New Year Eve

 

New Year Eve...

The father was showing his daughter some files that contained the company documents and property deeds.

He had to force her to pay attention... switched off the TV, and insisted she listened to his droning voice.

Her countenance was dark. She didn't understand why her father had decided to bore the life out of her this morning. It was New year's Eve, for heaven's sake!

But she pretended to listen while seething in anger.

He knew she was pissed, but didn't care. She was his oldest child. And she has come of age - 18. She needs to know how things were run in the family. He felt a sense of urgency. He didn't know why...but he wanted to pass this to her...just in case.

Fifteen minutes later, there was a bang on the gate.

The dogs began to bark.

James, his kid brother, went outside to check who it was, since the gateman and the other domestic staff have been given the week off.

Five minutes later, James has not returned. And the dogs have stopped barking.

He told his daughter to take the documents inside while he goes out to check...

She packed the documents. And pocketed her phone and dad's.

As she turned to go into the adjoining room, she heard the struggle. She tiptoed to the maid's room that has a window facing the gate. She peeped through the window. Her uncle, James, was in the pool of his blood.  The dogs were still and a crimson liquid streamed from under them. A single bullet hole marked their skulls.

Her father's feet were twitching in spasmodic motion. He was trying to say something to the masked men who still had their guns pointed at him. He was choking on his own blood, but he still wanted to talk. One of them fired another bullet into him, and he became still.

They turned to the door.

There was no time to think. Ene quickly stuck the file she still held into the waistband of her pyjamas. She ran to her dad's room. She thought of crawling under the bed, but that would be futile. They would find her. And she knew what her fate would be if they did.

She looked up and saw the manhole. Thank God for her military training. She effortlessly climbed into the ceiling and covered it.

She heard them ransacking the house. It was obvious they were looking for something...and someone. And they didn't speak English.

After what seemed like an eternity, she heard the door close. She breathed a sigh of relief.

And then she began to choke...on the smoke. They have set the building on fire, probably to obliterate every evidence. She pulled out her phone and dialled 112.

Her hands were shaking badly, but she steadied them. She climbed out of the ceiling and managed to sneak out through the back door before she heard the sirens. They were fast, her fogged brain marvelled.

She ran out through the back gate...and kept running...