ISADORA
The Homeless Girl
Isadora-Episode 18
Isadora’s side of the story continues from the last scene of the previous episode,
Minutes later,
‘’I think you should save the story till you guys eat something. You just got here’’ my adoptive father interrupted quickly.
‘’noo I have waited a long time for this. I can’t wait any longer please tell me everything’’ I urged the hunter impatiently. He smiled, led me to a chair and sat down.
‘’I used to work for your late parents. I was their gateman for many years. I was there when you were born after so many struggles and prayers. They were just an averagely wealthy couple with a fast rising business and I was like part of the family. The only problem I had back then was that I was a drunk. In fact I spent all my money in liquor. And that really was what got me fired from my driving job before your late father took me in. I tried to stop the addiction but couldn’t. The more I tried the worst it got. I preferred alcohol to food and it was so bad, yet your parents tolerated me but unfortunately I let them down’’ he paused, breathing deeply while I urged him to continue.
‘’The evening your family house caught fire, I was at my duty post (the gate), very late in the evening when your father’s younger brother came visiting. I was surprised seeing him visit so late but couldn’t turn him back because he was my boss’s brother. He looked like someone with an urgent message. I allowed him into the house and he presented me with a bottle of a rare type of drink, saying he specially got it from Lagos for me. It was a very attractive foreign drink and it was my first time of having such a gift from someone. What I didn’t know was that the alcohol content in the drink was twice the amount I was used to. It equally had this sweet taste that made it unnoticeable. In no time I drained the drink and the next minute I was dozing off like a child. I can’t really tell what made me sprang up moments later to see the main house on fire. Perhaps it was the heat of the fire that woke me up or maybe the noise. I managed to dash into the house but couldn’t do much in my drunken state. It was your cry that attracted me when I got into the building and I managed to get to your bed and rescue you. I couldn’t find your parents or your dad’s brother, though I wasn’t able to search well for them because of the intensity of the fire and my drunken state. All I could do was to save you before other neighbors and the police showed up to confirm that two people died in the fire and they were your parents. I ran away from the house because I didn’t want to end up in prison. I felt an investigation would be carried out and I could end up being the scapegoat. I brought you to my good friend who accepted to raise you as his daughter and then fled to the outskirts of the town to live a solitary life as a hunter. Every single day my conscience kept punishing me. I felt responsible for everything that happened and I really can’t tell what brought you to me the second time. Yes after I listened to your story I knew saving you was the only atonement I could make. Please forgive me’’ he begged softly while tears freely flowed down my eyes. I couldn’t believe his story was real. It was like something that happened only in movies but they were real as ever. I would have been a dead person if not for him.
‘’how much do you know my dad’s younger brother?’’ I found myself asking.
‘’he only visited occasionally. I never knew where he lived or much about him. But I believe I can recognize him any day’’ he replied.
‘’come to think of it, my life suddenly took a twist the moment I stepped foot in the city, in my employer’s house. I was firstly set up with theft and I kind of suspected my employer’s fiancée wanted me out of the house to save her relationship. But the day you saved my life in the forest, the dude who was about killing me made some startling revelations. He said I should have remained in the village plus some other things that made it look like someone who knew me very well paid him to get rid of me. Then I also remember finding an old family picture in the same girl’s bag, where a woman was wearing a very similar pendant like mine. The pendant that was on my neck the night you gave me away for adoption. I’m having this strange feeling that my employer’s fiancée and my late parents are kind of related and she knows that. Moreover she took me to the hospital for some kind of test’’ I breathed thoughtfully as everything that happened in the past came flashing back in my head.
‘’where is the picture and where is the pendant?’’ the hunter asked curiously.
‘’they are in my employer’s house. I think I will have to go back to the house’’ I breathed as we stared at each other.
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Meanwhile back in Val’s family house, Jane is seen in Isadora’s room, going through her things. The shiny pendant quickly got her attention. She took it and rushed to Val’s room where she grabbed two of her bags and headed to her own room where she emptied all the contents in search of something. She equally brought out two other smaller bags from her wardrobe which she also emptied. After few minutes of searching, she smiled as her eyes feel on a picture she thought she misplaced. It was the same picture Isadora found sometime back but couldn’t steal.
The smile of relief never left Jane’s face as she matched the pendant she was holding with the pendant in the picture.
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Then back at the hunter’s village, Charles and five men are seen searching the hunter’s house but they couldn’t find anything or anyone. It was a very fruitless search after spending so many resources in locating the house.
They had no choice than to call off the operation. They failed once again to get Isadora who was very far away learning the story of her life.
To be continued
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