********************************************

" Wake up sleeping beauty, it's time " Meggy said slapping Rains shoulders
Rain stretched before opening her tired eyes reluctantly. Even though she was not a deep sleeper, Meggy's rude way of waking her up from sleep often infuriated her. And when she realized Meggy wouldn't change despite the many times they'd quarrelled about it, she decided to give up. The brushed their teeth and changed into their jogging clothes before stomping out. Rain wore baggy white tracksuits and trainers while Meggy had on a tight tank top on black leggings and a blue Nike sneakers. She preferred slim fitted clothes even though they revealed her folded tummy and thick laps. Rain was starting to read another motive to her obsession for exercise as she always chose this particular streets with its big houses compared to the other less opulent neighborhoods. Rain exercised because she knew very well it's importance to her health but she doubted if Meggy knew the first thing about keeping fit. On countless occasions she had tried to tell her of the big mistakes she was making concerning her health and the wrong approach she's taking to lose weight. "How would you starve yourself by skipping meals only to later binge eat on junks and alcohol? You can't lose weight this way and you're doing great damage to your health" Rain recounted saying to her and she would not forget Meggy's response to her " Shut up you this village girl, what do you know about dieting?" And since then, she learnt to keep her mouth shut indeed.
They jogged up and down along the main lane of Akoka street for the final round then they turned round at the junction into a more narrower route that would lead them back to their hostels. Immediately they passed a fenced bungalow, a dog started barking fiercely, its deep voice like that of a bull dog made it sound as if it was right behind them, sending the girls sprinting and screaming in terror. They kept running in hot flight with no one daring to stop or look back. Along the way, just before the next turn, Meggy screamed in pain and fell, stopping Rain who was ahead in her tracks. She ran back to meet Meggy who was sitting on in bare ground with one hand holding her right foot. Rain saw that they had covered a considerable distance from the compound where the dog had been barking and nobody was in view.

"Sorry, what happened?" Rain asked placing her own hand on the foot Meggy held.

"My.. Leg!" She cried

"Sorry dear sorry, let me take a look.

" Ouuuucch...its hurting badly, did my bone dislodge? "

"No there is no dislocation, I think its just a sprain. She tried to pull her up with so much struggle. C'mon let's get you home".

Rain wound her arm round Meggy's back supporting her as she walked by limping. Then it crept back. The weird feeling of someone watching her. She stopped abruptly and turned to look back, taking a long pause as she watched to see a movement, any noise, but she there was none safe for their heavy breaths and the blaring of vehicles from afar.

" What is it? Meggy asked. The pain suddenly gone from her voice and was now replaced with fear.

"Nothing. I just thought I heard something"

"Jeez, you scared me".

"I'm sorry, let's go. She placed her arms back around Meggy and they continued moving even though she could still feel the eyes boring into their backs.

crislyn:

She no fit!

kelvinhilton:
Just hope Meggy won't succeed in influencing Rain.

I hope not too

I need the Harry Potter series by J. k. Rowling

Chapter 10

The sky was clear blue and the smell of earth after a rainfall clung tentatively to the air.
Rains stared blankly outside the window of the moving vehicle, she was no longer crying but her face was stony with a mixture of anger and determination.
Cold breeze blew her cheeks from the half opened window of the front seat where she was seated, she was glad the car was move ng really fast as she felt as though she was running away from her gory past, the lies and betrayal. A sudden emptiness crawled into her chest and goosebumps ran across her skin and she recognized the feeling. It was loneliness. A severe one. The kind that drove people to commit suicide. But she wouldn't think of doing that, she was too full of ambition to take her own life now. Her Dad is out there, somewhere, saving lives maybe in an African country. He was her last hope for truth and she will find him.
They arrived akwanga in no time, and she went to the park to obtain a bus ticket. She checked her purse only to find out that the money inside was not enough for her transport fare. She returned the purse, a little embarrassed and asked for the nearest ATM machine. It was crowded but she had not other choice but to wait. Two ladies had been had their eyes fixed on her since she came and she could tell as she glanced from the corner of her eyes they were talking about her. The sun was beginning to come out fully as it gradually got to her turn. A young man came to stand beside her and she knew immediately his intention

"Sister, good afternoon o"
She checked her wristwatch it was barely 10:00am

"Good morning" she answered

He drew himself forward as if she couldn't hear him before. "Abeg, help me withdraw na I de travel go far place. He said in a loud whisper.
Rain tried her best not to close her nose to the putrid stench emanating from his mouth.
" Bring it " she said turning her head slightly to the other direction and extending her hands to collect the card.

"The number na.....

" Just write am and the amount you want you wan collect " she cuts in, trying to avoid any conversation.

He scrawled his pin and the amount he wanted to withdraw on a paper and gave it to her. She made the two withdrawals and left after giving the man his card and cash.
"Thank you eh fine girl, God go bless and give you better husband" he said smiling with a coloured teeth.
She smiled back and waved him off before returning to her frown. This man doesn't know husband is the last thing on my mind right now, she thought. Even her account balance was running low but she knew her pride won't let her ask her grandma or any other person for money. When she makes up her mind, it is hardly altered. She will just look for a job or something to sustain herself for the mean time, the thought sounded ridiculous to her. She got into the bus and went to sit at the last corner. Usually she patronized the little girls hawking 'okpa' 'awara' 'masa' or groundnuts but now she was in no mood to eat. An old beggar came singing by the window, she checked her purse and pulled out a fifty naira note and gave to him, since she had no music to block her ears like the guy putting on earphones in front of her.
The old man thanked her and left to the window on the other side of the car. She buried her head and slept only waking up when the bus started moving so she could check the time.

**********************************

The warning strike was called off after a week and lectures began in full. There were bunch of assignments to do and practicals held everyday except on Fridays.
That morning, Rain dug yet another hole in her waist belt before it fitted. The stress of school activities was taking its toll on her. Feeding was also becoming difficult as she had to minimize her expenses for the scholarship allowance was barely enough. She couldn't bring herself low to ask for help from Meggy or grandma . Meggy's parents were obviously wealthy it was rumored that he owned chains of companies in and outside Lagos. Back home, Rain and Nana had a large farmland such that they often had to hire helping hands when cultivating and harvesting. Grandma grew a variety of beans, melon seeds and sweet potatoes which she sells in sackfuls to her customers most of which were Igbo merchants who transported the wares out in big trailers. She used it together with the pension allowance from Mr Clinton's Health and Missions foundation to augment her schooling back then in the expensive Bill Clifford's College.

"Hurry up we're getting late". Rain said impatiently to Meggy who was still battling with her makeup. It worried Rain how indecisive Meggy is when dressing. And it's not just dressing, Meggy is fickle about every other thing else even food. She had learned not to ever ask Meggy about what food they should eat, now she just went ahead and bought or cooked whatever was on her mind for them.
While it pained her to wait for Meggy whenever they were going for lecture, she knew deep down that if not for Meggy she wouldn't get seat and would have to stand through out the two hours lectures in the scruffy halls. Meggy was useful in that she had lots of friends or rather, she easily made friends and once she flashes those pearly teeth of hers, they (especially the guys) would readily offer her their seats or an empty one they probably kept for someone.
Rain jotted and paid rapt attention to the stout, bald lecturer, jaded with his profession. Every one else was either sleeping or making side talks yet the lecturer remained annoyingly indifferent about it, and went on talking in usual monotonous tone.

"That's why I like Dr. Olalekan, Bio101 lecturer. He's too disciplined to tolerate this and I respect him for that. He's not like this sissy" Rain speculated.

"Speak for yourself, Meggy added, I assure you he's very manly in other areas" she said stressing the words manly.

Rain turned to look at Meggy, who was applying lipstick to the already thick layer of fuschia pink lipstick and looking into a mirror. She smacked the pink plumpy pair of lips noisily and then offered the lipstick to Rain who declined.

"Can't you do this later? What if this lecturer points you out and embarrasses you?"

"Then mission accomplished!" She bragged grinning mischievously.

"Oh you think I don't know what I'm doing.. She laughed. You see, unlike you, I choose my outfits to be conspicuous to stand out. You know something girl, you need to change your perspective in life, starting with your dress sense in fact why haven't you changed your wardrobe? Infact you need to stop wearing clothes like this, she lifted the sleeves of Rain's brown polo T-shirt, they make you melt into the background.
"You're lucky you're beautiful and brilliant anyway, some of us are not so blessed so we have to use the other things we have to get what we want"

Rain didn't pretend not to know what her roommate meant for she was fully aware of Meggy's escapades with the lecturers. And whenever she suggested they go to read together, Meggy would evade by saying reading was not her thing.

"Why then did you choose to study medicine?"

"It's what Dad wants me to study. Her face slightly turning sour. I'd always wanted to become an actress, but he said he won't have that in his house".

Rain was about to say something but was stopped short by the excited uproar and noise from the students, signalling the end of the lecture.

They made their way out and began trudging towards the canteen. And while Meggy stopped to greet another student, Rain sensed a strange feeling of been watched or followed. She turned carefully to look around but saw no one in particular, just students going about their activities. She turned back to join Meggy and their new found friend as they headed for the canteen. After one more quick glance around, she decided to shrug off the feeling.

[quote author=OluwabuqqyYOLO post=58631653]I like this direction the story is now going. Kudos! But you must watch your tenses well. Nice job, babe.[/quotel]
Thank you boss

Crislyn, marianeada, theagba, oluwabuqqyolo, tiffanyj, evajael, vakjay08, nedlog, divepen, royver
Where are the eyes of the gods, behold the sacrifice has been slaughtered

Welcome onboard, dupsai, nickybeauty & synanza1

Chapter nine

The room was dark and grandma had lit a tiny torch as she rummaged through her drawers.
“finally” she sighed as she brought out a lidded plastic bowl.
She took it to the bed and sat down. With the tiny torch on her left hand to began to scan through the contents of the bowl. She paused as she lifted one of the letters and smiled wryly as recognition dawned on her. It was the letter she had almost tore into shreds the letter she wrote herself. She opened it and saw the first line “Dear Clin”.
Tears welled up in her eyes as the memories played themselves in her head. It seemed like yesterday when it all happened; the events that led to death of the two people she ever loved. The guilt of which will forever haunt her. She had called him Clin then after much insisting from him not to refer to him as sir. She had gradually gotten used to referring to him as Clinton, but after much series of love making, the name Clin stuck. He on the other hand referred to her as “my love” but she was too shy to reciprocate the pet name then. The kept their affair secret of course, but in a bid to cover up the abomination they created, she made a big mistake that death hasn’t erased. How sweet and cruel love could be at the same time. She broke into a sob, hot tears that stung her soul more than it did her entire face. A knock came in from the door, breaking her from her thoughts. Using the end of her wrapper, she quickly wiped her face and gathered the papers sprawled upon her bed.
“knock knock” Rains voice came again.
“I’m coming, hold on” she said while she frantically fondled the papers back into the box before sliding it in the drawer.
“come in “
“is everything okay” Rain inquired scrutinizing the room
“yes dear, everything’s fine” she said huskily, her voice betraying her
Rains brow knitted in worry “Nana, why are you crying?”
“nothing, I’m not crying” she sniffed and tried to force a smile.
“you can talk to me Nana, we’re all we have, it breaks my heart when I see you hiding things from me”
“I will tell you my child, I promise you will know all these things someday”
“Someday? Not today? “
“I can’t tell you right now”
Rain was trying hard not to show her anger, she saw Nana going through letters before hiding them, why did she hide it quickly? She wanted to ask , the words formed in her mouth, but she kept back as usual.
“tomorrow? But you just came today”.
“I know Meggy just called to say that there might be an impromptu test tomorrow and besides, lots of practicals are going on and I’ll miss a lot if I stay her any longer”
That was a lie, they were having a warning strike.
Nana remained quiet too ashamed and scared of what Rains reaction would look when she revealed the truth.
“when is a right time?!” Rain barked causing Nana to flinch a little.
“Watch your temper young lady, I can’t have you talking to me this way. Raise your voice at me one more time and I’ll give you a slap you’ll never forget!” Nana pointed, a muscle in her jaw twitching.
Rain glared at her, her face scrunched up the way it normally does when she was filled with fury. She grumbled something and walked out barging the door behind her.
In her room now, she laid on her back with her face towards the ceiling. She was too bitter to cry and to confused to think. She checked the time again, it was quarter to 12am. “Nana must be asleep by now” she thought to herself. She climbed down from her six inch spring bed and walked barefooted to Nanas door, the coldness of the cemented floor freezing her legs. She peeped through the tiny hole on the door and though the room was dimly lit she could tell that Nana was fast asleep. Then quietly, she opened the door, lifting it up gently as she did so it doesn’t make the screeching sound it makes when it glides across the floor. She went straight to the drawer and opened the last cupboard, she was sure Nana dropped it here from where she had stood peeping earlier. Her hand groped inside the cupboard feeling batteries, clothes and wool before she touched something plastic. Nana stirred and said some incoherent words before turning on her other side. Rain sighed to release a bottled air she didn’t know she was holding then she closed the cupboard and left the room as quietly as she had entered. The plastic box secured under her arms.


Rain is seated on her bed with her back against the brick wall. Lots of papers were littered all over, some she had flung in anger. Her eyes were sore from much reading and her spine throbbed with pain. Determined to get her answers, she squinted over the last letter in her right hand, as she read intently; the old kerosene lamp her only source of light.
She finished reading the last sentence of the last paper before throwing her back on the bed to gaze at the high ceiling as if expecting it to speak, to say something at least it has been there all these years, had witnessed all these atrocities and evil going on in the house. Or was it corrupted like the rest of them? Everything now made sense, the eluded questions and pieces of fickle stories that didn’t quite fit together.
She yawned and cold tears escaped from the corners of her eyes. They must be reflecting the condition of her heart. Her eyes now bloodshot as they burned with new determination. She looked at the plastic box and laughed, pain ringing in every sound.
“I hate you Nana, with every drop of my blood I hate you for ruining my life, for ruining my life, for killing my mother!” she screamed and kicked the box with all her might.
That night she cried and soaked her pillow with a river of tears with her head aching badly. She wished she could scream more and punch the walls with her fists but the tears choked her throat and her whole body seemed paralysed with shock. She had never felt hatred and betrayal this intense before. The only person she ever trusted, the person who meant everything to her turned out the cause of her calamity, the witch behind her woe.
She dreamt her grandma was weeping bitterly then she woke up startled, only to find out it was not a dream. Her grandma was seated across from her and weeping profusely. For a moment, Rain forgot about the hatred she now has for her grandma and felt pity for the old woman beside her.
Grandma turned to face her “I know you now know everything, quite everything, but I can explain…”
Rain simply got up and made to exit the room, but Nana grabbed her by the arms
“you’ve gotten it all wrong my child, those are not there is to the story, she said pointing to the box, please let me explain”
“leave me alone. You’ve had seventeen years to do that Its too late, I hate you Nana for doing this to me, I don’t think Ill be able to forgive you” she said and broke loose from Nanas grip .
“Rara… Rain stopped in her track, only Nana called her by that and she only did so when she was serious.
..”I did all I did for the sake of my family, I did it to protect you and Sally..
"I trusted you Nana! You meant everything to me but not anymore. I'm going to go find my father, don't bother about contacting me".
" Your dad is not who you think"
"I'll decide about that, what makes you think I'll believe a word you say?"

Vakjay, swankmee,EvaJael, Marychommy, kelvinhilton,I see you all. Thanks for your comments really. I'm sorry my systems being faulty hence the delay. Typing with my phone is not easy but I'll type something tomorrow, for you guys I promise
One love

EvaJael:
Welcome back gracile

Thank you ma'am.

vakjay08:
Gracy ur story is dope. I'm enjoying it. Kip it up. More mb 2 ur fone. Meanwhile where is micheal nw?

I thought no one would ask lol, don't worry Michael thinks he's hiding himself but we'll find him soon

crislyn:
gracile thank God u r back o.

Don't mind me I be like NEPA abi

I'm having an idea tho, maybe we should fix particular days for updates, what do y'all think?