The night in Hilltop Village carried a dark silence, the kind that warned of secrets and unspoken evil. Sarah sat by her bedroom window, staring out at the night sky, her hands folded tightly in her lap.
She had made the call.
There was no turning back.
She had paid Joseph Mambwe to end Zaria's life — tonight.
--
Inside the store, Zaria lay curled on a papyrus mat, weak, starving, and coughing softly. Her chest ached from within, her breath shallow. She hadn't eaten in two days. Her stepmother had given up even pretending to care.
Then came a noise. A shadow moved across the store window. A few seconds later, the rusty lock broke open with one strong kick.
Zaria opened her eyes, barely.
She had no energy to scream. No strength to resist.
A rough hand grabbed her.
And the world faded into darkness again.
---
Joseph didn't waste time. He lifted her frail body and carried her off like a broken doll. He made no sound. He followed the back paths out of the compound, heading straight toward the bush… and then to the nearest garbage dumping site on the edge of the next village.
Along the way, he muttered, "So much fuss over a dying girl."
When he got to the dumping ground, he paused.
Before he could throw her, his dark heart desired one more cruel act.
He laid her in the dirt and forced his will upon her, uncaring of her weakness, her cries, or her pain. He didn't notice when her body went still — when her breath slowed.
When he finished, Zaria didn't move.
She didn't cry.
She didn't flinch.
She was limp. Lifeless.
Joseph stood and stared at her.
He touched her face. No response.
He checked her pulse.
Nothing.
"She's dead," he whispered. "Died like a fly."
He dragged her half-naked body toward the dumping pile and rolled her into it like trash. The stench rose around her — banana peels, rags, old food scraps, broken bottles.
He spat.
Then he dialed Sarah.
"It's done."
"Did you dump her far?" Sarah asked anxiously.
"Of course. Miles away. She won't be found."
She exhaled. "Good. Don't ever call this line again."
Joseph smirked, lit a cigarette, and walked off into the night.
---
Back in the city, Sally Raymond sat in his study, staring at a picture of Zaria he had secretly obtained through one of his private investigators. Her young face reminded him of Beatrice — the woman he'd married — and also of everything she had hidden from him.
The lies had been many. But now he knew the truth.
Zaria was his wife's abandoned child.
A child left in the hands of monsters.
Sally had told no one yet. Not even Beatrice.
He had made a decision — to find the girl, treat her, and then choose what to do after that.
With the help of his powerful friend, Kwizi Samuel, teams had been deployed into nearby districts to search every village, school, and church.
Tonight, one of those men — a man named David, who worked as a cleaner in the marketplace of a neighboring town — received an anonymous tip that a body had been seen near the village dumping ground.
He didn't wait.
---
At dawn, David approached the site with a scarf over his nose. The stench was unbearable.
He scanned the pile.
Then he froze.
A foot.
A small hand.
A girl.
Lying twisted among the rubbish, bruised, her dress torn, blood on her legs.
He ran to her.
"Miss! Miss!" he shouted.
No reply.
But when he touched her chest — faint movement.
"She's alive!" he cried out.
He grabbed his phone and called his superior. "Sir, I think I've found the girl. She's in terrible condition but still breathing. Please send help—now!"
---
Within twenty minutes, a white van from Silver Oak Medical Centre screeched to a halt near the dump. Dr. Amanda jumped out.
"Oh, God," she gasped, covering her mouth.
She rushed to Zaria, kneeled beside her, and carefully checked her pulse. "She's critical. We need to move her now!"
They gently lifted Zaria into the van, wrapped her in a clean blanket, and began resuscitation.
As they sped off toward the hospital, Amanda called Sally.
"We've found her. She's alive… but barely."
Sally closed his eyes, a silent prayer escaping his lips.
---
Meanwhile, Sarah sat at the breakfast table, sipping tea, humming softly. Her daughters were chatting idly.
No one suspected anything.
No one saw the darkness behind her smile.
She had no idea Zaria had survived.
No idea that her lies were about to be exposed.
---
At Inkton Royal Hospital, Kwizi stood in the hallway, waiting. The team had prepared an emergency private ward.
When the van arrived, Zaria was rushed inside.
She was unconscious. Her body broken. Her innocence stolen.
But she was still alive.
And that meant something dangerous for those who wanted her gone.