Ava’s voice scared him when he began to listen to his voicemail, such that he wondered if he was already too late. Driving through the road and dodging traffic like a crazy person, all he could hear was her pleading voice, to come as fast as he could. In arriving there, killing Zane’s men was not the problem. The problem was, confronting Zane himself.
Even with the problem, he knew that Ava had to be saved. So he had to boldly face the issue and step into the room to save her from Zane’s madness. Now, looking at her on the bed with her eyes closed, he began to feel for her. He imagined that it wasn’t easy for her to see what Zane did to her father. He remembered the instant he stepped into the sitting room, and wiped out the three hefty men that were standing guard, before he saw David’s head on the ground. His headless body had fallen to the side and the blood was still flowing.
From the way the head was sliced off, Philip knew that Zane skillfully used a sword. The slice was neat and accurate and part of that was what made Philip beware of the danger he was stepping into. For a long time, he had managed to stay away from the Blue Skeletals and the Mutant Assassins. The fact that he had interrupted Zane’s activity with Ava, only meant that trouble was knocking faithfully at his doorstep and would soon barge in without any permission.
Philip got up from the chair he was sitting on and he walked to the door but before he could open it, he heard Ava call his name softly behind him. She sounded weak but she wasn’t confused.
“P-please stay,” she said. Hearing the pleading in her voice, he turned back and walked toward the bed.
“How are you, Ava?” he asked, mostly because he didn’t know what else to say or do at that moment. She sat up and drew the duvet up to her neck, knowing that she was only wearing a brazier. Zane had lustfully torn off her clothes and Philip didn’t want to invade Ava’s privacy by putting another blouse on her while she was asleep.
The answer that he got for his question was a nod. He knew that she wasn’t the type to talk too much and he respected that fact about her. Seeing that she was tired but not comfortable with how she was underneath the duvet, he took out a clean shirt from his drawer and stood up. Then he approached and sat down beside her on the bed, “Can I?” he asked softly, while his eyes met her hazel eyes.
He thought that she wouldn’t agree at first but she slowly nodded and let go of the duvet. She spread her hands feebly, while Philip brought the shirt close to her and let her hand pass through the sleeves. When it had fitted her, he withdrew his hands. While she buttoned up the shirt.
“If you’re hungry, I can make dinner for you.” Once again, her reply to his statement was with a nod. Peering into her beautiful eyes, Philip could see that she was the type that preferred showing her feelings rather than saying it. He also nodded and walked out of the room.
While in the kitchen, he brought some vegetables out of the refrigerator and prepared to cook a simple meal for her. Something soft and edible for her because of how tender he perceived her to be. It wasn’t his intention to protect her or get closer to her but he was stuck with the decision. Just as he covered the pot, he heard stealthy footsteps in the sitting room and he turned to see who it was. Ava was the one in the sitting room and from the kitchen, he could see that she had enough strength to stand and look around the sitting room. It looked like she was trying to take in the beauty of the room and also trying to make herself comfortable.
Philip tucked his hands inside his pocket and watched as she sat down and exhaled. It must have been very hard for her to see her father’s head sliced off by another man. When he perceived that the food was done, he dished it out and walked out of the kitchen towards her, “I will get some juice for you.” he said.
He kept the food gently on the table for her and then strode to the refrigerator. His hands shook as he poured the drink into the tumbler. The sound of her sobs melted his heart such that his hands responded by quivering. Knowing that he wasn’t able to endure the feeling of her pain, he left the juice and went to the room to comfort her.
Philip sat down gently beside her and gently took her hands. The rate of his heartbeat slowed down when she turned to him with red wet eyes. He stretched out his hand and cleaned the tears travelling down from her eyes, “We will get him, I promise you that.” He didn’t know how it would happen but for Ava’s sake, he would make sure that her father’s death was avenged.
When he withdrew his hands from her eyes, she drew near to him and embraced him. The young girl needed rest but she also needed someone. Feeling her soft silky hair and skin on his, he drew her closer and allowed her to relax as she held unto him. In a short while, a thought bounced into his mind. He began to ask himself how David’s location was known. He never told anybody about David or Ava but somehow, Zane came to know about it.