Chapter 3 A Loan

"I am so hungry." Skylar groaned as she lay on the couch in the living room. "So so hungry." She groaned and Buster barked. "Aren't you hungry Buster?" She asked and he barked in response. "I just hope mum makes some money today, I am dying." She groaned and the door suddenly opened revealing her mother. "Mum, did you get a job? Did you... " She trailed off seeing her mother smiling happily and carrying a lot of bags. "What is in the bags?" She asked and her mother dropped them on the table. "Groceries and new clothes for you." She replied happily.

"What the hell mum? Where did you get the money to afford all of these from?" "Well, I got a job." "Wow." "Yes and they agreed to pay me in advance, I just have to do some extra work." "Mum that is so great, I am so happy." She said and clapped her hands like a baby. Buster also barked and she laughed. ******** A MONTH LATER "Where is my money?" The man yelled at Skylar's mum and she flinched. "I will give you your money, please just give me a little more time." "I have waited patiently enough and I want my money now." He yelled and she flinched again. "Rufus come on, you know I don't have a job and... " "Well, you should have thought of that before taking a loan from me." He cut her off and she sighed. "Am sorry I haven't paid you, just give me a little time. This is the little amount I made today and you can have it." She said stretching some dollar bills to him and he stared at them. "How much is this?" "Ten dollars." "Ten bucks!" He yelled and slapped the money off her hand. "You borrowed a thousand dollars from me and you are giving me ten bucks?" "But that is all I have." "Fuck!" He yelled and she flinched. "Please Rufus." "I am coming back tomorrow, if my money isn't ready by then, I promise you Jessica, you will be six feet under the ground." He threatened and walked away angrily, Jessica sighed and sat on the floor. She was on her way home when Rufus stopped her asking for his money if she had known she wouldn't have taken a loan from him but she had no choice. She and her daughter was dying of hunger, she had to do something, and taking a loan was all that came to her mind. She sighed and stood up, she dragged her feet till she got home and walked in. "Skylar am home." She yelled and her daughter ran out of her room. "Hey mum, how was today?" "Well, it went great." She replied sighing. "Are you okay? You look kind of terrified." "Am fine, am okay. I just need to get some sleep." She said and Skylar nodded. The next day came like a flash to Jessica and she wondered if Rufus was actually bluffing about coming to get his money today. She couldn't go out today to look for a job or make some money because she was scared of what Rufus would do to her, Skylar kept asking why she didn't go out but she kept giving her an excuse. At a point, Skylar thought she was sick and became scared but she assured Skylar she was fine and decided to take a rest today. It was night already and Jessica was rested assured that Rufus wasn't going to show up, if he would, he would have shown up in the morning or afternoon. Turns out he was bluffing after all. She prepared dinner and headed to Skylar's room to call her. She got there and found out Skylar wasn't there. "Of course, she went outside again." She scoffed and head towards the door to look for her, she got to the entrance and opened the door to see her worst nightmare. "Rufus." She called in fear and moved back, Rufus walked in with two other people. "Why is it so dark in here? Turn on the lights." He said to one of his guys with him and he did. "Please turn off the lights." Jessica begged praying her daughter won't walk in now. "My money Jessica." Rufus said and brought out a gun, Jessica's eyes widen in shock and he smiled. "Buster, come on. Mum would notice am gone already, I didn't have dinner remember?" She said and her dog ran to her, and they both ran towards the house. Skylar and her dog got to the house next to hers and stopped seeing the lights in the house were on. "Why did mum turn on the lights?" She muttered and slowly walked towards it. "I will just knock on the window and she will turn it off but I will get in trouble for leaving the house." She said and groaned, she slowly walked to the living room's window with Buster and froze when she saw a gun pointed at her mother's head and some men in her house. "What the fuck?" She muttered and watched them. "Quiet Buster." She whispered and continued watching them. She couldn't hear what they were saying and it really made her curious. She was about to move when the man suddenly pulled the trigger and blood gushed out of her mother's chest. She screamed and the men turned to her. "Shit, get her." Rufus yelled and the men ran towards the door. "Run Buster." She yelled as she took to her heels. Skylar ran as fast as her legs could carry her, she ran into the woods since she couldn't continue running in the streets because of the lights. The men kept running after her and she also kept running, she suddenly tripped over a stick and fell. Buster stopped running and barked at the men as they approached her. "Run Buster." She yelled and the dog kept barking at the men. "Shut up stupid dog." One of them said and shot Buster, Skylar froze and slowly turned to it. "Buster!" She yelled and placed her hand on it as he groaned in pain. "No, no, no." She said as tears rushed out of her eyes. "Buster." She whimpered as the dog slowly closed his eyes. Rufus finally showed up breathing heavily and he kicked Skylar angrily on her stomach, she groaned in pain and kept staring at her dog. The pain she felt in her stomach was not up to half of what she was feeling in her heart at the moment, her mother and her best friend got shot by the same people in minutes. "Should we kill her?" One of them asked Rufus. "Na, she looks useful. Grab her." He replied and the men held her. "What? Let me go, don't touch me!" She yelled in tears as the men dragged her away from the dog. "Let go of me." She cried and struggled with them. She suddenly felt a sharp pain in her head and she started to feel dizzy. "Buster." She muttered and passed out.