A fist of panic squeezed her inside. She sweated profusely as if she had run a marathon, not having a clue of what to do; She took the pen knife immediately and held it firmly as she tip-toed to the door. She quietly opened the door to stab him, but he swooped backward immediately and ran for his life. Then, it dawned on her that she was in for a deeper predicament. 'He will go and enlighten the corps and they will come after me.' she pondered. Slipping into her car, she sped off Immediately to God knows where; with blood stains plastered all over her. As if she had known, the corps zoomed in after she had left. They phoned the family of Mr. P and informed them about his demise. As sympathizers began mustering around, the corps crossed the compound with a ribbon. They took with them the pen knife, the wine glass; and other pieces of evidence they could lay hold of; including a picture of the scene. They headed straight to the hospital afterward in search of her. Reaching ther
"What are you doing here?" Mr. Kenneth asked with a thunderous voice.Edwin could see the fire in his eyes. Mr. Kenneth had never liked him, the sight of him around her daughter nauseated him.His gaze was so darkened as if Edwin was the devil himself. His adrenaline surged Immediately."Good day, sir." Edwin greeted."And what is good about the day?" He replied coldly."Where did you hide my daughter, you son of a nobody?"Edwin was bittered at his statement. He could see his heart dropping to the pit of his stomach. The fact that he hurls insults at him due to his financial status made his heart bleed, being much enlightened that his accusation was instigated by Leo. Not knowing what to say to him at the moment, he could feel the wetness of his feet. He wouldn't have visited if he had known that all fingers were at him.'What will I do now to prove my innocence to him?' he thought to himself, biting his lower lip in a pang."I'm innocent of the accusation, sir. You and I know that
It was a very large dilapidated hall that was stocked with numerous items including barrels of diesel, logs of wood, ancient furniture, and drums of soiled paints. At the several entrances to the large hall stood a rascally dressed man each with their pistol sunk into their back pocket. Their eyes were on alert for any incoming intruder. A sound of panic emanated from Angela and Margaret as they were unblind-folded; their hands and legs were still under the powers of the rope. "Please, do not kill us," Angela pleaded with the scary stature right before her. "You no go keep quiet?" He sounded in a deep tone. "Please sir, we can double the amount of whatever you are being paid for this; just let us go," Margaret promised. "See this ajebo; you think say everything na money, abi ? He replied, lighting the cig that was sung in his mouth. He then blew out a wide smoke, creating a choky ambiance. They coughed at the inhaling of the smoke as he continued; "One thing wey all these rich
As she struggled for air, she felt a heavy pound on her leg; startling Immediately, she opened her eyes only to realize it had been a dream all along. She then tried calming her still racing heart. But surprisingly to her, they were abducted in reality. The fierce-looking man rooted before her was the same in her dream. She pondered if Leo was the one that had coined their kidnap. They presented meshai and soft drinks to them as breakfast; after which, they were untied to grab a bite. She wasn't able to tell Margaret about her dream at the moment seeing they were still under the watch of two gunmen. Not wanting to eat anything, as she was bothered that her fate of leaving there alive wasn't certain, the worms in her intestine said otherwise. Margaret on the other side never cared, she dived into the food Immediately and encouraged her to eat something; at least, even if they had to die, it shouldn't be on an empty stomach. According to her school of thought, "it is bad to go t
"Abigail!" Margaret shouted. "Are you surprised to see me?" She replied. "You should be in police custody by now. We have all been looking for you." She added. Angela signaled her to keep her mouth shut at once. "No!, allow her to run her mouth; until I shut it up for her forever." Abigail threatened. "Please Abigail, let us go!" Angela pleaded. "Let you go?" She shook her head as she strolled around; scanning the pistol in her grip, she continued; "You took everything away from me, Angela; Right from our days in the university it has always been you." She took one step at a time towards the window gazing at the cloudy sky. Her eyelids blinked repeatedly, her jaws vibrated as she tried fighting the pool of tears in her eyes. "When I wanted to be SUG secretary, you were chosen over me, when I wanted to be the choir leader in our fellowship, you were the one they all chose; and now, the one man my heart beats for still chose you over me." She turned back, facing them; "you lef
"Angela..!" He shouted as he ran inside.Seeing an antiquated white fabric in one corner, he took it to shield himself from the heat. As he shouted out their names, there was no response from either Angela or Margaret. He searched tenaciously, being conscious of the burning roof that was falling and the furniture on fire.As he moved nearer to where they were lying, he called unto them again."Help us!" Angela gave an inward shout. She was fading.Siting them, he ran immediately to where they were lying; and gave them leverage from the influence the logs of wood had on them.He helped both of them up as they set to leave.Seeing another archaic bleached fabric nearby, he ran quickly to get it, surrendering the one he was using to them.Ignorantly for Angela, a part of the roof was about to fall at the exact point she stood.Margaret seeing it pushed her away to the ground only for the roof to fall on her instead. She died on the spot and was flamed up immediately.Edwin quickly rushe
Edwin was lost in thought; the thought of him not being by Angela's side when she finally woke up melted his heart. Nothing more could give him a peaceful mind than to avail himself now that she needed him the most. A thunderous horn from a tinted 4matic car resonated him back to reality; he had forgotten to move forward as the traffic released a little. As he drove forward, he off his ignition; looking at the different brands of vehicles lining up, he wondered if it could be possible to get home before dusk. Gulping down some chilled water he had purchased from a roadside hawker, he whined down the windscreen and flapped down the incoming taxi behind him as he drove into the next lane seeing that it had less traffic. His phone rang immediately; as if he has been expecting a call all along, he took it hurriedly from the pigeonhole only to see Mr. Kenneth as the caller ID. 'What brand of humiliation does he want to wall around me with, now?' he asked his inner self. He flung hi
Just as he was about saying out his decision, they were all distracted by Angela who began moaning Edwin's name."I'm here, babe!" He replied, caressing her forehead; with his other hand holding her hand as his thumb caressed the back of her palm.Crinkling her eyes, she opened it gradually to everyone's surprise as they all quickly moved closer to her."She's awake..! You're awake, my baby!" Mrs. Clear shouted with glee."Let me go get the doctor; I will be right back." Mr. Kenneth uttered as he hurried out."Thank God you're awake; we've all been worried about you." Edwin said with a warm smile, locking his eyes with hers.Leo, noticing it, burned with fury; the fact that he was in the mix but was never noticed, grilled him."Babe, where am I?" She managed to ask."You are in the hospital; you lost consciousness while at the warehouse." He explained."You have been unconscious for hours now. Thank God you came back to us." Her mum added.Leo couldn't bear his irrelevance anymore; he
Dr. Rey was on his phone when Edwin walked in. He ended the call at the sight of him."Good day, sir." Edwin greeted."What's this that I'm hearing, that you of all persons had to fight in a hospital?"Edwin was quiet, he didn't utter any word."Just tell me it's not true." Dr. Rey added."I'm sorry, sir but it's true.""How could you? Weren't you aware that you're a doctor and in a hospital for that matter?" He gave a disappointed gaze at him."I'm very sorry, sir. I know there's no excuse for my actions earlier but please find a place in your heart to forgive me.""It's not all about me; how do you expect your subordinates to look at you? You just lost the honor they all have for you.""I'm so sorry, sir." Edwin whispered."I'm sorry, but you have to face the aftermath of your actions. I would have fired you if I didn't know you to be a good man; you are hereby withdrawn from office for a month. You know what that infers. No one month salary for you."Edwin lowered his eyes in compl
Getting outside the establishment, they were rooted there as Leo lurched out of his car to meet them."I can see you got some nerves, huh?" He said."Well, you just said so." Edwin replied."Now, to think that you can threaten her just for a lunch date makes you more of a coward than you really are." He added.Leo pulled the sun glasses he had worn; his eyes radiated fury. He was gulled down already. "I can see you have guts; but let me remind you that she's mine and mine alone! You can never end up with her, the moment you learn to live with it the better for you!" He vibrated."Enough of all these tantrums, leo!" Angela declared." I'm sick and tired of all your excesses; why can't you just let us be!" She cried out." No my dear, you're are making a very big mistake here! If there's anyone that you should be with, that person should be me!" He turned to Edwin as he continued." Edwin here has nothing to offer you; he has barely taken care of himself let alone you!" He disparaged."
And where are you coming from?" He thundered."I.., I..," she stammered."Yes? Speak up; you what?"Mr. Akpan, seeing how nervous she was, decided to make ends meet. "Oga no vex, she go down the supermarket go buy something." He interrupted in vernacular English."Since when did you become her spokesperson? Allow her to explain herself." "Sorry, sir." Turning to Angela he signaled her to speak out."I'm sorry, Dad. I went down to the supermarket to get some cookies and pastries." She regained her voice."Why was it so hard for you to admit it, then? ""I'm sorry about that, Dad; I didn't mean to leave the house without informing you or Mum.""It's alright, Leo just called me; he told me you weren't answering his calls and I came to find out why."Her countenance dimmed immediately, "I don't want to speak to him, Dad." She mumbled"Exactly why I'm here to find out why."Abruptly, his phone rang, cutting the conversation short."You can go inside, but just know we have an unfinished co
Her dad, noticing how restless she was, asked; "hope everything is alright with you?"A flash of current ran through her system on hearing such a question from him. "Me? Yeah.., sure… everything is alright." She managed to speak as if she was trying to swallow down a still-racing heart."Then, why are you not eating? You have been on your phone for five minutes now." She grinned; "I will eat, now. " She gulped down her cup of tea immediately to everyone's surprise. Dabbing her mouth with the serviette, she cleaned the crumbs of bread on the table and said 'thank you, dad and mum' before heading to her room.They were both left aloft; that was unlike her. She was always the last to leave the dining table after any meal. She has been a slow eater since childhood. They stared at her while she climbed the stairs to her room. They had even forgotten to close their mouths."Horny, what's wrong with her?" Mr. Kenneth asked. "I'm dumbfounded as you are; it's really unfathomable." She repli
Her eyes widened; she tried screaming, but the heavy pound from her forehead didn't give her the leverage to do so; "oh no!" She exclaimed."What's the matter with you?" Miss. Anna asked."I was so intoxicated last night that I didn't know when Edwin called." She complained.A flash of current ran through Miss. Anna's system; she couldn't fathom what she just heard. Her eyes sparkled as she shouted."What? You came back home drunk last night!""Shhh.., please bring your voice down; dad or mum could hear you.""What do you mean, why did you get yourself drunk last night?" She whispered. "Shit! I shouldn't have said that." She mumbled."Not that I was very drunk. Leo and I just had a drink last night, and I came back a little tipsy." She explained."You should have drank responsibly; what if your parents had seen you when you came back? You would have been in trouble by now." Miss. Anna scolded."I wished they did; at least, they would have banned me from going out with that jerk, Leo.
"What do you mean?" She managed to ask. "Nevermind; forget it." He uttered as he started the engine, and drove to his house, he wanted to replace the shirt Angela had messed up. Getting to the gate, he honked for the gateman to open up. The gateman shuffled to the gate to get it opened. He was in his dark-red on black uniform, with his black boots and barrett that was tilted to the side. He was charcoal in complexion, with two tribal marks on his both cheeks; his pot belly made him robust and closer to the ground even when he was just average heightened. Though he was from Niger, he could speak Yoruba fluently owing to the fact that he had stayed in Lagos for close to ten years. As Leo drove in, he parked his car before his duplex as he stepped down. "Ka a ale, sir; kaabo! Good evening, sir; welcome!" the gateman bowed. "Ka a ale; Bawo ni o ṣe n ṣe? Good evening, how are you doing?" He replied moving to the other side of the car where Angela was seated. " Mo dupe lowo Olorun,
Angela seeing that all eyes were on her, busied the call. "It's nothing serious." She ittered, making them remove their attention from her. A few seconds later, her phone beeped a message notification; it was from Edwin. She opened her inbox to read; "How are feeling now, babe? Hope your dad didn't punish you much?" "I'm feeling better now, babe; my dad didn't punish me, he only invited Leo to escort us to Mrs. Pricilia's place for a condolence visit. We are still there now." She texted him back. Her legs made a gentle pound on the floor as she waited for his reply. She wasn't part of the discussion anymore; all her attention was on her chat with Edwin. Her phone beeped another message notification; Edwin had sent his reply as she opened her inbox to read. "Alright, I'm calm now knowing that you are good; as for Leo, don't listen to whatever crab he has to say. Take care of yourself for me; I love you." "Thank you, take care of yourself, too. I love you." She replied, and dippe
Angela sat in front of her mirror combing her long ponytail when she had a knock on her door."Yes, come in!" She permitted as Miss Anna walked in."Hello, my sunshine; hope you're ready, your parents are waiting for you downstairs. She said, strolling towards her.Getting to where she was sitting, she placed her hand on her shoulder; "you look so beautiful!" She looked into the mirror, admiring Angela's image."Thank you," Angela replied with a soft smile. "Put this on, if fits better on your black dress." Miss. Anna suggested, taking the diamond necklace that was inside the jewelry box on her make-up vanity. She helped her to put it on; "perfect!" She exclaimed, jamming her hands together. "Thank you, Miss. Anna; it really fits perfectly!" Angela said, admiring the necklace she had worn in the mirror."You're welcome, sweetheart; you have to go downstairs now; you know you can't keep your parents waiting.""Alright!" She replied, applying some cherry red lipstick, and stood up af
"What's going on here?" Mr. Kenneth asked. His eyes were fire; his fist clenched and his skin reddened, with intense eye contact."No.. nothing sir!" Edwin stuttered."Really, I sent you here to help my daughter who is emotionally down, only for you to take it as an advantage to molest her, right?" He scolded."It's not what you think dad; he wasn't molesting me, and besides I'm an adult; I know what I want and who I want to spend the rest of my life with; it's high time you stopped forcing Leo on me." she defended."One more word from you, and I will forget about your mental health and slap the silly out of you if you ever speak to me in such a manner!" He objurgated.His gaze became more furious towards Edwin; the radiation from his burning eyes warmed his skin; "now, get out of my house and never come back!" He yelled.Edwin took some speedy steps out of the room; he was lucky he didn't receive on his smooth cheek a thunderous effect of his hand.Reminiscing over the recurrence of