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Nice book . Talking about kidnap

I ommitted something. I later added it back to the story. The story is what mortuary attendants face o

kayspark27:
Thought you said it's a true life story.
Nice read tho 👌

yes it happens in mortuary where corpse are sold to ritualist. Mortuary attendant claims of hearing dead body communicating.

CHAPTER 4: THE MEETING

The Next Day. 8:00 AM. Olivees Suites and Lounge.
The lounge was quiet. A few sergeants were stationed around.

IGP Frank sat with Barrister Gideon and DSP Dennis. Frank hadn’t slept. His eyes were red.

"Please, Barrister," Frank said, voice breaking. "Help me. My wife’s life depends on this. They gave me 7 days. Today is Day 2."
Gideon sighed and leaned back. "Frank, listen to me. This is a serious matter. Akiro is a federal prisoner. I don’t have the power to get that man released. And even if I approached the judge, Justice Bello, he would never agree. The man has blood on his hands."
Frank held his head in his hands. "What do I do then? They’ll kill her. We only have 6 days left. Please help me. We are short on time. Even a prison break would need planning. I tried tracing their number, but it’s blocked. Proxy. VPN. I couldn’t get a location."
Gideon was quiet for a long time. Then he said, "Give me until tomorrow. Let me make some calls. There are people in Abuja I know. Maybe we can negotiate. Maybe we can stall them. I’ll come up with something."

Dennis placed a hand on Frank’s shoulder.
"Brother, it’s going to be okay. We’ll get them. We’ll get your wife back safe. Amen. You’re not alone in this."
Frank closed his eyes, tears welling up.
"I’m so scared, Dennis. What if I lose her? What will I tell Jane?"

IGP Frank got back home later that evening. Lots of officers and security were all over his house guarding the place. He got down from his car with Jane and they saluted.
"Welcome, sir," said the officers.

He and Jane went inside the living room.
Jane held his leg. "Dad, where is Mummy? I miss her. Where did she go? She promised to bake cake for me."
Frank forced a smile and knelt down. "Your mummy just went for a business meeting, my love. A very important one in Lagos. She’ll be back soon, okay?"
"But she didn’t tell me," Jane cried, pulling away. "Mummy always tells me bye bye."
"I know, baby. She was in a hurry. She’ll be home soon. Don’t worry. Daddy is here."
After Jane slept, Frank sat alone in the dark.
_Please God, protect my wife and bring her back to me safely from those criminals. I can’t do this without her._



CHAPTER 5: THE DISCOVERY

At the Kidnappers' Hideout.
"Please... can I use the bathroom? I need to urinate." asks Rosekate
One of the men, the youngest, rolled his eyes. "Fine. Come." He led her outside. When they opened the door, she walked into the living room.

There she saw 5 children sitting on the floor. 4 girls and 1 boy. They all looked very young, about 5 to 6 years old. Their clothes were dirty. They were whispering to each other.
_This must be the kids,_ Rosekate thought, her heart breaking. _The ones they were talking about on the phone._
After that, Rosekate went outside to urinate and then came back in. She made eye contact with one of the little girls. The girl looked away quickly.

The Next Day. Olivees Suites and Lounge.
Barrister Gideon met with IGP Frank and DSP Dennis at the same lounge.
Gideon came with a detective from the Intelligence Unit of another Police Department. Tall, sharp eyes.
"This is Detective Christian," Gideon introduced. "He’s the best we have for hostage cases."

Christian shook Frank’s hand. "IGP. I’m sorry about your wife. We will come up with a trap and trace the criminals so we can arrest them. We do this all the time."
"So how do we do this?" asked Dennis, leaning forward.
"My team and I will handle it," Christian said. "We’ll set a trap for them. I will mail you later today how the trap is going to be layed”
Frank nodded, but his voice shook. "Thank you, Detective. I will be so glad to hear they are caught and my wife is brought back home safely. I’m so worried. Every hour feels like a year."

At the Bank.
One of the staff asked Mary at her desk,
"Madam Mary, why has Madam Rosekate been absent from work? It’s been 3 days now."
Mary sighed. "I don’t know. I’m planning to go to her husband’s house tomorrow to find out what’s wrong. I’ve been calling him and he isn’t answering. I also called Rosekate, but her number is switched off."
The staff member frowned. "That’s not like her. I feel like something strange is happening."

That Night. 11:30 PM. Frank’s House.
The kidnappers called IGP Frank’s house again. Before Frank answered the call, he put the call on record and signaled to Christian who was with him.
Frank picked up. "Hello?"
"How is it going, IGP Frank?" the voice sneered. "Remember, time is running out. 5 days left. I hope you are making plans to get Akiro out."
Frank cleared his throat. "Yes, we are planning a prison break. We will do it on Wednesday night. He will be out."
"Good. Where are we going to meet to pick him up?"
"Do you have a number we can call you on?"
The man laughed. "We will be the ones to contact you. Don't think you and your team are intelligent enough to track us. We’re smarter than you. So where is the meeting point on Wednesday night to collect Akiro?"
"It will be in front of Royal Gardens Hotel junction," Frank said. "2 AM."
"Why that place?"
"It’s safer for us. Less traffic. When you get to the junction, call me so we can come out."
"Listen, I.G.P Frank," the voice went cold. "We will come with your wife. If you try anything funny, like coming with backup, with your boys hiding, I swear to God we will kill your wife on the spot. We will send you her head."
"Don’t worry," Frank said quickly. "I didn’t tell anyone. You will get Akiro. Wednesday night. I cross my heart."
The call ended. Christian looked at Frank.
‘’Their proxy is blocked again” says Christain


CHAPTER 6: THE BETRAYAL

The Next Day. At the Kidnappers' Hideout.
There was a knock on the door. One of the kidnappers opened it and froze.
"Boss?"
Lo and behold, the visitor was DSP Dennis.

"I hope she is not here in the living room," Dennis asked immediately, looking around.
"No, we kept her in the room inside," the man replied.
Dennis walked inside the house.
"I was worried because I didn’t want her to see my face," Dennis said, taking off his cap. "If she recognizes me, we’re finished."
"We know, sir. That’s why we kept her in the other room," the man said.
"Let me see the children."

He walked to the sitting room and inspected the children.
"These ones are perfect. Small, clean. The buyer will love them. Kidnap 5 more like these to make it 10. He’s paying good money. $20,000."
"He better pay well," one kidnapper complained, "because last time we were paid peanuts. $5,000 for 5 kids."
"Don’t worry, he will pay well," Dennis said. "And I have more news for you, just as I messaged you on WhatsApp: there’s a plan by the police."

The kidnappers gathered around him.
"They will get Akiro out of prison by Wednesday night. But as soon as they arrive with the van at Apele Junction, you should attack. Ambushed them and bring Akiro out of the van. Yes, Akiro will be inside the van."
"But what about the meeting point?" one asked.
"Don’t go to the meeting point they gave you, because it’s a trap," Dennis said.
"What is this trap? Tell us," another demanded.
Dennis explained, "Their trap is: once they reach the Royal Garden Hotel Junction, Akiro will be put out of the van and they will let him loose to meet with you guys. As soon as you guys come out of your hiding spot to get Akiro, they will start firing at you all. And they will have their vehicles surrounding the exit gate so there is no way you guys can escape. It’s a trap."
"Ah, damn this IGP!" one of the kidnappers spat. "So he is actually trying to trap us despite our threats. This man is smart."
"Yes, be careful," Dennis said. "I’ll send you any more information if it comes up. Now let’s go. We have to meet the buyer."

Rosekate overheard DSP Dennis’ voice from the living room and everything he was telling them. Her blood ran cold.
_So Dennis, it’s really you? You’re part of them? All these years..._

Dennis told the men to follow him. He needed to go with them to meet the man buying the children.
So they all left with Dennis, leaving only one of their men behind to watch the place.
Rosekate heard all of this.

The remaining man went to the room where Rosekate was. He was on his laptop watching football.

When she heard the others had left, she thought this might be her chance to escape.
She called out, "Excuse me... I need to use the toilet. Please."
The man sighed and untied her. He took her outside.

When the man turned around to let her squat and pee in the bush around the house, she saw a big stone nearby. She grabbed it and smashed it on the back of his head. He collapsed with a groan. She kicked him, found a stick, and hit him again until he was knocked out.

She quickly ran back inside.
She went back to the room where she had been tied and saw his laptop that was still left on. She quickly went to it and logged into his Gmail, and typed with shaking hands:
_"DSP Dennis is among the kidnappers. They are planning an attack at Apele Junction on Wednesday night. Be warned."_
She hit send and the mail was sent.

Then she rushed to the children in the living room.
"Children, listen to me. We need to leave here fast before they come back! Can you run?"
The kids nodded, scared.

She ran out with the 5 kids. The house where the kidnappers stayed was surrounded by bushes. They ran deep into the thick bushes and found a place to hide behind big trees.


CHAPTER 7: THE BUSH

Mary came to IGP Frank’s house that afternoon. Jane ran to greet her.
"Welcome, Aunty Mary."
"Welcome, sweetie. How are you?"
"I’m not fine, ma. I haven’t seen my mother for days."
"Ha, is this really serious?" Mary wondered.

Frank came out and saw her.
"Frank, is it true Rosekate hasn’t been seen for days? The whole bank is asking."
Frank remained silent, his face hard.
"Talk to me. What’s going on? We’re all worried at the bank."

Frank finally spoke, his voice hoarse.
"It’s very bad news, Mary. I didn’t know how to tell you."
"Tell me," Mary said, panicking.
"Rosekate has been kidnapped. She was taken on Friday night on her way home."
"WHAT?!" Mary screamed and covered her mouth. "Why didn’t you tell any of us? We could have helped!"
"I’m handling the case for her release," Frank said. "Please, don’t tell anyone. For her safety."
"Jesus," Mary burst into tears. "This is terrible news. No wonder she hasn’t been coming to work and her phone is off. Please God, protect her wherever she is."

In the Bush.
Rosekate and the 5 kids were hiding in a spot in the thick bush. Mosquitoes were everywhere.
One of the kids, a boy, whispered, "Ma, we’re scared. What if they find us?"
"I know, dear. I’m with you," Rosekate whispered back. "We have to pray that God guides us out of here. Hold my hand."
"Please, ma, protect us. Don’t let them kill us," cried another girl.
"I will do my best," Rosekate said, panting. "I will die before I let them touch you."

The kidnappers returned and realized Rosekate and the kids were gone. They also saw their man lying dead on the ground.
"Look, come and see!" one of them shouted.
"She escaped! The kids escaped! That bitch!" another yelled.
"What do we do now? We have to find them! The boss will kill us!"

Two men ran into the bush to search, but they couldn’t find them.
"We don’t know where they’re hiding. We can’t see them."
"Don’t worry," the leader said. "They don’t know their way around the bush. They’re probably hiding somewhere in there. They can’t get out. Do they even know where they are? Tomorrow night Akiro will be out and our mission will be complete then we vacate here immediately. Let them die in the bush for all we care."

That Night.
The children were terrified in the bush.
"Ma, it’s so scary here. Snakes and insects can bite us," one whispered.
"I know, children," Rosekate whispered back. "I will protect you. I’ll stay awake all night watching over you while you sleep so nothing harms you. You sleep, I’ll watch."
"Thank you, ma."

She took off her suit jacket and used it to cover them as they lay on the ground to sleep. The kids slept, and Rosekate stayed awake, keeping watch, holding a stick.
She prayed silently: _Please God, protect us. Don’t let us die here._

The Next Morning.
The children woke up crying.
"Ma, we’re hungry."
"Ah, me too," Rosekate said. "But we have nothing to eat. I don’t think I can find any food here in the bush."
"I’m also thirsty," cried one of the kids.
"If I leave to go look for food, those men might see me and kill us," Rosekate said.
"But we’re hungry, ma," one of them whined.
"Don’t worry, I’ll try to find something. Keep your voices low so they don’t hear us. Stay here."

Rosekate tiptoed around the bush looking for food. She found nothing except leaves. Then she spotted some African pears on the ground under a tree. She picked them and quietly returned.
"Wow, look what I managed to find. Some pears."
She shared the pears with the kids. There were only 3. She didn’t eat. She broke them into small pieces and gave to all the children and watched them with a smile. "Eat slowly."


CHAPTER 8: THE EMAIL AND THE TRAP

At IGP Frank’s Office. 8:00 AM.
Frank was in his office in the morning, exhausted. He checked his email as usual.

He saw a new message and read it: _"DSP Dennis is among the kidnappers. They are planning an attack at Apele Junction on Wednesday night. Be warned."_
The sender’s name was _"razzboy."_

"OMG," Frank whispered. "What does this mean? DSP Dennis with the kidnappers? How is that possible? Dennis?"

He immediately called Detective Christian and told him about the email.
Christian was silent for 10 seconds. Then: "Do you suspect that DSP Dennis might be working with them, sir?"
"I don’t understand," Frank said. "I’ve known him for 8 years."

Christian told him to come to his office so they could talk.
When Frank arrived, Christian closed the door. "Sir, it seems someone is trying to give you information. There’s an insider working with them, and it could be true. Since Dennis knows about our plans for Royal Gardens, and now they’re talking about Apele Junction... We need a new plan. Who knows? Dennis might really be working with them. This could be a warning from someone inside."
"I can’t believe Dennis would do this," Frank said. "He’s like a brother."
"We can’t trust anyone these days, sir. I’ve seen cases like this in the force," said Detective Christian.
“I am just so confused,” Frank said, rubbing his face.
"We have to change the plan since Dennis knows about tonight," Christian said. "Let’s set another trap at Apele Junction. If this one works, then it will prove Dennis is working with them."

That Night. 1:50 AM. Apele Bus Stop.
The police van was driving to Royal Gardens junction to deliver Akiro to the kidnappers.

As soon as they got to Apele Bus Stop, a black SUV rammed the vehicle and men started shooting.
"Go, go, go!" shouted the kidnappers.
They shot out the tires and they blew off. The van skidded. Then they shot at the padlock and yanked the door open. They opened the van, but Akiro wasn’t inside.

"Shit, he’s not in the van!" one of the kidnappers shouted.
"It’s a trap! Run! Run!" shouted another.
They jumped into their car and sped off.

11:40 PM. In Police Control Room.
IGP Frank was there with Detective Christian. The radio crackled.
"Control, this is Team Alpha at Apele Junction. We’ve been attacked! Repeat, we’ve been attacked by armed men! Van tires shot out. Suspects fled. Over."

IGP Frank froze. The cup in his hand hit the table and broke.
Christian looked at him.

Frank stood up slowly.
"So it’s true. There’s an insider giving them information. You were right, Christian. That email... it was right. Dennis could have a hand in this."
Frank paced.
"They placed the attack at Apele Junction, just as it was said in the mail. The mail was right. Whoever sent that mail was trying to alert us. It had to be Rosekate."
Christian’s voice was sharp.
"Then we need to investigate Dennis as soon as possible, sir. Tonight. Before he warns them."
"Let’s go," Frank said, loading his gun.


To be contd..

THE KIDNAP OF ROSEKATE

CHAPTER 1: THE LAST FRIDAY

On Friday, at 11:00 AM in Union Bank.
The air conditioner was struggling. Customers were shouting. Tellers were typing fast.

The Bank Manager, Rosekate Franklyn, walked through the hall in her navy blue blazer, heels clicking. Calm, but firm.
"Emeka, that loan file needs to be on my desk before close of business. Today."
"Yes, ma," the young officer stammered. "I’m almost done with it, ma. The system has been slow, but I’ll email it to you before 4 PM."
"Good. Don’t let me chase you for it," Rosekate said with a small smile before walking to her office.

Her phone buzzed in her pocket. _Husband ❤️_
She stepped into her office and answered.

"Hey, my Inspector General," she said, smiling.
IGP Frank’s voice came through, with traffic horns in the background.
"Rosie! Babe, remind me again. What exactly are we cooking for your birthday tomorrow? My brain is fried from this case file. I’ve been staring at witness statements since 6 AM."
Rosekate laughed, leaning back in her chair. "Carrots, green peas, cabbage, and salad cream. For the salad. And Frank..."
"Yes?"
"Pick Jane from school. Please. I’m going to be here till late. You know how Fridays are. Month-end closing is a nightmare."
There was a pause. Then, softer:
"I love you. Happy early birthday, Rosie. I’ll make it special, I promise. Even if it means I have to cook myself."
"I love you too. Drive safe. And don’t buy Jane too much junk from the mall, please."
"I make no promises," Frank teased, and hung up.

He was already on his way, driving off to Spar Mall. He headed to the mall to shop, then went to pick Jane from school and headed back home.

At 5:00 PM, the bank closed. Rosekate packed her things and headed to her car. Outside, her colleague Mary stopped her.
"Madam Rosekate! What time is your birthday party starting tomorrow? I don’t want to miss it. I already told my husband not to plan anything."
"10 AM sharp," Rosekate replied, smiling. "And come early so you can help me arrange things."
Mary laughed. "And make sure there’s plenty of chicken in the rice. You know I love chicken and rice. If there’s no chicken, I’m leaving."
Rosekate laughed. "Don’t worry, I’ve got you. I ordered 3 full chickens just for you."

Rosekate got into her SUV and started driving home. There was traffic, so she joined it. The traffic lasted a while before they started moving to another junction. By 6:15 PM she was finally moving.

Then suddenly, headlights appeared. A black Toyota car swerved in front of her car and blocked her.
Her heart jumped.
Before she could react, 3 men in black hoodies jumped out of the car. One smashed her passenger window with a hammer.
"Get out! Get out of the car! Now!"
"Please, take the car! Take my bag! Take my jewelry! Just don’t hurt me—"
A gun was in her face.
"Shut up and move! We don’t want your bag!"

They dragged her out, threw her into the back of the Toyota car, and sped off. Rosekate’s last thought before the door slammed was: _Frank, Jane..._


CHAPTER 2: THE CALL

11:42 PM. In I.G.P Frank’s House.
Frank paced the living room. Jane was asleep upstairs.
He kept dialing Rosekate's number. _Ringing... No answer._
He called Mary to check if Rosekate was with her.
"Mary, is my wife there with you? She hasn't returned from work and look at the time. It’s almost midnight."
"Sir? No. She closed with me at 5. Maybe traffic. It was crazy today. There was an accident on East-West road."
Frank hung up. His chest was tight.
_God, please let her be in traffic,_ Frank thought.

At the Kidnappers' Hideout, the place Rosekate was kept.
A dark room. Concrete floor. A single bulb.
Rosekate’s eyes opened. Her wrists were bound to a wooden chair.
5 men. Guns. Masks pushed up on their foreheads.

One of them, the tallest, crouched in front of her.
"Look at me. Look me in the eye. You’re going to talk to your husband. And you’re going to say exactly what I tell you. Word for word. If you scream, if you beg for police, if you try anything smart, I will shoot you right here. Do you understand me?"
Rosekate nodded, tears falling. "Yes... I understand."

They used Rosekate’s phone to dial Frank’s number.
Frank was still seated in his living room when his phone rang. _ROSEKATE_. He immediately ran to pick it up.

One man answered, then put it on speaker.
"I.G.P Frank. We have your wife."
Frank’s voice broke. "Who is this? Who are you? Is Rosekate okay? Put her on! Let me hear her voice!"
The man shoved the phone to Rosekate’s mouth.
"Honey... it’s me," she whispered, crying. "I’ve been kidnapped. They... they took me from my car."
"ROSIE?! Baby, are you hurt? Are you bleeding? Where are you? Tell me where you are!"
"Please... please do whatever they say. Don’t... don’t let them hurt me. I’m scared, Frank." She was sobbing now.

The man snatched the phone.
"You heard her. She is right here with us. Unharmed... for now. If you don't comply with us, we will kill her right now and send you her finger first."
"P..please, what do you want? Money? I’ll give you anything. Just don’t touch her," asked a terrified Frank.
"Money? We don’t want your dirty money, IGP.”
“Then what is it you want, tell me anything”
“Three years ago, you and your task force arrested Akiro, our gang leader. We call him ‘The Devil’. He was given a life sentence by the judge. We want him out. In 7 days, Inspector. In 7 days Akiro walks free, or we start mailing you your wife in parts. Do you understand me? Day 1 starts now."
Frank was breathing hard. "But I can’t... I don’t have the authority to release a federal prisoner! That decision is from Abuja!"
"We don’t care! Plan a prison break or whatever.. Find the authority! Call the President! Call God! 7 days!"
_Click._ They cut the call.

Frank dropped the phone and fell to his knees.
"God... what do I do? God, please help me."


CHAPTER 3: THE INSIDER

The Next Morning at Police Headquarters.
I.G.P Frank rushed into the office. Officers greeted him, but he barely responded.
He went straight to his office and began searching for the Akiro case file.

DSP Dennis knocked and entered.
"Frank, what’s going on? You came in like someone was chasing you. You look terrible. Did you sleep at all?"
"There’s a big problem, Dennis."
"What is it?"
Frank finally found the file and opened it.
"You won’t believe this, Dennis."
"What happened?"
"My wife has been kidnapped."
"What?! Rosekate? When? How?"
"The kidnappers want us to release their gang leader, Akiro. We arrested him three years ago during Operation Clean Sweep."
"That’s serious. What are you planning on doing?”
"I don’t know. That’s why I’m pulling his case file. I need to find out again who the lawyer and the judge were who handled his case. Maybe there’s a loophole."
"Are you seriously considering releasing a criminal? Frank."
"What choice do I have, Dennis? My wife’s life is at stake. If it was your wife, what would you do?"

Frank scanned the report.
"Here it is. Barrister Gideon handled the case. Now I remember. He was a very sharp SAN."
"I have to call him. Maybe we can figure out a way."

He found Gideon’s number and called.
"Hello, Inspector Frank. Long time. How are you?"
"I’m not okay, Gideon. There’s a problem."
"What happened?"
"My wife has been kidnapped. The kidnappers are making demands. That Akiro criminal case we handled 3 years ago. They want him freed."
"Jeez, that’s serious. That’s... that’s federal. Let’s meet at Olivees Suites and Lounge tomorrow at 8 AM. We’ll talk."
"Alright. I’ll be there. Thank you, Gideon."

At the Kidnappers' Hideout.
The men kept threatening Rosekate.
"If your husband doesn’t do what we say, we’ll torture you until there’s nothing left of you. We’ll start with your fingers, then your toes."
Rosekate trembled in fear, but said nothing.

One of the men’s phones rang. He moved to one side and answered the call.
"Hello. Who is this?"
"I heard you got her. Good job," the voice on the other end said.
"Yes, we brought her in last night. The IGP’s wife."
"Good. I also have news. The man who wants to buy the children we abducted called me. He says he wants 10 children. Young ones. 5 to 7 years."
"10? But we only have 5 that we abducted recently."
"Then get more. He also said the last batch looked too old. He wants very young kids. Fresh. I’ll come in two days to inspect what you have."
"Understood. Be careful. Don’t let anyone trace us."
They ended the call.

Rosekate felt sick as she heard their discussion on the phone. They were selling children. She didn’t see any children in the room. _So they must be kept elsewhere in the house,_ she thought.

After ending the call, the man muttered, "Can you believe it? Dennis is complaining that the last kids looked old. Now they want 10 more."
"Rubbish. They should pay us more then. The last payment was peanuts for what we delivered," another man said.

Rosekate froze. _Which Dennis? It can’t be. No,_ she thought. _Not our Dennis._

A bank manager is abducted on the night before the day to her birthday. A call is made by the kidnappers to her husband who is an inspector general of police. A federal prisoner must be set free before 7 days or his wife dies. What will he do now to save his wife?

Story below..

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CHAPTER 2: THE THIRD REJECTION

The next month, the day for the next rehearsal — the next big audition — came up again.

Nora was there very early, around 7am. She wore her best dress again, packed her script, prayed before leaving the house, and told Ken, "This time, I will be chosen."

When she got to the audition hall, some other ladies were already standing in the queue, waiting for their turn. Nora joined them.

Again, she saw a lot of curvy ladies waiting in the line — big butt, big breast, tiny waist, long hair — like the last time. Only two other skinny ladies were there with her. The rest were all BBL girls.

Nora prayed in her mind, her eyes closed, "God please, let me get chosen this time. Please, I have suffered enough."

It was her turn. She came inside and rehearsed again, acted with all her heart, cried, shouted, gave her best performance ever. She left no stone unturned.

The judges looked at her and said, "Excellent! Your performance is excellent! You are very talented!"

Nora came out looking happy, having hope that this time around she would be chosen. She was smiling, confident.

"This time, they said excellent. They must choose me," she told the other slim girl beside her.

Then it was time to call the ones selected. The chief judge came out with his list, smiling.

Nora was feeling excited, her heart beating fast, believing her name would be among those called this time. She folded her hands, praying.

Suddenly, the names were called.

"Amaka Curvy — selected. Sandra BBL — selected. Gold Big Back — selected..."

Again, she wasn't selected.

She was so shocked and sad. Her mouth opened. She shouted without controlling herself,

"Not again! Oh no! Not again!" staggering her feet angrily, almost falling down. People turned to look at her.

She felt like screaming, like running mad.

Unknown to her, that other curvy lady she met that other time — the one she was resting on her car and who told her to get out from her car — was behind her, seated on a plastic chair, watching her. She had been watching the whole audition. She was one of the sponsors of the movie.

Nora felt so sad, her head bowed, tears already gathering.

The lady called her.

"Hey, come here," she said softly, waving her hand.

Nora, still looking sad and feeling like crying, walked slowly to the lady.

She came up to the lady and the lady asked her,

"Do you remember me?"

"Not really," Nora said, still looking sad, wiping her tears. She was too heartbroken to remember faces.

The curvy lady smiled and said,

"I have been watching you for a while now. Every time you come here for audition. I know this is the 3rd time you are getting rejected. I saw you the other time you were leaning on my car crying."

Nora started crying again, unable to hold it.

"But madam, I try my best. Even the judges say I'm good, excellent, and still they reject me. Why? What is my offense? I have talent," Nora cried.

"Sweetheart, it's not about talent. Don't worry. I understand how you feel. Try to brighten up. I will help you," the lady said, touching her hand.

She opened her expensive handbag and brought out her card and gave it to Nora.

"Here is my card. Try to contact me, let's meet. Don't worry, I will help you achieve your dreams. I see your talent, but talent alone doesn't work here. You need package," she said, winking.

Nora took her card. It read: *"QUEEN DIANA — Actress | Brand Influencer | CEO Diana's Luxury"* with a phone number and Instagram handle.

Hearing the woman's words, she felt kind of relieved, small hope coming back. Then she started heading back home, not feeling too happy, but at least someone noticed her.

On the way, she was thinking, "How will I tell others the bad news that I was rejected again? They will mock me, especially Mama Tina in the compound. She will laugh at me again."

She held the card tight in her hand, like it was her last hope.

*To be continued...

After the bucket fight, Nora decided not to let anything break her spirit. She started preparing for the next audition again.

She prepared harder this time. Every evening after closing her shop, she rehearsed in the compound with Ken. Ken would read the other character's lines from her script while she acted with full emotion — crying, shouting, falling on the ground, laughing like a mad woman.

"Action! My husband, don't leave me! Don't die!" Nora would shout, acting like a widow, tears coming out.

Ken would clap, "Wow baby, you are too good! This time they must pick you!"

Other neighbors in the compound were just laughing as they watched her and Ken rehearse their acting in the open compound, like a free cinema.

Some women who were cooking outside would stop and stare, laughing.

Mama Tina, the same woman who fought her over the bucket, just sighed at them from her window, chewing groundnut, and laughed loudly so they could hear.

"Who go select this one with her legs like mosquito? See her legs like broomstick. She thinks acting is by shouting up and down in compound? Nollywood don suffer o," Mama Tima laughed mockingly, shaking her head.

Then she shouted her little daughter's name to distract herself.

"Tina! Tina!" she shouted.

Tina came out hurriedly from the room, barefoot.

"Go buy me onions make I make stew and be fast. No waste time for road o," Mama Tina said.

"Okay mama," Tina said.

She took small money from her mother's hand and left, running out of the compound.

Nora heard everything Mama Tina said. Her eyes got teary again, but she pretended not to hear and continued rehearsing.

Ken whispered to her, "Don't mind them, baby. Leave them. They are just jealous. You are talented. Focus."

But deep inside, Nora was breaking.

The next morning at Nora's compound, very early, around 6am, there was noise in the compound.

One of her neighbors, a woman tying wrapper — Mama Tina — was looking for her bucket in the compound to go and bathe. She is known in the compound as the trouble maker, always shouting.

She knocked on all the tenant houses one by one, shouting loudly,

"Abeg, did you see my bucket? Who carry my bucket? I kept my bucket here yesterday evening! Who thief my bucket?"

She got to Nora's house and knocked heavily — _kpo kpo kpo!_

"Nora! Nora! Did you see my bucket? My blue bucket?" she shouted.

Nora opened her door, still tying her wrapper, sleepy eyes.

Nora told her yes, that she actually used it to flush the toilet last night because her own bucket had a hole, and that she was planning to return it this morning.

"What do you mean you used my bucket that I use to bath to flush toilet? Are you mad? Are you okay? You used my bathing bucket to flush toilet?" the woman shouted angrily, her wrapper almost falling.

"I'm sorry ma, but that bucket looks old, so I thought it was a general bucket that everybody uses. I didn't know it was your personal bathing bucket," Nora said apologetically.

"You thought what? See this girl o! My bucket looks old? How neat does your own bucket look? Your own bucket that has hole? Are you in any way insulting me? Are you saying I'm dirty? Nonsense!" Mama Tina shouted louder, pointing at Nora's face.

"Please, I didn't mean it like that, ma. I was just in a hurry last night, I needed water to flush," Nora said, trying to calm her.

"Abeg go and bring out my bucket now before I lose my temper this early morning! Bring it out now now! Before I change it for you!" Mama Tina shouted, her voice echoing in the compound.

Other tenants came out of their houses to watch them as they heard the shouting — some with toothbrush in mouth, some tying wrapper, enjoying the morning drama.

Nora went inside quickly and brought the bucket and gave it to her, with water still inside.

"Nonsense! Wannabe actress! You no get role for film, you come dey use people bucket to flush toilet! Useless girl!" says the woman as she took her bucket angrily from her and walked away, pouring the water away and hissing loudly.

One of the neighbors, Mama Kemi, just said, shaking her head,

"Na wa o, for Mama Tina, this early morning she don start trouble again. Every morning, fight fight. She no dey tire."

Nora just went inside, sad and embarrassed, tears in her eyes. She locked her door and sat on her bed.

"Why does everybody insult me? Wannabe actress? Is that what I have become in this compound?" she whispered to herself.

She wiped her tears, prepared, took her bath with her leaking bucket, wore her simple gown, and went to her shop, her heart heavy again.


*

Nora just lay on her bench in her shop in the evening, scrolling on her phone.

She was just watching films on YouTube — Nollywood movies — and kept wishing someday she could be like all these actresses on screen. She watched Mercy Johnson crying in a movie, watched Regina Daniels acting as a princess, and she imagined herself in their place, wearing fine costumes, with people shouting "Action!"

She sighed, "God, when will my time come?"

One customer chewing gum entered her shop with her boyfriend. The girl was heavily made-up, wearing a very short gown, holding her boyfriend's hand, with her big backside showing, almost falling out of the gown. She had a very big butt — clearly BBL — with long braided blonde hair, long nails, and heavy perfume.

"Madam, you dey sell manpower drink here? Like Bullet or Fearless?" the guy asked, looking around her small shop.

Nora replied that she didn't have it. She only had pure water, biscuits and egg roll.

As they were going, Nora stood up to look at the girl properly. The girl was wiggling her big butt as she walked away, holding her boyfriend tight, her butt shaking with every step.

Nora watched her with envy and annoyance and hissed quietly, "All these girls sef. Is it only big butt? Everything now na big butt."

She sat back down, feeling more insecure.

Later in the evening, around 6:30pm, Ken came to her shop again. He rode his okada and parked it close to her shop, switched off the engine and came to her.

He saw her looking a bit relieved now, not as sad as in the morning.

He came to her and greeted her with a smile, "Bae, how far? How you dey now?"

She told him she feels kind of better now.

Ken smiled, "I'm glad. I hope you later ate? The bread and akara I bought in the morning, you ate it?"

And she said yes, small smile, "Yes, I ate small. Thank you."

Ken sat with her on the bench, close to her, holding her hand.

"So how was work today?" she asked him.

"Work was not good today. I no see too much customers. Fuel don cost, so people no dey enter okada like before. But I believe it will be better tomorrow," Ken said.

"Amen," Nora said softly.

"What are you doing?" Ken saw her pressing her phone, watching something.

"Just watching movies on YouTube," she said.

"I can see you are enjoying yourself. That's nice. At least you are smiling small," Ken said, happy to see her distracted.

She dropped her phone and suddenly became emotional again and told Ken, her voice low,

"Babe, I wish I can be there someday and people can watch me. I mean, it's my dream. I have the talent. I have the passion. Why is God not helping me? Every time I go for audition, they reject me because I don't have big butt. Is talent not enough again?"

Nora started feeling sad again, dropping her phone on the bench, her eyes getting teary.

Then Ken comforted her again, holding her shoulders,

"I know baby, just calm down. Things must not be rushed. Everything has time. God knows why this is happening. Maybe He is preparing something bigger for you. I believe you will achieve your dream someday, bigger than all those BBL girls. Your time will come, just be patient," Ken said sincerely.

"Thank you baby," Nora told him, resting her head on his shoulder, feeling a little comforted.

Nora was on her way back home from the audition hall, walking slowly on the road, her head down, her slippers dragging dust.

On the way, she met her boyfriend Ken. Ken was riding his okada, carrying a passenger at the back — a market woman with a basket.

When Ken saw her from afar, he waved and greeted her loudly.

"Nora! Baby! How far? How did the audition go?"

But Nora saw him and ignored him completely. She didn't answer, didn't look at him. She just kept walking, her face swollen with tears. She was too hurt, too angry at the world to talk to anyone.

Ken felt embarrassed in front of his passenger, but he couldn't stop because the passenger was in a hurry. He rode off, looking back at her with worry.

She got home to her small one-room apartment. She removed her shoes at the door and removed her clothes — her audition gown — throwing it angrily on the floor.

She kept looking so sad, staggering on her feet like someone who had been beaten. She felt so hopeless.

She sat on her one-room apartment bed, a small bed with a thin foam, and bowed her head, holding her knees tightly.

"God, why me? What did I do wrong?" she cried, tears falling freely on her wrapper.

Suddenly, a knock was heard on the door — _kpo kpo kpo._

She opened the door slowly and saw Ken standing there, sweating, his okada helmet in his hand. He had dropped his passenger quickly and rushed to her house.

Ken came inside, looking worried.

"Baby, what is wrong? What happened? You didn't talk to me on the road. Tell me, what happened at the audition?" he asked, sitting beside her on the bed.

She didn't talk at first. She just kept crying, her shoulders shaking.

Then Ken thought for a while and said softly, "I guess you weren't selected this time again?"

Nora kept crying louder.

"Why me Ken, why? Why does God hate me?" she cried.

Ken comforted her, patted her back gently and told her not to give up.

"Baby, don't give up. You can still go next month and try again. One rejection is not the end of the world," Ken said.

Nora cried and told him,

"I have always been going there. This is the second time I have been rejected. I gave my all. I rehearsed day and night, I didn't sleep, I prayed, I fasted, and still I got rejected."

"It's okay baby, please don't give up on this dream. You can try again next month. This time around, rehearse harder. I will even help you with the rehearsal every night. I will be your partner," Ken said.

"Okay baby, thank you," Nora said, wiping off her tears with her hand, trying to calm down.

Ken stayed with her for some time, hugging her, until she stopped crying.

---

The next day, Nora woke up early and came out from her small neighborhood which looks like a ghetto area — filled with small face-me-I-face-you houses, loud generators, children shouting, and small kiosks and shops everywhere.

She headed off to her small shop where she sells sachet water, biscuits, egg roll and meat pie that she makes herself and keeps in a transparent container with a cover.

She opened her shop, swept the floor with a small broom, then sat on her wooden bench, waiting for customers. Her face was still dull and sad.

Beside her was her neighbor Mama Iyawo, also selling almost the same things in her own shop — pure water, bread, groundnuts, and biscuits.

Mama Iyawo greeted her cheerfully.

"Babe, how far na? How did it go yesterday? You no gist me o. I was waiting for you to come and tell me you got the movie role," Mama Iyawo said.

"Please, I don't want to talk about that," Nora said coldly, looking away.

"Ha! Was it that bad?" Mama Iyawo felt pity for her immediately.

"I know how you worked so hard for that audition. You were practicing every night inside your room. Eyah, sorry," Mama Iyawo pitied her as she noticed her looking sad and withdrawn.

"Please Mama Iyawo, I'm trying to forget. Don't remind me, please," Nora said, her eyes getting teary again.

"It's okay, just take it easy with yourself. God knows best," Mama Iyawo said softly.

Suddenly, a customer entered Mama Iyawo's shop, telling her he wanted to buy bread and Milo, and Mama Iyawo stood up to attend to him.

Nora kept thinking in her mind, staring into space, not even hearing the noise of the market.

Then Ken walked there, holding bread and akara in a black nylon bag and a bottle of Fanta.

He greeted Nora with a smile and gave her the stuff he bought.

"Baby, I hope you feel better today. I bought you breakfast. I know you didn't eat yesterday," he said, placing it on her table.

"Please, I'm not hungry Ken," Nora said.

"Please babe, eat something na. Abeg, I don't like you looking sad like this. You know I love you so much. You need strength," Ken pleaded.

"I just lost my appetite. Not feeling hungry," she said.

"Baby, I told you it will be okay and I'm here for you, don't ever forget that. Please, at least just chew one akara," Ken said, bringing out one hot akara to feed her with his hand.

She turned her mouth away.

"Please baby na, just one bite," Ken begged.

"Please Ken, just leave me. I'm not in the mood. Please leave me alone," she said, shifting to the other side of the bench, irritated.

Ken then kept the things he bought on one side of her table and told her gently,

"It's okay babe, just take your time. I pray you feel better. I will be going to my okada now to start work today. I will see you soon. Please, when you regain your appetite, try to eat. I beg you."

She remained quiet, not answering.

Then Ken walked away slowly, looking back at her, worried, his helmet swinging in his hand.

Nora still sat there, alone in her small shop, looking sad, watching people pass by, her breakfast untouched on the table, her heart heavy with rejection and hopelessness.

CHAPTER 1: THE REJECTION
It was the day for Nora's acting audition again.

She had been waiting for this day for weeks. She woke up very early, around 5am, took her bath, and stood in front of her small mirror, practicing her lines.

"This time around, I will be chosen. This time, they will see my talent," she whispered to herself, believing strongly.

She wore her best dress — a simple blue gown she had ironed the night before — packed her bag, and knelt down beside her bed to pray before leaving the house.

"Oh God, please help me. This is my dream. I have suffered for this dream. Let them choose me this time," she prayed, tears in her eyes.

As she was stepping out of her compound, she met her boyfriend Ken at the gate. Ken was leaning on his okada, waiting for her.

"Hey baby, where are you rushing to this early morning?" Ken asked, smiling.

She greeted him quickly and told him she was in a hurry to go for an acting audition in town.

"Ah, that audition again? No problem, good luck baby. I know you will make it this time. You are talented," Ken said and kissed her forehead. "I love you."

"Thank you, I love you too. I have to go now, I'm late," she said.

She rushed to the roadside and boarded a taxi, then headed off to the audition hall where the casting was taking place. Her heart was beating fast with hope.

When she got there, she met some other ladies standing outside the hall, waiting to be called in.

To her surprise, a lot of the ladies standing there were voluptuous women. Women with big butts, big hips, big breasts, tiny waists — BBL bodies. Like Instagram models.

About 20 women stood there, and out of the 20, about 15 were with that hot shape — big butt, big breast, curvy, bleached skin, long Brazilian hair, long nails. Only she and about 5 other girls were slim, with small breasts and small butt, natural bodies.

In a way, Nora felt belittled. She looked down at her own small body and felt small. But she still believed her talent would outshine body shape.

"They said they need talented actresses, not body shape. My talent will speak for me," she told herself.

The girls started auditioning one by one. They were called inside. Some came out smiling, some came out sad.

Then it was Nora's turn. She entered, greeted the three judges — two men and one woman — and acted her heart out. She cried real tears, shouted, acted like a woman who lost her husband. She gave it her all. She had rehearsed this scene for three weeks, sleepless nights, in front of her mirror.

The judges clapped small and told her, "Thank you, we will get back to you."

She came out smiling, confident.

When it was time to select, the chief judge came out with a list.

"Okay ladies, thank you for coming. These are the names of those selected for the lead and supporting roles," he said.

He started calling names.

Almost all the ladies with big butt and big breast that didn't even perform well during the audition — some that were stammering, some that forgot their lines — they were selected. One by one.

"Amarachi Eze — selected. Blessing Gold — selected. Chika BBL — selected..."

Nora waited, her hands shaking. Her name was not called.

"Nora and the other slim girls were rejected."

Nora felt very bad. She worked so hard for this audition. She spent sleepless nights rehearsing, praying, fasting. She didn't expect this. She felt like the ground should open and swallow her.

This is the second time she is getting rejected again. Last month, it was the same thing — they chose the curvy girls.

She rested her shoulder on a car parked outside and bowed her head as she wept, wiping her tears with her small handkerchief. People were passing and looking at her.

Suddenly, a voluptuous, beautiful, thick lady with big butt and big breast, wearing a tight pink gown, tapped her shoulder hard.

"Excuse me young lady, please get your shoulder off my car. Stop resting on my car! Are you okay? Do you know how much I bought this car? Don't stain it with your tears!" she said rudely.

Nora turned and saw her there, shocked.

"I'm sorry ma, I'm sorry," Nora apologized quickly, moving away from the car.

The lady looked at her and saw that she wasn't really looking okay, with teary eyes, but she didn't really seem to care. She didn't ask what was wrong. She just entered her car with her car keys — a white Lexus — and zoomed off, leaving exhaust smoke in Nora's face.

Nora was still there, looking distressed, alone in front of the audition hall.

She looked up at the sky and cried to God.

"God, will I ever accomplish my dream of being an actress? Please God, help me. What should I do?" she cried as she started walking back home, her bag on her shoulder, her slippers making noise on the road, her heart broken.

Finally, i completed the book🙏

Finally, i completed the book🙏

CHAPTER 11: THE BLACK NYLON

The next morning, Chief Williams woke up very early, around 7am, dressed in his senator-like kaftan, and told his driver to take him to Tony's house — Amaka's house.

He didn't tell Amaka he was coming.

Amaka was inside having romance with Fred in the living room. She was sitting on Fred's lap, wearing a short transparent nightgown, both of them drinking red wine and laughing loudly, playing music.

"Sweetheart, soon we will be free. After burial, we travel to Canada and enjoy Tony's money," Fred said, kissing her neck.

"I can't wait, baby. This house is full of bad memories," Amaka giggled.

Suddenly, they heard a loud car horn outside — _PAM PAM PAM_ — and the gateman opened the gate. It was Chief Williams' black Prado entering.

Amaka quickly peeped through the curtain and saw Chief Williams coming out of the car.

"It's Chief o! It's Chief! My father-in-law is here!" Amaka whispered, panicking.

Fred was terrified. He jumped up, picked up his shirt, boxers, and phone quickly and ran inside the bedroom to hide in the wardrobe. His shoes were still in the living room.

Amaka quickly hid the wine bottle under the chair, cleaned the table with her wrapper, packed the two wine glasses, and quickly wore her long white mourning gown over her transparent nightgown to look like a grieving widow again.

Chief Williams knocked and entered.

Amaka greeted him acting innocent and surprised, her eyes red like she had been crying.

"Oh sir, you didn't tell me you were coming. Good morning sir. You came early," she said, trying to smile.

"I'm sorry my daughter, it was an emergency. I hope you are okay," Chief Williams said, looking around the living room suspiciously. He noticed two wine glasses hastily hidden behind the curtain.

"I hope nothing serious sir?" Amaka asked, her hands shaking.

"Nothing serious my dear, just that in the company I came to pick some of my son's old files and his briefcase he left here before he died. I need them for the lawyers," Chief Williams said calmly, watching her face.

"Yes, he left that in the bedroom. I kept it safe," Amaka said, relieved.

"Okay, let's go there, it's urgent. I need it now," Chief said.

"No problem sir, come," Amaka said and took him to the bedroom and showed him the briefcase on top of the wardrobe.

He told her, "Excuse me for some minutes, my daughter. I want to check something inside the briefcase."

Amaka left the room and stood outside, her heart beating fast.

Chief Williams didn't touch the briefcase. Instead, he knelt down and opened the lower cupboard in her bedroom — the cupboard Tony told Daniel about.

He searched behind her shoes, handbags, and saw a black nylon, tied tightly, hidden at the very back.

He opened it — inside was white powder, half used, with a small spoon, smelling like chemicals. Rat poison. Zinc phosphide. The same type that killed Tony.

His hands shook. He wrapped it quickly in his own white handkerchief and put it inside his pocket. Then he pretended to take the files and briefcase, zipped them.

He came out and told Amaka, "I'm leaving now."

"Oh so soon sir? Won't you eat something? At least drink water?" Amaka said, trying to be nice.

"I told you it's an emergency. See you soon. Hope you are okay? You look stressed," Chief Williams said, staring at her deeply.

"Yes sir, I'm still trying. It hasn't been easy on me since Tony died," Amaka said, fake crying again.

"I'm so sorry, I will keep in touch later. Goodbye and take care of yourself," he said and left quickly.

As soon as his car left, Fred came out from the wardrobe, sweating.

"My dear, we are lucky o, we almost got caught! That man would have killed me if he saw me here," Fred said.

"We have to be more careful. Next time, don't come in the afternoon," Amaka warned, locking the door.

Chief Williams drove straight to the police station with the black nylon.

He gave it to the DPO and said, "Do forensic test. Match it with the poison found in my son's body."

The forensic lab at the teaching hospital tested it. By evening, the result came out — it was an exact match. The poison in the nylon was the same chemical composition as the poison found in Tony's kidney, liver and blood. Same brand, same batch.

Chief Williams now knew that Daniel was right, and now suspects his daughter-in-law having a hand in his son's death.

He called the DPO, "She need to be brought to the station for questioning."

That same evening, around 7pm, two police officers went to Amaka's house and knocked.

Amaka opened the door, still in her mourning white.

"Madam Amaka Williams, you are needed at the station for questioning concerning the death of your husband," the senior officer said.

Amaka was shocked, "Questioning? For what? What did I do wrong? I am mourning my husband, why are you harassing me?"

"When you get to the station you will know why," they said and took her, handcuffing her in front of neighbors who were watching and filming.

At the station, they started interrogating her. They placed the black nylon of rat poison on the table in front of her and the autopsy report.

"Madam, how did this get to your cupboard? And can you explain why the same poison was found in your husband's body? Is it true you have been using it on your husband's food?" the DPO asked.

She kept denying, shouting, crying fake tears.

"I don't know anything about that! Why would I kill my own husband? I loved him so much! Someone is trying to set me up! I'm innocent! This is Chief Williams trying to take my husband's property! I'm innocent!"

They said they would conduct a full search on her house and seized her phone for forensic analysis to see if they could find other evidence.

When the ICT forensic team finally unlocked her phone — she used a pattern lock — they saw everything.

Hundreds of text messages and late-night calls between her and Fred.

The messages they retrieved from deleted folder were damning:

Amaka, 2 weeks before Tony died: "Hey babe, the poison is working, he gets weaker and sick by the day. Today he vomited again."

Fred: "Good one baby, just keep putting small small inside his food every morning. We will soon get rid of him and take his money."

Amaka: "He is now always in hospital. Doctor says kidney failure."

Fred: "Perfect. No one will suspect rat poison. Keep going."

And the worst one, sent the night Tony died:

Fred: "Baby finally the bastard is dead. We can now celebrate. Come to my place tonight."

Amaka: "Yes love, finally we are free. I will come tomorrow, I am still pretending to cry here."

They showed her all the printed messages on paper and played her voice notes. Amaka's legs gave way. She broke down on the floor, crying loudly, no more fake tears — real tears of guilt.

"I'm so sorry, yes I poisoned him. I'm sorry! It was all Fred, his best friend's idea! He told me to marry Tony. I never loved Tony. I was only after his money. Fred was the one who told me to marry him, that Tony has money, that we can kill him slowly and rip him off his money and together we will fly to Canada and live happy life as we dreamt of. It was all Fred's idea and plan! Please I'm sorry, I never meant to kill him like that, Fred forced me!" she confessed, hitting her head on the wall.

"You are under arrest for murder and conspiracy, madam. You will be locked up and charged to court," the DPO said, handcuffing her again.

Mr. and Mrs. Williams came to the station that night to see Amaka. They looked at her through the cell bars.

Mrs. Williams cried, "Amaka why? After all we did for you and your family? We gave your mother money, we treated you like our own daughter, we still had the guts to kill my son? Why Amaka? Why? What did my son do to you?"

"I'm so sorry ma, I'm so sorry. The devil used me. Fred used me. I'm sorry," Amaka cried, kneeling, holding the bars.

Chief Williams just stared at her, tears in his eyes, unable to talk.

Meanwhile, Fred was hiding in a hotel after he heard news that Amaka had been detained. He was scared. He packed his things, shaved his beard, and was arranging to fly to Ghana that night through a smuggler.

When the police stormed the hotel around 11pm, acting on Amaka's confession and phone tracking, Fred saw them from the window.

He tried to jump out the window from the second floor to escape. One of the policemen shouted, "Stop! Stop!" and shot him in his leg.

He fell on the pavement, screaming, blood coming out. He was carried to the police station, his leg bandaged, and detained.



CHAPTER 12: LIFE IMPRISONMENT AND A NEW LIFE

One month later, the case went to court. It was all over the news — "Wife poisons husband with rat poison with lover, best friend."

The evidence was overwhelming — autopsy report, forensic match of poison, black nylon found in her cupboard, text messages, call logs, and her own confession.

The judge sentenced Fred and Amaka to life imprisonment with hard labor for the murder of Tony Williams.

"For taking the life of an innocent man who trusted and loved you, you shall spend the rest of your lives in prison," the judge said.

Amaka fainted in court.

Fred shouted, "It was her idea!"

Nobody listened.

Daniel was bailed out that same week and Chief Williams personally came to the police station to bring him out. He hugged Daniel in front of everyone.

"Thank you Daniel for opening our eyes. So sorry we doubted you. So sorry we locked you up and beat you. Forgive us, my son. You are now my son," Chief Williams pleaded, kneeling a little. Mrs. Williams also hugged him, crying.

Daniel was still not happy with them at first for the torture, but he forgave them, because his mission was done.

Chief Williams promised to reward him greatly for this and compensate him for all the damages, torture and embarrassment.

The next day, Chief Williams came to the house where Daniel and Barry stayed — the small two-room apartment they now shared — with a convoy. He told them,

"Because of what you did for my family, for giving my son justice, I have arranged for both of you to start working in my company — Williams Oil and Gas — as senior staff, no more mortuary work. I will also give you a new house in Efab Estate, and a new Toyota Corolla car each, and the sum of 20 million naira for Daniel and 20 million for Barry — 40 million total — for your honesty and bravery."

Daniel and Barry were shocked hearing such an offer. At first they rejected it out of shock.

"What! 20 million! House! Car!" Barry shouted, jumping up.

"Wow, that is amazing! God has done it!" Barry said in excitement, dancing around the small room.

After Chief left, promising to send the documents the next day, Barry kept dancing and rejoicing with Daniel, shouting, playing music on his phone.

"God don finally do am for you! As I told you Daniel, destiny can be delayed but it can never be denied! You had to be more patient with your gift! If only you didn't listen to me now, we wouldn't have had this huge reward at the end! See! From mortuary to mansion!"

"Ah I thank God o, so all our days of suffering don end! No more washing dead bodies!" Daniel rejoiced, tears in his eyes.

"Indeed, we can now leave that mortuary where we wash dead bodies, inhale formalin and that smelling chemical that makes eyes red, and start a more decent job with AC and suit," Barry said, laughing.

"Yes, and no more nightmare of ghosts haunting me at the mortuary, no more whispers at night," Daniel said, relieved.

"Thank God, God has done it for us," Barry said, hugging him.

Daniel and Barry later accepted Chief Williams' offer. They resigned from the mortuary. They started working in his big company in the administrative department, wearing suits. They moved into their new house in Efab — a 3-bedroom bungalow — and had a car each, parked outside.

One weekend, Daniel and Barry went to Baba's shrine to thank him, bringing drinks, a big ram, and money for Baba.

"Thank you Baba, if not for you I wouldn't be here today. You told me not to run from my gift. You were right," Daniel said as he thanked him, kneeling.

Baba smiled and blessed him, tying another white thread for protection.

"Your gift will now bring you more blessings. Use it well, but don't abuse it," Baba told him.

That night, for the last time, Tony appeared to Daniel in his sleep. But this time, he was not crying. He was smiling, wearing a fine white suit, looking healthy and happy, no more swollen face.

He waved his hands at Daniel from a bright place and said, smiling, "Thank you Daniel. Thank you for fighting for me. Finally my soul can rest in peace. Thank you. God bless you."

Daniel woke up smiling, tears in his eyes.

EPILOUGE
Daniel and Barry started a new life working in that big company, had money now and were no more poor. Daniel later got married to a beautiful girl from church and had two kids. Barry's kids now went to private school. No more working in the mortuary, no more nightmares, no more ghosts haunting them at night.
And they lived happily forever, using their money wisely, and always remembering that what looks like a curse can become a blessing if you have courage.

THE END.


MORAL: Your gift may look like a curse at first, people may mock you, beat you, lock you up for it — but if you embrace it with courage and patience, it will become your greatest blessing. Destiny can be delayed, but it can never be denied.

CHAPTER 10: THE AUTOPSY THAT CHANGED EVERYTHING

At the police station, they kept torturing Daniel in the cell, calling him a criminal, beating him with baton, asking him how much he wanted to extort from Chief Williams.

"Nonsense man, you want to extort money from them with fake ghost stories! How much you want collect?" the IPO shouted.

"Please oga, I no be thief, I no be fraudster, please believe me," Daniel cried, his face swollen.

Barry kept thinking of how to help his friend out. He went home and prayed.

Late that night, at Chief Williams' house, Mrs. Williams had a dream.

In the dream, her son Tony appeared to her, wearing white, crying and holding her hands.

"Mama, free that man, he is innocent. He is telling the truth. Please help me. Amaka killed me. Please free Daniel," Tony said, weeping.

Mrs. Williams woke up panicking, sweating, shouting "Tony! Tony!"

Mr. Williams woke up and asked her what happened. She told him she still has nightmares of her son appearing to her crying, and this time he said they should free that mortuary boy and that he is innocent.

"Nonsense, you still believe this nonsense ghost story?" Mr. Williams said angrily, switching on the light.

"Honey, I think that guy is really innocent. Because I have been telling you Tony keeps appearing in my dream too, every night since he died. And the details he gave us was too much for him to know. How would a mortuary attendant know about Barrister Chris, Royal Casino, and my 1am prayers? Those are family secrets. Nobody knows except us," Mrs. Williams argued, crying.

"He is just a spy and a hardened criminal that wants to get money out of us, fabricating all these stories. Don't believe all this ghost bullshit. Dead people are dead and gone and it is not possible," Chief Williams insisted.

"But he also appears to me in my dream. This can be more than a coincidence. Please honey, let's really do this autopsy to try to confirm if he is really saying the truth or not," Mrs. Williams pleaded, coming closer, patting him on the shoulder.

"I think Tony's soul is restless and is trying to tell us something. Let's do this autopsy, let's see if that boy is lying or saying the truth," she convinced him, crying.

After much persuasion, Chief Williams finally agreed.

"Alright then, we shall conduct the autopsy on his body tomorrow morning. If no poison is found, I will make sure that boy rots in jail."

The next day, Barry came to see Daniel in the police cell. The warder told him he only has a few minutes. He brought some food for him in a small flask — jollof rice and water.

Daniel was surprised seeing him, his face swollen with bruises, his shirt torn.

"Guy, how you take know I dey here?" Daniel asked weakly.

"I managed to track them yesterday as I saw the police van. I followed them with okada. I'm so sorry guy," Barry said, almost crying.

"Please help me out of here, these people dey really torture me here, abeg I no wan go prison, I no do anything," Daniel begged.

"I go try my best guy. I go talk to Oga, our manager at the mortuary. I will explain everything to him. I believe he can use his connection and try to help you out," Barry said.

"Please do before these people kill me here. I warned you before that I no wan do this thing and you convinced me," Daniel cried.

"I'm sorry guy, abeg take food, try chop something," Barry said.

The warder said time is up and took Daniel back into the dark cell.

That same morning, Chief Williams went to the DPO and said they need an autopsy on Tony's corpse before burial.

Tony's corpse was taken from the mortuary to the teaching hospital. The pathologist conducted a full forensic autopsy.

By evening, the result came out — it was confirmed that indeed Tony died of rat poison — zinc phosphide poisoning. The poison had destroyed his kidneys slowly. It was not natural kidney failure. It was murder.

Chief Williams was shocked to his bones and went home and told his wife that the autopsy result really confirmed rat poison.

"That means that boy Daniel is right! He was telling the truth!" Mrs. Williams shouted, covering her mouth.

"Yes, I need to see him at the station immediately," Chief Williams said, picking his car keys and rushing to the station.

At the station, Chief Williams saw Daniel with bruises on his face and body, sitting on the cold floor. He felt ashamed.

He told Daniel that the autopsy result confirmed his claim that Tony was poisoned and asked Daniel if he knew something more that would convince them that his daughter-in-law murdered his son, because autopsy alone was not enough to prove who did it — anyone could have poisoned him.

Daniel, weak but hopeful, told him, "He said the remains of the poison are kept in her lower cupboard in her bedroom, behind her shoes, inside a black nylon. If you check there, you will find it."

Chief Williams said okay and promised that if he confirms it's true, he would bail Daniel that same day and apologize publicly.

CHAPTER 9: THE SECOND VISIT — THE TRAP

On Sunday afternoon, Daniel and Barry went to Chief Williams' house again.

Before entering the gate, Barry hid at a small provision shop opposite the house, where he could see everything. He told Daniel,

"No worry guy, in case anything happen or I see police or danger, I go phone you immediately and run to come help you."

"Alright guy, abeg watch out for me o, no forget me o," Daniel said, terrified, and walked to the gate and knocked.

The gateman opened it and saw Daniel and shouted,

"You again! I thought madam said she doesn't want to see you here! You get mind to come back again!"

"Please I need to see Chief, it's urgent, very urgent," Daniel begged.

"Comot here now! Before I slap you!" the gateman shouted loudly.

Because he was shouting, Chief Williams heard the noise from inside and came out to the balcony and asked what was going on.

"Sir, na this man again. Madam said make I no allow am enter," the gateman said.

Chief Williams looked at Daniel from upstairs and said, "Who are you young man?"

"Sir, my name is Daniel, I came from the mortuary with news about your son Tony. Very important news," Daniel said.

"Oh, you are the one that my wife told me about the other day," Chief Williams said, remembering.

"Yes sir, please what I have to tell you is urgent, life and death," Daniel said.

"It's alright, come in," Chief Williams said, curious.

The gateman allowed him to enter. Daniel entered the big parlor and saw Mrs. Williams seated, watching a Christian program on TV.

Mrs. Williams flinched seeing him again, angry, "You again! I thought I warned you never to come here again!"

Chief Williams told her calmly, "It's okay honey, just let him be. You can sit, young man."

Chief Williams then excused himself, went to one corner of the house, to the kitchen, and secretly called the DPO on his phone.

"DPO, please come to my house now with two officers. A criminal is here trying to blackmail us with my late son's name. Come quickly."

Then he went back to the parlor, smiling politely, acting nicely, and asked Daniel what he wanted to tell them.

Daniel, not knowing it was a trap, started talking with hope.

"Believe me sir and ma, your son's ghost is really appearing to me, telling me things. He is restless," Daniel said.

"What nonsense, you are mad!" Mrs. Williams shouted.

"It's okay darling, let him speak," Chief Williams said, pretending to be calm. "So tell me, what more did he tell you? I'm listening."

"He told me his wife poisoned him and cries for justice," Daniel said.

"Wow," Chief Williams said sarcastically, folding his hands, "That is surprising. Continue."

"Yes sir, believe me, I'm telling the truth. There are many things he also told me to prove that I'm not lying," Daniel said.

"Tell me, I'm listening," Chief said, leaning forward.

"He also told me about you and him going to Royal Casino every weekend, Saturday, to play poker, and his will held by Barrister Chris," Daniel said.

Chief Williams' eyes widened. He got shocked hearing this, his mouth open.

"Really! How did you know that? How did you know about Barrister Chris and Royal Casino? Nobody knows about that except me and Tony!" he shouted, standing up.

"Yes sir," Daniel turned to Mrs. Williams, who was also shocked, "He also told me you wake every 1am to pray for him with candles and Bible in your room."

Mrs. Williams also got shocked hearing this, her hand covering her mouth.

"Jesus! How did you know I pray by 1am? I never told anybody!" she whispered.

Suddenly a police car arrived outside, sirens off. Two policemen with rifles came down and entered the gate. Barry saw them from his hiding place afar. He tried calling Daniel immediately.

Daniel's phone rang in his pocket — Barry calling — but Daniel didn't pick it, he just canceled the call, still talking to Chief Williams, trying to convince him.

"Trust me sir, if I'm lying let me die. Your son is really telling me these things. An autopsy needs to be done on his corpse and it will confirm the poison. The remaining poison is in his wife's lower cupboard," Daniel pleaded.

Mr. Williams stared at him long, shocked and confused.

"You mean my son told you all this? I mean I'm shocked, because I never knew all this is possible," he said.

"Sir, me too I used to doubt it, but please do the autopsy as he wand," Daniel begged.

Suddenly the policemen entered the living room with guns.

Chief Williams stood up and said loudly, "Thank God you are here on time! Here is the criminal trying to scam us with cock and bull story about my son appearing to him in his dream. It seems this guy is a professional criminal. He must have been spying on our family for long now to know all these details!"

Daniel panicked, begging, kneeling down on the tiled floor, "Please sir, I'm not a criminal or a spy, believe me, I'm saying the truth! I'm not lying!"

"Take him away and lock him up. He is deceitful and a fraudster," Chief Williams ordered.

"Yes, take him away!" Mrs. Williams added, still angry but also confused.

The policemen dragged Daniel away, holding his arms. Daniel still begging, "I am innocent! I am innocent!"

They took him outside and pushed him inside the police van.

Barry watched them from afar, scared and angry.

"The guy no gree answer my call, why he cancel am?" Barry said worriedly.

Barry quickly stopped an okada bike nearby and begged the bike man, "Please follow that police van, I will pay you double!"

The bike followed the police van all the way to the central police station where they took Daniel.

The next evening, Daniel and Barry went to one bar at night to drink and relax.

They were seated, drinking, gisting, about the whole happening in the mortuary. The Roselyn case, the dead cultist case and how he survived and how they thank God he is okay.

As they were drinking their second bottle, Daniel suddenly turned around and saw a woman sitting next to them on the next table, alone, drinking a small stout.

He stared at her strangely and was terrified. His eyes widened.

He kept staring at her, his bottle frozen in his hand.

The lady noticed him staring, smiled, and greeted him softly,

"Hi Daniel."

Daniel was even more shocked. How did she know his name?

"Wow Barry, you can't believe what I'm seeing," Daniel whispered, nudging Barry.

Barry was like, "What is it? What are you seeing?"

"See this lady here, sitting here next to us," Daniel said, pointing.

Barry turned and looked, confused.

"Which lady? Where? I don't see any lady there. That table is empty na."

"This one seated here! This one wearing black gown, drinking stout! Isn't she among the old dead bodies we kept at the mortuary? The lady that died last week in accident? The one in compartment 3?" Daniel said, his voice shaking.

Barry laughed and told Daniel,

"I think the drink don dey get into your head. You don high. Which dead body? There is no lady there."

"I'm serious! Can't you see her? She's sitting there! She's looking at me!" Daniel insisted.

"Guy, there is no one there. The table is empty. You are just seeing things," Barry said.

Daniel froze as he heard this. His heart started beating very fast.

The lady turned to him and smiled, her face pale.

"Yes dear, I'm dead. You are right. My spirit comes here from the mortuary to this bar at night to drink and have fun, then I return back to my body in the mortuary. I like coming here. I like beer," she said calmly.

Daniel was frozen, his mouth open, unable to talk.

Barry asked him if he was okay and who he was talking to, because to Barry, Daniel was talking to empty air.

"Daniel, are you okay? Who are you talking to? Are you okay?" Barry asked, worried.

The bar man saw Daniel panicking and sweating. He came and asked him,

"Sir, are you okay? Is everything fine?"

Barry quickly covered up for him, telling the bar man,

"I think the drink don get into his head. He's okay, he's okay. Too much drink."

The dead lady continued telling Daniel, as if nobody else existed,

"Seems only you can see me. Well, I don't have the power yet to make everyone see me like those girls seated with those men there," the lady pointed at two ladies dressed in short gown, fine hair, looking very beautiful, seated with a rich man, laughing and talking, drinking.

"Yes, those ones are also dead, but they can make themselves visible to humans. They are more powerful than me. They can make men see them, touch them, carry them home. But me, I can only make people like you see me — people with the gift," she explained.

Daniel forced himself to ask, his voice shaking, "What?"

Barry was starting to get scared seeing Daniel talking to himself.

He told Barry, "Guy, I think we should leave here now. It's getting embarrassing. People are looking at us."

Daniel agreed immediately, standing up, his legs shaking.

"Abeg make we leave here fast. Too much spirit inside this bar. This place is full," Daniel said, dropping money on the table.

He quickly went outside with Barry, almost running.

Outside on their way home, walking fast in the dark, he kept telling Barry,

"I swear Barry, I saw 3 dead people in that bar. One was invisible to you, but two were visible, sitting with that rich man. That rich man doesn't know he's drinking with dead bodies!"

"Wow, amazing. And people no go know o. Who knows how many guys for don carry them, not knowing they are dead bodies from mortuary," Barry said, shocked.

"We need to be careful o," Daniel said.

"Indeed. This your gift wey Baba tell you is really powerful," Barry said.

"It's powerful and also scary. Because to dey see dead people will make other people think you are mad," Daniel told him as they kept walking back home, looking back, scared that the dead lady might be following them.



CHAPTER 6: THE BODY THAT WOULD NOT REST

A few days later, Daniel was at work at the mortuary when a new corpse was brought in.

It was a man in his early thirties. Handsome, well-built. The tag on his toe read *TONY WILLIAMS — Age 34 — Cause of Death: Kidney Failure.* The ambulance driver said he died in a private hospital after weeks of kidney illness.

Daniel was assigned to wash and dress the body for the family viewing the next day.

But from the moment he touched the body, something felt wrong.

Every other corpse Daniel had washed was cold and stiff, lifeless. This one was also cold, but it felt like it was resisting him. When Daniel tried to lift the arm to wash under it, the arm felt unusually stiff, like the man was holding it down. When he tried to turn the head, the neck wouldn't move easily.

It was as if the man didn't want to be touched.

At night, when Daniel was alone doing his final rounds, he swore he saw the eyelids of the man flicker. He would look — the eyes were open, staring blankly at the ceiling. He would blink and look again — they were closed. Then open again.

And sometimes, in the quiet of Room 12, he heard a faint whistling, like someone whispering his name through the air-conditioning.

"Help me... Daniel... help me..."

Daniel's blood ran cold. He told Barry the next morning.

"Barry, this body is different. This Tony guy, I think he is trying to tell me something. Since he came, I no dey rest. His eye dey open for night. He dey call my name. Other corpses no dey do like this except that other cultist guy," Daniel said, looking tired.

Barry remembered what the old Baba at the shrine told them.

"Daniel, remember what Baba told you? He said your gift is not a curse. You are the mouthpiece for those who cannot talk again. If the dead are coming to you, it's because they need you. Don't run from it. Try and listen."

Daniel nodded, though he was scared. "I will try. But this one dey fear me."

That night, after Daniel closed from work and him and Barry went back to Barry's house where he now resides. At night, he fell into a deep sleep without taking his sleeping pills — for the first time in a long time.

Then he had a dream. Tony appeared to him in his dream.

In the dream, Tony was not lying down. He was kneeling in front of Daniel, in the same white hospital gown he died in, his face swollen from kidney failure, tears in his eyes, begging.

"Please help me, Daniel. Please. I did not die naturally."

Daniel asked him in the dream, "How can I help you? You are already dead. What can I do for you?"

Tony then narrated his whole story, crying.

"My name is Tony Williams. My wife killed me. She has been poisoning me slowly with rat poison — small small inside my food every day. She puts it in my soup, my tea. That is why my kidney spoiled. The doctors thought it was kidney disease, but it was poison. She did it because she is cheating on me with my best friend. They planned to kill me and take all my money. I loved her and trusted her. Please, Daniel, help me get justice. Tell my parents not to bury me yet. My soul cannot rest. I am wandering. My body is crying for justice."

Tony then gave Daniel an address.

"Go to GRA. Chief Williams house. That is my father. His house is the big white house with two black gates. Tell them what I told you."

Daniel woke up with a jolt, sweating, his singlet wet. It was 2:13 am.

He quickly brought out his small notebook and pen from under his pillow and wrote everything down fast before he forgot — Tony Williams, rat poison, best friend and wife, Chief Williams GRA address, don't bury yet.

The next morning, he showed Barry the notebook.

"Barry, this man came to me again last night. He said his wife poisoned him with rat poison. He said his wife is cheating with his best friend. He said we should go to his father's house in GRA. His father is Chief Williams, big man for this town."

Barry read the notes, shocked.

"Chief Williams? That billionaire wey get Williams Oil and Gas? Na him son be this?" Barry said. "Guy, if this is true, this is big case o."

"We have to go. He begged me. He said his soul cannot rest," Daniel said.

Barry agreed to follow him that afternoon.



CHAPTER 7: THE FIRST REJECTION — THE RICH DON'T BELIEVE GHOSTS

GRA in this town is where the rich people live. Big houses, big walls, security dogs, CCTV everywhere.

When Daniel and Barry got to Chief Williams' house, the gate was huge and black, with two gatemen in uniform and a security camera.

The gateman asked, "Who be una? Wetin una want?"

"We are from the mortuary. We have important news about your Oga's late son, Tony," Barry said politely.

The gateman went inside to call madam.

Chief Mrs. Williams came to the gate. She was a fair, elegant woman in her fifties, wearing expensive lace. She told the gateman to let them into the compound but to wait in the outer parlor.

They entered the big living room — gold chairs, big chandelier, AC very cold.

Daniel greeted her, "Good afternoon ma, we came from the mortuary concerning your late son."

She told them to sit.

Barry started talking for Daniel, because Daniel was too shy.

"Madam, my friend Daniel here has a gift from birth. God gave him the ability to see dead people in his dreams and communicate with them. Your son has been appearing to him. He says he has something to tell you people."

Mrs. Williams frowned, confused.

"I don't understand where this is getting to. What does that suppose to mean? How is that my business? Is this some kind of joke?"

Barry continued, "Your son appeared to Daniel and told him he was poisoned by his wife, and that his death is not natural."

Daniel added quietly, "Yes ma, he said she poisoned him with rat poison."

Mrs. Williams exploded. She stood up, her face red.

"What nonsense are you saying? How dare you? How dare you accuse my daughter-in-law of something horrible like that? Do you know who Amaka is? She is a very good, decent girl! She loved my son! She was crying every day since Tony died! How dare you come to my house to say this rubbish?"

"I swear ma, I saw him in my dream. He said his spirit is still wandering, not resting. He said you should not bury him yet until justice is done," Daniel pleaded, kneeling a little.

"I think both of you are mad! You are lucky my husband is not around, else he would have locked you up and dealt with you! Amaka would never do such a thing! Get out of my house this moment before I call security on you!" she shouted, pointing to the gate.

They tried to explain more, to beg, but she pushed them out and shouted at the gateman as they left the compound.

"I never want to see those two idiots ever again in this place! Don't ever allow them inside my gate again! Useless mortuary boys!"

Outside the gate, under the hot sun, Daniel and Barry walked home silently, embarrassed.

"I told you guy, they will never believe us. Rich people don't believe ghost story," Daniel said, angry. "Now they think I am mad, talking about dead body."

"Relax Daniel, I understand. That is why we need proof. Without proof, nobody will believe this kind of story. It sounds like Nollywood," Barry said.

"Proof? How do we get proof? The man is dead already. How can a dead man give us proof?" Daniel asked.

Barry pulled him to one corner of the road, under a mango tree, and whispered,

"Listen, when next that guy appears in your dream tonight, ask him to give you proof. Ask him to tell you something that only his family knows — something secret — so when you tell them, they will know you are saying the truth. Else they will never believe us."

"I'm not going back there again, not after this embarrassment," Daniel said.

"Daniel, listen to me. Believe what Baba told us. Have faith. That late man really needs help, that's why he is appearing to you. He chose you. Ask him for proof tonight. We will solve this case together," Barry pleaded.

"Did you see how that woman embarrassed us? She almost locked us up and you are thinking of us going back again? You no dey fear?" Daniel said.

"I believe you are gifted Daniel, and you should not run away from your gift just as Baba told you. Please try one more time," Barry said.

Daniel thought for a long time, then finally nodded.




CHAPTER 8: THE SECRET LIFE OF AMAKA

That evening, when Chief Williams returned from work, his wife was waiting for him in the living room, angry.

She told him that some men from the mortuary came and said something horrible.

"What did they say?" Chief asked, dropping his briefcase.

"Can you believe these men accused Amaka of killing Tony? They said they saw the ghost of Tony in their dream and that Amaka killed him with poison and needs justice. Can you imagine?"

"What! I hope you had them locked up?" Chief Williams shouted, furious.

"I almost did. I just chased them out of the house immediately. I told the gateman never to allow them again," she said.

"You should have called security to lock them up. Just imagine what nonsense! I'm sure they are only trying to extort money from us, cooking up cock and bull stories to get 5 million," Chief Williams said angrily.

"Just imagine, Amaka that is like an angel to us," Mrs. Williams said.

"A very decent girl," Chief Williams added.

"Anyways, I even plan on going to see her tomorrow. I want to know how she is faring. I know it hasn't been easy on her since Tony passed away, and we also need to talk about burial arrangements for next month," Mrs. Williams said.

"Alright, send my greetings to her," Chief said.


The next day, Mrs. Williams went to Amaka's house — Tony's house, a big duplex in another part of GRA.

Amaka was wearing a white mourning gown, no makeup, looking very innocent and sad, her eyes red as if she had been crying all night.

Mrs. Williams sat with her in the living room, talking about burial arrangements.

"I know it has not been easy with you, my daughter. I know how much you loved my son and what a good wife you were to him," Mrs. Williams said, holding her hand.

"Mama, you can't imagine how I feel everyday. Tony was my world. He was everything to me. Oh death, why did you take him away from me so soon?" Amaka cried, wiping fake tears with her white handkerchief.

Mrs. Williams patted her and comforted her.

"I told you to move in with us, you can't stay here all alone. The memories of my late son will keep hurting you here each time you think of it."

"I know mama, I just need some time on my own. I will later come around when I am stronger," Amaka said.

"Also, we will be travelling to the village by the end of the month. We will discuss his burial arrangements with his people. You will also be joining us, Amaka," Mrs. Williams said.

"It's okay mama. After the burial is done, I feel like taking a trip to Canada, because my mental health is deteriorating here. The memories are killing me everyday in this house," Amaka said.

Mrs. Williams patted her again.

"Please take it easy on yourself. I agree, a vacation is what you need after the whole burial stress. I'm so sorry for the loss. I really miss my son too."

"I miss him more, mama," Amaka said, hugging her.

After about an hour, Mrs. Williams said she had to go.

"I have to be going now. I will come again later."

"It's okay mama, thanks for coming. Thanks for checking on me."

"Please remain strong and if there is anything you need, don't forget to call me," Mrs. Williams said.

"Okay mama," Amaka said. She escorted her to the gate and waved her off. As soon as Mrs. Williams' car left, Amaka's face changed.

She went back inside, locked the door, and shouted, "Fred! Fred darling, you can come out now!"

Fred came out from the bedroom where he had been hiding under the bed, wearing only boxers.

"Wow, the bitch is finally gone. I was scared o, she almost caught me here under the bed," Fred said.

"No one will catch us, baby. Until our mission is fulfilled and we finally leave here and go to Canada and get married as we always planned," Amaka said, smiling wickedly and sitting on his lap.

Fred held her and kissed her deeply.

"I love you baby, everything is working out perfectly for us. Tony don die, money don remain, nobody suspects us," Fred said.

"Yes, soon we will be together as we always wanted, with all his riches. Tony's life insurance, his company shares, everything," Amaka said.

"I can't wait for all these burial rites to be over so we can leave this goddamn place finally and enjoy our money in Canada," Fred said.

"Don't worry, let's just be more patient. Small time now," Amaka said, kissing him.



Later that night, Tony appeared to Daniel again in his dream, more desperate, crying louder.

Daniel told him, "Leave me alone now. I went to your parents' house and they almost locked me up. No one believes me. They embarrassed me."

Tony knelt and begged, "Please don't leave me, Daniel. I still need justice. Please help me. My soul is in pain."

Daniel then said, "If you want me to go again, give me proof. Give me something that will make them believe me. Something only your family knows."

Tony nodded, wiping tears, and said,

"I will give you proof. Tell my father that only he and I know that I kept my will with Barrister Chris, my lawyer, at his chambers in town. And tell him that he and I always go to Royal Casino every weekend, Saturday night, to play poker and drink. Only he knows that.

Also tell my mother, she always wakes up by 1am every night to pray with candles and Bible for my soul to rest in peace.

And tell them, if they run an autopsy on my corpse, they will find rat poison inside my stomach and kidney, and the remaining poison is kept in my wife's lower cupboard in her bedroom, hidden behind her shoes, inside a black nylon. All these proofs will be enough to show you are not lying."

"Are you sure? Because I don't want to be kicked out like a dog again," Daniel asked.

"Please do as I told you. I beg you," Tony said.

Daniel woke up immediately and wrote everything down in his notebook, his hand shaking.

He told Barry the next morning everything Tony told him — Barrister Chris, Royal Casino, 1am prayers, lower cupboard, black nylon.

Barry said, "This is solid proof. Nobody outside family can know all these. Let's go on Sunday when everyone will be at home, so both Chief and Madam will hear us."

Daniel agreed, though he was still scared.

After three days, they returned and the Baba gave her to them, telling them,

"After two days, she will be normal again. The charm has been removed from the river, but her spirit needs two days to settle."

They thanked him and left with her, taking her home.

Ada was still behaving mad, and Peter and Jude were holding her, but she was calmer now.

On the evening of the second day, by 8pm, Ada fell into a deep sleep. Jude, Peter and Jerry were waiting outside, worried. Jerry was pacing around, panicking.

"It will soon be the third day. Time is going. Are you sure this thing will work? She is not showing any signs of recovering. She has been sleeping since morning. What kind of sleep is this? I just hope she is okay and that Baba did the right thing," Jerry said worriedly.

"Relax guy, let's just have faith it will work," Peter said.

"Yes Jerry, don't think too negatively please," Jude said.

Ada was still lying flat on the bed, sleeping deeply. She had a dream.

In the dream, she was tied in chains around a big tree near a river. Then her mother appeared in white, shining brightly. She shouted "Mother!" as she saw her mother. Then her mother came and broke the chain and told her,

"My daughter, you are free again. Your days of bondage are over. Return back to freedom. I have fought for you. Go and shine."

The mother hugged her, then suddenly Ada woke up shouting, "Mother! Mother!"

Jerry and the others heard this and panicked, then they checked the time — it was exactly 12 midnight.

They decided to go inside to check if Ada was okay. As they got to the living room, they saw Ada moving from the corridor to the living room, asking where everyone was.

She was calling her mother and father.

"Mama! Papa! Where is everyone? I have been calling all of you. We are supposed to leave to Brazil now. Isn't it time? Where is my box?"

They saw Ada and were tense, they didn't know if she was now okay.

Ada saw Jerry and yelled, "Father! Where is everyone? I have been calling all of you. We are supposed to leave to Brazil now! Isn't it time?"

Jerry was surprised, tears in his eyes, "Really Ada, you can recognize me? You know me?"

"Why not father? Why won't I recognize you? What is happening? Why is your house scattered? Who are these guys with you?" Ada asked, confused.

Jerry smiled and told Peter and Jude, "I think it has worked. I think she is now okay. She remembers me."

"Yes o, Jerry," Peter said happily, crying.

"I don't understand dad, what worked and who are these guys with you? Why am I wearing these dirty clothes?" Ada asked, looking at her torn clothes.

Jerry came closer and hugged her tight.

"Ah my daughter, thank God you are okay. Thank God you are back."

Ada was still confused as he hugged her.

"Thank you God," Jude and Peter also smiled and thanked God.

"Don't worry my daughter, I will explain everything to you," Jerry said, raising his hand up thanking God.


The next day, Jerry explained everything to Ada — how she ran mad on her way to Brazil, how Angela and Maryann conspired with Baba Shrine to tie her destiny, how she was kidnapped by Blade and sold to traffickers, how she escaped in Lagos and lived on the street for four years as a mad woman, how her mother Abigail died of grief, how Angela confessed and died swollen, how Maryann and her mother suffered stroke and Maryann died.

Ada got up crying loudly,

"So you mean I have been running mad for four years now? And my own sister and best friend did this to me? My own blood sister and my best friend did this to me? What did I ever do to them to deserve this? They ruined my entire life and I did nothing!"

"I'm so sorry my daughter. It's a good thing you are healed now. Thank God," Jerry said, hugging her.

"But what did I ever do to them to deserve this? They ruined my entire life," Ada sobbed.

"Please calm down my daughter," Jerry pleaded.

"What calm down? What about the shame? Stigma? If I go out now, everyone will look at me as a mad woman, mocking me. What was my crime? Why did they do this to me?" Ada cried.

"It's just jealousy, my daughter. I'm so sorry but thank God we won at the end. I'm so happy you are healed," Jerry said.

"And don't worry about the stigma. I plan on taking you with me to France. We will start a new life afresh all over there again. No one knows us there. You will start school again, dance again."

Ada kept crying and they comforted her.

The day they got ready and they were at the airport waiting to board a plane to France, Jude and Peter were there. Jerry thanked them for all their help in following him and finding Ada and curing her madness. He told them he would never forget them.

They told him it was no big deal and they were happy his daughter was okay.

Jerry told them they could go ahead to release the album and he was happy his daughter had finally featured in it as it was her dream to feature in his music video.

They were excited about it. They patted Ada and told her not to worry, that it will be okay and she is a strong woman and they tried to take everything from her but couldn't take her talent.

"No matter how much the wicked tries to steal from us, they can't steal away our talent, our gift. God will always let it shine through. Your talent still shone even though you were mad," Peter said.

Ada thanked them, smiling a little.

Suddenly Ada saw Ben coming with his luggage to the airport. Ada was shocked to see him and Ben was shocked to see her too.

"Ada!" Ben screamed.

Ada screamed, "Ben!"

They ran and hugged each other in the middle of the airport, crying.

Jerry and the others looked at them, smiling.

Ben told her it's been such a long time and he couldn't believe it when he saw her. They all thought she was dead. He searched for her after she disappeared.

Ada cried and told him it's a long story, a four-year story.

Ben was so happy seeing her and her father again.

Ben told her, "I'm here to board a flight to the UK, going for my Master's program in London."

Ada was so excited hearing it and seeing him again, "I'm so happy to see you again, Ben."

"So happy to see you too," Ben said. They hugged each other and exchanged numbers, promising to keep in touch.

Ada went to her dad, hugging him.

"Thank you dad for everything. You are the best dad in the world. I love you," Ada said, crying.

She hugged them. The flight was ready. They got set and went to enter the flight. Jude and Peter waved goodbye at them.

EPILOUGE
Later, the music album was released and it turned out to be a hit. Viewers also praised the dancer Ada's performance in the music video. Even though she was once mad, her dance was still powerful and beautiful.
Ada started a new life in France. She still kept in touch with Ben. They both were WhatsApping every day. They began dating again, this time for real, and were planning on how to get married.

MORAL
Jealousy destroys, but destiny and talent can never be stolen. Even in madness, true talent still shines.

THE END_

After Jerry finished narrating his flashback, the entire studio became calm and silent.

Everyone felt deep pity for him. No one knew he had gone through so much pain. Jude and Peter apologized to him.

"Jerry, we didn't know you went through all these. We are so sorry," Peter said, patting his back.

It was already evening. They had been sitting in the studio since morning, listening to Jerry tell his long story. The sun was setting.

Jerry was wiping his tears with a white handkerchief. His eyes were red and swollen. The others were trying to comfort him.

"We will find her, don't worry. Your daughter is still alive," Peter assured him.

Peter then brought out his phone and dialed Chike's number. He wanted to see if the number would go through. It rang, and Chike answered.

Jerry became very anxious as soon as the call connected. His heart started beating fast.

Peter put the phone on loudspeaker.

"Where have you people been? I have been trying to reach you since morning," Peter asked.

Chike replied that they travelled last night and they would be back in two days.

Peter said, "Okay, hurry up and come back, it is urgent."

Chike asked if there was any problem, and Peter said there was no problem, that it had to do with Ada.

Chike said okay and ended the call.

Peter told Jerry what Chike said. Jerry asked nervously, "Did they give you news about Ada? Is she okay? Did they say anything?"

Peter said, "Don't worry, they will soon be back and you will see your daughter again. Just be patient."

Peter also told him that he knows a powerful man of God in this town, a pastor, and they can take Ada there for deliverance when she comes.

Jerry sighed with relief. He could not wait for two days to pass. Every minute felt like an hour.

Simon then suggested that they should go to a bar nearby to have some drinks and eat something, because they had been sitting all day listening to Jerry's story without eating.

Maria agreed that it was a nice idea.

"Don't worry, you will be fine. God knows why it happened," Maria said to Jerry.

"Even as she was mad, her talent still showed. God is indeed great. You cannot steal great talent away," Jude told Jerry, referring to the video they saw where Ada was dancing on the street like a mad woman but still dancing perfectly.

Jerry felt a little relieved and smiled for the first time that day.


Two days later, on Tuesday evening, Jerry went with Peter and Jude to Chike and Francis' house.

They stood outside the gate waiting. Jerry was pacing up and down, his hands shaking. He was both nervous and excited.

Francis and Chike came out and saw the other guys. Peter and Jude greeted them.

Peter said, "Please go and bring Ada. We want to see her."

Chike asked suspiciously, "I hope there is no problem?"

Peter assured him, "No problem at all. Just bring her."

Chike said, "Just a minute, I will go inside and bring her."

Jerry's heart was beating fast. After four years of thinking his daughter was dead, he was about to see her again.

After about three minutes, Chike returned outside with Ada. Her legs were chained with a rusty iron chain that made a loud clanking sound as she walked.

Jerry turned and saw her.

He froze. His 18-year-old daughter was now 22 years old. She looked grown, tattered, unkempt, dirty. Her hair was scattered, her clothes were torn, her feet were chained like an animal. He was shocked seeing her again after four years.

Tears almost dropped from his eyes.

Peter patted him, "Be strong, Jerry. Be strong."

Ada could not remember him. She just stood there laughing like a mad woman, as usual, not knowing who anyone was.

Jerry moved closer to her and held her cheeks with both hands, his hands shaking.

"My daughter, is this really you? Ada, is this really you?" Jerry cried.

Chike and Francis looked at him, confused. They asked, "Who is he? Why is he calling her his daughter? Who are you?"

Peter explained to them, "Indeed, this is her father. This is Ada's real father. His name is Mr. Jerry Nwafor, the musician."

Chike and Francis were shocked to hear this.

"Her father! You are her father!" Francis shouted.

"Yes, I am her father. I lost her four years ago after she ran mad on her way to Brazil," Jerry said, crying. He narrated the full story to them briefly.

Jerry brought out his phone and showed them an old photo of himself and Ada together — Ada in her school uniform, looking fine, fresh and beautiful.

"Na wa o, na she be this? See as she fine before before she run mad," Francis said, looking at the photo and then at Ada.

Jerry thanked them for taking care of her and told them he wants to take her back, and that they are planning to take her to a church for deliverance.

Francis became uncomfortable when he heard this. He thought in his mind, "They are taking Ada, the great dancer, away. She is our source of income. This mad woman is the one that fetches us good money when we take her to market square to dance. If they take her, we lose money."

He then told them, "You know, this girl is one of our special people that fetches us good money with her great dancing. We take her to market square and other places and people give us money because of her dance. So for us to release her to you, it will cost a lot of money. You have to compensate us."

Jerry asked them, "How much will it cost for you to release Ada to me? I need my daughter back."

Francis thought for a while, then Chike whispered something into his ear.

"1.5 million naira," Francis said.

"Okay, so you are saying if I send you 1.5 million naira, you will release her to me?" Jerry asked them, and they nodded and said yes, sir.

Jerry said no problem and asked them to call their account number.

Francis hurriedly called the account number. Jerry brought out his phone, logged into his bank app, transferred the sum of 1.5 million naira, and showed them the receipt.

Francis and Chike were very happy seeing the alert.

"Alert don enter! We don hammer!" Chike shouted, smiling.

They now released Ada to Jerry and gave him the key to the chains.

"Okay sir, there she is. We must confess, your daughter is a great dancer," Francis said.

Jerry smiled and thanked them. He told Jude and Peter, "Let's drive home."

They agreed and took Ada with them. Peter and Jude held her at the back seat as she was struggling and laughing.

Francis waved at them and said, "Be careful with her so she doesn't escape. Don't lose the chains."

He also gave them the key. They took it and drove off while Chike and Francis kept waving and celebrating.

"Wow, we are now rich, Francis. With this money we can open another business. No more carrying mad woman around," Chike said.

"Indeed, this mad woman was really a blessing to us," Francis said, smiling and looking at his phone.


Jerry drove straight to Peter's church as Peter directed him.

When they got to the church, they pulled Ada down from the car. Ada was still laughing and struggling, saying nonsense.

"See these stupid people o, leave me alone!" Ada shouted, laughing.

They took her into the church. The pastor was inside with some church members, discussing an upcoming fellowship.

When they entered carrying the mad woman in chains, everyone turned and looked. The pastor looked at them and asked Peter, "Is this the mad woman you talked to me about on the phone?"

"Yes, Pastor Bola, she is the one," Peter said.

The other church members stared at her. Some shifted away in fear.

The pastor told them to bring her close to the altar. Ada was still struggling, Peter and Jude still holding her tight.

Jerry begged the pastor, kneeling down, "Please do whatever you can to heal my daughter. I beg you, man of God. I have suffered for four years."

The pastor bowed his head and told the other church members, "Let's all bow our heads and begin to pray for this woman. Let's cast out every demon."

They all started praying loudly for her, casting out demons, sprinkling anointing oil, laying hands.

After one hour of intense prayer, Ada was still not healed. She was still laughing, still behaving mad.

Jerry said worriedly, "Pastor, but she is still not okay now. She is still mad."

The pastor told them to sit down. He said the Lord revealed something to him while he was praying for her.

They sat down and listened anxiously.

Pastor Bola told Jerry, "God revealed to me that your daughter's sanity was tied in chains in a faraway shrine and thrown inside a river. They must find that river and the Baba who did the ritual and remove those chains of madness they dropped in the river. That is the only way she can be cured. This madness is not ordinary, it is tied spiritually."

Jerry panicked and wailed when he heard this.

"Where do we find that Baba now? I don't know where he stays. They never told me where his shrine is."

Peter said, "Jerry, why don't we go back to Abuja and meet Mr. Samuel? Maybe they will give us some information about his whereabouts."

"It's been a long time. Are you even sure they are still alive or still living there?" Jerry said.

"Don't you have his number?" Jude asked.

"I deleted almost all their contacts after their confession, but I still remember their home address in Gwarimpa," Jerry said.

"Alright then, we have to go there. We have to travel to Abuja," Peter told him.

Jude agreed. The pastor warned them to be careful and to go with prayers.



The next day, they all got ready — Peter, Jude, Jerry and Ada. They headed to the airport to board a flight to Abuja. Peter and Jude were still holding Ada on chains at the airport. People stared at them, some filmed them.

They took the flight to Abuja.

When they arrived, they took a cab to Mr. Samuel's house in Gwarimpa.

Inside the cab, Jerry said, "So I am back to Abuja again after everything. After four years, I am back to this town."

"It's going to be okay," Peter assured him.

They arrived at Mr. Samuel's house, knocked on the gate, and the gateman opened it. He saw Jerry and shouted, "Oga, long time! Long time you no come here!"

"You still remember me?" Jerry asked.

"Yes na, you be Mr. Jerry, Ada's papa," the gateman said. He looked at Ada in chains but could barely recognize her.

"She looks familiar," he said.

"Is your oga inside?" Jerry asked.

"Yes, he is inside," the gateman said and went inside to inform Mr. Samuel that Jerry was here to see him.

Mr. Samuel was shocked when he heard this. He told the gateman to let him in.

Jerry entered with Peter, Jude and Ada. As they entered the living room and Samuel saw Ada, he was shocked.

"Oh my God! Jerry! Is that not Ada! Is that not Ada Nwafor!" he shouted.

"Yes, she is Ada. The girl you people made run mad," Jerry answered coldly.

Samuel was still shocked, staring.

"How or where did you find her? Where did you see her?" he asked.

"That shouldn't be important now. We are here on a different mission," Jerry told him.

"What is it? Tell me," Samuel said.

"You see, I was surprised too to find my daughter in Lagos. After I got her back, we took her to a church for deliverance. The pastor said for her madness to be cured, we need to find the Baba that did the charm for her to run mad. And that's why we are here, to find out who that Baba is and where his shrine is."

Mr. Samuel bowed his head with sadness and said,

"My daughter passed away three years ago. Maryann is dead. But my wife is still alive and battling with stroke. I have taken her to every herbalist and doctor, no cure. One herbalist told me that it was as a result of the charm she did to a mad woman and unless the mad woman forgives her, she can be healed. That mad woman is Ada."

"So your wife is still alive?" Jerry asked.

"Yes, she is. She is in the guest room now. That's where we keep her. I spend a lot of money treating her every month," Samuel said, crying.

"Take me to her," Jerry said.

Mr. Samuel took them to where Mrs. Samuel was lying on her bed with her left leg swollen from stroke, unable to move, her mouth bent.

Mrs. Samuel saw Jerry and was surprised, trying to talk slowly, her mouth moving slowly.

"Jerry," she said slowly, slurred.

Jerry looked at her without pity.

Peter and Jude brought Ada inside. Mrs. Samuel saw her and was shocked.

"Oh no, it can't be! Ada!" she cried.

"Yes, she is the one," Jerry told her.

Mrs. Samuel began weeping loudly with her one good hand.

"I'm sorry Jerry, so sorry. Forgive me, forgive us," she cried.

"It's okay. I have already forgiven you. What I want now is for my daughter to be okay," Jerry said.

"I pray she gets okay," Mrs. Samuel cried.

"That Baba that you used to charm her to run mad, where does he stay? That's what we are here for, to find the location of the Baba," Jerry said.

"Oh Baba, it's been a long time I heard from him," Mrs. Samuel said.

"Where does he stay? That's what we want to know," Jerry pressed.

Mrs. Samuel told them the address of his shrine at Mpape hills, near the river. And she kept crying and begging for forgiveness.

Jerry told her it's okay. She begged them to bring Ada closer to her. Jude and Peter carried Ada closer to her.

She laid her one good hand on Ada, weeping and begging, "I'm so sorry. All this was my fault. I put so much pressure on my daughter to be like you. I was really unfair to Maryann. I caused her jealousy. Please forgive me my daughter, I'm sorry."

Ada was still behaving mad, not understanding what she was saying, just laughing, "Leave me alone."

"That's okay. We need to go now," Jerry ordered, and they left with Ada.

They boarded another taxi and started going to Baba's shrine.


They got there in the evening. When they arrived, they searched for him but could not find him. His shrine looked destroyed and empty, overgrown with weeds, broken calabashes everywhere.

They asked some nearby people. A woman selling bananas told them,

"He died two years ago with a strange illness he suffered. He swelled up and died. He is no more. His shrine has been abandoned."

Jerry flinched when he heard this. He was in pain. He felt his daughter would not be healed again.

"Oh nooo," Jerry cried, kneeling down.

Peter patted him, "Take it easy Jerry, take it easy."

The woman then said, looking worried,

"I hope you guys are okay, but anyways his son lives on and he took over from his father. His son's shrine is not too far from here, just down the hill."

Hearing this, Jerry felt relieved and stood up.

"So where do we find his son's shrine?" he asked.

The woman gave them directions to his son's shrine.

Jerry thanked her so much and gave her some money.

Peter said it was getting late and they should pass the night at a nearby hotel and continue tomorrow.

Jude agreed. They were tired and needed to eat.

The first hotel they entered, the manager and guests got scared when they brought Ada in chains.

"We don't allow mad people inside here! This is a decent hotel! Take her away somewhere else, not here," the manager warned.

"Please sir, it's just for this night. We will leave tomorrow morning," Peter begged.

"No sir, it's against our rules. Take her away," the manager insisted, pushing them out.

They took her to another guest house. The manager there was also reluctant but Jerry paid him well — extra 20,000 naira — and he allowed them, giving them a room at the back.

That night in the room, Peter told Jerry,

"You see, carrying your daughter everywhere is not easy. See how people are just looking at us and shifting away from us at the airport and hotel."

"I know guys, and I thank you for supporting me in this journey. You are indeed great friends. Without you I wouldn't have come this far," Jerry said.

"We just felt we should be helping after hearing the sad story," Jude said.

"Thank you," Jerry said.

The next morning, they dressed up and started heading to Baba's son's shrine.

When they got there, they couldn't find the address, then a small boy they saw showed them the place — a small hut with white chalk around it.

They got to the shrine and Baba's son saw them. He also saw Ada in chains. He stared at them and immediately told them to come inside.

"You know, I have been waiting patiently for this day," Baba's son told them.

Jerry and the others were shocked to hear this.

"You may not know me, but I do know why you are here. It's for the cure of the mad woman," he said.

"Yes Baba," Jerry said.

"Please we need to find the cure to her madness. Please help us. I need my daughter's sanity back," Jerry begged.

"Before my father died, he told me everything. He suffered a strange illness before his death. I tried everything to revive him, but no cure. Then one day he called me and confessed to me that he did a ritual to an innocent girl to make her run mad and it was her own sister that tricked him into doing such ritual. He said the dead mother of that girl has been fighting for her daughter in the spirit world and fighting those who made her daughter run mad."

"Oh my God, Abigail! My wife!" Jerry wept.

"Yes, her mother has a very strong spirit and avenged all those who made her daughter run mad. My father confessed all to me and said the oracle tells him she will be back someday. He told me how to go about the cleansing and removal of the charms he did to her in case she returns someday. I waited for this day patiently to come. I summoned the gods each day asking when will this day be and now it has come," Baba's son explained.

"So you are saying you can cure my daughter's madness?" Jerry asked, breathing with relief.

"Yes, I can," Baba's son said.

Jerry smiled as he looked at Peter and Jude, "Thank you Baba, that will be awesome."

"Leave her with me. She will undergo cleansing in the river. I will take her to the river where my father threw the charm. I will do cleansing and ritual on her for three days. After that, the madness will be cured and after two days she will be normal again," Baba's son said.

Jerry smiled, "Oh my God, that's awesome. Thank you Baba."

"Don't thank me. Thank the gods and also thank her late mother," Baba's son told them.

"You can go now. Leave her with me. Come back in three days time to carry her."

Jerry, Jude and Peter then left the place.

Outside they discussed as they were going.

"I'm so happy your daughter will be well again," Peter told him.

"Yes, I thank God. We have really been through a lot. I pray it works," Jerry said.

"So where do we pass the day again? At the hotel or in my house?" Jude asked.

"I think we should head to my house. It's been long I visited there. So let's go and clean up the place again," Jerry said.

The Baba's son took Ada to the river. He bathed her with the water and performed the ritual on her, tying some white ritual ropes on her neck and chanting words as he bathed her in the river, calling her name and removing the old charm.