she could remember. ” Welcome back young woman. I’m glad you are finally awake.” Said a young mans voice. She turned towards him as quick as she could and found who had spoken. A red Indian of the Cherokee tribe. He was older than her but she was sure that he wasn’t so much older than her. He had good looks with shining dark hairs that was packed in single pony. She was still trying to come to terms with the presence of the young man when she realized she was wearing a red Cotton gown.
” Good day sir. Where are I’m I please.” She asked in a tired tone as she found the strength to sit on her butts. Her ankle was swollen and covered in some grey herbs.
” You are were you are . My name is Catori. You are in the clan of the red Indian Cherokee. How do you feel now.” He asked with a voice that was modest for royalty.
” Not so good. I feel pain in every part of my body. I’m into something and I can’t even recall what it is.” She said and suited the gown to cover the top of her knees. There was a sharp pain on her forehead and when she tried to touch it, she was cautioned by Catori.
” Don’t. It’s healing and should not be touched. What where you doing alone in the woods. You almost got yourself killed.” He asked her with the absence of smile on his face. His red skin was visible for her to see as he wore just a jean shorts and held onto a spear. While he sat on a small rock by her side.
” I was… Was running from a bear. I was going somewhere and I don’t even remember.” ” Where are my shirts.” She asked and bowed her head in shyness.
” Torn. The cloth you were belonged to a lady from a plane crash.” ” Behind the mountain, there was exactly the spot where the plain had crashed. A lot of people died but we also got lots of gifts from the god. As for your memory. You will recall everything soon.” Said Catori and took his gaze off her to focus on the rosary he was counting.
” Oh thank you. Where is the owner of the dress now?” She asked with a staged smile.
” She’s over there.” Said Catori, pointing his finger at the left flank of the mountain.
” What’s her name please. I will like to thank her.” She said and made to stand up.
” I don’t know her name but to thank her, you will need to get dead first.” Said the princely young man and turned his gaze back to his host.
” Sorry, I don’t understand you…”
” She’s dead. She died after the crash. You ask too much questions for a lady who should be resting.” Said Catori with a dismissive absence of emotion in his tone.
” Oh sorry.” She said, trying to connect with task that had brought her here in the first place.
” You were bitten by a spider.” It was going to be fatal.
” Oh yes. A tarantula right? I saw it.” She said and brought her gaze on the ankle.
” No. A black widow.” He said and felt she said more than necessary.
“My Goodness. It’s true I had the pain In my ankle before the spider was on my leg. I was tired and got some berries for myself and Maximin!!!” She screamed out in horror, after finally connecting with her past.
” What Maximin. Is he your husband?” He asked with a viable scowl on his face.
” His my friend he’s gravely Injured. I was out here to get some help when I was attacked by a giant bear. Please help us.” She said as she shrugged herself upward up not minding the pain she felt.
” If his not your husband then why do you care so much. Rest. He is probably resting in peace by now. The wolves would have had him.” Catori enunciated and gestured her to lie down.
” No please he is not dead. He is very strong and just need some help.” She stuttered as she hurried away.
” And where are you going?” He asked, standing up for the first time to reveal his full height. She found him to be tall and had quite a bulky build.
” To the foot of the mountain. He told me people are there who can help us.” She stuttered while hopping towards her destination.
” And what difference does that make. They take orders from …. What’s your name.” He stuttered feeling puzzled at her wits
“I am Amelia of the pine forest. They might be people with empathy to save a poor man from dying.” She said and didn’t bother to look back.
” Really are they? They didn’t save a young woman from dying did they?” The young man asked in his relaxed tone of majesty. She was pause for a second, knowing fully well that she may have spoken out of line.
” I’m sorry I didn’t mean to say that. And thank you for saving my life.” “Help me! He is wealthy and would pay you very much.” Said Amelia and hurried back to the Catori.
” Money you mean? And how much have I charged you?” He asked her again putting her intelligence to a brutal checkmate.
” Oh God the words keep coming out wrongly. I don’t mean to say all these. I’m just helpless and desperate. Help me Catori.” She pleaded and fell to her knees not knowing else to do.
” Is this man you seek to save your lover? He asked and sighed softly. She was silent and didn’t know what to say till he asked again.
” Is he your lover?”
” No .. no just a new friend.” She stuttered and couldn’t tell if she was lying to herself or expressing the truth.
” Good and fine. I will be your lover. I will help you save your friend.” He said and clutched his spear. From his physique, she knew he was a warrior of capabilities. The love part though she didn’t know what to say about it. Her heart could only think of Maximin.
” Thank you. Thank you very much.” She cried and stood up.
” Let’s go then. He said but stood gazing at her. For him it was her wit to save a friend at all cost even at the expense of paying the ultimate price, that impressed him the most. He concluded such women were rare to find and he was going to try and hold on to this one.
” Yes sure. I will lead the way.” She stuttered finding it difficult to think past the bear.
” But why was his hands stretched forward? Why did it seem like he was inviting her over?” She thought and felt petrified as the broadchested warrior walked up to her.
” Shall we?” He asked
” Yes.. let’s oh my God!!” She screamed out in horror.