The Prodigal Daughter – Episode 18 & 19

The Prodigal Daughter – Episode 18

Episode 18: A Dangerous Choice

The silence between Sandra and Deborah was heavy as they sped through the quiet streets, the sound of the motorcycle’s engine filling the air. Sandra’s thoughts were a whirlpool of confusion and fear. She had escaped once again, but she knew it was only a matter of time before Mr. Leke found her.

“Deborah,” Sandra began, her voice breaking the silence. “Why are you helping me? After everything, why now?”

Deborah’s grip tightened on the handlebars, but she didn’t look back at Sandra. “I don’t owe Mr. Leke anything. I’m not helping you because I’m some kind of saint. I’m helping you because… because I know what it’s like to be trapped.”

Sandra was silent, processing her words. For the first time, she felt as though Deborah wasn’t just the cold, calculating girl she had once thought her to be. Deborah wasn’t just a pawn in Mr. Leke’s game—she had her own story, her own struggles. But what exactly had made her turn against him?

“Did you… did you ever want out?” Sandra asked carefully.

Deborah’s face softened for a split second, but it was gone as quickly as it came. “I didn’t have a choice. None of us do. But you… you still do. That’s why I’m helping you.”

The words hit Sandra like a slap. She didn’t feel free. She felt cornered—always running, always hiding. But Deborah was offering her an out. A way to break free of the trap Mr. Leke had set for her.

But was it too late for that?

Before Sandra could respond, Deborah pulled the motorcycle into an abandoned warehouse. “We need to lay low for a while,” she said, cutting the engine. “They’ll be looking for us.”

Sandra glanced around the dark warehouse, feeling a strange mixture of fear and relief. She was safe, but only for the moment.

“What now?” Sandra asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Deborah took a deep breath and turned to face her. “Now, we make a choice. Stay hidden here, and maybe Mr. Leke will lose interest for a while. Or… we go to the police. But you need to understand something: if we go to the police, there’s no turning back. Mr. Leke will stop at nothing to find you.”

Sandra’s heart skipped a beat. The choice was so dangerous, so final. Either way, she was still trapped—but this time, the decision was in her hands.

To be continued…

The Prodigal Daughter – Episode 19

Episode 19: The Point of No Return

The warehouse was cold, the silence unnerving. Sandra sat on an old wooden crate, her mind racing. Deborah’s words echoed in her head: “Go to the police, and there’s no turning back.”

She couldn’t help but feel a knot tighten in her stomach. What did she want? Safety? Revenge? Justice? What was the right choice in a world that had been so unforgiving to her?

“I don’t know what to do,” Sandra muttered, her voice barely audible.

Deborah was pacing in front of her, her face hard, like she had already made her own decision. “You don’t have the luxury of time. Mr. Leke will come for you. It’s not a matter of if; it’s when.”

Sandra stood up suddenly, her legs trembling beneath her. “But if I go to the police, I’m signing my death sentence. You heard him. He doesn’t let go. Not ever.”

Deborah stopped pacing and faced her squarely. “Then do you want to stay here, hiding forever, living like a ghost? That’s not living, Sandra.”

Sandra shook her head. “I don’t want to run anymore, but… what if going to the police makes things worse?”

Deborah’s eyes softened for a moment, and she took a step closer. “I’m not going to lie to you. It’s going to be dangerous. But don’t you think it’s time to stop living in fear?”

Sandra looked down, wrestling with her thoughts. Every option seemed like a risk. Staying hidden wasn’t an option. She couldn’t keep running forever. But throwing herself into the hands of the police felt like a betrayal to everything she had tried to protect—her family, her dignity, her own survival.

“What if they don’t believe me?” Sandra whispered. “What if they just throw me back into his hands?”

Deborah was silent for a moment, her gaze hardening. “That’s why we have to make sure they understand. That’s why we have to make it count.”

Sandra met Deborah’s eyes, realizing that the girl standing before her wasn’t just an ally—she was a survivor. And if there was anyone who understood the stakes, it was Deborah.

“So, what do we do?” Sandra asked, her voice steady now.

Deborah pulled out her phone and dialed a number. “We don’t wait. We take this to the authorities. No more hiding.”

Before Sandra could protest, Deborah handed her the phone. “This is it. We can’t go back once we make this call.”

Sandra took the phone, the weight of the moment pressing down on her. She had been running for so long, she had forgotten what it felt like to stand still. To take control. To make a choice.

Her finger hovered over the dial button. One call. One decision that would change everything.

“I’m ready,” Sandra said, her voice firm.

Deborah nodded, a small but reassuring smile crossing her face. “Then let’s make this count.”

With a deep breath, Sandra pressed the call button.

To be continued…