Annah's apartment felt like a cage. The air was thick with the scent of stale coffee, the dim light from the single lamp casting long shadows across the room. It had been days since she'd last slept properly, her mind swirling in a haze of images,flashes of her victims, their faces haunting her at every turn.Mr Mbithi ,Kevin Langat. Lucy Mumo. Pastor John.Even Wendo.Each of them a memory that she couldn't escape.
The knife was always close by now,an ever-present reminder of what she had become. She had tried to push the guilt aside, tried to convince herself that she was doing the right thing, that her victims had deserved it, that they were the true monsters. But no matter how many people she killed, no matter how much blood she spilled, the darkness inside her only grew. The mirror showed a woman she didn't know, a stranger wearing her face.
She sat on the edge of the bed, her fingers tracing the smooth blade of the knife, feeling its weight in her palm. It felt familiar now, almost comforting, like a part of her that she couldn't live without. There was a strange satisfaction in its coldness, in the way it had become an extension of her will. Every time she used it, it was as though she was peeling away layers of herself,layers that had once been human.
But now, those layers felt like chains.
It's not too late, Annah. You can stop. The thought came unbidden, a small voice in the back of her mind, but she quickly crushed it. She had no time for hesitation. There's no going back.
The image of Mwirigi's face appeared in her mind, his smile cold and calculating. The man who had covered up Wendo's crimes. The man who had used his position to manipulate everyone around him. He was just another obstacle, just another person who had to be removed. She wasn't doing this for herself anymore. She was doing it for Lucy, for justice. For the people she had already killed. For the ones still waiting for her to finish what she started.
The phone buzzed, and she almost didn't answer. But when she saw the name,Dr. Kariuki,she knew she had no choice. He had been with her from the beginning, shaping her, molding her, making her believe that what she was doing was necessary. He was the only one who understood her, who saw beyond the surface. He had become the voice of reason in a world that was slowly slipping away from her.
"Annah," he said when she picked up, his voice as soothing as ever, as if he were still trying to calm the storm inside her. "How are you holding up?"
She didn't respond immediately, her hand tightening around the phone. She wanted to say that she was fine, that everything was under control, but she knew that was a lie. Her thoughts were jumbled, chaotic, and the isolation was suffocating her. But Dr. Kariuki had never needed the truth, only what he wanted her to believe.
"I'm... I'm ready," she finally said, her voice thick with emotion. "I know what I have to do."
"Good," he replied, a note of satisfaction in his voice. "The senator. He's the key, Annah. You take him down, and everything will fall into place. No more hiding. No more lies."
Annah's grip on the phone tightened. Her heart raced in her chest. She knew she had no choice. He was right, of course. She had come this far. What was one more life? What was one more step deeper into the abyss?
"I'll do it," she said, the words coming out cold and final. "I'll kill him."
"That's my girl," Dr. Kariuki praised, his voice smooth like velvet. "You're stronger than you think. Remember, Annah, this isn't about revenge. It's about control. You're taking back what was stolen from you. You're the one in charge now."
The words echoed in her mind long after the call ended. She wasn't sure if it was the manipulation or the growing madness inside her, but they felt like a command,a call to action that couldn't be ignored. She had killed for others before, for Lucy, for justice, for revenge. But this time was different. This time, it was for her. For her own need to destroy.
She stared at the knife again, the reflection of her face distorted in its gleaming surface. Was this really her? Was this who she had become? A murderer, a puppet to Dr. Kariuki's twisted vision, unable to stop the spiral she had started?
No, Annah. You're not weak. You're stronger than you think. The voice in her mind was louder now, drowning out the doubts that had started to creep in.
She wasn't weak. She was in control. She was the one who decided who lived and who died.
And Senator Mwirigi was next.
Later that night, Annah stood outside Mwirigi's office building, the darkness of the city surrounding her like a cloak. She had done this before,stalked her prey, watched them, studied them until she knew their every move. But tonight was different. This time, there was no doubt, no hesitation. She wasn't just taking a life; she was reclaiming something. Her power, her control. The only thing that had ever made her feel alive.
She gripped the knife tightly, the cool handle pressing into her palm. The door was unlocked. She had already scoped out the building earlier in the day, and the security cameras were easy to avoid. Mwirigi was alone tonight, working late on some political project, no doubt. His arrogance would be his downfall.
Annah moved silently through the halls, her footsteps light but purposeful. She reached the office door and paused, her breath steady, her heart pounding in her chest. The door was ajar, and she could hear the faint sound of Mwirigi's voice as he spoke on the phone. She didn't care about the details of the conversation. It was just noise to her now.
What mattered was that he was here. Alone.
She stepped into the room, and Mwirigi looked up, his eyes widening in surprise. For a moment, time seemed to freeze between them. He hadn't expected her, but he should have. She had been watching him for days, studying him, learning his weaknesses.
"What are you doing here?" he demanded, his voice tight with suspicion.
Annah didn't answer. She simply took a step forward, the knife glinting in the dim light, a final symbol of the control she had gained over her own fate. She had no words left to say to him. There was nothing more to explain.
With one swift motion, she lunged forward, the blade finding its mark.
The power she had felt when she killed before surged through her once more, but this time, it was different. This time, there was no triumph. No satisfaction. Only emptiness.
Mwirigi collapsed to the ground, his life slipping away as Annah stood above him, the weight of his death settling on her shoulders. She didn't feel the rush of victory she had expected. Instead, she felt the crushing weight of her own unraveling, a slow burn of realization that she was no longer the woman she once was.
The mirror had been right. She was a stranger to herself now.
Who was she now even?