CHAPTER ONE

S.K.U.L.L

Sin. Kill. Undo. Lie. Live

By Okunola O. Zain (GreyGray)

Tade looked across the wide restaurant to the girl who sat alone at the table at the end of the room. From looks, she was probably between the ages of twenty to twenty two. She was ebony skinned, had brown eyes that looked as warm as the chocolate drink that oozed steam from her cup, pouty lips that made her look so cute and wide glasses sat gracefully on her nose.

She came in every Saturday morning to eat and paid for the whole table so she could sit alone.

On the table in front of her, she would spread out her scrabble board and play alone.

Scrabble was known to be a game of two but she played all by herself. She never smiled, never looked around, only ate, focused on her lone game and when time was up, she would stand quietly and say the regular four words. "Thanks for the meal" and then walk out the way she came in.

It was a routine every Saturday.

This got Tade curious.

"Would you take her order today?" Dibb's voice reached him and without responding, Tade went over to where she sat.

"Good morning," he said but before he could utter another word, she said too quickly.

"The regular" and Tade nodded. The regular was a cheese pizza with warm coffee.

"Anything else?" Tade asked and for the first time in many months, she looked at him. Her warm eyes became cold and the brown seemed gray.

"Nothing" she said.

This spooked him. He turned away quickly and left her at the table.

She played quietly and when her meal was brought to her, she ate. She played a little more, looked at her watch and stood to her feet.

Time was up. It was nine on dot. She packed her scrabble board, muttered the four regular words and walked out of the restaurant.

"There is something off about that girl" Tade said to Dibbs.

Dibbs was a senior staff at the restaurant and she manned the counter at the Cleboo's cafe. She had short hair and was of average height with a plum body. She rolled her eyes at Tade and spoke "you always think something is off with everybody" she eyed him.

"No. I mean..."

"Nobody cares about what you mean Tade, get to work" she cut him short and turned to another waitress at the counter who came to place orders.

Tade shrugged and hurried off to continue with the breakfast rush before Dibbs snapped at him again.

******************************************

"Where have you been?" Sara asked but Alex behaved like nobody was talking.

She tossed her bag on the bed, removed the scarf around her neck and set it on the hanger before sitting down to remove her boots.

Sara frowned. She should have been used to this by now but Alex just kept being intolerable every passing day. "I just wanted to let you know that Simon was here and he didn't look too good. He said you should call him the very minute you get back"

Alex froze. Her eyes raised to meet Sara's angry glare then she reached for her phone across the table, dialed a quick number and pressed it to her ear.

It rang for few seconds and once he picked, he spoke first.

"I'll be there in ten" was the only thing Alex said then she pressed the off button.

She laced her boots again, took her scarf and bag and headed out.

**********

Alexanni Willis.

The wind was cold and she could tell that winter was fast approaching but that had little to do with what query she had to face with Simon. Ignoring the chills that swept up her spine, she walked down the blocks of Sarel Davich Street, Sun City and soon wound up at the car wash Simon owned.

She marched right through the busy workers, through the little mart at the front to the back where Simon's office was. Without knocking, she barged in and there was a lady massaging his shoulders. Without saying anything, the look in her eyes alone dismissed the young lady. She jumped off Simon's back, picked her purse and ran out.

Alex walked in and slammed the door behind her.

She saw Simon quickly adjust his collar, sit upright, and clear his throat to act formal.

"Hey you. You said you'll be here in ten" he eyed her as if hating her for her punctuality but she had that unfeeling look on her face that gave nothing away. She reached for her backpack, retrieved an envelope and tossed it at him.

"That's your money. Stay away from him" she said in a husky, cold voice and turned to leave when Simon's voice caught her.

"Tell your puppy to stay out of trouble" and without looking back, she stormed off and slammed the door shut.

She knew who Simon was referring to when he said puppy.

With clenched fist, she walked out the way she came and disappeared through the thick cold fog that was clouding outside. Steam oozed from her mouth and she snugged her jacket tighter around her body.

She ought to go back home to her computer to finish her work but she wouldn't be at peace if she didn't see her puppy to give him a firm piece of her mind.

As she cornered a store, someone shouted her name and rushed to her.

"Omigod! Alexanni Willis" the pedestrian was almost screaming. "I am a big fan of yours. I read the last book you wrote. It was wonderful. It was beautiful. Can I get an autograph?" She took off her cap and handed it to Alex with a pen. Alex scribbled on the white part of the cap and handed it over. With glee, the pedestrian took off ready to go and brag about who she had met on the road.

Alex heaved a sigh and pulled a hood over her head. She didn't need another groupie to bump into her and ask her for anything. All she wanted to do was reach the next two blocks to meet Eden, her puppy.

Once she got to his driveway, she took off her hood before she went into the building and rode the elevator to his living space at the eight floor. His living space was a crapped up art room that had a single bed, two sofa's kitchen space, bathroom, TV and an art workshop where he carried out all his paintings and sculptures.

She didn't have to knock, she punched his pass code and the door opened.

She heard moaning and groaning somewhere at the inner corner of the room and it didn't take the genius part of her to know he was getting knocked out on drugs again. Without alerting him, she picked up the bottle of whiskey that rolled on the floor and smashed it against the wall.

Alarmed, he flew out of the corner he’s been drugging himself in, sweat glistening on his body.

There was something about her that scared people.

"What the f!" Eden shouted as he dusted the white powder off his nose.

Angry, she picked up one of the wooden rods he used for his art works and marched to him.

"Put that shit down, whoa. That shit is expensive" he warned her, taking cautious step away from her wrath but hell no! There was no way she was going to listen to him.

"I just paid Simon two hundred dollars for that car you wrecked. You didn't have that sense of responsibility to even feel sorry and the next thing I see you doing is screwing yourself?"

"You don't understand..." He made to talk but she descended the hard wood on his shoulder, she hit him across the face and when he was on the floor, she threw it aside and kicked him with the hoofs of her boot.

"Damn Anni! Damn!" Aside Casey, Eden’s mother, nobody else called her Anni except Eden.

He cried in pain as he clawed on the floor like a little girl.

"You are an embarrassment!" She made to kick him again but refrained "you are gonna stand up and stop behaving like a fool" she told him.

After minutes, he got dressed and settled in a chair, his face throbbing with pain and a red streak across his jaw.

She sat opposite him, sanitizing her hands as she spoke "what are you doing with your life?" She raised a brow "I'm not going to ask you twice"

"I'm an artist now." He groaned a response.

"Good. Keep drawing and painting" she stood to her feet "the next time I come here, I want this place tidied. And if I see any drugs here again, I'll castrate you. Are we clear?" She sniffed and he nodded quickly.

Eden was just seventeen, he was a street kid that dropped out of school and before his mother died, she had put him in care of Alex; well, Mr Donnavich at first, then, Alex.

Now Alex seemed very young and a lot of people had misconceptions about her age but in a few months, she'll be twenty nine. A lot of people said she was eighteen and the highest guess was twenty two but little did they know how old she had lived. She had natural beauty that hid her age so well.

"And put some ice on that" she pointed to Eden's red face "and I repeat. No drugs!"

She had tried to raise Eden ever since he was twelve but it had been an epic failure. He was always getting into one trouble or the other but thank goodness, she was making enough money to fix whatever mess he made.

"Simon didn't deserve that much money" he grumbled but she'd rather have her bank account emptied on him rather than have someone send him to jail.

She strolled to his kitchen corner, flushed whatever drugs he had down the drain and turned to him again.

He had stood to the fridge to make an ice pack for his throbbing face and he carried a deep frown on his face.

"If you ever throw such a shitty stunt ever again, I'll send you to Dave at Kansas." Her voice was stern.

He looked at her in horror and shook his head in disapproval "Dave is a..."

"I know what Dave is." She cut him short "and so you know, I considered it today. I have the papers ready so, better behave"

Dave was his father; a savage! A towering edifice of immoralities who stuck brawn than brains. Dave had landed himself in jail more than ten times trafficking drugs but had somehow got off because he had more than enough money to wriggle his way out of trouble.

With that unfeeling look, she picked her bag from his sofa and strode to the door.

Eden was such a pampered brat and he dwelt on the fact that his previous care giver, Mr. Donnavich  spoon-fed him and showered him with gifts and even when he lain on his death bed, his last words were "take care of Eden, never make him cry" and no thanks to that, he had turned into a loafer.

"Anni" his voice stopped her as she opened the door.

"What?" She looked at him, her glare hardened.

"The exhibition is tomorrow. Are you coming? With a celebrity like you, things could really turn out good for me"

"You don't need me to push you to the top. If your drawings are good, let them speak for themselves" she only said and slammed the door shut behind her.

It was only a matter of time before she got back home and as she walked into the vestibule, the sweet scent of cookies caressed her nose and made her hungry. Sara had baked one of her Saturday muffins again and she was singing so loudly that Alex had heard her from the front porch.

"How did it go with Simon?" Sara asked but instead of answering, she strode to her room.

She heard Sara's steps following behind her but still she ignored it. Once in her room, Sara barged in with a suppressed angry look on her face.

"Did you fight with Simon?" She asked.

Sara was a young woman who lived in the same house with Alex.

Originally, the house belonged to Mr Donnavich who had taken Alex in when she ran away from home and he had taken care of her like his own. He passed away one stormy night and he willed everything he had to her. He would have willed it to Casey, Eden’s mother but she died two months before Mr Donnavich.

 Sara was also one of Mr Donnavich's charity projects as well and she had only been in the house two years before he died so now, Alexinna owned the house legally but considering the fact that Mr. Donnavich also loved Sara too like his daughter, she couldn't kick her out.

"Is he pressing charges...?” Sara pressed on.

Frustrated, Alex turned to Sara and her brown eyes turned gray. "Simon is not an issue anymore" Alex subdued her emotions. She was good at it.

Sara shrugged "I'm glad you solved it. You always do" that little gesture softened Alex. She had grown to be a bitter lady but when it came to Sara and Eden, she knew how to control the bitterness that dwelt in every fiber of her being.

"Cookies? I am baking enough. I plan to bake some for Eden's exhibition tomorrow. Are you coming?"

"No" Alex replied coldly as she undressed, leaving nothing but her inner white vest, her long pants and stockings.

"Eden would really love it if you came. He has been trying so hard to impress you. It would be nice if you just acknowledged the fact…"

"Get out Sara" Alex said in a stern voice but not looking her way "Get out and don't come back in here till someone dies" that was a harsh thing to say, but it made pestering Sara go away.

Heaving a sigh, Alex opened up her computer, stretched her fingers and began to work.

"The boy had cried wolf again..."

***

Alex checked her wrist watch, it was eight in the night. She had spent too many hours at the computer but that was how she was able to pay Simon his money.

Not minding the smarting pain in her back, she stood to her feet, reached for her scarf and jacket, laced her boots, picked her phone on the table and headed out of the room.

The place was dark and the only light that illuminated the rest of the house was the pale security lights that glowed from the ceiling.

She looked around. It’s either Sara was out or she had fallen asleep, not having any other guesses, she went out of the building. Her car-key was in her pocket but she preferred to walk. She had another routine at nine somewhere else.

After walking for several minutes, relishing the beautiful scenery of the city and the sweet cold that clawed up her spine, she wound up at a small bar at the end of the block.

She didn't have to show IDs so, she was let in without any exchange of words. She didn't drink, matter of fact, she never drank.

She sat at a quiet corner, paid for the whole table so she would be alone and brought out her phone to check her to-do-list. She was going to have a pretty long night.

A bottle of water sat in front of her pretty soon and she didn't look around to see the almost nude women who served as waitresses. Something about her was really pretty off.

Then, her phone vibrated. It never rang.

"Alex! Hunnay!" She recognized the owner of the voice and she shrugged at it. "We organized an autograph signing session for you tomorrow..."

It was Edward, her manager but before he could finish, she cut him short.

"Cancel it" she said

"But Alex, we invited the whole..."

"I don't care. I'm not coming" and she pressed the off button. She was tired of people running her life for her. That was one of the major reasons why she ran away from home. Her mother was a rich goose that had everyone at her fingertips and her stepfather was just as controlling as her mother was. She had stayed long with them because of her brother but it happened he was a prissy son that was taking the exact footsteps of his parents.

She remembered when her father was alive. He was a humble man and was kind to everyone. He even built an orphanage that got torn down the next day he passed. Then after that, her life had been a living hell.

Ever since she landed at Sun City, her life had changed. Nobody knew her past life, so it was easy to create a new personality for herself. A deep dark personality.

She became remote and quiet and never did anything that involved three people. She did everything on a solo mode. She never attended interviews, never spoke to a crowd, never attended an autograph signing session. She just locked herself in a room and wrote about the mystery man that made her life a wrecking turmoil.

Her fans barely knew her and the ones that were privileged to have seen her had been the ones that Edward had spoken to about her; just like the lady that ran into her earlier in the day to ask for an autograph.

To many, she was invisible. Just a common lady who lived somewhere in someplace doing God-knows-what.

She sat down at the bar for half an hour, doing nothing but drinking water and looking at every male who came into have a drink and watch some sexy waiter bring their drinks to them.

She looked at them to see if they matched the, six feet tall with a three pin tattoo on the face look that was etched somewhere deeply in her mind but none looked any close.

When time was up, she stood to her feet and walked out.

***

Sara stood in front of the TV as Alex walked in. She was transfixed that she didn't notice that Alex had walked back into the house. This made Alex pause to check what was going on.

"Another murder?" she said within herself and a dark frown zoomed in her eyes. This was getting out of hands. This was worse than she imagined. She turned to get herself water from the refrigerator. Only when the refrigerator door slammed shut did Sara jump back into her senses.

"Omigod! Alex, you startled me" she said beneath her breath but Alex did not respond. She opened the cap of the bottle and sipped from it.

Sara glanced at the wall clock. It was eight in the morning "where were you all night?" She asked with a frown. "It was said on today's news that another woman was murdered last night. You shouldn't be lurking around on your own" but Alex still ignored her. "The police said people should stay indoors and lock up for safety" Sara added

"Did you spend the night at Eden's place?" Sara raised a brow "Talk to me..."

"I was at the bridge" Alex only said.

"Doing what?"

"Doing nothing that concerns you. If I wanted a wife, I know where to get one" Alex grumbled as she walked away.

***