Afraid of Her Own Shadow

By Kiliane Koah

Mrs. Rania Bath a Geography teacher at Weston High School, has always lived a peaceful and happy life with her husband Jonh an Architect, and her daughter of 16 years old called Kysha. But everything sadly changed in Rania's life when she witnessed the scrupulous murder of an adolescent. Unfortunately, while standing on her balcony that night, and watching the horrid scene, she was caught by the murderers who find out that, she saw them committing the heinous act! They then started threatening to harm Mrs. Bath and her precious family that she loves so much if she dares to say a word to the police or to anyone. Mrs. Bath will live in fear, frustration, anxiety, worry and panic due to the frightful situation she finds herself into. A lot of awful circumstances will happen in Mrs. Bath's life and her family will be terribly in danger. The murder of the young girl will become viral in the whole country, the police will investigate and justice will be claimed by her loved ones. Mrs. Bath, will therefore be in a dilemma; if she keeps the dreadful secret for herself in order to protect her family, or she reveal the truth for justice to be made…

• Language: English
• Publisher: Kiliane Koah
• Release date: Feb 10, 2024
• ISBN: 9798224513505

Kiliane Koah

Kiliane Koah is a Communicator, Novelist, Creative and Content writer. Through out her life, Kiliane's hobby has always been reading books in order to discover more about the world. Kiliane wrote her first novel at the age of seven. She has always dreamed to become an author in order to portray events happening in the society, entertain, educate, inform and advise her readers through her piece of art. Kiliane equally writes all genres of novels such as; Thriller, mystery, conspiracy, horror, romance, comic, history, suspense, action and science-fiction. Her greatest happiness is when her readers are satisfy with her books and enjoy the story!

Book preview

Prologue

Mrs. Rania Bath a Geography teacher at Weston High School, has always lived a peaceful and happy life with her husband Jonh an Architect, and her daughter of 16 years old called Kysha. But everything sadly changed in Rania’s life when she witnessed the scrupulous murder of an adolescent. Unfortunately, while standing on her balcony that night, and watching the horrid scene, she was seen by the murderers who find out that, she saw them committing the heinous act! They then started threatening to harm Mrs. Bath and her precious family that she loves so much if she dares to say a word to the police or to anyone. Mrs. Bath will live in fear, frustration, anxiety, worry and panic due to the frightful situation she finds herself into. A lot of awful circumstances will happen in Mrs. Bath’s life and her family will be terribly in danger. The murder of the young girl will become viral in the whole country, the police will investigate and justice will be claimed by her loved ones. Mrs. Bath, will therefore be in a dilemma; if she keeps the dreadful secret for herself in order to protect her family, or she reveal the truth for justice to be made...

Chapter One

At that particular moment, I felt a lot of deep pains. It was as if...as if... I was no longer feeling my body. Was it the end of my journey here on earth? Or was I just hallucinating? I was completely lost. I closed my eyes slowly even thought I fought to keep them open just to see my daughter for the last time. But all I could see was her body lying close to mine. I cried slowly and closed my eyes. The last thing I heard was ‘help! carry her fast for an urgent treatment we won’t lost her...’ It was the ambulance paramedics, they carried me so fast to treat all my wounds and to cure the gun shots I received on the leg and stomach. I thought I would die but, it wasn’t the case. After some weeks, I woke up in a different place from my sweet home. I was lying on a hospital bed with an infusion on the hand. I couldn’t feel my right leg and I felt a lot of pains on the stomach. I couldn’t really remember what happened in the past, why I find myself in the hospital. All I could remember was the body of Kysha lying close to mine. I cried alone in my hospital room.  I asked myself multiple questions in my head! I wish I could remember the story in whole but I couldn’t. After sometime, the door of my hospital room opened. ‘God is mercy! Doctor! She’s up!’ it was a nurse. She looked at me with a smile and surprise. ‘Madame you’re up! That’s a miracle from God, it’s a blessing’ immediately the doctor came in with two other nurses.

‘Mrs. Bath, how are you feeling now? I’m Doctor Samson. We are more than happy that you have wake up, that’s a miracle as nurse Selma is just from saying’. I look at them calmly and asked ‘Where is my daughter?’ they all starred at me but said nothing. ‘Madame Bath, which daughter are you talking about?’ a nurse asked me. ‘I have a daughter Kysha, I live with her she is my unique and only child, where is she?’ the doctor sat on my bed and said ‘Your daughter is fine. She even came to visit you some days ago. She’s good and you don’t need to ask a lot of question for now, you’re ill and need to get better. But we are sure you will be stronger than when you were twenty-five so, you need to eat something and rest while following your medical treatment’ Doctor Samson was a very caring and a kind doctor, I listen to him carefully ‘Okay doctor thanks... but... what I’m I doing here? What happened to me? I don’t remember a single thing’ ‘We understand you Mrs. Bath, in fact it’s been two months you’re in a coma here at St Peter’s District Hospital. You received one gun shot on the right leg and another one on the stomach when the ambulance brought you here you lost a lot of blood. The operation was not easy because the bullet you received on the stomach was actually at the abdomen which means close to the heart. But by God’s grace everything went on well’ Doctor Samson said with a smile. ‘Why was I shot?’ I asked curiously.

‘We are sorry Mrs. Bath but we can’t answer that question maybe it’s your personal life stuff. Our ambulance was just called immediately’. Said the doctor. ‘Who ...who called your hospital’ I asked curiously while crying. ‘Mrs. Bath don’t cry you’re over stressing’ ‘No, I wish to know’ then a nurse said ‘it’s a young man who called the ambulance at night close to 10pm’ ‘Who is that man?! Who’s he?! What do he tell you?!’ I asked while shouting. ‘It’s okay Mrs. Bath calm down,’ said the doctor. ‘You need to rest now the nurse will bring you food and you need to finish all your food before taking your medications’ ‘please answer that single question, who is that man? Was it John? John my husband? Is John?’

‘No, it was not your husband. The young man didn’t give any information about him. I’m sorry’ said nurse Selma. ‘Where is my husband then? Have you seen him? Where is John and Kysha? Call them that I’m up, please’ I said while crying. I needed to see them and to know if they’re fine because the only image I had was Kysha lying close to me. ‘We know that you’re worried about your family Mrs. Bath but you need to rest first and l promise I will call your husband and daughter they’re fine they came here some days ago believe me, okay?’ said doctor Samson. ‘Alright, I believe you’ I said. The nurse came and gave me food ‘Bon Appetit Mrs. Bath don’t worry your family is good’ I took the food and ate. They all left my room and I kept on thinking and trying my best to remember what happen. I asked myself more than one billion questions. ‘What happened that night? Who shot me? Why was Kysha lying on the floor? Where was John at that moment? Are the nurses hiding me something? what really happened Oh God please I need to know’ I started crying and wondering the hidden story I forget. Suddenly, I took a look on my room table and saw a fix phone. At that moment, all I needed was to hear the voice of my family members. ‘What is John’s number... I hope I didn’t forget that too...okay wait...it was + 1 56... no not 6 I think it was 9 at the place of 6...oh no what the hell is happening to me. I can’t even remember my husband’s phone number’ I just put down the phone and I suddenly remembered a melody of a song which sounds like ‘I found love in you and I learned to love with you ... This is why I love you, because you love me you love me’ It was the song John sang to me during our wedding. I sang the song slowly on my bed, I smile and felt asleep thinking about our wedding day. After some hours, ‘Mrs. Bath? Mrs. Bath?’ it was a nurse who came to woke me up. ‘I’m here for your medical treatment sorry if I’m waking you up. I know it’s not polite but, you need to take this treatment at this hour’. Said Selma. ‘No problem’ I said.  Selma looked at me with a smile and said ‘Mrs. Bath, I have good news for you’ ‘What news? Kysha and John are here?’ I asked impatiently. ‘No Mrs. Bath but it’s someone very important to you he’s outside’ ‘Please can he enter? Can I know who it is?’ I asked. ‘Alright, let me go call him’ Selma directly went outside. After some minutes she came back with a man. ‘Stone? Stone is it you?’ I said with tears in the eyes. ‘Rania it’s me! How are you feeling my sister?’ It was Stone my younger brother. I was so happy and in joy to see him.

He was my only brother, our mother just gave birth to us and we spend all of our childhood together, going to school, playing and singing in the Roman Catholic church choir. ‘Stone I’m so happy thank you to have come, I needed to see someone of mine’ ‘Rania, I’ve always been here for you, when you were in coma, I always came to see you,’ said Stone. ‘Thank you so much! Have you seen John and Kysha? Are they aware I woke up from the coma?’ I asked. ‘Yes, Yes is even John who is paying your hospital bill,’ said Stone. ‘So why are they not coming to see me? Can you give me your phone? I need to call John’ ‘Rania please listen, John and Kysha left the town for now and John changed his phone number, Kysha also changed hers... unfortunately I don’t have the new ones,’ said Stone. I stayed quiet for a minute ‘Why did they left the city? And where did they go to?’  ‘In fact, I don’t know exactly why they left Houston but I think they went to settle in the New Jersey for some time because of the incident that happened’. ‘What incident? I asked. ‘I don’t really know about it but I heard thieves break in your house that night that’s all I know. But don’t worry everyone is fine and I even have a letter for you from Kysha’. ‘Kysha wrote me a letter? Why is she not calling me by phone?’ I asked sadly. ‘I heard she lost her phone and has a new phone number but she sends you this letter through post,’ said Stone. I took the letter and read it in my heart it says;

‘Dear mum, I hope you’re doing good at the hospital. You don’t yet know but, Dad and I left Houston because of the incident of thieves who came at home. We thought that we were living in insecurity that’s why we left. But when you will get better, you can come in New Jersey to meet us here. I’m sure you will get well soon. Dad and I are fine and are always praying for your health situation. I will continue to send you letters and we will even pay you a visit soon. We love you.

Kysha, your lovely daughter,

When I finished to read the letter of Kysha more than six times, I felt more confident to get better soon to meet back my family. ‘Is Kysha who really wrote this?’ I asked Stone. ‘Yes, you’re not sure? It’s Kysha. She’s the one,’ said Stone. ‘I’m so happy to have read this. I needed to read this. Thank you, Stone,’ I said while crying. ‘It’s fine I’m here for you. You’re the most awesome sister on earth and I’m sure you will get well soon to meet back your family’. Said Stone ‘Now, I’m sure. Seems like Kysha’s letter is really motivating me’ I said with a smile while hugging my brother.

One month passed by and I was getting better with the help of my psychologist DR. Miranda Munches.  She was a kind and lovely woman who did her best to help her patients. All that time, I continued to receive letters from Kysha and it really helped my medical treatment to improve. DR. Munches really advised me and psychologically followed me up since I came to St Peter’s District Hospital. ‘Rania I’m so happy that you’re getting better and better,’ said DR. Munches. ‘Thank you so much Miranda I’m trying to remember what happened that day but I’m sure all my memories will come back. Thanks a lot for your help’ I said. ‘You’re welcome! I even did nothing special, is you who followed up all the requirements appropriately; you had great night sleeps, you exercised regularly, you used a mnemonic device and you also made a lot of efforts for remembrance. You did a great job Rania Bath’ said DR. Munches. I smile and said ‘As I’ve started to remember my past, I also hope I will walk again’ ‘Rania but yes you will walk again, but why are you doubting on that?’ asked Miranda. ‘I don’t know just that my physiatrist said to DR. Samson that I will need a lot of time even years to start walking again because the gunshot I received in the leg destroyed my bone’. ‘I know it’s difficult to hear that but I’m sure you will walk back one day. Don’t you know the euphemism of better late than never?’ said Miranda. ‘Of course, I know about it. But I wish to walk rapidly to continue spending time with my family and to go to work teaching my students as I used to do’ I said with a smile and with believe. ‘Yes, you will! God will help I’m sure,’ said Miranda. ‘Yes, me too I’m sure as he never abandons his children, he’s always there for them we just need to keep faith’. Miranda held my rolling chair and said ‘Let me bring you for a walk in the hospital garden’

When Miranda and I went for a walk in the garden, I saw two people coming forward in our direction. It was a man and a woman. ‘Good morning excuse us we wish to know are you Mrs. Bath?’ the man asked me. ‘Yes, it’s me. Who are you?’ ‘I’m Lieutenant Jones and this is Lieutenant Beckley we are here to talk to you Mrs. Bath about what happened in your house some months ago’. ‘I don’t remember great things about what really happened...all I know is that thieves break in my house and they shot me but my family is fine which is the most important thing’ I said looking at the Police Lieutenants. They looked at me surprisingly and the woman, Lieutenant Beckley asked me ‘Sorry Mrs. Bath but... who informed you that your family is fine?’ she asked. ‘Everyone, the doctor, nurses and even my brother Stone told me they are fine’

‘So why aren’t they paying you a visit I think it’s been 3 months you’re here in the hospital why haven’t they came?’ demanded Lieutenant Beckley. ‘I heard they travel, they reallocated to New Jersey so, when I will get better, I will go and meet them but my daughter is sending me letters frequently’ I said calmly. Then Lieutenant Jones ask ‘can you show us one of the letters send by your daughter?’ ‘Yes...’ I had one letter of Kysha inside my gown’s pocket. I then gave it to them. Lieutenant Beckley read it aloud. When she finished, she said ‘Excuse me Mrs. Bath are you sure it’s Kysha who wrote this? Is it her hand writing? I stayed quiet for a minute. I didn’t really remember Kysha’s hand writing but I was sure it was hers. There was no doubt and Stone couldn’t lie to me. ‘It’s Kysha’s hand writing. She’s the one who wrote it’. I said with a smile on the face, ‘But why did they leave Houston?’ asked Lieutenant Jones. ‘They felt insecure because of the incident that happened they were afraid’ ‘And they never visited you? Don’t you think it’s fishy?’ asked Lieutenant Beckley.

In my head the answer was yes, I think it was very fishy but I didn’t want to show. ‘Recently, I think it was three days ago I received a letter from Kysha, she told me that her and John are not having enough fund for now to come here in Houston to see me but they’re raising funds for that and I shouldn’t worry’ I said. ‘Ah Okay but are you doing video calls with them?’ asked Lieutenant Beckley. I did not want to answer their questions once more. I was tired and their questions really annoyed me. It was as if they mean that something negative happened to Kysha and John that night. ‘It’s okay, I’m tired... please Miranda can you bring me to my room? I need to rest a little bit’ I said to stop answering the police’s questions. ‘Yes, no problem. Let me bring you back,’ said Miranda.

The police Lieutenant saw us going without saying a word. I didn’t want someone to tell me or to make as if my family was not fine. I wanted to rest and to think about something else. But to be frank, I didn’t know what was happening in my life at the moment. I was lost and completely lost. I asked myself the same question. Why did John and Kysha never paid me a visit or why did they not call me by phone even a single time.

One week later, I asked Stone to bring me to my house where I lived with John and Kysha. Our neighbourhood was still calm as it used to be. The only noise around as usual was vehicles passing on the street.  East Fosbury has always been a quiet and lively neighbourhood. It was almost impossible to hear loud music coming from a house, problems and quarrel from people. People living there were very