Hello Nairalanders.
Its been a while I must say.
Well, I come with a story... not mine though...a friend's.

He doubts his ability in this work, so I got the permission to post it here..
Your candid criticism is vehemently advised please.

Welcome as you come on board!!!

Warnings: No part of this work should be published, scripted on or off the forum without permission from the author, else be sued for plagiarism.

Copyright ©2015 by INEGBENOISE OSEODION OSAGIE.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be copied in part or in whole or be
reproduced in another format without a prior written approval from the author or the
admin of http://www.nairaland.com.
You can contact the author via the following media;
E-mail:inegbenoise80@yahoo.com
Phone: 07068221839, 08184558200
____________________________________________
This story was originally written by INEGBENOISE .O. OSAGIE in 2014.
This is a work of fiction, Names, characters, places(real) and incidents are products of
the author’s imagination or are used fictitously and are not to be construed as real. Any
resemblance to actual events, locales, organisations, or persons, living or dead is
entirely coincidental.

FTC...

vonn fire

CHAPTER 1




The perfumes had the highest sets. Richard Fayemi scanned for Venon and found it standing amid other perfumes in the étagère with a curled female figure modelled below its price tag.


He placed his perfume on a ledge and turned to view the necklaces on a shelf that carried numerous gold necklaces. When he turned to the ledge for his perfume, nothing was atop it. No perfume.


He glanced at the ground and roved at his sides, but found no one other than the sales clerk who was thumbing through naira notes.

“Did anyone walk past me?” he asked.

The clerk raised head to him. “I suppose someone walked through the aisle.” She returned to her naira notes.

A young woman at his left diminished into the next aisle. He sprinted there and hailed to her.
She continued walking.

When he was few distance away, she twisted head to him and increased speed, striding into the aisle of hanging blouses and wandering women. The women and blouses caused the most unstable view, making his pace useless.

He finally arrived at a clear space. There was no woman on a yellow gown.
He cupped his waist and stalked back to the jewelleries aisle. How did the woman manage to take the perfume without his notice?


“What happened, sir?” The sales clerk paused from her money counting.

“The perfume I purchased has been stolen.”

She dropped her naira notes on the desk and looked at her sides. “Sorry about that. It should be one of these Lagos boys. They steal and sell.”

It couldn’t be a boy. Boys were very few
in the shop. It was the woman on yellow.

“I think it was a young woman. I tried following her but lost sight.”

She angled head. “That’s uncommon.”

He opened his briefcase and handed the clerk a bunch of money—paid for an item that was not in his hands.

“Sorry for the event,” she said.


As he drove deep into the street, his Honda sank into almost every dent. All he fell into and even those he swerved fuelled the feeling.


He halted and jerked, peered through the windscreen. It was the girl at the shop, strolling on the side lane. It was no mistake. There were resemblances: same yellow gown and falling cornrows. Her right hand was empty, her left was not in sight, but it held something.

A car honked from behind, causing him to bend to the road’s side. He stepped out. A black bag hung at her left.
He hailed to her.
She twisted head to him and immediately started a marathon. No more doubts, she stole the perfume.

“Hey!” His voice increased the length of her legs.
People swarmed the area, not only women as it were in the shop, but people who would bounce on her on any word that she stole. Lagos had never been friendly to her type.

The chattering from his far right sidetracked him before he could open his car’s door. People clustered and created a scene. Some wailed in Yoruba, some murmured, and some watched with wrinkled faces.

He removed gaze and stepped into the car, pushed the gear and began a drive to the scene
.
At the scene, he stretched eyes through his side window. A woman was spread on the road, in bits of blood. A drive further gave him sufficient view. It was same woman.

Her bag lay on the ground, items shattered, and broken bottle pieces surrounded her. It could be a punishment from God.

A man hurled her onto a shoulder and scurried forward, her thick crimson blood staining his T-shirt.

Richard stepped out from his car. “Bring her in here.”

The people directed eyeballs to him.

“A car would be faster to the hospital,” he said.

The man carrying her rushed to the backseat and positioned her there.

“It was a car accident, she got hit while running. The doer zoomed off,” he said. “Hurry, there’s a hospital next two streets.”

“Maybe you should come with me.”

The man hastened to the passenger’s side. Richard entered and fastened his seatbelt.
He avoided looking at the backseat, but the little on the rear-view mirror made him try to manoeuvre traffic.

“There.” The man pointed to a bungalow.

“Is that a hospital?”

“It’s the closest we can find.”

The building’s white paint was peeling off, and there was no gate. His car bumped, forcing him to reduce speed.

They rushed out of the car and opened the back doors. He heaved her into his arms and hurried past the hospital’s door. Two nurses wheeled a stretcher to them and helped him stretch her.

No bloodstains glued to his suit, only hairs. He dusted them off with his handkerchief.

The receptionist table had tiny holes filled with sawdust. He managed to write on the paper without contacting the table.

“Isn’t there a better hospital around here?” he asked the man.

“She was losing blood. This will render good first aid.”

Women and children with slackened faces filled the first pew. Richard found a spot at the second and settled there. The Good Samaritan positioned by him.

“Was the hit that bad?” Richard asked.

“She was running. That must have increased the effect.” The man looked down to his wristwatch.

“You’re missing something?”

“I have to go pick my children from school. I’m an hour late.”

“You should go. I‘d care for the rest. And there’re blood spots on your shirt.”

“I’d take it off. I wore an inner.” He rose and pulled off the shirt, revealing a white polo neck.

Richard rested eyes on him until he got halfway the gate. A nurse eased by, rolling a trolley.

Richard called and got her attention.

“Was the woman severely injured?” he asked.

“What woman?” The nurse carried a naive face.

“Light-complexioned. An accident victim.”

“I haven’t seen her,” she said, with hands already on her trolley, eager to continue wheeling.

“Can I see her?”

“If you think she is seriously wounded, then I’ll say you come back another day.”

“All right. About the bills?”

She pointed left, referring him to the doctor’s office.

After having the talks with the doctor, he began for his home.
The knocking of the generator deprived him of the radio reporter’s final words. He parked and turned head to the backseat. Parts of the leather had reddened. He frowned at the bloodstains and stepped out. The gateman ran to the garage.

“Welcome sah. Ek’ale.”

He ordered the gateman to wash the chairs.
The door crackled before he could punch the doorbell. His woman appeared on a towel and gave out the toilet’s soap fragrance.

A drop of water fell to his shoe as he stepped in. Much of it clung to her hair, giving it a darker brown than her skin.
He opened the fridge and brought out a chilled Malta Guinness. Questions would come, but it should do good to wait until after his drink.

“You didn’t reach the stores,” she said.

“I did.” He gulped some of the malt and settled on a couch.

The forming wrinkles on her face melded with the remaining of her skin.

“Where’s the Venon?”

“It was stolen.”

“Stolen?” Her eyes grew bigger, bigger than envisaged. “Rick…”

“I’m not telling lies. It was.”
She sat on his couch’s arm. “How was it stolen?”

Her question was too direct to achieve a good enough believable answer. Not all truths were believable.

“A girl dragged it from my hand. It was unexpected.” He downed the last gulp.

“Ezinne, I’d get you the perfume. Why would I lie? I had it. It was stolen. I’d get you another.”

“There have been too many excuses.”

“I’d get it before the week runs out.”
Another set of words were about forming, but her lips merged before they could come out. They unmerged.

“Next time, be more careful.”

__________________________________

Divepen1:
FTC...

Bro, easy nah

vonn:

Bro, easy nah

For where I no dey miss that kain thing ooo

Chimo.... Thiefing is not good.
I really how you introduced the story. The hooks at the end though not strong will compel us to ask?
What happened to the Yellow thief on yellow
Also, Richard character was not a type, it was a person. One I want to relate to. You are good.Store that at the back of your mind

My Quote of the update

“Is that a hospital?”
“It’s the closest we can find.


It shows that you appreciate what you have.

Divepen1:
For where I no dey miss that kain thing ooo

Chimo.... Thiefing is not good.
I really how you introduced the story. The hooks at the end though not strong will compel us to ask?
What happened to the Yellow thief on yellow
Also, Richard character was not a type, it was a person. One I want to relate to. You are good.Store that at the back of your mind

My Quote of the update

“Is that a hospital?”
“It’s the closest we can find.


It shows that you appreciate what you have.

Lol... Thanks for following and enjoying.

vonn:
Lol... Thanks for following and enjoying.

Welcome

**Singing in the spirit** "I am here again, I am here again; Vonn, I am here again........"

Nice introduction....
Pls continue ASAP.

dammygoody:
**Singing in the spirit** "I am here again, I am here again; Vonn, I am here again........"

Nice introduction....
Pls continue ASAP.

Dammygoody, dammy do good is back....

dammygoody:
**Singing in the spirit** "I am here again, I am here again; Vonn, I am here again........"

Nice introduction....
Pls continue ASAP.

Dammy, hope you don't sound like frog oo.
Anyway, that your song must be accompanied with goodies oo.

Divepen1:

Dammygoody, dammy do good is back....

. .. I sight you boss....
It's been a while.

vonn:

Dammy, hope you don't sound like frog oo.
Anyway, that your song must be accompanied with goodies oo.

You can trust the sweetness of my voice as long as you update ....and of course, there must be goodies... ...

I heard mah name..... ....

Oga Divepen, i hail thee sir!! Oya sisi Vonn, coman continue d tori ooo.... I twist pass Oliver oo


*munching my frog peppersoup n monkeytail * whu cares?

dammygoody:

. .. I sight you boss....
It's been a while.


You can trust the sweetness of my voice as long as you update ....and of course, there must be goodies... ...

yes oooo... How far with you.

Skimpledawg:
I heard mah name..... ....

Oga Divepen, i hail thee sir!! Oya sisi Vonn, coman continue d tori ooo.... I twist pass Oliver oo


*munching my frog peppersoup n monkeytail * whu cares?

Boss mi.... I hail too

Skimpledawg:
I heard mah name..... ....

Oga Divepen, i hail thee sir!! Oya sisi Vonn, coman continue d tori ooo.... I twist pass Oliver oo


*munching my frog peppersoup n monkeytail * whu cares?

Frog peppersoup
Haven't seen that in my entire life dear.
Maybe you should try 'ngwongwo isi ewu' with chilled 'nkwu enu'.
It does wonders!

vonn:
Frog peppersoup Haven't seen that in my entire life dear. Maybe you should try 'ngwongwo isi ewu' with chilled 'nkwu enu'. It does wonders!

Onemansquad coman ce food o.... Maybe we shuld add it to our menu

Sisi Vonn, ar u ibo?

#

The hospital had much people in it, in contrast with the few cars parked at the small square. The nurses perambulated in blue with their dangling tiny caps.


Richard headed to the receptionist table. His friend, Jide Echem, threw eyes to him and began saying something.
Richard cut him short.

“It was the nearest hospital. It’s temporary.”

“She should be transferred. That is not too much for a woman who took your perfume.”


“Stole,” Richard corrected, and refused pondering on Jide’s words. He tapped the receptionist’s table, side tracking her from her writing, and asked to see the woman brought in the previous day.


“What woman? Who brought her here, you or him?” She fixed at Jide as though surer he brought the woman in.

Richard snuck eyes to his friend. No similarity had emerged. Jide was still that tall ebony man, while himself hadn’t grown an inch above his friend’s neck. Why would the receptionist mistake them?


“I did,” he said. “Fair injured lady. Check your list. I signed.”

“Check room twelve,” the receptionist said without checking her list.


“Where is that?”


“First bend. Ask the nurses.”

They strode to the first bend. “12” was visible on a door.

He knocked and opened.

The fair lady lay on the bed, connected to a half-gone drip. She appeared thinner in the blue gown. A nurse stood at a corner busy with some medical tools on a tray.


“You brought her in?” the nurse asked.

“Yes. How is the treatment?”

“No complications. She lost some blood, but thanks to you and the surrounding persons, I guess the situation was salvaged on time.” The optimist words of the woman did well.


“Any internal injuries?” Jide asked.

“No. The car probably didn’t hit with much speed. Her fall on sharp objects caused the major wounds. We found bottle fragments in her skin. The road must have had lots of them.”


Bottles? Richard thought. His perfume must have caused that.

“When would she be discharged?” He left eyes on the bed.

“The doctor would say that.”

The victim’s eyes partially opened. Richard drew nearer to her bed. “You remember me?” he asked with a lowered voice.

She stared at him, and the stare lasted without a word emerging from her lips, without anything but piercing eyes pointing to him as though it was he who smashed her with a car.


“Maybe she doesn’t,” Jide said. “She might not have seen much of you.”


“She did. It will take a while, but she will remember the face.”


“I remember you,” she muttered without moving lips. “The man who caused my accident.”

She said it as a truth she had no doubt about, as though she saw him run his car through her. The nurse was looking at him.

“You were hit by a car. The driver sped off.”

“You should not exchange words with her,” the nurse said.

“What’s your name?” he asked.
She continued staring and coughed, coughed again and made the cough her response.

“It’s Abbe Oboh,” the nurse helped.

“I’m Richard Fayemi, and I did not cause your accident.”

She closed eyes. They remained closed with no hope of opening. “We should leave,” he told Jide.

Jide lowered head out of the door and they left the room.

At the car, Jide brought up topics about the woman and the nonsensical federal hospital, as he called it. Richard did not talk much, but spared the nods for his friend. Talking would not make him enjoy the less bumpy highway drive.

Lander Close was silent. It always was, except at nights when the crickets disturbed. The gate man open before any honk and Richard sped in.

Ezinne was stretched on the long sofa, viewing the screen. It’s Wednesday, so it should be The Nigerian Idols.

“Mr Echem, nnộ,” she greeted Jide in Igbo.

Jide smiled at her, his usual faint smile.

“You’re early today,” she told Richard.

“I left work early. Jide and I went to the hospital to—”

“Hospital?” She kept the most questioning face.

“I didn’t tell you. That woman who stole from me had an accident. I’m taking care of the damages.”

Her head jerked. “You helped the thief?”

“I had to.” He settled on a couch, and Jide sat by him.

“Why didn’t you take the perfume when she encountered the accident?”

“It broke.”

“And now you’re helping her.”

“Believe me, if you were there, you’d have done same. It was heart-breaking to watch her.”

She looked at Jide, the type of look an Igbo man gives to his fellow Igbo. Jide made no remark. Richard was glad his friend wasn’t tribalistic.

#

The shop hadn’t changed, except now, women over populated the place. Richard was the only man.

Two Venons stood on the shelf of perfumes. He selected one and walked to the clerk.

“You’re buying a second perfume.” The clerk raised head to him. It was impossible for her to have forgotten his face.

“Yes.”
She wrapped the item in a pack.

“I apologise for last week. It doesn’t happen on a good day.”

“No worries. I found the woman.” He deposited a bunch of money on the counter.

“You found her?”

“I did.”

“You got her arrested?”

“No.”

“Why buying a new perf?” She arranged the money in the counting machine and pointed her dark lids to him.

“The woman broke the first.”

The clerk’s cheeks puffed out and her thin nose swelled.

“She broke it? How?”

“She was hit by a car while running.”

“Was she injured?”

“She was, although not very serious.”

“That’s bad.” She gave Richard a change of four thousand. “My boss told me most female thieves who find their way here are mentally unstable.”

“Insane women?” Richard asked. The lady thief didn’t seem as someone near insane.

“Kleptomaniacs would be a better word. My boss had caught two women and found out they were insane, they stole items a sane person wouldn’t. She warned us to be vigilant. They could be skilful. It is a spiritual issue. Issues like that go beyond normal reasoning.”

“Are there such in Lagos?”

“According to my boss, there are, and she could be right.” She signed an invoice and passed it to him.

He stared at the money-counting machine, gave the woman a gesture, and left.

observing

Skimpledawg:

Onemansquad coman ce food o.... Maybe we shuld add it to our menu


Sisi Vonn, ar u ibo?

Yes dear, I am.
A conc one for that matter.

ritababe:
observing

Sis, take a front seat.... Bobo is going round....zobo is available too..... There is chin-chin, popcorn, groundnut(boiled and roasted)
I fit bribe you with shortcake,just for you to comment.

Divepen1:
yes oooo... How far with you.

It's good over here jare....we thank God.

........................
Nice update Vonn, but don't you think Richard began asking her those questions rather too early.....

nice work.

vonn:

Sis, take a front seat.... Bobo is going round....zobo is available too..... There is chin-chin, popcorn, groundnut(boiled and roasted)
I fit bribe you with shortcake,just for you to comment.

OK but don't keep us waiting oh

dammygoody:

It's good over here jare....we thank God.

........................
Nice update Vonn, but don't you think Richard began asking her those questions rather too early.....

Hmmm....if you ask me....

Obinnau:
nice work.

Thanks hun...

Obinnau:
nice work.

Ahh Oga obilo, its good to av u hia. Rarely see u drop comments on literature threads except ofcos closing it


#btw, we av frog peppersoup n monkeytail incase u get famished during d ride


Sisi Vonn, coman update na

ritababe:


OK but don't keep us waiting oh

I'll try my best not to ma'am.

Skimpledawg:

Ahh Oga obilo, its good to av u hia. Rarely see u drop comments on literature threads except ofcos closing it


#btw, we av frog peppersoup n monkeytail incase u get famished during d ride


Sisi Vonn, coman update na

Lol.....
Mr frog peppersoup, change your menu nah.
That food can make someone purge oo.

Obinnau, I'd run if I were you.

Update coming soon........