Shadowed In Peccancy

Running fast as possible she was. Mouth open turning back to grab peripherals of the path by which she'd come. The night shone no moonlight on the alley riddled with filth. Sprinkles had begun to fall amplifying odors forced up her nostrils. Panic was the catalyst propelling her. An overstuffed backpack over the right shoulder. In her left hand a small duffle interfered with her stride. Fright failed to block her conscious register that the morning forecast said nothing of rain. Why this came to mind now wasn't apparent. She was wearing a pair of shorts, white tennis shoes, a strappy top with a sweater. The drops increased in size as she fled. Her shoes became sopping wet and grey with dirt. The bun of braids had fallen around her shoulders as she went.There was no plan for this happening now. Had there been it wouldn't have made the series of events over the last hour less stressful.

A metal door swung out into her path. Someone walked to the bin tossing in a bag. On the way back in the door was left ajar. Slipping inside the same she ducked keeping her face hidden. No need to run among the camouflage of strange bodies enveloped in loud music. Lights flashed with the underbelly of sounds. Failing to appreciate the myriad of notes due to jumbling thoughts blocked this possibility. On a normal night she would have been able to enjoy it and even dance. The only good thing about this moment was no one acknowledged her. Most were all engrossed in gyrating like animals trying to garner the attention for potential, temporary mates. It was illegal for her to be in this place. Though she had graduated at sixteen that didn't make it acceptable. Her parents had allowed a yearlong sabbatical to rest and enjoy some time before going to college. There had been a family planned trip for seeing her off. Now all of that was cancelled. Why it was done in this way would soon be revealed.

Entering the restroom on her right she was surprised to have privacy. Glad to be alone to think she entered the largest stall. Changing clothes would be easier here. Some places had stalls where the door almost touched the rim of the bowl. It was one of the most disgusting things about using public facilities. Relieved that wasn't the case here, she locked the door hanging the duffle on its hook. Letting the right arm unfold the backpack hit the ground. Standing as if suspended movement halted. Lifting anything seemed a chore suddenly. Both arms and head hanging her eyes settled on the crud between two tiles. Focus wasn't exactly happening. She just needed to take in how her night ended up like this. Screaming came and went from her thoughts. It wouldn't alleviate how horrible this life now seemed. Drawing unwanted attention was all she needed to send her over the edge. No one wanted a placating stranger acting like the assistance they would offer was real. Someone who could only become a possible witness against her. Scenarios raced through her mind. As a victim in this even she couldn't piece together a decent explanation. There was no inclination for building onto the incredible pressure by dealing with the law.

Isoken Adebayo had no idea what her parents did for a living. All she was told was they were consultants. Specificity was never divulged. Her mother, Zsa Zsa, had met her father, Kelechi, in Prague. Isoken's mother was always the one to tell the story of their meeting. It was romantic. Two young strangers traveling around the world who happened to bump into each. In Italy over cappucino and cornettos in the mornings, and Croque Monsieur with Côtes du Rhône in the early evenings in France, they fell in love. The way her mother looked at her father made Isoken smile. The way Kelechi dipped Zsa Zsa when dancing could prove to anyone watching their feelings for one another were true. These two shared an admirable measure of what love truly was. Kelechi and Zsa Zsa were always united on running their home. Like any other kid Isoken had tried to sneak things. Singling out one parent for permission she knew the other wouldn't agree to. Kelechi and Zsa Zsa always came together before a final word was given. Like teammates running a relay race they weren't to be divided. Though this thwarted some of her participation in some experiences, Isoken knew her parents only wanted what was best. Them being in the world gave her rest even in their physical absence.

Camping out back this night Isoken was roused by loud sounds. She sat up in the tree house afraid to look out of its window toward the disturbance. Zsa Zsa had sent her daughter out to enjoy one more night in the tree house Kelechi had built for her. The reason given was that it had been sold. The buyer was coming to take it apart and move it soon. Now, fully awake from the shattering of glass, Isoken summoned up the courage to peek out. Frozen in fear she unconsciously held her breath. Suddenly, through the darkness of what was the kitchen, came two flashes. It wasn't lost on Isoken those flashes had to be gunshots. What followed sounded like the scuffles of two people running away. Sitting in silence her belief of what had just transpired wasn't sure. The double doors on the back of the house where she had lived her whole life seemed changed..

One door swung open into the house. Zsa Zsa, gasping raggedly, made her way to the tree where her daughter was. Barely maintaining her balance Zsa Zsa called her child. Isoken was too afraid to answer. Zsa Zsa called firmly demanding her daughter to respond. Shaking off her fear enough to climb down she reached her mother as she collapsed.

"Mom!", Isoken cried out.

Zsa Zsa could barely speak. This would be the last time speaking to her daughter. Isoken leaned down. Zsa Zsa's breathing was labored, "I need you to go into the office. There is a duffle bag in the wall behind a board on the right side of the closet. Get it. Then go in your room and grab the backpack of clothes mama always has ready for you. Go now, Isoken!" Tears rolled from both of her eyes as she fell still. They remained open.

Isoken's cries went out to a silent answer. She didn't want to leave, but it was obvious she couldn't stay. Since the muffled shots she'd heard had awakened her she thought it was possible that the shot detector nearby had caught them. Soon the drones would come investigating followed by police. Pulling herself up from the ground where her mother lay, Isoken went to do as she had been told. Passing through the kitchen that held so many of her memories, Isoken took in the disarray. The French press her parents used every morning was shattered. A couple of knives were missing from the block by the stove. Broken glass crunched under her feet as she walked. Everywhere she looked was torn apart. The hallway to her room was still normal. Isoken made her way to the end. Grabbing her phone, plug and charger pad she shoved them into the smaller pocket in front of the backpack. Slinging it over her right shoulder to walk out she was overcome by hurt. This isn't the exit she pictured. It wasn't the way she was supposed to leave this house. Isoken wasn't about to leave for college. She was about to leave for good.

Reaching the office door Isoken was surprised that the latch released. Her eyes took in what seemed to be a surveillance operation. There were white boards full of tricolored writings. On one wall were pictures of people she'd never met. Some had lines drawn between them. There was a clear board with dates. Isoken noticed they spanned the same amount of years as she was old. There was a map with red, black and green tacks to marked specific places. One tack was white pinning a silver back dollar bill in one corner. Shaking herself Isoken walked toward the closet. Just as her mother had said there was the bag inside the wall. Duffle in hand she headed back to the hall. Fully intent on walking through the front door she caught a glimpse of a foot behind the kitchen island. No second guess was needed to identify her father. Unable to bring herself to go look at him, Isoken turned left toward the front door. She wondered if the intruders had known she lived there. It was certain she needed to take off before anyone doubled back. Isoken hurriedly crossed through the doorway. Standing on the sidewalk across the street, she turned back once more to the house. One deep breathe in to hold. An excess exhalation slowly out. Recently the streetlights had been changed to purple. Her senses told her she wouldn't agree with the motivation for it. It was then Isoken realized her mother had talked her into sleeping in the treehouse to save her life. Zsa Zsa knew what was coming. Isoken's eyes welled up, but she kept the drops from falling. Walking away briskly turned into running when she heard the whirring of the drones coming near.

All this led to Isoken changing her clothes in a nightclub bathroom stall. She had begun reading a letter written by her mother. To her surprise the letter said, "I'm not your mother. Kelechi isn't your father. We are husband and wife. We were assigned to protect you." An explanation of how they came to perpetrate the fraud of being a family followed. They had not been consultants as they had claimed. They were hired bodyguards charged with hiding a royal child. Due to immoral acts unspecified, Isoken was to be hidden until the time arose for her take her rightful place of power. So much had unveiled on this fateful evening of violence. The two people Isoken had known as parents were no more. Becoming good enough to succeed at being her own protector was something she'd have to grasp quickly. The letter also claimed Isoken was of a royal bloodline. Until meeting with someone called The Colonel, going back to her people wasn't a safe option. This meeting had been preplanned for years. A passport, I.D., and an open end ticket had been provided in the duffle. All had her name as Chioma Nwadike. The date of birth didn't match the one she had celebrated all these years. Five disposable phones were inside along with an amount of cash she had never seen before. No wonder the bag was so burdensome. Isoken, now Chioma, wearing the gray hoodie, sweats and black high tops from the backpack, exited the stall. Stopping she looked to the image reflected back to her. It was almost like she was outside of herself. The truth of who she was suspended her in limbo. Who was she looking at? Her face seemed foreign now. This was the face of a royal? She was so important she had to be hidden? Did this Chioma person even want to be a ruler? At no time in school had she been singled out like this. She was never popular. Being Isoken had worked out just fine all these years. Now it was ruined.

Exiting the restroom a bunch of girls stumbled toward her. One bumped Chioma's left shoulder. Again she ducked her head. Making her way back as she had come, still unnoticed, Chioma walked out the same steel door. Again finding herself in the alley, Chioma threw the clothes she had been wearing into the same bin as the man earlier had placed his bag. Stopping to grab her cell phone from her backpack, she turned off location and put on airplane mode. Then Chioma turned it off. Placing the phone in her right pocket she walked to the street at the end of the alley. There were puddles from the rain that ceased from falling. Reminding herself of her new identity, Chioma walked, somewhat dazed. Simultaneously she realized her birthday would arrive with the setting of the next day's sun. She was going to be seventeen years old. Due to the barrage of revelations behind lies covering up her reality, now, she wasn't all that sure.