Betty.
                      For a long long moment, Betty felt as if someone had snatched the ground from her feet. Off balance and without direction. She stared blankly at the gate through which Vicky had slipped out some minutes ago.
                       "What do we do now?"
                        "We find proof. That's what." She turned to face Tokunbo who had a calculative look on her face. "We need to get that diary. We also need to get to my dad. If no one else will believe us, my dad will."
                         "But Vicky said-"
                        "Vicky was scared, Betty. You don't hear that you have to choose between your life and your friends and still think straight."
                         Betty shook her head. "Tokunbo, let's be realistic. We don't have time. Before we get to your dad or find Demi's diary, both of them will be..." She trailed off weakly.
                        "So what option is there? What do we have to lose if we tell the police? The only way I see is by telling an adult who can do something about it. None of us can save any of them, Betty! We are just kids. What are you all so afraid of?"
                           Tokunbo was right. What did they have to lose?  "How do we get to your dad? Classes have started. The gate will be locked soon. If we're caught out here-"
                           She was cut short when Tokunbo pulled her by an arm and sprinted out the school's gate. Once they were a considerable distance away from the school, they stopped running, panting heavily. 
                          "We need to put Demi in prison. Once and for all. Or else she'll keep coming back and will do even worse things." Tokunbo said when they had calmed down.
                           "Do you even know where the warehouse is?! Vicky just left like that. Who's going to watch her back while we go looking for some stupid diary?" She hated that she sounded weak. Powerless. Her brother and best friend were in danger and all she could do was cry like a child. She wiped her wet face hurriedly.
                         Tokunbo rubbed her forehead and glanced up at the sky as if looking for answers. "You'll have to get my dad to the warehouse Betty."  
                        She sniffled. "What? Why me?"
                        "Because if I go, he'll force me to tell him everything and could conclude that he doesn't need to help you guys. As long as I am safe."
                        Betty chuckled bitterly. "If you can't convince him, how do you expect me to? I knew this was a waste of time."
                        "Tell him I'm in danger. You need to convince him that I'm in a life-threatening situation or he won't come." Tokunbo muttered as she searched her bag and ripped out a piece of paper. "I'm writing his station's address here. Get him to that warehouse. I'll go to Demi's house to find the diary."
                            "And you are sure that the diary is in her house?! We're acting blindly here. My brother's life is at stake Tokunbo!"
                              An irritated look crossed the latter's face making Betty feel small and stupid. "Well, I don't see you coming up with ideas, Elizabeth. Your brother will still be in danger no matter how many times you repeat it. We might as well give it our best shot! Besides, He was just left off the hook today. This means that Demi planned all this in haste."
                         "So?"
                         Tokunbo sighed and spoke slowly. "So, she'll be sloppy. She must've noticed her missing flash and diaries and realised it's game over for her."
                          "You took the diaries?!" Betty screeched and began pacing trying to rein in the tears that threatened to burst forth.
                            "Just two!" Tokunbo defended. "I studied them last night. I thought they could give us clues on how to get the recent one."
                            Betty groaned as if in pain. "No wonder she's gone haywire."
                          "My point exactly. She must've seen that her plans have failed and she's trying to end this rashly. Hence she'll make rash decisions."
                         She stared at Tokunbo for a while then shook her head. "This isn't some detective movie Tokun. This is real life."
                       The slim girl gave a small smile. "Those movies are about to save our lives Betty. And as for the warehouse address, if Vicky knows the place then I know someone else who does."
                         I am surrounded by crazy people.
***
         Enoch.
                         When Betty's name flashed on his phone's screen, a lump found shelter in his throat and he hurriedly gulped down the glass of water in his bedside drawer. His school uniform lay in a crumpled heap on the floor beside it.
                           Coward.
                           With shaky hands, he reached for the ringing phone. Had they found out what he had done? Had the Skylars confessed yet? 
                           "He...Hello. Hey Betty."
                           "Hi, Enoch." Her shaky voice reached his ears and he jumped off his bed.
    
                          "Betty, what's wrong?"
                          "It's Eli-"
                          "Enoch hey."
                           "Tokunbo?" He ignored the way his chest tightened at her breathy voice.
                           "Yeah. We need your help."
                           "Demi kidnapped Eli. She threatened to kill him if Vicky didn't go to some warehouse in an hour. We don't know what will happen to Vicky. Or Eli." Betty explained.
                            "But it won't be good." He murmured.  
                            "Exactly. We were hoping you would know the warehouse in question. Vicky knew the warehouse without directions, I figured you would know it as well."
                              Of course, he did. He and Demi had discovered the warehouse in some rural area on one of their hiking trips. Old and abandoned. He had it renovated and modified for a play house.
                           God, I haven't been there in two years.
                           "Enoch?" Tokunbo's voice infiltrated his thoughts.
                           He swallowed. "Yeah. Yeah, I know the warehouse."  
                           "Thank God! It was just a random guess." She sounded relieved.
                           "I'll send you the address."
                            "No." She sighed deeply. "You betrayed us, Enoch. Not just Eli, but all of us."
                           His shoulders fell shamefully. "I know. Tokunbo I know. I'm sorry. I am so sorry. You can hit me, hate me all you want. I am so sorry."
                         "I know why you did it." She mumbled and he froze.
                          "You...do?"
                           "Yeah. Demi mentioned it in her 2016 diary."
                           There was a stretched silence. His mouth opened but no words came out. What was he supposed to say?
                            Oh you know, I used to get high on morphine and had this crazy crush on Demi. Tried to kiss her one time, but things escalated and I almost raped her. All good things.
                           "Do you want to redeem yourself, Enoch?" She asked breaking the ice.
                          He nodded eagerly.  "Yeah...I mean of course. You guys are all I have. My friends are all I have."
                          "Text Betty the address. You... You'll have to go to the warehouse. You have to stall until Betty gets the police there. Please, Enoch. This is the only way I can think of right now and we don't have much time."
                          "What about you?"
                          She sighed. "I'm getting Demi's diary. The recent one. The one that will take her away from us. From our lives, permanently."  And with a click, she was gone.
                          "Albert!" He bellowed after he recovered from the call.
                         The old Butler answered with cultured patterned steps. "Yes?"
                          "I am going out." He announced.
                          "You have not changed your bathroom robe," Albert said pointedly.
                           He resisted rolling his eyes. "Let me worry about my clothes Al. Get the car ready. The Benz."
                          "The driver isn't around. Shall I call Mr Maxwell?"
                          "There is no time!" Enoch snapped rushing to his wardrobe.
                          Albert's face contorted into a sour look. "You cannot possibly drive a car on the lousy city streets. You are only sixteen!"
                          Enoch face palmed and turned to face the man. "I know my age. I did not forget."
                           "Your father does not pay me to let you out of my sight." The man rebuked.
                            "My father does not pay you to tell me what I can or cannot possibly do." He hissed and turned to pick an outfit.
                         "Your father pays me to keep you safe!"
                         "Well, you and my father can go suck donkey's ass. He doesn't care about me. You don't care about me. The people who do, my friends, are in danger and I'll be darned if I allow anything, anyone to stop me from helping them! Do not tempt me, Old man. You know what I can do. Get. The. Benz. Ready. Now!"
                          They held each other's eyes fiercely for a full minute until Albert sighed and turned around.
                         "Crazy rich people kids." He grunted.
                          "Crazy old man." Enoch hissed and thrust his leg into jean trousers.
                         Within the rush of a few minutes, he was seated in the black Mercedes speeding past the tall gates that cooped him away from the rest of the world.
                        My friends are all I have. Nothing is standing in my way.