RoyalRoy: Sad story. Not my kind. But m still gonna stick around for the update.

Good twist and turns Anne
Nice write up.

Thanks Roy

lamps011: bidemi, Leo, kin ti ri ke?

eeeeee, o san o. E si eyi ke?

HER DEAD BODY

‘I want gala, I want gala’, I screamed.
‘What is it with you and gala’ Sade chided, ‘when you are not a baby’.
‘You people must sha buy me gala, else you won’t rest in this car o’, I stubbornly replied in my Yoruba English.
‘Femi, please just buy one for her and let her keep quiet, this traffic is too much for one silly girl to continue screaming’
I inwardly smiled as Femi called the nearest gala seller, mission accomplished.

Femi and Sade were my colleagues at the Realty firm where I worked. Most evenings Sade and I hitched ride with him to the nearest bus stops to our houses, saving us the cost of spending so much on transportation.

I got my gala, and the journey immediately became a quiet and peaceful one, I even dozed for some minutes on the Third mainland bridge. I opened my sleepy eyes only to find an old man in a Coaster unbranded staff bus beside our car staring at me. As our eyes met, he quickly blinked and looked away. The traffic made the two vehicles move side by side, which made me catch him staring at my yellow laps again (I was rocking a short black dress). After some minutes I called the attention of my colleagues to what was happening. As they looked at him, he smiled and winked at me. Then he brought out a one thousand naira note and his phone, indicating that I should call my number. We laughed and laughed. I wondered how an old man like that could be so mischievous.

Just as we were laughing, Femi got a paper, rolled it up and threw it at him, telling him that was my number he threw. Where he got the strength I couldn’t tell, but as low as our car was, he grabbed the paper like his life depended on it. I saw the disappointment on his face as he discovered it was just a plain sheet of paper.
By now other people in his bus had opened their curtains and were looking with interest. Some laughed as much as we did, some just smiled. The silliness went on till we got to Unilag waterfront and we lost him in the traffic.

I felt it was a funny episode, a good ending to the stressful day, a comic relief for the tensed up office hours. What with the difficult boss we had. Just last week she had called me a fool with a porous brain, Femi was a lazy man and she still wondered why his parents spent so much in training him, Sade was retarded. We would never get enough of her insults. Just the other day he had asked a married colleague if he had balls. And I remember the day she told another colleague that she sneezed like a lion. Very funny woman.

I was frantically searching for another job, preferably in another state. What with the Lagos stress and madness. I woke up at 4.30 every morning, left home past 5, and if I got home at 9.30pm it was a very good day. I worked alternate Saturdays too, leaving little or no time for myself. It was just crazy. I so much craved for my freedom.

All these were going on in my head as Femi dropped me at Pen-cinema. I was to take another bus to my Agbado-Ijaiye home, which took another 30 minutes. I secured a seat at the front, and again dozed off after about five minutes. The sharp pain in my stomach woke me up. I had ulcer. I hardly ate. Who would feed well in my kind of situation? My tummy had started protruding without being pregnant, na so so carbohydrate person go dey wack. Rice, yam, eba, gala, bread, madness!

I was still thinking about all these when my phone rang. It was my ex-boyfriend. We attended the same University and dated for six years. He started calling again after we stopped talking for almost two years. I poured out all my anger and frustration and told him I would be the happiest girl on earth if I could secure a civil service job. He pitied me and made me know that for anything, he could never work in Lagos. He already had two Masters degree in different fields and now worked at that same University we both attended. ‘Lucky chap’, I thought to myself. He asked why I didn’t get an apartment close to my office. I told him ‘no way’. Because no landlord in Lagos would let you pay for just one year, and obviously I wasn’t going to live alone for another two years. Won’t I get married? He got the gist and wished me all the best.

Just then I noticed the UBA at my bus stop and shouted ‘U-turn wa o, o wa o, oloshi, shey o ma gbe mi koja bus stop mi ni’, I cursed the bus conductor. He retorted, ‘e boole jare, elejowewe’ (get down please, talkative).
I rained insults on the disrespectful conductor till I got to the side of the road where I would cross the expressway to get to my street. There were many people waiting for the fast moving vehicles on the road to reduce. I stood there, still fuming; I sighted an ‘aboki’ selling ‘suya’at the other side of the road.

Confused about what I would eat that night, I thought buying ‘suya’ to go with nice ‘garri ijebu’ wouldn’t be a bad idea. I was still lost in my thoughts when I saw people cross. I ran after them without thinking, without looking at the truck speeding down the road. Someone yelled behind me ‘Jesus Christ’. That was all I heard as I fell. I felt a sharp pain as my head hit the median that separated the road. I felt warmth on my hair. By then I knew my wig must have removed, exposing my natural dreads that I always covered to work. Traffic had built, people milled around me, I saw flashes of light, must have been cameras. The warmth I felt on my head suddenly became cold. It must have been blood.

People yelled ‘ki loruko e’ (what is her name), ‘check her handbag maybe you will find her id card’, ‘where is her phone’. The voices were so distant. I knew I had already lost the battle. I felt people lifting me. My eyes were tightly shut. My house was just a few metres away. How would they know at home? Who would they call first?

Just then my whole life flashed before me. I saw myself in that white dress, grinning from ear to ear as I received the Holy Communion for the first time. I saw the photo session on my matriculation day in the University. I saw that party we had at the School of Journalism after my postgraduate program, the convocation was to hold the next month.

I remembered my father. Poor Dad. He had called me that morning that there was an important matter to be discussed, and that I should call him when I got home. Of course I promised to call. But now obviously someone else would have to call him. I remembered my fiancé. He had called when I was on my way from Pen-cinema. I had also promised to call when I got home. But of course it wouldn’t be from that home he expected. The call would have to be from another end.

Just as they lifted my bloodied body and put me in the car, I closed my eyes forever, sinking into that freedom I always wanted. I smiled, whispering to myself, ‘freedom at last’.

I knew I wouldn't tell the story myself. My dead body must tell it.

DROWNING BIRTHDAY

On that fateful Saturday morning, I found it so difficult to get out of bed. The fact that I almost cancelled the appointment I had that morning after monthly sanitation didn't help matters at all. I had to see the Managing Director of a certain PR firm to discuss business I believed would yield a little cash. But why did he have to schedule it for 12pm? Knowing where I would come from and the traffic from my area to Lekki. Some people can be mean sha. Another issue was my body. I didn't understand the sluggishness at all. First I didn't want to open my eyes. After managing to open them, I didn't want to get out of bed. Could this be a sign? No jor. Which stupid sign? It could only be a sign of laziness and starvation. I had better drag my lazy self out of bed and get dressed. But there was sanitation nah, people were still cleaning gutters and weeding. What's wrong in bathing and getting dressed before 10am? Then I could jump on the very first bike and fly to the bus-stop. Okay nah. No wahala.

It was as if there were two different people within me. One urged me on, the other told me to relax, or to even forget the appointment altogether. Abeg me I need money o. I sha won't rob bank nah. So I got dressed and left home at exactly ten, just as it started raining. Getting to Jakande gate from my house was gangster. I was stained and drenched. Gratefully I saw a cab at the bus-stop chanting 'Oshodi - isale'. In my mind I said 'ope o', at least I won't have to trek all the way from oshodi junction to oshodi isale to get Ajah bus. I was the first to enter the cab, then two guys entered from both sides of the car and I was at the middle. Another joined us and was at the passenger side. 'Well, it's a man's world today'. I brought out my blackberry and jokingly updated my personal message. . .'Now am the only lady in this car with four men, going to Oshodi under-bridge. #JustInCase #SoHelpMeGod'. Immediately my bbm friends started pinging, some teased me, some said I should be careful and should have taken a bus. I said no wahala that I was safe. I was at oke-afa when my phone rang. It was my brother, he wanted to know how far I had gone. I told him I was close to Isolo and would call him when I got to Lekki, then I hung up.
'Sister are you going to Lekki ot Ajah?' That was the driver asking.
I told him I was going to Ajah. Then he said that was actually his destination. He only wanted to drop us at Oshodi then load Ajah passengers from there. I said it was okay then, so I would have a non-stop jolly smooth ride.
'But how much is Lekki o?', I asked.
'Lekki is 400'
Say wetin happen? Abeg let me pay 300 o.
'No sister, you know the distance nah, and you can't compare this with buses nah'
'Okay, no problem, let's go and please move fast'.
All this while the other passengers didn't utter a word. My thought was they would alight at Oshodi and the driver would pick more passengers, but I was wrong. We were close to Oshodi yet the driver didn't attempt slowing down. So I reminded him, in case he forgot.
'Oga won't you drop the other passengers'
'Noooooo, they are all going to Ajah' he replied laughing.
At that point I became scared. Why was everybody going to Ajah all of a sudden? I adjusted and sat well, regretting the fact that I was sitting at the middle. As if programmed, they all rolled up the glasses at the same time, then the driver switched on the AC despite the cold weather and started blasting fuji music. I wasn't comfortable. We were close to Iyana-oworo then.
'Oga, please let me come down at iyana-oworo, I need to pick up some things, don't worry I ll pay your money completely' I begged
'Nooooo, you people have started o, shey you can see all these lastma people here, me I don't want wahala o' He answered.
'But I will pay you now, afterall there is a bus stop here, they won't say you shouldn't drop passengers'. I pleaded.
'Noooo, I cannot. My first bus stop is Adeniji'
I kept quiet and watched him drive past oworo. I was just praying that no evil would befall me. I should have stayed at home, with all the body signs and the rain.
He got to Adeniji and didn't stop. Haha, I was furious so I shouted at him. He just ignored me and increased the volume of his stupid fuji. The other passengers still didn't say anything.
Then the one at my right said
'Fine girls don't make trouble o, haha, why do u like wahala like this nah. What's your name?'
I hissed and didn't answer him.
Then they all laughed at me. I was shocked. Do these people know each other? Even the driver?
Then the one at the passenger side said
'Babe relax o and just accept your fate. Whatever is going to happen to man in life is his destiny, and it cannot be changed. Just calm down and it won't hurt much'
'What won't hurt much?' I screamed. 'Let me out of this car now or I ll do something crazy'
Immediately I heard the click of the central lock. Then we were on top speed along Osborne. I was shedding tears already.
Then the one at my left brought out a small shiny knife.
'Try screaming and see if I won't cut off your tongue before we even get to out destination'
I was calm. Unbelievably the road was very free. No police check point in view. Not even traffic officers. I was helpless. Already I had died seven times.
We kept moving, through Ikoyi, to Falomo, to Akin Adesola, then descending the bridge to Law School I sighted some police officers. I leapt from my seat to raise my head but the slaps I got from both guys beside me were deafening. I crashed immediately. Their faces showed they were scared. But unfortunately nobody in that traffic noticed. We kept moving. Then the driver said
'Na mad girl we carry today o, I no think say this one go cooperate till we reach Epe o. Biko do something make me dump am somewhere pick better person. I no want trouble o'
'Where we wan drop the idiot now, we no fit carry her go mainland again nah' the one at the passenger side said.
'Hmmmm, people no go dey that Marwa beach today o, dem no dey use the place again sef, abeg face that side'
They are going to drown me, or even kill me, my mind started beating so fast. Oh God, what have I gotten myself into?
It was obvious that they were very angry. I didn't make any noise at the toll-gate. They drove past and entered Marwa Estate, went far inside the estate to link the beach. We got there. The place was deserted but for one or two white garment churches down the beach. They parked, then pushed me out of the car. Two of them came down and dragged me toward the beach. They moved close to the water, very close, till the salty water touched our feet. Then they held my head down and dipped it inside the water. I held my breath. I couldn't afford to breathe. I couldn't take in the water. My head was burning. They raised my head, then dipped it into the ocean again and again, repeating it till I couldn't bear holding my breath anymore. So I opened my mouth, I felt the water go down my throat. I knew it was over. I had lost it already.
From a distant I heard my brother's voice
'What did she drink? How many bottles? Didn't I tell you people she's light-headed? Why would you let her drink that much? Please pour more water on her. Bidemi. Bidemi'
Then I coughed repeatedly and opened my eyes. Behold, I was in bed right in my room. I felt a lump in my throat and threw up. I noticed there was a smelly container beside me, filled with vomit. What happened to me?
Oh, now I remember. My birthday. It had been a parlour party with my brother, my cousin and their girlfriends. Some friends were there too. I had been warned not to drink too much but what the hell, it was my birthday. So I went far beyond limit. Probably I passed out, or what could be the explanation for this? Now my room is a smelly mess. Shit! Thank God the drowning part was a dream sha. Who on earth gave me a stupid appointment on a Saturday at Lekki?

Am sorry, this is the first time I ll be posting a story here so I don't really know how to go about it.

Not on ma blog,here on NL, the 3rd episode, and the final one.

Tonia was now jittery, not because she had been bad to all this people, but she didn't know what they had to say that would bring her neck out of the hangman's noose. The atmosphere in the courtroom was tense. The judge's face showed no emotion at all, and it scared her so much, the prosecutions looked cocky, like they had all the proof to crucify her themselves. Sitting on her dirty mattress in the tiny cell, she knew she had lost it already.
She was lost in thought when Tony's voice brought her mind back to the television, 'My Lord, like I earlier said, Tonia had been abused physically and emotionally severally, and the fact has been established that, if she should go through that kind of trauma again, she might never be herself for the rest of her life. We have her friends here in the courtroom, people who knew her from childhood and who were aware of the pains she had been through. Their testimony will make us know that she didn't intentionally kill Timi. She did it out of fear of what he might later do to her, please permit me to call on Tunde Agboola'.
Tunde walked into the witness box, he took the oath, here is his testimony. . .
'I have been friends with Tonia since she was very young. I was her first boyfriend. I am not proud to say that I took advantage of her innocence and dumped her later, but that was exactly how it happened. When I broke up with Tonia, I noticed she couldn't let go easily. Anytime I went back to her, she would always be there waiting, in spite of how many months or years' separation we might have had. Knowing the kind of soft heart she had, I always went back to her, not because I loved her, but because she would always let me. She was just too attached to let go. Most times I would be with her for a stretch of one month or a little more, before dumping her again. I dumped her over and over again, yet she never stopped loving me and reserving a place for me in her heart. But then, what I noticed was that, anytime I left her to come back again, I always saw scars on her body. Most times they look like razor cuts, or knife cuts, which were always at odd places in her body. Her explanations were always accidents, like she cut herself while cooking, or she fell on something and cut her body. At a point I wondered if Tonia wasn't trying to commit suicide'.
That was all Tonia heard from Tunde's testimony, though he said more, the tears that welled up in her eyes prevented her from seeing clearly, and now she was crying loudly in her cell. What had been a secret between her and Tunde was now exposed to the whole world, her strange attachment, her awkward commitment, and the shameless manner in which she accepted him back anytime he came begging was no longer a secret. They are killing her in that court room, they are tearing her into pieces. Why won't Tony just let her be, he should let the state kill her, it would be better than this shame they are bringing on her.
Next to testify was Rolake. . .
'Tonia had been my baby since 100 level, though am a few years older, we were very good friends. We were so close to the point that people called us lesbians, they felt I over-protected her, I didn't let her make friends, I played mother hen when it came to Tonia's issue, but I had my reasons. Tonia came to school 3 weeks after everyone else had resumed, and even then she refused to stay in the hostel, she preferred coming from home. Looking at her outward appearance then, you would see a strong, outspoken, bold girl, but inwardly she was scared, she was paranoid and jittery. I urged her to come and start living in the hostel which and she obliged. We were coursemates and she had other friends too, but I noticed she never went out with them when they had shows to attend and all, she would rather sleep in the hostel all alone. There were times I would enter her room, meet her all alone with red eyes and running nose, crying. She loved keeping to herself so much, but being so close to her, she opened up to me about Tunde, and the way she had been unable to let go of him, even as she knew that was her best option. She was helpless as far as Tunde was concerned. That was why I protected her so much, I didn't let any man come near her, because I knew she was battling one off and wasn't even successful yet, I became her mother hen. And yes, Tonia had something for knives, aside the fact that she injured herself most times in my presence or not, she loved scaring people with them. Tonia would ordinarily tell you she would stab you rather than whip you with her belt, that was how she played. I can't remember the number of times she injured herself while playing with a knife, deep cuts that drew so much blood. She would have me screaming my head off in the hostel, and my little Tonia, seeing the blood on her own body, wouldn't stop laughing and asking me why I was being so scared about just a little cut'.
Now Tonia has stopped crying and was paying serious attention to what Rolake was saying, all the details Rolake was now spreading out were so vague to her. Yes, she loved knives, so what? Would they see that as an excuse for killing someone, for stabbing her own boyfriend on his birthday? What were all these people saying?
Tolu came next, she now looked so fat and robust. Definitely she had been enjoying her marriage. Her testimony was not too different from Rolake's own, infact she corroborated it. However, she mentioned an occurrence which shed more light on what a hopeless romantic Tonia could be.
'I was staying off campus while she stayed in the hostel. My fiance was with me so she couldn't come to my house, Tonia would always give us privacy. Then she called, I picked it up and Tonia was crying on phone. Her words were incoherent, she was inaudible. I calmed her down and told her to give me ten minutes and I would be with her in the hostel. I got to the hostel, she was all alone, bleeding from her right wrist, the bloodied knife was lying on her carpet, she was weak. So I screamed, Tonia what happened? She told me she had been raped, by a guy she started dating when we were in year one, they dated off and on because Tonia was scared of committing herself again. He was two years ahead of us, and started acting strangely as soon as he graduated. He wanted her, yet he wouldn't stop seeing others. He came to town, invited Tonia over, she declined. He insisted, so she went to see him after some days. He got angry because he thought Tonia unnecessarily kept him waiting. So when she got there, he raped her, after which he brought out a photograph of another lady, flaunted it before her and told her she was his new girlfriend, and that she was even prettier than Tonia. Then, in her presence, he brought out his phone and deleted Tonia's numbers, after which he walked her out of his house. I consoled her, told her to put it behind her and move on. She said it was okay, though she wasn't herself for almost one month, but she eventually forgot about him and moved on, at least that was what I thought, until I saw Tonia with the same guy after her youth service. Again, she had allowed him to come back. Tonia would never let a man leave her, she would never be able to stand it'.
Tonia was now sitting straight up in bed, eyes wide open, she couldn't believe what she was hearing. So Tolu brought this to the court? What she had shared with only her and no other soul? What she had even kept from Rolake, her mother hen? Who made her say this? Tony? For what? What were they going to achieve with all this?
Again, Tony's voice broke into her thoughts. . .'My Lord, now that the prosecution has no more questions for the witnesses, I will like to have testimonies from two more witnesses, they are Timi's friends and were at the bar with him the night Tonia killed him. This is an attempt to establish the fact that Timi's murder was not premeditated, and to make it clear that when she got to the bar that night, she had no knife on her, until she took Timi behind the joint and stabbed him'.
Sola came first, testified to the fact that she hugged Tonia that night when she joined them at the bar, and that he felt nothing harmful on her. He maintained that it would have been dangerous to keep such weapon on her own body even if she had always thought of harming her boyfriend. To him, he believed she acted on impulse.
'Hmmm', Tonia sighed to that.
Tosin came next, and he was her last witness. She had been particularly close to Tosin. She liked him so much, they played whot and scrabble together. At a point Timi was even jealous of their closeness. His testimony. . .
'I was with Timi, Sola, and another friend, Bayo, that night. Tonia was late, it was quite unusual of her. So we started bothering Timi, but he said she was on duty that day and would come shortly, so we waited, and before long, she showed up. We greeted and I teased her as usual, before he took Timi to the back of the joint and stabbed him. I wouldn't have been here ordinarily, but I really have to say what I know about the knife'
'The knife?', Tonia asked herself, 'which knife?', she had the knife on her when she went there. What the hell was Tosin talking about? What does he know about the knife? Now she paid full attention.
Tosin continued, 'before Tonia came, I went to ease myself at the back of the joint, while coming back, I saw that same knife with which Tonia stabbed Timi on the floor. I didn't pay much attention to it because it was not my business. It became my business when I saw the knife buried in Timi's neck'.
'Haaaaaa', Tonia exclaimed,why was Tosin lying? She had the knife on her. Right from when she alighted from that cab, she had it tucked in her back pocket. Why was Tosin protecting her? Why was he betraying Timi to save her? She bursted into tears. She didn't expect such loyalty from him.
All these people, though they exposed her little secrets, have been so wonderful, even if the court would still say the execution should take place, she will forever be grateful to them, even in her grave.
The prosecution cross-examined the witnesses, but didn't really have much to counter, and rested his case.
Then the moment came. The judge cleared his throat. . .'This is my judgement'. . .

* * *

It was a rainy season, but the sky was unusually bright, and the day was sunny. Despite Tonia's haggard look, she plastered a smile on her face. It was a day to her birthday, 22nd June, 2021. She was supposed to be executed that same day, and she would be 34 the next. Tony sat across from her, also smiling. Though he looked tired, but you could tell he was happy. That was when Tonia spoke.
'Tony, I don't know where to start from, but from the depth of my soul, I am very happy. If someone asked me why you did all these, my answer would be 'I don't know'. Only God knows why you have done all these for me, without charging a dime, and only Him knows how he will pay you back. But what I know is, I will always be grateful to you. You are indeed my friend'.
'Hmmm, little Miss Tonia', Tony replied, 'can we please save all these gratitude for now, and tell me what you want me to bring for you tomorrow. Am sorry I will be too busy to take you out, but we will have a date within this your little facility here', to which Tonia laughed and replied,
'Yes o, at least I will be having a date with my lawyer here, when I should be trekking miles to heaven to say only God knows what to Angel Gabriel'.
'Don't worry dear, I won't get tired of coming hear to visit you from time to time. And I have started praying for you to be granted parole. At least we can now sleep with both eyes closed, knowing we no longer have an execution hanging on our neck, but just a life sentence to enjoy this beautiful facility', he winked at her.
Tonia laughed and punched him, 'you will never stop being naughty. If the facility is such a beautiful place, why not join me here and let's rock it together?'
'Nah', he said, 'not yet, wait till I kill my wife on her birthday', he whispered, 'hope no one heard that? See you tomorrow jailbird, and put on something sexy for your birthday, I don't wanna see you in this same garb'
'Then get me a bikini while coming tomorrow, and bring camera men', she teased back.
Tony stood and they hugged, tears rolling down her face. He left while she watched him go. She would never forget him. Also Rolake, Tolu, Tunde, Sola and Tosin, she would always remenber their odd loyalty. And Timi, hmmm, even though she killed him, she would always love him, even in death, he would always be her obsession.

* * *THE END* * *

Okay fan, I have stopped. I just posted it, u can now check it out.

They had an agreement to see same time same place the next day, and Tonia couldn't just wait for tomorrow to come. Was she falling in love? Could it be love at first sight? Nah, it wasn't love at first sight. She hadn't even felt anything when she first saw him, infact his accent had repulsed her, cos she thought he was faking it. Now that they've really got talking, she knew he was very real. The handsome face was real, the pink lips were real, the soft palm was real. She liked him, and she was gonna see him the next day.

* * *

The next day, they saw as agreed. They talked more and more about each other. He told Tonia he was the last in a family of four, his mum being the fourth person. His father was late and that's why he was named Babatunde. Tonia told him she was the last in a family of seven, five kids plus Dad and Mum. Dad worked outside the State but Mum worked for Dad, taking care of his kids for him. That's why she was so strict and wouldn't tolerate any waywardness from her kids. They had only one guy, the rest were girls. That day after walking her, he signed off with a bear hug which lasted for about two minutes. They both didn't wanna let go.
The next day, they met again, chatted as usual. Now Tonia was getting more and more comfortable with him. She laughed easily at his jokes, she teased him, tickled him to make him laugh, and punched him when he teased her. And that day, as he was about saying his goodbyes, he looked into her eyes, and kissed her. It was her first kiss, and it really made her giddy. That was when she knew she was in love with him.
The next day would be a Saturday, and she would be going for her weekend classes. He invited her to stop by at his place after her classes, to which she declined, because she had never visited a guy at home, and she was the shy time who wouldn't wanna meet his cousins and all. He told her not to worry, and that if she didn't want to come to their house, he had a friend who stayed close by and they could spend time there. Tonia said it was okay and that she would be there.
That day though, she developed cold feet and didn't show up, she wasn't just ready to be all alone with a guy. She ran home. They didn't see on Sunday, but on Monday morning when she was going for her computer classes, he saw her, and told her life was not like that. She apologised and promised to make it up to him that weekend. They continued seeing every evening on her way back from jamb lessons because his school was on break and he chose to stay back with his cousins till they resumed.
On that Saturday, she left classes early to be with him. She got to his gate by 3pm and he took her to his friend's house three blocks away from his. His friend's name was Folarin, and he stayed with his Uncle who was a gynecologist and hardly stayed in the house. They watched tv, talked and necked. At a point, Tunde kissed her passionately and didn't let go for about five minutes. When he paused to look at her face, her lower lip was swollen, and she could feel it. Again he kissed her, this time hungrily, and lifted her blouse, unhooked her bra to expose her firm breast with hard nipples. He tweaked her nipples and Tonia moaned out of pleasure. A mind told her to stop him, another told her she would die if she did. So she chose to relax and enjoy what Tunde was doing to her.
He had one hand on her breast and the other on her buttocks, he grabbed and squeezed hard, then lifted her skirt. The fight started when he inserted his hand in her panties. She had never gone that far with any man in her life, she disengaged her mouth from his and told him to leave her, but he didn't. She struggled, kicked and threatened to scream, yet he didn't leave her.
He had his way, forcefully inserted a finger into her, which was so tight and she screamed in pain. Her eyes were red and she could have killed him then and there. He pulled it out immediately.
'Am sorry, Tonia, to God am so sorry, I didn't know. I thought you were. . .please just forgive me, sincerely am very very sorry'
While he was busy singing sorry to her ears, she packed her books and left. He followed her. She didn't order him back, but she was mute and kept to herself all the way. He was aware of her anger, and kept quiet too, he didn't want to annoy her more by saying anything. When she was almost home, he said.
'Tonia, again am very sorry. I hope you won't stop seeing me cos of this, please will I see you on Monday?'
She smiled and said 'why not?', then she hugged him, and went home, thinking 'oh God, I almost lost it'.

On Monday, he was more relaxed and even had the nerve to tease her.
'My virgin girlfriend, who would have thought you are still one with all these mini skirts and those guys in your jamb lesson'
She punched him and replied 'you think say na every guy go bad like you? ashawo buruku'
They laughed over it and never talked about it again. They kept seeing every Monday to Saturday, Tonia kept falling more and more everyday, they kept kissing and necking. Until a certain saturday when he told her the next one would be his birthday. He said he wasn't gonna celebrate, all he wanted was to be with her. Meanwhile, he told her he wouldn't touch her till she was eighteen.
On his birthday, Tonia didn't bother to attend her classes at all. And he was even at Folarin's place before he came, beaming with smiles and so handsome. He brought a wine and once he got in, they both left Folarin in the living room and entered the bedroom. Now Tonia was no longer afraid of being alone with him, even in bed. She was so used to and comfortable with him. He got in, removed his shirt cos he said he didn't want it rumpled. Then he laid on the bed. Tonia removed her sandals and snuggled up to him. She rested her head on his shoulder while he touched her hair. Then he held her face and kissed her deeply. He fondled her breasts and pulled her nipples. He removed his trousers and Tonia noticed his full erection in his briefs, yet she knew he wouldn't take her virginity till she was eighteen, so she relaxed and kissed him more. He allowed him take off her clothes. Now she had only her panties on. Then he rubbed her clitoris without pulling her panties. He tickled her and she moaned out loudly. She was so wet and dripping. All of a sudden, he pulled off her panties.
'What do you wanna do?', she asked.
'Nothing baby, I just want to play with you, I won't break it' he answered with a shaky voice.
He continued rubbing her and sucking her nipples. She wet so wet that she didn't know when he suddenly inserted his middle finger deep into her, she gasped, and without stopping for a second, he inserted the second one, this time he forced it in, and Tonia cursed.
'Stop it, you are hurting me'
But he didn't stop, he made sure he inserted the second finger to the hilt inside her. Tonia was in pains and full of rage. She was about lashing out at him when he sealed her lips with kiss. She closed her eyes. Then he removed his shorts and brought out his manhood. With her eyes still closed, he pulled out his fingers from her and proceeded to rub his cap on her wet zone.
'Stop it' she struggled.
He held her down and whispered in her ear, 'baby please allow me, I have never been in love with anyone like this in my life. I am going nowhere. Please claim me by letting me do this. Make me your husband. Once I do this I know I am committed to you for life'
'No no no' she argued, 'we had an agreement, you said you wouldn't touch me till am eighteen'
'Baby, close your eyes and open them and you are eighteen already. I don't wanna lose you. Once I let you lose it to another man then you ll totally forget about me. You are beautiful, every man would wanna be the lucky one to do it. Please'.
Tonia insisted she wouldn't let him do it. But in one swift moment, he held her down and entered her. She was still so tight despite the two fingers he already inserted. She cried out in pain, but he never stopped, and after about five minutes, he pulled out. When she raised her head, she saw that the bedspread was a mess. There was blood everywhere. He had taken her virginity.

* * *

'I want to start going home now, happy birthday' she said while putting on her sandals.
'Honey wait, there's something I have to tell you'
'What is it?', she queried.
'I have a confession to make', he said.
'What is it?', she repeated.
'I have to tell you this, when I met you, it was not a coincidence, it was planned, and I will call it a set up. We had a bet on whether you would date me or not. There have been rumours around about how you snub guys, how you are so full of yourself and wouldn't let any guy come near you. Yet someone else told me you mess around, that you have slept with no less than five men in this estate, so I decided to try my luck. My neighbour told me not to, that you are an uptight bitch, and he also told me he came to you at a time but you didn't even give him a chance to talk at all. So being the newest guy around, I told him I would have you and we actually had a bet'
'Oh my God' Tonia wailed.
'Baby take it easy. They planned to use me against you and mock you later, I also wanted to catch fun, but the day I discovered you were a virgin, I changed my mind totally. And that was the day I stopped giving them feedbacks on our affair, cos earlier I always reported to them. But I must confess that am really in love with you. And with what happened today, you have my heart, and am promising you that you will always have me, I am going nowhere'.
With that, Tonia hugged him tight and smiled satisfactorily to herself. Her first man will be her only man. Wasn't she lucky?


* * *

He kept to his words, at least for the following six months. They made love three more times. And when the relationship was just few days to six months, he drove to her house. Then they were both in Lagos, cos they were neighbours too in Lagos as they were in Ogun.
'Tonia I need to tell you something'
Her heart skipped a bit, cos recently he had been acting strangely, he was always lost in thoughts when she spoke to him, and his responses to him were becoming vague.
'What is it?' she asked.
'I have been given 2 years visa to the U.S, and I ll be leaving next week.
'U.S? next week? Did u just apply for the visa? When did you go to the embassy? Since when have u been on this?
'Take it easy baby, I was supposed to tell you, but I didn't know it would click this fast, honestly I never knew they would give me, I was just trying my luck'
'Trying ur luck? Is it a lottery or what?'
'No, not lottery, I was given a student's visa'
'A student's visa and u are here telling me u were just trying ur luck, why are u this mean, why are u this heartless? You are leaving next week and ur just telling me', Tonia broke down in tears.
'Baby I am sorry, I don't know why I never mentioned it to u. I should have told u. Don't think it ll cause any problem between us. I can't leave you. I can never dump you for any other girl. All I need from u now is to believe me. Believe that I ll always be ur man, that for once I ll never forget you. I need u to be strong for me, to be strong for us, please baby'.
She kept crying till he left, she never responded to all his pleas.

* * *

Four days after he broke the news to her, he came back. He looked rough, like he hadn't been sleeping well.
'Honey are you okay?', Tonia asked.
'Yeah am fine'
'I don't think so, now tell me what the problem is, is it about leaving or what?' Tonia asked.
'Hmmm, not really. I think I need to let you know the truth at this point' he said.
'The truth? About what?'
'Listen Tonia, I am going nowhere, I never applied for any visa, I won't be travelling. I am just tired of this relationship. I need a break. We might come back together later, but right now I really need a break, I need to catch my breath. I have other things to pursue than wasting so much time on a relationship that could turn sour at the end, please let me go, am not feeling it anymore.
'What?' Tonia screamed, and held her face in hands, sobbing into them.
He took his car keys, and drove off.
That was their official break up, though they saw and got down many times after then, but it was never the same.
Now, why had Tony brought this man to be her witness?

* * *

The second person she saw was Rolake, her roommate for three years in the University. Rolake was a very close friend. They were so close to the extent that people tagged them lesbians. She was so protective of her that she never let any man come near her. And the only one who dared come near her, Rolake made sure she frustrated him to the point that he almost ran, if not for the fact that he truly loved her. They dated off and on for six years. Again, she wondered what Rolake had to say as her witness.

* * *

The third person she saw as her witness was Tolu, the babe with whom she rocked her final year. Though they had always been friends and were coursemates , she got close to Tolu when she had a fight with Rolake some days before they finished their penultimate session exam. It was a big fight that made her decide she would not live together with Rolake again, in spite of how much she begged. Her closeness with Tolu caused an enmity between Rolake and Tolu which was so embarrassing to Tonia, but it didn't stop her from being friendly with Tolu. Tolu got married few months before Tonia killed Timi. Fine, they were so close, but to what was Tolu going to testify?

* * *

The camera zoomed to the back, and the two other people she saw froze her heart, Sola, and Tosin, they were Timi's friends, and they were both there at the bar that night she stabbed him. Were these ones going to testify for her, or had the prosecution brought them to witness against her, to counter what Tunde, Rolake and Tolu would say? God, this could be a disaster.

A BIRTHDAY TO REMEMBER 3

It was five minutes before 10am, six days before she will be read her death warrant. Tonia sat up on her dingy mattress. She looked at the television where she had positioned it to face the wall. Since when the next execution date had been announced, the journalists had been annoyingly irritating. They almost had no other news to carry than Tonia's case. Out of annoyance she had unplugged the television and turned it to the wall. If she was going to die, at least they should have the decency of letting her die in peace.
But this morning, following Tony's order, she was going to switch it on. She was going to see what would happen in court. She was going to see how her so-called friends whom Tony had gathered would save her from the gallows. Only God knew who they were.
With shaky legs, she stood up from the bed, walked a few steps towards the television set, turned it to face her bed, and had it plugged. The hideous small box gave out a rattling noise. She pressed the only control button the tv had to be on to the only channel they had access to in the prison, to her dismay, she had been almost five minutes late. The channel was broadcasting live from the courtroom. She could see Tony in his black robe and white wig, looking so tensed. There were lawyers everywhere, and to her astonishment, she saw faces of people she would never had thought had any interest in her case at all. The courtroom was quiet. If a pin had dropped, the sound would have been heard without any difficulty. The first person Tonia saw as one of her witnesses was Tunde, her very first boyfriend. Tunde who had meant so much to her, the man she had lost her innocence to. Sitting on the bed, she couldn't help wondering how Tony had been able to contact him.

They had met after she finished her secondary school and was seeking admission into the higher institution. She was sixteen while he was eighteen. He had been drop dead gorgeous then, with pink lips and unbelievably white eyeballs that had the power of holding any girl's attention. She was on her way from the computer classes she attended with her friend Seyi, when they both met Tunde. Though Seyi claimed to have seen him more than twice in the estate, but Tonia was seeing him for the first time that day. He had pretended to miss his way, which they both knew was not true, but all the same they walked with him and helped him in finding his way. Tonia being the type who wasn't so much into boys then, had decided to walk some few steps backward, to allow him chat with Seyi only, but he had been very persistent in talking with her. Every now and then he involved her in their conversation. And when it was time for them to depart, he politely asked Tonia to allow him speak with her for five minutes, confusedly she looked at Seyi, who gave her the go-ahead. Then they walked some few feet away from where Seyi was standing.
'I am sorry I pretended to have lost my way, I didn't. I followed you girls because I needed to talk with you' he said.
'Why?' Tonia had asked.
'This isn't the first time I will be seeing you in this estate, and I have been looking for a way to chat you up, but I don't think this is really a good time. Please where will u be in the evening'
'I will be going for my JAMB classes by 3pm and will be back around 6pm'
'Will you follow this same way or the main estate gate?'
'Hmmm ,I think I will come through the main gate'
'That's good. I will be waiting for you. Not particularly in a place, but you will see me strolling up and down the road, I ll be there like 15 minutes before 6. Please be there'
To which she replied ' sure I ll be, bye'
'Bye' he said, and they parted ways.
She rushed back to meet Seyi where she was standing, 'who's that guy', she asked her.
'So you don't know him?, he is Folake's cousin, you know Folake now, our junior in Our Lady.'
'Oh, I know her. But why does he talk like that? Like an American, or was he just trying to impress me?
Seyi laughed and said 'Na that one me no fit answer o, he is in his second year in the State University, though he is based in Lagos, anytime he is in school, he spends time with his cousins here. But the guy is cool sha, or what do you think?', she winked.
'Abeg free me jare, wetin dey do me pass that one, anyway I promised I ll be seeing him this evening on ma way from JAMB classes, but God knows I won't follow where he ll see me', Tonia said.
'Hmmm, you promised you ll be seeing him, yet you won't follow where he will see you, babe you sure say you never start to dey gel for this guy?'
'Gel for who? fimile jare'.
'Okay o, I ll see you tomorrow. If you are a minute late, you ll meet me in class' Seyi threatened.
'You sef know say you no fit, better wait for me in your own interest', they both laughed and departed.

She finished earlier than expected at the JAMB lesson that day, and she decided she wouldn't follow where Tunde would see her. To her, there was no reason raising someone's hope if you wouldn't have anything to do with them. So at exactly 4.30pm, she packed her books and headed home. She had hoped to take a cab to the bus stop before her estate so she could walk in from there, boycotting Tunde's route, but unfortunately, a man who stayed close to her house saw her at the bus stop and gave her a ride. When she got to where she was supposed to alight, she was too lip-sealed and couldn't tell the man she wanted to go down there, for fear of raising his suspicions as to why she didn't want to follow the main gate, so she stayed put.
'Tonia, am not going home straight, I need to see my mechanic along the road here, but I will drop you at the estate gate so you can easily trek home from there'.
'Okay sir, thank you very much' ,she said.
In her mind she was cursing the man. Why did he help her at all when he knew he wouldn't take her straight home? And now he had decided to drop her on a route she had sworn never to follow that day. Well, it was still quite early. It was just 20 minutes before 5 o' clock. And Tunde had said he would start strolling around 15 minutes to 6. So she had better hurry up before he changed his mind and came out earlier. She got to her road, walked very fast past his house, like Seyi had told him. She walked three houses past his house, and heaved a sigh of relief when he didn't see him. Then, she slowed her pace, and resumed her catwalk when she sighted someone walking slowly ahead of her. Quickly she said a little prayer that it wouldn't be him. Just as she said amen, the person turned to face her, and behold, it was him.
'Em, you came out earlier' she said.
'Yes I did, I was restless and couldn't risk missing you, now am thanking God I made it this early' he replied.
'You look dull, are you okay?', she queried.
'Yeah, am fine. I slept as soon as I got home. I got up about 30 minutes ago'
'Oh, I see'
'So how was class?'
'It was fine o, we closed earlier than expected'
'Are you sure, or you just decided to leave earlier to escape seeing me?', he teased.
To which she lied, 'Nah, why would I wanna do that?'
'Okay then', he said.
He walked her home that day but didn't get to her house because she discouraged him from doing so. She had a strict mum who had zero tolerance for boys around her daughters. Before saying their goodbyes, they shook hands and that was it.
While walking home, Tonia talked to herself. . .'Oh my God, that guy is handsome. What on earth got into my head when I said I wasn't gonna see him? Jesus Christ, I would have missed o.'
(The continuation follows this post)

Yes my Lord, am gonna do that right away,blogs can be so frustrating, I know, I ll try all the same.

Thanks so much for ur understanding, u have just made my day. Am grateful.

Hmmmmm. . .only God knows how I ll respond to this attack without offending someone. When I posted that link, I made it clear that I would have posted it here, if not for the fact that it was too long. I had a plan of breaking my story into four episodes,if I shd split it cos of nairaland, then the suspense would be lost,and it ll also alter the planned number of episodes. I don't make money from my blog, and I even directed pple to drop their comments under the link here cos I have a very crazy blog which wouldn't allow any comments. So what's the use of a blog that wouldn't permit comments than to use it in cases like this? @softandmoist,I ll be so glad if u could help me post it here in bits, u have my 100% permission. Thanks all.

Hmmmmm. . .only God knows how I ll respond to this attack without offending someone. When I posted that link, I made it clear that I would have posted it here, if not for the fact that it was too long. I had a plan of breaking my story into four episodes,if I shd split it cos of nairaland, then the suspense would be lost,and it ll also alter the planned number of episodes. I don't make money from my blog, and I even directed pple to drop their comments under the link here cos I have a very crazy blood which wouldn't allow any comments. So what's the use of a blog that wouldn't permit comments than to use it in cases like this? @softandmoisty,I ll be so glad if u could help me paste it here in bits, u have my 100% permission. Thanks all.

Nah,not my old man at all. I told u the murder and the death row parts are not real, but most of the plot and conversations actually happened, and they are so real. I posted a link for the 3rd episode buh I just discovered it's been hidden. Pls would u follow it here, I can't post it on NL cos of its length, all comments can be dropped here. Thanks so much.

http://www.anne-abidemi..com/2013/04/a-birthday-to-remember-3_14.html?m=1

Thanks so much peepz. Am a lady, plus, the story is not entirely real, at least the stabbing and the death row parts are not true, though I got the inspiration from what personally happened to me. The 3rd episode will be updated shortly.kindly read and comment, plus, am very open to criticism. Ur kinda pple tell me I shouldn't break my pen yet,am glad u are loving it.

The guard opened the cell gate. And walked her through the lobby. She smiled at Lucy, the girl who occupied the next cell to hers. She was holding her cell gate tightly, and looking at Tonia with fear. Almost all the inmates had been doing that since the execution day had been announced.
Lucy was 22 years old, and got her death sentence a year ago. News around the row had it that she murdered her father, because he wouldn't stop abusing her. It had been happening since Lucy was ten and she lost her mother. He defiled her and never stopped having carnal knowledge of her until she turned 20 and couldn't take it anymore.
That night, he had crept into her room as usual. Lucy expected it, and was battle-ready for him. She knew it would take the usual turn. He would sneak into her room after midnight, quietly open the door, since he had warned her never to lock herself up in the room. He would enter, locking the door without the slightest sound so as not to wake her younger brother. He would stay for a few seconds to make his eyes adjust to the darkness, then make out her shape on the bed. That had always been the pattern.
As expected, he came in that way, sat on her bed, raised the wrapper from her legs and starting caressing them. She awoke. Silently she laid still on the bed. She had promised herself never to fight him off again, since the day she tried it and he beat the living hell out of her. She resolved to lay still and let him have his way.
He continued stroking her legs, and moved to her thighs. Out of habit, he pinched her, because it always annoyed him whenever he was with her and she showed no emotions. Still she didn't move. He lifted her, removed her nightgown, and proceeded to get out of his own briefs. Then he mounted her, and filled her to the hilt in one swift movement. He rode hard, deep, and fast. Though tears streamed down her face, she held her sobs. It was going to be the last night, she would endure it. After about three minutes, he groaned loudly, and poured into her. He remained in that position for another two minutes before rolling off her. He collapsed on the bed, arms outstretched and eyes tightly shut. He was quite relaxed. That was when Lucy struck.
The icebreaker had been under her bed for three weeks, but the courage to make use of it never came. That night however, the abuse and shame she had endured for ten years gave her the strength, and the hatred she had for her father, preceded by the rage burning inside her, led her hand under the bed. She grabbed the icebreaker, turned her head in the direction of her father, who was still savouring his post-climax moment, held the icebreaker with two hands, raised it high above her head, and rammed it in her father's chest. She removed it, and stabbed him over and over again, not minding his screams and the knock at her door. Her brother was pleading to be let in. She made sure he made no sound again before she stopped stabbing him. Blood gushed out of his stomach and chest. Her bed was a mess. Blood was on her face, her hands, her body.
She got off the bed, placed the icebreaker on her night-stand, and grabbed her mobile phone with the bloodied hand. She called the police.

* * *

Tonia smiled at Lucy, who looked so pale, like she was the one who would be executed in a week. Before unlocking the main gate to the cell, the guard had her handcuffed. He led her towards the room where the doctor waited. She sat on the only wooden chair in the room, and faced the doctor whose face was separated from hers only by a 3-inch thick glass with a small opening where files can be passed.
He asked the same questions they always asked. Was she having trouble sleeping? What was her temperature like? Any headache? Stomach ache? Had she been excreting well? Tonia smiled. Suddenly the state had started caring about her. A doctor who had never visited her in all the eight years she had been on the row was now fussing over her. After all the questions, he concluded she was healthy enough to be killed. So the state could go ahead and hang her. The doctor left.
She knocked for the guard to come and take her back to her cell, but to her surprise, someone else came in, her lawyer. She wasn't expecting him that day. She had exhausted her appeals, left to her, nothing could be done anymore. She had an appointment with the hangman in a week.
Tony sat watching her. His perspiration made him a shade darker. He had removed his jacket, exposing his white shirt which had brown stains around the collar. He loosened his tie, rolled up his shirt sleeves, and drew an inch closer to the glass separating them. From the look on his face, Tonia knew something serious had brought him. But what could it be?

* * *

She had known Tony since she was 20. Then she was in her final year in the University. She should be writing her final exams, but the student union government had an issue with the school management, which resulted in the students being sent home. The strike, as it was called then, had lasted for four months.
That afternoon they met, she was on her way home from church, where she went for Catechism class. Tonia was a Catholic by birth, and she had her infant baptism when she was eighteen months old. She was named Anthonia. She had already started receiving the the holy communion, but she had to be confirmed, which required attending the catechism class again. The church was a stone's throw from the estate where she lived with her parents, and she was already close to the house when she heard a voice behind her.'Hello, good evening',
Tonia had replied 'good evening'. 'Glory to Jesus', he had said. Tonia smiled and replied, 'honour to Mary'. Obviously he had noticed the scapula on her neck, and the rosary she was holding.
'Are you a Catholic' she asked, 'I used to be', he replied.
'Hmmmmm, used to be. What made you leave, lemme guess,you left when you saw the light right?'
To that, he smiled and replied 'yes'
Tonia smiled and said 'I thought as much, that's what you people always say'.
That was how they became friends. He told her he was a youth corps member, serving in Ede, Osun state, but he had relocated to Ogun state because he got a job he would love to keep after his youth service there, so he was shuttling between Osun and Ogun states. He told her he was a lawyer and assisting in a certain SAN's office, though the salary was meagre, it was picking his bills. She on the other hand told him she was a student in her finals, and was home because her school was on strike.
He told Tonia he stayed on that same road in the estate. And he pointed to his house, which was not too far from hers.
The following week, Tonia visited him in his house. He occupied one room in a three-bedroom flat he shared with a certain bank manager. The room was sparsely furnished, with just a mattress on the linoleum floor, with a transistor radio which served as the only sound system in the room. She stayed for about an hour before she left, by then, they had established a good friendship, which would later become a relationship that lasted for more than two years.
They started dating two months after they met, though Tonia hadn't wanted to go into the relationship then, because of the experience she had with her first love, Femi. Femi had stayed on that same road in the estate, and the way they met had been similar to how she met Tony. If asked, she would say Femi didn't entirely represent pain and sadness, but she wouldn't wanna date anybody in the estate again, she was avoiding the sense of deja vu it might bring into her new relationship with someone else in the estate.
However, Tony succeeded in talking her into a relationship with him. They liked each other very much, though Tony was the one who loved most in the relationship, yet he would never say it. He finished youth service and continued working for the chamber he had been when they met. She graduated and started working for her uncle who was a politician while waiting for youth service. They were well known in their respective offices, since both offices were so close, as well as in the estate too. Whenever he went to court, he would be back in her office, he would only leave if he had a client and his secretary called him. He was so jealous and protective of her. He wouldn't let any man come near her, and he practically chased all her suitors away. He created an awareness of her non-availability, which annoyed her most times, but she kept her cool, knowing she was with someone already.
He loved scrabble, and when they were not discussing, eating, or making love, definitely they would be playing scrabble. He always told her 'I don't want you to just know how to play, am preparing you for a tournament, go to the NYSC camp and dazzle them, you have to play for your platoon'.
He expected him to propose before she went for youth service, if not for anything, at least to seal their relationship and for her to know that there was someone back home waiting for her, but he never did. She was to find out years later that he had based their love on assumptions. He had expected her to know what he never said. He had expected her to believe the love he never professed.
Posting letters were out, and she was posted to Delta State. She went to camp, had fun but never dated. She actually wanted to play scrabble for her platoon but the game was struck out at the last minute. She got posted to a village school to teach English language. All the while, communications between Tonia and Tony had weakened. She was so preoccupied that she no longer had time to call or send him texts, what with her assumptions that he might be cheating on her back home, since he didn't make any effort to seal the relationship. As far as she was concerned, their relationship was all about sex and scrabble, though they liked each other.
The foundation of their separation was her youth service, coupled with the fact that she never lived in Ogun state again after she passed out. She had her postgraduate studies and later worked in Lagos, which caused a permanent break up between them.
In spite of all that, Tony never stopped being her friend. Social network kept them together. They communicated almost everyday, even when he knew she had started seeing someone else.
Sitting there and looking into Tony's eyes, she remembered he confessed to her, few months before she stabbed Timi, that he had never loved any other woman like he loved her. He said it when she asked why he hadn't gotten married, as comfortable as he was, because then he had started having big clients, he was handling big cases. He rode the latest Toyota Camry, and lived very comfortably. He made her understand he wouldn't mind if she came back, and that he still loved her so much. She had waved it off then, since she was so beclouded by Timi's love that she couldn't imagine herself going back to Tony.
When he heard about the murder she committed, he had been devastated. Without anyone contacting him, he had offered to take up the case, without charging Tonia's family a dime. When they were still dating, her father had known him to be a good friend of Tonia's, even her mum knew him well. He would always drive down to their house in the evenings, with his scrabble board, they would play, chat and have drinks. What her parents never knew was that they dated.
He had tried so many tricks to get her an execution stay, or to reduce her sentence to life imprisonment, all efforts had been in vain. He had even appealed the judgment to the extent of reducing himself to a nuisance in courtrooms, all for a pro bono. Eight years after her sentence, and a week before her execution, he was still with her, he had never left her.

* * *

'Tonia' he called, making her jump from her thoughts. She raised her head and looked at him.
'The execution might not take place' he said.
'What?' She exclaimed
Coolly, he said, 'according to your witnesses, you have a psychological problem, it's been established. You have been abused, you have been heartbroken, you have phobia for being let down. Timi was your last trial to see if it would ever work out with a man. You couldn't stand him breaking your heart again, you would die. That night you killed him, something snapped in your brain, and you didn't know what happened. We are trying to reduce it to manslaughter, claiming it wasn't premeditated. The only bone of contention is the knife. The prosecution claims you had it on you before you got to the joint, but no one can establish that fact. I made efforts to get hold of your statement when the murder happened. I read through it, and you never for once said you had the knife on you, you were not asked. All they wanted to know was who killed him, which you admitted to. Between you and I, you had the knife on you, and you always knew you would kill him that night. But for our case, Tonia, on that night you killed Timi, you had no knife on you, the knife was on the floor where you held and kissed him, your eyes darted towards it, and you didn't know when you grabbed it and killed him. Try switching on ur tv 10am tomorrow, I know you've not been watching it. Your witnesses will be in court tomorrow, they will take the stand, defending you, claiming you are a knife freak, claiming you are a needy, cry baby. They will demean you, they will destroy your sanity, but in all, they really want to help. Wish us luck'
With that, he stood up and left.
'Oh my Goooooooooddddddddddd', dumbfounded Tonia let out.

(To be continued. . .)

The cell was so cold, no thanks to the rainy season. Tonia curled up like a foetus on her bug-ridden half inch mattress. It was June, and she had spent almost eight years here. She had been here since August 2013, precisely 10th August 2013. And she had experienced many rainy season on the death row. She had been here on chilly nights, at nights when water trickled in from the tiny window of her 5ft by 7ft cell, where she had awaited death everyday, where she had seen many she called close friends walked towards the gallows to be killed like animals. If she were to be asked, she would say 2021's rain had been the most torrential of all she had witnessed on the row.
Last year July, her closest friend on the row, Cynthia, had been killed by lethal injection. She had been given two options, the lethal injection or the gallows, just like every other inmate convicted after 2012. She went for the injection because she thought it would be more humane and would let her slip away without feeling any pain. Only God knew if Cynthia got what she wanted. She was no longer there to tell the story, but Tonia would never forget that night. There was so much excitement on the row. People moved in and out of the prison, there were strange faces everywhere. Press men lobbied to witness the execution, human rights activists and religious groups who were against the death penalty gathered outside the facility to protest the execution. Guards who had been nice and friendly suddenly looked mean and deadly. And what she would always remember about that night too was the way all inmates were handcuffed and shackled. The cells were locked and the main entrance to the row was shut permanently. Three nights before then, Cynthia had been moved to the observation room, where the guards ensured she had no access to harmful objects that could aid suicide. There were no sleeping pills, no heavy objects of any kind, and a guard was permanently positioned at the cell gate to keep watch on her day and night.
The row had been very quiet, inmates were praying that a miracle would happen in one of the courts where Cynthia's lawyer had been running to for a stay to be granted on her execution. But so far, there had been no luck. The appeals kept being struck out because of Cynthia's nature of crime that got her on the row. Besides, the state governor who had the last stay, till that moment hadn't granted a stay, what with the kind of bad press Cynthia's case attracted.
Cynthia got to the row five months before Tonia. She had been found guilty of murder. From what was rumoured around the row, she was a professional prostitute, the type people called courtesan. Her kind of clients were high-ranked politicians and businessmen, whom she serviced without shame. However, Cynthia's waywardness and avarice got the best of her one day, when she had an expatriate client. The white man hid nothing about the kind of business that brought him to Nigeria from Cynthia, he told her about the kind of money involved, and the amount he had on him as at that moment in the hotel. Her love for money got the better of her, and while the poor man was sleeping, Cynthia stabbed him to death and took the money. It wasn't her lucky day because of the CCTV cameras in the hotel where the man lodged, and also because of his status and personality, Cynthia was nabbed, and was executed last year.
Tonia had cried like a baby. She hadn't cried since the day she got to the row, but that night she cried. She felt sorry for her friend, she felt sorry for herself, for other inmates on the row, and for all their worthless pathetic lives.
Since Cynthia's execution, three more people had been executed. Kola who was a serial killer, Yusuf, a terrorist, and Chioma, who abused and mutilated young children. Last month, another execution date was chosen, 22nd June 2021, a day to Tonia's 34th birthday, the inmate who would be executed that day would be Tonia Balogun.
There she was, a week away from the gallows, which she chose because of the horrible way Cynthia was killed. The executioner who handled Cynthia's death was a pure novice, since doctors who knew about IV injections would never be used in executions due to their life saving oaths. Cynthia was bound to the gurney, with IV tubes and all around her, she wailed and wailed for almost thirty minutes on the gurney before the drunk executioner got it right. From the rumours gathered from witnesses, she suffered and was in great pains before she died.
The thoughts of death took her mind back to what got her on the row. Tonia had been a beautiful young lady of 26. She was 25 when she met Timi. Though he was much older than she was,there was almost ten years difference between them, but they were good together. She looked so young and naïve, he looked so matured and wise, he was handsome, muscular and very pleasant. She called him her hero, her prince charming, her knight in shining armour. He was her best friend, her everything.
Though they met online, on one of the many dating sites that existed then in 2012, since the first day they set eyes on each other, they became inseparable. He was single, she was engaged to a man she didn't really love, she removed the ring the first day they kissed.
He had been at work when she got to his house, but had instructed his cousin to receive and entertain her. His cousin, Dapo had been the chitty-chatty type, he talked about almost everything and really made her feel relaxed and at home, though she hadn't seen her blind date.
Hours later, he came in, all 6ft, towering her petite shape, and the first thing Tonia said to him was 'Hey, tall man', he responded wt a kiss that lasted for two minutes, not minding Dapo's presence. Then he told her to go shower and change her cloth because they would be going out, it was a Friday. While undressing in the room, he came in, held her and kissed her again, this time exploring her mouth like his life depended on it. He held her so tightly and she could feel his erection against her body. She was aroused. She kissed him back, and held him too. He unhooked her bra, fondled her breasts and tickled her nipple. She was now moaning and held his head, rolling his hair between her fingers. The probe of his tongue in her mouth became faster as he loosened her belt, all this while they were still standing. Then he disengaged his mouth from hers, and carried her like a baby to the bed. He placed her gently on the bed and removed her denim, exposing her fair thighs. She closed her eyes because she was shy and couldn't look him in the face. He unbuttoned his shirt, removed his trousers and briefs, and lied naked beside her. He kissed her again, probing her womanhood with his middle finger, which made her wriggle in excitement. When he thought she was ready enough, he went it, thrusting slowly at first, then faster, and faster. They found a rhythm, she moaned, he groaned, five minutes later, they were both panting, exhausted from the strength of their climax. That day, Tonia decided she was going to stay, and stay she did.
She caught him cheating on more than two occasions, and all those times he apologised that it was never going to happen again. She was the possessive type, she was jealous, she nagged, and she acted irrationally at times, because she really was in love with him and couldn't bear the thoughts of sharing him with another woman.
Truth be told, he was loving, caring, and very matured, her ideal man, the kind of man she had always prayed for. The only issue she ever had with him was about women, which almost broke them up at a time.
Then she had noticed he was becoming unusually quiet, ignoring her at will, and not caring enough. She had decided to play it her own way, ignore him too, get him jealous by flaunting men she knew she would never date. She had even made new friends to take his thoughts away from her mind, maybe that would reduce the love she had for him, but it hadn't worked. She loved him more and more everyday, and it hurt so much. Then she decided to let it out, she engaged him in a mobile chat and accused him of giving other women the attention he was denying her. He got angry, they both became furious and he deleted her from his contacts. It was like a rapture. She told herself that was the last straw, and that then and there she would call it quits. She couldn't. Minutes later, she called him, he ignored her calls. Then he sent him a text, telling him if he knew he wasn't going to love her, he shouldn't have started it at all, and that she was going nowhere until she stopped loving him, which they both knew would never happen. They made up. She should have ended the relationship, but she didn't. Because she didn't have the strength, breaking up with him would kill her. She knew she was stuck. She was obsessed. He was her obsession.
She became sad, the lively Tonia began losing her high spirits, she was becoming a shadow of herself, people told her she was losing her beauty. She started having sleepless nights. He was having fun, going out on fridays, meeting people, flirting. Then she decided to talk to him. Again, they were engaged in a chat, she told him her fears, he apologised and promised never to hurt her again. Finally, she was happy, she had her love back.
And they lived happily ever after. . .until two months to his birthday, she knew there was a certain colleague he had, a lady, who always called at odd hours. Whenever she was with him, her calls woke them up in the morning, she called late at nights. If she coughed, she called him, if she sneezed, she called him. She became curious, and of course jealous, in spite of the fact that she had promised herself never to doubt him again. She asked him about it, and he told her she was married, and that what in the world would he want to do with a married woman. But the calls never stopped coming. She became worried, resolved to her best tool, and discovered there might be more than just friendship between them. She started acting up as usual, which didn't make him bulge. Out of habit, she again told him what was eating her up, but he dismissed it like it meant nothing. That day, Tonia realised Timi would always favour the so-called married woman against her. And that whatever he was having with her was far greater and superior to the relationship she thought she was having with him. She was bitter, depressed, angry and felt cheated.
It was two weeks to his birthday, though she already planned his birthday was going to be celebrated in a big way, in spite of his indifference to all the plan. But the issue she had with him made her change her mind, though she pretended not to be hurt, she had her plans.
His birthday was on a Saturday, she should have been with him since Friday, but she worked in a broadcasting house and had to be on duty on Saturday, so she wasn't able to make it. However, she left on saturday afternoon. When she called him that she was in town already, he told her where he was hanging out, celebrating his birthday with his friends, and told her to hurry and meet him there because his friends had been asking after her. She took a bike straight to the venue, a murderous look on her face. She got there, saw them, flashed him her sweetest smile, and excused him so she could wish him a happy birthday in her own way, and in private. He followed her, smiling and commenting on how naughty she could be. It was growing dark, they went behind the bar, he held her and kissed her, telling her she should have been there on Friday, so she could be the first person he would see on his birthday, she whispered her apologies in his ears, inserting her tongue in his earlobe to distract him, while at that, she brought out the small knife she had been keeping in her back pocket, looked him straight in his eyes, and wished him a happy birthday again, then stabbed him five times. Twice in his stomach, once on his chest, once on his ribs, and buried the knife in his neck. His screams brought people to the scene, her hands were stained with blood, her obsession's blood. He died holding his stomach, with his eyes open and his mouth like he wished to say something to her. He was gone, he would never speak to her again. She had killed him. She had killed her obsession. It was over. She had lost her virginity to a certain lover on his birthday, she had taken the life of another on his birthday too.
The shouts of 'Tonia what happened, Tonia what happened' made her realise where she was, and what she had done.
The trial was fast, it didn't take long at all. What with Timi's family spending all their life savings on it. She was found guilty and given the death penalty.
'Tonia Balogun' the guard shouted from the main entrance to the cells, 'the doctor is here to see you'. She jumped from her thoughts, and remembered she was to be examined that day. The state had to be sure she was sane enough to be executed, to be killed like an animal. In two days, the Reverend would come, to prepare her soul for the task ahead. He had to make sure that if she lost her life, her soul wouldn't be lost. Her appeals had been exhausted, no stay had been granted. She would be killed, to the joy and cheer of Timi's family. But before then, she had better hurry to keep her appointment with the doctor.