THEM TO BLAME

~~~you don know me stripped by Fauozia~~~~~~~~~~

The droplets of the water fell loudly in the bathroom next door,a rythm which was unpleasant sound to the troubled people in the room, it fell like a tick of a minute as if it was counting the hours of their arrival and it wasn an amusing thing. To be reminded that they were losing track of time since they came here,they didn know if it was day time or the opposite due to the lack of windows in the room and bright light in it,they knew what was happening yet didn know, they knew why they were here yet at the same time had no clue at all, it was as if the universe was playing at terrible joke on them.

The last thing they remembered was being tied up and were forced to inhale chloroform which made them pass out eventually and they later wake up to this white room which was blank except the grey couches they have been sitting on shortly after waking up.

They were losing it as the silence was unbearable, they couldn figure out what to speak to each other fearing it would at up to their fear,Even though they were sitting in the room together, the gravity of the situation was falling to everyone shoulders in their own way.

David who never went away three feet away from his girlfriend Linda was now sitting far in the corner next to Bill biting his unconsciously because it was a habit he have fought hard to bury, his mind went to what he would be doing now, he could be training with his teammates, he always worked hard to prove to his parents that basketball was promising career not an idiotic obsession that would turn him into a beggar but here he was, his whole dreams into these strangerss hands, he shivered at the thought that he might not even make it out alive.

Rita shivered as fear and coldness fell into her lungs, her lungs were starting to feel heavy again, the air was briefly being rough inhaled, her skin was starting to lose color making her feel like a ghost adding to the goosebumps on her skin, It was coming again and she feared that with now in this place, it would totally hit her hard.

Benjamin was sitting to the ground near the couch the second couch looking toward the ceiling as if it was the only interesting thing in the bruised universe, apparently he was the only one who understood the gravity of the situation well,he analysed one thing, the kidnappers weren your usual lets kidnap spoilt brat and eat some money kidnappers because they didn bother to cover their faces which only meant one thing he didn want to think but did anyway, the kidnappers didn intend to let them off the hook easily because it would mean a direct exposure to police because if released they would identify them.

Hughes was annoyed beyond control because of dissatisfaction, his father and any other parents of the kids in this room except for Melissa and Kirabo were influential people in the country who could hire the whole army to bid their will and save them from these people in one day and they were financially stable or over financially stable to pay whatever ransom requested in less than 3 minutes but here they were clueless.

Shema was cracking his knuckles scanning the room observing everyone calmly, he was surprised that none have passed out from fear or that none has panicked this far, they were deep in their thoughts and Shema was certainly satisfied with observing them because he didn want to think of anything yet, he would save thoughts for tomorrow when he wanted to figure out how to end this and secure them and their thoughts and be productive but right now he really needed a rest from his conscience.

Melissa was screaming inside her head, as much she have tried to not think of their mother,their mother have totally lost it now, as she have always daily reminded them that they were her only family,as her whole family have been brutally murdered in the 1994 genocide against the tutsi, she have raised them on her own after their father have died in a truck accident.

Their mother have raised them through her financially and emotionally struggle but they never lacked anything, she always told them that she lived for them and given that she was emotionally, she was probably crying her heart out, Melissa wiped the lone tear finally admitting where she got the genes because Kirabo the youngest had a straight face while here she was crying, she felt helpless.

Regardless her uneven voice, Chloe was humming a gospel song slowly which was very common in Rwanda ibuye by Dorcas and vestine that any one could recognize it even a kid of 5 years thus not surprising that she knew it but again it was surprising that she was singing it.

Given the fact that she was your typical slay queen all the stereotypes were against her,it was unlikely for her to sing a gospel song but here she was singing it repeatedly as if in her mind playlist there existed no other songs but it was her way to cope with her demons in this kind of situation, she felt as if this was a kind of punishment God have sorted for her, she was going through much and if this was the punishment, it was fair,even torelable compared to what she have done three years ago. She knew that praising God through songs wasn going to solve anything or appease Gods anger toward her but what else can she do?

Manzi was sitting on the sofa next to ritah but he was oblivious to the shift of condition of the girl next to him as he was busy trying to understand whats was going on with everyone at the moment but his attention was merely focused on Chloe who was facing him directly from her couch, it was a good distraction to here her trying to remember the exact lyrics of the song and end up messing up anyway and starting the song once again because it was distracting his anxiety nerves to kick in and it was not a nice thing because he feared that he would cry and that would be terrible because in the room, no one was crying except Linda who was sobbing quietly.

Therefore Manzi didn want to cry to avoid looking like a coward in front of his peers while others were obviously holding it in nicely, he wanted to get out of this place even though it sounded stupid because it was always the guy who brought the escape plan who died in movies but whatever cost it would take Manzi, he would make sure he got out of here.

Kirabo was hugging her knees tightly because apparently in the whole world the only thing she had,was her body because thats the only thing she was capable of protecting and control, she scowled for the hundred time on the day. She regretted why she have listened to her dignity yesterday when Shema have told her to return to Kigali but she had plainly refused to irk him up but look where that had led her, to be kidnapped, her fate was cruel, she had protest for her freedom of opinion but now she have totally her freedom and the only thing which was her own, her body, she even sure that these abductors had moral not to violate any girls here.

Linda was sobbing quietly next to Chloe on the couch and she didn really care that she was the only one crying in the room or that she looked like a crybaby because the last thing she care about was her pride, she really didn care about her future which was going to be tarnished by this scheme nor did she worry about died in the hands of the kidnappers but all she cared about was the reaction their father would get if he got to know that it was Shema who brought the idea of the trip, she wondered if this would disrupt the new profound peace at home where her father wasn abusing Shema but treating him as a business partner and she only wanted peace.

Peace, thats the only thing that have mattered for these past 6 years, after she realized that her father abused Shema mostly because she was weak in her studies,she worked hard that she always got straight As but that changed nothing because Shema was always above her thanks to his inborn talents this he was continued to be abused because of her but after he finished highschool his life changed dramatically whereby their father started favoring Shema and bestowed him to be the president of his company on his young age and now Linda was playing that nothing changes because she was always guilt that she was the one who caused his pain.

Bill wasn hearing anything,his vision was starting to get blur,he couldn even ignore the loud pound of his heart beating heavily, his nose was starting to itchy, he could even feel those annoying tickling sensation upon his spine, his mind couldn even functioning moments like this, he could even manage to formulate a two syllabus word like help, his brain couldn even make up to recognize the people in the room, all he could hear was his brain screaming I want it,he wanted it badly that he started scratching his skin with his nails to stop himself from screaming out of loud.

Their train of thoughts were interrupted with the sudden entrance of two of the abductors entered, one was a girl who looked their age, she had dreadlocks reaching her butt, she had a thick scar on her shoulder but she didn bother to hide it as she wore a black vest matching the rest of her military outfit, she had a constant scowl on her face,an expression which was quite opposite to the guy next to her, He looked quite good looking and he had a constant smile on his face as if he was a waitress and he was called gentleman by other abductors.

”Kabera Linda and Rusaro Melissa, its your turn ”The girl stated looking bored as if nothing mattered in the world, when they have arrived, those two abductors have came in turns taking a pair of people to go and take a shower and change into a t-shirts with victim encrypted on it.

They have protested at first thinking that this was an excuse to violate the girls but the abductors have explained calmly saying that they weren going to spend days without showering, they explained without using force, and the kids complied because there was nothing else to do and the abductors turned out to have morals as they did what they promised.

”Oh, darling you shouldn be crying ” Gentleman said with a sigh as he approached Linda ”Come on let me help you honey ” he said as he wiped her tears and helped her to stand up which earned him a snort from David and Shema.

”And thats Gentleman for you ” the girl said with an exaggerated eye roll, as she also walked to Melissa who was already standing up.

”The poor girl is having a hard time, Pfumu ” Gentleman replied as if they weren the one giving them a hard timr, everyone in the room snorted or rolled their eyes but Gentleman spoke effortlessly ”Come on, Honey I am sure a hot shower will cheer you up ”

Linda nodded faintly as she followed Melissa and Gentleman out of the door, Pfumu short for Umupfumu as her nickname darted her eyes like a sorcery around the room, closed the door behind her before leaving.

They fell into silence again.

”Its funny how people only remember God in times like this ” Manzi remarked ending the silence because it getting unbearable.

Chloe raised her head.

”You have no right to judge me ” she spat out bitterly glaring daggers at him.

”I didn specifically say anyone but now you mention it I didn know you knew gospel song care to tell me where you learned them? ” Manzi added.

” Oh, the place is called shut the ** up ” Chloe replied.

”Now thats the real you, I was starting to think you are her clone ” Manzi added with thin smile.

”Chloe, you could always kill him and blame the abductors ” Kirabo offered and everyone snickered.

”Figured out ”

”Then whatever you are playing for can be answered if you kill me ” Manzi added calmly as he looked straight at her.

”I am not praying for anything ” Chloe said firmly but averted her eyes else where because they were starting to fill up with tears and she wasn going to let this masochist see her weakest side ”Because God can answer anyway ” her voice was barely audible.

”Thats tragic ” Shema added dryily from the corner looking like he didn care anyway.

”Maybe we should ask Ritah to teach you how to play and get answered so you can get religious ” Manzi said and laughed afterwards but none joining his laughter ”Ritah, you should teach her ”

Ritah closed her eyes barely hearing what he was talking about as her body was fighting to lift her body heat.

Chloe stared at Manzi who was laughing at his own joke ” Manzi, you think you know things but little do you know that you know nothing, you know nothing other than judge people but right now I really don care talk as much as you want ”

”You never gave me reason not to judge you ”

”You never need a reason to judge someone and I am the perfect candidate for your judgemental eyes at the moment ”

Manzi stared at Chloe who was barely holding back her tears her eyes spoke volumes as they were now clear without heavy make up her face was bare because after she showered today the abductors couldn provide them make up, but that didn change the fact that she was naturally beautiful and now as Manzi looked at her, he wondered why she always hid under all that thick make up.

”Look, Chloe I am sorry I didn mean to take this far I didn mean to hurt you ” Manzi added his tone full of remorse.

”You always mean what you say ” Chloe added dryily.

”But.. ”

”Cut it off already ” Chloe waved him off ”You didn hurt me because I always get verbally attacked like that, I am used to it but now in this situation and I don need your constant reasoning ”

”Look… ”

Manzi was going to compensate for her feelings but Ritah dropped dead on the floor shaking.

”Ritah.. ” Chloe cried out as she stood up with everyone went for Ritas help except for Ben and David who stayed behind checking on Bill who also looking like he was about to piss on himself.

Ritah was breathing heavily and her face was starting to drain color the quite opposite of her dark ebony skin.

”Whats going on? ” Kirabo asked as she kneeled next to Shema who was rubbing Ritas palms with his to give her some warmth.

”I think…. shes….having… an asthma attack ” Chloe stuttered as she realized what was happening to her childhood friend.

”Then for godsake go and and search for her pump in the spare bag ” Manzi half yelled as he was also trying to warm her red pedicured feet.

Halfway, Chloe almost stumbled on Hughes who was standing like a statue looking as if he was homeless at the moment, she took the spare bag which contained all their things combined except their phones.

”I.. can …see… anything ” Chloe stuttered as she started to hiccupping.

”Where is it Rita? Try to speak to me! Please! Where is your pump? ” Shema tried calmly putting his ear close her lips.

”Didn …. bring…it….the….pump…. don … have…it ” Ritah replied in a barely audible voice followed by fits of cough.

”Damn it ” Manzi cursed as he threw himself on the couch feeling helpless.

”Well, thats worst but I think we have worse ” Ben added calmly, they all shifted their attention from Rita to Bill who was shaking to the ground violently being held by Ben and David.

They all gasped.

”Whats…. happening…..him? ” Chloe asked still hiccupping.

”Withdrawal signs ” Ben added.

”I can….. I can give him some pot here ” Hughes said finally feeling useful as he ran to the spare bag but stopped in track when he heard Shemas next words.

”That can help ”

”But they can try…we can try right? we don have any option or else they will die on us so please Hughes bring it ” Kirabo said feeling pathetic and fearing that she can hold it anymore if someone died because she have seen a dead a person and the image had stuck until now.

”We can ” Shema added again.

”Lets not loose hope… ”

”We can because Bill is not having withdrawal signs because of weed Kira and he is addiction is beyond weed ” Manzi half yelled looking angry but not because of Kirabo.

Now Chloe couldn hold it anymore, she busted out crying out of loud holding Ritah close to her chest, making others wonder if they should join her due to the fact they had nothing better to do.

But Kirabo decided other wise as she ran to the door and banged loudly constantly.

”Can somebody help? Please! Is there anyone listening? Please! Can you help us? People are dying here! We don care if you are **ing abductors! Just save them! Can somebody help? ” There was no answer.

But that didn discourage her as she banged even louder where Chloe joined her while crying.

”If anyone dies here, I will personally kill you and make you my fertilizer s now please come here or… ” Without finishing her well practiced threats the door busted open making her and Chloe stumble backwards.

Kirabo wondered if they came this fast because of her threat or they were just coming anyway but didn ask for confirmation anyway.

There entered two guys carrying two kits. They didn even bother to look at the girls who looked like they were about to commit murder but instead headed separately to the patients.

They opened the kits simultaneously, they gave Ritah a specific pump which looked khaki but not the usual blue-green pump for asthmatic people and gave injected her with a needle containing fairly pink liquid.

For Bills case, they scattered a white powder on a glass material which he sniffed quickly within a second.

Melissa and Linda came back in the room accompanied again by Pfumu and Gentleman but no one noticed as they were gawking at the scene in front of them.

When they started gaining their color back, the abductors stood up and collected their tools.

”Rita, given that you are on the third stage of cancer, we are sorry you got involved in all this but you are going to get your personal nurse to check up on you daily until you get home ”The tall one added ” and for you Bill, you will be given a little amount of cocaine per day to avoid withdrawal but we can afford a big dosage as the type of cocaine you use is very expensive and very rare in the world ”

And they turned to leave.

”And you girl, you shouldn threaten someone who is supposed to save your friend ” the short one said looking straight at Kirabo.

”Then I suppose I should thank you for kindly hosting us ” Kirabo replies sarcastically with a fake curtsey.

”Never liked the sarcastic ones ” the short one said looking like he would fly over the moon if he smacked her head on the wall but with a warning look from the other abductors, he got out and the others followed leaving the dumbfounded rich kids behind.

No one knew where to begin as they looked at the duo laying on the couch now because everything didn seem to fit.

”You can speak you know, None is dying here anymore not at the moment anyway ” Bill broke the silence with his usual cool demeanor as he wasn going to die a minute ago.

”Is it….really….coke? ” David asked not trusting his voice.

Bill smiled but a smile which didn reach his eyes.

”Yes ”

”But you told me to not sniff it while you do it ” Hughes remarked.

”Hope now you see the perks now ”

”Cocaine leads to some serious brain issue but here.. ” Melissa pointed out.

”Relax people, its not like the first time you see a drug addict or a cocaine addict ” Bill added looking annoyed and decided to sniff on the last dose.

”First time ” Kirabo muttered.

”And I am not even dying ” Bill remarked and all the heads turned to Rita who was sleeping on the couch staring elsewhere but not at them ” The main problem at the moment should be Rita ”

”Rita…is really true you have cancer? ” Linda asked her eyes looking wet again.

”Third stage Lung cancer ”

”And did occur to you that we have the right to know and specifically me your bestfriend? ” Chloe added as she broke down and cried.

”Did you even plan to tell us? ” Manzi asked as he touched Chloes shoulder as to comfort her.

Rita sighed and sat down.

”Listen to me, If I told you, it wouldn had make difference I am dying anyway so…. ”

”We would have helped you through out your last years, thats what friends live for ” Shema added as he sat beside his sister who looked like she planned to fill an entire lake with her tears.

”Stop the drama, Chloe you stopped being my close friend after you started hiding secrets from me, so stop it and everyone please stop averting the problem, I am going to die whether I would have told you or wouldn it wouldn have eased your pain after my death and I want to enjoy my last months happily without anyone looking at me with pity reminding me I am about to die and I had the right to keep this confidential so please understand ” Rita said firmly.

”But… ” Manzi started speaking but was cut off by Rita.

”My explanation ends here ”

Chloe stared at her memories of them together passing through her eyes.

”Does…. it….hurt? ” She asked already knowing the answer.

”It …..sucks ” Ritah bit her trembling lip

But ended up crying anyway.

”I am… really…sorry ” Chloe sat next to bee hugging her tight fearing that she might lose her if let go, the bestfriend cried on each others shoulder and Linda joined them and cried what seemed like an eternity.

The scene was heartrobbing that it made everyone eyes in the room itchy but they held it.

”Anyway, I think this is weird how they knew that I had a third stage cancer I mean they even had the exact medicine that my doctor recommended me and knew exact the dosage I was required to take ” Ritah said as pulled back from the hug her heart shaped faced frowning in confusion.

Bill nodded.

”Yeah, its certainly suspicious how they knew exactly what kind cocaine I use while only two people excluding me knew it, that drug take long to get shipped from Colombia and it is **ing expensive and always empties my pocket ” Bill pointed out.

”And it felt like they were already in the way here before I even had the idea to call for help ” Kirabo added.

”Does that mean that theres a came in this room observing us? ” Melissa added.

Everyone looked around and finally found a camera in the corner.

”But that still doesn explain why they knew such detailed details about Ritah and Bill ” Manzi pointed out.

”That means someone who abducted us have been studying about us and it was no accident that they abducted us ” Ben also pointed out.

”And they intend to keep us alive for long ” Shema added.