[STORY] THE X-FAMILY (Episode 20)

Episode 20.

Yvonne – Mica’s friend – knocked on the wooden door, but there was no reply.

She adjusted her bag round her wrist and knocked again, but there was still no response. Was anyone even at home?

She looked around and knocked again and finally, someone opened up.

It was a woman and with her description, she guessed it’d be Mica’s step mom.

“Hi. Good day ma’am” she said with a smile while the woman stared uncomfortably at her.

“Yeah. Good day. How can I help you?” She asked with a look from her head to toe.

Yvonne hesitated for a little, then asked:
“Um….This is where Henry lives, right?”

“Henry?” The woman repeated.
“Who’s Henry?”

“Henry. You know? That black chubby man. He told me lives here”.

The woman shook her head negatively.

“I don’t think you’re in the right place. There’s no Henry here. You should probably check the next street”. The woman replied and Yvonn mouthed an “oh”, looking frustrated.

“Okay ma’am. Thanks for your time. But um…. can I get a glass of water, please? I’ve been walking for ages and I’m so tired, please” she made a pathetic face and the woman looked at her with scrutiny.

“Okay then. Come in” she opened the door and Yvonne sighed as she walked in.

Oops! At last.

The first sight that welcomed her in the room was a baby sitting on the couch, watching the tele with a glass of milk in her hand.

Hm. That should probably be Clarissa – Mica’s step sister.

“Please, take a seat” the woman said to Yvonne as she walked into the kitchen.

Yvonne nodded and took a seat on the couch, opposite the kid who didn’t spare her a glance.

Okay; so, where does she start from in getting the answers to Mica’s questions?

She was only good at stealing and fighting, but she wasn’t good at investigations.

Shortly, the woman returned with the glass of water and handed It to her.

“I hope it’s cold enough?”she asked warmly.

“Of course. Of course. Thank you so much” Yvonne smiled and gulped it down.

Well, she really needed the water because Mica had made her walk for so long under the harsh weather.

“Ah!” She sighed when she was done.
There was still a little quantity in the glass tho.

“The weather’s so hot today” she itched her neck.

“Indeed. I wish I could help you with Mr Henry’s location. But I really don’t know him” The woman said, already sitting adjacent to Mica.

“Ah! It’s fine. It’s fine. I’ll definitely find him. Don’t worry about him. The problem I’m having right now is the sun”. Yvonne grouse and sighed.

Oh geez! She needed to go straight to the point. But how does she begin??

She sipped a little from her water and looked at the woman.

“You live alone?” She suddenly asked, faking a smile.

“Uh…of course not. My husband isn’t home at the moment” the woman replied.

“I see. Man has to be busy, you know? To fend for the family” she chuckled.

There was a short silence.

Ugh!! She should’ve asked Mica for leads. She’s damn poor at this.

“You don’t have a step daughter, do you?” She suddenly blurted out.

The woman -Agatha – cringed.

“What?” She asked.

“I mean… you didn’t get married into a polygmaous family, right? You should consider yourself really lucky because… I had grown up in one. And trust me, those step daughters and step sisters can really be so b’tchy” she said with a false repugnant look.

Agatha just stared at her and didn’t say a word.

“I have a step sister” The kid from the couch suddenly turned to her and said.

Oh! Just what Yyvone’s been waiting for.

“Clarissa!” The woman snapped, signalling the girl to keep shut and obediently, she turned back to the tele.

O….kay. Yvonne found that a little crappy.

“Don’t pay attention to her. She’s just a kid” The woman said.

“Ah! Of course, I know. Children and their clumsiness”. Yvonne laughed dryly and silence ensued.

This kid could probably be of help, couldn’t she?”

“Um…I think it’s high time I left” Yyvone suddenly said.
” Thanks a lot for the hospitality,ma’am. But… could I get one last glass of water, please?”

“Of course” the woman smiled and stood up.

She collected the empty glass from her and returned to the kitchen and immediately, Yyvone turned to the little girl.

“Hey, hey. What happened to your step sister?” She asked in a whisper and Clarissa turned to look at her.

She didn’t say a word.

“Come on. Talk to me. I’ll give you some toys and chocolates when next I see you” she winked and Clarissa’s eyes dimmed.

“She ran away” she replied lightly.

Yyvone wasn’t too surprised.

“Ran away? Why?” She asked, still whispering.

“Because she’s scared of that wicked man. He’s going to kill her if he finds her. He said he’d kill her and make her suffer” she answered.

Huh?

“Which man?” Yyvone asked, wishing the kid would actually knows his name.

“I don’t….know. Buy he’s a….”

Agatha’s footsteps were heard and smartly, Clarissa turned back to the tele.

Yyvone also leaned back on her seat, although she was highly disturbed.

“Here it is” Agatha smiled as she handed the cold glass to Yyvone.

“Ah! Thanks a lot. You’re too kind” she repo and gulped half of the water, then stood up with her bag.

“Thanks a lot ma’am. I’ll be on my way way now”. She said.

“Of course, dear. Bye”.

And Yyvone turned around and left.

Octavia was running from someone that wanted to kill her – she thought.

Who could it be? And why would he want to kill her? What was her offense?

Okay…..

Now she was more anxious than she thought she could ever be.

****************
As soon as Octavia left Khalid’s room, she headed straight to hers and fell asleep. She was so exhausted.

She slept for hours and was awoken from her stomach.

Ah! She hadn’t eaten since the break of dawn. She’s actually been starving herself.

She left the bed, feeling really weak. She felt like taking a shower so she could wash of the thick substance she felt in-between her legs. But she was too weak and really needed to eat.

She left the room and started wondering around. How would she get to the kitchen? She didn’t know her way around.

She saw two ladies and stopped them.

“Please….how do I get to the kitchen?” She asked, taking a lot to be able to speak to them. She hated talking to strangers.

“Oh! Blue eyes, it’s right on my head” the first lady replied and laughed, together with her partner.

Octavia stared at them disbelievingly.

“Do you really have to be a b’tch?” She muttered and turned around to leave.

“Did you just say something?” The lady held her back by the wrist and she turned to look at her.

Octavia didn’t want to waste more of her precious words to her. So, she just made her wrist burn.

“Ah!!” The lady winced and quickly left her.

She looked at her wrist painfully and it was sore.

“How dare you?” She asked angrily, but Octavia gave no reply.

She turned around and left.
To Be Continued… . . .