Moving Forward: From Breaking Point to Turning Point

By Lorna Alele

Samantha has great friends and possesses every material thing she wants, but she soon finds herself in danger after mysterious occurrences. She becomes restless when she realises that she doesnt know the cause of these events. Samantha is warned that involving the police will result in death, and she goes into hiding.

Can Samantha hide from an unknown pursuant who knows everything about her? Who can she turn to in this time of distress and loneliness? How does she know she wont be double-crossed?

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Oct 26, 2015
• ISBN: 9781490845005

Lorna Alele

Lorna was born in Uganda and lived in Kampala until 1999. She moved to England to study architecture and qualified to practice in 2007. In 2009 she discovered her passion for writing, recording, and telling stories. She loves talking and listening to people, and having a good laugh.

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Copyright © 2015 Lorna Ajulo.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

WestBow Press

A Division of Thomas Nelson & Zondervan

1663 Liberty Drive

Bloomington, IN 47403

www.westbowpress.com

1 [phone]

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

ISBN: 978-1-4908-4499-2 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4908-4500-5 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2014913170

WestBow Press rev. date: 10/21/2015

Contents

Dedications

Acknowledgements

Preface…

18 Days Ago…Wednesday

17 Days Ago… Thursday

16 Days Ago…Friday

15 Days Ago…Saturday

14 Days Ago…Sunday

13 Days Ago…Monday

12 Days Ago…Tuesday

11 Days Ago…Wednesday

10 Days Ago…Thursday

9 Days Ago…Friday

8 Days Ago…Saturday

7 Days Ago…Sunday

6 Days Ago…Monday

5 Days Ago – Tuesday

4 Days Ago…Wednesday

3 Days Ago…Thursday

2 Days Ago…Friday

1 Day Ago… Saturday

Today…Sunday

1 Day Later…Monday

2 Days Later…Tuesday

3 Days Later…Wednesday

4 Days Later… Thursday

Dedications

This book is dedicated to everyone who thinks they have missed the mark because of their past mistakes. I have heard it said that the number of years we spend on earth are not really how old we are. That God starts counting our years from the time we begin to walk with Him, in Him and by the strength that He provides for us. No wonder He is not concerned with our past, because He knows the purpose for which He put each one of us on earth; this can only be unveiled and fulfilled with His help. He wants us just as we are. He will pick up the broken pieces, He is amazing at gluing them together with the bond of His love to the point that one day we will not remember that we were once broken.

Always know that nothing is impossible for you because your heavenly Father who loves you so much wants you to shine brighter than you can even imagine possible. So let go of the confines of your past; your best days are ahead of you. Dream again, hope again, see possibility again as you understand that God loves and wants you to live a full life; yes, here on earth. You will surely experience a new life.

You are truly and deeply loved by the One who made you fearfully and wonderfully.

Acknowledgements

I do not know of anything I have successfully achieved on my own without the input of other people. I am a daughter of many, a friend to uncountable, a sister to numerous, a mother to loads. I cannot possibly name every single person who has helped me, but this work is testimony to the contribution made by people I have had the privilege of encountering along life’s journey. I am deeply grateful for the doors God closed before me, then so graciously opened new ones and inspired me to the discovery what He created me for.

There are men and women God has placed in my life to teach, correct, challenge, encourage, instruct and guide me. I want to especially acknowledge:

• Dr Ramson and Pastor Estrella Mumba for instructing me to a way of thinking higher than I ever imagined possible.

• Pastors Mark and Hannah Pease for opening their hearts to me and challenging me to love and view life from the Word’s perspective.

• Mr Alele Pedro Echel and Pamela Alele for giving me their love and best support.

• Dr Sam and Mrs Adega Ajulo, for encouraging and supporting me.

• Mr Anthony and Mrs Stella Echel-Thomson for supporting and loving me.

For the development and production of this book itself, I feel a great sense of gratitude to:

• The team of readers who sampled pages of the story and wanted to read the full story immediately.

• Kasey Cassells for painstakingly copy editing this manuscript.

• Rose Songa for patiently reading and editing this work.

• Jermaine Sanwoolu, for believing in me and pushing me to tell this story.

• Caroline Manyika for her honesty, encouragement and never letting me ‘slack’ regardless of my challenges.

• Jenny Lee, Thoko Jean Chilenga, Ebrah K, Charlotte Mpirirwe and Pearl Umejaiku who diligently worked through this manuscript and challenged me to be more creative and to express myself in ways I’d never imagined possible.

• Austeja Krukonyte, Doreen Quelch, Ivy Alele, Alex Zamba Alele, Atyam George Alele, Solomon Alele Echel, Genevieve Ntuba, Ngonie Chiligo, Yvonne Wacha, Jacquelyn Amoko, Elizabeth Mutahinduka, Jacqueline Bagambe and Catherine Nakamya.

Preface…

~Thai Restaurant, London, UK~

Fair enough! Ruby said as she bent down and pretended to pick something up from the floor. Samantha in turn looked closely to make sure that it was Angel, not a look-a-like. She was shocked to see the man Angel was with, and put her hand over her mouth to stop herself from shouting. She kicked off her shoes, instructing Ruby to wait there. Where are you going? Ruby asked.

It’s a long story, Samantha said impatiently.

Ruby grabbed her handbag, pulled out four twenty pound notes, and placed them on the table under the salt and pepper shakers. Remain here, Samantha instructed matter-of-factly, I am still trying to solve how this has come about. I will explain later. Samantha threw her handbag at Ruby and dashed out. Ruby stared blankly, and was surprised to see that Samantha was running uphill barefooted. She looked under the table and saw that Samantha had roughly kicked off her shoes.

Samantha ran to the top of the pedestrian walkway that joined the vehicular route, but couldn’t see the couple in either direction. She walked briskly past a number of couples who were walking hand in hand, but she didn’t find Angel. Reluctantly she returned to the restaurant main entrance and was for the second time welcomed by Sak. He softly asked if everything was okay.

All is well, Samantha answered, My friend dared me to walk out barefooted and I did. I am sorry that it’s probably a misrepresentation of the calibre of guests that come to your restaurant. She wanted to ask whether he’d seen Angel – after all, Angel had introduced her to him – but she didn’t. Sak escorted her to her seat. The restaurant was a lot busier than when they first arrived.

You are crazy running out barefooted, Ruby sniggered.

Thank you, sir, Samantha said to Sak. She waited for him to leave before saying I think they will be somewhere in this restaurant. I have to see them.

Ruby attracted the waiter’s attention and handed him the money. Let’s use the toilet first, she said. On their way there Ruby tried the other doors and one of them had a broken lock. She asked, Are you sure they are here? If we…

That is exactly why I’m going on my own, Samantha answered. She looked at Ruby directly as she added, That way if I get caught, I’ll wind up in trouble alone!

I want to help.

Rubes, you can help by staying here to keep an eye on things, Samantha said tactfully, It will raise suspicion if we both disappear, especially if there’s anything dodgy going on around here.

Okay, but first…

When I return, Samantha said as she pushed the door and headed upstairs.

Ruby used the toilet then returned to her seat in the restaurant. She ordered some more drinks and checked her messages on her phone.

Samantha reached the next floor quietly. She approached the only set of doors, and walked into a fairly long corridor that had three doors. She tried each door, and only one opened. She carefully entered the luxuriously decorated unoccupied lounge that had nothing to suggest that anyone had been there. She checked all the rooms but there was no one. She started making her way to the exit, and was glad that she hadn’t found anyone. What would I tell them anyway? She touched the door handle but turned back when she heard laughter coming from within the flat.

18 Days Ago…Wednesday

~Manchester, UK~

Samantha was suddenly awakened by the sound of a door slamming. Who could that be? she wondered. She couldn’t remember if the girls had agreed to spend the weekend at her house. Lazily opening her eyes, she felt a severe headache and told herself that she would remain in bed for as long as she needed.

It must have only been a few minutes later when her bedside alarm started buzzing. Without opening her eyes, she reached across and switched it off. She looked around wondering why it was so dark. Normally at this time of the year she enjoyed waking up to the sunlight flooding into her bedroom from the window on the right side of the room. She switched the bedside lamp on and immediately became attentive when she noticed that it was still the middle of the night. She looked at the alarm clock and to her surprise it was 3am. What could have caused me to set the alarm to 3am?

For a brief moment she stared at the alarm clock and was startled. I have never seen this before! Who put this here? It would have to be the good-humoured Monica playing pranks on her. She decided to pretend to be asleep, expecting the girls to burst into her room laughing at her because this time they’d succeeded in teasing her. Sliding back into bed, she realised she was completely naked. What am I doing naked in bed? I never sleep naked, never! For the first time, Samantha sat up to take stock of what was really going on. To her surprise, she was lying in a king-size bed that had a black leather headboard and black bedding that had white silk embroidery. She realised that she was neither at her home nor at the house of any of her closest friends. She’d never been to a hotel with such dark décor. Everything seemed bizarre and she didn’t know where she was. Samantha felt a panic course through her.

Everything in the room was black including the walls, wardrobe, door, floor rags around the bed, window frames. I am either dead or I’m in so much trouble! She pulled the upper sheet that was under her duvet and wrapped herself with it before heading for the door that had an emergency exit sign above it. She stopped when she saw a white wedding dress on a chair to the right before the door. Whose wedding dress is this? Was I in the bed of a ... The thought was beyond her wildest nightmares.

She picked up the dress and stared at it momentarily. It was an absolutely beautiful strapless gown with a sweetheart neckline and corset closure. It had a ravishing Rhapsody Taffeta skirt-like bottom half with a flattering A-line silhouette, accented with floral embellishments placed artfully at the bodice. She couldn’t resist trying it on. She reckoned from looking in the mirror that whoever had worn it would have looked smashing. The dress flattered her. She walked close to the window pretending to be a bride, and blew a kiss at her imaginary groom. Samantha stared into the empty street and didn’t recognise anything. The house was too quiet and it frightened her. She lifted the window lever but it was fixed, and she couldn’t move it. She hoped there was someone else in the house who would tell her where she was.

She started making her way to the exit again when she saw her underwear on the chair from where she had picked up the wedding dress. She knew that they were definitely hers because she had only recently bought them. She reflected aloud, So…if the underwear is mine, does that mean the dress is mine too? She refused to utter any more words, allowing them to linger in her mind instead. I got married? Impossible!

Samantha flung her left hand in front of herself dramatically, and saw the two rings on her wedding finger. One was a huge colourful engagement ring; she’d never seen anything like it before. It was metallic with three stones, each of a different shape and colour. The largest was lilac-purple and a diamond shape, with a large metal band around it and a diamond on each of the linear edges around it. The second largest was green and the smallest was gold. Who bought me these rings? The wedding band fitted into the V formed by the diamond-shaped band of the lilac-purple stone. The lack of memory of her engagement and marriage made her fearful. This is not me! This is not true! She pinched her arm and it hurt. Oh, it’s not a dream, she said sadly.

She grabbed the knickers and put them on hastily as she nervously looked around, and wondered if anyone would walk in, and explain what was going on. She dropped the bra at the thought of having to undress and start dressing up again. I need answers now!

Samantha carefully turned the door knob and walked through a short, red corridor and into a large, cylindrical brightly lit room with high ceilings. The walls were white, with gold curtains and brown leather seats. Sitting on the sofa was a man whom she’d never seen before. She hoped that he would speak before she did, and say something that would jog her memory. He looked directly at her and remained silent. Samantha noticed the gun on the sofa to his right side and paused for a moment before asking, Who are you…? Please, sir? Her voice was shaky. He didn’t break the gaze, and neither did he answer. She continued, Sir, what am I doing in your house?

When no response was returned she sat to his right on the sofa. He swiftly moved the gun away. At least he knows not to leave that gun there! You don’t chat much for a man who married me! she commented.

He smiled at her, and for the first time spoke up saying, I never married you!

Honestly, dear hubby. I think that is rude, don’t you? Samantha persisted.

What is your name? he asked.

What is my name? she asked, taken aback, then cheekily said, You mean we didn’t get to introductions, but we got married anyway? What kind of wife does that make me? She winked then smiled at him, seductively edging towards him.

"I said, I never