[center]Please enjoy the story and don't plagiarize. The words, theme, plots, settings, and characters used here are all from my imagination, so, any resemblance to any real person or place is coincidental.
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Trials and Trials

Prologue

Emeka and Sophia were busy exploiting their bodies behind Sophia's home, under a large ancient mango tree that has failed to attract visitors to itself because if it's bad fruits. Sophia had learnt that nobody comes around that place when it fell dark especially now that mango fruits were yet to get ripened, except for two lovers whose relationship weren't approved by their parents, yet wanted to eat the forbidden fruit. Ada, Sophia's best friend had told her all about the mango tree over a month ago, and how she and her boyfriend; a Yoruba boy staying in the next estate, about 500 metres away from there's usually utilized the lifelessness of the place. Although, it was directly behind Sophia's home, inside a premise with fallen fences and a dilapidated two storey building long abandoned by it's occupants that had passed away childless, she had never envisaged that it would be where she would attempt to have her first copulation.

She liked the way Emeka handled her; his touches were smooth, gentle and yet filled with a certain kind of aggressiveness that felt so good. They locked up their lips and kissed, though it felt good to her, she still worried that she might be doing it wrongly or maybe exchanging more than enough saliva.

It was the eighth day of the twelfth month and a little portion of the moon was visible in the sky barely visible to see the ground.

Emeka's parents always returned late from the market, so he had abundance of time to wander off and always return before they do. Sophia's parents on the other hand were out of the state for a crusade that would last for two days, leaving their children at the care of their maid, Simi who wanted the right opportunity to also taste her own forbidden fruit with a boy down the street.

Emeka unzipped Sophia's dress before unhooking her brassiere with an ease that made her doubt that it was his first time as he had told her. She moaned with pleasure as he yanked up her skirt and tried to find his way in between her legs when a sudden rapid movements in the bush behind them had gotten them startled.
"Who is there?" Emeka had said subconsciously while Sophia held him tightly as she trembled with fear.
The rapid movement occurred again but this time, it seemed that it was directed towards them. They took off running towards the side of the fence they came from. They ran as fast as they could until they met a stumbling block that sent them crashing.
As they fell suddenly, Emeka let out a sharp yelp and that was all Sophia could remember about him after a strong hand grabbed her and as swiftly as possible had her mouth gagged immediately. While making unsuccessful attempts to free herself, she received a hard knock that sent her to oblivion.

Simi waited and waited for Sophia to return home until it was past 10pm. She swallowed her fear, picked up her phone and called her boss; Sophia's parents.

Trials and Trials
.
Chapter one

Riverside Estate has been thrown off balance for over a week now with the sad news of the mysterious disappearance of the two young lovebirds; Emeka and Sophia. The news has particularly put the parents of the unfortunate lovebirds into a state of dismay especially Rebecca; Sophia's mother, who suddenly lost her glamour and had subsequently gone into a frenzy that was accompanied by a touch of anxiety and restlessness. Chief Paul, Sophia's father was always by her side comforting and assuring her that they would still find their child. But it was as though his efforts were futile and always met a hard rock. His own anxiety worsened seeing that his beloved wife has refused to get calm or even eat well to get enough nourishment.

From the day they had returned after Simi called to pass the sad news, Chief paul had always tried to remain sensibly calm as possible because his fears were very close to be confirmed.

After receiving Simi's call, Chief had quickly grabbed his phone and dialed the estate's chief security officer's number. The CSO assured him that he need not to panic.

"Do not worry Chief, We will find and return your daughter to you as long as she did not leave the estate," he had assured him.

Chief told his now restless wife what the CSO had said but she wouldn't heed; she wanted them to set out for Anambra state that night.
"It is too dangerous to travel by this time of the night, Let us wait until the crusade ends for today before we hit the road," he said.

She objected immediately. "We need to go before anything wrong happens."

Chief wondered if his wife was even thinking at that moment. "Honey we are 5 states away from home and we can't risk our life driving home right now. The CSO has assured us that they will conduct a search and find our daughter. She wouldn't have wandered far from home; She might be with one of her friends and maybe they might have asked her to stay back since we aren't home."

Different thoughts were running through Rebecca's mind and she watched her husband in a contemptuous manner. "Did you not see that her phone is switched off? Has her phone ever been switched off before?"

Rebecca and Chief's seemingly loud conversations was now drawing attention to them in the church and the irritable congregants around them had begin to complain but some cool headed ones urged them to reduce their voices.
"Let's go outside, we are being noisy," He suggested. At that instance, A man dressed in a white polo that had a large photograph of the presiding pastor Jide Okafor, the general of overseer of the church; God's first love Holy Church (GFLHC), and a bible phrase and reference "...For God so love the world... John 3:16" elegantly placed for all to see, coupled with a seemingly worn out denim trousers approached them. He was an usher in the church though wearing an impossible smile, he looked tired. He said to them, "Is everything alright brethren?"

"Fine," Chief lied. "And Don't worry, we were about to go outside to sort things out before you came," he calmly told the young usher.

"Alright, but if you need anything, I am here to assist," he said and made to return to his position.

"Thank you for your concern," Chief said. He knew that the usher wouldn't have talked to them the way he did if not for the obvious opulence and wealth which they exuded; the usher would have asked them to leave the church auditorium curtly if they were some low life church rats. He knew this because he had witnessed what ushers had done to a woman jaggedly dressed, whose baby cried so much the last time he was in the church about a month earlier. They had irritably took out the woman's belongings outside, so, he observed to see when she would return but she never did, finally, he concluded that they must have sent her out of the church premise.

"You know what?" Rebecca said once they were outside the church auditorium.

"What?" Chief responded.

"I will have to call Ada's parents to know if she might be with them."

"But it is already la.." He was saying.

Rebecca interrupted. "You mean late? Our daughter is missing and all you care about is not disturbing people? I cannot believe this."

"It is not like that. Call them already," he finally said in defeat as he watched his horrified wife.

Rebecca dialed Ogechi's line over and over, creating room for more worries to build up. She continued dialing, until Ada's answered after the umpteenth trial.

"Hello!" Ogechi said sluggishly to tell that she was woken up against her wish.

"Ogechi, I am sorry for calling this late but I just want to know if Sophia is there in your house?"

The alarm in Rebecca's voice had fully jerked Ogechi awake.

"No. I haven't seen her today. Why?"

"Simi Called to tell us that Sophia hasn't returned home and you know how insecure our country is. I am scared. I even dialed her line but it was switched off."

Rebecca could hear Ogechi trying to wake her husband. The sleeping man responded with a frustrated snort.
"What is it?" He asked.
"Rebecca said that she cannot find her daughter, Sophia"
"What do you mean?" He asked concerned but still drowsily.
"Honey, Sophia is missing. Her parent's can't find her."
"What? When? How did it..."

At that moment, Chief's phone began to ring.
"It is the CSO," he announced.
Rebecca ended the call and stared at Chief in a yearning manner as she waited for him to answer. Though the bright led light wired around the large church premise provided much light, he could not see any brightness in his wife's face, so, he wished that the CSO would give him a positive news.

He put the phone on loudspeaker when he finally answered.
"My men are yet to see any sign of your daughter but we assure you that once the emergency text message had been received by every occupant of the estate, we will get a a feedback. Take care," the CSO said and dropped the call.

Chief looked a bit beaten but Rebecca looked defeated.
"What do we do now?" She asked.

Rebecca's phone beeped; it was a text message and she eagerly Checked.
"What does it say?" Chief asked with utmost concern.
"It is from the CSO," she said and read it out. Immediately, Chief's phone beeped and he checked too.

"It is from the CSO too."

"What does it say?" Rebecca said.

"It is the emergency message, same as yours."

At that same time, Rebecca's phone started to ring again; Ogechi was calling her back.

Hmmm nice one sha