"Where are we going?", Marcus asks for the hundredth time since this morning. He hasn't changed from his curious self one bit.

"Just keep quiet and put this on", I say handing him the blindfold.

"Am I safe?", he jokingly asks
"Nah! I'm taking you to get eaten by crocodiles", I reply in a matter of fact tone but with his raised eyebrow, I soon burst out laughing.

"Just trust me okay?", I finally manage to say between laughs.

"Alan are you coming?", I yell his name and out comes the most handsome creature God has ever created.

"I wouldn't miss the fun", he says grabbing me by the waist and placing a kiss on my fore head.

"Don't you dare embarrass me like you did yesterday", I say leaning into his touch.

"Did I embarrass you yesterday?"

"You threw up! Mafias don't throw up"

"How many times Jem, I don't want to take after my father, if anything, you're most likely going to take after him"

"I know! But you're a tracker Mafia and..."

"Ahem! If I stay too long behind this blindfold, I might end up temporarily blind", Marcus states in a matter of fact tone.

"Right let's go!"

I say, intertwining my fingers with his and leading him out of the house. We walk over to the other side of the house where the cell is, we begin descending the flight of stairs. Alan and I had to hold on to Marcus firmly, to prevent him from falling.

"Where are we Jem?, I smell a great stench of blood"

"Shh! Any minute now, you'll see"

Once in front of Ava, mother and dad, I pause. They all stand up and come forward to the iron bars.

"Were they fed after yesterday's massacre?", I turn to Alan for answer and he brushes my hair in response before actually nodding.
The captives make move to talk but I shush them up with a cold glare.

"Okay! Remove the blindfold"

Marcus slowly removes the blindfold and is met face to face with me.

"Is this a dungeon?", he asks staring at me and at the burning pit.

"Turn around"

I fiercely state and he stares down at me apprehensively before making a slow turn.

"What the fuck Jem!", he exclaims and turns around. He picks me up and swirls me around before putting me down.

"I see one is dickless, one is wristless and the other is earless", Marcus states with a smug look on his face and gives me a high five.

"You should have seen the way she did it, it was brutal", Alan says struggling, probably recalling yesterday's event. I smirk evilly.

"Mr Valerian, Mrs Valerian, Ava, this is..."

"MARCUS!"

They yell in unison.
"Good job on recognizing him"

"It can't be! We threw him in the water, he should have been dead" Mrs Valerian yells in frustration. She begins to gasp for breath

"How's it possible?", Ava asks, obviously stunned while Mr Valerian bends down to weep.

What did she say?", Marcus asks not understanding a thing. I laugh! Right, I put hot coal in her mouth so her speech will be muffled, almost hard to understand.

"She said chow whesh esh pwoshibul", I say mocking her and Marcus and Alan now understanding what she said begins laughing.

"Why do you guys hate us so much? You hated us so much you had to kill me? You had to separate us? Why?", Marcus asks in a mocking tone.

"You see...", Mr Valerian began but was cut short with a wave of my hand.

"Alan, give me the keys to their cell"

He silently obeys and hands me the keys. I walk over to their cell.

"Who do I start with today?"

"Oh I want to start with Dad!", Marcus says, calling the 'Dad' spitefully. I open the cell and unceremoniously drag him out. I kick the back of his legs making him kneel in front of Marcus. I give Marcus my dagger and he hesitates before taking it.

"What an honor to hold on to the prized dagger of SK", Marcus says, studying the intricate designs on the steel.

"Tie him to the pole", Marcus instructs as he moves to the burning pit and put the dagger in it. I tie Mr Valerian to the pole and study Marcus make the dagger hot. Once hot, he brings it to Mr Valerian's back and insert it in his back.

Mr Valerian screams in pain and I notice Marcus close his eyes as he revels in the screams of his dad. I look at the inscription at the back and it read: MARCUS

He hands me the dagger and I take it to the pit and make it really hot. I come to his back and inscribe my initials: SK

Mr Valerians scream pierce right through the quiet afternoon and the blood spills out of his body. Alan excused himself and went out of the cell. Next Marcus brings out mother.

We do the same thing to her and laugh at how she screams painfully. Now it's Ava's turn.

"I want to torment her Jem. I want her to scream my name for mercy. I want her to beg me", Marcus says picking up a wooden rod from the floor.
With rage and anger, he uses it to smash her head and she soon starts bleeding. She cries uncontrollably.

He collects my dagger and makes it hot again. He slowly inscribes his name at her back and gives me to do the same.

"Please Jem! I'm really sorry. I'd do anything you want me to do, just don't do this. I'll even become your slave if you want me to. I beg you Jem", Ava pleads.

"I begged you then Ava. I pleaded with you to open the door for me but you didn't. I said I was gonna do anything. I even offered you to do your laundry, your homework even do the dishes but you didn't budge. Karma is a bitch you know! And you know what..."

I say looking up from her face and face the others.

"... I don't even want to know why you guys did it. Knowing it won't bring back my Virginity. Because of you father. I felt insecure. I never had sex for seven years. I felt dirty. I felt rotten through and through. But thanks to my new family, I feel loved"

"I suffered with life threatening disease because of you Mr Valerian. I carried your seed within me. Your child was growing in me. I had to remove it because I was to young and my organs could not support a child. I could have died. For months I underwent traumatic and clinical depression. I still have nightmares of that day. It still haunts and taunts me till today. I will never forgive you...all of you for as long as I live"

I say with my eyes glistening with tears.
"Now Ava. I'm going to give you your own pound of flesh and more", I say while bringing out my phone and place a call through to Alan

Before long three men emerges in.

"Have your way with her. Do whatever you please with her and I'll pay you when you're done", I say to them. They nod their head and went straight for Ava. They undressed her and had their way with her one by one.

"Jemima!", Ava screams my name. I look away and Marcus comes to give me a hug. I try to hold back my tears but a lone tear betrays me. I furiously wipe it off and the images begins playing again.

"Jemmy dear!", Dad calls from his room.

"Yes dad", I answer rushing into the room and stopping abruptly at the sight of Ava standing there.

"Good! Now dad, everything's in your hands. Mum will be here any moment now with the man", Ava says making her way for the exit.

Dad comes closer and uses his hand to slightly brush against my then developing boobs. I jump back to the farthest corner in the room in fright.

"Looks like I'll have to go tough on you then", he says rushing for me but I jump away and bang on the door.

"Ava! Ava! Ava please come help me. I'd do anything. I'll do the dishes. I'll do your laundry, I'll do your homework. I'll lay your bed", I was screaming and ranting when father comes up to me and yanks me by my hair.

I had seen and heard too much of rape to not know I'm about to become a victim of one and that too by my own father!

"Daddy please", but all my pleas tell upon deaf ears. I screamed in pain as I felt world crash down. I felt the pain shoot through me and my blood pool over the bed.

....
  .....
"SK! SK! SK!!!", Marcus calls bringing me out of my reverie.

"What happened?"

"You passed out that's what!"

"I did what?", I asked in utter shock.

"You blacked out while Ava was screaming your name"

"How long?"

"Just a couple of minutes!", he states wiping away my tears. I didn't know I passed out and now I'm crying too?

"Did you settle them. I mean the three men"

"Yes"

"How much?", I ask ready to pay back.

"Each of them, two hundred thousand dollars"

"Okay. How much is your interest. I ask fondling with my phone at my back pocket to transfer the money back to him"

"No need Jem. I have no need for it anyway", he says but I feel like there's a deeper meaning to it.

Soon Alan comes barging in with a cup of tea. He sits on the bed beside me and helps me sit up.
"Here you go!", he says handing me the cup.
"Alan! You know I don't take tea anymore"
"Yes, I..."

"That's about to change Jem. In fact all those things we do together, we are going to do it again and that starts by you drinking this tea and when we're done, we'll go see Jon and have some pizza"

"I don't know Marcus. I haven't had tea or pizza in seven years. I haven't done so many things in seven years"

"And that's about to change!", he says placing the cup of tea against my mouth. I grimace at the sight and slowly take a sip. Once the taste hits my taste bud. I begin to relax and gulp down the whole lot.

"That's my baby bear", Alan says patting my back and placing a kiss on my cheek. Marcus picks the cup and leaves the room.

"Jem, there's something I want to tell you. About the other night..."

"Oh my look at the time! Alan, so sorry but I gotta get dressed. Marcus said that we're going to see Jon, why don't you get dressed too", i say shooing him out of my room. Once out, i release a sigh of relief and thank the stars he didn't get to say anything.
I change my dress and put on a shirt and short.

Now we're all set to go.

"Hey Dad!", I say on our arrival. I place a kiss on his cheek. And he immediately brightens.

"How you feeling old man", Alan asks with a slight nudge.

"Mafia Ross", Marcus greets with a slight bow.

Jon beams happily at our presence and we begin talking. I excuse myself and go to the doctor's office.

Without being offered a chair, I sit and place my legs on the doctor's table. He looks at me and raises his old brows in question.

"What's wrong with my dad Doc?", I ask without preamble

"He had a shock and it caused him severe heart attack. He would have lost his life but he's a strong man. Now he's suffering from heart failure and if we don't get a heart donor soon, we may loose Mr Ross"

"How soon do we need to get this heart?"

"As soon as possible! Every once in a week he gets seizures and with each seizure, I fear that it may be his last"
I get up and offer my hand to the doctor. He hesitatingly, takes it.

"Thanks Doc", I say and move out of his office abruptly. I go back and join the others. We make fun of each other and laugh like everything is ok. I look at Alan and realize that If I loose Jon, I might loose Alan too.

Fuck! What do I do? I can't loose any of them.

After two hours, we say our goodbyes, unsure if it'll be our last.

"Now we're going to have Pizza!!!!

Marcus yells and Alan and I laughs out loud.

---------------------------------------------

After many hours we're on our way home now. This is officially the best day of my life. I finally had pizza, I rode on bicycles. I played video games. I had fun. Even though Alan tried to tell me about that night, it was still the best.

"Now now people, let's have some rest and tomorrow we'll have more fun", Marcus says giving me a kiss on the cheek.

"Why don't you sleep over man!", Alan suggests.

"Yes sleep over", I chide in.

"No I can't. I..."

"Please", I plead.

"Oh alright!", he agrees.

I jumped up in excitement and rush upstairs. I bring down tons of pillows and duvets.

"Why do you wanna sleep in the living room when there are more than enough room upstairs?", Alan asks.

"We're sleeping here tonight", I say defiantly.

"We?", Marcus asks.
"Yes!",I exclaim.

"And I'll not take no for an answer. Go brush your teeth and change into your pajamas", I say and they grudgingly obey
Minutes later Alan emerges in a shorts and shirt. He sits beside me and begins fondling with my hair. I look up at him and willed for him to kiss me. He looks at my lips and smashes his lips against mine.

Our lips begin moving in sync and our desire for each other begins to increase. He reaches under my shirt and squeezes my breast. I moan out his name and feel his hardness against me.

"If you guys are going to go for it, why don't I  sleep upstairs?", Marcus asks startling us both. We quickly pull away from each other like nothing happened

"You know, you guys should stop pretending like you don't love each other"

"Marcus!", we yell, chorusing his name.

"What! I only said..."

"Oh you're going to get it alright", I say getting up with my pillow and chasing him round the house. Alan soon joins in and soon we begin our pillow brawl.

We all fall on the floor and begin laughing. I pound on Marcus and Alan. Alan begins pounding the pillow into my face and I fall on my back laughing.

"Jem!"

Marcus calls but I ignore it, still laughing at the way Alan was tickling me now.

"Jem!", I still ignore.

"JEM!", Marcus yells a bit louder and Alan stops. Looking at me. We both turn to see a struggling Marcus.

"MARCUS!", Alan and I yell.

He is breathing heavily. He is hyperventilating. It's like the air is closing in on him. He struggles to breath.

Alan rushes outside and brings the car. I try to hold back my tears and whisper soft words to him. Alan comes in and helps me put him in the car. Alan sits at the back with him while I drive speedily to the hospital.

"DOCTORS!", I yell and some nurses rushes out with strollers.

"Please help me. He's my brother. I don't know what happened to him. He just started convulsing and struggling for air", I say in a rushed breath.

The nurse quickly takes notes and calls for a doctor. They rush him into the theater and lock me and Alan outside. I try to look through the glass doors but it was no use.

Alan comes up behind me and hugs me. I turn around and bury my face in his chest. Sniffing his scent to calm me down.

After what felt like hours, the doctor came out. I walk up to him and his face looks like he has good news.

"SK! He has been coughing out blood since we entered in there and from the multiple tests I've carried out on him, I found out that he has lung cancer"

I feel everything around me go black. I soon feel numb but I try to stay composed.

"And his chances of survival are slim. There's nothing else we can do except hope for a miracle", the doctor says honestly and walks away.

We were granted entry to see Marcus. I see him lying down almost lifeless and helpless. Alan, squeezes my shoulders for comfort. I kneel beside his bed and silently plead with him to open his eyes. As if reading my thoughts, Marcus opens his eyes.

"Jem!", he calls.

"Marcus. Why didn't you tell me?"

"What difference would it have made?"

"How long have you had it?"

"For as long as I can remember Jem. It began after the drown incident. I was this close to loosing my life back then. After I was found, my body was all bloated up. I had drunk too much sea water"
I begin weeping.

"Hey hey hey Jem! You're a Mafia! Mafias don't cry. No matter what happens I'll never leave you. I'll be right there in your heart",he says aggravating my discomfort.

"I just got you back Marcus. I can't loose you again"

"I'm glad I came back. This past few days have been the best days of my life. I love you Jem".

"Mr Alan! It's your dad. He has seizures again and he's been screaming for you", a nurse comes in with the rushed news.

With tears in my eyes I run out of the ward and out of the hospital
"Where are you going?", Alan yells after me.

I do not answer him but keep running instead. He doesn't run after me.

"The only thing we can do is wait and hope for a miracle to happen".

The doctor's voice rings through my head. I run to the place I haven't been in for years.
I run to the only place I know a miracle can happen. I run to the only place I know can heal Marcus and Jon.

I run to a church!

××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××

Marcus has lung Cancer! Why does the worst thing always happen to the best people? I feel like crying. Well, how do you all like it?

I announce to you all that this book just has three or more.... Or less chapters to come to an end.

Don't forget to vote, comment and share lovelies. Do have a nice day/night and please stay safe.❤

Sparkles loves you😍 😘 ❤