BEFORE THE WORLD ENDS...EPISODE THIRTEEN (13).

That night, the same night David  engaged in the fist fight with Fred, David went to bed not only beaten but broken as well. He saw fear in Ellen's eyes. He knew too well that it was only a matter of time for her to break down and be shattered by the struggles that her family had been plunged into. What David feared above all things was the fact that Ellen had suddenly began to take a strange liking for Fred. She did not have to say it to his face. He was the one who raised her as a child so he knew her well enough to know  when her heart was turned towards something. David remembered the time when Ellen was a little girl. She had a crush on a certain boy in her class, Jake. David was very good at committing names to memory. She was always mentioning Jake's name around the house whenever she was home from school. So one day, he called her to his room and said, "Ellen sweetheart, I always hear you mentioning this boy's name all the time, I think you are in love with him".  "Dad, stop it", Ellen said with a smile and a blush all mixed together confirming David's suspicion. "I just like him because he is nice, I don't love him like everyone thinks", Ellen added. David smiled and asked, "So I am not the only one who has taken notice?" Ellen nodded sheepishly. David signalled for Ellen to take a seat close to him on the bed. When Ellen sat, he placed his hand around her shoulder and allowed her to rest her head on his chest. "My little darling", David started, "Love sometimes makes no sense to its victim". "Once you fall in love, the world you once knew and the way you perceived it changes completely", David added. "Sometimes, it can even affect your sense of judgment". "I know you are too little to understand all these things but I can guarantee you that soon enough, all what I am saying will make perfect sense to you", David added and frisked his hand through her hair. David never forgot that look on Ellen's face and on that same night after the encounter with Fred, David saw that same look on Ellen's face when he asked if she considered accepting Fred's gifts. The look she had from years back only confirmed to David what he feared most because he knew that her heart was turning towards Fred. That look on Ellen's face resonated in his mind till he finally struggled and managed to fall asleep. It had been weeks since Erica spoke to David after their exposé. David remembered the text message he had received from Erica. He did not pay so much attention to it. He thought to himself, "What else can she say after all this mess she has caused with Fred?". David thought up a plan. It was a bizarre plan but he knew that if the idea he had thought up worked according to plan, he was going to get Ellen to himself. The plan involved linking up with Erica. He had decided to join forces with Erica to fight Fred for the custody of Ellen. Erica was Ellen's mother and she could stand in the capacity as parent and he could stand in the able capacity as guardian. He knew that Erica would want to get one over Fred for sweeping her under the bus and backstabbing her by marrying another woman. David took a deep breath and dialled Erica's phone number. The phone rang for a while before Erica answered. "To what do I owe this special remembrance ceremony?", Erica asked, sounding sarcastic. "Cut it out Erica", David said. "If anyone has the right to be angry, that person should be me because you played me", David said. "Are you satisfied now after abandoning me for so long?", Erica asked. "I guess you have called to find out about what I meant by the text message I sent to you earlier, right?", Erica added. "We would get to that shortly but before that, I need your help with something", David said. "I want the two of us to sue Fred for the custody of Ellen", David suggested. Erica burst out into hysterical laughter and for a moment, David thought his words made no sense. When Erica finally had a good laugh, she asked, "What is in it for me?" David sighed and said, "I know you are itching to get a revenge over Fred's snub and if we are able to stop him from taking the one thing he so much desires, he is going to be shattered beyond repair". "Is that all?", Erica asked. "I want him to suffer more than that, David". "He has bitten more than he can chew and I want to make sure that before he knows what hit him, he would not be able to pick himself up from the ground", Erica said, with so much passion. Erica asked again, "David, is that all?" "Yes", David responded. "Unless of course you have something to add to my plan", David said. "I never expected you to ask for my help but since you have, I also have my terms and conditions", Erica said. David knew Erica always had something up her sleeve. "What are your terms?", David asked. "Marry me, David", Erica said. "I can't wait to see the look on Fred's face when we send him our wedding invitation". "When this is done, I would be satisfied", Erica added. "Hell no!", David fired back. "You can ask for something else but please, marriage is not an option". "Erica, there is no way I am going to even consider marrying you", David said. "Mention any amount and you will have it transferred into your bank account", David said. "I knew you would say that, David". "I am not surprised at all", Erica added. "I hate to burst your bubble but I think I also deserve Ellen and I am also worthy of fighting for custody alone". "A little bird told me about the fight you had with Fred and I am sure it would be part of my arguments in court that both of you are incapable of taking care of my little girl", Erica added. "My lawyer would serve both of you with letters within the week", Erica said. "If you thought that this battle was between the two of you, then you are mistaken because I just entered the ring too". David was dumb-stricken. He had never imagined for once that Erica would want to stand up to him, let alone, Fred. Now, the three of them were going to face off in what might be a Battle Royale. "You are kidding right?", David asked. "I have never been this serious", Erica said. "Let me know when you receive the letter from the court's bailiff", Erica said. "Before I hang up, I want you to know that this call was recorded and you have to explain to the court how you tried to bribe me into accepting a token so that I concede defeat in this case", Erica added. "Have a good day, David and see you soon in court". David thought he could  convince Erica to fight on his side but his plan had blown up in his own face. He sat up in his bed to weigh his other options. Ellen had left school and was heading towards Fred's car dealership. She had finally decided to choose a car of her own. Many of her mates were showing off in their old saloon cars. She just wanted to prove a point to them so she decided to grab the opportunity thrown to her by her father. "If this man truly loves me like he claims, he should be able to give me a Range Rover if I asked for one", Ellen thought to herself as she sat in the bus on her way to see Fred. When she arrived at the location, Fred was already waiting for her at the entrance of the car dealership. He ushered her in, offered her some confectioneries and took her round the dealership to show her his fleet of sports cars. As they scanned through the cars, Ellen saw the Range Rover and instantly pointed at it, "Can I have this one?", she asked. "Which one?", Fred asked, just to be sure. "The Range Rover", Ellen said. "It's all yours", Fred said, with a smile on his face. Ellen could not hide her joy. She quickly hugged Fred tightly. Fred, who was caught off guard by this unexpected gesture held on to Ellen as she clung to his chest. "We have to do some paper work first okay?", Fred said as he gently patted Ellen's back. As they strolled back to Fred's office, Fred saw a car parked out. As he stepped into the reception, he saw a smartly-dressed, middle-aged man seated quietly in the lobby. He stepped into his office and his secretary, Sharon, signalled for the man to enter the well-furnished office. An overly excited Ellen took a seat in a couch placed at the far end of the office. Fred took his seat and signalled for the man to sit down in the seat in front of him. The man unbuttoned his suit and sat down. "What can we do for you today, sir?", Fred asked. "My name is lawyer Samuel Johnson, I am here to discuss some matters with you". Fred let out what seemed like a little laughter before saying, "David is the biggest joker alive, so he really thinks he can win this case in court?". "Please tell your client that I am ready to face him in whatever court he so desires", Fred added. The lawyer shook his head in amusement, "You are mistaken, sir". "I am not here to represent David, I am actually here on behalf of Miss Erica". Immediately Erica's name was mentioned, Fred's jaw dropped and before long, Ellen joined the conversation. "What has my mum done?", she asked the lawyer. "Ellen, your mum is challenging both your father and David over who has the right to have you". "You must be one very special young lady to have three people at each other's throats just to have you". "Leave her out of this!", Fred said. The lawyer served Fred with a letter and said, "You must respond before the date stated in the letter", the lawyer added. Fred quickly tore open the letter and read out its content aloud. "Erica can't do this", we should be fighting on the same side and not fighting against each other". He picked up his phone to call Erica. The lawyer rose to his feet to leave. As he got to the door, he turned and said, "Let me give you a piece of advice, Fred". "This issue is a legal issue so it would be in your best interest to stop trying to win over your daughter with money or whatever fatherly affection you have suddenly developed because it wont work", the lawyer added. "It is a gimmick which could compound your problems", the lawyer said and left the office. "Does that mean I can't have the Range Rover anymore?", Ellen asked Fred immediately the lawyer stepped out of the office. "You would have anything you want, my darling girl", Fred said. "All of these will soon be over, Ellen", Fred assured. The next day, David was also served with a letter to appear before court on a set date. All the parties involved in the legal battle decided to dig up dirt on each other to make their own claims admissible. Finally, the day for the hearing came and all the parties wanted to make a good first impression. Fred,David and Erica were all seated in the courtroom but Ellen was nowhere to be found... WHAT IS ELLEN UP TO? Find out in the next exciting episode of...BEFORE THE WORLD ENDS. My name is Edwin Oko Lamptey. Stay tuned. More at randomafricanthoughts.blogspot.com

BEFORE THE WORLD ENDS... EPISODE TWELVE (12).

"I beg your pardon", Ellen stammered. "What do you mean by what you just said?". "Ellen, I am really sorry to be breaking this news to you in such a shocking way but I felt I had to let you know the truth", Fred said. "I am your real dad", Fred repeated. As the words echoed in Ellen's right eardrum, she struggled to keep her balance on the staircase after hearing such disheartening news from the least suspecting candidate to be her father. She held on to the railing for support and managed to place her bum gently on the stair. She sat there and listened to Fred. "I know you will find this hard to believe but it is the truth, you can find out from both your mother and David", Fred continued. "I won't be surprised if David has already called you to warn you about listening to me or your mum, Erica", Fred said. "I know both of them will do anything to prevent you from knowing the truth". Ellen remembered the call she received early on from David warning her to stay clear off Fred. Suddenly, doubts about who her real father was started flooding her mind. She just did not want to believe that there was any iota of truth in Fred's claim. "I don't believe a word of what you are saying right now, so please stop this", Ellen said, with tears swelling in her eyes. "Ellen, I am really sorry to have abandoned you in that manner then". "Now, I am even more sorry to have to cause you so much pain with my words but I felt we had to set the records straight once and for all", Fred explained. "I was pretty young, naive and scared". "I was about to embark on the most industrious trip of my life so accepting you then might have caused me that chance of a better life for all of us". "I have realized my foolishness and I know I am a coward for neglecting you for all these years but please forgive me and accept me as your father", Fred continued. "This conversation is not even supposed to be held over the phone, I really need to see you so we can talk in person", Fred added. "I promise that I would not leave you again and I would do anything to make it up to you". "I am willing to start right now, just send me your bank account details so I can send you some money". "Next week, you can come with me to a car dealership that I am about to open so you choose any car there and you would have it delivered to you in school". "If you don't know how to drive yet, I will pay for you to enroll into a driving school of your choice so we take care of that too", Fred added. "Uncle Fred, why should I believe all that you are saying right now?", Ellen asked. "I want you to believe it because it is the truth, sweetheart and I want to make  up for abandoning you for all these years", Fred confessed. "Well, assuming all what you have said now is true, why are you telling me about it now?", Ellen asked. "My dad called me and asked me to stay away from you and I am beginning to believe him now", Ellen revealed, wiping away the tears that rolled down her cheeks. "He told you that because he is afraid that you will soon find out the truth but he wants you to keep living a lie but I can't have that, my conscience can't take that", Fred said. "Ellen, from the depths of my heart, I am truly sorry and I wish things turned out differently", Fred pleaded. "Only God knows how hard I have tried to let you know the truth". "I have tried my best to let you know the truth so now that you know, you can call David and find out for yourself and I hope he would be man enough to tell you the truth". "This is my cell number, call me whenever you are ready to choose your car and don't forget to send me your bank account details". "My dear, from today, everything is about to change", Fred added and hang up the phone. Even after Fred had ended the call, Ellen still had the phone pressed against her ear. She was in a state of shock. She run her hand through her long hair, something she did when she was confused. She managed to get her composure back after several minutes and dialled David's number. "Daddy", she said when David answered the call. There was an awkward silence for a few seconds and David knew all too well that Ellen had found out the truth. Has Uncle Fred called you?", David asked. "Why didn't you tell me, Dad?". "Why couldn't you at least say something to me about you not being my real father?". At this point, Ellen could no longer keep her cool and broke down in uncontrollable tears. "Ellen, sweetheart, I did not know any of this till today when your mother broke the news to me. "Baby, I was also living that same lie you have lived all your life believing that you were my beloved daughter till today". "I am so sorry about all this", David added. "You know that I have loved you all your life and I would do anything to see you smile". "I know that this revelation which comes as a shock to both of us can be capable of destroying what we have shared ever since you were born". "You are a full grown woman now so whatever decision you intend to take going forward, I would respect it", David added. "You know that I would love you forever regardless of the side you take right?", David asked. Ellen was still crying while David spoke. When David finished speaking, he knew Ellen was shattered, "Baby Ellen, say something", David said with tears in his eyes and in a trembling voice. There was no response and all David could hear were his 'little girl's' sobs. "Ellen, please talk to me", David pleaded. There was a brief moment of silence then Ellen managed to speak amidst her tears, "Daddy, I have told you that I am a big girl now so just call me Ellen not Baby Ellen". David  cupped his lips after Ellen had responded in that manner to prevent her from hearing him cry. "I love you so much, daddy and I want to come home", Ellen added. "Sure thing sweetheart, please come home", David said and hang up the phone. The next day, Ellen arrived home to meet David and his father waiting for her in the hall. Immediately she entered the house, she dropped her bag and hugged David tightly. David held her in his arms and he could sense that she was really scared and disturbed "I am sorry sweetheart but I promise that everything will work out perfectly, trust me", David said. "I trust you, Daddy", Ellen said and rested her head on David's  shoulder. She spent the whole day at home, refusing to answer any of her phone calls, even the countless calls from Collins were not answered. He sent her countless messages trying to find out if she was okay. Ellen replied telling him not to worry but it was just that she wanted a little space because she was not in the right frame of mind. Collins did not want to push it so he allowed her to be alone. That evening, there was a knock at their door. Ellen politely asked David to see who it was because she was preparing supper in the kitchen. Ellen had learnt how to cook so well that whenever she visited home from school, David bribed her to cook a myriad of dishes which they stored in their deep freezer and nibbled miserly at them till she came back from school. David was an awful cook and the same could be said of his father so they were always glad when Ellen volunteered to cook for them. The aroma from whatever Ellen was cooking in the kitchen had managed to escape into the hall and it gave David excitement because he was convinced that his 'daughter' was going to be an amazing wife in the not too distant future. David gladly obliged to Ellen's request and marched gallantly to the door to answer it. Out of reflex, immediately David opened the door and saw who was behind it, he threw an unsuspecting right hand jab and it landed sweetly on Fred's left cheek. The force behind the punch caused Fred to lose his balance on the landing. David immediately followed with another right hook, this time aiming for Fred's lower abdomen. When Fred recovered, from the unexpected punches, he shoved David towards the door and showed him his boxing skills. Fred expertly delivered a few punches of his own in return. He landed two clean left hooks on David's face followed by some jabs and before long, David was bleeding from the nose and had a cut on his lower lip. They clinched each other like professional boxers trying to catch their breath. David shoved Fred and he landed unto the ground. "What do you want from my house?", David asked, wiping the blood that was dripping from his nose from the punches he had received. "I have come to reason with you like a man to see how best we can solve our differences", Fred said trying to pick himself up from the ground. "You and I have nothing to reason about, Freddie", David said. "I have come to take my daughter away from you", Fred said, trying to massage his swollen left cheek. "You have no daughter here!", David fired out. Ellen felt it was quite unusual that her 'father' still had not told her who was at the door when she asked. Immediately she heard David scream, she rushed to see who it was that was getting him worked up. When she got in the hall, David was off his seat and the door leading outside  was left ajar. She could hear a scuffle going on outside so alarmed, she quickly rushed to the door and to her disappointment, she saw David and Fred at each other's throats literally chocking themselves to death. "Stop it!, stop it!", she screamed. The two men stopped fighting and looked toward where the sound was coming from. "Ellen, go back inside and lock the door behind you!", David ordered, with his two hands firmly fixed around Fred's neck. "I won't", Ellen shouted back in defiance. "The two of you should stop fighting!", Ellen added with tears already filling her eyes. "Is this how you two are going to fight over me?", Ellen asked, looking at both men. "If this is how you two want to settle your differences over me, I swear to God that none of you will have me in the end". David quickly let go of Fred and rushed to Ellen's side, "Baby, what are you saying?, he asked. "Look at what you are doing to yourself", Ellen said, touching David's swollen lip. David turned to Fred and said, "Freddie, get out of my house, we will settle this matter in court". When Fred heard David's words, he laughed and said, "The court is the last place you should think of fighting this case, you would lose bitterly, trust me". "Ellen don't forget what I told you", Fred said and made his way out of the house. Ellen managed to help David into the house and placed him in the sofa. She boiled some water, fetched a towel and started massaging David's swollen face. "What did Fred want when he called you?", David asked Ellen. "He promised to send me some money and give me a car", Ellen replied. "Are you going to accept them?", David asked. There was a long silence and David instantly knew Ellen's answer. Before Ellen could get the chance to defend her silence, David received a message. It was from Erica and it read, "There is more to what I told you. If you want to know the whole story, call me". David ignored the message and asked Ellen to finish up. When Fred got home, he received a message also coming from Erica. The message read, "I told you that you haven't seen the last of me yet. You think you can take me for a fool? I have managed to gather information about your past and I will so destroy your life with it. Call me if you want your fake dignity to remain intact"...... There will always be trouble 'BEFORE THE WORLD ENDS'. More soon. My name is Edwin Oko Lamptey. More at randomafricanthoughts.blogspot.com.

BEFORE THE WORLD ENDS...EPISODE ELEVEN (11)

David kept tossing and turning in his bed after Erica had left and shut the door behind her. He could not help it but to allow his emotions and human nature take over his will to remain strong in the face of opposition no matter the magnitude, to make way for tears to freely flow from his eyes. He could not believe that he was crying but sadly enough, he was. He just could not gather the strength to come to terms with the fact that his childhood friend and trusted confidant could do this to him. "Fred, why?". "I would taken a bullet in the ass for you if you just asked me". "We have been through many situations and this was no different and like the many situations, we could have found a way of solving it without causing this irreversible mess", David thought to himself. As David lay in his bed, he reminisced on one of Fred's many escapades when they were growing up. When Fred was twelve years old, David was ten years by then. There was one time Fred's parents had to travel for a funeral and left Fred in the care of David's parents. David was asked to go and call Fred when their lunch was ready. David looked for Fred for several minutes and finally chanced upon him in their own backyard. He was standing pants-down and there was a girl about David's age then, also standing pants-down. David asked what was going on and Fred quickly gaged him and told him that he was going to let him in on the action if he promised to keep it a secret among the three of them. The girl there was so scared when David caught them in the act and quickly pulled her pants up and run away from the scene. David threatened to tell his parents and later, Fred's parents when they returned from their trip. David was dead serious about telling on Fred. He left the scene and started making for the house when Fred run after him, pulling him back to calm him down. In the process, David's mother walked out of the house and saw the two of them engaged in what seemed like a 'tug of war'. She shouted out ordering them to stop and summoned them before her presence all at once. When they got there, she enquired from David what their tussle was about. David looked at Fred and told a lie to cover up for him. Fred never forgot that gesture and from then on, promised to protect David in the face of any opposition no matter how bad David's case was. David also recalled taking money from his father's wallet without prior permission from his father to buy a new mathematical set for a classmate as a replacement for the one Fred had taken from that same classmate and had misplaced it. Fred and David were in each other's debt and vowed to see each other through any moment of trouble. David tried to get his head around why Fred will shatter his future because of his own selfish gains and make him take the fall for his pleasure. David wiped his tears, picked up his phone and dialled Fred's number. "I have been waiting for this call and finally it has come through", Fred said as he answered the call. "Freddie, Erica has told me everything and I am disappointed to say the least among other things that you could be so callous and inconsiderate", David lamented, trying to keep his cool. "You are very selfish and wicked but with all this being said, I think you are smart because you managed to get me to go with you on this rollercoaster ride of lies and deceit". "You are a really smart man, Fred", David added. "The harm has already been done and I would give you one last friendly advice; things are going to remain the way they have always been and it will be in your best interest not to try to mess things up because the implications of our actions from today might be disastrous if we take the wrong steps". Fred was silent when David was speaking but as soon as he began to sense hostility from David, he quickly interrupted David's speech and  spoke with a sarcastic stint in his tone, "David, are you threatening me?", Fred asked amidst laughter. "I have protected you since we were in Class Four and you think you can stand up to me now?". "Sometimes I defied logic to jump to your defense and what did I get for all those years of being your bodyguard?". "Did I get any payment for it?" "No!". "Instead, I was being laughed at for being your zombie among other names", Fred said. "I didn't expect this kind of treatment from you, Fred", David said in rebuttal. "You expected payment for standing up for me?". "You were my best friend, Fred and that is what friends do for each other". "They stay true to themselves and also stay true to the people that they call their friends but Fred, with this revelation, I can confidently say that you have been very unfair to me", David said, with tears running down his face but trying his best possible not to let Fred notice that he was indeed crying. "You singlehandedly shattered my hopes and dreams and came back to act as an angel knowing full well that you had impregnated Erica". "You are such a schemer, Fred", David said. "Just stay away from me and my family and that includes Ellen", David warned. "What is that supposed to mean?", Fred asked, getting infuriated by David's guts. "Did you count my daughter as a part of your family?", Fred asked. "She has always been and will always be a part of my family whether you like it or not and nothing anyone will do can change that, take that from me, Fred", David said. "To the best of my knowledge, Ellen has always been my daughter and you would have to yank me out of this universe to be able to get through to her and that wouldn't happen anytime soon, Fred, I can assure you of that", David added, sounding very confident. "You are kidding, right?", Fred teased. "That is all I have to say to you, Fred and one more thing, we are never ever going to come back to the way we used to be starting from now, goodbye, Fred", David said and hang up the phone. Ellen was coming back from a lecture. She had early on promised to visit Collins after her day was over. She quickly rushed to her hostel, took her shower, changed clothes and headed for Collins' hostel. When she got there and knocked, she was let in by a bare-chested Collins. "I have never seen you like this before, Ellen said, looking down at his navel. "Yeah I know", Collins responded. "I was trying to work out but that didn't work out so I took a cold shower instead", Collins added. There was a brief moment of silence and Elen spoke, "I thought you said you had missed me", Ellen said looking and sounding all coy. "Yes, I have, my dear", Collins replied. That being said, Collins walked up to where Ellen was seated and planted a kiss on her forehead. He kissed her forehead again and started kissing downwards all over her face. Ellen started to moan softly and lifted her hands to to touch his chest. Collins cupped her left breast with his strong right hand and caressed  it aggressively. Ellen's moans started to get a little louder and could not keep still on the seat. She broke off their intimate kiss for a second, looked into Collins' eyes and suddenly reached for her hair and bound them together behind her head with a rubber band that was around her wrist. "I am all yours now", Ellen said as she managed to put her hair perfectly in place. Collins lifted her into his arms and placed her gently on a mattress that was positioned in the middle of the room under the ceiling fan. He managed to expertly pull off her trouser and threw them on the suitcase in the corner of the room. He removed her shirt and brassiere revealing her firm breasts. His eyeballs almost bulged out of their sockets when they were fixated on the two evenly-positioned mounds on Ellen's chest. He suckled at them like a baby and Ellen complimented his work with uncontrollable giggles mixed with moans of pleasure. To pay back for the gesture done her, she traced her finger along his spine and it gave him a tingling sensation which caused him to fidget. Ellen then traced her fingers around Collins' chest area and touched his right nipple which was perked up with excitement. Soon, the two of them were basking in the realm of pleasurable love-making bouts. The sounds they made were muffled by the ceiling fan which was making a loud squeaking noise  to confuse the people passing in front of the room. The speed of the fan also helped dry their bodies which were soaking wet with different kinds of fluids. They both lay under the fan reminiscing about what had just ensued between them when Ellen's phone rang. Her face lit up when she saw the name that appeared on her phone's screen. "Hello, the love of my life, how are you doing today?", Ellen said as she answered the phone. Immediately Collins heard her call opening, he pushed her aside. Ellen then placed her hand tightly on the mouthpiece and whispered to Collins, "It is my Dad, so stop being jealous". Collins, having heard this, pulled Ellen towards himself and she placed her head on his chest. "Hearing you speak can make my whole day awesome", David said in response to Ellen's query."You remember uncle Fred, don't you, sweetheart", David asked Ellen. "Yes I do, Daddy", Ellen responded. "How is he?", she asked. "I really envy your friendship with him". "You guys are very tight!", Ellen added. "Sweetheart", David started, "I want you to do me a favour". "Anything for you my love", Ellen responded. "Elle, I am dead serious", David said. "Dad why are you sounding so serious?", Ellen asked. "I want you to stay away from uncle Fred, do you understand?", David said. "I would only understand if you tell me what this whole thing is all about",Ellen said. "I thought you guys were like brothers so where from this sudden warning?" Ellen added. "I don't think he means you and for that matter, me any harm from where I stand". "Daddy, what is really going on?", Ellen asked. "Is he the one behind your recent attack?", she asked David."Baby Ellen, I am your father and I have your best interest at heart so just do as I say, please." "Okay, Daddy I hope you know what you are doing", Ellen said. She requested for some money and David promised to send her some in the morning. That evening, Ellen, after having a pleasurable experience with Collins, left for her hostel. Before she got to the landing on the top stair of the third floor where her room was, she received a call. "Hello, Ellen", the caller said. "This is uncle Fred". "Uncle Fred, I have been meaning to speak with you badly", Ellen said. "What is going on between you and my dad?", Ellen asked. "He called me today but he didn't sound very enthused when your issue came up", Ellen added. "I knew David was going to drag you into all of this", Fred started. "Listen to me very carefully, Ellen". "Your parents have been keeping a secret from you and I feel that you are now a big girl and you deserve to know the truth". "I am your real father, Ellen", Fred said. TO BE CONTINUED. Will you tell all your secrets "BEFORE THE WORLD ENDS?". MY NAME IS EDWIN OKO LAMPTEY AND THIS IS ANOTHER MASTERPIECE. MORE AT randomafricanthoughts.blogspot.com

BEFORE THE WORLD ENDS... EPISODE TEN (10)

"Fred?" "As in Fred Thompson?", David's father asked the doctor. "But how is this possible?", he added. "This whole controversy was very fragile so I decided, in my capacity as first, your good friend and family doctor, to run tests on everyone involved in this case", the doctor said. "I am also as surprised as you are right now". "The matching blood samples of Fred and Ellen reveal that there is a seventy percent chance that he is the father of Ellen", the doctor explained. "Seventy percent is way above the normal level to attribute this test to be wrong because it was carried out twice just so we are sure we were getting the right readings", the doctor said. "But how did you get Fred's blood sample?", David's father enquired. The doctor then explained, "Just like I was explaining to you early on, when we realized that your blood donation was laced with traces of cancer, we quickly had to find an alternative so I rushed back to David's ward and Fred was there chatting with him so we talked and he decided to donate the blood for David". "However, I did not reveal to him that you had cancer". "So he donated but little did any of us know that his donation was going to reveal such a secret". The doctor and David's father exchanged a few personal pleasantries and they both hung up the phone. David's father was confused. For a moment, he thought he was the biological father of Ellen but to his disappointment, in the conversation that had just ensued between himself and the doctor, the facts that were presented to him were beyond comprehension. "How can Fred be Ellen's father?", he thought to himself while sitting on the edge of his bathtub. "All these facts are really confusing". "Does it mean that Erica slept with all of us including David's friend?" He walked out in search of some answers. He walked into the hallway and looked around. He saw Erica walking towards his direction. He managed to feign a smile to catch her attention. Immediately she got about an arms length from where he was standing, he stretched out both hands, held her, shoved her into his open room and shut the door behind him. Erica, who had fallen facedown because of the force behind the shove was trying to pick herself up from the tiled floor of David's father's room. "What is the meaning of this?", she asked. "I thought we promised to stay out of each other's path". "I will not sleep with you this time even if you killed me", Erica said, with disgust written all over her face but David's father seemed unperturbed by her ranting. "Sir, let me go, please", Erica begged, in her usual angelic voice when she realized her first approach was not cutting it. "Erica, how could you be so mean?", David's father started. "How could you punish my son like this?",David's father asked. At this point, Erica was getting confused and feeling immeasurably uneasy with the line conversation was taking. "I don't think I get what you mean", Erica said, with a totally different tone of voice never heard before. "David's father looked into the eyes of Erica intently as he drew closer to her. "You have destroyed my son's bright future by letting him take care of another man's child". "You are so mean, Erica". "What is the meaning of this, sir?", Erica asked, with fear and tension in her voice. "David is the father of Ellen". "He has never doubted that all these years and I am surprised that you could think of such a thing to even ask me about it because it is preposterous to say the least and I wouldn't take it kindly for you to level such accusations against me", Erica said, trying to make for the door. "Where do you think you are going?", David's father asked her, pushing her backwards. "I didn't know that aside from being a liar and a fraud, you could also act so well", David's father shot back at Erica. "Let us cut all the pretence and go straight to the point", David's father added. "I just got off the phone with the doctor and he suggests that David is not the father of my granddaughter." "I don't even know if calling her my granddaughter is even appropriate". "Erica!, who is Ellen's father because to the best of my knowledge, David is not your daughter's father?", the old man said in anger. "You better walk out there and tell the poor young man the truth before I do", David's father said. Erica, who was now visibly and physically shaken, started trembling in the spot where she stood. Tears started rolling down her cheeks and she began to sob. "I don't believe these tears you are shedding to be real". "You are a liar and you will do anything to escape this", David's father said. "Can I please have a minute?", Erica asked. David's father stepped out of the way for Erica. She walked out of the room and was heading towards David's room, she opened David's door softly, peeked through the little opening and found David fast asleep. She gently closed the door and retraced her steps into the hall. She picked up her phone and called Fred. "Why are you calling me this late?", Fred asked as he answered the phone. "Fred, I think our secret has been found out", Erica said. "What are you talking about?, Fred asked. "Fred, stop playing games with me, I am talking about Ellen". "I think David's father knows the truth and he is threatening to tell David if I don't tell him right now", Erica said, with her voice trembling. "I don't think I can face David and tell him that we set him up". "I don't think he would agree to let go of Ellen, looking at how fond he has become of her". "You have to fulfill the promise you made to me because I don't want to continue living this life of pretence anymore", Erica added. As they spoke, Erica heard a voice in the background, "Honey, are you not coming to bed?" Fred then responded, "Just go on ahead, I will be right there, sweetheart". "Who is that, Fred?", Erica asked. "That is my fiancée", Fred answered. "Your fiancée, Fred, your fiancée?" "So were all the promises of coming back to take me abroad to settle down with you all lies?" "How could you, Fred?", Erica asked, with disappointment written all over her face. "Erica, come off it, we were both young and pretty much naïve then", Fred said. "I thought you would have settled down with David by the time I got back so I also made arrangements of getting married", Fred said. "Fred, I just cant believe this but you are going to regret this, I swear to God", Erica said. "I am going to tell David everything". "I don't care what happens afterwards". "I am as good as dead already and I have nothing more to lose", Erica added. "Don't do anything stupid", Fred said but before he could say anything else, Erica hang up the phone. Erica walked up to David's door, took a deep breath and opened the door widely. David was startled out of his sleep. He opened his eyes gently to see Erica standing in the doorway with tears in her eyes. "Hey babe, why are you crying?" "Is everything okay?", David asked, trying to adjust himself properly on his bed. "No, David, everything is not okay", Erica said, sobbing and walking towards David's bedside. She sat by David on the bed and took David's hand into hers. "I have done you a great disservice, David". "I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me", Erica added. "What is it, Erica?", David asked. "Ellen is not your daughter", Erica said. "What are you talking about?", David asked, tightening his grip on Erica's hand. "Fred made me do it", Erica said, trying to pull her hand out of the lock David had it in. "Ellen is not your daughter but Fred's", Erica said. David got alarmed and asked, "How is this possible?". Erica therefore recounted the story to David. "I met Fred after he had completed the university. We met in a pub, we had a few drinks and talked. We became friends and we had sex". "I got pregnant as a result". "When I told him about it, he was very scared and came up with the plan to get you to sleep with me and in effect make you rather responsible for my pregnancy". "And you agreed to this diabolic plot?", David cut in. "He told me that his parents were not well to do like yours and if I managed to get you to accept responsibility of the baby, it would not be as damaging as it would be for him should his parents find out that he had gotten me pregnant", Erica continued. "He told me about the scholarship both of you were applying for and how his hope of acquiring that scholarship could fail if I saddled him with the pregnancy", Erica said and stopped to wipe the tears from her eyes. "Continue!", David ordered her. "So he made us set you up",Erica continued. "Was that when you walked up to me at the club?" "Yes David, that was when I approached you at the bar to ask you to be my boyfriend", Erica confessed. "I am so stupid", David said. "I should have listened to my instincts because your antics were too good to be true", David added. "I can't believe all this", David said. "So were you ever going to tell me this?", David asked. "Come to think of it, why are you telling me all this now?". "Fred promised to take me abroad and later marry me but it seems they were all lies", Erica said. "I cant believe that you have kept such a thing from me for all these years", David said. "I thought Fred was my brother". "We could have worked out something if he told me all this earlier instead of deciding to stab me in the back in this manner", David said. He turned his eyes away for some minutes and turned to look at Erica, "I think at this point, I have had enough of you, please walk out of my life and out of my house this minute". "I set you free forever", David added. "Tell Fred that the battle line has been drawn and that he is in for the fight of his life over the custody of Ellen because she is staying right here with me". "Don't worry, I will tell him myself". "Please shut the door behind you on your way out, thank you", David added... THE BATTLE LINES HAVE BEEN DRAWN. IT IS TIME TO CROSS SWORDS. What will you do "BEFORE THE WORLD ENDS?. MY NAME IS EDWIN OKO LAMPTEY AND THIS STORY IS FAR FROM OVER. STAY TUNED... More at randomafricanthoughts.blogspot.com

BEFORE THE WORLD ENDS... EPISODE NINE (9)

David's father, as hard as he tried, could not come to terms with what the doctor was saying. He just could not fathom the gravity of the doctor's alleged 'exposé'. He walked out of the doctor's office in a confused state of mind. The doctor run after him knowing full well of the implications of what his allegation could bring in its wake. He called out after David's father and said, "Sir, I don't want the girl's mother to suspect that we are up to something because a patient has sued us for the same reason so if there is a way you could get her to give you samples of blood or anything we would need for a test, my lab will run the tests for you". "I don't want to further drag this hospital into another conspiracy theory with this finding because it is none of my business in the first place", he added. "I hope you get my point". David's father nodded in agreement but never uttered a word. "Sir, do you understand the words that I am speaking to you?", the doctor asked, fearing that he had put his job on the line by revealing the results of the test that the intern had done. David's father went into the ward where David had spent almost a month fighting for his life and packed up the rest of David's belongings and they went straight home. Erica was seated closest to David with Fred seated in the driver's seat and David's father seated next to him. David's father kept looking  at Erica through the rear-view mirror of their SUV. "Is it possible that this young lady has been pretending all this while?", David's father thought to himself. "She has been so amazing these past few weeks devoting all her time to take care of David and she virtually nursed him out of death looking at the way she was so gentle and graceful", he thought to himself. Meanwhile, Fred engaged David in a conversation to get him to feel comfortable after his near-death experience. "Dave, I have thought up this amazing business proposal and I believe with your managerial prowess, we can make it happen", Fred said, trying to manoeuver a curve on the busy street. "I want us to venture into transportation business", Fred said, taking a quick look at David and Erica who were seated behind him before fixing his gaze back unto the road. "That is a good idea but I think the transport business isn't a money-making venture if you asked me". "I would rather we focused our attention elsewhere", David responded. The two best friends engaged in their usual friendly banter over who was right and who was wrong and it was just like old times. Fred took a wrong turn and was quickly prompted by David's father that he was going the wrong way. "Sir, I am aware", Fred said, with a smile on his face. "I want to give my friend and his family a treat before we head back home". "When we were growing up as children, David and I always had this dream of eating from a particular Chinese restaurant around the central district". "I know it has been years but I have done my research and I found out that they relocated some years ago". "I want us to eat out today so our dear Erica can rest". "I am actually doing this because of her", Fred added, turning to give Erica a big smile". "You will all agree with me that she has been an amazing nurse to David". "So this is to Erica!", Fred added. After years of rewriting her papers, Erica had finally garnered up enough grades to gain admission into a private nursing school and passed out years ago as a qualified Health Assistant. She harboured dreams of furthering her education so she went on ahead to attend a private university and passed out as a fully fledged nurse and was now working in one of the major hospitals. Her good looks and gentle touch made people, especially men, always want to fall sick just to be given a treat by Erica. She had several private patients that she cared for out of the hospital's space and they paid well. One of her patients, a seventy-four year old man had been pestering her to marry him and he promised that he would never fall sick again if she accepted his proposal. Erica, on the other hand, was always professional about her job and never mixed business with pleasure. She always told her male patients, no matter how tempting their offers could be that she was married and had a daughter even though there was no ring on her finger to buttress her point with. When Fred proposed having lunch, David lauded the idea but David's father was a bit skeptical. He was already having doubts in his mind as to who Erica's daughter belonged to. He was getting confused. His wife had travelled many years ago and was working abroad as a matron in a hospital in Canada. He had  always been alone with David. Ever since his wife and daughters travelled. "The doctor said that Ellen was not my granddaughter so there is no way she could possibly be my daughter too", David's father thought to himself. He cast his mind back to the time Erica started visiting David, months before she got pregnant. On one of those visits, Erica met David's absence but David's father forced her to wait for him. During the time of waiting, David's father lamented how he had missed his wife and as they spoke, he drew closer to Erica. From the beginning, Erica was confused and knew full well that what David's father wanted to do was going to be very wrong. She struggled to break free but she was overpowered by David's father who was relatively younger then. "Sir please we can't do this", Erica pleaded, fighting off the advances made by David's father. "What if David walks in to see us?" "What would you tell him?", Erica asked. David's father just did not care. His incessant advances caused Erica to give in, they got close, fondled each other passionately and ended up making love. They both vowed to keep it a secret from David and now, this bombshell was likely to shatter the father and son relationship between David and his father forever should further tests prove that David's father was the biological father of Ellen making Ellen David's sister and not daughter like he had always known. Erica had vowed to stay away from David forever after that incident but David would not have that so Erica had to play along but from then on, she lived with the scars and regret of having slept with both father and son. When they finally got to the restaurant, David's father seemed lost in thought when a toast was proposed in honour of Erica. He raised his glass after being prompted by David, "Dad, what is wrong with you?" David asked in a low tone. "I am fine, son". "I was just thinking about how life would have been like for me if I had lost you that night", David's father said. David's father vowed to keep the exposé between himself, the doctor and the intern lab assistant till the truth of the matter came out and cleared him of all his fears. "Even if it turns out that I am the real father of Ellen, I would let the status quo remain and leave David to believe that Ellen is his daughter but I might have to eliminate certain threats to make this stay the way I want it to stay" David's father thought to himself. David's father, upon returning from the restaurant went into his room and into his washroom and called the doctor. "Doctor, you know that my son is just recovering from a serious accident", he started. "I want us to keep this finding between us for now till I think it is appropriate for him to know all this", David's father pleaded. "Alright sir", the doctor answered. "Something else has come up", the doctor said. "I am looking at an extensive result slip of the blood tests carried out and I believe it is in my capacity as your family's doctor to be the first to inform you". "We found traces of cancer in your blood, sir", the doctor revealed. "Please don't worry, we will get you started on a special medication". The doctor added. "In effect, it rendered the blood you donated invalid so we needed another donor". At the time, there was only one person available so we contacted him and he agreed to help". The confusing part is that, we run diagnosis on his blood sample and it is likely that he is the father of your granddaughter". David's father got alarmed and enquired, "Who is this young man?" "Do we know him?". "I think you do, sir", the doctor said. "The name I have here is Fred"... THIS IS GETTING HOTTER. More soon... MY NAME IS EDWIN OKO LAMPTEY AND THIS IS BEFORE THE WORLD ENDS (C)'. MORE AT randomafricanthoughts.blogspot.com

BEFORE THE WORLD ENDS...EPISODE EIGHT (8)

David lay on the ground struggling for his dear life. Blood kept oozing from his sliced-open chest and the pain coupled with the trauma he had to deal with, made him wish death upon himself. Just when he wanted to give up, a conflate of thoughts and feelings run through his mind and body respectively. He thought of what would become of his father who was now ripe with age should he wake up to find him laying dead in front of their house. He also thought of what would become of Ellen if he was to leave her all alone in the world.  With these thoughts running through his mind, he decided to do something to at least call the attention of a 'savior' who would come to his rescue. He managed to drag himself in front of his car, where the assailants had dropped his cell phone. He managed to get to the phone and as he lay there almost passing out, he dialed Erica's number. Erica's phone rang but there was no answer. He tried calling her again immediately after the first call was unanswered. Just when the call was about to drop after a long time of ringing the second time, Erica answered the call. "To what do I owe this sudden remembrance?", she asked. Her query was met by dead air. "Dave, are you sure you really intended calling me?", she asked again and still, there was no answer. Instantly, she knew something was wrong because David always went straight to the point in all the countable times he called her. Their calls were almost all the time, 'Ellen-centered' so she knew it was so unlike David. All that while, David was trying tirelessly to get the phone to his ear but his strength was failing him miserably. He prayed that Erica would not hang up the phone because she was not getting any response from his side of the call. He desperately thought of another way to reach Erica and he suddenlyhad an idea. He tried a different approach. He stretched himself out on the floor in his pool of blood, put the phone on loudspeaker and managed to let out some words even though they were close to being inaudible. "Erica, Erica, I have been attacked by armed robbers and they have injured me, please come to my house now". When Erica finally made out what David was trying to say, she got alarmed but at the same time was skeptical. "David, is this some kind of a joke or something?", she asked. With the little bit of strength left in him, David managed to get on his assertive selfwhich Erica had come to know one too many times and said, "If this were to be a joke, I would have called someone else". "Just come to my house now, I am dying", David added and passed out. Erica got to David's junction and saw his car parked outside with a figure drawn in the darkness on the ground. Instantly, she knew David was serious. She asked the taxi driver to speed up and they parked behind David's car. Erica jumped out of the taxi and with the help of the driver, David was put into the taxi. They sped off to the nearest hospital in a frantic effort to save David's life. As the car took off, Erica sat with David at the backseat and kept checking if David still had a pulse. "David, please don't die", Erica said, with tears in her eyes. "Who could possibly think of hurting you?", she asked. "Do you owe anyone some money?". "What is it, David?". All her questions went unanswered because David was unconscious. When they got to the hospital, David was immediately taken into the Emergency Unit and the doctors were summoned to attend to him. Erica sat there and prayed to hear some good news when the job of the doctors was over. The doctors came out and to her relief, David's condition had been stabilized but he was going to lose the finger that was cut off. "Doctor, he can live without a finger", Erica said, when she received the good news. "His life is more precious to us", she added. Erica rushed back to David's house and informed his father about the attack. The old man almost suffered a heart attack but Erica assured him that he was in a stable condition and they both made their way to the police station to report the incident and went straight to the hospital to see David afterwards. Meanwhile, Ellen was  having the time of her life with Collins. Two days after her father's attack, Ellen was asked by her grandfather to come home for some stuff for school. "Why can't daddy bring them?", she asked. "Just come home, my dear, your father is a bit indisposed at the moment and wants you to pick the stuff yourself. When Ellen got home, she found out about her father's attack and wept bitterly as she visited him at the hospital. Fred had also come back but instead of David going to meet him at the airport, it was Fred rather who met David in the hospital. they also had to postpone their surprise party till David was much better.Fred had changed remarkably. He was almost always at David's bedside. The doctors informed them that per the hospital's policy, any patient who was given blood from its blood bank had to replace it with blood from donors. Ellen and David's father volunteered to donate blood to replace what was given to David when he was brought in to the hospital. The donations were done successfully. The police also informed David and his family that they had unraveled the reason behind his attack. It was a simple case of mistaken identity. The 'real victim', David's neighbor reported a threat on his life some weeks back but did not reveal the truth about the reason behind the threats for fear of being chastised and it appeared that the hired assailants, for whatever reason attacked David instead. Reports were then put out in search of the assailants. Collins had fallen in love with Ellen and had become worried about her because Ellen had been acting up on her return to school after visiting her father in the hospital. Collins tried hard to get to her but Ellen was unresponsive. To help him stop worrying his head, she wrote him a poem and it read  "AS HARD AS YOU KNOCK, AS MUCH AS YOU TRY, AS REAL AS YOU CAN BE; YOU JUST CAN'T SEE THROUGH ME BECAUSE I'M AS STRONG AS A ROCK, AS BLANK AS PLAIN SHEET, HEAVY AS A DUVET BUT SOFT AS COTTON", "Your dearest Ellen". She later promised to tell him the reason behind her mood swing when her worries were over. David spent three weeks and five days in the hospital before being discharged. On the day of David's discharge. His father went in to see the doctor after all the bills had been settled. After thanking the doctor for saving his son's life, he turned to leave but the doctor had some concerns. The doctor was David's family doctor and he had this to say, "Something strange and bizarre came up during David's stay". "Out of curiosity, one of our student lab technicians doing his internship with us matched up the blood samples of yourself, David and your granddaughter  and it appears that it is likely, though not certain yet that your granddaughter may not be your real granddaughter", the doctor added. "What is that supposed to mean?", David's father asked. "We would need to run some blood tests on your granddaughter's mother and if possible, do a DNA test before we draw any conclusions and yes, when we get it done and the results are negative, it would mean that David is not the father of Ellen and neither are you her grandfather", the doctor added... TWISTS AND TURNS ARE APPROACHING. STAY TUNED. My name is Edwin Oko Lamptey and this is  "BEFORE THE WORLD ENDS". More at randomafricanthoughts.blogspot.com