Tears Apart

Episode 12

“Oh my God! What’s happening here! Quick, Ikenna,get the fire extinguisher!” Ikenna’s mom shouted as she saw the burning curtain.

Ikenna ran towards the kitchen while Joanna curled up in a corner, scared if what she had done.

How come she couldn’t control her powers?
Ikenna arrived with the extinguisher almost immediately.

They removed the safety pin and pressed the handle against the fire.

It quenched off Immediately and the breathed in relieved.
“What happened! There was no fire here.” Ikenna’s mom said, amazed.
Ikenna turned to look at Joanna, knowing fully well that she did it.
“Joanna,are you okay?” He asked softly and just then Ikenna’s mom turned to look at her.

Joanna kept quiet. She could not even greet the woman.

“You were the one in here….what happened?
How did my curtain catch fire when there is no fire around?” Ikenna’s mom asked.
Her voice was not gentle at all. Joanna became more scared.
She looked at the woman again…and frowned, confused..her face looked seriously familiar.

Joanna stared at the woman, straight in the eyes,trying desperately to remember where she had seen her.

Yes! Joanna gasped…in her blur vision. This same woman was the same person carrying the baby before it was collected from her..then she lost consciousness.

And the baby was her! How could this be possible?
What the hell was happening here?

She really wanted to storm out of the house and never come back but yet…she stood, looking at the woman.
“Mom, please…be calm. It might not be her fault.” Ikenna tried to defend.
“Then whose fault is it? Whose fault…I’m asking you.

She must have been the one that set the curtain ablaze.

Yes, because there was no fire around! I’ve warned you to stop bringing any one in here, especially girls….not anyone..not even your friends.”

Ikenna’s mom said angrily and went back upstairs.

Joanna stared after her as she went….her spirit desperately calling out to the woman.
“Make sure you pull off the curtain for replacement before I come back in there.” Ikenna’s mom called behind her as she disappeared into one of the rooms upstairs.
Ikenna breathed in and looked at Joanna.”Don’t mind all those things my mum said. She was only annoyed.”
Joanna smiled.” It’s okay. I understand her but I have to get going now.”
“Get going? To where? Don’t tell me you are going back to madam Kofta.” Ikenna questioned.

“Where else am I supposed to go to? Of course I’m going back there and this time around…I’m going to face reality for at this point..

I found out I have no choice.” Joanna said, lifting her bag up from the couch.
She stared into space.

” And this time…I have no other choice but to use my powers for destruction.” Joanna added, going towards the door. Ikenna held her hand, pulling her back.

“No! Tell me you aren’t going to do that!” He said earnestly to her.

Joanna refused to meet his trusting gaze.
“I’m sorry Ikenna but I have to go now.”
“Please,just wait a for some time. My dad’s going to come back soon.

He’s going to help you.” Ikenna pleaded.
Joanna lifted his hand off hers. “Thanks for everything, Ikenna.
” Without another word,she left the house.
Ikenna was heartbroken as he say heavily on the sofa, burying his head in his palms.

As soon as she was outside,in the street,she she’s tears and rain began falling.
She had kept herself under control from bursting into tears in Ikenna’s house so the rain wouldn’t fall in there too.

Ikenna looked out into the sky as the rain fell, feeling sad.” Joanna is crying.” He mumbled.

Joanna sat beside a transformer after walking far enough from Ikenna’s house and thought about the woman, Ikenna’s mom. Why did she appear in her vision?
Joanna was confused. She was sitting there when suddenly she was over taken by sleep.
When she woke up,it was almost dark.
“Oh my God.” Joanna said rushing up on her feet as she carried her bag. She tried to walk but found out she could really not.
She was tired… hungry and weak. She dreaded going back to madam Kofta’s house.

She was never going to go back…never! It was better dying here on the street than going back to that house.

Justina would be so angry now and Joanna knew they were searching everywhere right now for her and she really needed to escape before they find out her whereabout.
Joanna walked slowly and slowly through a narrow area and rested her back on the wall.
Her school uniform was already dirty and by now…. darkness had circulated the whole earth.

Joanna sat down on the bare ground, telling herself she would not cry.

She heard footsteps coming her way and closed her eyes, retracing her step to the direction with her power.