Cross Roads: Pick a Path (18 page)

“Sarah, you can come down now!” I
shouted.

She came down, shocked and shivering she
pointed to the door on the left.

“That’s where the girls should be,” she
said.

I tried to yank the door, but it wouldn’t
budge. It was locked from the outside, and I’m pretty sure that one
of these bodies lying around must have had the key. Sarah began
checking the bodies of the men, but I noticed how scared she
was.
“Sarah, don’t worry about it. I’ll find the key,” I said.

She smiled and waited on the side, as I
flipped through the bloody mess I caused. Khaj helmed the key at
his waist, and when I placed the key in the whole and turned it in
the right direction I took a deep breath. I could be walking into a
trap, it wasn’t easy at all to get passed those few men, but there
really was a possibility of more waiting beyond the door;
considering the fact that I hadn’t heard a single voice in reaction
to all the gun shots being fired.

Running in Sarah cried, hugging the other
women. I was breath taken, I was in disbelief; I couldn’t believe
the amount of women that were being held captive in such a small
space.

“Arrun!” Screamed a voice.

Nilani, she came rushing towards me, relief.
I didn’t care about anything in the world, she was fine and that
mattered enough to me. Nilani held on to me tight, and all the
captivated women came and circled us. It felt amazing; they were
all filled with tears of relief. I felt like I gave them hopes of a
safe passage home, but there was still one unfinished business.

“You’re bleeding Arrun,” said Nilani.

“Where is he,” I asked.

There he was at the corner of my eyes,
trying to sneak through the side.

“Khan!” I shouted.

There it was, the fear, it was in his eyes
again. Where’d all that tough talk of his go? Where were my
friends? Dead, they were dead; he had to beg. I wanted him to beg
for his life.

“Get on your knees,” I ordered.

“
Fear it’s a beautiful thing isn’t it. It
comes to terrorize, and in a spark of a moment you think you have
control over it. Though it will return. It does return, doesn’t it?
Isn’t it fear in your eyes right now? You should’ve felt the fear
of my presence when cutting Thambi piece for piece. You should’ve
known the fear of your future when you made me watch as you sliced
Remone’s neck before my eyes. The barrel in the revolver has one
bullet left. Lets give it a spin, and see how lucky you get. Three
shots, if you withstand it all I ‘ll let you walk away.”

“Please,” he begged.

“One shot, I guess you’re a little lucky
today,” I said.

“Two, damn you must have done something
great in your life,” I continued.

“Sorry, I’m Sorry! I’ll walk away, from
everything!” Khan cried.

“Three! Well then, I guess you deserve to
walk free. Get up!” I ordered.

We both knew he wouldn’t get to walk; I mean
wouldn’t you kill the devils minions if you had the chance. Shaken
with lost hope he got up off of his knees, and tears drenched down
his face.

“Some men don’t deserve the blessing of
tears,” I said.

The barrel emptied, and as his blood
splatted across my chest, you could hear the piercing of a bullet
going through his skull, but it was finally over. No respect was
shown, some of the women even spit on his dead body.

I left back my blood stained red shirt, and
walk out with the black t-shirt I wore underneath. Whipped the
revolver clean, and placed it in Khan’s hands before wiping the
machete and hiding it behind my shirt. When I walked out of the
house with say forty plus captive girls, a large crowd had begun to
form. The Commissioner and his men had just made their way there,
and he was glad to know that Nilani was safe.

I guess he didn’t want to step down; he
simply gave me a nod to acknowledge my actions. After speaking to
her father, Nilani came back to my side. She was insisting that we
head over to a hospital, or at least the standby paramedics on
site. Though there remained one person to take out of the picture.
One thing was certain; Trent had to be working with Khan, and with
him out of the picture, there was no purpose that Trent served.

Nilani followed me as I headed into the
building I first searched. He was awake by the time I got back; I
could hear the banging on the door.

“Where are you going Arrun,” asked
Nilani.

“Unfinished business,” I replied.

“Arrun, leave it. Khan’s dead; there’s no
point anymore.” She said.

“No lose ends, I’m not watching anyone else
get hurt!” I shouted.

She knew that there would be no purpose in
continuing to argue. She simply followed and watched as I opened
the door. Trent was stunned; he fell back to the ground and
attempted to crawl backwards. Nilani didn’t want to watch, but I
guess she understood.

“I’m sorry,” he cried.

It’s seemed as if that’s all he’s been
doing, apologizing. I wasn’t going to feel bad about this; in fact
if there were one thing I learned, it would be to never spare a man
that has a negative impact on the lives of innocent souls. He
pushed his arms out and covered his head when I swung out the
machete. I crowned it in the air and just when I was about to force
it upon his life I heard a scream. Sarah was at the door, with her
hand covering her mouth.

“It was him! He was there,” She screamed;
the chill in her voice was evident.

“Where?” I questioned.

“He was with that other man, the one that
brought us all here,” she replied.

“They drowned that journalist girl; he was
there,” she continued.

Twisted, that’s what I felt. Twisted in
thoughts that shouldn’t have been raised.

“Who’s she talking about Trent,” I
asked.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” he repeated.

I smacked him across his already bruised
face once more.

“Hasini! It was Hasini!” He cried.

There it was, the answer I didn’t want to
hear. The machete dropped to the floor, as I did too. As tears
began to drench down my cheek, I realized that I mourned the wrong
death. It changed everything, it wasn’t the way things were
supposed to play out; Hasini was taken away from me. A blank mental
state, I didn’t know what to do. I remembered it again; I remember
her face as she laid covered by the white cloth. I remember crying
for her to return; I didn’t need to be here, she didn’t need to be
dead.

“Who was it? Who was the other man you piece
of shit! Who was it?” I shouted.

“Miran.” He replied.

Shame on me, I called him my brother. How
could I be so naive? I knew the type of the person he is; yet I
gave him another chance. He is responsible for the death of the
woman I loved. The woman that taught me to love, the one I pictured
being the mother of my children, and at one point or another laying
at my side while I’m on my deathbed.

Instead he was the only one responsible for
the treachery I inhibited trying to forget what once was, what she
was.

“Did she cry?” I asked.

“Did she beg?” I continued.

“Did he hit her?” I urged.

“I’m sorry,” he replied.

“
Sorry, sorry, sorry! That’s all you’ve
been saying. Do you think that’ll save you? You guys took her from
me! Why’d you do that, she saw you as a friend. Do you have any
clue of how many good things she has told me about you?”

I didn’t waste another second before I
picked up the machete again. I swung it up and down with force,
multiply. I couldn’t stop; I didn’t know what got into me. It was
something beyond anger and rage. His blood spattered all across the
floor, and his limbs were breaking free and yet I couldn’t stop. I
continued to slash him till I felt the pressure of Nilani pulling
me back. Drenched in blood, tamed by grief I sat down against the
wall and just cried.

“Nilani, they took her from me,” I
cried.

“She didn’t need to die,” I continued.

“Where was I? I bet she cried out for me,
and I couldn’t do anything.” I shouted.

“Arrun, kill him,” she said.

I glanced back up at her, and she wiped the
tears off my face. I know how much she meant to you, and she didn’t
deserve to die the way she did.

“
I don’t know if I want to support all
the crimes you’ve committed, but Miran deserves to die a cruel
death. Don’t let him get into your head, be the strong man that I
love. Don’t harm yourself asking irrational questions; surely you
would’ve gone to help her if you had known the situation she was
in. You fought the odds to find me, and that’s an indication of how
strong your power to love is. Finish it Arrun, end it all, and give
this place a new beginning.”

She was right, but in those moments I felt
miserable. I couldn’t spark my mentality reckless enough to fuel
vengeance. I continued to cry; both Nilani and Sarah helped me walk
out the building and outside stood my men. I failed to consider
whether they knew of Hasini or not. Marona was the first to catch
my attention, and I his; he walked towards me and I was boiled with
mixed emotions.

“Arrun, are you okay son,” he asked.

“Did you know?” I countered.

“Of what,” he asked curiously.

“Hasini,” I responded.

“Hasini? Should I know who that is,” he
asked.

“My ex-fiancée, the love of my life that
your son killed,” I said.

“Arrun, son, I swear I had no clue,” he
replied.

“Yeah, bet you didn’t know that he was
working with Khan either!” I shouted.

“Where the fuck is he?” I shouted, as the
rage finally began showing its form.

Most of them stood in shock at my
accusations, like they didn’t want to believe it. Though things
started to make sense; Khan had always seemed to figure out our
whereabouts, Miran wasn’t acceptant of my arrival at first, and
from what the guys say he hasn’t been home since I saw him speaking
to Trent. I was furious, and I yearned to drench myself in his
blood.

I felt it tearing apart, my mentality was
beginning to snap; Nilani’s grip against my arm didn’t favor a
thing either. I turned, looking deep into her eyes, and I knew I
should walk away. It was best for her; my actions, my surroundings
will kill her. With trembling hands I took grasp of her fingers
holding tight against my arm, and pulled apart.

“Walk away,” I said.

“Arrun, I could stay,” she replied.

“Not just now, don’t come back,” I
continued.

“Do you know what you’re asking of me,” she
asked.

“Please,” I pleaded.

“Arrun, don’t do this now. You don’t want
to,” she said.

“Just get out of my face, this isn’t your
fate,” I said.

“Arrun.” She cried.

“Leave!” I shouted.

I knew that I was hurting her, the tears
made it evident. I held back mines and walked away. I had a bigger
plan in mind; all my focus was set on finding Miran. I looked back,
I really do love her, but her well being had to be my priority.
When her father began walking her to the car, she kept calling out
my name, but I turned away and didn’t look back. That’s the secret
in turning back, you can’t look back to truly walk away.

“She loves you man, don’t leave her like
that,” said Verone.

“You think I don’t? She’s better off without
me, she’ll realize it,” I replied.

“Please, lets just figure where Miran is.
Will you help me?” I asked.

“You’re more of a brother than he ever was,
of course I will,” replied Verone.

Everyone stood around me. Marona, Verone,
Renny, Sethu, and all other friends; except one. One who silently
walked away, thinking he’d be unnoticed. He was looking really
suspicious, and I had a doubt in the way he spoke on the phone. I
figured he’d be talking Miran; Jeremy was one among the house who
shared a close bound with Miran. They’ve known each other through
their childhood, and he must’ve been filling him in on our next
move. As the others tried consoling me, I remained keen on keeping
my eyes on Jeremy, waiting for him to cut the line.

Eventually he did, I shoved aside both Renny
and Sethu before walking towards Jeremy.

“Where is he,” I asked.

“Who? Bro you’re bleeding!” He replied.

“Cut the bullshit, where’s Miran?” I
shouted.

Everyone started noticing our conversation
on the side, and began walking forth.

“What’s the problem here?” Asked Marona.

“This trash right here knows where Miran
is!” I shouted.

“Is that true Jeremy, do you know where
his,” asked Verone.

“I swear I don’t, I was just calling home,”
He replied.

“Check his phone,” I suggested.

He showed retaliation, and that moment alone
proved his guilt. I acted off instincts and hit with force across
the face. Once he fell to the ground I kept beating him, until an
officer on scene came rushing towards us.

“Stand down officer,” ordered Marona.

The officer, or any officer for that case
really had no voice in this part of the world. He couldn’t help but
walk away, revolting would’ve just left him dead; at least he was
smart. Something Jeremy wasn’t; he remained quiet, loyalty at his
finest.

“I’m going to dial Miran’s number, keep it
on speaker, and you’re going to ask where he is,” I said.

We stood around as the ring went through,
and when Miran answered, Jeremy did as ordered. All to the point
where he tried to flee.

“They know where you are Miran! Leave!”
Shouted Jeremy.

That was the death of him; Sethu smoked him
with a bullet and didn’t thinking twice about it. There really
wasn’t a purpose for him to serve, and his loyalty to Miran
would’ve eventually led me to kill him anyhow, so no one really
showed any care. Miran was supposedly at some girl’s house, the
house of a widowed woman he’s been seeing for sometime now.