Note: quote would be added soon.

Word count : 1889.

Chikamharida's POV.

He led us to a door marked HB, one of the many on a wide, grey hallway. Nurses dressed in white or blue walked about, either with trays, books or with patients.

After knocking Henry turned the knob. The door was unlocked and he walked in first.

We were in a room— grey walls, a single bed and no windows. A curvy lady sat, sketching on a pad. She was quite properly kept contrary to what I expected of a psychiatric patient. Neatly braided hair, and a nice dress of black pants and a long sleeved shirt.

She didn't look up when we got in.

"Hilda," Henry called her, making me freeze. I didn't freeze because he called me, no. I froze because I wasn't expecting him to know Hilda. How did he know? I thought Adele mentioned how conservative the knowledge of Hilda was at the Jones estate.

He looked at me, a question in his eyes. Was he asking if I was alright? Was he curious of if I had an idea who she was?

I shook my head to answer his question, still standing by the door and waiting for further instructions.

What was happening?

I looked at the lady who looked nothing like Adele; Adele had never been plump. I may be wrong. I may not be.

"Harida," Henry said as if sensing my inner turmoil. "Meet my twin sister, Hilda. She's the reason I make most of my decisions. She's the reason that Jone's estate still stands and the reason it will be destroyed."

"Henry," I said, walking forward till I was beside him and holding his hand. I could tell he needed comfort, I just didn't know how. Maybe it was from his vibrating fingers or the stiffness in his shoulders.

My eyes went to the lady. She was looking at us, but it was like she couldn't see us— eyes, glassy, dreamy.

"Can I speak with her?" I asked.

"You can, if she'll hear you," he said. "I've been trying for years. I'm sure that doesn't just decide to work one day."

"Hey," I said, crouching before her, making her drop her sketchbook in fright, so that the pencil working of a newborn baby clothed in linen was only visible from the floor.

Immediately, Hilda went from not noticing us to being afraid. She'd scrambled away from me, climbing the bed and sitting at the very edge supported by the corner of the wall.

"I'm not here to hurt you," I said.

The lady only shook her head like a frightened child, eyes down, focused on the sheets and not on me.

"Don't push further Harida," Henry said. "Let's go. She's afraid of practically everyone including me."

He opened the door first and I was left to follow but not before looking back once again to meet Hilda's stare head-on. It was creepy and appeared lifeless, not moving from my face. It was as if she wanted me to know that she was looking at me— as if she was warning me.

By the counter, we returned our visitor's badge. "Thanks Jennifer," Henry said, signing on a book before leading us out.

The walk to his car was silent and I'd be lying to say that I wasn't a bit relieved to be sitting in a confined space away from the outside world, away from Hilda and her creepy stare, in place where it was just Henry and I, where he was free to vent.

"I don't think I can drive us home without skidding off the road," Henry said out of the blue, forcing my gaze away from the doors of MayPsych and on how hard his knuckles were gripping the steering.

He suddenly banged his head on the wheel so the car honked.

"I can't drive Henry," I said. "You need to get your shit together."

"I plan to— get my shit together, I mean," Henry said, raising his head to look deep into my eyes. "And that's where you come in."

"What exactly is going on Henry?" I asked. "What happened to her? What happening to you? Why on earth do you have more secrets than the Illuminati?" I asked, blowing up, expecting him to tell me that he was alright, that I didn't just see him hurting but he didn't.

Instead, his look was all the confirmation I need.

"My sister was a victim of something big..." he said slowly, trailing off as if remembering the exact details of what he was saying till it got to a point, probably the painful part where he snapped out of it. "During your next off day, I want to take you somewhere. I failed her once and I can't fail her again," he said, ending our stare to start the car so that he drove us away.

He didn't wait for my reply...

When we got to the estate, I went to my room like any normal person would and just when I shut the door, Chilli came to knock.

"Hey," she said once she saw my face. "I brought snacks. You going out?"

"Not really," I said, collecting the cupcakes from her. They were wrapped in white bags.

"Thanks for this," I said before walking in to drop the snacks on my desks.

"I'm trying a mix of vanilla, strawberry and cream," her voice flew into the room, appearing closer as the minutes passed. "-and I'll really like your comments on it before Adele and the boss have a taste."

"Will do," I said, turning to see that she was still standing by the door.

Chilli looked better compared to when I'd last seen her— no more red eyes, no more welts on her skin and I thought that maybe, just maybe she'd forgotten about Kaandle.

I noticed that I was assessing her and I think she did too.

"I'm off duty right now. Got plans to sleep in, see you later," she said, guilt flashing through her face as she nodded rapidly before taking off, back to her room.

I shrugged and got back in my room.

With alot of things to think through, I debated on going to the pool or the river. The river won. I began walking towards it with my iPhone. It was brand new; Henry bought it because my Nokia was irreparable, so I took selfies next to trees, trying to appear happy and like I was on a lone camp, but it actually didn't work because I couldn't stop thinking about Henry and what I'd just discovered— and the way he'd been hurting while hiding it all behind petty disagreements.

If he was Adele's uncle, was that the reason why he had easily gotten me this security job? But that doesn't explain why he was angry that Mr Bolaji offered me the opportunity to be Adele's personal guard. Or was I missing something? Besides, why had Adele never mentioned it? Was she ashamed or was she as clueless as I?

I decided to pass the pool on my way out and I found out that it led to the lot. Right there, among the tarred floor and boiling sun, a Rottweiler's bark welcomed me. In the lot, a million vans were parked. None had a brand name or a symbol of any type.

I was curious to find out what line of business the Jones were involved in so I approached the window of one of the vans, just as one was driving in and immediately, the dog's barks worsened— as if it was trying use a speaker.

For about a minute, it quietened and I, thinking that the dog had probably tired out, extended my search until I came out from between two cars and eventually faced it— a huge, black Rottweiler staring at me with saliva dropping from it's teeth, a ledge on its kneck and on the handle was a bi-colored patched knuckles gripping it.

My eyes traced the arms till they arrived at the face of its owner.

"Jeff, calm down," she said.

The dog quietened immediately, it's growl turning to a low whine. Adele, apparently satisfied, smiled at me and said, "Saw you while walking about, so I decided to say "hi"."

I checked the screen of my phone, it was past twelve noon.

"Aren't you meant to be in school?" I asked.

"I wasn't feeling nice so I decided to end class early. As for you? I can tell that you're not in a really nice mood."

"You guessed right. But I'm actually on my way to the stream."

"It was my spot first."

"I'm not arguing with you," I said, a smile threatening to split my face in half. "I just want to share it."

"I guess I'll follow you," she said, clutching a familiar magazine closer to her chest.

"Thought you were against sharing your favorite spot," I said, looking at the dog.

"Not Jeff," she said. "He's actually my favorite buddy here other than Nana— and you, despite the fact that you're mostly sad. Care to share the reason why you're sad this time."

"I'm just thinking," I said. "But let's get to the our spot first."

We walked, side by side, using the wooden bridge with Adele eyeing my phone all the while.

"Is that an iPhone 15?" She suddenly asked.

"Yeah," I said, confused. "Henry got if for me."

"Henry? Do you mean my dad's wingman?" She asked, pulling in Jeff"s leash when he was reluctant to move.

"Yeah," I said, hoping I wasn't giving out much information. It wasn't like Henry had made anything official or even confessed his feelings for me. "He only got me a job. He was just being humanitarian, nothing much."

"That doesn't sound like nothing much to me," she said, stretching her hands towards the phone. "Can I see?"

"Yeah," I said and she began taking random pictures of her dog, herself and all of us.

*****

"We're finally here," I said to Adele once the river was in plain sight. "You can now return my phone."

"Don't delete any of our pics. I'll get them from you," she said.

In a move to make conversation, I asked, "How was your day since you couldn't escape the church service today?"

"It was nothing I haven't done before. What about you? What did you do without me?"

"You already know," I said. "I went to repair my phone but it was irreparable so he bought a new one for me."

"About this Henry... What's up with you both, cause to me," she said, kicking of my boots. "_he's always harsh, as if he hates my existence."

"I doubt that," I said, eyes on the magazine that she'd dropped on the floor. So she didn't know that Henry was her uncle? Or was Henry lying again?

"While you're swimming, can I?" I asked, pointing towards it.

"Of course yes," she said, pulling off her shirt and dropping it on the floor so that Jeff immediately sat on it.

"Your dog may be a problem," I said so that she had to hand the diary over to me by herself which she did.

Finally, the leather bound book was in my hand, and as I pulled a page open, it appeared that I was delving into another's body and soul.

Hilda:

12 May, 2005.

It's been months since they chased me away; while I should remain far away from guns and grenades like they suggested, I couldn't help being attracted to them even more. A security job at the Jones estate, a new toy, a new hope and so, I prepared for it— becoming the best at practice, the fittest despite my size and the most creative apparently.

In that way, The boss seems to be more friendly with me, on a level higher than that of his wingman so much that rumors and speculations started swimming around.

Mr Danle, the boss's wingman introduced me to my duties and also inquired if I was a twin or if I remembered someone called "the Rook". Since I'd never heard of a thing like that or watched a movie with such a title, I had replied in a negatory.

Today, I learnt about the pottery room and I went to see it. Surprised I was when I saw that the blast furnace, a thing capable of producing scalding heat left out, alone in the cold with brick walls. It was Mr Bolaji's favorite place to be for he sat to watch a mould dry out for hours and eventually turn to pot— a wide mouthed pot.

I loved the pot immediately it was out of the furnace and when painted, it enamored me to pottery.

Like that, I knew without a doubt, that I'd be watching each clay bake till I learn to produce a mastercraft myself.