The Prodigal Daughter – Episode 45
Episode 45: The Rooftop Reckoning
The door slammed behind them with a force that rattled the frame. Sandra’s chest heaved, the cold night air biting at her skin, but she didn’t stop running. The rooftop stretched ahead of them—an endless expanse of concrete and steel.
Lanre was the first to speak, breathless but determined. “Which way now?”
Sandra didn’t respond immediately. She was looking over the edge of the building, gauging their options. Jump? It was too high. There was no way they could survive a fall like that.
But then, a dark thought crept into her mind—Her mother’s warning.
“Remember who you are.”
Sandra’s hands clenched into fists. She wasn’t the scared girl she had been before. She wasn’t the runaway. She was the one who had come this far.
“Wait,” she said suddenly, stopping at the edge of the rooftop.
Deborah, who had been following closely behind, skidded to a halt beside her. “What is it?”
Sandra looked at the street below them. A few blocks down was a fire escape. She could see it clearly, even in the dim light. If they could get to it, they might have a chance of escaping.
But there was a problem—Mr. Leke’s men had already followed them onto the rooftop.
She heard the unmistakable sound of footsteps approaching. No more time to think.
“We jump.” Sandra’s voice was steady, though her pulse screamed in her ears.
Lanre’s eyes widened. “What? Are you crazy?”
Deborah stepped up beside Sandra, her face set in determination. “She’s right. We don’t have a choice.”
They were trapped—the only way out was down.
“I’ll go first,” Sandra said, her voice firm.
Without waiting for a reply, she ran toward the edge of the building. Her heart pounded, but she wasn’t scared anymore. She was too focused.
She leaped.
For a split second, everything seemed to slow down. The wind rushing past her, the ground below her. Then, she hit the fire escape with a sickening thud, her legs buckling beneath her weight.
Pain shot up her spine, but she didn’t stop. She rolled, pushing herself to her feet, and grabbed the nearest ladder.
“Go! Go!” Sandra shouted.
Lanre and Deborah jumped after her, landing less gracefully but still on their feet.
But Tunde—Tunde didn’t make it.
Sandra’s heart stopped. She turned, ready to run back for him, but before she could, the sharp crack of a gunshot rang out.
“Move!” Lanre shouted, grabbing Sandra’s arm.
They didn’t have time to mourn. Not yet.
The chase was still on. And this time, they were running for their lives.
To be continued…
The Prodigal Daughter – Episode 46
Episode 46: The Price of Freedom
The sound of the gunshot echoed in Sandra’s mind, her heart racing as the reality of what had just happened sank in. She turned to look at Tunde, but the scene before her was chaotic.
Lanre’s grip on her arm tightened, pulling her forward. “Sandra, we don’t have time.”
“I can’t leave him,” Sandra whispered, panic creeping into her voice.
“You don’t have a choice.” Lanre’s voice was steady, but there was a hint of urgency in it. “We have to keep moving.”
Sandra’s breath caught in her throat. Tunde was still back there.
Her mind raced as she processed the situation. They had gotten out, but at what cost?
The last thing she had seen was Tunde stumbling on the rooftop, clutching his side as blood trickled down his shirt. A faint moan had escaped his lips just before the gunshot rang out. But had he been hit? Or was it a warning shot?
She didn’t know.
But there was no time to dwell on it.
They reached the bottom of the fire escape, the alley they had dropped into eerily silent. But Sandra couldn’t shake the feeling that they were still being watched.
“Where do we go from here?” Deborah asked, her voice tight.
Lanre looked around, his eyes scanning the area for a safe route. But Sandra couldn’t concentrate. All she could think about was Tunde. What if he had been hit? What if they couldn’t save him?
“We need to find somewhere safe,” Sandra finally said, her voice distant. “But I need to know if Tunde is okay.”
“We will,” Lanre reassured her, his tone more gentle now. “We’ll go back for him. But right now, we need to stay hidden. If we’re caught now, everything will be for nothing.”
Sandra clenched her fists. She had made it this far. She couldn’t let Tunde’s sacrifice be in vain. But the choice was out of her hands now. They had to survive. They had to escape.
As they moved down the alley, Sandra couldn’t help but glance over her shoulder, as if she could still hear Tunde’s voice or catch a glimpse of him stumbling after them. But there was nothing. The silence weighed heavily on her chest.
But then, from the shadows ahead, a figure emerged.
It was Tunde.
His shirt was stained with blood, but he was standing. Barely.
He leaned against the wall for support, his eyes wide with relief as he saw Sandra. “You… you left me behind,” he rasped, his voice weak but steady.
Sandra ran to him, her heart in her throat. “Tunde—”
He shook his head, a weak smile spreading across his face. “I’m not letting you go that easily.”
Lanre cursed under his breath. “You’re crazy. You should’ve stayed down. Let us get you out of here.”
“I’m not leaving anyone behind,” Tunde said, gritting his teeth. “Now let’s get the hell out of here before they come for us.”
Sandra helped him stand, her mind still racing with what had happened. They were free, but the danger wasn’t over yet.
Not by a long shot.
To be continued…
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