A few weeks later, President Humphrey’s fear was growing. He had begun to have a different kind of nightmare concerning the prophecy. He was eager to know who the mother of the child was. He thought the Monk was aware of the whereabouts of the mother probably because he had known his intention toward the mother.

Humphrey had turned a deaf ear to the protest of the people that he even sent his men to disperse the protesters with tear gas when it was brought to UltraDope. It left Mr Darlington heartbroken and saw the people’s passion towards him. The protest even left Humphrey scared of harming the monk because he knew it might be his end either hence the thought of killing him never crossed his psyche.

He walked out of his office twirling his eyes around. He ordered his men to go and bring the Monk from the prison where he had been locked for weeks.

“Go and bring the monk and also invite Sir Herbert here,” Humphrey said.

The police walked out of his presence and went to deliver his message. The monk was brought before him. He had looked aged within the few weeks he had spent in the prison. Minister Hemingway had been helping with some care on behalf of Mr Darlington. General Herbert also came down to his office after the arrival of Monk Pat.

“Monk Pat. I am growing out patience. For the last time, where is the mother of the child?”

The monk was quiet. The president stood yearning for a response. He was infuriated when he gave no answer and he walked nearer to him and slapped him. Everyone was shocked. Hemingway was at a distance looking at them, he was shocked by the act. He slapped the monk. Most of the securities didn’t know about the monk until his arrest and his popularity explode out of Vatice to other cities in Carten.

Humphrey summoned Sir Herbert nearer and whispered into his hear. He nodded and drove the monk to the prison. He had been ordered to torture him until the monk disclosed the whereabouts of the mother of the child. He had been growing of great concern that his heart wasn’t at rest anymore and he couldn’t release the monk without knowing the whereabouts of the mother.

“Please,” the monk pleaded.

He was seated on the iron-made chair and his legs, hands were chained and they began to torture him with diverse hard objects. Hemingway traced them down to the prison and when he entered and saw the monk being tied, he was left heartbroken. He approached the guards who tied him.

“What’s wrong?” Hemingway asked.

“The president ordered us to torture him until he discloses the whereabouts of the mother.”

Hemingway exhale. The excesses of the president was getting out of hand. He didn’t understand why he was doing all this despite the monk stance on waiting for the right time. The monk was left in a excruciating pain as different objects was used to torture him that he passed out a few minutes after the minister left.

“He has passed out.”

“Pass out?”

They rushed out of the prison and hauled him out to the medical department where he would be attended to. When Sir Herbert learnt of his passing out, he became scared and implored the warder not to disclose it o the president. He went to the theatre where he was admitted himself to check on his well being.

Minister Hemingway went to the prison to check on him as usual to ensure his health was intact. On reaching there, he couldn’t find him. He also noticed that the guards that did stay at the entrance of the prison had reduced. He thought the president had demanded for his presence again, he walked out and stood at the corridor, he gazed from the distance, he couldn’t see anything like that and he was prompted to walk to the president’s office.

“Is the monk here?” He asked.

“No,” the police answered.

He rested his hands on his waist and tweaked his head around. He didn’t understand what was going on. He saw the need to visit the army general’s office. He already had a jaded leg as a result of the constant walk. He couldn’t find Sir Herbert in his office too, he became bewildered. This time more confused, while walking out of the office and lost in thought, he almost collided with Sir Herbert.

“Where is the monk?” He asked.

Sir Herbert looked around, “what’s wrong?”

“Nothing. I am just concerned. I do not see him in the prison and I went to the president’s office and I was told that he wasn’t there that’s why I am here. Where is he?”

“He passed out. He is currently at the medical department. Please, don’t let the president knows because I was warned to torture him with care and I will pay for it if anything happens to him. He is currently in the theatre and getting better.”

Minister Hemingway was appalled by what he heard. He didn’t give a response to Sir Herbert and he paced out of his presence to the direction of the medical department. He was really concerned and could be an impending danger should anything happen to the Monk with some of the rumours they had heard since he had been locked up. He never knew that the president never wanted him dead, perhaps that had given him hope.

Minister Hemingway wasn’t allowed to see him due to the directive given by Sir Herbert. Hemingway was surprised when he was told that the monk wasn’t in the condition to meet anyone at the moment. He walked back to his office with less concern after being told that he was resuscitating anyway.

En route back to the office, the call of Mr Darlington. He felt reluctant to pick it at first because he would certainly ask about the monk’s condition. He thought of the perfect response and he picked the call. They converse on the phone as he walked to his office.