KILLER WITHIN

Two o'clock, that was the time Lexi was meant to die. The machines were beeping and she could vividly see her mother crying holding on to her hand not ready to let go as she got held by the nurses who tried to get to her away. Her fiance Martin was taken aback with everything that was going on. He was confused as he saw the doctors rush in to attend to Lexi whom they had previously said and believed was going to be okay but What happened after something that was meant to be a successful heart transplant is something no one could really explain. Martin : what's happening to her? She could pick Martin's voice from the crowded room as the doctors and nurses overcrowded his with their terminologies. Did they even answer him? Doctor: (looking at one of the nurses) get doctor Simon here immediately.. he said as he and another doctor try to save a life that they were not even sure of anymore. The nurse left in a hurry and Martin not only had to control himself but his fiancee's mother who was almost loosing her mind. Martin: please tell me she is okay. The doctors ignored him then the doctor Simon guy rushed in with those little torch like thingy that they use to look into patient's eyes. He checked the pulse and it was there though very faint. Dr. Simon: let's take her to the OR. Something must have gone wrong during the transplant. he said clearing the way ready to ship her out of that room but Martin blocked his way. Martin: what? he said moving towards the doctor. Dr. Simon: please step back and we will give an update after we correct the mistake. One of the nurses offered to manage the two until Lexi was taken out of the room. Her mother Gloria was led out then Martin had her sit on the bench and got her some water to drink... Gloria: is my daughter going to be okay? Nurse: doctor Simon is going to do everything he can, I can't promise because I don't know what is going on with her but your daughter is in good hands. She nodded and the nurse left as soon as Martin got back and she urged them to wait for the doctors to come back. The wait was slightly longer than they anticipated, they had been there for a bout two hours then eventually, the two doctors and some nurses came out of the OR and both martin and Gloria got up and met them half way.. Dr. Simon: you are the ones with the lady right? Martin: yes, I'm her fiance and this is her mother Gloria. Gloria: how is she? Dr. Simon: she will live. Her body rejected the heart but it's normal. We have corrected that and we will monitor her for a few days then even after she leaves, she will still be under medication with our personel checking on her every week. Martin: thank you. Can we see her? Doctor: not today... Go home and rest. You can see her tomorrow. The doctor left the two of them and they had to leave too since they could not be able to see Lexi. Martin drove Gloria home and he kept comforting her as she couldn't stop crying. Gloria: I thought she was going to die Martin. She is my only daughter and when her heart got so weak, I didn't see hope. She pulled a tissue from the tissue box and wiped her tears. Martin: she is going to be okay. He looked at her briefly then focused on the road again.. Martin: she is a strong lady ma, she has to pull through. Three days later Lexi had not woken up but the doctors were certain that she was still alive. Her mother said she was not going to go to the hospital again until she woke up. She didn't want to keep her expectations so high then end up disappointed but Martin on the other hand showed up with a red rose everyday and put it on the table besides Lexi's bed. He loved her and would love her even in death. When Lexi was so sick and didn't see herself getting better, she had given him the go a head to marry another woman but he refused. Martin had rested his head on the bed when the machine started beeping. He raised his head and Lexi was struggling moving her head from one side to the other like she was in some sort of a nightmare. He quickly got up and raced to the door calling the nurse who was no where to be seen so he had to go look for them at the nurse station. They took a while to get back to the ward and when they did, the bed was empty and the oxygen mask had been left on the bed. Nurse: where is she? Martin: I left her here.. He said opening the window and looking down. She was not there. The nurse ran out and checked the corridors but she wasn't anywhere. She rushed to the station to make a call to the security at the gate asking to check every car that was leaving the hospital as she also asked them to look into the CCTV footages. She was gone. Lexi was nowhere to be seen. Martin waited for a while and when there was totally no sign of Lexi he left for his place hoping he would find her there. Martin and Lexi had an apartment though they had not officially moved in because Gloria wanted them to move in after they had wedded, you know parents and how they are excited about weddings and stuff. Gloria had raised Lexi single handedly after Lexi's dad left with a white woman and dumped them. This came a few weeks after Lexi was born with heart complications.. Gloria and Haroon lived in Nairobi but Haroon worked in the coastal region of the country as a supervisor in those big hotels. When he left, he used to send in money to cater for Gloria and Lexi's needs until he had that Gloria gave birth to a baby girl with heart complications. He took Gloria home and the following day left for the coast and Gloria never heard from him again. Martin on his way to his place called Gloria to confirm if Lexi had found her way home but she was not picking the call.. Martin: where the hell are they? He asked making a turn and heading to Gloria's home instead. Yeah you heard me right. Gloria had a home and a fully furnished one to be precise but that's a story for another day. Martin beeped at the guard who opened the gate without asking a lot of questions because he knew Martin well enough to know that he was not a stranger.. Martin: vipi boss Guard: mzuri sir. Martin: is Madam Gloria in? Guard: yes sir. He drove in as the guard locked the gate. Martin got out of his car and rushed to the house and when he walked in, he bumped into Fatima the house help who was carrying a dish to the table. She was setting the table for dinner as usual. Martin: hello.. Fatima: hello sir. Martin: where is Madam Gloria? Gloria: I'm here my son. She said getting down from the stairs and her interruption made Fatima not respond but continue with whatever she was doing. Martin: is she here? Gloria: who? Martin: Lexi. She is missing at the hospital. Gloria: what do you mean by missing? She asked as they both made their way to the living room. Gloria sat but Martin remained standing quite uneasy about the whole thing. Martin: I don't know what was happening, she was asleep as usual then the machines started beeping and I ran out to call the nurse. When I came back, she was gone. Gloria sat there looking at Martin like she didn't know what he was saying. Gloria: a person who has been in a three day comma just wakes up and goes missing. How? Martin: I have looked for her everywhere. Gloria: what is the hospital saying? Martin: nothing. No one saw her leave.. Martin said sitting besides Gloria and burying his face in his hand. Gloria: I know you have had along day. Let's eat first. Martin: I can't eat. Not when Lexi's life could be in danger. How could she go missing just like that? Is she a ghost... Who disappear without a trace within a few minutes? He got up and walked away leaving Gloria puzzled. Gloria called Fatima and sent for her phone in her bedroom.. she wanted to call the police and report that Lexi was missing. Half an hour later, Martin got to his place and parked the car downstairs then went up to his apartment. He opened the door and got in, threw himself on the couch and switched on the TV. He put both his phone and car keys on the table then put a pillow on the back of his head and closed his eyes.. * Martin: come on baby, lets get to the car. The rain is going to start pouring. Martin took her hand and led her towards the exit of her office. Lexi had been working late so that when she got married and went for her honey moon, she wouldn't have so much work pending.. It was rainy season and this was one of its kind. It started drizzling when Martin got there and Lexi kept insisting that they wait for the rain to stop before they could leave. When they got out Lexi pulled him back and got close enough to throw her arms around his neck. Martin: baby what are you doing, you will be rained on. Lexi: I want this. Just you and I with rain pouring down on us. I've seen that in the movies. Martin: yeah I have too but you will get sick love, Lexi: I'm sick remember but I want every moment with you to count. Let's have this dance.. He wrapped his arms around her waist and she moved in as they started moving to a rythym that was not in existence as the rain fell on them. Martin: I love you Lexi, I love you more than life itself. She smiled and kissed him.. Lexi: I want you to remember this day babe, should anything ever happen to me. Never forget this moment. That talk puzzled Martin but he embraced her even tighter. He never imagined a day she would be gone from his life. Was that day today? Martin had fallen asleep and in an attempt to turn, he dropped from the couch and quickly opened his eyes and realized he was not in his bed. He got up from the floor and switched off the TV so that he could go to his room but before he could make another step he heard sobs coming from his room. He put the remote control on the table and slowly walked towards his bedroom and when he got to the door he slowly found his way in. The sobs got louder but he didn't see anyone on the bed. It was coming from the bathroom.. Martin: Lexi? He called but there was no response. Just sobs. He slowly pushed the bathroom door open and there stood Lexi in the hospital garments covered in blood with a bloody knife in her hand. The blood was also smeered all over her face and when she turned to look at him, he freaked out and took a few steps back. Martin: Le....Lexi! She dropped the knife and sat down on the bathroom floor crying and cursing herself trying to wipe off the blood off herself. Lexi: I killed him... I killed someone....