One.

It wasn't the best time to laugh. Chidera was half dead, blood oozing out of her facial orifices-well, not just her orifices, her left eye too, and Kola was crying, actually wailing like a little girl, cattarh spilling from his nose, making those guttural noises I detested.

Still I couldn't help laughing, because this was the first time Chidera wouldn't be the loudest one in the room, although, badly wounded and struggling for breath, she still managed to be the centre of attraction.

I didn't know I had hit her that hard, because I wasn't even trying. If I was, her head wouldn't still be part of her body. She jerked a little, her one good eye opening. That was what I had been waiting for. I needed her to be conscious. To know who her killer was. To know that I, Fanny was victorious at the end.

Kola was still crying stupidly, tempting me to hit him too. It made me wonder if ending Chidera was too high a price for him. I considered letting him take her to the hospital, let her and Kola be. Because at that moment? I wasn't even in like with him. He claimed to be a man, but he was on the floor, crying, and I didn't need such lilly livered people in my life. But I decided against it. They would definitely ask questions, and I was too young to be a fugitive. Besides, almost killing her was fun. Actually killing her would definitely be wonderful.

"What have you done Fanny? She's dead!"

"Shut up. She's still breathing"

He kept on rocking himself back and forth, chanting 'she's dead'

"Shut up Kola!"

"Or else what? Or else what huh? Are you going to kill me too? What will you use this time? Huh? Answer me!"

I was surprised, he was wailing a minute ago, the next he was in my face. We kept staring at each other, his veins bulging, my lips curving slowly into a smile.

"Jesus Fanny. What the Bleep did you just do?"

I didn't answer him, just reached for the metal fold chair and hit Chidera again, pacified by the look of realisation, before the idiot finally died. I guessed correctly. It felt wonderful.

The other idiot screamed and ran to the door. Of course it didn't open, he himself had locked it earlier, wanting to keep his act a secret, but he was too disoriented to remember. He kept pulling at the door, begging the empty house to come save him. To rescue him from this "demon"

I had had enough of his nonsense, so I took the chair, and shut him up. Don't be so terrified, of course I didn't kill him. Just needed him temporarily quiet so I could think of how to make him permanently quiet about this.

Looking at his limp body, and Chidera's, my laugh came back again.

Two.

Everyone was searching for her. In school, at church, on social media, everywhere. And Kola was under pressure. I could tell. I watched him as he replied "I don't know" to Chidera's mother asking about her daughter's wherabouts. His brow was sweaty, and his eyes didn't meet the deaconess'.

"Okay my son. Just tell us incase she reaches you"

"I'll do that ma."

Deaconess Nwoko looked at him with pity, then turning on her heel in a very Chidera ish way, walked towards the altar. She thought Kola's eyes were bloodshot from crying over Chidera's abscence. That he was suffering even more than the Nwoko family. 'They are a match made in heaven' she would always say.
And now she thought Kola was dying without her daughter.

Kola was dying alright. But he was dying from fear. Yes. Kola was afraid. If an investigation was to be carried out, he, the boyfriend, would be the first suspect. No one would believe that he didn't have a hand in her disappearance. That and, if he said anything, I would kill him.

Kola didn't want to die. He had a full life ahead of him. He was only twenty. He couldn't die at twenty!

The thought of him telling me that made me smile.

We had been together last night, on his bed. He had told me loved me. That Chidera was just his object. He wanted to be with me. Only me. I knew he was being sincere. He loves me. As much as I love him. He really does.

I followed as he left the church, bible and wallet in hand, looking directly at the floor.

"My love" I tapped his shoulder.

Kola jumped at my touch. Maybe it was because my hand's were a little cold.

"What are you doing here?"

"What do you mean what am I doing here? I worship here."

"You worship what?"

His eyes showed so much hatred. I wasn't worried though, because I knew deep down, he loved me. He was just confused.

"Kola stop behaving like this. Remember last night? When you told me you loved me? You didn't sound this cold"

"What are you talking about?" That look of hatred again. "I haven't spoken to you since the night you killed my girlfriend!"

"We were together last night. And I am your girlfriend Kola. Me. Just me"

Sometimes Kola could be so forgetful. How could he not remember how passionate it was last night? He had spoken in Romeo like words, his hands caressing me as he spoke directly into my eyes. His words had carried me places, and when he we finally had sex? It was mind blowing. And now he says he doesn't remember. He would have to be punished for not remembering.

"How could you murder someone so cold bloodedly? She was nothing but nice to you!"

"Nice? Is having sex with my boyfriend supposed to be nice?"

"I am not your boyfriend Fanny!"

The way he shouted it, the anger and hatred in his eyes, like he was really not my boyfriend. But I knew better. I knew he loved me.

"It's her fault she's dead Kola. I told her to leave you alone"

He was crying again. I felt for him, It must have been hard not being able to openly love me. He had to do it in secret.

I made to hug him, but he moved away

"Get away from me. You're a demon. And you won't go scot free Fanny. I swear to God you won't."

"Really?" Kola was making me laugh

"And who exactly is going to tell on me? You? I would kill you before you even breath a word Kola."

He didn't say anything, just cried harder. Sometimes he could be so disgusting. So she's dead. Who cares?

Masikay:
Two.

Everyone was searching for her. In school, at church, on social media, everywhere. And Kola was under pressure. I could tell. I watched him as he replied "I don't know" to Chidera's mother asking about her daughter's wherabouts. His brow was sweaty, and his eyes didn't meet the deaconess'.

"Okay my son. Just tell us incase she reaches you"

"I'll do that ma."

Deaconess Nwoko looked at him with pity, then turning on her heel in a very Chidera ish way, walked towards the altar. She thought Kola's eyes were bloodshot from crying over Chidera's abscence. That he was suffering even more than the Nwoko family. 'They are a match made in heaven' she would always say.
And now she thought Kola was dying without her daughter.

Kola was dying alright. But he was dying from fear. Yes. Kola was afraid. If an investigation was to be carried out, he, the boyfriend, would be the first suspect. No one would believe that he didn't have a hand in her disappearance. That and, if he said anything, I would kill him.

Kola didn't want to die. He had a full life ahead of him. He was only twenty. He couldn't die at twenty!

The thought of him telling me that made me smile.

We had been together last night, on his bed. He had told me loved me. That Chidera was just his object. He wanted to be with me. Only me. I knew he was being sincere. He loves me. As much as I love him. He really does.

I followed as he left the church, bible and wallet in hand, looking directly at the floor.

"My love" I tapped his shoulder.

Kola jumped at my touch. Maybe it was because my hand's were a little cold.

"What are you doing here?"

"What do you mean what am I doing here? I worship here."

"You worship what?"

His eyes showed so much hatred. I wasn't worried though, because I knew deep down, he loved me. He was just confused.

"Kola stop behaving like this. Remember last night? When you told me you loved me? You didn't sound this cold"

"What are you talking about?" That look of hatred again. "I haven't spoken to you since the night you killed my girlfriend!"

"We were together last night. And I am your girlfriend Kola. Me. Just me"

Sometimes Kola could be so forgetful. How could he not remember how passionate it was last night? He had spoken in Romeo like words, his hands caressing me as he spoke directly into my eyes. His words had carried me places, and when he we finally had sex? It was mind blowing. And now he says he doesn't remember. He would have to be punished for not remembering.

"How could you murder someone so cold bloodedly? She was nothing but nice to you!"

"Nice? Is having sex with my boyfriend supposed to be nice?"

"I am not your boyfriend Fanny!"

The way he shouted it, the anger and hatred in his eyes, like he was really not my boyfriend. But I knew better. I knew he loved me.

"It's her fault she's dead Kola. I told her to leave you alone"

He was crying again. I felt for him, It must have been hard not being able to openly love me. He had to do it in secret.

I made to hug him, but he moved away

"Get away from me. You're a demon. And you won't go scot free Fanny. I swear to God you won't."

"Really?" Kola was making me laugh

"And who exactly is going to tell on me? You? I would kill you before you even breath a word Kola."

He didn't say anything, just cried harder. Sometimes he could be so disgusting. So she's dead. Who cares?

Hello

Interesting. Held me from beginning till the end.