Chapter One

A beautiful blonde girl is sitting on the stairs with her legs stretched wearing rare white jean trousers and a big coat that seems to mop the dust from the stairs. The big coat is spread all over the stairs. She is wearing high heel stilettos of badge color. It's not the clothes that drew the attention, no. It's the look on her face. Red colored small lips and staring deep blue eyes. Her hair is twisted and over hanging forward nearly covering her right eye. Both her hands are touching the floor. She looked exhausted or shocked by something. She had been sat there for some time now. It's the noise of high heel shoes that startled her. She seemed to have been in a trance of some sort, her mind very far away in a world of her own. Red high heel shoes stepped down the stairs. A woman in her mid-twenties walked down the stairs wearing a matching short lovely red dress with no arms and one that revealed half her chest. She is holding a glass of wine in her hand. She puts a handkerchief on the stairs next to the blonde girl and sits next to her. She sips her wine and sighs. A moment passed by without anyone saying anything. 

"That's life what can you do," said Jacqueline. 

"I still can't believe this actually happened and somehow, I can't stop thinking about it," added Valentine. 

Valentine touched her chin with a handkerchief in her right hand. She raised her eyelids and looked up. Somehow, she could still see her friend. She and Veronique had become good friends since her mum moved next door. Ever since, people who saw them together thought that they were sisters. Some had mistaken them for twin sisters. At first, Valentine had thought that she had found her soulmate, her eternal friend. Veronique, from the first day they met showed real friendship and sisterly feelings toward Valentine. She insisted they wear the same clothes and shoes. It was a few weeks after they met that Valentine discovered that Veronique was a twin child. Her sister had gone abroad with her father after the separation. 

"So, what actually happened?" asked Jacqueline. 

Valentine breathed out heavily, she blew her nose before she replied. 

"I am a bit confused myself by all this. As far as I know, they said that she just received a phone call from abroad before she collapsed and died." 

"Just like that?" asked Jacqueline. 

"Just like that, gone for good. My best friend. Her mum called me this morning she said I should go there but I have never been so confused myself. I felt too scared to leave my room. Somehow, I just sat in my room next to the phone. Hoping to hear the phone ring. Hoping to hear her voice again." 

"So, are you going to see her mum?" asked Jacqueline. 

"Go with me, Jacqueline. I can use a friend right now." 

A car is driving on the main road in a suburban area. The driver seemed lost. He drives as if he is looking for a certain address. The car drove for some time before coming to a halt outside a big house. The driver gets out of the car and stood outside the house, shivering. He lights up a cigarette and puffs for a while standing next to the car. He seemed dreading to go inside the house. He looked troubled. From afar he acts like someone hooked on stuff longing for a fix. He walks up and down pushing his hair backward. Half of his left eye is covered by his uncombed curly hair. He is well-dressed though, in a suit. He has rings in all his fingers and he puffs the cigarette like he hadn't smoked for ages. The look in his right eye says it all. From a distance, he appears to be in his late twenties but his face has seen a lot of sorrow and pain that he looked like someone in his mid-forties. He has dark circles under his eyes. His eyes seemed to be exhausted, there is no spark of life. The cigarettes seemed to be the only thing reminding him of life. The smoke escapes from his mouth and nostrils into the freezing air. He walks again, pushes his hair backward and kept smoking until the cigarette butt burns his fingers. He doesn’t react much like you would expect. He stops and looks at the big house, he touches the pockets of his suit jacket, he takes out a packet of cigarettes and draws another cigarette out. He puts the cigarette on his lips and looks at the big house. Soon afterward another car approached and stopped next to his. A man in his forties jumped out of the car, locked the car doors and walked toward him. They spoke for a while. The older man hugs the other lad and the two entered the property. Minutes later neighbors heard screams coming from the big house. At the same time, the people in the house heard the neighbors’ dogs barking to the screams and crying coming from the house. 

Across the road, the neighbors are standing outside looking across the street wondering what had happened. Kids ran out from the other house going up the road toward the big house where the screaming and crying was coming from. They stood outside the gate. A woman followed them from the other house across the street. She stood outside the gate as well before dragging the kids back to her house. 

Valentine and Jacqueline are in the car. Valentine is driving the car. 

"Just a few days ago, we were planning a surprise visit to see her sister somewhere in Spain." 

"Spain? Why she lives so far away if they are twins? Are twins not supposed to live together?" asked Jacqueline. 

"After we met, she confessed it really didn't matter anymore. She had found her sister in me. At first, she freaked me out. I found it very weird. I mean everything about her," said Valentine. 

"What do you mean? Was she stressing or something?" 

"No, no. I mean her behavior. She insisted we do everything together the same way. We ended up wearing the same clothes and liking the same things. It was later when I confronted her, that her mum confessed she had a twin sister but never wanted to talk about her," said Valentine. 

"So, did she say anything to you the last time you saw her?". 

"Not really. She was very happy as far as I can tell. It was a shock to receive the call from her mum today. I just slept in bed. I have never been this scared before. I guess you never know. Over the years, which I have known her, she felt like my real sister. She made me understand what it means to be a twin sister. Everywhere I go if I was alone everyone would ask; where is your sister today? I still can’t believe that she left me alone." 

"That's life don't beat up yourself these things do happen,". 

The car entered the main road leading to Veronique’s mum's house. A lot of cars had been parked outside. They parked the car far down as there was no parking space. They walked to the big house. A lot of people wearing black suits and dresses were outside. Valentine and Jacqueline made their way into the house. As soon as they entered the house, they heard a huge buzzing noise sound being made by many people inside. There was no space to even walk into the house, they had to squeeze past, brushing against the people inside. Veronique's mum when she saw Valentine she opened her arms and welcomed her and the two were locked in each other's arms. She cried profusely. She tried to say something to Valentine, but she cried every time their eyes met. 

"Valentine both my babies are gone," said Penelope. 

"What do you mean both? You told me it was Veronique only. Both? No! How did that happen? When did my other sister die?" 

Penelope pointed at the man sitting across the room. He stood up and walked to where Penelope and Valentine were. The other man who happened to be Enzo, was the girls' brother, he stood up as well, and they all hugged and cried together. 

Clara is talking to her partner Lorenzo they are in the lounge area. These two had moved in together ten years ago, they have a good relationship together. The idea of marriage had never appealed to them yet they lived together as a married couple. They had no kids as this was part of the arrangement. 

"Listen to the anchor-woman, she is saying that there is a woman who is claiming to be the oldest person in the whole world?" said Clara. 

"Oldest? How old is she claiming to be?" asked Lorenzo. 

"Over hundred, I guess, turn up the volume," 

On the television, we are shown a woman sitting in a chair before the anchor-woman turns her attention to her. 

"So, tell us what is your story?" asked the anchorwoman. 

" I am the oldest person in the whole world. I am over one hundred years old. I have seen a lot in my life," said the old woman. 

"No one is disputing the fact that you have seen a lot. What they are disputing is your age. They are saying a person with a body like yours cannot be the age you are claiming to be," said the anchor-woman. 

"You too don't believe me?", Asked the old woman standing up and walking upright unaided. 

The anchor-woman in shock looked at the camera drawing attention of the people to look at the woman claiming to be hundred plus as she walked up and down. 

"As you can see I am sure you will agree with the people disputing her age, no one in her late age can walk like that. So, look at her and guess the age you think she is right now then send a tweet or send me an email via the email address displayed on your screens right now. It's Katrina reporting for Ocean news channel." 

"Clara, surely she can't be in her hundred plus years walking like that. I think she is in her late seventies." 

"If that’s true definitely I want whatever she is taking. Who on earth would not want to look like that in their late life?" asked Clara. 

"Surprisingly all her answers were spot on. She remembered a lot of staff. A lot of things that has happened over the past century," said Lorenzo. 

"A hundred years and looking like that, woo, I think that's great. Some people have good genes. 

"Honestly I would prefer to die young before hitting the three figure and have a good-looking corpse. Maybe there is life after death. And still look good in afterlife." 

"Everyone has one chance one life you might as well make good use of it. Once you are gone, you are gone. So why not prolong the good time as much as you can?" asked Clara. 

A young woman is standing in the fields. She is wearing a big shady lady woven ribbon white hat. She is busy and occasionally looks ahead in front of her. A young boy runs to her and stood next to her. He looked ahead of him before lifting his heels up to see. 

"Mummy what are you drawing can I see?" asked Augustin. 

"Not yet, I haven't finished. What did I say about doing that? You wait until I have finished okay? Can't you go and play with your sister?" 

"I don't want to play with her, she broke my van," replied Augustin. 

"What did she do that for?" asked Jasmine. 

"I don't know why can't you ask her yourself? So, are you now going to show me what you are drawing?" asked Augustin. 

"OK but after that you don't disturb me again. Promise." 

"I promise mummy," replied Augustin. 

Jasmine stopped drawing and flipped the drawing so that her son could see. 

"Mummy, mummy is that the dead people's house you are drawing. Grandpa told us stories about that house before. He said that the place is filled with a lot of spirits and he no longer works in there." 

"There are no spirits in there your grandpa is just trying to scare you off. We run out of business." 

Augustin looked at the house in front of him before looking at his mum. 

"Mummy what do you mean you run out of business? Does that mean you can't get dead people anymore?" 

Jasmine laughed at her son. 

"You can't stop to amaze me, Augustin my son. You are like a grownup man now, surely soon I won't be surprised to see you bring girlfriends here one day." 

Augustin ran away heading toward the main house shouting his sister's name. 

Under the garden shade an old man is sitting on the swing wooden bench. He swung forward and backward. He looked further down and smiled. It's now just a dream. He recalled at one point he was the most important and busiest man in the town. He had people coming to him every day, to pick his brain. He is a shadow of the man he was. Over the years no one seemed bothered about him. Days had gone by without even a single person coming to him for any advice or information. 

Augustin ran toward the swing bench. When he was about to sit on the bench Wendy pushed him off. He fell to the ground and bruised his leg. 

"Wendy stop pushing your brother away. There is enough space for all of us why push your brother away?" asked grandpa. 

"He is a bully, he is hiding my doll." 

"Grandpa, she broke my van, the one dad bought for me." 

"It was by accident, after all that was a stupid van. I would not play with a van that carries dead people," said Wendy. 

"I don't care if it carries dead people or not it was mine you had no right to break it." 

"Stupid. How many times did I tell you that it was an accident? I sat on your van by accident. You can't compare my doll to that stupid van. Every day you break my van, you break my van. Keep on making noise about that stupid van and maybe I will end up breaking you too." 

"I don't understand why you fight that much. Let's sit together. I will tell you a great story," said grandpa. 

Augustin and Wendy jumped onto the swing bench and waited eagerly to hear grandpa's story. 

In the big city, Alfred is in the office buildings. He is a young man full of beans and promises. He had just been given his new job in the treasury department. He entered the conference room. A big room with two flat screens in front, a big desk with a telecommunication system at one end. He sat down and opened his laptop. He went through the screens before he heard a knock on the door and before he answered, a man dressed to kill opened the door. 

Peeped in and entered the room. 

"Hello Sir, thanks for coming at such a short notice but there is something I think you should see," said Alfred. 

"Better be important you know how busy I am," replied Bernard. 

Bernard had been in his job for over twenty years now.  

He knew this  kid might have unraveled something big. In his late forties, always well-dressed with a clean shave. He was a bit overweight with a big belly hanging, hence the use of cross belts all the time. He wore expensive shoes. He remembered the first days he started his job. Alfred was a mirror of himself years back. 

"So, what is it young Alfred?" asked Bernard. 

"Sir, look at this," said Alfred walking to the two big screens in front. He is holding a stick in his hand. He arrived a few feet from the screens and looked at Bernard who stood next to him. 

"Yes, go on." 

"I looked at data for the last 5 years. Look at this graph. In fact, total spending has been increasing at an alarming rate. Look at the other screen. Look at the budget proposals and the actual figures," said Alfred. 

Bernard looked at the screens one at a time. 

"Well spotted young Alfred. Can you look at the figures for the past ten and twenty years and let me know the results before the end of the week? I also want that report on my desk by the end of the day. Good job well done," said Bernard leaving the conference room. 

The young Alfred smiles and remained standing at the two big screens. What really was going on? 

Bernard entered a beautiful big office. It has brown wooden cabinets. It has a big desk with an ivory decorated comfy sofa with white cushions. In front, it has two other comfy sofas with a small table with a drawer. Above these two chairs is a big mirror on the ceiling. To the right is a big window with eight small panels. Bernard sits down and picks up the phone. 

"Hello, Senator I think there is something you should see. When is perfect time and place to meet, and talk about this? Your office should I say?" asked Bernard. 

"Yes. My office later today or meet at launch same place? Your call?" replied Senator Brice. 

"This can't wait, meet you at your office in the afternoon," replied Bernard. 

Later that day Bernard arrived at the Senator’s office in the heart of the city. This was a flamboyant government building where all important government officials had their offices hence the tight security. Bernard passed through security and went over all security checks despite being known as an important member of the government. He had been here several times. Him and the Senator went back a long way. They had gone to the university together. The Senator, a charming man. With him what you see is what you get because of this he soon finds himself loved by many and hated by many as well, whereas Bernard with his sweet talking laid back approach finds himself in the government offices downtown. There is a thin line between success and failure in politics. Sometimes it's all just to luck but in most cases the saying that fortune favors the brave has some truth in it. 

Bernard entered the office blocks leading to the Senator's office. He opened the door and saw the Senator in the corridor talking to one of the advisers. 

"Senator," said Bernard stretching his hand. 

"Yes, Bernard. Please come on in," replied the Senator stretching his hand showing Bernard the way. 

The Senators adviser soon disappears and the two men entered the office. The big wooden door is slammed behind them. 

"My friend, what brings you here. Yeah, just like the old days. But the better man won, huh? You must agree. I always told you to take the bull by its horns. Politics is a dirty game too. They say if you want to die with a bullet in your chest become a politician," said the Senator. 

He paused before he continued talking. 

"So how have you been, Bernard?" 

"Good, nice to see you. Been sometime. Busy all the time. Problems everywhere we can't even have time to sit down together." 

"I know. You know what? Bring Emmy to my house for dinner this weekend. Say Saturday night. 

"Will certainly do Brice," replied Bernard. 

"So, what brings you here? You said you have something to show me?" 

"Yes, Senator. Look at these figures for the past five years," said Bernard handing over the file to the Senator. 

The Senator looked at the file for a while.  

He stood up and walked to the big window. 

"So, what is your explanation for all this?" 

"Someone is embezzling some funds from the treasury. I think this has been going on for some time now," said Bernard. 

The Senator walked back and sat in his comfy sofa. 

"How can one do that unnoticed? Our system is robust and is regularly checked. Stealing, I doubt that." 

"It's possible. One can create ghost accounts. The rate is alarming. Every system has its shock waves to offset the rapid rise. But for the past years the trend has been enormous." 

"Okay. You have a point. I will meet with the Vice President and ask her if we can establish a task force to look at this."