EPISODE 1 & 2
Naya picked up the phone to see that it was Philip calling, she hissed and dropped the phone, ignoring his call for the umpteenth time. Florence her roommate gave her a knowing look and shook her head. She knew Naya to be a very calm girl, stories had it that she took her calmness from her mother. Her father was a retired military general. Her twin was stubborn, while her twin had insisted on them going to study for their first degree abroad, Naya had insisted on staying behind in Nigeria to the disdain of her parents who had no option than to grant her desires because they indulged the twins in all they did. Maya was to return to the country the next day after completing her degree programme and Naya was to return home to her parents’ house that day so that she could accompany them to the airport to pick her twin sister.
Florence was her course mate and roommate right from their 100 level days. They had met during their course registration when they had secured admission newly and since then their friendship had blossomed. Naya had invited Florence who was from a humble background to join her in her self-contained apartment that her parents had rented for her off campus, she fed and accommodated Florence free of charge. The phone kept on ringing and she turned a deaf ear to it.
Florence: “Oooooh! Naya pick your call, now. Hian!”
Naya: “I don’t want to pick the call, is it by force? Shebi it is my phone?”
Florence: “Oya, put the phone on silence, I am trying to concentrate on my studies here. Remember we have a test in GST 202 tomorrow”.
Naya: “Madam, if the ring tone of my phone is disturbing you, go to the library. That is where serious reading is done”.
Florence: “Okay o, no vex”. She grabbed her ear piece and blocked her ear with it. She knew better than getting on Naya’s bad side anytime the issue centered on Philip.
Philip and Naya had met during the preparation for her first semester examination in 100 level, he was a year ahead of her and he often took tutorial classes for 100 level students. He was a cool dude with cheeky face and dreamy eyes. He was the dream man of all the girls whom he taught but he stayed away from ladies and concentrated on his studies. It was this attitude of his that had attracted him to Naya who out rightly accepted him when he asked her out to the surprise of all the girls. Over the years, their relationship had waxed stronger with them going to read at nights together and even in the library, they shared the same space. The phone began to ring again and Florence began to hiss, the ear piece she had blocked her ears with was obviously not effective enough in preventing her from hearing the phone ring.
Florence: “Ohhhh. Naya now, okay if you don’t want to pick the call, just switch off your phone so that we can hear word”.
Naya: “It is not like I don’t want to pick his calls, it’s just that I feel so hurt right now that talking to him may bring back emotions that I would rather allow to die”.
Florence: “What exactly happened?”
Naya dropped the novel she was reading and faced Florence.
Naya: “I went to his house the day before yesterday, I didn’t inform him that I was coming. I went to the corner shop and bought ogbono soup ingredients since that is his favorite and guess what I met when I opened the door?”
Florence: “What?” her eyes balls were almost popping out of their sockets.
Naya: “You know that Nneka that won miss campus this year? That 100 level girl?”
Florence: “Yes, what happened to her, is she dead?”
Naya: “It would have been better if she was dead. I met her and Philip romancing”.
Florence: “No, you can’t be serious”.
Naya: “I wish I am not. I met them kissing and touching and smooching. Oh God, I can’t even imagine it”.
Florence: “You mean Philip was touching another girl? Jesu o!”.
Naya: “I couldn’t believe it. And to think that we had agreed on no form of body contact before marriage because I told me it was against the will of God”.
Florence: “That is why I am shocked. That guy that said he has never had any girlfriend before he met you? Me I dey even see am like say him no fit toast girl until you gist me about how him take ask you out”.
Naya: “I ran out of the house in anger. In fact, I left the ingredients I bought there on the ground in his room there”.
Florence: “Naya, why now? You for carry the ingredients come back, I for arrange the soup o. So you leave am make that yeye miss campus wey no even fine cook am come siddon well chop? Your matter seff dey tire me some times”.
Naya: “Hmmn, Florence, you too like food. In fact, you can eat more than Adaku in Jennifer’s Diary. Anyway, I don’t regret leaving it there, I can always get whatever ingredients I want to make my soup here”.
Florence: “Hmmmn, my friend, my friend. I gbadu your paroles mehn. In fact, I am your greatest fan, omo babalowo”.
Naya: “go jor, na me you dey wine abi? You no well. Do you now see why I don’t want to pick Philip’s call?”
Florence: “I see o, in fact, don’t ever pick his calls again. That guy is a big pretender and I don’t want you to have anything to do with him again. When next he calls, give me the phone to talk to him, I go treat him fuck up with my mouth, you no say you gentle. And as for that stupid miss campus that only knows how to snatch peoples’ boyfriends and husbands, I will deal with her. I will arrange boys to give her the beating of her life. Foolish useless idiot”.
Naya: “No, you will do no such thing, leave the girl alone. Was it not Philip that allowed himself to be seduced?”
Florence: “Forget that thing, jare. You are too gentle and that is why people always take you for granted. Just leave that girl for me, by the time I am done with her, she will develop wings and fly anytime she sees anything that belongs to you”.
Naya: “I don’t understand you at all, one minute you want me to forget all about Philip, the next minute you want me to fight the girl he is cheating on me with. How do you explain that?”
The phone began to ring and Florence collected it without looking at the caller and began to insult and curse, thinking it was Philip.
Florence: “Hello, you are very stupid and useless. In fact, you are a callous and pretentious nincompoop, you think you can toil with my friend’s heart and go away with it? God will punish you, idiot…”
Mr Lanre: “Naya, is that you? When did you become this wild?”
Florence on realizing that it was Naya’s father calling returned the phone to Naya. “It’s your dad”, she told her as she handed her the phone.
Naya: “Ah, mogbe!” she collected the phone and brought it close to her ear. “Hello, daddy, good evening sir”.
Mr Lanre: “What is wrong with you, Naya?”
Naya: “I am sorry, sir. It was my friend that picked the call. She thought it was…erm…”
Mr Lanre: “What sort of a friend is that? Didn’t my number appear on your screen when I called? Anyway, remember to come home early tomorrow, your sister’s flight will land by 1pm, we should be at the park say around 3 when their bus will come in from Kaduna. You know how she hates to be kept waiting. And as for your friend and what she just said, we will talk about that when we meet”. He ended the call, as a retired military man, he had formed the habit of being brief even while talking.
Florence: “Hope there is no problem? Sorry, I thought it was Philip”.
Naya: “No, he was reminding me of the need to go home early tomorrow. Florence, can you follow me home? I have told my twinny lot of things about you and she is dying to meet you”.
Florence: “I am not sure about that, I don’t like being around military men like your father, they scare the hell out of me”.
Naya: “Don’t worry, dad is nice, besides, you don’t have to be around him, we have our own room”.
Florence: “Fine, if you insist. After all this place will be too lonely without you”.
Naya: “Great! We leave here by 10am tomorrow, remember it’s a two hours’ journey from here home so that we can rest before going to the airport”.
EPISODE 2
Naya and Florence set out the next morning to her home, it was a two hours drive away from where their university was located and it was taking a long time before the bus got filled, Florence who was anxious to meet Naya’s family was already getting impatient.
Florence: “babe, I still don’t know why you didn’t allow your father send his driver over with one of his cars to come and pick us”.
Naya: “is that necessary? That would be like wasting double petrol if you ask me. Imagine the driver driving here and then driving us back, it’s not as if we cannot find an alternative means of transportation here”.
Florence: “That would have saved us the stress of waiting here for this bus to get filled. In fact, I have an idea, why don’t you just pay for the remaining space in the bus so that the car can move?”
Naya: “I will do no such thing. That is wasting of money, I will rather take that money to the orphanage or give it to the less privileged”.
Florence: “Okay o”, she continued fiddling with her phone. Florence was from a poor background but she had the ambition of making it to the upper class of the society. She spent more than she could earn and in most cases she had to sleep with older men so she could afford to meet up with her taste for designer things and comfort.
They arrived in her house which was located in the high brow areas of the city. Her parents were just about settling down for lunch when the girls got in.
“Hello, mum and dad, I have missed you two so much”, Naya said and ran to her parents who hugged her affectionately.
Mrs Lanre: “welcome, oko mi. How is school? You are almost an hour late, I was worried something terrible had happened to you. You look slimmer compared to when you left home for school. I am sure you have not been eating well as much as I asked you to do. You need to add more flesh before you go back o”.
Mr Lanre: “iya ibeji, won’t you allow the young lady sit down before you push her down with questions?”
Naya: “daddy, mum can so worry herself ehn”, turning to her mother, she said “mummy, na lekpa dey reign now o, so allow me to remain like this”.
The couple turned to Florence who was standing behind Naya awkwardly. She had met Naya’s parents several times when they had come to drop her off in school but this was her first time of coming to their house. She was surprised at the beautiful and well furnished house that she was in. She had also seen lots of cars parked at the garage of the house and she was wondering why Naya was living such a simple life in school despite the fact that her parents were very rich.
Mrs Lanre: “Welcome, my dear. How are your parents?”
Florence: “they are fine, ma”.
Mr Lanre: “Alright, join us at the table, dinner is served”.
The two friends joined the couple at the table with the cook standing at attention, ready to attend to them.
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Maya boarded British Airways to Nigeria. She was supposed to take the flight directly to Abuja where her parents lived but she had been told that Nnamdi Azikwe international airport in Abuja was undergoing renovation and so they had to land in Kaduna before they would be conveyed to Abuja. The flight from London to Kaduna was very smooth.
When the plane arrived from Kaduna airport, there were taxis to convey passengers to Abuja but Maya declined because she had heard a lot about the ancient city of Kaduna. She wanted to catch a glimpse of the city and then come to Abuja by train, she had heard her Nigerian friends in her social media platforms narrate how the train was so good it could be compared to the ones abroad. She wanted to experience it for herself, so that she could also talk about it.
She took a cab going to town from the airport and went to the prestigious central market, the market she heard was one of the biggest in Northern Nigeria. She was holding her box and her handbag where she kept her iPhone 7. The driver dropped her close to Leventis roundabout which was just opposite the market and she walked into the market dragging her box behind her. She was surprised at how big the market was, she didn’t know that such a big market existed in the northern part of the country. She was walking around and in more than one situation, she tried to start up a conversation but most of the traders were speaking Hausa, a language she didn’t understand. After some minutes, she left the market and picked a cab to the train station at Rigasa. When she got in, she was told that the train had left the station and another was not due to leave till 5pm. She checked her time, it was just few minutes past 2pm, she couldn’t comprehend what they meant by her having to wait for another 3 hours before she could board the next train.
Maya: “so what you are telling me now is that I won’t see a train to Abuja right away?”
Station receptionist: “na so, aunty. Train never tey wey e leave and the next one go leave by 5pm, you fit sit down here wait for am”.
Maya: “you cannot be serious. I should wait here as if I don’t have a place to go. Nigeria is such a backward country, mehn. In the UK, you have trains moving like every minute. I mean what is so special about trains that one has to wait for almost 3 hours for it?”
Station attendant: “no vex, aunty. E never tey wey this train thing start to dey work again. With time we go get enough train. This government dey try walahi”.
Maya: “Oh fuck it”, she was getting angry. She saw the way the attendant cast her a shocking glance, she also saw other people turning to stare at her in the reception, she remembered what her father told her about using the ‘F word’ in public places in Nigeria especially in the north and she picked her box and ran out of reception.
She picked a cab that took her to the popular Abuja junction located in the southern part of Kaduna, there she boarded a car going to Abuja. She noticed that they were taking too long waiting for the car to get filled. She got impatient and called the driver from where he was eating at a local buka table close to his car.
Maya: “Driver, can you just come and start this car for God’s sake? This city is so hot, I can’t take the heat anymore mehn”.
Driver: “aunty, no vex. E remain 2 people wey go full the car so that we fit go. Na because na afternoon, passengers no dey too dey in the afternoon”.
Maya: “Just fuck it and get behind the wheel, I will pay for the empty spaces”.
Driver: “okay, aunty. Make I eat finish” he began to eat in a hurry. Maya got infuriated and when she heard a private vehicle shouting “Abuja Abuja” across the road, she got down and took her bag.
Driver: “aunty, come now I don finish eat be that”.
Maya: “Just forget it, I am going to follow that car”.
Driver: “No try am, na one chance vehicle be that o. It is not advisable to move in cars that are not from the garage and registered” he called after Maya who ran into the private vehicle without talking about the price. Two men and a lady were in the car when she joined them.
She reached into the back zip of her handbag and reached for her iPhone, it was not there, she checked and rechecked every corner in her bag. She remembered that the last time she had seen it was when she got down from the taxi and walked into the market. It could only mean one thing, a clever petty thief had dipped his or hand into her bag and removed the phone while she was squeezing her way in between the crowd in the market. She was still thinking of her phone when she felt the man sitting close to her tap her, she turned round and saw him holding a sharp knife, the other man on the other side covered her mouth and the driver diverted into the bush. She wanted to scream but the hand covered her mouth securely and she knew she was in big trouble, if only she had listened to the driver…
EPISODE 3 & 4
Mr Lanre and his family drove to the airport accompanied by Florence who was looking forward to meeting Maya, who looked very posh in pictures on social media. The driver was hurrying up to meet up in time, years of driving a military man around had taught him to meet up with time. Precision and orderliness was one thing he had learnt from his boss. Florence was looking at him from the rear mirror, she noticed that he was rather cute for his job. Dressed in a white neatly pressed shirt and navy blue trousers, he appeared more like a cooperate man than a driver. She tried to establish eye contacts with him but he appeared too glued to his driving to notice her. She picked up her phone and sent Naya a WhatsApp message.
Florence: “Babe, this una driver cute o”.
Naya: “And what is that supposed to mean? Are you crushing on my father’s driver?”
Florence: “relax Jor, you are always too serious. I am just telling you what I observed about him”.
Naya: “let it stop at observation. Don’t come and distract him with your eyes, I don’t want to die via accident”.
Florence: “ Lmao”, she chuckled.
Mrs Lanre who was conversing with her husband noticed that the two girls were exchanging chats and she smiled and shook her head. Mr Lanre cleared his throat, everywhere fell silent. His wife and daughter and driver knew that anytime he did that, it meant that he had something to say.
Mr Lanre: “What was that I heard your friend saying about some boy breaking your heart when I called you yesterday?”
Florence: “Sir, it is Naya o. One boy is just playing with her heart anyhow and she doesn’t want to dump him”.
Naya: “Florence! Ha, can’t you even cover me for once?”
Mr Lanre: “So, instead of you to concentrate on your studies, you are busy going out with men right?”
Naya: “Daddy, it is not so o. Don’t mind Florence”.
Mr Lanre: “Anyway, we will discuss all these when we get home with your sister”.
They arrived the airport about ten minutes earlier than the scheduled time. The airport since it was under renovation had arranged bus services that conveyed passenger from Kaduna airport to Abuja airport, it was more convenient for passengers, especially those who were new to Kaduna and those who couldn’t find their way around. When the bus arrived, Maya was not in. One by one the passengers came down and there was no sign of Maya.
Mrs Lanre: “My dear, why is she not here yet? Is there another car coming in?”
Mr Lanre: “I am not sure about that; I will have to ask them”. When he enquired if there was another car coming in, he was told there was none coming in for the day and that some passengers had opted to come in through the train so they could have the experience.
Naya: “But she ought to have told us if she was using the train. She should have at least told me. And why is she not replying her messages?” She asked with concern written on her face.
Mrs Lanre: “I have been trying to call her too and it says number switched off. Probably there is no network on the train”.
Mr Lanre: “Driver, do you know the train station?”
Driver: “Yes, sir. It’s in Kubwa, opposite Daughters of Charity hospital”.
Mr Lanre: “Fine, let’s go there and wait for her”.
They learnt that the train had arrived for some minutes and that most passengers had gone. When there was no sign of Maya, her father asked for the Manifest of the train’s trip from kaduna, they went through it and her daughter’s name was nowhere to be found.
Naya: “I don’t understand this, dad. She sent me a message on Facebook to tell me their plane had landed Kaduna airport. I tried to call her back immediately but her number has not been available. Something tells me my twiny is in trouble”.
Mrs Lanre: “Don’t say that, there is power in the tongue, I have always told you that”.
Mr Lanre: “keep your nerves still and let me make some calls. There is no need to start panicking”.
Florence looked on, not able to say a word and wondering why things had to go wrong just when she was ready to enjoy the company of the family. Often times she had been told that she had ill luck that always had its way of rubbing off on people, they could be right, she thought.
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They drove far into the Bush and then the driver stopped.
“Your money or your life”, he asked the frightened Maya who was shivering.
Maya: “I don’t have any money on me” She replied tearfully.
Man: “kai, no lie for me fa, I go just kill am for you. You don’t know me ko, I go just kill you trowey your body for here nothing go happen”.
Maya: “I have some few pounds with me, take it and also take my jewelries. That’s all I have, I usually don’t travel with cash”.
The men collected all that she had after ransacking her bag. “lie down, I want to do you “. He thundered.
Maya: “I beg your pardon? Say that again”.
Man: “You dey craze? I say I wan make love to you”
Maya: “Which love? Are we lovers? You want to rape me and you use love to cover it? Hell no, there’s no way I am going to allow you rape me”.
He suddenly grabbed her and cocked his gun to her skull and pulled the trigger. “Jesus!” Maya shouted and woke up with fright. She had fallen asleep shortly after entering the taxi. She remembered the details of her dream, reached for her phone in her bag but to her surprise it was not there. A sign that her dream may be a revelation of what may happen if she continued the journey with the people in the car.
“Pack the car here”, she suddenly shouted at the driver. The other passengers turned to stare at her but her face remained expressionless.
Maya: “I said park the car here, I want to ease myself”. She lied.
Driver: “I no fit park here o, this place na armed robbers and kidnappers den, anybody wey park for here, dem go attack the person”. He answered without slowing down or looking at her.
Maya looked up at him through the rear mirror and she thought she saw his mouth twitch; the same way she had seen the mouth of the driver twitch in the dream. When she locked eyes with him at the rear mirror, she saw him look quickly down. Her heart began to beat faster, she knew better than to take her dreams for granted, several times, she had ignored her dreams to her peril. She thought of jumping out of the car but it was an impossible mission considering the fact that she was sitting in between two people. She saw the notification of a military check point some few kilometers away and she knew that that was her chance to get out of the one chance vehicle she found herself in. As soon as they approached, she brought out her hand from the car and began to wave. The soldier man cocked his gun and ordered the driver to stop. Maya immediately got down from the car.
Maya: “Officer, please tell the driver to open his booth let me carry my box”.
Officer: “Why? Is there a problem?”
Maya: “I just don’t want to follow them again. The car is not well ventilated; I was almost choking in there”. she lied again.
The officer ordered the driver to open the booth and he complied immediately. He cast Maya a hateful glance when she carried her bag and she knew that she would have been in big trouble of she had not gotten out of the car.
She entered another car and in about an hour, she arrived Abuja. She was stranded, her parents had told her that they had relocated from the house they were living in when she went to London, she didn’t bother to get the address of the new house because she was sure that her father would come and pick her and take her home. She thought of calling to inform them that she was in Zuba park but she remembered that her phone had been stolen. She spoke to a good Samaritan in the park who allowed her use his phone and she called her father.
Maya: “Hello, dad, I am stranded in Zuba, I cannot call you, my phone was stolen, how do I locate my way home from here?”
Mr Lanre: “Maya! Goodness where have you been? You got us all worried”.
“Is that my daughter? Is that my twinnie?” Mrs Lanre and Naya chorused simultaneously. “She is the one”, he answered and put on his phone on loudspeaker. “Maya, tell us exactly where you are standing and what you are wearing, we will come and pick you from there”.
Maya: “Okay dad. I am in a poka dot black and white jumpsuit, I have a Versace Burberry bag in my hand and a size 3 ash colored Gucci box. I am standing at the front of one Clean Oil fuel station beside the Zuba garage”.
Mr Lanre: “Okay, just stay where you are, we will come pick you”.
While they were talking, someone in the car sent a text from a phone to some guys. “She is wearing a poka dot black and white jumpsuit, with a Versace Burberry bag in her hand and a size 3 ash colored Gucci box. She is standing at the front of one Clean Oil fuel station beside the Zuba garage. Go there and abduct her now, remember you have to be fast before we get there”. The person sent the text and smiled…
EPISODE 4
Maya stood under the sun for more than fifteen minutes waiting for her parents and her sister to pick her, it was a hot day and she was getting tired. She thought of calling back but she decided to exercise more patience since she was sure that her father would not intentionally keep her waiting. She raised her gaze and saw a silver colored Honda car pull up beside her. A man, dressed in a clean polo shirt and trouser and face cap walked up to her.
Man: “You are miss Maya, your father sent me to pick you, he was on his way here to pick you when he had a flat tire, he said I will see you standing here exactly the way you are dressed and carrying this bag. He told me to hurry up that you just arrived from London and must be very tired”. He took her box.
Maya: “Okay, I am so tired of standing here. When did my dad tell you this and who are you to him?”
Man: “A while ago. He told me that you called him to say you are stranded here and that he promised to come and pick you with your mum and Naya but for the flat tire they had. We will go and meet them up at home. I am the new driver”.
Maya: “Dad got a new driver without informing me? Anyway, I have been busy with my final exams and project, I guess that is why he didn’t want to disturb me with news of happenings at home. Let us go”.
Not up to five minutes after they drove off, Mr Lanre and his wife and daughter and Florence arrived. They drove to the front of the fuel station and they discovered that Maya was not there. Her father tried to call her but it was still switched off. “I thought she said she was standing at the front of this fuel station? Where is she again?”
Mrs Lanre: “Let us check very well, maybe she has gone to sit down under a shade because of this scorching sun”.
They got down and began to walk around checking for her all to no avail.
Naya: “But why won’t she just stay here and wait for us? This Maya will kill somebody with hypertension today”, she was getting worried and her parents could see the anxiety in her. There was a connection between the two twins such that if one was in trouble, another would begin to feel uncomfortable. Her parents had noticed this about them right from their infant days but they could not fathom what it was that bound them so closely together.
While they were walking about searching for Maya, one of those walking with them sent a text to the mysterious number. the message read: “Call him now and demand for ten million naira”.
Few minutes later, Mr Lanre’s phone began to ring. He brought out his phone and checked the screen, it was an unknown number calling. His wife quickly grabbed the phone from him when she heard it ring. When she heard that it was a man’s voice, she gave it back to her husband.
Mr Lanre: “Who is it?”
Man: “We have your beloved twin, Maya here with us. If you ever want to see her alive, make ready the sum of ten million naira in its dollar equivalent. We will tell you where to keep it. Contact us once the money is ready and if you ever talk to security operatives about this, we will kill her, cut her and serve you the mutilated body in a parcel, a word is enough for the wise”. The phone went off.
Mr Lanre: “Hello, who is there? Who are you and how am I sure that you have my daughter with you?” he discovered that the call had been dropped from the other end.
His wife, Naya, the driver and Florence all came around him when he was making the call. They knew from his tone that whatever the call was about had to do with Maya and they were worried because the expression on the face of Mr Lanre was not pleasant.
Mrs Lanre: “What is it? Who is the caller and what did he say?”
Naya: “daddy, where is my twinny? What did they say happened to her? I will kill myself if anything happens to her”.
“Sir, is Maya fine?” Florence and the driver asked simultaneously.
Mr Lanre: “Let us all get into the car, we will talk about this when we get home, Maya is at home already”. He lied to steady the nerves of his wife and Naya who were at the verge of going hysterical. His years in the military had taught him that in cases like this, it was not advisable to divulge sensitive information to everyone. All through the drive home, he tried to call back the number that had called him earlier but the number was switched off.
As soon as they got home, Naya ran upstairs to their room and there was no sign of her sister. She opened the rest room door and it was as she had left it when they left the house. She ran up to her parents who went to their room as soon as they got to the house.
“daddy, you said…”
His father ran up to her and held her tight. “Shhhhh, all will be well”.
Naya: “Daddy, what are you hiding from me, it is my twin sister we are talking about here”.
Mr Lanre: “I need you and my mother to be very strong okay. I promise that we would pull through this together”.
Mrs Lanre: “My dear, you have been saying this since we got into the house. Please tell me what has happened to my daughter, I am her mother, don’t I deserve to know?” turning to Naya, she said. “My dear, please tell your father to tell us what has happened to your sister. This suspense is killing us”.
Naya: “daddy, if you don’t tell me where my sister is right now, I am going down there to kill myself”.
Mr Lanre: “Okay, please be calm and nobody except those of us in this room must hear anything about this. Maya has been kidnapped and her abductors are asking for ten million naira”.
Naya: “Goodness me! I am finished!”
Mrs Lanre: “Jesu omo Oluwa! Mo gbe, moku, mo darun. Why me, Lord? I go to Church always, I pay my tithes, I help the poor so why me?”
Mr Lanre: “You all need to calm down, that is why I didn’t want to talk to you initially”.
Mrs Lanre: “Don’t tell me to calm down o, do you think I am you who is a former military man? I can’t believe that you heard that our daughter was kidnapped and yet you had to nerves to hold on until we got home”.
Naya: “daddy, I can’t understand this, she called to tell us that she was at the park in Zuba, so when and where was she kidnapped?”
Mr Lanre: “I am as confused as you are but we shall get to the bottom of this. I have been trying to call back the number but it was switched off”.
Mrs Lanre: “How do you intend to get to the bottom of this? The way kidnappers operate, they may kill her if we contact the police”.
Mr Lanre: “I am still thinking it through but one thing I am certain of is that I will get my daughter out of that place. I need you to keep this information to yourselves, let’s just pretend that our daughter is fine, who knows, the kidnappers may have an informant in the house”.
He dismissed them and went into the bathroom to freshen up, he was going to have a cold water bath, being under the shower with cold water running over his head had a way of making him feel better and think clearer.
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Florence ran up to Naya as soon as she got into the room.
Florence: “Babe, I saw the way you ran up to your father’s room when we got here. Is anything the problem?”
Naya: “erm yes, I mean no. there is no problem. I went to tell him something that I had forgotten to tell him earlier in the day”.
Florence: “What about Maya? She is supposed to be here already”.
Naya: “Oh that, she is fine, she arrived already”.
Florence: “Why is she not here then?”
Naya: “She would soon be here”, she tried to conceal the tears that was forming in her eyes and went into the bathroom to turn on the shower and cry under it.
====
As soon as they drove a few distance away, a man jumped out of the booth and blind folded Maya. She was driven to a secluded part of the city and pushed into an uncompleted hut in the middle of a forest. Her abductor brought out his phone to dial her parents for further instruction and to intimate his informant in the house where they were keeping her hostage. Unknown to them, Maya had a tracking device in her handbag, it was one of the things that were provided by the university when she won an award for academic excellence and they were encouraged to take it up with them anywhere they go. All she needed to do was turn it on and type her father’s number on it, the tracker would automatically send a message to her father’s number disclosing her address. She tried to move from the chair she was tied on but it was difficult, she knew that she had to reach out for her bag across the room but yet she had to be very careful without risking being caught.
EPISODE 5 & 6
Maya knew that she was in a dicey situation and she knew that she had to do something fast to send her father signals about her location. She had tried to move the chair she was tied on to no avail. Her hands were so securely tied behind the chair that she could not even lift it an inch. She began to think of strategies to use to get the attention of the guard who was sitting outside and smoking. She had heard the driver who abducted her talking in low tones with the man after which he had disappeared. She wondered where he had gone to, probably to get the ransom she heard him talk about from her father. She knew that her father would provide them the needed ransom if need be but she would be damned if she allowed these illiterates cheat her father of his hard earned money without putting to use the tracking device that she had brought all the way from London. An idea struck her head and she decided to try it out, doing anything was way better than sitting and not doing anything at all. She began to cough and gasp for air, she thought it would attract the man’s attention but she was wrong. He was obviously carried away with his drinking and he didn’t even look her way. She increased the tempo of the cough and intensified her game. She began to jerk and move the chair as if she was going to fall off with it.
“Hey, wetin dey do you for there? You be imbecile?” he barked causing her to startle.
Maya: “I…I…”, she started coughing harder as one having a seizure.
Man: “Talk, jare. Abi you be witch? No die yet o, wait until your papa pay us before you die. All these ajebo children wey no strong so”.
Maya: “I am having an attack”.
Man: “Which attack? Which animal dey there dey attack you? Abi you don dey mad?”
Maya: “Asthma attack, if I don’t use my inhaler now, I will just die in few minutes”.
Man: “Where the inhaler dey?” he was obviously getting fooled by the act that she was putting up.
Maya: “In my bag, no my box. In fact, I don’t know where it is”.
Man: “You go die be that for here if you don’t know where it is”.
Maya: “Please have mercy on me, see, I am sure that my father will not hesitate to pay you the money once he hears my voice. If I die, he will never give you the money and he will inform his military people who would fish you out and bring you to face the law after all he has nothing to lose again. So, allow me look for the inhaler and you will soon be a millionaire courtesy of my father”.
Man: “Tell me where the inhaler dey make I bring am for you”.
Maya: “You will not see it. Just allow me and I will find it in few seconds”.
The man got up from where he was seated. He knew that he had to release her, after all he had nothing to gain if he allowed her die before they got hold of the money. His staying out to smoke was his way of dealing with the fear that was creeping in on him after he had gotten himself involved in the shaddy deal. This was the first time he was participating in a kidnap deal and he promised himself that he would set up a legitimate business with the money he would make from it and that the first was certainly going to be his last. He untied her hands and went back to the door backing the entrance. She seized the opportunity and reached for the tracking device in her car, it was a new innovation from the best graduating student of Engineering in her university some years ago when she had just secured admission into the university newly. The university had waged into the innovation and with the right capital and environment, the project had seen the light of the day. She turned it on, dialed her father’s number and watched as the command initialized, she was hoping that the command would be sent to her father before the battery went off. At its request, she turned on her GPRS setting and this enabled the tracking device to access her location and send to her father alongside her phone number and the details with which she had registered the number before she left Nigeria. She heaved a sigh of relief when she saw the green pass mark, signaling that the alert had been sent to her father.
“You never inhale finish?” the man barked causing her to jump with fright and causing the tracker to fall off from her hand.
“Wetin be this?” the man asked as he sprang into the hut and snatched the tracking device from her hand.
Maya: “Its my tra…erm, my inhaler”.
Man: “You think say I be mumu ba? No be bomb be this? Even though I no go school, I no as bomb dey be. So you wan set time bomb for this place abi? Okay na, your plans no go work”. He threw the device on the ground and crushed it under his feet, shattering it. Hot tears began to flow from Maya’s eyes. In her inner most hearts, she prayed that the device had been able to send the signal to her father before it was crushed.
====
Mr Lanre was trying to contact a private investigator he knew for professional advice on how to go about the kidnap of his daughter when his phone beeped. He picked it eagerly and it was the kidnapper.
Man: “Do you have the money ready now?”
Mr Lanre: “I cannot think of getting any money when I have not heard my daughter’s voice. How am I even sure that you have her and that you are not playing pranks with me?”
Man: “Mr man, are you trying to play smart with me? Do you know that I have the powers to kill your daughter right away?”
Mr Lanre: “I am not trying to play smart. All I ask for is, allow me speak to my daughter, that way I will be sure that she is there with you and then I will run around to get money and make it available wherever you want to pick it”.
Man: “Okay, I will give your daughter the phone, remember, if you get the police or any security agency involved in this, your daughter is dead”.
Mr Lanre: “I know that too well”
The man ran back to the hut where Maya was kept and brought the phone to her ear. “Say something to your father”, he shouted at her.
Maya: “I will be fine, daddy. Innovation by an engineering student that I told you about, watch out signal”.
Mr Lanre: “Baby, hold on and stay strong, you will be fine. Okay?”
The man collected the phone from her hand. She didn’t know if her father would be able to decode the coded things she told him about the tracker but she hoped that being the intelligent former military personnel that he was, he would be able to add one and one together and understand what she was trying to tell him.
After the call went off, Mr Lanre began to think of what his daughter had meant by what she had said to him on phone. He knew that she had said those few words because she didn’t want to give what she was saying away to her abductors. “Whatever it was that she said must be something that can help her. But, I cannot even think of a thing right now”.
His phone beeped and he cursed under his breathe. “The damn kidnappers won’t allow me rest”. He picked it up and saw that it was a link from an unknown application. He thought of clicking on the link but he was afraid of clicking the wrong link. Suddenly, the coded words that his daughter has said to him struck, he remembered her talking about a student engineer who had invented a tracking device and she had promised to bring it home anything she was coming into the country. “Could it be the signal from the tracker that she was talking about?” he quickly clicked on the link on his phone and because the network was very poor, it took a long while before it opened. It read:
“Location: Kambal Forest, 45 kilometers away from Zuba, East of Doka, North of the Krakau train track. Time sent: 4:10pm.”
Mr Lanre: “Amazing! This is superb! I know where my daughter is. He quickly picked up his car keys and drove himself to the Police Force Headquarters at Edet Lois house. he didn’t trust his driver to drive him there, apart from his wife and daughter, experience had taught him never to trust anyone in cases like this. He was going to inform the police so they could storm the forest and rescue his daughter, he meant business and there was no going back.
*Truly compelling?
EPISODE 6
Mr Lanre was given a team of police men and two vans to go in search of his daughter. He also laid a complain at the military headquarters and being a former military man, he was given some armed military men to go with the police men into the forest. He insisted on following them to the forest but the security personnel declined.
Police man: “sir, you have to return home and wait for us to return with your daughter. You don’t have to follow us there, these people may be armed and it may get bloody”.
Mr Lanre: “I am not afraid of blood, I am a former military man”.
Policeman: “but now you are retired, there is the need to take precaution”.
Mr Lanre: “Retired but not tired. I need to see the bastards that had the guts to kidnap my daughter right under my nose. Besides, the google map on my phone will be very helpful in tracking the location”. He was able to convince them and they allowed him follow them based on his former military achievements and records.
====
The other kidnapper returned to where they were keeping Maya hostage and he saw pieces of the shattered tracking device. He knew that the pieces had not been there when they came in to hide Maya and he began to fidget. He called in the other guard who was still outside smoking to keep his wrecking nerves together.
Kidnapper: “What is this? Who crushed this thing here?”
Man: “I don’t know what it is but I am the one who crushed it”.
Kidnapper: “What are you saying? Where did you get it from?”
Man: “E be like say na bomb o. I catch this girl dey press am na im I collect am break am make she no come bomb us for here. You know as all these children wey school for abroad dey behave”.
Kidnapper: “What! You mean she had this thing in her hand when we brought her here? How comes we didn’t see it even though we dragged her on the floor from the car to this place?”
Man: “No, she been no hold am for hand that time”.
The main kidnapper was getting confused and infuriated. He didn’t know what to make of what the other man was saying. He charged at him and grabbed him on the shirt, pinning him to the wall and choking him. “Are you trying to double cross me? What is this supposed to mean? How did this thing come in here, are you working against me? You had better not because I will not hesitate to cut off your head and feed it to the vultures. The last time I checked, this girls hands and feet were tied to the chair the way she is now, so, how comes she got that?”
Man: “I am not double crossing you, I can never do that. She was having an asthmatic attack and I had to release her to look for her inhaler. Then I caught her pressing this thing and then I had to crush it because I think say na bomb, I never ready to die”.
Kidnapper: “You released what? Oh my God!”
Man: “Let me go, you are choking me”. The man released him and he fell to the ground panting and holding on to his neck.
Kidnapper: “Something is fishy here, I don’t know what this is but whatever it is, I know that it won’t favour us. Why didn’t you tell me about this immediately I came back?”
Man: “I been don break the thing now, na only the things wey I no fit handle na im I go tell you about”.
The kidnapper’s fist clenched and he threw a punch at the man. “I am the leader here, it is your duty to alert me of any development. If you dare attempt to play smart with me, I kick your ass out. We have to think of ways of moving her out of here, I smell something fishy brewing. I will go and get the car from where I parked it some long distance away from here so as to avoid any suspicion. Meanwhile, you stay here with her and keep an eye on her, that is your job”. He cast a sternly gaze at Maya who was listening to their conversation and walked away.
Man: “Wetin him mean by say something fishy dey smell? Shey dem wan catch us ne? Maybe na style him take do run seff, so that they go come catch me here. That no go happen, my mama go just faint if she hear say I join kidnappers. Make I go sit down for on top one tree dey observe as things dey happen around here”. He turned to Maya, “And you, shey you know say na you cause all these wahala for me? Now oga don dey vex say I no do my work well and that fit affect my share if your mugu papa pay. I dey go sit down on top tree for outside, if I hear pim, you don die be that. I dey there dey watch you for 3D so better respect yourself”. He grabbed his packet of cigarette and walked out. Maya couldn’t even say a word or plead for mercy because she had been blindfolded and her mouth sealed by the main kidnapper before he went out. “If only I can see and talk, I would have seduced this chicken hearted kidnapper or even struck a deal with him so that he will get paid some amount if he let me go”, she thought.
====
Navigating their way around the forest was a difficult task for the security operatives who were not willing to relent in their quest to arrest the kidnappers and free their victim. They were trained to persevere no matter the situation and for them success was a necessity and not an option. Mr Lanre was with them, he had a bullet proof jacket on him and his blood boiled as he reminisced on his younger days when he had led troops to war zones and battles as a gallant military man.
The kidnapper that had gone to pick the car was about starting the car to drive back to where Maya was kept and take her to another location when he saw dust rising some few kilometers ahead of him. He raised his head and stretched his ears, nobody was expected at that forest that day because it was a hide out for kidnappers that was not known to security operatives.
The other kidnapping group were on break and so he had that week to himself, they had mapped out time tables on the usage of that part of the forest so as not to attract unnecessary attention to that hide out as security operatives had taken over their other hide outs. He tried to start the car but a bullet whizzed at him and shattered his side view mirror, causing him to lose balance. The car keys fell off from his hands and he knew that bending down to pick it and driving away in the car was going to give him away. He knew that whoever had shot the gun was an enemy who was clearly after him. He had no time to waste and the first rule in their kidnapping business was to stay alive and escape before thinking of the safety of the victim. He got under the car and crawled out through the other door. He continued to crawl on his chest for some minutes and when he thought the coast was clear, he got up and sprang on his feet. “Stop there!” he heard a voice scream and a gun cork. He ignored and continued to run away.
“I say stop there before I fire, stop now!”
Kidnapper: “ekelebe must not see me catch”, he shouted and continued to run”.
The police man shot the gun on his leg and he fell down in pains. “Na true them talk say one day monkey go go market e no go come back o”, he shouted as the they picked him up and dumped him in their van.
Kidnapper: “My leg o, help me o. The pain is too much”.
Under duress and with the pain from the bullet lodged in his legs, he lead them to the hurt where they were keeping Maya hostage.
“Freeze there!” the man who was on top of the fridge heard. He opened his eyes in fright, he had fallen into a deep slumber while he was keeping watch over the hut from on top the tree. He looked around and saw security operatives with guns pointing at him. He thought of escaping, forgetting that he was up a tree. He lost balance, fell down with a thud and broke his neck and died instantly.
Mr Lanre and other policemen moved into the room and untied Maya who was all sweat and tears. Mr Lanre turned to the kidnapper who was shot on the leg. “I know that you couldn’t have adopted my daughter so easily without an informant from my house. So, tell me who sent you and I will allow you go without pressing charges”.
Kidnapper: “I was sent by your …”
EPISODE 7 & 8
Mr Lanre: “will you open your mouth and talk before the security men take you away?”
Kidnapper: “Sir, please have mercy on me. My leg dey pain me, no allow me die like this. This na the first time wey I dey do this business and I promise say I no go ever do am again”.
Mr Lanre: “I am a man of my words, my word is my bond. So I give you my word, tell me who sent you and I will allow you go afterall you didn’t harm my daughter in anyway. If you don’t, I will make sure that you languish in jail, it is a promise”.
Kidnapper: “Okay, sir. I go talk, he saw the expression on the face of Mr Lanre and he knew that he meant business. “Na, Florence bring the deal come”.
Mr Lanre: “Florence, who is called by that name? are you sure you are telling the truth? None of my relations and domestic staff bear that name”.
Kidnapper: “Na her name be that. She said she was with you people when your daughter called to tell you where she was standing and where you would pick her. She told us to hurry and pick her up before you got to her and she was the one who said we should demand for 10 million naira because you can afford the money”.
Mr Lanre: “It was just I, my wife, my twin and the driver that was in the car that day. Wait a minute, my daughter’s friend was there with us in the car, she had followed her home from school. Florence, yeah, that is her name. But she looks so innocent, how can she do a thing like this? No, that is not possible” he turned to the security men who were waiting for him to finish talking with the man so they could take him away. “Take him away, I need to get to the bottom of this, I don’t believe this guy. I will see you at the station tomorrow”.
Kidnapper: “Ah, oga have mercy on me. I have told you the truth, you promised me that you will not press charges if I tell you the truth, you said you are a man of your words, abeg pity me. Police go show me pepper for their station”.
Mr Lanre ignored him and got into one of the vans with Maya who was beginning to feel dizzy. The other van returned to the station with the kidnapper.
====
Florence was getting jittery in the house, it had been more than hour since she was updated by the kidnappers and she wondered what the problem could be. She had tried to reach them but their number was switched off, this was not surprising because she had told them to switch off their phones so as to avoid their calls being tracked. Naya noticed her getting restless and she was wondering what the problem was.
Naya: “What is the problem with you? You haven’t been yourself for sometimes now”.
Florence: “What, me? She?” she asked suspiciously, she had thought that she had been concealing her acts well, she was therefore shocked that her restlessness had given her away.
Naya: “Don’t lie to me, I know you very well and I know when you are restless. So, what is it? The way you are even acting, one would think you are anxious about something”.
Florence: “I am just worried about my mother, I heard she is feeling feverish”. She lied.
Naya: “oh, I am so sorry to hear that. Don’t get too worked up, she will be fine”.
Florence: “I guess I will have to rush to Suleja to see her since it is obvious that your sister is no longer coming home today”.
Naya: “Why this suddenly and how are you sure that my sister will not return home today? Anyway, wait for my father to return home so that he can instruct his driver to take you home and give you some money. I am sure your parents would be needing some provisions and you would have to take your mother to the hospital, you need money to do that”.
Florence: “Don’t worry, just bring whatever money your father gives me to school, I will get it from you there”.
Naya moved closed to her and threw her hands over her shoulder. “Why the rush? You were so excited about meeting my twinny, so why are you rushing out before she even gets here?”
Florence: “I don’t understand the way my body is doing me, let me not come and stay here and hear that my mother is dead”, she lied again. She disengaged from Naya’s hold, took her bag and left the room.
“And where are you going with your bag?” Mr Lanre who was just coming into the sitting room asked Florence who became too startled for words”.
Florence: “I…wr, erm…”
Mr Lanre: “Yes, can’t you talk?”
Naya who heard her father’s voice from her room ran down the stairs and screamed when she saw her twin sister standing behind her father.
Naya: “Oh my God, Maya is back, thank God! I missed you so much twinny? Hope you are fine? Hope those kidnappers didn’t hurt you?” she asked as she hugged her sister and turned her around.
Maya: “I am fine, no they didn’t hurt me. I will tell you everything that happened, just allow me rest a little and freshen up, then we can gist all night”.
Mr Lanre: “Naya, who is this?” he asked pointing at Florence who wished that the ground would open and swallow her.
Naya: “Ah-an, daddy. This is my friend and roommate now”.
Mr Lanre: “What did you say her name is again?”
Naya: “Florence, now daddy. What are all these questions about? This is not the first time you are meeting her”.
Mr Lanre: “You call this devil a friend? You should be glad that God revealed her true colour to you before it became too late”.
Naya: “I don’t understand you, sir”.
Mr Lanre: “Your friend here is the one behind the kidnap of your twin sister”.
Naya: “Oh my God! No, this is not happening. She was so looking forward to meeting Maya. Florence tell me this is not true”.
Florence: “I am sorry; it is the work of the devil. I had so many financial challenges and I was tired of depending on you for everything I need in school. I wanted to make some money for myself so that I can move out of your room in school so you can have your privacy”.
Naya: “And the best way was to kidnap my own sister? God! What did my family ever do to offend you? Have I ever complained to you that you were inconveniencing me in anyway? Was I not the one who asked you to come in and live with me when I saw the way the girl you were squatting with was embarrassing you? If you have financial issues, why didn’t you talk to me or my parents about it?”
Florence: “For how long will I continue to bother you with my problem? Do you know how inferior I feel standing beside you in school? Everyone knows I am from a very poor home and that without you, I won’t survive. When I got in here and saw the way you live in affluence, I had to act fast to make some money of my own. The worst thing that can happen to anybody is to be born into a poor background where you will constantly be an object of mockery and reproach among your peers”.
Maya: “You mean this is your friend? Is this the type of friends you people keep in Nigeria? Oga o. Let me do and go back to where I am coming from abeg”.
Mr Lanre: “That you were born without a silver spoon is not enough reason for you to embrace crime. In fact, I was born without any spoon in my mouth at all. I rose to the position where I am by prayers, hard work and dedication. If these worked for me, it will work for you too”.
Florence fell on her knees and held on the feet of Maya and Naya, wetting them with her tears.
Florence: “Please forgive me, I will never do this again. I am sorry, it is the work of the devil. Please don’t persecute me for the sake of the friendship we share. I know that your father listens to whatever you tell him, please plead with him on my behalf”. She pleaded amidst tears.
*Getting more compelling?
EPISODE 8
Naya: “No no, just leave me alone. Pack your things and leave my house and I want you gone out of my room in school before I get there. In fact, you have packed your bag already so just get out and get out of our lives forever.”
Florence: “No, please don’t do this, you know that we have come a long way, how can I cope in school without your support? Do you want me to withdraw at this level?”
Naya: “It is none of my business what happens to your education after now. You ought to have thought of all these before allowing the devil to use you according to what you said. So, please just leave”.
Florence looked up to Maya, pleading with her eyes. Maya grabbed her feet and walked away, leaving her on her knees.
Florence: “Mummy…”, she turned to Mrs Lanre.
Mrs. Lanre: “eh-ehn, don’t you dare mummy me. No daughter of mine will behave this way”.
Mr Lanre: “What are we even doing here wasting our time. Officers, please take her away and let the law take its cause”.
Florence: “No! please, sir. Temper justice with mercy. Have pity on me, it is the devil’s work. Just allow me go and I will never come close to any member of your family again”.
Naya was touched when she saw Florence crying. She had heard stories of how people suffer in Police cell and she couldn’t bear to see Florence whom she had come to regard as a sister suffer that much. She also knew that Florence’s mother suffered from serious high blood pressure and she couldn’t help but imagine how her health would be affected when she discovers that her daughter was in cell for kidnapping related offences.
“Daddy, please”, Naya knelt before her father and held his knees.
Mr Lanre: “What is it?”
Naya: “Please, don’t press charges against her, just allow her go”.
Mr Lanre: “And why would I do that?”
Naya: “For the sake of her hypertensive mother. Something terrible may happen to her when she finds out that her daughter is in cell. And we are already in 200 level, sending her to cell will make her abandon her studies and I don’t want to be associated with the reason why her dreams were aborted. Let us forgive her and let her go her way, please dad. Thank God my sister is here and fine, we should just allow God judge this case. That is what you have always thought us your children”.
Mr Lanre: “This is a different case. If you don’t allow the law take its cause with criminals, they will continue dwelling in crime.”
Naya: “I know, dad but just temper justice with mercy”, turning to Maya who was coming back to the sitting room, she said. “twinny, add your voice to mine and plead with dad”.
Maya: “Daddy, I think you should listen to my sister. Just allow her go and let her go and pack her things and leave my sister’s house. I don’t want you to persecute her now and before you know her gang in school will come and attack my sister. The worst thing is that because we are identical, they may also come after me.”
Mr Lanre looked at the two girls who were standing before him. They looked so much alike that one could easily mistake one for the other. He remembered that for years after their bath, he could not make out their differences, he used to call any by any name. The only person who could tell their difference was their mother, nobody knew how she was able to do that. Even their nanny and domestic staff could not tell them apart. The worst was at school, their teachers were never able to differentiate them and in most cases, Naya who was the quiet and reserved one got punished for the offences of her sister. Mr Lanre loved them so much, more than his life and he knew that he could gladly give up his life any day for them to live. They were all he had. For almost ten years after he married his wife, she had been unable to conceive even though they had visited different hospitals within and outside the country and even patronized spiritual homes and solution centers all to no avail. When she did conceive, she had lost three pregnancies at the second trimester and after the third incidence, she had given up hope on ever carrying her child. He had withstood the pressure from his people to take on another wife who would give him as much children as he wanted, being a military man with his training, withstanding such pressure was no big deal for him. Then the twins arrived, their bundle of joy. He was away in Liberia leading a peace keeping troupe there when a telegram was sent that his wife had given birth to two cute girls who looked very much alike. For the remaining months he remained in Liberia, he dreamt of his girls daily and when he returned and saw them, it was like he had one child in two bodies. He had fallen in love with them right away and since then all that he had done was geared at pleasing them and giving them the best of everything in life. They knew this and they adored their father, he was their hero.
“Daddy, please now”, the voice of the twins brought him back from his reverie. There were on his side, one holding his right hand and the other squeezing his left. “Okay, fine. You have it. I will call them to release her right away, I am sure they have not even gotten to the station.”
“Dad, put that call through now,” they chorused simultaneously. They had the habit of saying similar things at the same time and their mother often wondered if this was one of the characteristics of identical twins.
Mr Lanre called the leader of the operation who was in the van that took Florence away and in no time, she was released.
She returned back to school and packed her things out of the house she lived in with Naya.
====
Some days later, Naya returned to school from home and discovered that Florence had packed her things and moved out of the house. “Well, good riddance to bad rubbish”, she said and proceeded to cleaning her room which was dusty after staying without an occupant for days. She ran into Florence when she went to lectures the next day. Florence almost walked past her, ignoring her until Naya stopped her.
Naya: “Na wa o! Didn’t you see me?”
Florence: “So what if I saw you? How does that stop me from going to where I am going?”
Naya: “At least we can greet, say a word, anything.”
Florence: “Me, greet you? For what? After the humiliation you caused me in your father’s house? Greet indeed!.”
Naya: “I didn’t humiliate you and you know that. If you had not gotten yourself involved in that kidnapping mess, by now we would have still been best of friends and nothing would have changed”.
Florence: “Oh yeah, shout it so that everybody in this school will know that I am now a kidnapper. Rubbish!”
Naya: “Anyway, where do you leave now? I am worried about your safety.”
Florence: “I don’t know how that is any of your business. Anyway, I leave with my boyfriend in town”.
Naya: “Florence!”.
Florence: “Abeg, abeg, I don’t have time for too much talk. Time is money, excuse me.” She hissed and left Naya astonished.
====
Philip: “Florence, what are you doing here by this time of the day? I mean you are my girlfriend’s friend and roommate and you should not visit me this late before people will start gossiping”.
Florence: “Biko Philip, Naya is not my friend again and we don’t live together anymore. So cut that crab.”
Philip: “Why? What happened? Last time I heard about you two was that you were following her home.”
Florence: “Long story. Besides, I know that Naya and you are not in good terms. She told me she caught you with a girl and so she dumped you, the silly girl that she is. She will not allow you touch her and yet she will not allow another person give it to you, useless girl.”
Philip: “What bullshit are you vomiting about my girl? Say what you have to say and use the door, like I don’t know that you are one of the people gingering Naya to dump me.”
Florence: “I want you”, she rolled her tongue, undid the robe of the loose kimono she was wearing, revealing her pink pant and bare boobs.”
Philip: “Philip’s eyes popped out as he was staring at the goodies offered him on a platter of gold.
Somewhere on the next street, Naya was on bike coming to Philip’s house, she was coming there to spend the night with him, the very first time she was ever going to do a thing like that.
*Is this heightening your interest?
EPISODE 9 & 10
Philip: “What is all these? Why are you standing here naked? Please put your clothes back on”.
Florence: “Stop acting like you are not interested, Philip. That’s how you deceived us all into thinking that you are born again whereas you like the thing die”.
Philip: “I like which thing?” he was surprised at her courage.
Florence: “Sex, now. Was that not what you were doing with Miss Campus the day Naya came and met you with her?”
Philip: “Oh please, just get out of my house, I am certainly not interested in you. I don’t do girls who betray their friends”.
Florence drew close to him and touched him gently on the arm while rubbing her already hardened nipples on his body. “I know that Naya never allowed you to touch her and I know that you have been asking her for sex. Here I am, I will give it to you anyhow you want no matter how long you want it. Can’t you see that I have always had eyes for you ever since I came to this school?”
Philip: “All I can see is you putting on your clothes and walking out that door now”. He picked the kimono from the floor and shoved it on her. Get out of my house before I throw you out with your nakedness. 1,2, 3!”
Florence saw from his countenance that he was serious about throwing her out and she quickly put on her Kimono. “Fine, I will leave. You don’t have to shout. You don’t even know what you are missing. This body that people will pay anything to see is the one I have offered freely and you are rejecting. Shior!”
Philip: “Just get out please”. He pushed her out and locked the door. “God, I almost fell for those boobs, goodness!”
He went to his bed and continued to play his Zuma game on his laptop. Few minutes later, a knock came on his door. “Ohhh, not again. I thought I told this girl to leave me alone?”
He opened the door and was surprised to see Naya in standing at the door.
Naya: “What are you staring at? Won’t you allow me in again?”
Philip: “Is this a set up or something? Did you send her here to come and test me?”
Naya: “Send who? What are you talking about?”
Philip: “Anyway, never mind”, he left the door and went in and she followed him in shutting the door behind her.
Naya: “I am sorry the way my friend spoke to you on phone that day. I was very angry and she capitalized on it to talk to you anyhow”.
Philip: “Will you believe me if I tell you that my drink was drugged and I didn’t even know what I was doing with Miss Campus the day you met us romancing on the bed?”
Naya: “I didn’t ask for any explanations so just save it. I am actually here because I couldn’t sleep in my house. Ever since I started living alone, I have been finding it very difficult to sleep in the night. I am not used to sleeping alone in the room, I have always had my twinie with me and that is why when I got this admission, I had to look for someone to stay with me. I am going to sleep here and then leave very early tomorrow morning”.
Philip: “That is fine by me, I just thought you deserve to know what happened”.
Naya went into the bathroom and changed into her silk nightie. She got on the bed and covered herself with a blanket. She was finding it difficult to fall asleep because she was not used to sleeping in a man’s house, this was the first time she was ever going to sleep with a man on the same bed and she was afraid. She had worn a denim bum short under her night dress as a way of resisting any unwanted intrusion. She noticed that Philip was tossing around on the bed and she became worried of whatever it was that was running through his head. “I have to look for another roommate so that I can start sleeping in my room”, she thought.
Philip was very uncomfortable, his urge for sex had been awakened by Florence’s naked body and he thought this was not a good night for Naya to come to him. He had a weakness only him knew about it. He could not stay close to a woman for long without being sexually aroused. He felt his hands stretching towards Naya but he retrieved it before it touched her, he was afraid of what her reaction would be. Again he found his hand moving her way and this time around he touched her, he expected her to recoil as usual but she didn’t. He interpreted it as a good sign and continued to touch her.
“What is it now? Can’t you keep your hands to your body?” she asked.
Philip: “Baby, I am a man, it is not as easy as you think”.
Naya: “What is not easy? Were you touching any woman before I got here? So because I came to sleep in your house, you want to touch me? If you will not allow sleep in your house, just tell me, it is not too late for me to go back to my house”.
Philip: “Don’t talk like this, now. Can we at least do it once? You have been keeping me for too long”.
Naya: “I have told you several times that I will not do sex before marriage. If you love me enough, you will wait till we get married”.
Philip: “Please, bae”.
Naya: “Don’t please me. We can kiss, we can romance but doing the main thing, no way!”
Philip: “Kissing and romancing is not the main thing”.
Naya: “In fact, that is all I can do for you. Since you don’t want it, good night and I promise that after today, you will never see me in your house again”.
Philip: “No now, okay I am sorry”. He noticed that she had covered herself with her blanket, signaling the end of their discussion.
====
Maya went into her parents’ room early that morning. She had decided to return to live permanently in the UK and she wanted to inform her parents about it.
Maya: “Good morning, dad and mum”.
Mr Lanre: “Morning, my dear. Hope you slept well?”
Mrs Lanre: “Morning, sweetheart”.
Maya: “Dad and mum, l will like to go back to the UK next week. I just thought of informing you before I book my return ticket”.
Mr Lanre: “But why? I thought you have concluded your studies there? Why do you need to go back there again?”
Maya: “Dad, I am not just feeling this country, the experience I had when I got in here is not pleasant at all”.
Mrs Lanre: “My dear, this is your country and you have no other place to call home. You and your sister are all that me and your father have. Please stay with us”.
Mr Lanre: “Your mother is right. I am sure very soon you will be mobilized for your compulsory national youth service corps and you have to do that here in Nigeria. We all can always fly to London for holidays, I don’t want you to go and settle there”.
Mrs Lanre: “Yes, and after service, you will get married and give me all the children that I would have loved to have”.
Maya: “I don’t know, dad but I will have to think about this”.
=====
Philip woke up around 4am that morning and went into the restroom to ease himself. When he got back, he tapped Naya gently on the shoulder, he wanted to inform her to be careful about Florence and tell her about what had transpired between him and Florence the previous day. He called twice and there was no response.
Philip: “Are you still angry with me? I am sorry, now. Oya answer me please”, still there was no response. He shook her but she was lying still. He bent close to her and noticed that she had stopped breathing.”Yaay, I am in trouble. Naya has died in my room. I am finished!” he exclaimed as he began to pace up and down for loss of what to do.
*Getting more interesting!
EPISODE 10
Philip called his friend who stayed in the next apartment close to him and pleaded with him to come to his aid. Malik came to the room and was surprised to find Naya lying on the bed.
Malik: “What is this? Why did you call me at this time of the day? Do you want us to have a threesome or something?”, he winked at Philip and cast a lustful glace at Naya supposed sleeping figure.
Philip: “She is dead!”
Malik: “What! You killed her or something? Did you take Viagra or something?”
Philip: “I didn’t even touch her, I just decided to wake her up and tell her something and then she was dead. You are the only one who can help me”. Malik excused himself and went out to where he packed the car that his politician father had bought for him when he secured admission. He was one of the biggest boy on campus and stories had it that his father could use his influence and money to get him out of any trouble, that was one of the reasons why Philip had opted to use him to get himself out of the mess he found himself in.
Malik returned carrying a knife, it was nothing close to what Philip had expected. He had expected him to return with a sac or at best a better way of disposing the body but what he saw in the hand of his friend was a long knife, the type used in butchering cows.
Philip: “This long knife? What do we need this for?”
Malik: “Are you sure that you are not a psycho? What else but to butcher this meat on your bed?”
Philip: “Malik, please. Let’s do it another way, Naya’s body doesn’t deserve to be mutilated. She was such a nice girl. Besides, cutting up her body will go a long way to implicate us. If we ever get caught, the police will think we killed her and then butchered her body”.
Malik: “Okay, you have a point there. So, what should we do now?”
Philip: “Let us wrap the body and go and throw it away in the river or the forest opposite the university’s annex campus”.
Malik: “Good idea, but how are we going to carry the body from this place to where we will throw it away without getting caught?”
Philip: “We will wrap it up and put it in the boot of your car and drive it there”.
Malik: “Hell no, not my car. If I ever get caught, they will frame me up as the murderer”.
The two guys became engrossed in different thoughts, each thinking of the easiest ways to dispose the corpse. Malik seem worried, he wished that he had not even gotten involved in the first place. “Okay, this is what we will do. We will take the body and take it outside your room and leave it there”. Malik suggested.
Philip: “Outside my room? But won’t that be suspicious? Why my room?”
Malik: “That is the best way to eliminate you out of the people that will be suspected because the Police will believe that if you had killed her, you wouldn’t have had the guts to leave the corpse in front of your room. In fact, let’s keep her under the stairs. That secluded corner opposite your room”.
Philip: “Sounds like a better idea”.
Malik: “Let’s do it then, we are taking too long on this matter”.
They quietly opened the door and carried her body out to secluded corner under the stairs. The lodge was a two storey building occupied by students. It was a weekend and most of its occupants were yet to return from their weekend gate away. Having helped his friend to get rid of the corpse, Malik returned to his room and went to bed immediately. He knew that it the next day was going to be a long day and he needed to get all the sleep he could.
====
The next morning, Maya left the house to go and visit her sister in the school, Naya had told her during their chats the previous day that she was lonely and was finding it difficult to sleep alone in her house ever since Florence moved out. Her father had instructed the driver to take her to the school as early as 7am that morning so that they could beat the early morning traffic on the city center before taking the route to her school.
The driver took her to Naya’s lodge, locating the lodge was not a problem for him as he had several times brought her to school from home upon resumption. Maya knocked on the door, she knew that her sister would be pleasantly surprised at her coming in to see her that early in the morning, Maya thought that she would follow her to her morning lecture so that she could have an experience of what lectures were like in Nigerian tertiary institutions.
“Excuse me, please”, Maya said to a lady who occupied the apartment next to her sister’s.
Lady: “Naya o, this one that you are knocking on your door this early morning, did you forget your key somewhere?”
Maya: “Erm, I am sorry but this is not Naya. I am her twin sister”.
Lady: “Wow, you two look so much alike, identical twins I guess? She told us you two look alike, I didn’t know that the resemblance was this striking”.
Maya: “Yeah, you are right. Please, I have been knocking for a while now and she is not responding. I tried to call her but her phone is switched off. Have you seen her this morning? Could she have gone for early morning lecture?”
Lady: “Lecture? No o, we are in the same department and in the same level. If there was any lecture this morning, I would have been there too. Maybe she is sleeping, knock harder”.
Maya: “No, she can’t be sleeping. Naya is a light sleeper, with all the knocks, if she was in she would have woken up”.
Lady: “Okay, maybe she slept out then but that is very unlike her, she is always sleeping at home. Or maybe she went for TDB”.
Maya: “TDB? What is that?”
Lady: “Till Day Break, like students going to read all night because I saw her going out yesterday night and I can’t remember her returning”.
Maya: “I see. I will just hang around and wait till she returns then”.
Lady: “Come to my room and sit down, Naya is a nice girl and seeing you is like I am seeing her”.
Maya thanked her and dismissed the driver to return home. She entered the lady’s room and continued to dial her sister’s number”.
====
“Everybody come o, what is this that I am seeing wrapped under the stairs here?” one of the lodge’ cleaner’s voice pierced the air, disturbing the peace of the morning. One by one and in twos, the rooms in the lodge vomited their occupants. Few minutes ago, judging from the peace and serenity of the compound, one wouldn’t have believed that the rooms had so many occupants in them.
Philip was drifting into a troubled sleep when he heard the cleaner’s voice, he opened his eyes and sprang to his feet. He knew that this hour would come but he had not expected it this soon. After he had taken out Naya’s body with the help of Malik, he had returned to his room, locked his door and had taken hours to clean everywhere. He had emptied his perfume, body spray and air freshener in the room, he wanted to get rid of her scent.
The bed sheet on which she died on was soaked in detergent and sanitizer in his bathroom. Before he opened his door to step out, he took one last tour of everywhere in his room just to make sure that all was in order and that nothing gave him away. He opened the door and his heart flew to his mouth when he saw students gathered around the stairs. “What is happening here? Why is everybody standing close to my door? Mama cleaner, why were you shouting and disturbing our early morning sleep?”
Cleaner: “Make una see the thing wey dey under that stair case”.
They all bent and all turned their faces immediately when they saw that it was a body.
“Chineke meh, Jesu Oluwa, wayo Allah na”, the student chorused simultaneously. Malik and Philip had covered the face with her headtie and so students did not know whose body it was.
“But who could she be? Maybe an occupant of this house?”
Philip: “Let us open her face and see”, he moved close and removed the head tie from her face.
“Goodness, they have killed me. Naya! What are you doing here? Who did this to my girlfriend?” he said and slumped and pretended to have fainted.
“It is Naya o, that fine gentle girl, who could have done this to her, ah, the world is wicked o”.
Cleaner: “Make una help o, make una bring cold water come here, him don faint o. Make una do quick o, make we no come get two dead body for here”.
The group broke as everyone dashed into his or room to get water to revive Philip. Some gathered around him and were fanning him with their shirts and all they could lay their hands on. In one of the rooms, one of the occupant brought out his phone and dialed the Police.
*What a tragedy! What/who would have killed Naya?
EPISODE 11 & 12
Philip was revived and he sat on the floor weeping and crying. The cleaner who was an elderly woman felt pity for him and she tried to console him.
Cleaner: “Take heart my brother, na your sister she be?”
“Na im babe o, maybe na im place she dey come before wetin happen happen so”, the students around answered.
The blaring of Police siren caused a deafening silence among all gathered. Leading the police was Malik, Philip felt his heart beating widely against his ribs when he saw his friend leading the police to where the body is. “That is it, I am done for, that is why they say trust no one. Why did I even involve Malik in the first place? Now he has gone to tell the Police everything and they are here to arrest me. I should have known that he had always been jealous of my academic achievements”, he turned.
Malik: “Hello, Philip. Why are you sitting there on the floor with your body wet? Anything the matter?” He asked as he approached him.
Philip: “Malik you?”
Malik: “Yes?” Anyway, officers this is the body, he said pointing at Naya’s body on the floor. I was in my room sleeping when someone came to knock on my door that a body was found lying dead in the lodge. Being the law abiding citizen that I am and the fact that I was brought up to be security conscious by my father, I decided to call you here first before I step out of my room.
Philip heaved a sigh of relief when he heard Malik speak. “He is a good friend after all, he thought”.
The police went close to the body and examined it, then they turned around to the student who were watching them keenly. “Where is the room of this body here”, one of the men asked.
There was silence, the sound of a pin falling on the ground would have been heard considering that silence that they experienced.
Officer: “I said where is the room of this lady?” he barked causing them to startle.
“She doesn’t live in this compound”, they chorused.
Officer: “So how did the body get here then? Who among you here saw the body first?”
The cleaner woman raised up her index finger, she had always had this fear for the police and she wished that she had ignored the corpse and continued her work when she first saw the corpse.
“Come forward, the officer ordered”. She obeyed immediately.
“Tell us how you came about this”.
Cleaner: “Na this morning wey I come to clean the compound, na im I come this place”, she pointed at the place where the body was lying. “I come to carry brooms and packer and mopping stick because na for there we dey keep am. As I bend down like this, na so I see the body for here, I come shout con call the compound people make them come help me see wetin my eyes see”.
Officer: “How was she when you saw her?”
Cleaner: “Officer, fear no even allow me look her well. Immediately I see the body for ground because this no be the first time wey I dey come carry broom for here and I never meet something like this before”.
Officer: “Are you sure about what you are saying”
Cleaner: “I swear to God who made me, na the truth be that. If I dey like, make Sango fire me for road before I reach house”.
Officer: “Which of you knows the lady here”, he pointed at the corpse on the floor.
Almost everyone standing raised their hands except the cleaner.
Officer: “How comes you all know her even though you said she doesn’t live here?”
“She is a student of this university”, one of them answered.
Officer: “Oh, I see. Another student death. Who can give us any information about her?”.
Philip turned around to see many fingers pointing at him. He quickly jumped up to his feet.
Officer: “Yes, young man. You seem to be the most affected by her death. Tell us what you know”.
Philip: “I don’t know anything about her death, sir” he mumbled.
Officer: “How comes they are all pointing at you then?”
Philip: “She was my girlfriend”, he summoned courage and answered.
Officer: “Okay, student relationship, always getting complicated. “What is her body doing on the ground here and not on your bed?” He asked.
The cleaner opened her mouth to tongue lash him but she quickly closed her mouth when she remembered that it was a police man talking.
Philip: “Honestly, I don’t know what her body is doing here”. He replied weakly.
Officer: “You all can return to your rooms now and nobody must step out of this compound until we come for questioning”, he instructed.
“Pack up the body and take it away, be careful, you know what I mean”, he instructed his boys who proceeded in carrying out his orders immediately.
====
After Florence moved out of Naya’s house, she bought the form to contest for the most beautiful girl in her department. It was her way of proving to Naya that she could achieve something of her own. She had become best of friends with the outing most beautiful girl in her department. On the day Naya’s body was discovered, she came to visit the Miss Economics, oblivious of what had happened to her friend.
Miss Economics: “Queen Florence, this one that you are coming to visit me this morning, any better?”
Florence: “You make my head swell anytime you call me Queen. I pray say I win this contest o, if not the kind shame wey go catch me for this campus no be for here o”.
Miss Economics: “Why you no go win? I don tell you as the thing dey take be now, na you no wan cooperate o”.
Florence: “Babe, I don dey reason that matter o. So you mean say if I no service head of department and some other lecturers and SUG officials I no go fit win the crown”.
Miss Economics: “How you wan take win now? Welcome to the beauty world where you need to lie on your back as many times as possible for your beauty to be recognized. See me now, the girl I contested with fine well and she is very tall just like you but because say I don already settle the matter with all that matter, I won even though I fail all the question wey dem ask for stage that day”.
Florence: “Na true sha o, I remember that you failed all your question last year during the contest. We were all shocked when they announced you as the winner”.
Miss Economics: “You are not serious o. So, you mean say I no know book abi na wetin? Anyway sha, no be person wey read no book, na person wey pass exams. I sabi sort my way out of things mehn”, she giggled.
Florence: “Abeg show me the way o, I am really desperate to win this competition, even though it means me paying with the little money I have. I just want to prove to Naya and her family that they can’t have it all. This crown will go a long way to give me back my self-esteem”.
Miss Economics: “Which Naya? Didn’t you hear what happened to her?”
Florence: “No, what happened to her?”
Miss Economics: “Naya is no more, now. She is dead”.
Florence: “What! You can’t be serious. No, I mean you don’t know the Naya I am talking about. She cannot be dead, no way. That is not possible”.
Miss Economics: “I don’t know the Naya ba wo? Is she not your former room mate?”
Florence: “But what happened to her? How did she die? She was so healthy the last time I saw her in school”.
Miss Economics: “Her body was found dead this morning in Philip’s compound. I don’t know what killed her and when we ran there to go and see things by ourselves, security men were at the gate and they did not allow anyone in or out. Those inside where locked in and those outside couldn’t go in”.
Florence: “This is serious. Where is Philip now?”
Miss Economics: “Inside the compound now, you no hear as I say Police no allow anybody commot or enter?”
Florence ran out of the room without saying a word to her friend. “Ah-ah, Florence, where you dey go? I say police no dey allow people enter the compound, come back here”, she called back at Florence’s running figure.
*I still can’t believe Naya has died!
EPISODE 12
Florence ran all the distance to the Naya’s house. It was some distance away from her friend’s house and normally she would have taken a bike but today was exceptional, she couldn’t think. She knew she had issues with Naya but that was not enough to wish her death. She didn’t believe and she needed to go to her house to find out the truth.
As soon as she got into the compound which was once where she lived, she saw Maya standing out and making a call. She ran up to her and hugged her tightly. “Thank goodness is not true, I knew it that nothing had happened to you. I am sorry for all that happened in your father’s house. I promise that I would always stay around you in school, in fact if you want me to move back with you, I will do. We started this academic race together, please let us complete it together.
Maya was dumbfounded by the sudden show of emotion. She was shocked when Florence grabbed her in a tight hug, she wanted to ease herself out of her embrace but she held her tightly. Maya’s heart began to beat wild, she thought that Florence was going crazy.
Maya: “What are you talking about?”
Florence: “In fact, it will not be well with all those rumor mongers who said that you are dead”.
“What!” Maya shouted and eased herself out of her embrace. “They said I am dead?”
Florence: “Yes o, that your body was found this morning in Philip’s compound”.
Maya: “Who is Philip?”
Florence: “Who is Philip? Your Philip now, listen I know that you two have broken up so I am sorry that I used the word your Philip. Please open the door let me go inside and rest, this one that you are standing out, are you on your way out? Me I am tired o, do you know that I had to trek all the way from that my friend’s house to this place?”
Maya: “I don’t have the keys to the house”.
Florence: “What do you mean? Is it that you lost it or something?”
Maya: “What is going on here? We don’t seem to be on the same page, Florence. First, you came here talking about some ridiculous rumor about my death as if anyone knows me in this school. Now you are asking what I am doing outside my sister’s house”.
Florence: “Ewo, it’s Maya, so this is not Naya?”
Maya: “Of course this is Maya, and yes this is not Naya as if the two sentences do not mean the same thing to you. I have been here all morning waiting for my sister to return from wherever it is she went to”.
Florence: “Ah, there is trouble. That is the problem with identical twins, one can hardly differentiate them. When I saw you, I thought it was Naya because I wouldn’t have imagined that you would be in her house this morning. And this dress you have on, that was what Naya had on the last time I saw her in school”.
Maya: “Of course we have the same set of clothes, that is why we are identical twins. I bought this from London for the both of us. So, do you know where she is and what exactly do you mean by there is trouble?” she quizzed.
Florence: “Ah, shey you have not been listening to all that I have been saying since ni? I said that there is a rumour in town that Naya is dead”.
Maya: “What! Hell no! that is not possible. My own twin sister dead? How? Why? When? No, there must be a mistake somewhere. It must be another Naya, not my own sister”.
Florence: “That is what I think too. Let us go and find out from the place where they said they found the body”.
The two of them ran out of the compound. Even though Maya had high heels on, she out ran Florence who was on slippers. She had to slow down for Florence to catch up because she didn’t know the house. As soon as they got to the street where Philip’s house was located, they saw people gathered at the entrance of the lodge. As soon as they got close and student saw Maya, they began to run away, thinking it was Naya. Maya was surprised but she urged on and came face to face with the Police man who was standing at the door.
Maya: “I want to go in there and check the corpse, I don’t understand what I am hearing”.
Policeman: “What exactly is it that you do not understand?”
Maya: “I heard that my sister’s body was found dead this morning”.
Policeman: “Wetin come hard to understand inside that talk? No be university student you be?”
Maya: “I want to see the corpse and identify it, is that too much to ask for or too big for you to understand?”
Policeman: “Wo, this small girl, no disrespect me for here o, I look like the age mate of those your yeye sugar daddies wey dey make your mouth run anyhow like tap? You know see say them don seal this compound as crime scene? Wetin you wan go find near the body, you be Jesus wey dey bring the dead back to life?”
Maya: “What the hell is this one saying? What is wrong with Nigerians for God’s sake? Listen, if you do not allow me in there right now, I will call my father, Major General Lanre, that name rings a bell right? I will call him and we will not relent until we strip you of this uniform that is making you behave like an over grown peacock”.
“This is a ghost, they heard someone scream from the compound”, the Policeman turned and saw the cleaner shivering.
Policeman: “What is it madam? Looks like we are acting a movie in this house. Make I do return to my station jeje abeg, hungry seff don dey catch me”.
Cleaner: “Oga, na the ghost of the aunty wey they package her body be that.”
“Oh, not again. It is clearly a sin to be an identical twin in this part of the world”, Maya thought.
Florence: “She no be ghost, na her identical twin be this. Dey resemble well well, na only their mama know their difference, even their father no know”.
Cleaner: “Eyya, na so my own twins too for dey had it been their father people witch no kill them for me. Them for don dey like twenty years now”, she began to weep.
The Policeman hissed, “This one na Fuji House of commotion we dey”, he said.
Maya was informed that the body had been taken to the general hospital to be deposited in the mortuary pending when investigations would be concluded. She picked a cab and together with Florence, they left for the mortuary.
====
The Policeman who was in charge of investigations concerning Naya’s death knocked on Philip’s door, who was curled up on his rug weeping opened the door immediately. He was conscious of whatever he was doing so as not to give himself away.
Policeman: “My friend, I see that the death of your girlfriend really took you unawares”.
Philip: “I am shocked, she does not deserve to die now, she was such a sweet girl”.
Policeman: “Really? So, who deserves to die? You or me?” He smiled mischievously.
Philip: “sir?”
Policeman: “Oh, never mind. I was just joking. You appear tensed, I had to make that joke to crack you up”.
“What a silly joke, Philip thought”.
Policeman: “You said she was such a sweet girl? What do you mean by that? You mean she was very good in bedmatics? You young men of nowadays, we know what you like”.
Philip: “erm, yes, no, I mean I don’t know”.
Policeman: “You don’t know that she is sweet and yet you said she is sweet?”
Philip: “I don’t know how good she is in bed, we never had sex”.
Policeman: “I see, a celibate relationship then, very rare among students. So, is it because she didn’t give you visa into the promise land that you killed her last night and dumped her body under the stairs?”
Philip: “What! Me kill Naya? I would never have thought of that. I loved her so much and I was wiling to wait for her till she is ready to give it to me”.
Policeman: “Okay, so you raped her and when you thought she will have you arrested, suffocated her in her sleep and dragged her body out right?”
Philip: “Hell no, I never said that”.
Policeman: “Wait a minute, what is that I am seeing at the corner of your bed?” Philip’s heart flew to his mouth.
*This is becoming breathtaking!
EPISODE 13 & 14
The Policeman walked up to the bed and picked a lip balm lying on the floor beside the bed.
“Who owns this?”
Philip: “Naya owns it, I guess she left it here the last time she came here”. He didn’t even attempt to lie because he knew that lying could cause him a lot if the truth got revealed at the end of the day. He had seen Naya use the lip balm the previous night but he thought he had gotten rid of anything about her that could implicate him. “I pray they don’t find more things here o”, he thought.
Policeman: “Okay, you mean she forgot it here the day you killed her?”
Philip: “No, sir. She used to visit me and cook here sometimes, I guess she forgot it on one of those days. I couldn’t have killed my own girlfriend”.
His Phone rang and he picked up the call. After a while, he dropped the call and turned to Philip.
“I have been called to report to the station immediately but this won’t be the end of this, you will still be seeing me around until we get to the bottom of this”. He left the room, leaving Philip sweating profusely even though the ceiling fan was working hard.
====
As soon as Maya got to the hospital and introduced herself, she was led to where the body was kept. She removed the white material covering the face and she came face to face with her sister.
“Oh my God, this is not happening, I must be dreaming. What happened to you, Naya? Who did this to you? Please wake up and let us go home. I told you not to remain in Nigeria for your degree programme but you insisted saying there is no place like home, now, see what they have done to you. We came to this world together, why would you leave without me? No, my twinny cannot be dead”, she screamed and passed out. In some minutes’ time, she was revived. Florence was there all through, weeping and too shocked to believe what had happened to her friend whom she had seen just few days before then.
“Where is my phone? I need my phone”. Maya asked suddenly.
Florence who took her handbag from her when she fainted handed her the bag. “I said my phone, not my handbag”, Maya replied amidst tears. She was too confused to think or even act polite to anyone. She hated herself for coming a day late to visit her sister, she thought that if she had been close to her sister when death came, it would have carried the both of them since they look so much alike that even death wouldn’t have found it easy differentiating between them.
Florence dipped her hand in the bag and brought out the phone and handed it to her. “I need to call my parents to come right away. I don’t understand what is going on here at all”, Maya thought.
====
Mr. Lanre and his wife were driving around time for some light shopping. This time around, he was the one driving the car, it was a monthly ritual for the old lovers. Once every month, he drove himself around town with his wife and then afterwards, they would go for essential shopping with her. It was their way of spicing up their marital life since they were always alone in the house together. The driver and the domestic staff were usually given the day off that day to rest since Mr. Lanre himself did the driving and his wife the cooking. They were driving around Ademola Adetokunbo Crescent when his phone began to ring. He picked it and his wife looked at him.
Mrs. Lanre: “No making of calls while driving, honey”.
Mr. Lanre: “I know, love but it is one of our angels calling, I have to break the rules for their sake”.
Mrs. Lanre: “Oh, my girls. Please pick it up let’s listen to what she has to say. The two girls must be having lots of fun in school, this one that none of them have called since Maya left”.
He picked the call. “Hello, baby? How are you and your sister? I am sure you are having enough fun there, always remember that daddy and mummy loves you two and would do anything to keep you two happy”.
Maya was sniffing on the other end of the call.
Mr. Lanre: “What is it, baby? You are crying”.
Mrs. Lanre: “Crying ke? Ki lo de? Put the phone on speaker so that I can also hear what she is saying”.
Her husband obeyed and turned on the phone’s speaker.
Mrs. Lanre: “Talk to us baby, why are you crying? Where is your sister?”
Maya: “Daddy, mummy”.
“Yes, we are here, talk to us”, the two couple answered simultaneously.
Maya: “My sister…My twinny”.
Mrs. Lanre: “What is wrong with my Naya? Is she sick?”
Mr. Lanre: “Has Naya been kidnapped too?” He was beginning to lose concentration on his driving.
Maya: “They are rolling away Naya’s body to the mortuary o, yaay, I am finished. My sister has left me alone in the world”.
Mr. and Mrs. Lanre: “What! Mortuary ke? Why?”
Maya: “I don’t know o, start coming to the general hospital close to her university now o, my sister is dead!” She broke down in tears and Florence began to console her.
Mr. and Mrs. Lanre: “Jesu! Ah, Naya ti ku, ah! Where do we start from?”
Mr. Lanre raised up his head in time to see a tanker coming at top speed from the opposite direction. He tried to sway to make way for it but it was too late, when he tried to apply the brake, he missed his way and the car summersaulted and fell into a deep ditch. Soon enough, officials of the Federal Road Safety arrived the scene to help rescue the victims trapped in the car.
====
Maya tried to call back her parents after she calmed down but the number would not connect. She had expected them to call back and get details but she was surprised that they didn’t call back. “I just hope all this death and crying thing is not a dream”, she thought. She dialed her mother’s number, it was switched off, the same thing they had told her about her father’s. “What is happening? Are they on their way here already?” She asked aloud. An idea struck her head, if they were already on their way, then her father’s driver would know since he would be the one to drive them down. She dialed his number and he picked immediately. He had the knack to always pick his calls at the first ring. “Hello small madam”. he said…
Maya: “Driver, where are my parents?”
Driver: “I been leave them for house after I go keep the car wey I take carry you go your sister school. Today na my off day so I dey with my friend for here”.
Maya: “Well, go back to the house, I am sure that your attention is needed and then tell them to call me immediately because I cannot reach them”.
Driver: “Okay, madam”. He slipped on his palm sandals and scampered along.
As soon as he got to the house, he went into the main house but he was told by the in house maid that oga and madam had gone out and were yet to return. He called Maya to inform her.
Maya: “What! Where did they go that they had to switch off their phones like that after I told them what is happening here?”
Driver: “I don’t know where they went to and the maid doesn’t know too”.
Maya: “Okay then, remain there until they return and tell them I am waiting for them here”.
Driver: “Okay, ma. Sorry, ma but is everything okay? Your voice dey sound one kain”.
Maya: “Everything is not okay. I mean nothing is fucking not okay here. Naya is lying dead in the mortuary and now I can’t reach my parents who are supposed to be here. I don’t understand the world, nothing is fucking okay!” She began to shout hysterically attracting the attention of hospital workers as well as patients waiting in the reception.
Driver: “Chineke meh! Aunty Naya don kpeme? Ewoo o, which kind thing come be this one na, wahala don come this house o, how oga and madam go take this news if they hear am now? Ewoooo!”, he ran to the kitchen to inform the maid of what has happened.
*Uhmm!
EPISODE 14
Mr. and Mrs. Lanre were rushed to the hospital, it was a ghastly motor accident and Mr Lanre who prior to the time of the accident had high blood pressure was pronounced dead on arrival, it was a terrible situation that could have been avoided if only he had packed his car before receiving the call. His wife was in a critical condition and the medical workers on duty battled to save her life. She was placed on an oxygen machine with a team of doctors battling to stop the profuse bleeding from the injuries she sustained.
====
Maya was stranded in the hospital, she didn’t know what to do, she couldn’t return home without making any decision about her sister’s body in the mortuary, she had expected her parents to rush down immediately but they were obviously nowhere to be found. She wondered what could have happened to them for this was so unlike them. She thought of calling them back but she knew that the Police and the University authorities would soon contact her parents and so she held on. Her phone began to ring and she picked it up.
Maya: “Hello, yes this is Maya. What! What happened to them? Oh my God? Which hospital? Okay, I will be on my way”.
It was the hospital management calling to inform her that her parents were involved in an accident and that her attention was needed because her mother needed urgent blood transfusion and they had no blood that matched hers in the hospital’s blood bank.
Maya got up from where she was sitting on the bench at the hospital’s reception and ran out without saying a word to anyone. Florence ran after her and tried to stop her thinking she was going to harm herself.
Florence: “Maya, you have to be strong and remain here until your parents come here. You cannot just give in to grieve like that”. She said as she held on to Maya’s dress.
Maya yanked her dress out of her hand and ran away without saying a word to her.
Florence: “What is this one feeling like seff? So because I am showing concern, she will now come and leave me alone in this hospital, when the body lying there was just a friend and not even a sister. Okay o, let me too come and be going, before they will come and be suspecting me for showing too much concern. She got a bike and left the hospital for her friend’s house. Miss economics as she was fondly called was preparing noodles when Florence came in.
Miss Economics: “Ah ah, are you back? I thought you will follow Naya’s twin sister home”.
Florence: “Follow her home as per what now? Sister abi cousin? Have you forgotten that the departmental beauty contest is coming up this weekend? I have less than five day to prepare for it”.
Miss Economics: “Don’t tell me that you still want to go for the pageant”. She asked.
Florence: “And why won’t I?” she asked with suspicion on her face.
Miss Economics: “Why won’t you? Because you just lost your best friend, her body is still lying cold in the hospital, you should be mourning her death, nothing more”.
Florence: “So I should pause my life because somebody died? Will that bring her back to life? Even the holy books say the dead should be allowed to bury their dead”.
Miss Economic: “My dear, make your points but don’t misquote the holy books”.
Florence: “Am I the one who killed her? In fact, do you know that this same girl threw me out of her house for one mistake I made?”
Miss Economics: “I didn’t say you killed her. I am just saying that courtesy demand that you mourn your deceased friend who was so nice to you”.
Florence: “You sha funny o, how does me participating in the beauty contest prevent me from mourning her? In fact, what are you even saying? I mean why are we even having this discussion? Prepare noodles let’s eat so that you will take me to the person in charge of the pageant office, biko”.
Miss Economics: “Gerrarhia jor, we are discussing something serious and you are talking about food. Shebi you come meet me dey cook the food, I no put your mouth inside o, you too like food. In fact, na food go kill you”.
Florence: “LMAO, if I hear say I no eat this noodles, make I see wetin wan cause that one”.
====
Maya ran into the hospital and ran to the nurse she saw coming out of the labour room.
Maya: “Nurse, my parent, where are they?”
The nurse ignored her and walked away to the nurses’ station.
Maya: “I am talking to you, someone called me from this hospital to inform me that my parents had an accident and were rushed here, I want to see them, where are there?”
Nurse: “See me see wahala o, if you know the person wey call you, you better call the number ask the person the question where you dey ask me so o”.
Maya: “I beg your pardon?”
Nurse: “Please, I just had a long day in that labour room, it took a woman all day to deliver a child and I am tired. As you can see, it is past my shift hour and I am about to sign out for the day so please allow me finish in peace”.
Maya left her and ran up to another nurse who was just coming in from another ward.
Maya: “Nurse, my parents please, I want to see them”.
Nurse: “Just calm down, what happened to your parents?”
Maya: “They were involved in an accident and they were rushed here”.
Nurse: “Their names?”
Maya: “Mr. and Mrs. Lanre”.
Nurse: “They should be in the accident and emergency ward. Oh no, check the intensive care unit, your mother was transferred there after…”
Maya: “After what? And what about my daddy? Which room is he in?”
Nurse: “Just check the intensive care unit, the nurses there will attend to you”.
Maya left her and located the intensive care unit. She met a young doctor coming out.
Maya: “Doctor, how are my parents?”
Doctor: “Your parent?”
Maya: “Mr. and Mrs. Lanre”. She was beginning to get irritated by the behaviour of the hospital workers.
Doctor: “Oh, are you Maya? We need to run some tests on your blood, your mother needs blood transfusion urgently”.
Maya: “You don’t have to run any test. We have the same blood group and genotype, you can just take as much as you want from me and give her please”.
Doctor: “No, that would be against out ethics as professionals. Come with me, the tests will be done now”.
Maya was taken to the lab where a sample of her blood was taken for screening. She returned to the doctor’s office to await the results.
Maya: “Can I see them now that we are waiting for the result of the test?”
Doctor: “Yes, you can see her”.
Maya: “Her? What about my father? I was told that they had the accident together”.
Doctor: “You have to be strong for your mother who needs you now more than ever. Your father didn’t make it alive from the accident”.
Maya’s phone fell on the ground with the screen shattering. “What are you saying, doctor? Tell me this is a dream”.
Doctor: “I also wish it was, I hate to pronounce a patient dead on arrival. The FRCN officials who brought him here said eye witness who witnessed when the accident happened told us that your father was receiving a call while driving which is very wrong”.
Maya: “Oh no, I am finished. First it was my sister and now my father? Who did I offend in this world?” she began to weep sorrowfully.
Doctor: “Be strong, it is well”.
Maya: “It is not well, don’t tell me that it is well. What exactly is well? My sister and father died on the same day and my mother is in a coma depending on an oxygen machine to breathe and you say it is well? It isn’t. Something must be wrong somewhere, who did we offend in this family? Who is that evil man or woman that has vowed to wipe the name of my family off the face of the earth?
In the intensive care ward, the oxygen machine had failed and Mrs. Lanre was struggling for air.
*What a tragedy!
EPISODE 15 & 16
The next day, Miss Economics took Florence to one of the judges who had helped her win during her time. Florence wanted more than anything to win but she was not prepared to sleep with him. Ever since she was rejected by Philip, she had made up her mind to keep her body pure until she met the right man. What prompted her to take the decision was something she could not fathom. As soon as they got to the dean of student affairs office, Miss Economics introduced her.
“Sir, this is the contestant that I called to tell you I would bring to see you. She is anxious to win this competition and I am sure she will cooperate with you. Please assist her in any way you can”. After a while, she excused herself and left the two to discuss.
Florence: “Sir, please help me. I really do want to win this competition even though my friend that I wanted to impress with it is dead; I need it to help me feel like somebody on this campus. I am tired of people branding me a nobody on campus because my parents are poor”.
Organiser: “ I see what you mean. Are you ready and willing to pay the price? No achievement comes without a price you know”.
Florence: “It depends on what the price is, sir”.
Organiser: “Smart girl” He smiled. Florence noticed the way his lips twitched when he smiled. “Disgusting”, she thought.
Organiser: “I am sure that your friend has told you to satisfy me in bed, well, I am not interested. Man shall not live by sex alone this recession, what I need is money and twenty minutes of freaking hot blow job right here. No sex, just give me a good head with the money and you will be crowned the winner with all the goodies associated with the crown”.
Florence: “How much, sir?”
Organiser: “N200, 000 cash. No cheque, no bank deposit, no ATM or mobile transfer, only cash!”.
Florence: “N200 what!”
Organiser: “You heard me the first time. Are you in or out? I am on my way out for a meeting”
====
Maya cleaned her eyes with her handkerchief. She knew that she had to be strong for herself and her mother. “Doctor”, she said. “I will like to see my mother”.
Doctor: “That’s allowed but you have to be strong, remember that she is in a critical condition and as such you should show no grieve around her. Also, we have not told her about your father’s condition until her situation stabilizes, so you should discuss him with her if she is already conscious.”
Maya nodded and the doctor led her to the ward. Maya’ s heart broke the umpteenth time that day when she saw her mother, all bandage and panting for air. The doctor ran to her and adjusted the oxygen machine.
Maya knelt beside her. “ Mummy, please don’t leave me alone, I can’t go through this without you. You are all I have got now, please pull through for me. I beg you in the name of God”. She held her mother’s weak hand and kissed it, wetting it with her tears.
Mrs. Lanre laid put, oblivious of what was going on around her. If not for the timely intervention of the doctor who adjusted the oxygen machine, she would have been on her way to where her husband was, which was something she desired even in her unconscious state.
Doctor: “You have to leave now so that we can carry out the blood transfusion. You may wait for us at the reception”.
====
Two days later, the autopsy result was released and it was discovered that Naya had died of heart failure in her sleep. This ruled out any suspicion that she was killed or that Philip knew anything that had to do with her death. However, Mrs. Lanre kept a secret in her heart about the twins that only her knew about. Maya instructed the hospital management to arrange for an ambulance and move her sister’s body down to the mortuary where her father’s body was kept since she was taking care of her mother in the hospital.
It took Mrs. Lanre almost a month to recover and her daughter stood by her, patiently taking care of her and attending to all her needs while on sick bed. On the day she was told that her husband had died in the accident, she cried so bitterly that Maya feared her having blood pressure shooting up and causing further medical complications. Two months after she was discharged from the hospital, Mr. Lanre and Naya’s body were taken to the village and buried amidst tears and great sorrow. After mother and child returned from the burial, Philip and Malik came to visit and condole with them. He had stayed away from the burial for fear that Naya’s ghost would embarrass him for how he had manhandled her corpse. As soon as he knocked and the maid led him in, he came face to face with Maya who was wearing a black short silk dress with a black scarf on her head, signifying the mood of the house. Her calm outlook discomfited him, she reminded him so much of Naya and the way she stared him that night before she went to sleep to her death.
Philip: “I am sorry”, he fumbled at loss of what to say. He was wondering why he had even visited the house in the first place.
Maya: “Sorry for what?”
Philip: “I, er, for the death of your sister. We also learnt you lost your father too, may their souls rest in peace”.
Maya: “Amen, who are you? I don’t remember seeing this face in the past”. She sized him up from head to toe and she couldn’t help but notice that he was good looking with cute eyes, tall slim figure and chocolate colored skin. He was in a black t-shirt and jeans and she noticed how well the color of the shirt contrasted with his skin.
Philip: “I…er…I am, no, I was Naya’s boyfriend”.
Maya: “Oh, the guy she died in his compound. Anyway, it is not your fault. The autopsy told us what she died of and it’s purely medical. Make yourself comfortable, please”.
Maya: “He is so cute, look at his sexy eyes, and the way his lips moves when he speaks, gosh. No wonder my twiny fell in love with him, who wouldn’t? I wish I had a boyfriend in Nigeria who would take my mind away from all that has happened lately”. She thought. Her mother came down the stairs, looking haggard and unkempt. The death of her husband had dealt her a terrible blow and she was a shadow of herself. She always stayed locked up in her room and would only come out when she heard strange voices downstairs.
Mrs. Lanre: “Maya, who are these young men?”
Maya: “Oh mum, you are awake. I checked on you a while ago and I saw you sleeping. Anyway, this is Philip, Naya’s ex…”
Mrs. Lanre: “Eh? Which Philip? The same one my daughter died in his compound? What is he doing here? To lure you to his room so that I will bury you too?”
Maya: “Mum, this is unlike you. What are you talking about?”
Mrs. Lanre: “You just keep quiet there. Young man, what are you doing in my house.” She asked Philip who got up abruptly from his chair as if he had sat on a pin.
Philip: “I came to condole with you and the family, ma. It is the least thing I can do for Naya. She was such an adorable person”.
Mrs. Lanre: “What sort of a useless condolence is that? Did we tell you that we are in need of mourners in this house? Condolences oshi wo ni ye? Iya laya condolence. If you don’t get your miserable self out of my house right now, I will get you arrested”.
Philip: “Ma, I mean no harm”.
Mrs. Lanre: “Of course you mean no harm and that is why instead of you to face your studies in school, you lured my daughter to your bed. A very good girl that I brought up in the way of the Lord, only God knows the kind of crude instrument that you used on her that caused her that heart attack. Get out!” She screamed, startling Philip and Malik who scampered out.
Maya got up after they left and faced her mother.
Maya: “What was that for mum?”
Mrs. Lanre: “What did it look like?”
Maya: “That was wrong mum. You know as well as I do that he didn’t kill Maya, the autopsy result says it all. Why did you have to embarrass him simply because he came to condole with us?”
Mrs. Lanre: “I don’t care what the autopsy says. All I know is that my daughter never had any case of heart attack. I guess he was busy forcing his way into her when the heart attack happened if not how comes she died in that compound of all places? I will not have such a person in my house, who knows the plan he has for you? You are all I have and I have sworn to protect you with my life if it comes to that.“
Maya: “Stop this, mum. This is very unlike you, you are not yourself. If he was making out with her forcefully before she died, the autopsy would have revealed that. What exactly are you protecting me from here? You are just using this to cover up your grieve and trust me it won’t help.”
Mrs. Lanre: “Are you saying this to me, your mother?” She began to weep.
Maya: “Mum, stop this psychological torture that you are subjecting me to. You lost your husband and daughter, yes. But I also lost my father and my sister and not just any sister, my twin and my one and only sister. We are in this together, don’t make it more difficult than it appears, else I will just go back to UK and I will never return.”
She ran upstairs leaving her mother who sank to her knees, weeping.
*Still panting for more?
EPISODE 16
Florence: “Sir, I really don’t have that kind of money in my account. All I have is just about N50, 000. If you can take that, I will add up the balance when I win the competition”.
Organiser: “You have no business going for any beauty pageant if you are not financially buoyant. Just face your studies and graduate in peace.”
Florence: “No, I need to win this pageantry. No one can understand how frustrating it is to be written off as a nobody on campus. I am tired of having to stand beside other popular and rich people on campus just so that I can hold my head high. I am tired.”
Organiser: “Then go get the money and stop filling my ears with stories. Like I told you earlier, I have a meeting to attend, you may leave my office now.”
Florence left the office, determined more than ever to meet the requirements for winning the coveted crown. She walked down to a store and bought recharge card. She dialed her father’s number; it rang and then went off without any response from his end. “Ooooo, that is how somebody will be calling Papa and he will not pick his call o, maybe he is in the Church now, seff. Every time Church, Church, hian”. She hissed aloud. She dialed her mother’s number and it rang. Her father was a pastor in a local Church that had barely up to 20 members. With 8 children to feed and send to school and with no other source of income apart from offerings and tithe from members of the Church who themselves were always coming to him for help, life was difficult. They had managed to send Florence to the University and being their first child, their hopes were on her to get them out of poverty. Her mother picked up her phone.
Mama Florence: “God bless and keep you my dear. How are you today?”
Florence: “I am fine, Mama. Where is Papa, I called and he didn’t pick.”
Mama Florence: “Your father is in Church. Today is the second day of our revival, I will soon join him there to arrange the chairs and get the venue ready before members start coming”.
Florence: “Oga o, while other parents are busy making money for their children to spend, my own are busy organizing revivals and arranging plastic chairs for people to seat on.”
Mama Florence: “What are you saying? I can’t hear you.“
Florence: “Mama, I need money o. Our lecturers have given us some handouts, materials and textbooks to buy and they said anybody who doesn’t buy will have automatic carryover. Me I don’t have money to buy it myself.”
Mama Florence: “This is serious; I thought they have banned the sale of handouts in higher institutions? And now there is no money in the house. What are we going to do now?”
Florence: “Ah, you and Papa have to look for money and send to me o, even if it means giving me all the money from the offering and tithe of this revival, just do it. Some girls are going to sort their way out of carryover by sleeping with the lecturers, but you know I cannot do that, so I have no choice than to buy the recommended materials.”
Mama Florence: “My God, don’t those daughters of Jezebel know that their bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit? Please don’t ever offer your body to any man because of any grade, it is not worth it. Remember the daughter of the person you are, don’t do anything that will put us to shame o. How much is the materials?”
Florence: “Everything is 80 something thousand naira.”
Mama Florence: “What! 80 something thousand naira for just books?”
Florence knew that if she didn’t convince her mother well, she would find out about her lies. She quickly scanned her brain for a lie to add, soon enough she got one. She never ran short of lies whenever she needed to.
Florence: “It is not just textbook now. They said we will go for excursion in Ghana too and it is compulsory.”
Mama Florence: “It is well, don’t worry my daughter. I will talk to your father about it and we will find a way of sending the money across to you, even if it means that we have to borrow it. Just don’t do anything ungodly to get the money”.
Florence: “Okay, Mama. I have heard you but please you have to be fast about sending the money, the deadline is next tomorrow.”
Mama Florence: “Okay, my dear.”
Florence ended the call, satisfied with her achievements, she had about 70 thousand naira in her account which she will add to the one her parents will send to make it N150, 000, then she would borrow N50, 000 from her friend to make up the N200,000 that the organiser had demanded. Miss Economics had already promised to give her clothes and shoes to wear and one of her friends had also promised to make her up free, all was set for her victory on Saturday and she was looking forward to having a nice time and victorious outing.
====
“And the winner of the competition is…”
Florence’s heart was pounding furiously, she had done all that was required of her to win the competition, she had paid the organiser his money and had given him head like she had never given anyone before. She remembered the disgust she felt when doing the dirty things with the organiser, she had almost thrown up but for the determination to win the crowd. He had enjoyed every bit of the blow job she gave him, confessing that not even his wife could do it that good.
“And the winner of Miss campus 2017 is Florence Peter!”, the announcement jerked her from her reverie and she got up and began to receive hugs from different quarters. It’s was an edifying moment as everyone in the hall wanted to identify with her. She had suddenly gone from being over looked to overbook. In the hall were senators, members of house of Representatives and other top notch politicians, she saw them casting lustful glances at her v- necked golden colored silk dress. She smiled, she had finally arrived. Now was the right time to begin to rub shoulders with the big babes on campus. She was glad that nobody knew that her parents were pastors of a local Church that means there was no impediment on her part to enjoying herself fully on campus. She made up her mind to visit the Lanre’s the next week, dressed in her grown and other regalia, so they would at least realize that she was not a failure as they had thought. She wished Naya was alive to see what had become of her after she had asked her to leave her house. “Well, Maya is still alive, that one that feels she is better than anyone else simply because she studied in London, she will be shocked to see my new level,” she thought within her as the outgoing queen placed the crown on her head.
====
Maya found herself in Philip’s house, she had gone to visit him and apologize to him for the way her mother embarrassed him the last time he visited to condole with them.
Maya: “I am really sorry; my mother has not always been like this. Grieve made her this impossible.”
Philip: “It’s okay, I understand perfectly. If I had known that my presence would cause such outrage, I wouldn’t have gone. It’s just that I felt it would not be nice for me not to visit considering how nice Naya was.”
Maya: “Oh, don’t talk about not visiting. So, are we friends now? Philip? ”
Philip: “You can call me Philip or Sam. Your sister used to call me Philip, I will appreciate it if you call me Sam for a change, that is what my hommies call me. You calling me Philip reminds me so much of your sister not to even talk of the fact that you look exactly alike. And, of course we are even more than friends. You remind me so much of your sister who was my only true love. In fact, I see her in you and I feel for you the same way I feel for her” He drew close to Maya and gradually took her lips in his. Her lips were soft and succulent. He began to kiss and lick her tongue. Maya tried to stop him. “This is not right.”
Philip: “Shhhh, don’t say a word.”
Maya succumbed, as one under a spell. “I am on my period,” she whispered in a coarse voice that she could hardly recognize as her own.
“It doesn’t matter. There’s nothing wrong with making love while you are having your period”.
“But…,” her resistance gave way when she felt his touch of love. She opened her eyes to stare at the ceiling, an involuntary act she always did anytime she was having sex.
Then she saw her twin sister, standing close to the bed and staring at them, in her hands was a sharp kitchen knife and in her eyes were tears of blood. “No, you are dead”, Maya screamed and attempted to get up but Philip’s weight pinned her to the bed. He was oblivious of what was happening around him, for he was busy pounding and grinding and reeling in erotic bliss.
*I can’t believe Maya would do this!
EPISODE 17 & 18
She saw her sister’s ghost raise up her knife, she screamed, pushed Philip out of her and woke up with a start. She found herself in her room, sweating profusely. “It was a dream, goodness, it felt so real!” She felt wet and moist in her pants. “Gosh, what sort of a dream was that and why was Naya looking that angry?”
Mrs. Lanre ran in when she heard her daughter scream. “What is it? Why did you scream?”
Maya: “I had a terrible dream, mum.”
Mrs. Lanre: “Terrible dream? What was it about?”
Maya: “I dreamt that I was with one man and then Naya appeared looking angry and holding a sharp knife, she was just about stabbing me when I woke.”
Mrs. Lanre: “Why would your sister torment you in the dream? Is there something that you are not telling me?”
Maya: “What is that supposed to mean, mum?”
Mrs. Lanre: “I don’t know o, I should be asking you”.
Maya: “Mum, please, I am not in the mood for this today. I just had a terrible dream and I am trying to think it through. Don’t even start, please.”
She turned to the other side of the bed. The maid knocked and opened the door.
Maid: “Excuse me big and small madam, someone is asking after you in the sitting room”.
Mrs. Lanre: “Who is the person?”
Maid: “She said her name is Florence, late aunty Naya’s friend.”
Mrs. Lanre: “Ehn! What is that kidnapper doing in my house? So, they are all coming here one after the other to mock me over the death of my daughter?” She ran out past the maid who noticed with pain the changes that had occurred in her madam after the death of her husband and daughter.
Maya: “Oh not again, mum. For how long will you continue reacting this way to Naya’s friends?” She ran after her mother so as to prevent her from creating a scene.
Mrs. Lanre: “Yes, what are you doing here?” She asked Florence who was wearing her crown and all.
Florence: “Good afternoon, ma. I actually came here to condole with you over the death of my friend since I was too busy to make it for the burial.”
Mrs. Lanre: “Just shut up your mouth there, which friend are you talking about? Who are you calling your friend? The same friend you connived with your boyfriends to kidnap her sister? Anyway, your sympathy has been registered, you can leave now.”
Maya: “Mum, please don’t react like this. I told you that Florence was with me all through the period that I was running around trying to see Naya’s body, she even went with me to the mortuary to identify the corpse. I know she made a mistake once but we should not judge her based on that, she is a good girl.”
Mrs. Lanre: “You are in no place to tell me how to judge. I don’t blame you, you don’t know how wicked the so called friends of nowadays can be. Did you notice the crown and banner on her, what does that mean if it is not a show off for us to see how good she is faring after all that has happened to us? Please, let her leave my house, my spirit does not agree with hers.”
Florence: “Fine, I will leave,” she got up and made for the door. She was comfortable leaving because she had accomplished her mission of showing off her newly acquired status to mother and daughter.
====
Philip was in class when Malik walked up to him.
Malik: “Hey, Philip. One hardly sees you around these days.”
Philip: “Malik, I am just keeping it low. I haven’t really being myself since the day we visited Naya’s family house.”
Malik: “And why is that?” He quizzed, his eyes searching Philip’s face.
Philip: “Maya of course, I mean Naya’s sister. Don’t you see that they look exactly alike?”
Malik: “And so? Haven’t you seen identical twins in your life before?”
Philip: “You don’t understand.” He shook his head.
Malik: “Then make me do, that is why we are friends.”
Philip: “You know that I was in love with Naya and we had a good relationship even though we were never intimate, well, the thing is, as soon as I set my eyes on Maya, the love I had for Naya that I had been trying to kill after her death came flooding back but this time around for Maya. In fact, I feel like she is Naya and I can’t help but love her and dream about her every day and night.”
Malik stood up and touched his friend on the forehead with the back of his palm. “I talk am, see as your temperature high, na malaria dey worry you.”
Philip: “Guy, I serious jor, stop turning serious matters into jokes. I am helplessly in love with that girl.”
Malik: “You are dreaming of Maya? How are you sure that it is Maya you are dreaming about? The two girls look so much alike that you cannot even tell one from the other. Probably you are even dreaming of Naya.”
Philip: “Eh ehehe, stop that rough play o. How can I dream of someone who is dead? Abeg stop that joke.”
Malik: “As if you never heard that ghosts exist or as if we didn’t know that you dragged her body out of your room when you discovered that she had died.”
Philip: “I feel like walking up to her and telling her about my feeling, after all we were not intimate with her twin so there is nothing bad there.”
Malik: “Walk up to her and do what? No try am o, in fact, no think am. This time around, when she dies in your house, I will not be there to save you. And this time around, nobody will believe that you didn’t kill her, yeye dey smell.”
Philip: “In fact, you don’t have any good thing to say to me, I am going home to rest my head, see you later.” He walked away, leaving Malik dumbfounded.
====
Maya came back from the supermarket to see her mother hurled up in the corner of her room crying, she was in a complete mess, with her hair dishevelled and some of her items of interior decoration, destroyed by her.
Maya: “Oh my God, mum. Look at you, you have started destroying things again. For how long shall you continue like this?”
Maid: “Small madam, she has been like this since you left the house, she refused to eat and she has been breaking and scattering the things in her room and crying.”
Maya: “Just get out, I didn’t ask for your explanations. I have my eyes to see what is happening.”
The maid bowed courteously and left the room.
Maya: “Mum, please stop this. You are wrecking me emotionally.”
Mrs. Lanre: “Stop what? I feel so alone in the world. Your father was my friend and companion, what am I doing on earth without him?”
Maya: “He was my father too, mum!” She screamed at the top of her voice.
Mrs. Lanre: “Where is my Naya? I carried the two of you together in my womb and went through excruciating pains to bring you into the world. Where is she now?”
Maya: “Mum, why are you doing this to me? Every day I wake up with the determination to be strong and alive for you but you drag me to so much grieve that I would rather leave behind. You need to put the past behind you, dad and Naya will never come back and that is the reality that I have come to accept.”
Mrs. Lanre: “If they will never come back then death should come and carry me away too. What am I doing in the world without my husband.”
Maya: “You also want to die and leave me all alone in the world right? Fine, let’s see who goes first.”
She turned around, went back into her car and drove out of the compound. She was going to drown herself, it was better to kill herself than go through the agony of losing a loved one again, this time around, her mother who was the only person she had left in the world.
*Loaded with mixed feelings!
EPISODE 18
Maya continued driving without paying heed to her phone that was endlessly ringing in her bag. She knew that it was her mother calling but she was not willing to take the call. She was tired of having to remain strong for her mother and herself, it was energy sapping and the felt drained of the zeal to hold on. Her mother was talking about dying and joining her husband and daughter and she would not wait till then to join them so that were they are she could be also. She drove to Nasarawa state, a state that shared boundary with Abuja and one of the closest state to the Federal Capital Territory. On the way to Akwanga, shortly before Lafia, the state capital was a bridge. She got down and parked her car a distance away and walked down. It was a guise for her not to attract the attention of motorists and passer bye. When she got to the railing of the bridge, she looked down and saw the flowing water, it was appealing and she felt a force pulling her into the water. She stared deep from where she was standing and saw a reflection in the water, at first she thought it was her image reflecting in the water but taking a closer look, she saw that it was actually Naya there. “What is Naya doing in the water?” She thought aloud.
“Come in and we will live our lives like we used to. It’s so peaceful in here and we are having a swell time with dad, come in and together we shall be one big family again. Mum will soon be on her way to this world and trust me you don’t wanna be left in the world alone.” She heard the reflection say.
Maya: “No, this is not my sister talking. My mind must be playing a fast one on me. Naya is dead and buried and the dead don’t talk to the living.” Then he began to hear two different voices speaking in her mind.
Voice 1: “What are you still waiting for? You better jump in and go and meet your sister in a place where there is no sorrow. If you don’t do it fast, someone will come here and convince you not to jump in and before you know it, when you get home, your mother would have taken her life because that is what she plans to do. Then you will be left all alone in the world to mourn and grieve for the remaining days of your life. Jump now!”
Voice 2: “No, don’t listen to him, that is the voice of the devil. He wants you to jump so that you will go to hell for committing suicide. There he will taunt and torment you for eternity. You cannot take your own life, it is a sin against God the creator who gave you his own breathe of life. Your mother needs you, you have to stay alive for her.”
Voice 1: “Oh please, just ignore the damn voice and jump, why do you need to live for your mother when she is planning to take her own life this minute?”
Voice 2: “He is lying, that is what he is good at. Your mother is at home crying her eyes out and hoping that you return in peace. She has promised never to push you to the wall with her grieve again and she is willing to give life a chance for your sake. The darkest part of the night is nearest the morning, do not end your life.”
Maya: “Oh, just shut up you two”, she covered her ears with her palms and screamed at the top of her voice. Listening to the two contradicting voices was to say the least confusing and she felt like she was running mad. She raised one leg and climbed up the rail, ready to jump and end it all.
====
Mrs. Lanre was pacing up and down in her room. She had been calling Maya’s number since she left the house but she had refused to pick her call. She wondered what she was up to and fear gripped her, the fear of losing the only daughter she had in the world. She went to her dressing mirror and stood there, unable to believe the reflection of herself that the mirror was projecting. “No, this is not me, I can’t look this old,” she thought. That was the first time she was staring at the dressing mirror after the death of her husband and daughter. After learning about the death of her husband when she came out of the accident induced coma, she had given up on life and on God. Since then, she had refused to live, take care of herself and even believe in God. She had vowed never to attend any Church again since God could afford to stay back and watch her daughter and husband die despite the years of fruitful service that they had put into his vineyard. The result of her neglecting her beauty routine was the old, haggard, unkept and shattered woman staring at her in the mirror. She thought of the pain of her attitude after the death of her husband and daughter had caused Maya and she felt sad. “Poor girl, she must have been shattered by the death of her loved ones but my attitude and prolonged grieve and insensitivity must have crushed her. Probably she even thinks that I am out of my mind,” she soliloquized.
The realization that she could do nothing without the help of God dawned on her and she observed albeit with dismay how she had felt empty after she gave up on God. She knelt down there beside her bed and decided to pray to God, she knew Him to be forgiving and that gave her the courage she needed to go back to Him.
Mrs. Lanre: “Lord, I am so sorry. It is with a heavy heart that I retrace my steps back to You like the prodigal son, hoping that You will be gracious enough to accept me back like the merciful father that You are. I had no right to question You about the death of my husband and my daughter, You gave them to me and it pleased You to call them to Yourself and so I accept it as Your will knowing that some day, where they are I will also go. Please, I beg you to help me protect Maya wherever she is and I will live the remaining days of my life glorifying Your holy name.” She felt better after the prayer and she got up and began to brush her dishevelled hair.
====
Florence was having a swell time as the Miss Campus of her institution, it came with so many attendant privileges and soon enough she began to skip lectures as she was busy going on one date or one party or the other. She became one of the most popular girls on campus and this elated her because it has always been what she wanted. Soon enough, her friends began to introduce her to top politicians, wealthy men and she began to warm their bed one after the other, the more she serviced them, the bigger her bank account swelled to her delight. That weekend, she decided to pay her parents a visit, she bought provisions and foodstuff and clothes for her parents and younger ones, she withdrew N100, 000 naira from her account, which she intended to share between her father and mother and siblings. She hired a taxi who charged her exorbitantly to take her home. She didn’t mind, she had the money and she was already above the class of sharing public transportation with other people. She was already gunning for her own car, and an Alhaji which she had met on Instagram had promised her a brand new car upon his return from Canada the next weekend. She was already looking forward to his return as she had never met him before. As soon as they arrived her compound, her siblings ran out to hug her, they noticed their big sister looking big and glamorous but they dared not say a thing. The taxi driver helped her off load her things from the booth, into her parent’s sitting room, collected his money and left, thanking her for the extra tip that she had given him. Her father was reading his Bible and preparing his preaching notes when she got in and greeted him respectfully.
Baba Florence: “God bless you my dear, how are you and how is your studies?”
Florence: “Fine, sir. God has been faithful to me. Where is mummy?” Her mother was busy turning yam floor in the kitchen came out when she heard her daughter’s voice. “My mother is even looking older than her age because of poverty,” Florence observed. “I will make sure I upgrade this family, it is all about using what you have to get what you want, she thought.”
Mama Florence: “Is that my daughter’s voice I heard from the kitchen? How are you? I have missed you so much.”
Florence: “I missed you too, mum. I couldn’t come home during the last break because I had to remain in school and prepare assignments and presentations against this semester, she lied.
Baba Florence: “And what is all these you brought from school? Where did you get the money from? ”He asked, looking at her intently from his glasses, it was a serious look that sent signals to Florence who knew that her father was not one to be toyed with.
Florence: “Daddy, I….I…”, the word refused to form to her parent’s surprise.
Baba Florence: “I am listening to you, go ahead and tell me where you got all these from.”
“Ah ah Baba Florence”, her mother came to her rescue. Won’t you allow our daughter rest before you start asking her questions? Wherever she got this from, I am sure it is for our own good. Remember how we are finding it difficult to feed because of the high costs of foodstuff in the market now.”
Baba Florence: “I will not allow her rest until she tells me where she got all these from, I sent her to study and bring home a good degree certificate and not to bring home food stuff.”
Mama Florence: “Maybe she bought them with the pocket money you sent to her, now.”
Baba Florence: “You of all people know that all the money we have sent to her since the day she got admission to this day put together is not enough to buy all these. You said it yourself that the cost of foodstuff is expensive in the market these days so don’t give me that excuse on her behalf. Florence, I am waiting for you to talk.”
Florence: “Daddy, I…We…Like, I mean…”she trailed off.
********************
*What could have happened to Maya? Did she commit suicide? May God grant Maya a discerning spirit and enable her to take the right decision in Jesus name.
*What careless a mother! Really disappointed in Mama Florence for her insensitivity to her daughter.
EPISODE 19 & 20
Baba Florence: “Have you suddenly lost your voice?”
Florence: “Daddy, I got it from the money I made when I went for the competition in Ghana.”
Baba Florence: “I didn’t hear about you going for any competitions talk more of winning.”
Mama Florence: “How can you say that you didn’t know when she went for the competition? What about the other time we sent money to her for excursion?”
Baba Florence: “All you told me was that she called while I was in Church to say that she needed money for textbooks, handout and excursion and I ran around to get the said amount. How does that now translate to going for a competition and winning?”
Florence: “Daddy, we had the competition when I went for the excursion and I emerged the overall best. I won some money and that is what I used to buy these food stuff.”
Baba Florence: ”Oh, I am so proud of you, my daughter. Why didn’t you call to inform us so that we can arrange a thanksgiving service for you?”
Florence: “I thought it would be better if I come home to inform you myself.”
Baba Florence: “Okay, so where is the certificate or award that you were giving for participating and for winning?”
Florence: “Er, I forgot that in school.”
Baba Florence: “Please, come along with it next time, you know I love to keep those things safely for you and get ready, you shall testify to the glory of God in Church this Sunday which is our monthly thanksgiving service.”
Florence: “Okay, sir.” She grumbled not knowing how to object to going to testify in God’s altar about a lie she had cooked up to cover her extravagant life style.
====
Philip was on his way to visiting his parent when he saw a lady hanging on the rails of the bridge, in a bid to jump in. “So people can still think of killing themselves in this world? Na wa o, na real wa. Na wetin dem wan go tell papa God if they kill themselves na?” he thought. But when the commercial vehicle he was in drew close, he saw that the face of the lady was familiar. At first his attention went to Naya.“
Naya’s ghost is here? What is she doing her and why is she attempting to jump into the bridge? Does she want to die the second time?” he asked no one in particular. The passengers in the bus cast him a weird glance, they couldn’t understand why a young man like him would be talking to himself. “Probably he is running mad, abeg, the madness should wait till we drop before it gets serious o,” they thought.
Then his head struck, “Maya!” yes, that was not Naya’s ghost but her twin sister attempting to commit suicide. “Damn it, why didn’t I remember that Naya had a twin sister?” he cursed as he ordered the driver to stop.
Driver: “Make I park on top bridge say wetin happen? You no know say FRSC dey arrest anyhow for here?”
Philip: I beg you in the name of God, just stop. I saw a lady attempting to jump into the water and I want to go and help her. Help me save a life, please.”
The driver being a devout man stopped the car immediately and Philip jumped down and began to run backwards to where Maya was, saying her last prayer.
Maya: “God, please accept my soul. I desire nothing more than to be with my twin sister. I guess that is not my fault because you were the one who created us as twins in the first place. If you knew you would call her away this soon, why did you bother to give her to me then? I can’t take the pain anymore, mum is not helping matters and I feel all alone in the world. I…”
“Stop it Maya, don’t do this, don’t kill yourself!” She heard a voice call out and she stopped her prayer and turned to see Philip running towards her. “What the hell is he doing here?” she thought.
Maya: “Stop there. Don’t come further. If you take a step further, I swear that I shall jump in.”
Philip: “Okay, fine. I have stopped, come down from the rail please. Why are you doing this to yourself?”
Maya: “What are you doing here? How did you know that I am here?”
Philip: “I was in a commercial vehicle going to see my parents when I saw you. At first I thought it was Naya, then my brain clicked and I remembered that she had a twin sister.”
Maya: “Naya, well, you will not have to confuse the two of us anymore. I am going to join her, she is the cause of all these.”
Philip: “The cause of all these? How do you mean?”
Maya: “Yes, she caused it by leaving me all alone in the world. She waited for us to come into the world together, why couldn’t she wait for us to leave together? Why did she have to die without me? How does she expect me to cope all alone in the world? Who will I call my twin now that she is gone?”
Philip: “But you are not alone in the world. You have your mother. Think of the devastating effect that the news of your suicide will have on her.”
Maya: “My mother? Who knows if she has joined Naya and my father already? She told me that she could not bear to live without them as if my being alive meant nothing to her. Let me just end it all here.”
Philip: “No, Maya, I am sure you misunderstood her. You should understand that life has not been fair to her too,” he noticed that she was staring into space and so he seized the opportunity and began to walk towards her. By this time, a crowd of people had gathered on the bridge and some were taking pictures and videos of what was happening with their phones. Some were streaming it live on social media.
Maya: “I told you not to come closer but you wouldn’t listen. You are also not trust worthy” she barked causing Philip who was an inch close to her to freeze. He was watching her intently and he knew the moment had come for him to practice the taekwondo skills he had learnt back then in secondary school. She climbed the rail with her other leg and attempted to let herself down the bridge and into the water but Philip was faster, in one swift move, he grabbed her hands and held her tightly. She was suspended on the wall of the bridge. Beneath her was the large body of water beckoning her and above her was Philip who was struggling not to let her go. He was breathing and panting heavily, he didn’t know that such a petite girl could pull so much weight. He tried to drag her to him but he couldn’t, she seem to have the upper hand as he felt like she was gradually slipping from his grasps. The crowd looked on, none venturing to help. Some stood close to them taking selfies with different captions that they would post on social media. Philip screamed for help but no one ventured to help. He thought of letting go to save his own life since she appeared to be dragging him gradually, but he knew he couldn’t let go even if it meant losing his life in the process. He had slept while Naya died, he could not afford to allow her twin sister whom he had come to love as much as he loved her die to.
A policeman had stopped his car to check his water gauge for the car was over heating when he saw the crowd gather on the bridge, talking excitedly and taking pictures. They made way for him when they saw his uniform and when he got to the center of the drama, he saw a young man trying to pull out a woman who he believed had attempted to commit suicide.
“Another case of someone attempting to jump into the bridge when we have not finished talking about the one that recently happened? And to think Nigerians are just standing and taking photos without doing anything to help” he fumed as he drew close and began to pull Philip while Philip pulled Maya, it was a thug of war but at the end, he and Philip won and Maya was pulled out. (Hallelujah!)
She sat on top the bridge, her body shivering from fright and fatigue. She had thought that committing suicide was an easy adventure, but the events of the past few minutes had thought her otherwise. In as much as she wanted to die, she was grateful to God for giving her a second chance. She looked at Philip and their eyes locked, she was in love with him, she had fallen in love with him right from the first day that she had set her eyes on him. She wanted him and she knew he wanted her too from the way he looked at her. She had taken courses in Psychology in the university and she could tell when a man was in love by simply looking at him in the eye. She felt her heart urging her to go on and start a relationship with Philip but she was afraid of what people would say and what her twin sister in the land of the dead will think when she saw her and her boyfriend in a relationship.
Back home, Mrs. Lanre was getting tired of waiting for her daughter. “I hope I have not provoked her into doing something stupid? If she does not return in the next five minutes, I will just go and hang myself. I can’t bear the grieve of being fingered as the wicked mother who pushed her daughter into committing suicide,” she concluded.
**************
*Thank God that Maya’s attempted suicide was aborted. God help Mrs. Lanre not to commit suicide, too
EPISODE 20
Philip led Maya by the hand and they went into her car. The crowd made way for them as he held her by the hand like the hero that he was. They got into her car and she brought out her car key to drive. “No, let me have the keys”, he said and stretched forth his hands and collected the car keys from her hands. “I will do the driving,” he said to her. She obliged him and he drove her to her house. Her mother was in the sitting room pacing up and down when she came in. She wanted to lose her cool at the sight of Philip but she remembered what had transpired between her and her daughter and went to hug her.
Mrs. Lanre: “ How are you, my dear? Where have you been? I was so worried about you that I almost went out in search of you.”
Maya: “I am fine, mum. She said and walked up to her room.”
Philip: “Mum, please take care of her and always keep an eye on her. She was about jumping down a bridge to commit suicide when I saw her. Convincing her to change her mind was difficult and her frustration dates back to your prolonged mourning. Please live and let her live,” he bowed courteously and left the house, dropping Maya’s car keys on the sit close to him.
“My baby, my poor baby. I am so sorry,” she said and ran upstairs to her daughter. Maya was lying down with her back turned to her mother when she came in.
Mrs. Lanre: “I am sorry I pushed you that far, my dear.” She said and sat on the bed close to her daughter.
Maya ignored her mother’s pleas and continued to stare into space.
Maya: “Please l would like to be left alone, mum. And for your information, I would be going back to London next week.”
Mrs. Lanre: “No, I will never leave you alone again, my dear. I will always be here with you and you won’t go to London and leave me all alone by myself here. Remember it was never your father’s wish for you to relocate to London and that is why he didn’t approve when you said you were going back there after your studies. If you must go there, I will go with you and it would be for vacation after which we will return. There is no way we will abandon your father’s business here. Please my dear, forgive me for being so insensitive to the fact that you were also grieving.”
The lake of tears that Maya had kept locked up in her heart burst forth immediately. This was the mother she had known before death changed everything. Her mother was soft spoken and encouraging and she was glad to have her mother back. She turned around and threw her arms over her mother and hugged her tightly. They remained in that position, shedding tears and bonding.
Mrs. Lanre: “My dear, there is something I will like to tell you. It is an age long secret….
Maya: “Shhh…don’t say anything, mum. All will be fine, I promise you that.”
====
Florence walked up to Sea View hotels, that was the hotel where chief Humphrey who had just come in from the country was lodged. It was the first time she was meeting him physically, he had been introduced to her by one of her friends who was also into modeling and they had often times communicated via WhatsApp. She took time to dress herself well and paid a school mate who was a makeup artist to pimp her face. Her friend had told her that Chief Humphrey was a very wealthy man who owned houses and companies all over the world. He was also in charge of Notch House, a reputable fashion house that was saddled with the responsibilities of organising inter-state pageants every year in Nigeria. He was a big fish and she was prepared to win him over especially since she had plans to continue in the beauty world especially with the opportunities that came with it.
She walked up the reception and asked to see chief Humphrey.
Receptionist: “Do you have an appointment with him?”
Florence: “Yes, please.”
The receptionist put a call through to chief and he instructed one of his aides to pick her to his room. Florence was surprised when she saw the affluence that graced her eyes as soon as she stepped into his hotel room. She stepped into the well furnished suit and saw the chief in a white singlet and white towel sipping from a bottle of Bailey’s wine. He was operating his Mac Pro when she got in, he got up as soon as she closed the door behind her and hugged her. She could perceive the sweet scent of his Armouge perfume, she hugged him albeit reluctantly. She felt cheap before him as the display of wealth she had seen dwarfed her attempt at appearing posh.
Chief Humphrey: “Come have your seat, my dear. I was just trying to send a mail when you came in, I will do just that and then attend to you properly.” He said as he offered her a seat and pointed at the bottle of wine in the table for her to take a sip.
Florence sat there for more than 20 minutes, if chief was not receiving calls, he was pressing his laptop for one confirmation or the other. What interested Florence most was that the calls were about money in hundreds of dollars and millions of naira. “I don hammer,” she thought.
“So, tell me, what would you like to eat”, Chief asked her and then came close to sit with her on the leather sofa.
Florence: “Nothing, I am okay.”
Chief: “Oh no, you have to eat something. You see, I usually lodge here anytime I am in the country and because of my very tight schedule, I don’t even find the time to step out. I order for whatever I want from wherever and people bring it here. Local delicacies, intercontinental dishes, just name it and you have it.”
Florence: “I insist that I am not hungry. Maybe later, though.”
Chief: “If you insist then. So, finally we see. You are such a beauty to behold.” He said as he used his fore finger to trace the round mound of flesh in her chest flattered by the push up bra she was wearing under her red velvet mini dress.
Florence: “Thanks, chief. You also don’t look bad, in fact you look very fresh,” she smiled elaborately.
Chief: “So, what do you have to offer me? You promised me a lot during our chats. Those nude pictures you sent to me, I wanna see them live.” He drew close and made her sit on his lap. She brought his face close and he began to kiss her. It felt awkward, kissing a stranger that she was meeting for the first time but she continued nevertheless. The man had all that was needed to change her life and if being feeling awkward was the price to pay, she was prepared to pay the price. Chief was an impatient man when it came to handling women. He didn’t have the time to engage in too much foreplay. His wives and mistresses were used to it, as soon as he mounted them, they would open up and he would go in and pour his seed and come out. He was impatient in almost everything except when counting money. He led Florence to the bed and unzipped her dress. He was impressed with the shape of her body and he began to unzip his trousers. She engaged the chief in different promiscuous acts that are unimaginable during the foreplay. To say that she was good at it was an understatement, the chief enjoyed every bit of the act.
Chief: “Ah, you will kill me. So it is true that little girls have their ways of making one go crazy in bed. No wonder the prevalent cases of sugar daddies will not end in Nigeria.”
Florence: “I haven’t even started with you and you are melting already. Wait until I begin to bang you, you will realise that khaki no be leather.”
Chief: “Really? Let’s get down then, I cannot wait. Have mercy on me and don’t come and kill me with anxiety, you know that I am an old man.”
Florence: “Not until you grant my request, chief.”
Chief: “What is your price?”
Florence: “I won the miss campus of my university this year. I know that the pageant for the Most pretty girl in Nigeria is coming up soon and I know that you are in charge of everything, I want you to get me into the contest and help me win.”
Chief: “Hmmmn, that is a big one. I will think about it if only you will allow me in first. So, can I come in?”
Florence: “See this old man o, so he thinks I will just allow him enter me without dropping anything? What if he refuses to help me win after I give it to him? But then, if I don’t allow him do it, how will I ever win such a big contest? Because I know that I am not beautiful and I don’t have enough money to bribe the judges. What do I do now? Should I reach out to my friends to help me blackmail and threaten him into succumbing to my desires after I finish strafing him?” she soliloquized.
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*I just pray Florence will not end her life in jeopardy with this her promiscuity
EPISODE 21 & 22
Chief: “Hello, I am waiting.”
Florence: “Okay, chief”. She said as she mounted chief.
Chief: “That is my girl, I like them obedient,” he said.
Florence got to real sexual stuff with chief. She really proved her professionalism in immorality. It was blissful and chief was ready to give in anything to have a repeat of the experience. Then a bang was heard on the door and Nene, his youngest wife barged into the room. Chief remembered that he had forgot to lock the door after allowing Florence in. He thought of his aides but he remembered that he had sent them away so he could have uninterrupted access to devouring Florence’s body.
Florence climbed down from him and covered her bare boobs with chief’s towel that he had discarded on the bed.
Nene: “So, this is where you are camped after leaving Canada right?”
“Excuse me, madam, you cannot just badge into our rooms like that,” the female receptionist who was panting from trying to catch up with Nene said.
Chief: “It is okay, you may leave,” he was embarrassed because he was stack naked, his manhood dripping with his semen and the honey from Florence’s honey pot.
Receptionist: “I am sorry, sir. She just walked in and before I could stop her she used the elevator and I had to…to…”, she lost concentration, chief noticed that she was staring at his long manhood.
Chief: “I said go!” he thundered and she ran out of the room.
Chief: “Nene, you see the embarrassment you caused me? Are you happy now? How many times have I told you to stop monitoring me all over the world?”
Nene: “You are shameless, chief Humphrey. I just caught a girl young enough to be your daughter on top you and you have the mouth to tell me that I am embarrassing you. Tufia!”
Chief: “What exactly is your problem, woman? You are my youngest wife and yet you are the most troublesome. Why won’t you allow me be? Is there anything you want that I don’t do for you? I gave you the best of everything money can buy, all you need do is ask for a thing and you have it, you even enjoy certain privileges that my other wives do not enjoy. What more do you need?”
Nene: “I need my husband’s attention, that is one thing money cannot buy. For more than three months now, you have been in Canada leaving me cold and lonely. I got winds that you returned to Nigeria yesterday and yet you refused to come home. Instead of you to reserve your energy for me, you are here wasting it on this little girl, you are busy panting under her like a Christmas goat. When you finally decide to come home now, you will be telling me that you are tired and that you need sleep. Climb me and in less than a minute you are down. You do not make me feel like a complete woman and that is my problem.”
Chief: “I am a man, you don’t expect me to stick to one woman all my life.”
Nene: “That is why you have 3 wives, that is more than enough to satisfy any man. Besides, who said a man cannot stick to one woman? Those ones who have one wife and yet don’t cheat on their wives, are they dead? In fact, reverend fathers who don’t have nko, have they died? ”Even you, you weren’t like this until you got yourself in this beauty pageant thing where women throw themselves on you anyhow.”
Florence who was crunched on one corner of the bed seized the opportunity of the dialogue between husband and wife to run out of the room but Nene who was watching her with a corner of her eyes stopped her. “And where do you think you are going, you little rat? So off all the boyfriends that I am sure you have, you still have eyes for older men right? I see that you like eating very strong gizzard, I will show you my true colour today.” She gave her a resounding slap and before Florence could regain her balance, another slap came her way. Then the punching and the scratching followed. Nene fought like a wild cat and Florence could not stand her, she submitted like a gentle lamb as blows after blows landed on her. Nene grabbed her left breast with one hand and her hair with the other and began to drag her on the floor. Chief tried to intervene but retreated when he saw Nene making moves to come after him. He knew better than to stand on her part when the spirit of fighting took over her. Nene raised Florence’s head and peered into her face.
Nene: “Ewo!, is this not the daughter of Truth and Prosperity Church? I was invited by a friend for their thanksgiving service and I saw you introduce yourself to the congregation as the pastor’s daughter during your testimony. So this is what you do, sleep around with people’s husband? Your parents and Church members must hear this and if I dare see you anywhere close to my husband again, I will kill you, it is a promise.”
Florence: “No, I am in trouble today.” She took one painful leap and ran out of the hotel room, not minding the fact that she was naked. The embarrassment of being seen naked was better than staying and getting killed by this wild cat who was threatening to complicate matters for her by telling her parents about he ‘sexcapedes.’
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After the suicide attempt incidence, Philip and Maya became very close. Mrs. Lanre was against the closeness between the two people because of Philip’s relationship with Naya but she kept quiet and pondered it in her heart, since she had promised Maya to allow her always have her way. When she noticed that her daughter was beginning to fall in love with him, she called her daughter to her room to advise her.
Mrs. Lanre: “My dear, I don’t understand you anymore o, I have kept quiet for long but I cannot hold it anymore.”
Maya: “What do you mean, mum?”
Mrs. Lanre: “It is this your closeness with Philip, is there anything I need to know?”
Maya: “Mum, can you imagine? I think I am in love with him,” she answered excitedly.
Mrs. Lanre: “Love? How can you be in love with your late twins ex boyfriend? Where is that done?”
Maya: “Oh mum, can’t you just allow the dead to rest in peace? We are in the 21st century for God’s sake, let go of some archaic traditions and superstitions.”
Mrs. Lanre: “I am sure Naya will be turning uneasily in her grave.”
Maya: “Naya is dead and has no business interfering in what is happening in the land of the living.”
Mrs. Lanre: “What will people say when they hear that you are dating your sister’s boyfriend?”
Maya: “Who are the people? Listen, you and I are the only ones that we have gone and so we shouldn’t live our lives to please anyone. Where were those people when we were wallowing in grieve and pain? Please mum, this guy makes me happy, that is exactly what I need in my life right now.”
Mrs. Lanre: “Hmmn, okay o. Don’t just say that I didn’t warn you o.”
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Maya came to visit Philip that day for them to go the movies together, it was their usual way of spending the weekends. When she got in, she saw him hurdled up under his blanket and shivering. She ran up to him and touched him.
Maya: “What is wrong with you? Are you sick? We should go to the hospital then.”
Philip: “No, it’s just cold. I was beaten by the rain on my way back from a friend’s place. Just make a hot cup of coffee for me and I will be fine.”
Maya set about making the coffee. When she finished, she helped him up and held it up to his mouth where he took one sip after the other.
“I am okay,” he said when she tried to make him drink some more.”
“Are you sure?” she asked, worried that he had not taken enough to drive away the cold. For an answer, Philip drew close and covered her lips with his own in a passionate kiss. Maya responded by kissing him back but soon the details of the dream she had about her sister stabbing her for making out with Philip came flooding. She tried to stop him but he wouldn’t bulge. Rather, he pushed her to the bed and began to unzip his trousers.
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*I’m happy that Florence got her reward in full for her promiscuity. Her secret will soon be made known publicly. Greater shame than the honour she acquired with pride and immorality. “…before destruction comes pride.”
This should serve as a deterrent to ladies / women in this same ungodly act.
*If care is not taking, Maya may learn her lesson in a bitter way…
EPISODE 22
Maya: “You have to stop this, Philip. It is not right.”
Philip: “What is wrong with me getting intimate with my girl?”
Maya: “Everything is wrong with it. First of all, God says no sex before marriage.”
Philip: “Ah, now you remind me of your late twin sister.”
Maya: “Exactly, that is another reason. You cannot be intimate with me after being intimate with my sister.”
Philip: “I was never intimate with her. In fact, she never allowed me make love to her so don’t worry about that, there is nothing wrong with us being together.”
Maya: “Are you sure?”
Philip: “Cross my heart, baby. I cannot lie against the dead.”
He was able to convince her and they resumed their kissing and romancing and smooching. When it was time to get down, as soon as Philip removed his boxers and her pants, he lost erection. All her efforts to put him back in the mood proved abortive. He suggested that they engage in a couple of foreplay to put him in the mood. None of the tricks worked. Philip was embarrassed, that was the first time he had lost erection right in the middle of something serious and it surprised him.
Maya: “What happened? Are you impotent or something?”
Philip: “Impotent? Hell no! I have done a couple of things in the past and it has never happened like this before. I guess it happened because I was overly excited.”
Maya: “Excited about what?” She was finding it difficult to believe that it was possible for a man to lose erection simply because he got excited.
Philip: “Excited about being with you of course. You know it is our first time so you can imagine,” he blabbed.
Maya: “If you say so,” she was obviously disappointed.
The same occurrence continued to happen anytime Philip tried to get intimate with Maya and he became really worried. He had no option than to confide in Malik, his best friend.
Phillip: “My dear, that is the situation I am in now o. Anytime I am about to get down with Maya like this, my erection will just go down fiam! In fact, the thing go just go sleep.”
Malik: “Hahaha, are you serious? If the thing go sleep, wake am na.”
Philip: “Stop laughing jor. This thing is embarrassing me before Maya and you are here laughing. See, no matter how hard we to try make it stand, it doesn’t work.”
Malik: “That is serious.”
Philip: “It is o, and the worst thing is that it will be erected during foreplay o, once it gets to the time for action, e don go sleep be that.”
Malik: “Maybe you have one infection that is affecting your erection. Have you tried seeking medical solution?”
Philip: “It is nothing medical jare.”
Malik: “How do you know that?”
Philip: “Last time it happened with Maya, as soon as she left the house, that girl that has been crushing on me in the neighbourhood came visiting. One thing led to the other, you know I was in the mood now and we did it live and direct. It was hot man, super hot.”
Malik: “So, what you are telling me is that when Maya left your house after you lost erection, another girl came in and you were able to make love to her without losing erection?”
Philip: “Exactly. I only lose erection whenever I am with Maya.”
Malik: “That means she has a very strong spiritual husband who doesn’t want you to make love to her.”
Philip: “And what is that supposed to mean? Don’t tell me you believe in all those spiritual spouses crap. Listen, I even intend to marry her so don’t even think of any spiritual being preventing anything.”
Malik: “Well, that is the only thing I can think of right now. I mean, how else do you explain the fact that you can make love to other girls except her?”
Philip: “I am also confused, that is why I am having this discussion with you. And she told me she is not a virgin, meaning that other guys have been able to make love to her before now.”
Malik: “We need to seek the help of someone who can see beyond the physical. I will take you to someone who can help. Be ready by 4pm tomorrow.”
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When Florence ran out of the hotel with the wrapper she had been given by the female security at the gate of the hotel, she went to her friend’s house. She was afraid of going back to her own house because she felt like Chief’s wild wife would trail her from the hotel to her house and continue beating her there.
Miss Economics who had introduced Florence to chief sat up as soon as she saw Florence walk in with just a wrapper over her body.
Miss Economics: “What happened? Were you involved in an accident or were you raped or something?”
Florence: “If that was the case, it would have been better.”
Miss Economics: “Then what happened? Didn’t you see chief?”
Florence: “I did,” she hissed.
Miss Economics: “You did? Like you mean chief did this to you?”
Florence: “Chief did not do this to me. His wife did, when she caught us in the hotel making out.”
Miss Economics: “Oh my God, which of his wives?”
Florence: “I don’t know but I heard chief calling her Nene and saying something about she being his youngest wife.”
Miss Economics: “That troublesome woman, she is chief’s youngest wife, she married some one’s husband but she doesn’t want another person to share with her, useless greedy woman. In fact, how did she find out that you were in that hotel with chief?”
Florence: “I should be asking you that.”
Miss Economics: “What do you mean by that?” She was beginning to get angry for she was short tempered.
Florence: “You are the only one who knows about my going to meet chief, you were the only one who knew the hotel I went to. You are the one who introduced me to him and you are the one who obviously knows which of his wife is troublesome. So, I should be asking you how she found out about us.”
Miss Economics: “You don dey craze o, shey you know? You better go psychiatrist hospital before the thing become too late. Are you saying that I told chief’s wife about your going to meet her husband? How can I do that when I know that I will get my own share from the outing?”
Florence: “I am just confused, I don’t even know what to think anymore. Chief was a big fish and I was really looking forward to making him help me win the most pretty girl contest. Imagine that I was on top him working hard just to impress him and then his wife entered and gave me the beating of my life and chief just stayed there watching and he didn’t raise a finger to help me.”
Miss Economics: “Are you serious? You mean you allowed her beat you up and you did nothing to get back at her? Why didn’t you fight her back?”
Florence: “Fight her? Even you who has Ph.D in fighting couldn’t have fought back that woman. She is so wild. I had to run out naked o, it was the security woman at the gate that helped me with this wrapper so. My dress, pants, phone, bag everything, I left it there. I pray the woman doesn’t do anything with them o.”
Miss Economics: “But chief fall hand sha. I am going to call him o, he must pay for all that his wife did to you. Haba, look at your face as if you fought with a dog. Don’t worry, just go and freshen up, I will take care of this.”
Florence: “The problem is that the woman knows that my father is a pastor and she has threatened to tell my father what she saw.
God, I am in deep shit. My father will just storm the university one day and embarrass me on campus. Gosh, what have I gotten myself into like this?”
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Life without Christ will surely end in crisis
EPISODE 23 & 24 (Finale)
Philip’s friend took him to a spiritualist in the outskirts of the city. As soon as they got into the room, they met the man praying with his rosary beads. Malik introduced himself and his friend and was about to begin praying when the spiritualist interrupted him.
Mallam: “You don’t have to tell me anything. You see, as soon as you came in, the almighty Allah SWT revealed everything to me. Your friend is worried because he cannot have his way with his supposed girlfriend.” Malik and Philip were shocked and turned around to stare at one another.
“How did you know that?” they chorused.
Mallam: “It was revealed to me. Where the eyes stop to see, the mind starts to see. First of all, it is against the will of almighty Allah for you to even think of indulging in immorality with a lady who is not your wife. Secondly, you are expected to stay away from that particular girl because of the relationship you had with her twin sister. The cord between twins is very serious, even in death, no one must come in between them.”
Philip: “But Mallam, I never did anything with her twin sister before she died.”
Mallam: “What matters most is the intentions of our heart. You have the intention to sleep with her, as a matter of fact, you slept with her several times in your heart. That is more than enough to make you stay away from her twin sister.”
Philip: “So, because I thought of doing something, that automatically makes me guilty of that thing?”
Mallam: “Yes it does. And I will advise you to tell her sister the role you played in disposing her corpse when you found out that she was already dead. The spirit of the dead girl is angry at the way you abandoned her after she died especially the way you desecrated her corpse by dragging it out of the room on the floor. You need to speak out before her ghost comes for her pound of flesh. If not for the love she has for her twin sister, she would have harmed you long ago.”
Philip: “Malik, what gibberish is this man uttering? You call this one a man of God? I mean what is he saying? That I should go and tell them she died in my room? Won’t that implicate me? After I told the police I didn’t know how the corpse got there? You think her family will believe that I didn’t kill her when they find out that she died in my room?”
Malik: “I think you are being unnecessarily hyperactive. Remember that we are in this together and if apologising to her parents for the way we treated their daughter’s body is the best, I think we should just do it. I don’t want any ghost to come after me o.”
Philip: “Mehn, there is no way I am going to stay here and listen to this kind of talk. I don’t even know what I am doing here in the first place,” he got up and left the place. Malik apologised to the man and went out after his friend.
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Florence went to meet Chief in another different hotel. She was still very angry with him for the way his wife treated her the other time but he had apologised profusely on phone and being the materialistic girl that she was, she decided to discard the warning from his wife and meet him in the hotel. Chief was talking on the phone when she entered the room. She noticed that his security detail was not there as chief had gone to the hotel alone to avoid his wife getting any wind of his escapade. He tried to hug her as soon as she stepped in wearing a denim above the knee button down gown. Her hair was packed in a ponny tail and on her lips, was a tomatoe red lip stick that complemented the red Channel chain bag she had on her shoulders. She sat on the chair opposite chief, calculating her next move. He finished making his call and came and sat close to her. She moved away and turned her face away from him.
Chief: “What is it? If you didn’t want me close to you, why did you come here?”
Florence: “Chief, the memories of what your wife did to me the last time I was with you is still fresh in my head.”
Chief: “I thought I apologised and told you that I would make it up to you?”
Florence: “Yes you apologised but that doesn’t change the fact that you stayed there watching without doing anything to save me from her claws.”
Chief: “Nana is a tigress, if I had intervened, she would have blown everything out of proportion. I have an integrity to protect here. Of all my wives, she is the most troublesome, you won’t blame her, she is the daughter of one of the most influential politicians we have around. A spoil brat she is, I would say.”
Florence: “But how can she…”
Chief: “Ohhh, can we just drop this topic? Are we going to use up the whole day talking about this? Why do I need to run away from my nagging wives at home if I will come and meet another nagging here?”
Florence: “Fine. Just let it not repeat itself again. Just warn her to keep herself away from me o, I don’t mind the fact that she is the daughter of a politician. If she dares me again, I will arrange guys to beat her up. I am from the street and we know how to handle people the street way. Can you imagine that she even threatened to report me to my father? What rubbish.”
Chief: “I have heard all you said. Now come to daddy,” he opened his arms wide and she hugged him. He began to kiss her and reached for the button of her dress but she stopped him.
Florence: “What about my request, chief.”
Chief: “I have that in mind. How about we travel to Dubai for a weekend getaway?”
Florence: “Really chief? That is good news, oh I would be more than glad to travel outside the country, I have never gone to any other country before so I am more than excited about this.”
Chief: “I am happy to know that you are glad about this. Also we shall go shopping, that should pay for all that my wife did to you.”
Florence: “Thank you so much, chief. She began to unbutton her dress herself even, she resolved to give it to him like she had never done before.”
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Florence’ father woke up at the middle of the night to pray, his heart was troubled. All night he had tried to sleep but nightmares about his daughter kept on tormenting him. In one of the dreams, he had seen that she was pushed down from a high cliff by a woman whose identity he could not recognise. At other times, he saw her drowning in a big river and he wondered what she had gone to do there. The nightmares kept coming in different forms, anytime he closed his eyes to sleep, he would see her in one form of distress or the other. He tried to sit up and pray for her but he kept on drifting into the turbulent sleep. Early the next morning, he dialled her number.
Baba Florence: “Can you come for the weekend? There is something very important that I would like to discuss with you.” He said to her after they had exchanged pleasantries.
Florence: “I can’t come home, dad, I have this practical that I must attend.”
Baba Florence: “Practical as how? Are you not in the faculty of arts? What practical do you do in your department?”
Florence: “Don’t mind me, dad. I mean test, I have 7 tests these weekend, I am sure you don’t want me to miss that.” She lied to him. She had scheduled to travel with chief to Dubai that weekend and she couldn’t afford to miss it for anything in the world, not even when she knew that her father would not demand to see her unless it was something very important.
Baba Florence: “Okay, then. But I need you to be very careful in school, don’t join bad company o, always say your prayers and read your Bible always. I will send some pocket money across to you next week and if we see anyone going your way, we would send foodstuff across too. Remember that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit so you must not do anything to profane it.”
Florence: “I won’t daddy. In fact, I don’t go out on campus o, it is from lecture hall to hostel, that is my routine here and I pray always so you have nothing to worry about.”
Her father thanked her and dropped the call. “Popcy just stay there o, that is how you didn’t use the opportunities that came your way well if not by now we would be rich. Let me see why I won’t enjoy my life in this world.” She went to bed giggling, excited about the trip to Dubai with chief the next day.
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Mrs. Lanre woke up with a start that night, the next day was 25th birthday of the twins and in her dream, she had been warned to keep her part of the pact that she made 25 years ago to the river goddess or risk losing Maya the way she lost Naya and she felt it was time to intimate Maya who was the only surviving twin about it.
EPISODE 24
Mrs. Lanre glanced at her bedside clock and realized that was some minutes past midnight so she decided not to disturb her daughter whom she assumed was fast asleep. She would tell her everything the next day, she was tired of keeping the secret that was threatening to crush her.
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Maya sat up abruptly on her bed, she glanced at her bedside clock and it read 2:14am. That was the 3rd time in three days that she was waking up at that time, all after having terrible nightmares about her sister. She decided to visit a pastor to explain the situation and seek spiritual advice. It baffled her that her twin sister whom she had loved as much as she loved herself could cause her such sleepless nights. Early the next morning, she set out for the Church, the pastor was just about stepping into his office when she accosted him at the door and they went in together.
Pastor: “Bless you my sister. What can I do for you this morning?” The pastor knew everything about how she had lost her father and her sister at the same period and so he felt that her visiting had something to do with the circumstances surrounding their death.
Maya: “Pastor, I need help. I have been having days of sleepless nights for a while now. Each time I close my eyes to sleep, I see my late twin sister beckoning me to join her where she is. Sometimes, I see her crying and other times I see her holding a sharp knife as if she wants to stab me. I am confused. Sometimes I see myself in the river with some people beckoning at me.”
Pastor: “God forbid that you join her where she is. It is not a good omen for the dead to call on the living, but the there is nothing prayers cannot do, all will be well.”
Maya: “Also, I will like to ask, pastor. Is there anything wrong with me falling in love with my late sister’s boyfriend?”
Pastor: “First of all, I condemn in totality every relationship that is not built on the word of God. And it is morally wrong for you to go into any form of intimate relationship with a man that was your sister’s boyfriend”.
Maya: “No wonder!”
Pastor: “No wonder what?”
Maya: “Pastor, I will not hide anything from you. I know that you see beyond the physical and so there is no need hiding anything from you. I fell in love with my sister’s boyfriend shortly after she died and we started a relationship. We tried to get intimate more than thrice and in all cases, he…he…”
Pastor: “He what?”
Maya: “He lost erection.”
Pastor: “Hmmn, I will not condemn you because we are all sinners in one way or the other. But you see, our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit and we should treat them with respect. Premarital sex under any guise is wrong. Oh thank you Jesus, thank you Lord, thank you Holy Spirit of God for this revelation.” He busted into praises and prayers and speaking in tongues while thanking God for the revelation that he was seeing. Maya also got on her knees and began to sing and pray. She hardly prayed but whatever it was that was making the man of God to pray was also enough reason for her to pray as well.
“My daughter, where is your mother?” he suddenly stopped and asked her.
Maya: “I left my mother at home, sir. She was still sleeping when I left the house this morning.”
Pastor: “I will like to see your mother and the young man in question, please. Can you arrange a meeting to that effect tomorrow evening? Some prayer warriors and I will be interceding on behalf of your family from now till tomorrow evening when the meeting will hold.”
Maya: “I will do just that”, she thanked him and left after some prayers and praises section.
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Florence set out to meet Chief in his hotel room from where they would proceed to the airport. She was in high spirit and had taken her time to dress well. Chief was still in his white singlet and boxers when she got in.
Florence: “Ah chief, you are not dressed yet? Don’t come and make us miss this flight o, as you are seeing me so, it is my body that is here, my spirit is in Dubai already.”
Chief: “Common, we still have about two hours before the flight. Besides, the pilot won’t even fly if I am not on board.”
Florence: “Okay, get dressed now, I am here already.”
Chief: “Not until we have had a hot quickie.”
Florence: “Oh chief, we would have all the time in the world for that in Dubai.”
“I want it now,” he drew close and began to kiss her. He raised the micro mini skirt she was wearing and bent her for a doggy when the door to the hotel room was yanked opened and his wife Nene stormed in holding a little jar.
Chief: “What is this woman? How on earth do you get to track my movement?”
Nene: “Stay out of my way, I didn’t come for you,” she turned to Florence who was shivering like a chicken beaten by a heavy rain. Her skirt was still raised up exposing her thigh and her bare boobs. “After all the beating and warning, you still have the guts to come close to my husband right? Let’s see if he will still want you after I finish with you today.” She charged at Florence on the bed but her husband stood in-between them.
Chief: “Not again, Nene. I won’t have you embarrass me like this again.”
Nene: “Stay out of my way, chief.” He tried to catch hold of her but she pushed him with all her strength, he fell backwards, hit his head against the iron post of the bed, slumped and died immediately.
“Chief!” Florence shouted and attempted to run to him but Nene ignored her husband, opened the jar and in one split second emptied the contents all over Florence who screamed and passed out of the pain inflicted by the acid poured on her.
Nene tried to run out but Florence’ scream had attracted the attention of the hotel’s security who accosted her on the way and arrested her immediately.
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The next day, Maya was able to convince her mother to follow her to Church. She had also given Philip the address of the Church so he could meet her there. She had been able to convince him by telling him that it was a matter of life and death. Philip was already in the Church when Maya and her mother got in. The pastor and the prayer warriors continued praying without pausing even when they came in.
After a while, the pastor asked Maya to kneel down for prayers to be offered for her because he was seeing the spirit of death around her. “Madam, what do you know about the birth of this lady here? I have been seeing some revelations but I would like you to speak up first.”
Mrs. Lanre: “It is a long story, pastor but I have to talk because I don’t want to lose my only child. It happened several years ago, when I was having one miscarriage after another. When I got pregnant for the twins, I was afraid that I might have another miscarriage so my friend took me to a river where some sacrifices were carried out. The river goddess made me promise that the first twin, that is Naya would never get married in her life and that she must never sleep on the same bed with a man over the night until she is 25 years. That was why the goddess struck her with heart failure and killed her that night. I couldn’t open up to anyone, not even her twin sister. The goddess has been threatening me in my dream that she would take Maya 7 days after her 25th birthday, reason being that Maya has altered her destiny by going out with her sister’s ex, now her sister’s destiny of dying has been transferred to her because they got involved with the same man and I am sure it was the goddess that made her fall in love with her sister’s boyfriend so that it can have access to kill her the way it killed her sister. Help me man of God, I don’t want to die childless.” She was weeping profusely.
Pastor: “Hmmn, the spirit of God never lies. I saw a dark cloud hovering around her when she came here yesterday and I knew it had to do with circumstances surrounding her birth. You see, you made a terrible mistake woman, going to that river goddess ruined your children’s destiny. Do you think that God who gave you the pregnancy is not able to help you protect them from miscarriage? Even if he allows a miscarriage to happen, know that it is for your own good. You see, I feel sad for people who go to the devil to seek for favours. Anything that God cannot give you, believe you me, that thing is not for your own good and even if you get it elsewhere, it will ruin you.” Turning to Philip, he said: “My friend, while I was praying, the spirit ministered to me to tell you to speak up and be free. I made enquiries from Maya and I was told that Naya died in your house. Is there anything that you are hiding?”
Philip: “Man of God, ever since her death, I have kept this burden in my heart, it is crushing me and I have to speak up now. I didn’t kill Naya, God knows that I don’t have a hand in her death, the only thing I did wrong was that for fear of being branded her killer, I connived with my friend and we dragged out her body. I am sorry, Maya, I kept this away from you.”
Maya: “Don’t you ever touch me, you wicked fellow. How could you have kept such sensitive information from me all these while?”
Philip: “I am sorry. I thought…”
Maya: “Don’t come close to me. How did I even get entangled with you in the first place? I hate you! I hate you so much.”
Pastor: “This is not the time to hate or apportion blames, let love lead the way, I mean Agape love, that is godly love.”
He declared seven days of fasting and prayers for them all to break the curse on the destiny of Maya who was due to die days after 25th birthday. On the 7th day of the fast, deliverance session was conducted for she and her mother, and Mrs. Lanre sold some of her belongings and gave it out as alms.
*Epilogue:
After Maya was delivered, the spirit that was attracting her to Philip so as to get access to kill her left her and she began to see him as a brother. Few months later, she relocated to UK with her mother and after her Masters programme, she got married to a foreigner and gave birth to two identical twin girls. Her mother lives with her and takes care of the twins.
Philip on the other hand fell in love with another girl whom he had met at the NYSC orientation camp.
Nene was arrested and charged to court and prosecuted accordingly.
Florence sustained first degree burns from her face to her thighs as a result of the acid bath and needs 15 million naira for surgery in India. She had to abandon her studies because she lost her sight as a result of the acid, disfigured and remorseful for attempting to take on a path that is not in line with her destiny, she now sits at home with her parents who are praying daily for a good Samaritan that would provide the money for her surgery. Her quest to take on a destiny that is not in line with God’s plan for her led to her untimely destruction.
=== THE END ===
“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
-Romans 6:23 (NIV)
“There is a way which seems right to a man and appears straight before him, but at the end of it is the way of death.”
-Proverbs 14:12 (AMP)
“Lean on, trust in, and be confident in the Lord with all your heart and mind and do not rely on your own insight or understanding.” – Proverbs 3:5 (AMP)
“In all your ways know, recognize, and acknowledge Him, and He will direct and make straight and plain your paths.” -Proverbs 3:6 (AMP)
“Be not wise in your own eyes; reverently fear and worship the Lord and turn [entirely] away from evil.” -Proverbs 3:7 (AMP)
Thanks for following this story. I hope you enjoyed it. God bless you.
Story Source Unknown
Published on this website By:
Ifeoluwa ORISAKAHUNSI
C.E.O, gospelfilmsng
