₦airaland Forum

skubido:
Emeka strong head too much



Tanks for the update

Like seriously... You're welcome. How have you been?

3
Tunde glanced at Ade at the driver's seat and couldn't blame him for having cold feet at the eleventh hour. It was normal for everyone, but he wouldn't hear the rubbish he was spewing at that time. He had been sputtering about seeing the full moon and how he saw a wall gecko. And he couldn't really blame him. The bulk of the blame would be on his father, who left him at their grandmother's place for too long a time. If not, he would have grown with the knowledge that superstitions are only made to come to reality by people's fear and nothing more.
'Here', Emeka whispered to Ade in the car as if people outside the car would hear their conversation. He stretched his hand and told them to put theirs also. Emeka exhaled loudly and whispered, 'for Libya. For Europe'.
Ade whispered and hummed his 'oya come make we go' by Tu face and someone Tunde never cared and wasn't even sure he would know.
'The light', Tunde said and Ade caught the queue and switched off the light. Tunde coughed.
'Do something about this cough', Emeka mumbled.
They stepped out of the car and took the bags they needed for the operation. Their black clothes were truly the perfect cloth they needed for the operation. Emeka sighed and marched off into the darkness. Tunde decided to keep quiet and only grunted when Ade glanced up into the dark sky.
The moon was full. Ade had a belief that the moon was always full only when the month was getting to the end and that could signify that one of them might end his life very soon.
'Are we doing the right thing? Are you sure we're doing the right thing?'
Emeka placed his hand on Ade's shoulder as if he was a father that was about to address his son, who was afraid of his own shadow. 'When we get home, I will buy my mother a full chicken. When we get to Europe and I make money, I will buy a cow. Big one'.
Ade hissed. Tunde stared at Emeka and felt like giving him a hard knock for saying something that wasn't relevant to the problem on ground. They marched off silently into the street. The street didn't have street lights and the power of generator in the street seemed so bad that the noise clouded the silence of the night. He wondered how the occupants of the house slept at night. He just couldn't see himself sleeping in that place without going to the neighbor's house and fighting them for such stupidity. Nevertheless, it was to their own advantage.
The walk from the back of the house was relatively easy. Very soon, they were soon scaling the mighty fence that held the warehouse they were supposed to steal from. According to Emeka, some politicians shared a huge sum of money into different sacks and placed them at different locations because he was being probed by EFCC.
To break the door to the stipulated place was easy, making Tunde know that the earth and God wanted them to have the money. The ease with which they did it was good, but Ade kept popping his head and mumbling that they had to be fast, that he felt something bad was happening.
As they left Ade at the door to watch out for the security guard, who was known for sleeping soundly at that time, Tunde spoke to Emeka for the first time since they entered the warehouse.
'Ade is drunk on gutter water'.
'Brother, it's normal to be afraid. That will make us efficient. Remember the election'.
Tunde had to shush him at that instance because if he didn't do that, Emeka would continue talking about the university election. They just had to get the money and leave. However, they didn't have to go far before trouble began. The first thing that caused a rancor was Emeka, who shouted as it was typical of him, 'this money is not complete'.
Tunde opened his mouth as he felt like entering the floor immediately. There wasn't a way people around wouldn't hear the noise. Now, he wished they didn't leave their clothes at Emeka's place.
At least, if anything happened, he would have quickly changed his cloth and pretend to be in pursuit of the thieves and from there escape.
'What do you mean?' Tunde said after covering Emeka's mouth and Emeka nodded to assure him that he would keep his emotion in check. He opened the bag for Tunde. It was full.
'You are shouting', Ade said as he rushed from his post. 'You're shouting'.
'He said the money is not complete'.
'How will he say that? Is he alright?'
'I'm thinking so too. This bag is full', Tunde said and handed the money to Ade. Then, he helped him to point a torchlight into the full bag.
'This bag is full. Let's leave here', Ade said, closed the bag and glanced at the door. Tunde's eyes dashed to the door severally.
'Are you two blind? Two million would fill more space. This bag is too small for even one million. If this is not even five hundred thousand naira'.
'Think. Think' Tunde said and dragged Emeka towards the door. 'This is the money. We've got to go. Let's go'.


But Emeka wouldn't agree with them and he kept searching until Ade joined Tunde in pulling him out of the ware house. Tunde would have allowed him to return to find the money because Emeka had vast knowledge about money and if he said the money wasn't complete, then it wasn't complete. Emeka snatched his hands. At the same, time the noise of the generator stopped. Tunde and Ade pulled Emeka away.
'Leave me', he grunted and restricted.
'You want to die?' Ade asked.
'Leave…' Emeka shouted as his anger got to its peak. Tunde hurriedly covered his mouth.
'Shhh! Shhh! Shhh!' Ade shouted as if he was suffering from chronic cold. The ray of a torchlight was shaking outside as if someone was trying to see if anyone was there. They all stopped what they were doing, switched off their torchlights, and waited for the next line of action. The ray of torchlight from the other end went off. Tunde raised his hands and hoped the others could see him in the night.
'Now', Tunde said and released Emeka. He wasn't ready to die at the moment. There was only one life and he preferred to use it wisely. Luckily for them, the wall was very near the door. Tunde, who was the nearest to the door, flung himself on the wall, forgetting that he had left the bag in care of Ade. He hurriedly scrambled on to the wall.
'The money', Emeka shouted and Tunde turned as Ade threw the bag of money at him. He grabbed the bag and turned just in time to see Emeka and Ade pounce on the wall before he clambered down the fence into the path that was beside the building. He sped off in the night.
'Go...Go'.
Emeka grunted loudly and that called the attention of the guard in charge of the warehouse. The guard shouted something incomprehensible and began to blow a whistle that was soon replied by the shrill sound of whistles from different sides.
Tunde didn't want to be the recipient of whatever would happen immediately the owners of those whistles joined the pursuit. The worst case scenario was that they would tie them as it was typical of the present-day Nigerians and burn them to death. He, Ade and their father had been a partaker of such event, when some thieves were caught in their street.
Even with the heavy bag, he ran off as if he was a whirlwind and would crush anyone he met on the way, regardless of the fact that he was holding a toy gun. He could have dropped it on the way, but he would prefer to hold on to everything he came along with, to avoid being implicated through them. Only death could take the money away from him at that point. He panted heavily as he ran towards the car and held the bag firmly.
'Run… Run', Ade's voice reverberated in the dark. By this time, the shrill whistles had taken up the duty of disturbing the peace of the night. And they were soon replaced by the numerous shout of men that were eager to catch at least one of them to make them suffer for the sins of others.
Tunde got to the place they parked their car and lurched forward as he opened the door. Securing a space, he hurriedly opened the other doors and switched on the light of the car. Ade's voice gave him up as he sped towards the car, panting and stomping the ground. He jumped into the car, panting and closed his side of the door.
Tunde couldn't understand the reason for what they were doing. He shouldn't have seen things the same way Emeka saw it. He probably wouldn't have agreed to come to the robbery and they might end up staying in their father's house, but that was better than what they were facing at the moment.
'Jesus. God. Emeka', Ade called as he started the car. The car vibrated and Ade began to edge forward.
'Wait for him'.
The plan was that even if the two of them were still on their way, he would have started the car. Regardless of what they as plan, Tunde still felt they shouldn't even start the car until Emeka was safely tucked into a corner in the car. A gun shot rang and Ade yelled, while Tunde scrambled to the floor of the car. Yet, Emeka kept grunting and was yelling something as he neared the door. That meant he was still alive and safe. Tunde sighed as he clapped repeatedly and gestured for Emeka to hurry.
'Get ready', Ade said as the car revved loudly.
Their pursuers got the idea that their car would aid their escape, so they took cue and began to shout the more. Just as Emeka got to the door, two shots rang and this time one of the shots hit him on the thigh. He screamed loudly and fell flat, hitting his chest on the handle of the door. Tunde was so surprise that he couldn't tell if he shouted or just opened his mouth. Yet, Emeka's strength enthralled Tunde that that he was jostled out his little trance. He plunged to action when Emeka shouted as he tried to he crawled to the edge of the vibrating car. Tunde rose from his seat and grabbed Emeka's hand. Ade release the choke and drove off. The noise of the vigilantes edged towards them.
'Ade, wait', Tunde shouted as he struggled to help a yelling Emeka into the car.
Emeka grunted and yelled as if his limbs were being ripped off his hands. 'Ade, go'.
'No. Don't...'
But when another shot rang, Tunde screamed at the top of his voice. 'Go. Go.'
The door was still opened and Emeka's legs dangled from the car; in fact, most of his body were still out of the car. Emeka screamed. Then, his screams began to break as if he was having seizure.
Tunde pulled him into the car. However, for anyone to be dragged into moving car, he or she must use his or her energy like that of the person pulling them. Tunde needed Emeka to put in some effort but he couldn't get the response he desired because Emeka was hanging on to the door for his life.
'Ade, stop… Stop', Tunde yelled.
Ade looked into the mirror and slowed down. Tunde dragged the screaming Emeka into the car. By this time, the light of a bike could be seen racing towards them. Ade shook his head.
'We've got to go', Ade shouted and increased the speed of the car.
'Go...Drive', Tunde grunted as he tried to hold Emeka. Then, he slammed the door shut.
Emeka moaned and mumbled, 'Go'.
Ade sped off into the night as the bike increased its speed. 'Hold on tight. I have to lose them'.
Tunde pushed the bag of money aside. What was the money when his friend might soon lose his life because of it?
'Libya. We go to Europe'; Emeka said and tried to smile but could only spit blood.
'Emeka we will make it', Tunde said as he cuddled him. The second shot seemed to have hit him in the bowel. Even as his hands were dipped into the bleeding stomach of Emeka, he couldn't stop talking about how they were having problems because of Emeka's lack of judgement.
'This shouldn't have happened. You should have happened. You happened'.
'Tunde, it's enough', Ade shouted from the driver's seat.
Emeka was gasping for breath and blood was spurting from his mouth, and gushing from his stomach and thigh. Tunde was even confused about where he should hold.
'Tunde, we will go to Europe'.
Tunde couldn’t hold back his tear. He whimpered and continually rocked Emeka, who was lying on his laps.


'Ade, faster', he yelled.
Emeka winced again and began to drool off. Tunde could only do what he had seen in most movies.
'Emeka talk to me. Say something'.
Emeka's eyes were drooling. Tunde slapped his cheek repeatedly. 'Stay with me. Tell me something'.
Emeka smiled and ranted in Igbo.
'English!'
'I would go to Europe. We will trek. I will feel the dust on my feet. The hot sand'.
With tears streaming down his face, Tunde quivered. 'Emeka we will...Okay, tell me what is the best thing that have ever happened to you?'
'Two things. Two things. I...' He said and coughed blood. 'Uju is pregnant for me. I will be a father'.
'With Uju'.
'Tunde... Someone stole the money. That guy that told me, he had stolen most of the money. Second thing. I will spend this day with you', Emeka said and began to sing 'Tu face's See me so'. They all fell in love with the song after Ade suddenly had a liking for it and wouldn't stop singing it until they all took it as an anthem.
'If you didn't shout first...'
Emeka winced and mumbled loudly.
'Ade, hospital', Tunde shouted.
'Yes. But first dip your hands into him. Pressed the blood down. Apply pressure'.
Emeka's face was becoming flushed. There was no way he would allow himself to give up like that without the proper and necessary things needed to make his friend survive. He dipped his hand into Emeka's blood and felt his own stomach twist. He cried and felt himself about to vomiting. His hands were shaking terribly. He couldn't stop crying as he tried to handle Emeka, who was still vibrating. Very soon, Emeka was beginning to doze off.
'Stay with me'.
'I'm here. Brother, promise me something'.
'I'll promise anything when we get to the hospital'.
'It's nothing much', Emeka said as he began to gasp for breath. 'My mother and son…'
'Anything when we get to the hospital'.
'The chicken', Emeka said and took a prolonged breathe and released it at once.
Tunde rocked him, refused to look at his face as tears began to well in his eyes, and knew what he just heard was the real thing but he just couldn't accept it within minute. He swallowed hard and knew that his tears would soon over flood his tears gland. He couldn't talk again, so began to moan.
'You see what I'm saying', Ade said. 'Now, I must agree with you. I surely must do. This is the height of it. There is no hospital here...'
'He's dead', Tunde mumbled as he pulled Emeka nearer and hugged him. Tears dropped from his eyes as he stared unfocussed into the space.
'Okay, this is arrant nonsense. We need to turn back', Ade said, stopped the car and began to withdraw.
'He is dead. He is dead', Tunde's voice went from a mere whimper to a loud wail that brought Ade to the reality of what happened. Ade yelled his horror and stopped the car in the middle of the road without minding that someone might drive through.
He hit the wheel repeatedly and made the horn sound reverberated in the empty road. He wailed.
'No. Emeks. No...'
'Emeka...' Tunde yelled and rocked the dead body. He didn't even know if his body was being rubbed by the blood but for now he couldn't help but cry into the dead body. He moaned loudly and groaned as if he was the one that was hurt by the bullet of the vigilantes. Even if they would be there for hours, Tunde wouldn't have cared as he couldn't bring himself to accept what had happened to Emeka.
'We've got to move', Ade said.
Tunde could only nod in response. The journey would be one of the worse he had ever taken. He saw the bag of money lying by his leg and kicked it away. There was no way he would be a partaker of this thing.
He hugged the corpse of Emeka and wept into it. Ade drove off and reduced the pace. Tunde didn't think of what would be done to get out of the mess they were in. He didn't think of what might be
done to save them from the blood stain, Emeka's dead body, and he didn't want to think of it.
'What do we do?' Ade said.
'You know what we can do. So, don't ask me'.
'We won't have time to do anything. And how do we prove to the world that he just died'.
'We don't need to. We just have to make it look like a burglar. Then, we would wash the car when Mama leaves home tomorrow'.
The plan was easy and they did it within a short time. It was easy. Faking the burglar was easy. And in fact, getting home was easy. All they had to do was to fake that they were drunk. Their mother, in her usual manner, opened the door for them, nagged about their lateness, and decided to use that medium to tell them how wrong they were by staying up late and not only late, but also irresponsibly drunk.
She expressed her fear of how they might soon go about sleeping with women and one of those women might be the serial killer, who had spent much time to kill men and ram their manhood into their mouth. But, she allowed the matter to die like the dust that was a raised by a traveler's horse.
That night, Tunde cried himself to sleep and just hoped he would be able to stand up to count the money. Ade mumbled about his moon. He mumbled about how they had refused to listen to him and how he was sure that everything happened because of their stubbornness. However, the topic of discussion changed in the morning when they met their mother in the sitting room and continued to talk about their ungodly lifestyle.
'Oh!' Ade said, irritated. 'Let this sleeping dog lie. We need to do other things'.
'Does that mean I'm disturbing you?'
'N-' Tunde was about to say to let the matter die, but Ade cut him short.
'Yes. You're so disturbing us. When are you leaving for your shop?'
'I'm going and you don't have the right to tell me when or ask me when I want to leave my husband's house'.
'Our father's house', Ade said as Tunde dragged him to the room. He tried to restrict but a firm grip and a strong stance made him know Ade was serious.
'What's wrong with you? Hope you've not forgotten that if you piss her off she might decide not to go?'
'Let her not go. Stay at home', Ade shouted.
'You're right', their mother said. 'I'm not going anywhere'.
Tunde stared at him contemptuously and slumped on the bed. They had to wash the car before night. If not, their mother would find a reason to look at their car.
Tuesday was around the corner and with the way she was acting, they couldn't even possibly leave home to pay the money together. Ade slumped on the bed after Tunde, and bit the pillow with enough anger that would have burnt a whole house down if it was fire. He hit the bed repeatedly.

http://www.writertain.com/164/thorny-path#278

skubido:
Hmmmmm.


Following

You're welcome..

As he locked the gate behind him and returned to the driver's seat, his mother dropped from a bike. They had suggested to her severally that Ade should drive her to and fro her shop, but she adamantly refused, claiming that her children are not some mere men. She believed that if they took her to her shop, traders around would notice that they didn't have a job. Winding down the glasses of the car, Ade had to wait for her out of courtesy.
'Ade, where are you going?' She said the moment she got to his side.
'Ah… Ahn. Mummy, when did I begin to tell you where I'm going'.
She mimicked him in a way that would have made him laugh on a normal day, shook her head and grumbled about the way he and his brothers had been acting weird of recent.
'What weird?' He called after her as she walked towards the smaller gate.
'I don't know. Something is wrong with you people and you're not talking'.
'There is nothing'.
'Are you sure?'
'See, Mama. I have to go'.
'Are you still with that Lizzy girl?'
'I thought you didn't like her'.
'Yes. I don't like her behavior but I like her. I've agreed to like her since you like her. I'm not the one marrying. I can only advice you. Especially with this person that they said is killing men and putting their p3n!s in their mouth'.
'Ah! Mama, that's gross'.
'Forget gross. All I'm saying is that try to maintain the one you've gotten. Don't go about jumping from woman to another. Do you think I came home to probe you, it's because I forgot my phone?'
'As usual. Mama, don't enter me. I have to go'.
'What's enter?' She asked and stared at him perplexed. On a normal day, that was something that would have prompted him to pull her legs but that wasn't a normal day. That day was the day he got his heart smeared. He had been stabbed in the chest upfront and the assailant still stroke his cheek as if she was staring into the eyes of a baby.
'I have to go. I'll back soon'.
'By the way, you've not oiled this gate still'.
Ade shook his head and drove off. When he drove into Lizzy's compound, he felt intimidated again. The compound was huge and had a conspicuous garage that had several sophisticated cars that always made his father's car look like a toy. The marbles on the floor crunched under his feet as he got down. She rushed towards him, looking all fearful. She dragged him through the other side of the house to her room. He wasn't sure her parents were around and even if they were, he wasn't rattled by their presence. All he needed was for them to break up immediately. It took him a great deal of effort to remain calm and not yell at her.
'Ade, please give me the number'.
'What number? You backstabbing girlfriend. I came here to break up whatever we thought we had. I just wanted to do you the courtesy of doing it face to face'.
'You want to break up with me because I want to progress? I thought you said that you would be with me till the end of the world, that my success is yours?'
'This is not something to support. Not on earth or any other place. This is backstabbing. You should have intimated me on the fact that you would also love to be a part. I wouldn't have had hopes from your side'.
She burst into tears. 'Do you like the way I'm living here? I want to stop depending on my parent'.
'Tell them and get away from them'.
She kept crying. 'Don't you think I have tried?'
'Stop crying', Ade said and touched her.
'Don't touch me'.
He rose and pulled her nearer and hugged her. She had to progress too. On a normal day, he would have been happy that she made the right choice, but she made this choice when he had built his hope on her promises. She cried into his chest and kissed him.
'The phone number', she mumbled.
'I'll give you. I'll take you to him'.
Ade knew at that instance that he had no other choice than to forgive her and follow Tunde and Emeka on the robbery. Their plan was good. Any plan Tunde suggested or had an input in was always good. And that was the reason; he wanted to learn to be free from Tunde, to see if he could make the right choices without being around Tunde. They would steal the money and pay and leave. Nothing could disrupt their plan.

2
2
They had been in serious search for money from different sources but none of them came up with something tangible. Few people who had the money didn't trust the fact they had to go through Libya. So, they changed strategy and lied to people that they wanted to start a business. And all that ever did for them compelled people pray for the success of their business. Some even went to the extent of telling them about their own problems, which was a whale beside a catfish.
When they all gathered at Emeka's house on Friday, Emeka had no option than to involve them in his next plan, a desperate measure. He offered to allow them be a part of it, since they had no other option. Upon hearing the crazy idea, Ade stared at him as if he had just seen a ghost. He shook his head and asked him if their problem had gotten to the extent of going to the lane Emeka wanted to thread.
'Yes?' Ade said as he used the edge of his right hand to hit his left palm.
'Yes', Emeka said. 'Yes, Ade. Yes'.
'No. We don't have to steal to get money', Ade shouted from his side of the bed. 'What are we now? We're not…. No'.
Ade felt happy that Emeka lived in his own small bungalow, which he hurriedly built before marrying Uju. Emeka’s intended expanding the land and renovating to a business plaza, after he built their mansion.
Ade abhorred the idea and wouldn’t be a party to the foolish idea. He glanced at Tunde for support because he was very sure that Tunde would counter Emeka’s horrendous idea. Emeka drew nearer and glanced at Tunde, who was now silent as he had his hand placed on his lips. He looked as if he was in a deep thought, which meant that when he was ready he would come with the wisest decision. And most times, when he was silent like that, he had already made his decision but was looking for the best way to tell the person that they were stupid and should never pull that trick on him.
'We do. Brother, we do have to steal', Emeka said. 'We don't have any other option. How many days do we have to do the business?'
'Well, me for one wouldn't be a part of this. I want to go to Europe legally and make clean money', Ade replied, flipping his phone in his hands. Tunde rose, coughed and paced the room.
'See', Ade said and shifted nearer to Emeka. 'See. The thing is that even if I had the wish, there is no need. Lizzy is ready to borrow me the money. I have no need to join you people, I'll be fine'.
'Your girlfriend… Lizzy?' Tunde asked, stopped pacing, returned to the bed and rose again. 'You didn't tell anyone… She is helping?'
'I want to talk about it after she has dropped the money, but she will help me. We talked about the money few days ago. We can still hustle for money. We don't need this'.
'Who has hustle helped? Who? No. No. Tell me. Who? I have hustled my life, and now my slippers are wearing. Holes are in it. Brother, nobody wants to help'.
'But Tunde's plan made sense now. That's why I was able to have fifty thousand naira at hand.
Moreover, I've just been trying not to say this again, we can do business with the money with it'.
'You are aware of the last business and how we failed. But I'm not a man to give up easily. I tried
to pick other things. I did. Brother, I did. They didn't work. All those people we did the politics of the school together those days. I talked to them'.
Ade sat up and he felt joy flood his heart. He had even forgotten the privilege Emeka had over the two of them. Emeka was a one-time faculty president and he would still have the contact of some top politicians. 'Good. What did they say?'
'Brother, you don’t want to know what they said. I swear. You don't want to know. At the long run, most of them referred to how I lost money doing an unprofitable business. Some others…Oh! The ordeal opened my emotional wounds afresh. With recent event I'm not sure that I can stop brooding over the past years of my life'.
'Tunde talk. What do you feel?' Ade said.
Tunde glanced at them for a while then returned to his side of the bed. He drew nearer to Ade. Ade was sure nothing could come out of his mouth than the reality Emeka needed. There was no way Tunde would accept to be an accomplice in an armed robbery. The only wise thing to do was to give up.
'We have to do it', Tunde said and didn't look away, indicating he was indeed knee-deep into the belief that there was no other way.
'Wow!' Ade grunted. 'Wow. That's… I never expected that'.
'I'm sorry to come up with the most disappointing news of the century, but I feel you have the right to know that there is no other way. For us to be sure that you wouldn't be involved, then you would need to call Lizzy. We would exempt you from the plan. Someone like me, I'm ready to dip my head into the sand to find the gold. I will enter the soak-away to find this gold. I will definitely enter a Lion's den'.
'But...'
'Call her. See, do you remember the book 'the black boy' by Richard wright?'
Ade blinked repeatedly. How wouldn't he remember the black boy? It was the first book that exposed them to the idea that there were some people referred to as the black and how they were treated. That was the first Novel he would ever finish at a-go. He remembered it.
'What has that got to do with anything? I don't see the relevance here'.
'Richard wright had to steal because he wanted to migrate to the North'.
'He didn't steal'.
'Of course, he did. He did steal. How come you forget it so soon? He stole and left the part of the town'.
Emeka cracked his fingers. 'There is no other thing we can do than to accept this fact. This country- its policy, its people, its culture- they are like… Erm… Erm… Using straw to drink a mug of beer. They are like electricity. If you stay too long with it, it will suck you dry'.
'Yes. Nigeria, Nigerians would suck you dry', Tunde added. 'You will lose your creativity, your money, sometimes your life'.
Ade looked about to be sure that he wasn't having a nightmare.
'As I said, call this girl', Tunde said. 'Call Lizzy. Tell her that you need to pay the money tomorrow that Jude suddenly change the day for payment'.
Ade knew that Lizzy would quickly send the money if she learnt that they were going soon and was aware of the fact that Tunde wasn't a fan of Lizzy because she rejected his booty call. When he first met her and they became friends, before she met Ade, he wanted to have s*x with her but she refused. And that alone had made him angry. Before he plunged himself into trying to sleep with her she had shown a measurable desire to around him. So, as he told Ade, he didn't see a reason for her rejection. And he couldn't get angry at Ade because he was in the university when all these happened. So, when Ade later flaunted her as his girlfriend, Tunde felt bad.
'I will call her. You just have to learn to trust people. You really do'.
'Please, I trust myself and God', Tunde said.
'Call her already', Emeka said. 'And put it on speaker phone'.
'That's bad', Ade said as he began to make the call to Lizzy. The dial tone rang.
'It's ringing'.
'Speaker phone. Put it on loudspeaker', Emeka said again.
'Any need?'
'You earn trust', Tunde said. 'This is the cap for your trust. I want to put it on. I want to have a
reason to trust her'.
When the phone rang for a while and she didn't pick it, he wasn't rattled. He was sure that she was surely not near her phone. Emeka and Tunde watched him as if the world was watching the stage for his favorite artist, Tu Face, to climb the stage.
'She probably isn't near her phone'.
'Brother, you shouldn’t put your trust totally in people. You've worked with us very well and know that there are ways things can be done. People betray. That's our nature. We betray'.
Ade refused to reply them as he redialed Lizzy's number. Then an idea struck him and he felt
he should present it to them. 'By the way, Emeka what do you feel?' Can't one of us stay back while the other person gets prepared to come'.
Emeka sat up and looked at their different faces. 'Tunde should answer for himself. Brother, what do you feel?'
'Ade has a very good idea. I'll take my seventy thousand and add it to… How much did you say
you've gotten?'.
'Fifty'.
'I will get it. Find more money', Tunde said and snapped his fingers. 'And I'm out of this country'.
'Ahan. Tunde why will you think in such manner?' Ade said and redialed Lizzy's number. He hated the fact that he had always had to play the second fiddle to Tunde. He didn't see anything bad in Tunde sacrificing his position to him. 'I'm your younger brother. I still have the zeal and energy'.
'That's what you think?' Tunde said. 'I'm also young. In the line of friendships, you're my age mate. I'm just two years older than you. Nothing more'.
'Emeka, tell him the truth. Something is happening here. Tell my brother the truth. I know you have it in you. Tell him Lizzy has betrayed him'.
'Brother, let me stay like this. Our people will say, 'the tortoise said that trouble is its own; that's why it carries trouble on its back'. There are various things that shouldn't be accepted in this life and interfered in. A brotherly discussion should be one of them'.
Ade dialed Lizzy's phone again. He was truly worried this time.
'You don't need to stay back', Tunde continued. 'We'll even have the chance to cover each other's back. You're my brother, I'll hold on to the belief that the only reason you will betray me or stab me behind is out of fear or ignorance. But for other people, the reason they would betray me is because of the cruelty of their heart'.
The connection tone sounded, making Ade's heart flip.
'Ade', Lizzy's raspy voice resounded in the phone. Ade edged forward, while Emeka laid back and stared at the ceiling. Tunde vigorously shook his legs. Tunde seemed about to cough because his face had the same redness that always appeared whenever he was trying to muffle his cough.
'Lizzy, please there is a big problem. That money. The man just hinted us that we have to meet him on Friday to start final preparations. You know what that means'.
'Ah! Lizzy shouted. 'I'm in serious trouble. I have just three fifty here'.
'That's good, really good. Edumare will bless you'.
'Good in what way? I still need one fifty'.
Ade was happy and saw a smile of gratefulness on the lips of Tunde. Tunde opened mouth, shrugged and laid back in the chair. Ade rubbed his hands together. 'You don't need to find everything. I'll remember this. I swear to God. I swear. I'll never forget you. Baby, if love is a crime, for you I'll forever love to haunted. You're my African queen'.
'You don't need to forget me because I'll be beside you'.
'Beside me?'
Emeka sat up and frowned, while Tunde stopped shaking his leg and scoffed.
'Yes. We'll find the work and money together', Lizzy said.
'What's together? In what way?' Ade said and could feel the warmth of fear coursing through his mouth.
'I'm looking for money to complete this money to meet up the five hundred'.
'We're saying the same thing. You don't need to find the whole money. We will find the remaining parts ourselves. I, for example, have fifty thousand here'.
'Fifty thousand? Since all this while. With the way you said this man wants the money, are you sure that you won't be left behind?'
'You are the one not getting me. Three fifty plus fifty is Four hundred. I'll find hundred thousand and the money is ready'.
'You are surely not also getting me. I'm looking for money to make five hundred so that I'll go with you. I'm going'.
'For what?'
'For....What?'
'Yes. For what?'
'You're asking me for what?'
'Why will you go?'
'I have to...'
'This is not right'
'Go. I've to'.
'Your parents are rich'.
'And so what? I'm tired of this dependency. I...'
'Stop all these', Ade shouted.
'I've to go to Europe too'.
'Lizzy'.
'Ade, you're not even happy for me…'
'Happy? How will I be? I had…You made me have hope'.
'That I'm no longer dependent on my parents'.
'Shut up and stop this rubbish. I trusted you'.
'I told you I wanted to be free of my father'.
'Just get off...'
'But I need the man's number'.
'Get off'.
Emeka gestured for him to disconnect the call. He repeatedly slid his hands across his neck and
mouthed, 'Kill it'.
'I've got to go, Lizzy. Thanks for nothing'.
'The number'.
'You're....'
'Kill the call', Tunde yelled. He hated people that betrayed others. Ade couldn't crumble into the ground. He was sure that he might die from heart attack because he had never been given any bad news like that in a long time. He inhaled loudly and Emeka rubbed his back and that broke his emotional wall. He burst into tears. There was no way he would allow himself to go into the turmoil of believing that she was truly trustworthy. He cried freely and didn't mind that Tunde and Emeka were present.
'She promised. I had hopes'.
'Brother, man fail us. This is life. Man… Nigerians are just the ones that we've being discussing.
They can't be trusted anymore. My people will say that ' a fish that doesn't swallow other fishers
doesn't grow fat'. We need the money. So, are you in? I'm so sure that with two million we can the thing need'.
'Are you kidding me?'
'I'm very sure that we would meet no obstacle'.
'Are you really sure that the money is two million naira?'
'It's no joke, brother. I heard him talk about it', Emeka shouted with all his strength, the excitement could be seen written all over his face.
'Lower your voice', Tunde said but couldn't get himself to stop smiling.
'Let me shout', Emeka shouted as he jumped. 'Europe, your father'.
Tunde seemed exhilarated at the mention of the amount. 'Then, we have to make plans. Rock solid one. Ade, you should be in now. Get over Lizzy and let's move on. If you don't give her the phone number, I want to see how things will go for her'.
'See, let's find other means of…'
'Brother, I'm not by chance pulling your feet. I'm as serious as the dead'.
Tunde sighed and heaved as Ade opened his mouth to tell them how he still believed that they had better means of going about the making of money. Then, he gestured to Ade that he wanted to say something. 'I hate to do this. But tell me what can a man do? Have we not tried? See our father is still the one in charge of our welfare. Is it supposed to be so? At this age? No. No. It's unrealistic. We would soon have wives. Look at your Lizzy, she is ripe for marriage. However, you, her fiancé is soaked in your garment of poverty. Although you won't be stuck with anymore, what of the new relationship you will enter'.
'But that's not a cause for...'
'What's not a cause for what? This money isn't constant. It's not as if we are taking stealing as a profession. We only need this one to become better'.
'That's right', Emeka affirmed. 'God knows that I can't continue stealing. We can't just get the right amount needed to escape this jungle, and that's why need to do this'.
Though still skeptical, Ade allowed himself to be drawn into the darkness of their plans. He glanced at the wall and saw a wall-gecko. His late grandmother had a belief that when one was discussing in the presence of a wall-gecko, one was surely going to fail at it. But he couldn’t share his superstitions with them especially with Tunde, who was beginning to have disbelief in everything supernatural.
And within a few seconds, they were already making plans on what to do. The two of them would be returning to Emeka's place on Sunday afternoon, where the plan would be finalized, and they would move to the operation.
Ade tried to rein his anger till he dropped Tunde at home; however, when he drove out of the compound, he winded up the car and yelled. He couldn't stay in the house and see Tunde's face because it would remind him of how he didn't agree with Tunde's way of life. His plan was to roam about till the steam of anger cooled off. But, Lizzy's call came again repeatedly and he knew he had no other option that to stand up to her and let her know how much she had offended him. He had to just show her his mind and probably break up with her. He returned home when he discov

Tunde marched out and when they were sure they were out of Jude's earshot, Emeka giggled.
'My brother, we're becoming Italian. We are going to Europe. Oh! My Europe! We're becoming rich'.
'What are you saying', Ade said and turned Tunde. 'What's he saying?'
'Emeka, you're not thinking right, I assume...'
'Yes. I'm not thinking straight. My people say…'
'Please forget what your people say', Tunde retorted.
'I was about to say how will I think straight when I have finally found a way to move on with my life? The solution that I've been searching for all these while is currently at my palm, and to get it, all I need is five hundred thousand naira. Were you not aware of the way I suffered to get my last visa? The problem was that I even made you ask me those boring questions, so that I'll get visa and they still didn't pick me. God will punish them in America'.
'Hey! Let's face the business of the day', Tunde said.
'If God will even punish them. It was better for him to do that after I have left the place when I have made enough money', Emeka said.
'Before you people go into the prayer room or the front of your church to start rejoicing about how you've been blessed, remember that there are things that wouldn't be counted if you want to make it'.
'Like?'
'Like the fact we are about to pour 1.5 million into a thing when we can easily use it for business and make money from it'.
Emeka stared at him with his mouth agape as if he just realized that Tunde was wise all along. Tunde felt a smile break through his grim face.
'You're right', Emeka said as he placed his hands on Tunde's shoulder. 'I like that a lot. Rather, I loved that. I used to try to do business. I don't like this at all. Not a bit. I love when we all have the same mindset'.
'What's the mindset? Tunde said and flung Emeka's hands away. 'You are allowing this man to dupe us. Please, I'm not sure that amount is enough or worth what we are about to do at this time'.
'What? I'm not sure I agree with you', Emeka said and shook his head. 'The only thing I like is to ensure is that we are not dupe but I think it worth it. It's so much. We might end up looking for things and end up doing things that would change us but I bet you we are not going to suffer as much as we've done this before we ma'.
The little time they had with one another was enough to let him know there was no way he would successfully convince them to use the money for business.
'But because you failed once doesn't mean you'll fail again'.'
'Abeg... Those foolish quotes do not work in any business. I've ruined close to two million on business. There was no way I would let myself go through the same pain I did. The problem is like a bell in my mind. It's still ring. Nothing works in this country. It's a desert. Dry. Killing. Exhaustive'.
'He knows', Ade said. 'He knows this place is a blood sucker. We all know. Our creativity means nothing here. This countries' irregularity can only work for you if you're a criminal. And we are not...'
'That's it, Brother. But if I stay here, I'll act like a criminal. I'll act like one. I'll be one soon. Don't let anyone deceive you. Nigeria would not let you have a happy ending. This is not fiction. It's not a fantasy or a fairy tale. This is reality. Cold blooded reality. It's staring at us in the face and baring its rotten teeth at us. America is the fairy. That's our fairy tale. When we will get our happy ending'.
'You're shouting again, Emeka', Tunde cautioned. Emeka was fond of shouting as if he wasn't in control of himself.
'so....' Emeka said and spread his hands to let him know that he was ready. 'We can...'
'Can still do nothing. This kind of opportunity is like finding a bar of gold on the street. It's so rare. Let's grab this opportunity. If possible, let’s use our teeth to hold it down. Now and let's meet our solution'
'Brother' Tunde said and shrugged. 'Let's go'.
It wasn't that he wasn't interested in making it to Europe. He just wanted to make sure they were playing safe and that if there would be any risk, it would be minimal. However, he had to agree with them if they had to make it there, they had to be ready to go.
'We will go'.
They walked to Jude as they expected, he rejoiced that they finally used their brain.
They agreed to get back to him the next week. He asked them to be fast because he was accepting final payment the coming week's Tuesday so that he would know the number of people he would be dealing with. They went home and began to do the countdown.


http://www.writertain.com/164/thorny-path

Chapter 1


Tunde Gbadegesin wasn't someone that found joy in complaining about things and whenever he did, it was always subtle, without any iota of anger. However, after his sixth year of trying to get a permanent source of income, that would make him stop living with his parents, his subtle complaints evolved and became jibes that were garnished with extreme bitterness.
Therefore, when someone told Emeka, Tunde's friend, to bring as many people he could find to his place for a business idea that would transform their lives, he dragged Tunde and Ade (Tunde's brother). Ade was teaching in a private school that paid him twenty thousand naira per month.
Tunde, on the other hand was just retrenched, but that wouldn't have been a cause for alarm if he didn't lose his money to fraudsters. He and Emeka partnered to buy some goods that cost them close to a million, but the sellers swindled them. Since Emeka topped the list of the few people he could trust, Tunde had to accept his fate.
It was with the fear of the previous business transactions that he sat still when the man introduced himself as Jude Ikemba. Although he doubted his integrity, he felt there wasn't any bad thing in listening to his proposal. Nevertheless, the moment he got to what looked like the climax of their discussion, Tunde knew that Jude was dragging them into a quagmire.
He shook his head, and used the bottle of soft drink in front of him to hit the table as he said, 'no'.
'No?' Jude questioned.
'No'.
Tunde glanced at Ade and Emeka to be assured that the decision he was about to make was
something they both agreed to. The look on their faces didn't betray their emotion. He didn't love
that but he had to expose them to the same thought he was having.
'This is like climbing Erin-Ijesha water fall… The mountains. It's like climbing those mountains.
If one wasn't careful one would fall on the way, and smash one's head on the wall. So, it's a no'.
Emeka seemed to be deep in thoughts. He knew Emeka: whenever Emeka refused to talk immediately, it meant he was weighing the decision, and his mind was surely tilted towards accepting the offer.
'You of all people can't possibly be thinking of accepting this offer'.
'My people will say 'a hot pot of soup is eaten slowly and steadily'. I'm still staring at the situation'.
'But you saw the videos?' Tunde said in utter disappointment that Emeka was even weighing the
option.
'What videos?' Jude asked as he shifted his plump, short body in the cushion he sat in.
Tunde shifted to the edge of his seat, surprised, as he looked at the faces of Jude, Emeka and the agitated Ade
'Ade, you remembered the videos I showed you that night?'
Being brothers, they had reasons to be roommates also as they were staying in their father's house. Tunde hated such but that was the situation of things had made him do. His hope was to stay there till he could build his own house. He had hoped to get his first land from whatever profit Emeka got for him. Although their parents had their own house, it wasn't large enough to make everyone in the house have a room to themselves. The two guys were given a room each, while his two sisters were given a room to themselves, while their parents shared the master bedroom.
The night Tunde was referring to, he showed Ade a video their mother forwarded to him through
WhatsApp. The video did a documentary of how several Nigerians died on the way to Libya
through the Sahara Desert.
'I showed you. The video of the way people died on their way to Europe?'
'That doesn't mean anything...' Jude said and turned to Emeka. 'or what exactly is he saying?'
Tunde shook his head as he gestured at his mouth. 'I'm saying that people are dying on the way.
This country is sapping us and trying to leave the country is killing us. We are in a prison by birth. People died on the way to Libya, through the Sahara Desert. I saw the videos'.
Emeka opened his mouth and closed it as he blinked repeatedly. He rubbed his lips, shook his head and sighed. Jude smiled, scoffed, and laughed hysterically. Ade nodded repeatedly, pointed a shaky finger at him to let him know he was right, and kept mumbling, 'yeah!'


'Why is he laughing, Emeka?' Tunde asked, stunned. He coughed. His cough was one that always came at the oddest hour. How will it come when they were talking about matter that pertained to life and death? 'Why is Mr. Jude laughing? Does he think we are playing here? This is our life at stake here'.
'I'm laughing because you people don't know who you're dealing with? You're dealing Jude 1, the grand commander of the federal Sahara Road Users'.
'Is that something like an association or a group?' Ade asked.
'It's the idea that is in everyone's head. They know me as their leaders. Even God knew I will be strong that was he sent me to a family with the name 'Ikemba' because I'm the strength of the
nation'.
'Story. What's strength of nation? What nation? This man wants to tell us another story again', Ade said and burst into Tuface's song 'E be like say'.
'I thought...' Tunde said and looked bemused. 'I thought we came here to only learn how to resolve the issues of our lives'.
Emeka nodded and spread his hands as it was visible in his eyes that he was also surprised to hear what Jude was saying. 'He told me it is a big thing that we would get a lot riches from it'.
'Well, newsflash', Ade said and shrugged. 'You've just being deceived into an unrealistic deal'.
'Of course you will get a lot riches from it', Jude said enthusiastically. 'There's a lot of money involved'.
'If going through the Sahara Desert is your perfect idea of wealth, then your brain needs to be
checked', Tunde said as he rose from his seat.
Ade nodded as he folded and unfolded his fingers. 'I swear. His brain is punctured'.
'Hey', Jude shouted and jumped out of his seat. 'I'm not your everyday person. I will take you there and would return you without any fear, if you so wish. I'm the grand commander. I don't take rubbish'.
'Ah!' Tunde said. 'It's not your fault. The fault was all mine. I wanted an out. I wanted to see the
way to get out of this impoverish way of life. I just needed to have the sun on my face because this poverty had become ice and had become our cloths'.
'That doesn't mean anything. Can you hear yourself? Whose brain is punctured? Mine or yours?
What are you saying for Pete's sake? What?'
'I'm saying that I've suffered enough in life. I have made a lot of erm… I've suffered a lot in my life to be blind to the fact I'll suffer if I follow you again. I don't want to suffer because of the sun on my body or the heat of the Sahara or… Whatever… I want to be sure I make it in life, that I sleep in AC, walk and work in it. I want to live a life that affords me the ability to only feel the sun on my body because I feel it's worth it. I don't want to expose myself to unnecessary suffering'.
'You can see. We're saying the same thing', Jude said as he flopped into the chair again. 'Impossible', Ade said.
'Will you leave and let me deal with only Emeka? He would bring a lot of people for me to replace you. It's so easy to do'.
'That's why you're living in this type of house, right? You're so rich, so powerful that you couldn't get enough money to build a better house', Tunde said and glanced at Ade for assurance.
'Point', Ade said, nodded and pointed a shaky finger at him to tell him he was saying the right
thing.
'I'm making a lot of money from it. Food… Money. Just because you see me here doesn't mean I'm like this. I'm rich. Before we talk much, where is my phone?'
'Are you asking me?' Ade said and sat back in his seat.
Jude rose and moved to the bedroom. Even if he said he had no money one wouldn't believe him because despite the small size of the house, the room was well-furnished. Yet, Tunde wouldn't want to be deceived into doing something that would ruin him. Jude returned to the parlour with a pad, balanced on the seat and began to press the pad while they kept looking from one person to another.
He kept moaning as he pressed one thing or the other. Afterwards, he edged forward in the seat, still staring at the pad.
'A minute. I'm dialing someone on Skype now', he said, put the call on a speaker phone, and stood to show them the Skype's connection. 'Come, come see'.
Jude placed the phone in a position the video would be visible to all of them. Within seconds, they were watching a very handsome man staring back at them. He was putting on his Pajamas, looking drowsy.
‘Ogbuefi one', the handsome man murmured and picked something outside the view of the camera.
'Who are those behind you?'
'I want to prove to someone that I'm real'.
'Real… In what sense?'
'Real... Like… You know. I want to take these people to Italy, and dem no believe me'.
'These guys?'
'Yes'.
'Hi guys! I'm Ricoh'.
'Hi', Emeka said.
Tunde grunted and nodded, while Ade only waved at him and stared.
'I don't know what you people might have been discussing, but I'm supposing or should I say that
I'm assuming that he wants me to talk to you about the way he helped me. Many people I know
died on the Sahara Desert but he has his own way of doing things that makes him stand out and
made every one of us get there. I'm here because of him'.
'Thank you my friend', Jude said and turned to them after he switched it off. 'See, I'm not joking
with you'.
'We will...'
'Let's see another one. Let's see it', Tunde said with a grim expression.
Jude stared at Tunde as if he was looking at someone going astray and shook his head. 'You don't trust people and it's bad. It's really bad. Business is trust'.
'Story. Story. Tell the worm to trust the eagle. It's never possible', Tunde mumbled.
Jude shrugged and began to press his phone. 'See. I'll even call a woman. Biko, don't take me for a fraud. Before I even show you, come and see my chats and messages'.
Ade and Emeka rose to meet him as he began to swipe through his phone and the two of them continuously gave their exclamation of awe. Tunde wouldn't allow Jude to fool him with mere gimmicks. There are some basic things that could be done to make sure he got what he wanted, and he wouldn't be a fan to all the drama Jude was performing. Ade and Emeka returned to their seat. Emeka nodded repeatedly.


'I'm not a cheat', Jude said.
Ade shrugged and gave a gesture that the man was worth trying.
'The call', Tunde said as he rubbed the mouth of the bottle of the soft drinks in front of him, trying to refrain himself from coughing.
Jude nodded. 'I see you're a diligent man. It's people like you that make it to the end'.
He placed another call to the woman and, soon, she was telling them of how God had used Jude to get her to Italy.
Tunde, now assured that he was legitimate, sat up and smiled for the first time in that room.'So, we can go to Italy?'
Then, Jude laughed and looked at Emeka and Ade for a split second as if he was looking for a way to mock Tunde at their approval.
'See, your guy. See him', Jude said and giggled. Tunde smiled sheepishly.
'Oga, you know we have to be sure', Tunde said and turned to the others. 'Isn't it?'
Emeka shrugged again as he stared into the space as if the weight of the world was placed on his shoulders. Tunde felt sorry for him as he had the opportunity of seeing move from grace to grass. The way he tumbled down was too much for a single man to bear, but Emeka was still strong. Things all went wrong at the same time. If he was a Yoruba man, his family members would have concluded that his ex-wife was a reason for his downfall. Despite being skeptical about such things, Tunde couldn't help but notice that his downfall really came after he married her. The most interesting part was that when the going became tough, she packed her loads and decided to return to her mother's house.
'So, what do we do?' Emeka said as he licked his lower lips.
Jude dropped his pad and rubbed his hands. He glanced at them and smiled and chuckled. He
remained silent for a while. Tunde had seen such things before and knew very well that Jude would accost him with the weirdest information of the day.
'Just pay me five hundred k'.
'What for?' Emeka said and grunted. 'That's just too much. My brother, say the right thing. That money is too much'.
'Five hundred? Let's fly with a plane…' Ade said as he looked at his brother.
'You're right', Tunde replied.
Jude edged forward. 'Ask anyone you know. Where is the money to go for air? The money you
will use to fly. The money you will use to buy things. Have you collected visa and passport? These money doubles the money I'm collecting'.
'We will get a plane to fly us...' Ade said and shook his head.
'Let me hear word', Jude said and rubbed his beardless chin. 'I have been in this business for long. Let me tell you, they can't give you any Visa'.
'We will try'.
'Try kwa? What do you think this is? We are talking about business here. These people want people that would help their country? You have money?'
'We will get'.
'You will. Oh! You think this job is easy. You will be sent barking like my dog used to whenever
they beat it. Your tail will be between your legs, and you will be sweating so much that people will think you took a bath at the embassy. They don't give broke people visa and passport. They give people that are rich'.
'We will try...' Ade said.
'Tah!'.
'We will...'
'Brother', Emeka said. 'This is money... Ego. We are talking about... My people have a saying that 'when a dead person starts smelling, even a friend that's like a brother to him will…'
'Will have to run. I know', Jude interrupted.
'So, let's go outside to see what we can do. We will see what we can do'.
'Do? Did you see us agreeing to this dung?' Tunde said as he threw a scornful glance at Emeka.
'No. We are not fools. We can't take this rubbish. We're not fools. We're Lagosians for crying out
loud. Someone cannot use a big loaf of bread to park the small soup we have'.
'Yes. Let him beat it down', Ade said. 'Oga, beat it down. The price is just too exorbitant'.


'Exhor what? Exorbitant? From your mouth', Jude said and his eyes seemed to be on fire, even as
his vein protruded from under his skin. 'This business is like an investment. That's why I do it. It's like my dog, you will have to feed and use your money on it, but the moment it gives birth, you sell it. The amount we pay to customs. The money we will pay everyone that will follow us. The money we will pay at Italy. I can't take anything less'.
'And so?' Ade retorted.
'And so. There are so many things that we will have to meet on the way. We will pay for so many things. that will make you understand the meaning of 'and so?'. We are talking of so many things that many people would kill for here'.
'Okay', Emeka shouted as Jude's voice increased. 'Brother… Brother. Hold on. Before we agree...'
'If we even agree...' Tunde corrected.
'We might agree in case we discuss it. But we will need you to tell us how much you can help us remove. The trouble we're facing in this country is just too much. We need something better. This money wouldn't help matter. We don't have enough money. And if my people says, ' if a woman decides to make the soup watery, the husband will learn to dent the foofoo before dipping it into the soup'.
'That's even if the foofoo is enough. This foofoo can't feed my dog'.
'That's why we rushed to heed your call when you said that you can help us. We are damn helpless. Abi no bi wetin pesin dey find be this? But the money. Ah! You have to help us'.
'My friend, see. I've told you the truth. I'm only helping you because you're my brother. Others
would pay seven hundred thousand'.
Tunde hummed his disbelief. Ade placed his palm under his chin and stared at Jude as if he was
talking to himself, as if he wanted to catch him in a lie.
Jude, banging the arm of the chair, said, 'I can't help you at all. I can only... Erm.... I can only help you to… I don't know'. He sighed and slumped into the chair, then pointed at imaginary things in the air as if he was pressing a calculator. ' I don't know. I don't know. I can only help you by taking you at that price. When we get to Libya, anyone that hasn't paid that amount always face hell… Real hell'.

'Tunde', Emeka called as he rose and he nodded at Ade. 'let's talk outside'.
Tunde still looking gloomy, glanced at Jude with a very disgusted look. He just couldn't believe that Jude would consider asking them for such ridiculous amount of money when Emeka must have told him all of their plights all their plight, when he could see what they look like, when he knew the plight of people in the present-day Nigeria.
, Tunde said as he rose from his seat.
Ade nodded as he folded and unfolded his fingers.

My intention was to post a very crazy story I've been developing but when I saw a competition I could use the story to apply for I had to bring something else.

I wrote this story last year March and I've not read or tried publishing because it's not from Fortune City.

But reading it now, I like its flow. Let's enjoy it together...

http://www.writertain.com/164/thorny-path


Download the Pdf versions of my books at

https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/Akintayoakinjide

aviator1122:
REGENCY HISTORICAL ROMANCE and SCOTTISH HISTORICAL ROMANCE freelance writers urgently needed.

Note you have to be experienced writing in this genre.

Pay is handsome.
Whatsapp - 09038296250

I think you were the one Audreytimms recommended me to before she said you've given someone else

Very few Nigerians would have written Scottish romance because the protagonist must be from Scotland. However, you can look for a writer who's fluid and can deal with it.

If you want that, I'm available.

MacSmart:
Lol. You don't want to know how long I have been practicing.

Wow. Congrats. I just didn't feel the will power to compete last year. Congrats o. We are rooting for you here...

sosa993:
Wow. It's really crazy but you have said nothing but the truth. These days all I see in Nigerian books is rape. Like we understand it's a common thing, but when you keep pushing down people's throat, books like that can be depressing jare. Really hope someday it'll get better Sha.

Same here...


Cc: Domawoleye

Ceede19:
Good day nairalanders of literature section!
please I need your help in finding the remaining parts of the book tittle LETTING GO by Andreytimms here on nairaland.
I have been reading the interesting story recently and unfortunately stuck at episode 18 of the story at nairaland page 27 of the story, I couldn't find the subsequent updates of the story as it's been replaced by just dots(.)
please help me find the remaining parts of the story, thank you.

Find it on Okadabooks