Deep waters Final Episode

Deep Waters
Finale Sequence 16
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Continues..
“Say your last words,” Mkandawire said to Derrick looking him deep in the eyes.
Derrick could feel the sharpness of the blade and knew that with one move he would be a goner. There was no one to save him and he knew for a fact that even if he tried he couldn’t fight Mkandawire off. He honestly was praying for a miracle despite not being so religious.
“Contend against those who contend against me Lord. Lift up your shield and buckler. Take up your spear and Javelin….”
It was Zangi calling out a prayer. Her voice was hoarse probably from crying but she was calling out in conviction. Mkandawire’s head snapped back.
“Shut up!” He called out to Zangi angrily.
But that just made her prayer harder.
“Psalms 35:1-3 Plead my cause, O LORD, with them that strive with me: fight against them that fight against me.
Take hold of shield and buckler, and stand up for mine help.
Draw out also the spear, and stop the way against them that persecute me: say unto my soul I am thy salvation.”
“I said SHUT UP!” Mkandawire roared now agitated.
“Let destruction come upon him at unawares; and let his net that he hath hid catch himself: into that very destruction let him fall!”
Angrily Mkandawire let go of Derrick and then ran to were Zangi lay. He had a menacing look in his eyes.
“Shut up! Just shut up! Your prayers won’t save you. No one will save you!” He angrily cried as he bent over her.
Zangi met his stare; eye for eye. Where there had been fear; it was gone. What Mkandawire now so was a confidence and peace that didn’t that didn’t sit well with him.
“If my prayers won’t save me then why are you panicking? ” she said calmly.
He felt his temper rise and raised him dagger.
“I am not panicking. I have never felt more in control!”
“Is that to convince me or yourself?”
“Is have had enough of you. You will die first. Let us see your God save you now!”
As the dagger started coming down Zangi closed her eyes. Whatever was to come she was ready. As Mkandawire had been going after Derrick she had been praying. She could hear the distinct cries from the woman on the next altar. Then a gunshot sounded.
Her eyes flew open. Mkandawire’s eyes popped wider; with dagger still raised he slowly turned.
“You,” he said.
Derrick was up and using the wall as support;in his hands was the gun. He smiled.
“Yes me,” he said before firing another shot.
Down went Mkandawire; the dagger making a clinking sound as it rolled off his hand.
Derrick leaned against the wall; breathing heavily whilst Kaluba cried out in relief.
“Derrick?”
It was Zangi. She sounded worried. Forcing himself to stand with all the strength he could muster he edged towards the altars. He bent down and picked the dagger. Using it he cut off the ropes holding Zangi. He cut the ropes on her right and then due to her urging he limped over to Kaluba while Zangi struggled with the ropes on her other side.He had just started to cut Kaluba loose when he felt a hand grip his leg. The force was so much he fell forward and hit his head on the edge of the stone altar. Kaluba let out a scream alerting Zangi who watched in horror as Mkandawire stood up. He revealed a medallion underneath his cloak that had a bullet embedded in it.
“You think killing me will be that simple? ” Mkandawire said as he stood.
Derrick groaned as the pain ebbed through him. Mkandawire used that moment to kick Derrick from behind. Derrick let out an agonising cry before he slumped to the floor. Mkandawire then hit a screaming Kaluba hard and she slumped back on the stone slab.
Mkandawire then picked up the dagger that Derrick had dropped and bent to strike. The deafening sound of a gun went off and then Mkandawire’s body fell on top Derrick.
Zangi walked towards the bodies on the floor and once she was slightly over them she pumped the rest of the bullets into the back of Mkandawire. She wasn’t going to leave anything to chance.
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She stood there; watching from a distance as the rain drizzled. She pulled the black overcoat she wore closer. She could have gone closer but she didn’t think it would do anyone any good. Derrick looked up and their eyes momentarily met. They hadn’t seen each other since the day she had shot Mkandawire. He had been quickly whisked away in an ambulance while the cops drove her to the station for questioning. She still couldn’t believe that she had killed a man; killed a man with hands that were meant to save lives. Because of the political implications the President had ordered that a cover up be done once he was briefed by Derrick about what had transpired. She had heard the whispers and well Xander had filled her in when he picked her up to take her to her hotel.
“Derrick is a very powerful man.”
She had merely nodded. She was tired. She felt sick. All she wanted to do was leave but she couldn’t minus attending the funeral for Mercy. Mercy who had died without righting her wrongs. She shifted her gaze to the woman the country loved. Her poise was next to none. Their very own Jacki O. Underneath that entire demeanour was nothing but secrets and lies. She felt sickened and all she wanted to do was to leave this world and go back to her own little corner. But she knew Livingstone would never be home. It would never be the same. Her world had been tainted by the hands of those who had chosen to make her a pawn in their little games.
She continued staring at the woman who was mourning a love the world would never know nor acknowledge. She wondered how the president was feeling and if their marriage would ever be the same? Would they hold on for the sake of their kids or would they just walk away. How do you forgive such an indiscretion? Xander had heard that the president had agreed to not running for another term. The scandal would hurt his political future. He was better off stepping down and living quietly away from the world.
Her gaze shifted back to Derrick. He hadn’t told anyone who he was according to Xander. He still chose to be called Derrick Musune. She had told herself to forget whatever little feelings she had for him. She felt betrayed and honestly didn’t want to be with a man who had been the reason for her nightmares for all these years.
“Dust to dust and ashes to ashes,” the priest was saying before he got some sand from a shovel a grave digger held out to him.
She slipped on her dark sunglasses and turned. She walked hurriedly towards the car that was waiting. At least she had paid her respects to Mercy. She could now start her life anew. She slid into the back seat of the car and told the driver to start off. She turned when she felt the squeeze on her hand.
“Mum, we will be fine.”
She smiled. Maddy had grown in the few weeks that they had been in hiding. She had too fast for her age. She had seen the worry ebbed on her mother’s face over the weeks. She had heard her mother talk to Xander the day they were rescued.
Zangi closed her eyes as the vehicle rattled on. She was leaving her precious world. She had Xander to thank for it all. She had sworn him to secrecy; to never tell Derrick where she and Maddy were going. In the boat were their few belongings and in her purse two forged passports. Maybe just maybe her ghosts now would be laid to rest.
Derrick had seen her walk away. He had known about the car waiting for her. He had allowed Xander to think he had one over him. He sighed as he picked up his glass of scotch and walked to the French windows that offered a view of the lake. He had bought a house in siavonga; facing the beautiful lake Kariba. He had opted to come here so as to completely leave Lusaka. E could have opted to leave Zambia but he just couldn’t bring himself to do that. He turned when a knock sounded. He called out to whoever was on the other end to come in and Mrs. Zulu: his elderly housekeeper walked in. The woman had come highly recommended.
“Apologies for the disturbance sir but there is a Miss. Christine to see you.”
He nodded and turned back to the window. He heard Mrs. Zulu walk away and then within minutes the fragrance that had stuck to mind hit him. He turned slowly and there she was smiling at him. She looked better than she had all those months ago. South Africa must have been doing her a world of good. She was in a white power suit and her hair was neatly braided into cornrows;tied at the back and then left to hand on her shoulder. He smiled at her.
“Christine,” he said in greeting.
He had gotten accustomed to that name. Long gone was the Kaluba name. She smiled back knowing that she was welcome. He pointed at the couch while he went to sit on the armchair. She sat down comfortable and tucked her feet on the side while she placed her pink purse on the arm rest. Proper lady her thought.
“How have you been?” he asked genuinely.
He had been spending time learning from the old priest at the parish. The priest normally came down over the weekends and they would spend hours talking about things that built him spiritually and mentally. His greatest lesson was forgiveness. He had learnt to forgive those who had wronged him and accept that he too had made mistakes; mistakes that required him to confess to God his wrongs and forgive himself.
She smiled as she clasped her hands and that was when he noticed the diamond on her hand. He looked at her closely and saw the glow.
“I am well. The first few months were hard. I kept seeing mum in everything and then there were the night mares but like they say time heals all wounds.”
He nodded. He knew that only too well.
“I also found love,” she said shyly.
“I can see. You are glowing.”
She nodded again; shyly. “He makes me happy. He is all that I could ask for in a man. I appreciate the sanity he has brought into my life. He means the world to me and the best part was that even after telling him my past and the role I played….”
She paused as she sought his eyes. He knew without a doubt why she was here. He stood up and slowly walked to her. Once in front of her he got her hands and held her up. “
“We were driven by revenge which is a fierce but primitive response to anger, hurt and humiliation. I for one didn’t care how many people I hurt in my quest to make people who wanted me dead pay. In the end we lost so much,” he said sadly.
She nodded as she felt the tears fill her eyes. She quickly pulled her hand away from Derrick and brushed them away before placing her hand in his.
“I forgave you for all that you did. I think you needed to hear the words and I needed to utter them to you,” he said staring at her closely.
She nodded. She had come for this. Irvin had told her for her to let go she needed this. He was in the car waiting for her while she faced her ex lover.
“Irvin was right. I feel so much lighter,” she said with a small laugh.
“He sounds like a wise man. Is he here with you?”
“Yes. He is upfront in the rental car….he insisted on tugging along. It is mum’s memory. In two days it will be a year since she died.”
He knew that very well. He had been thinking of that day all week. He realised that he never even got to thank Zangi for saving his life.”
Christine then stood on tiptoe and kissed his cheek. She then shyly pulled back.
“Thank you,” she said as he let go of her hands.
He smiled. She then turned and picked her purse.
“I will now take my leave.”
“I wish you all the best.”
She smiled and started walking towards the door. She touched the door knob then stopped as she turned to look at him.
“No man is an Island Derrick. Even the mighty Derrick Musune needs love. I am sure out there Zangi is wondering when you will come for her.”
That said she turned the door knob and walked out while Derrick stood there staring after her with a thoughtful look.
He stood by Lake Wanaka and watched the boat as it bobbed up and down the lake. He had landed a day before in Wellington before he got a rental car with GPS and made his trip down to the small town. He could understand why Zangi would choose this place. It was beautiful and not too crowded. It spoke volumes of her personality. It hadn’t been so hard to find her. In fact when he told Xander he was headed to New Zealand the younger man had been scared but he assured him that he knew he had done it because it was the right thing to do.
He had checked into the hotel before he went to the place where he knew she worked. She had joined a practise of Doctors there and from what e knew she was thriving. Maddy was in school at the local high school. He had even driven to the house they owned. It was a cottage but everything about it was warm. An elderly neighbour is the one who had volunteered the information about them having gone fishing.
“They like to do activities together when Zangi has the day off,”The woman with the flower clippers had told him. “They normally rent a boat called Flipper from the local boat rental. You won’t miss it.”
So here he was. He spotted Zangi immediately. She was at the helm of the boat. She was expertly steering the boat towards the dock. He watched as Maddy jumped out and then expertly tie the boat ropes to the jetty. When she was done Zangi cut the engine then Maddy leaned back in and picked a cooler box while Zangi started fidgeting with the fishing rods. He watched the work and laugh before he started walking down the jetty. When Zangi turned their eyes met and she froze. Maddy continued talking oblivious of the person behind her. She then turned and her eyes landed on Derrick. Her face spread into a smile. She dumped the cooler box and ran to him. She flung her arms round him.
“About time you came for her. She has been pining for you. Of course she thinks am too young to notice,” Maddy said in a whisper.
Derrick put his arms round the girl and hugged her. He was happy she wouldn’t have any reservations over what he was about to do. He nodded as she pulled away then took two strides and was in front of Zangi. He watched as she swallowed hard. He then pulled her into his arms and crushed his lips against her. At first she was shocked but then parted her lips as he deepened the kiss.
“Hi,” he said finally pulling away.
“Hallo?” she said shakily.
“I hope the fish you caught is tasty,” he said earning him a nervous chuckle from her.
He then reached for the fishing roads. As he turned he noticed Maddy smiling boldly at them. That made him get Zangi’s hand and then together walked towards Maddy. They needed not say anything more to each other. The kiss spoke volumes of their kiss but they both knew that sooner or later they would have to talk about what they feel. In the meantime they were happy taking it all in a stride.
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The End..