18 Action (2/2)

”Again, you are not any Priscilla. You are P.A. the rapper. I plucked you from you cocaine sessions and put a mic in your hands instead of drugs. I invested energy into you. I gave you this life.” My volume was well above 60 dB.

I turned around and stared into the horizon. I wanted her to forgive me. I also wanted her to realize I was not that bad of a human as she painted me to be. So I decided to expose all the facts to her and deal with her later. Thus, I went on a tirade

”You are standing here after your show. You had your five course meal. Tomorrow, you will be in the town, exploring it. Day after that, you'll be in another town, entertaining the masses. Day after that, another country. You have a chance to spend this life because I threw a chance at you. All you did was look pretty and use that voice box god gave you. If you had not chosen this lifestyle of pomp and luxury, you'd still be in a team full of adult girls, ready to be sexualised by every male around you. You know clothes rarely interfere in a man's imagination when you have the minimum cloth to cover yourself in the first place.”

I took a pause. It seemed she had calmed down. She didn't try to break me off while I laid truth about her possible route. Maybe she had a moment of enlightenment. Thus I decided to continue a bit more. She needed to know about all the favors she owed me.

”Now look here-” I turned around to face her, but I was cut when the bar of iron struck on the side of my leg.

Priscilla had swung the iron bar and had struck me near my kneecap.

”AAAhhhhhhhh” I let out a wail as I crumbled on the wet sand. I bent my leg on a comfortable angle and held it there while I continued to scream in pain. My head was going crazy with pain, when I noticed Priscilla was crouching near me. She had pushed the iron bar right next to my head. If I turned my head to observe her, it would have come in contact with the cold metal.

”Now listen to me, and listen closely. I want you to apologize four more times.”

”ImsorryImsorryImsorryImsorry.” I muttered four apologies consecutively as I laid on the beach.

”No, Not like this. I want you to apologize when I'm at the concert. That's it.”

”But why?” I was grinding my teeth.

She raised her voice,”Hey, you don't make the rules. I do. The way I see it, you don't have too much money. So I want you to go broke. That would be a great starting point for your new life.”

After she said that, she stood back up and started walking away.

I fumbled on the sand to look at her walking away and barked one last question out,” How do you know I have no money?”

Priscilla turned around and said,” I don't. but I have an idea I am not going to be the only one you'd be apologizing. Traveling does take some cash out of your pocket, right?”

My body froze at the moment. None of the people I had planned to talk had ever met each other. How could she know about my financial situation as well as four other people?

”You're bluffing.” I tried a feint.

Priscilla stopped in her tracks. Without turning, she said,” Maybe don't plan your apology plans with your friends. That Mapalla guy may have something to say to you.” After making the revelation, she continues walking away.

I took the iron bar she left behind and crawled back to the road. I sat on the bench nearby and called for an ambulance. After hanging up the phone, I called Trigman.

”Hey, are you outside?” He questions.

”Put Mapalla on the phone. RIGHT. NOW.”

Moments later, Mappala says 'Hello'.

”What did you say to Priscilla?”

”About what?” He replies with his regular aloof tone.

”About the whole forgiveness debacle I am in. what did you spill?”

”I swear, I said nothing. To her”

”What was that pause?”

”Shit. I just remembered. I didn't say anything to her, but I was talking to Ms. Herman.”

I covered my face with my hand. ”What did you say Mapalla? Say the exact words.”

”The costliest purchase in this world is forgiveness. It doesn't cost a dime, but a long journey does require monetary funding. And with so many pit-stops in her way, it'll be a long journey for her.”

”You fucking idiot…” I hung up the call and gripped my phone as hard as I could. I really wanted to break something. But I couldn't find anything which wont cost me a lot of money in hindsight. So I screamed in the dark night.

It really was a dark night.