[STORY] THE X-FAMILY (Episode 30)

Episode 30.

Agitated silence.

That was all that ran through the night.

Octavia stood in front of the window, staring outside and not minding the reflection of the morning sun that glinted on her face.

The place was quiet and empty. Unlike other mornings that was usually busy with different members of the clan moving about, this particular morning felt so different. So so different.

Everyone was worried about the Master – and Octavia wasn’t any different.

She was yet to get an update on him, but with the look of things, she could feel there was something wrong she couldn’t really explain it; but she could feel it. Something was definitely wrong.

The door opened shortly and she turned to see it was her sister. Her eyes gushed with more curiosity as she had been waiting so long for her.

There was a disquieted look on her face and it made Octavia more curious.

“He’s not gonna make it” Mica finally mumbled, and Octavia couldn’t explain it, but she felt something drop in her heart.
He wasn’t gonna make it? Her lips were too heavy to produce the words.

“The arrow was poisoned – a rare poison. And…it has no cure” Mica further explained, answering the unasked questions in her sister’s heart.

Octavia was confused: it was poisoned? Soz they had succeeded in the attempt after all? They succeeded in killing him!

She felt a hard lump in her throat and quickly gulped it down. The Master was going to die?

“Can….Can nothing be done at all?” She asked, her voice almost in a whisper and Mica shook her head.

“He has less than 13 hours to live” she added and another lump formed up in Octavia’s throat.
She quickly gulped it down.

Oh, Christ! This would be the end of the Khalid’s clan? How did they get him so easily? How did it happen?

She turned around to face the window again.

“So, what happens… after he dies?” She asked, not knowing if she was expecting a different answer from Mica.

“Well….the clan is over. Everyone would have to move out; find something else to do or join a different clan. The Khalid legacy would be gone” she explained and Octavia felt a sharp pain on her chest.

As she stared out the window, she imagined it happening. Everything would be gone; everyone would be divided. Oh! It was all going to be a lost cause.

Her heart skipped a bit. She suddenly recalled his face – Master Khalid.

Staring out the window, she recalled when she had seen him walking out of his car, his boys behind and beside him. She recalled the superiority; the aura of power that clunged all around him and could be discerned even from his steps.

Oh! Beggars would lick his feet if he goes out alone – she was sure of it. The air of authority was just too authentic on him – more like he was born to rule. How could he die so easily?

It was an enigma to Octavia.

“I’ll go get you some food” Mica’s voice came in the silence but Octavia didn’t turn to look at her as she walked away.

*,***********************

She sat on the bed, the spoon in her hand, and truthfully, Octavia couldn’t tell why the hell she was unable to ear. She couldn’t understand it, but her appetite was just lost.

She fixed the spoon into the food and tried taking some into her mouth, but it just wasn’t working out. She couldn’t eat. What was wrong with her?

Oh? She had to admit it; her mind was troubled. Well, not just her, but everybody’s in the clan.

She dropped the spoon and left the bed, going to face the window.

Mica came out of the bathroom afterwards, but she didn’t even bother to spare her a glance.

“You aren’t eating?” She asked and Octavia only shook her head, not looking at her.

Then, just like someone going through hypnosis, an idea struck at her. It had come out with a force so heavy, she gasped widely and looked at Mica.

“There might be a cure” she said, her eyes beaming.

Mica arched her brows and looked at her

“What’re you… talking about?” She asked, confused.

“The antidote. I know of an antidote which can work on difficult illnesses such as this. It can work on any illness or poison at all, but…”

“Are you talking about the red antidote?” Mica asked and Octavia nodded in agreement.

There was a loud thud in Mica’s chest as she glared at her.

Octavia quickly lowered her gaze to the floor z afraid of the moment. Oh! How cou she possibly think Mica would forget something like that?

“Have you gone crazy?” She snarled, the napkin she had in her hand slipped to the floor.

She marched angrily towards her.

“How can you even think of that name? What is wrong with you, Octavia?!”

“I’m sorry..” Octavia whimpered immediately, tears dripping from her eyes to the floor as she stared blurly at it.
“I just…. that’s the only thing I could think of”

“Then, get it off your mind, Octavia, cause it’s not working out! We can’t use the antidote on him. It’d kill him!”

“I know. B…But t’s more like a 50/50 percent. He might die, but he might also live. So, it’s possible it could also work” she still couldn’t take her eyes off the floor.

“Either ways Octavia, you can’t risk it. Michael would never give us that antidote. Have you forgotten what we did to him? And even if you’re to go with some guards, they’ll never be able to get it from him because he hates anyone that has to do with the X-family. You of all people should know this better, Octavia” Mica said, anger echoing in her voice.
It’s been years since Octavia felt such anger from her sister. She could swear her eyes would be bloodsh*t red already, but she didn’t want to look at at her.

“I….I know. But, we just need to give it a try. Please Mica, if you could get me out of here, I’ll go to him and get the antidote”. She said with an indefatigable expression.

“And you think it’s going to be that easy?” Mica scoffed.
“Octavia! What you’re asking is too dangerous! First, what if you get caught? Or someone finds out you left the building? Secondly, what if it doesn’t work and only kills him faster? You know how the red antiode works. It could…”

“I know, Mica. I know. You don’t have to…. spell everything out for me” she said with a hoarse voice produced from anxiety.

“We just have to give it a try. That’s the only option we have to save him. He…He has only a few hours left” She lowered her head at the last sentence.

There was a stretched silence as Mica turned around and backed her for a while.

“Moscow is your trainer and if he finds out you secretly left the building, he’s going to punish you, Octavia. Definitely” she continued
“. But even if you don’t get caught and succeed in getting the antidote to Khalid, what if it doesn’t work? What if it only worsens his condition and kills him immediately? They’ll definitely put the blame of his death on you and they’ll kill you, Octavia. They’ll kill you”.

“Well, Maybe they don’t need to know” she tried putting her fears aside.

“Maybe… I should leave without telling any of them. Then, if I succeed, and it works, I’ll tell them it was done by me. But if it doesn’t work, and he…. dies”, she paused and gulped hard.
“Then, I guess I’ll just keep quiet and it’d remain our secret”.

Mica scoffed and shook her head. Then, she turned around to look at her sister.

“Michael would never give you that antidote. You know him, Octavia” she spoke icily.

“Yes, I do. But I’ll… I’ll give it a try” she answered nervously. “Just… help me get out of here”.

Mica shook her head and turned to back her again. it was a tasky request; a request that came with bitter memories.

She bit her lower lip, trying to take everything down.

Calm down, Mica. Calm down – she tried to console herself.

Octavia could feel the pains of her sister. They were her pains as well because they went through it together.

And somehow, she couldn’t tell why she was bringing back these old memories, feelings and pains, all because of a man, a cruel man who’s only caused her more pain – Master Khalid.

“I’ll get dressed” Mica suddenly said and for the first time since ages, Octavia looked at her with relief and anxiety.
To Be Continued… . . .