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OluwabuqqyYOLO:
Aunty Spam, eez like you are mad.


Divepen1, Obinnau, kindly unban Royver.

Aunty Spam must have identified him as her runaway lover,

yet he should be pardoned.

Let's read something excellent biko!

@bolded I'm just seeing this @runaway lover

“What happened to you?” I demanded, “Do you know Nina has been missing? I’ve been unable to feel you for two days. Two whole days! Where did you go?”


Total silence. He was ignoring me or something and that pissed me off. After being absent for so long I was expecting him to waylay me with gist. Instead the inside of my head was gravely quiet.


“Answer me!” I shouted out loud, my voice resonating round my apartment.


Chukwudi the Stronger remained silent but deep within me I felt the familiar rumble. A call to meditate, to parlay with him in the silence of my mind.


“So now you rumble after two days?” I started angrily. “Do you know what could have happened to Nina in two days?!”


"I...apologise." Chukwudi the Stronger said finally. "I was occupied."

Chukwudi the Stronger’s voice in my head was calm, and that unnerved me. Chukwudi the Stronger is normally a boisterous fellow. Mischievous and full of life, ready to take on any and everything that comes our way. But now he spoke with a solemnity that was sobering.

“We need to talk. Switch off your phones and lock the door.”


I paused for a moment then did as he asked. As I did so I looked around my shoddy apartment; it was amazing how quickly it had become scattered and disorganized in the two days Nina went missing. It also occurred to me that I had barely eaten and had taken my bath only once since the incident.

I was going to lose my mind if I continued like this.

"Leave your apartment alone, we have bigger issues to worry about."

"You think?!" I retorted angrily. "You disappeared without any explanation when you were needed the most and now you want me to just leave everything, right?"

"Has it occured to you that I may have disappeared for a reason?"

"There's no reason good enough!" I spat ruefully. "There was no reason good enough for you to abandon me like that! First Pachios and now..."

“STOP WHINING AND GET DOWN HERE!”

I felt rage and impatience surge through my body. It pissed me off and I was about to retort but then I realized it would be better doing it face to face. So I closed the windows and put out the light and went to my bed to lie down. I closed my eyes and concentrated. And in a moment I was once again moving through the deep recesses of my thoughts to that little room in my head where I found Chukwudi the Stronger pacing up and down, his head bowed in thought.


“You raise your voice like that to me again and I promise you…” I began,

He looked up at me and his eyes widened in surprise. Then he grinned his boyish grin.

“”Put out the fires, I’m not spoiling for a fight.”

I looked at my body and realized I was totally covered in flames. These were not the same as the lust flames I had previously described with Nina. These were hot and belligerent, blazing orange and yellow flames of rage. In this imaginary room in my mind all spiritual energy was plainly visible. The room itself was eerily darker than usual and walls pulsed with a dull red colour like the inside of a blood vessel.

“I want answers!” I shouted.

Chukwudi the Stronger sniggered and blew with his mouth and the flames on my body went off instantly only to return as I walked angrily towards him.

“Seriously, save the flames. We have more pressing issues.” He placated.

The flames went off as I calmed down. He was talking like he knew something. Like he had a clue. More importantly he was being...courteous? That was kind of new.

“Now that I’ve got your attention,” Chukwudi the Stronger spirited up two chairs and we both sat down.

“Talk to me.” I said. “Were have you been?"

"First of all, you’ve grown darker since when I left.
These are the first signs of depression. Cheer up. It would be uplifting if you could do something to make this environment more comfortable.” He said, indicating the darkness.

The room got darker.

“I’ve been having a really bad couple of days.” I responded through clenched teeth. “What do you know about Nina’s disappearance? What did you sense in her apartment?”

“The whole place was completely devoid of any spiritual activity. Our sight was totally useless. No clues whatsoever.” he said.

I sat back on my chair and sighed in frustration. It seemed he just wanted to waste my time.

“I already know that.”

“Yes, but the information is useless to you because you do not realize its significance.”

I raised my eyebrow enquiringly and Chukwudi the Stronger leaned forward, his boyish face, my younger boyish face, thrust out in...looking defiant, angry.

“Whoever took her knew about me.”

"Knew about you? What do you mean? Like they know I have the sight?"

"Worse". He said. "They know about me! About Chukwudi the Stronger!" He thumped his chest. “They know the power I possess and were prepared to neutralize it!”

"Well...that's a first." I murmured. Only a handful of people knew about my alter ego, two in fact, apart from my parents. And Nina was currently out of circulation.

"Jenny? You think she had something to do with this?"

"No, no, not the mermaid!" Chukwudi the Stronger waved the suggestion away with a flick of his hand. "I'd know the fish-lady's aura from a mile away. This was someone else entirely!"

"You seem to be hesitating to say some more powerful than you." I had noted the agitation in Chukwudi the Stronger's voice. He grimaced.

"Nonsense!" He bellowed. "No one could best Chukwudi the Stronger! I was just caught a little unawares is all..."

"You got your ass whopped didn't you?" I asked, a chuckle escaping my lips despite my predicament.

Chukwudi the Stronger blinked and then laughed. “Finally, a little humor! If we are going to solve this problem, you are going to have to calm down, brighten up a little and apply some wit. Stop being angry and desperate and think for a moment!”


He was right. I had spent the last two days indoors bemoaning Nina’s fate and feeling sorry for myself instead of coming up with a constructive plan. I had literally been living beside my cell phone waiting for it to ring with report from the police that they had found her or at least received a ransom note. Only twice had I received any information from them and it was to let me know that they were still looking. Now wasn’t the time for despair and self-pity, now was the time for action and resourcefulness.

I took a deep breath and let it out slowly. I closed my eyes and engaged in some more deep breathing, mentally calming myself down and trying to think logically. When I opened my eyes Chukwudi the Stronger was there smiling in approval. Our imaginary room had brightened up considerably. White-washed walls appeared on all four sides and a bright light filled the roof. The hardened wooden seats took on a more modern, more comfortable nature.

“Very good.” He said. “Negative thoughts provide no usefulness other than to delay you from achieving your goals. Now, as I was saying, whoever kidnapped Nina knew about me and about your gift of Sight. Same person went all out to erase any trace of spiritual signature.”


“So he cast a spell or used a charm or something. It wasn’t an ordinary abduction.”


“Right, and with the level of thoroughness I was thinking it would be very difficult for one person to abduct a struggling Nina and use a charm at the same time. From the way her room was scattered she fought back pretty hard...”


“So there must have been two people.” I said.


“At least more than one person. Another one to keep a lookout as the other was busy dealing with Nina inside. The stronger one I would presume, since the struggle seemed very intense.”

“So we have at least two people at the scene.” I said. “One strong one to subdue Nina and the second one to perform a quick ritual so powerful anyone with the Sight would be blinded.”

“They are not looking for a ransom.” Chukwudi the Stronger said looking very thoughtful.

“How’d you figure that?” I asked.

“Think about it. These people knew about us right down to our spiritual gift. If they know about us that much then they also know about our financial capabilities. They know we are not ‘rich’.”

“And neither is Nina, so why kidnap her? To get back at me for something?”

“Possibly, but then they would have contacted you already. It’s been two days. More likely you were an afterthought; they wanted to make sure that neither the police nor you could sniff them out.”

“They wanted me out of the way so they could take her.”

“This kidnap was about her, they need her for something.”

“Kill her?” I allowed the thought filter through my mind.

“No, at least not outright, else they would have done it at her place.” Chukwudi the Stronger remarked.

“Use her for something diabolical?”

“More like it.” He nodded.

I suppressed a shudder.

“How do we know she isn’t already…?”

“We would have felt something” Chukwudi the Stronger reassured though I wasn't thoroughly convinced.

“That’s the problem; I can’t pick her at all, not in my dreams, no visions, nothing.” I shook my head. “It’s like she just fell off the face of the earth.”


“There’s more.” Chukwudi the Stronger sighed.

"This is where you tell me how you got your ass whopped?"

Chukwudi snickered but went on. “Whoever performed that ritual also cast a spell that sucked me out soon after you got into that apartment. I haven’t been ignoring you bro. I was rendered completely powerless in an abyss of serenity. I’ve been fighting through a thick mist this whole time.”


“Say what now?” I asked, alarmed.


“They waged a pre-emptive war on me. Stuck me in limbo. Made sure I wouldn’t hear your call.
Somehow it was your father’s voice that showed me the way and his cutting remarks that filled me with the strength of rage. Else I would still be nowhere, feeling nothing.


“But, that’s not possible…is that possible? The last time someone tried that it didn’t work!”

“So we have to assume this person is spiritually stronger than the fish-lady.” Chukwudi the Stronger pointed out.

I massaged my scalp with my hands. “These guys are pros.”

We were both silent for a while, then Chukwudi the Stronger looked at me suddenly.

“We need help.”

“Whoa, you asking for help? This is really serious.”

“Well, not for myself exactly.” Chukwudi the Stronger huffed. “Someone to point the way… show us the next step to take. Like another guardian angel since Pachios is a no-show.”


“You mean…” I knew where he was going with this before he said it.

He nodded.


“We should go and see The Beggar.”

________&&&&&_______&&&&&&&_____&&&&&___

I decided to call my parents. I was not sure what help they could render but maybe some calming words from them would clear my head.


The phone rang twice and there was a click. My dad’s gruff voice filled the speaker.


“Hello Son!” He boomed. “You decided to remember us today.”


“Leave him,” My mom’s voice filtered through from the background. “He doesn’t know he should call home once in a while. We don’t miss you oh, if you like don’t call.”


I chuckled, despite myself. “Hello Dad, greet mom for me. Tell her I’m sorry I haven’t called in a while. Things have been…”


“Busy, right?” My dad said reproachfully, “You can always make out time for your parents, son. You don’t actually have to call once a week but…”


“I know, I’m sorry.”


My Dad sensed the bleakness in my voice. “What is it son? What’s going on?”


“I can’t feel him, Dad.” I said, my voice shaking. “Chukwudi the stronger, I can’t sense him. And I really need him right now.”


“Are you in trouble?” My dad whispered into the phone. Chukwudi the Stronger was kind of a secret between us, though my mom knew something of my other abilities. My mom was kind of an anxious person and letting her in on my adventures would worry her no end and so we tried to let her believe I was as normal as normal could be and led a pretty boring life although there were times when I suspected she knew what we were up to but decided not to confront us about it.


“What’s happened to you?” He probed.


“Not me, It’s Nina,” I hesitated, not knowing whether to fill him on the full details. “She’s in trouble and I need Chukwudi the Stronger to find her but I’ve not been able to communicate with him for two days. He’s been completely silent…”


“Keep the phone to your ear, son.” My dad said. I could hear the squeaking of doors, as if he was going outside the house.


“Where are you going?” I heard my mom yelling in the background


“Eh, nowhere dear, Network is poor inside, I want to see if I will hear him better outside.” My dad said.


I heard my mom say a suspiciously intoned “Hmmm” but then she said nothing else.


“Chukwudi the Stronger, my boy!” My Dad’s voice boomed piercingly into my ear, making me wince. “I don’t know what’s going on over there but you have promised to answer anytime I call! Wake up! Chukwudi the Stronger! Arise!”


There was an awkward silence as I waited for the ringing in my ear to stop.


“Well?” My dad’s voice chirped from across the phone. “Did it work?”


I closed my eyes and tried to concentrate. My mind remained a complete blank.


“No, nothing. Thanks anyway.” I replied forlornly.


There was a pause as I waited for my dad to come up with something else.


“Well, it was worth a shot.” My dad replied after a while. “You’re better off without him anyway.”


“How’s that?” I asked, puzzled.


“That lazy, good for nothing lout has never been of any use to you.”

“What?!”


“You heard me Boy.” My Dad replied, his voice filled with an unusual barb. “Chukwudi the Stronger, how pretentious, what has he ever done to deserve the name ‘Stronger’? Chukwudi the Stronger my foot.”


From deep down within me something snapped. A fire began to grow within my gut, radiating waves of indignation that swept throughout my being. I began to breathe deep and hard and my throat went dry.

“Chukwudi, are you there?” My father queried. I tried to answer but was only able to manage a deep sigh.


“I can hear your breathing, it has changed hasn’t it. Does the scared little idiot want to manifest himself?” My dad chortled. His words were liked spikes darting out of the phone and into my mind.


“Call me Stronger.” I murmured into the phone.

But it wasn’t me. Suddenly Chukwudi the Stronger was there, full force and trembling with rage while I receded into my mind.


“Are you sure?” My Dad teased.


“I am Chukwudi the Stronger, Father!” He said.
And my Dad heaved a sigh of relief.


“Welcome back my boy.” He replied and I could feel his grin all the way from here. “I had a feeling that would work. Stronger, you have got keep your temper in check. You are so easily taunted. It’s one of your weaknesses you know."

“Thank you father.” Chukwudi the Stronger replied. “I was…taken unawares by an unknown force.”

You were what? I gasped in my mind.


“We will get back to you father.” Chukwudi the stronger said.


“Alright. Stay out of trouble okay?”


Chukwudi the stronger grinned. “I make no promises sir.”


My dad chuckled and cut the call and I was suddenly back in control. The void within me had been filled and I could sense Chukwudi the Stronger again.

EkopSparoAyara you're cordially invited.

oluwadabira111:
Nothing should happen to nina oh!

Haha you are really concerned about this Nina character

purpose32:
I'm new here, i must confess OP you are doing well.

Welcome to my thread and thanks for your confession

@blueyes1 you have been tagged.

CHAPTER 4


I’m lost.

I’m confused.

I don’t know what to do.

Oh God, what do I do?!



It’s been two days already since Nina disappeared. This was the morning of the third day and I was lying on my bed looking at the time listlessly as it struck 7am. I barely had any sleep last night despite being thoroughly fatigued. I had spent the whole of yesterday and the day before making calls and running to and from the police station hoping for some lead on Nina but there seemed no hope in sight.


I remembered how that first night had been. I almost went mad running through her apartment, using my full powers all over the place, looking for any clue as to what might have happened to her. And the more I used the sight the more everything became a blurr and the more confused I got. Damn well woke up the whole neighborhood running around outside like a lunatic and screaming her name. The security man and local vigilantes had soon appeared on the scene and none of them had seen any suspicious activity. After a thorough search of the Estate, they suggested we report to the police.


The police kept asking annoying questions, who I was, how was I related to her, what was I doing at her place, how were they not sure I was the one who kidnapped her and so on and so on. I lost my temper and yelled at them a couple of times and the security guard had to vouch for me, begging them in the local dialect else I would have been thrown into jail to cool off. I called our boss and intimated him about what had happened and he made a few calls. Less than an hour later some soldiers came over to the station. They took me from the station back to Nina’s apartment and searched the place again. They asked the security guard if he had heard anything or seen any suspicious person enter or leave the estate and he replied no. They then went further to search every house in the estate. The more unfruitful their search was, the more distraught I became.


Eventually we all returned back to the police station in the early hours of the morning, where I gave a statement and Nina was declared missing. There was a procedure of waiting for 24 hours before lodging a complaint but the blood on the gown was too ominous a sign to ignore. Knowing how close we were and how emotionally affected I was, the boss had given me some time off from the office.


I had touched the blood earlier. I knew it was Nina’s blood, my Sight had shown me that much. The authorities could only speculate but I knew! If Nina’s blood was on the floor it meant Nina, my Nina, was hurt. Maybe even…


I couldn’t bring myself to think about it.


I sat in my room perplexed. I was still wondering why I hadn’t gotten any supernatural trigger from her apartment despite the obvious violence that had ensued there. There should have been a clue, a sign, something! It was like someone came in after the deed had been done and cleared the area of any spiritual signature or activity. It was uncanny. Even touching the bed at the height of my powers should have given me an apparition of her last minutes in her room before she was forcefully removed, but I had felt nothing, seen nothing. I was only able to decipher the blood was hers because as soon as I touched it I saw her face. And even then that was a past image. It should have at least shown where she was at the time. In desperation I had tried calling Chukwudi the Stronger forth and it seemed to be working for a moment but then he too slipped into oblivion. I had suddenly stopped hearing or feeling him.


What was going on?


“Pachios! If you can hear me, I really need your help right now!” I cried out, falling on my knees, feeling completely helpless with tears stinging my eyes.


Chukwudi the stronger is my alter ego of sorts. He is me manifested at the height of my powers, my full potential as a supernatural being buried deep within my soul, inhabiting my flesh like a vessel. For years he lay dormant within me as I tried to live a normal life but was reawakened in my clash with Nina’s evil uncle. As a personality he is pure, childlike, undiluted and brimming with supernatural power. The last time I saw him manifest completely was during the incidence with the man-animal in Asaba. Since then he had been idle, coming just below the surface on a few occasions like the night before when I needed reassurance of Nina’s safety. However since the time I entered Nina’s apartment I had been unable to call him forth. Sometimes I would hear a whisper from deep down in my mind, like he was at the end of a long tunnel, but when I closed my eyes to find him the whisper would vanish like a wisp of smoke lost to the wind.

This was not supposed to be a new phenomenon. I had lived without Chukwudi the Stronger for most of my youth. But I had grown so used to him the past two years, felt so invincible knowing he was right there within me, that now he was gone it was like I had lost it all.

"Pachio? Stronger!" I yelled in desperation.


No word from Pachios. No Chukwudi the Stronger. I was talking to myself.

______&&&&&________&&&&___&&&&&__________

I caught my breath in horror. Really? Tonight of all nights? And a restaurant? Who in their right minds would rob a new restaurant?


But then again I remembered the large crowd outside, the sudden surge of patronage and the low security at the back entrance. It was going to be an easy target.


These folks were going to spoil the romantic mood I was trying so hard to create! There was no way I wouldn't have to intervene in this matter.

The men approached seemingly casually, making a straight line for the waitress behind the bar. I got up silently from my seat, followed them from behind and waited patiently for them to make the first move.


"Here, sister! Come here!" one of the men beckoned.


"Can I help you?" she asked innocently as she approached. Suddenly she froze. One of the men had shown her a gun. He flashed it at the DJ as well who quickly raised both hands in alarm.


"If you make a sound I will shoot you.” He whispered. “Oya, open this teller and bring out all the money."


"Quickly and silently!" the other one hissed.


The other customers were totally oblivious to what was happening. The men didn’t turn around for a second; they were totally occupied with the task at hand. My guess was that they wanted to do a quick job and get out of the place without causing a scene. That didn’t mean they weren’t prepared for trouble though.


The waitress was a young girl, barely out of her teens and scared out of her wits. She went to the cash register and worked it, gathering all the money in her trembling hands.


“Put all the money in a bag and hand it over!” the first man spat. “Be fast!”


"Yeah but why should she though?" I said loudly and the men whirled round to face me. "It’s not like it’s your money."


The first man brought out the gun that he had been concealing and pointed it at my face. It was a 9mm glock. I heard someone gasp as the customers became aware of what was going on.

"So you think say you be hero abi? Move back-"

He hadn't completed the sentence before I had the gun in my hand. It was a quick and deft move that took him completely by surprise. Both men looked bewildered for a moment as I gently set the safety to off and put the gun on the nearest table.


"Gentlemen, I know this is going to sound weird, but can you do this another time? I'm expecting my fiancé and I don't want to spoil the ambience of this eatery."


"How did you...na jazz you use?" the other man asked, mouth agape.


I shrugged. "Cat-like reflexes. You get it after fighting creatures like a man-animal. It’s a long story, never mind...look, if you leave now nobody will stop you, after all you haven’t stolen any-"


The first man threw a punch that connected squarely with my jaw. So much for cat-like reflexes. I was knocked backwards as the waitress screamed and the couple at the corner struggled to hide under their table. I turned to face them...and saw that the white-shirted Michael Jackson character had entered the fray.


He punched the first man that had struck at me in the nose and ducked the blow from the second man, sticking his foot out to trip him over in the process. As the first man recovered and made a grab at him he whirled round and karate-kicked him in the gut. The man buckled, going down and vomiting all over himself. He never got up for the rest of the fight.


The second man who had recovered from his fall charged the man in white and shoved him to the service counter, smashing his back against the hard wood. I made to run forward to help but the guy in white grappled the man by the neck and put him in an elbow lock. As he squeezed, the second criminal choked and gasped for breath. In a final effort the criminal raised the guy in white from his feet and flung him over his head. He landed in a crash behind the bar and beside the waitress who apparently had been hiding where he fell. She screamed and ran out of the way. As the criminal looked over the counter the guy in white struck out, smashing a beer bottle on his head. The second criminal promptly passed out.


I watched in fascination as the man in white jumped over the counter and tied up the two men. The first guy who had been kicked in the stomach was still writhing in pain. After securing their hands and feet with very strong plastic clips, he sauntered up to me. His ghost girlfriend followed behind looking proudly at her man and for a moment I lost my guard and smiled, winking at her. She gasped inaudibly.


"You know, you could have helped." He said.


"Well I wanted to, but you were doing so well by yourself" I replied. "I'm impressed. Do you fight for a living?"


"Haha, not really. I'm security personnel.”


“Wait, you work for this establishment?”


“Surprised?” He grinned smugly. “The Manager takes security very seriously but doesn’t want to make it too obvious in the VVIP section so as not to make his guests nervous.”


“Well, I daresay you handled those men very well. My name is Chukwudi. And yours?”
“Jeffery. Jeffery Ebi.”


We shook hands as security men and bouncers rushed into the place and hauled the men away.


“What about you?” He asked suddenly, looking at me with interest. “The way you confronted those men; that took some guts. I was half expecting you to do my job for me but then you got socked in the jaw…”


I scratched my head, embarrassed. “Yeah, well, I’m kind of proposing to my fiancé tonight and wasn’t concentrating on the fight.”


“Nice!” He nodded appreciatively. I’ve never been one to pop the question myself. I’m more of a hit-and-run kind of guy.” He winked and his ghost girlfriend rolled her eyes. I stifled a laugh. “You into security as well?”


“More of public relations and stuff.” I replied. The door swung open again just then and I peered around anxiously, but no, it wasn’t her.


“You looked a little worried when you were seated at your table.” He remarked, “Hope I’m not intruding if I ask what the matter is?”


He had been observing me? He saw the look on my face and laughed.


“I watch all the customers when they come in. It gives me an idea of what to expect from them if there’s going to be any trouble.”


I sighed. “Nah, it’s nothing. Had a little argument with my girlfriend and she left the house kind of upset. I thought we made up though, we’ve been communicating via text. We were supposed to meet here by 7pm. So far she hasn’t shown up.”


We both glanced at our watches.


“It’s almost eight bro.” He said.


I sighed dejectedly. Nina had never been this late before. It was obvious I was being stood up. Jeffery saw the look on my face and grinned again.


“Yeah, I definitely know that look. Why don’t you try calling her and if she doesn’t pick you can go to her place.”


“Tried that already, her phone is switched off.”


“Uh-oh. Not a good sign man. Looks like you messed up more than you thought.”


I shook my head, feeling sorry for myself. Of course I had messed things up, she had been answering monosyllabically and I didn’t bother to call her or go to her place and make things right. I was so hell bent on making this night about the proposal I had forgotten to take her feelings into consideration.


Jeffery was looking at me with a smirk on his face. “You’re an idiot.”


“Yeah, I guess I am.” I sighed. “Don’t you want to even know what I did though?”


“Doesn’t matter.” He shrugged, taking a seat. “As long as it’s a lady you love, you go to her place and drop on your knees if you have to until she forgives you. Works every time for me and I don’t even have the mind of taking them to the altar!”


He laughed cheekily and I followed suit, caught in the infectiousness of his hilarity. He seemed to be more or less a jovial fellow. Someone who didn’t take things too much to heart. Not a single bad manifestation around him, except of course for the girl. I thought of using the full force of my sight to probe deeper but decided against it. I liked his spirit and realized he would make an interesting friend. We exchanged numbers and sat a while longer as the manager rushed about pacifying the customers and ordering free drinks for everyone in the VVIP room, his hooded observer following silently by his shoulder.
By half past eight there was still no word from Nina. I stood up.


“Okay man, I gotta go. Probably branch by my lady’s place and make an ass of myself apologizing.”


Jeffery gave me the thumbs up. “Don’t take no for an answer. Sing a romantic song in the crankiest voice possible. They love that kind of stuff.”


We laughed over it and I left the place, surreptitiously waving goodbye to the ghost girl as she looked at me with interest. I was able to flag down a taxi and take a drop straight to her Estate. Usually the gates were closed by 9pm but the security guard recognized me and opened it. I smiled and handed him a crisp naira note and he grinned.


“Should I wait for you to come back sir?” He asked.


“I should hope not. Be like say madam dey vex for me. Give me an hour then if I’m not back you can lock the gate.”


He nodded and I walked down the row of houses to her apartment.


As I approached I noticed the absolute silence of the place. Through the window I could see the lights were on in the parlour and in the kitchen and caught a glimpse of the television displaying a news channel somewhere within. I took a deep breath and walked up to the door and knocked.


No response.


I knocked a little louder. “Hey, Nina, you home?”


Maybe she was sleeping. I knocked some more and then peeked in through the window. The window blinds obstructed my view a bit but I could see enough of the parlour to know it was empty. I went around the back to her room and found that the window blind there had been pulled back. I didn’t want to look like a pervert but I needed to know if she was at home or not, if she was sleeping or simply ignoring me.


I drew up to the window and looked in.


My heart skipped a beat.


Her room was in shambles. The window blinds had not been pulled back; they had been yanked off the rails and lay haphazardly on her bed which had been pulled out of the corner. Her mirror had been smashed to pieces and one of her wardrobe doors had been torn off its hinges. Lying on the floor was a dinner gown and a pair of shoes, like she had been preparing to go out when something happened. As I studied the scene more closely my heart skipped another beat.


The hem of the dinner gown was stained with blood.

_____________&&______&&&&&&_______&&&&&____

oluwadabira222:
hey bro how can i get the concluding part of i see things other do not.and nice story by the way!

Send me private message and I will have it delivered to your address.
Thanks.

Immarocks:
following I won't be a silent reader on this one sir...your stories are mystically enchanting .

.thank you very much.

Ishilove:
Thank you, Royver. I am pretty sure I am speaking for a majority when I say we look forward to reading the story.

Happy new years and merry christmases

Kaycee9242:
Nice start op, I'm following

Thank you for the encouragement

I followed the young man round the back entrance to the VVIP section of the restaurant. A glass sliding-door ushered us into a serene environment, sound-proof and much different from the noisy atmosphere outside. I sighed in relief.

There was a huge muted flat screened television hanging on the wall on one side with a sophisticated-looking bar adjacent to it and the air-conditioning set to a comfortable temperature. A waitress stood behind the bar, busily mixing drinks. There were couches arranged in beautiful modern designs around small hexagonally shaped tables, each table was separately lit from above by a cone of light which could be dimmed or brightened to the taste of whichever guests sat there. Placed conspicuously on the wall was a sign indicating that it was a no-smoking area. A deejay beside the bar played some soft music.


“Please have a seat sir.” The young man said, gesturing to the available seats and I surveyed the place for somewhere isolated, somewhere I could make an ass of myself to Nina if need be without being easily seen. I picked a table by the right, close to the wall and far away from prying eyes. The waiter nodded in approval and asked what I wanted to order and I told him to bring their special wine and to prepare one spicy roasted chicken. He nodded again and left.


I looked around my surroundings once more. A couple sat at the extreme left hand corner close to the air-conditioning, laughing away and having a good time over soft drinks and fried rice. An athletically built young man sat alone on a bar stool at the other end near the entrance, sipping a sex-on-the-beach cocktail and watching the muted football match on the television. He wore a white shirt with gold outlines on the collar and sleeves and black trousers. The gold outlines sparkled when he moved. A pair of dark shades covered his eyes and a white and black fedora hat sat on his head. He reminded me of Michael Jackson in his “Moonwalker” outfit.


Besides him sat an apparition. I had seen ghosts before, I was used to them. She was a dainty thing, a pretty young girl with straight hair and a purple silk dress. She dotted over him, touching his shoulder once in a while most affectionately. She caught me staring and blinked, wondering how I could see her. I quickly looked away, pretending to be concentrating on the football match.


I looked at my watch, 7 o’clock on the dot. Nina would be here soon. I felt the ring-box in my pocket and my heart skipped a beat. I suddenly became a little nervous and tugged at the collar around my neck. I wanted everything to be perfect. I caught the eye of the DJ and nodded my encouragement; he grinned and gave me the thumbs-up sign and continued with the cool jazz he was mixing. The tune was relaxing and the warmth and strong confidence the music exuded helped in calming my nerves as I took deep, even breaths.


Fifteen minutes passed and she still hadn’t arrived or called. I began to fidget. Nina is seldom late. That’s another thing I really like about her. Her punctuality is refreshing especially for someone like me who likes to keep to time. On the few occasions she has been late she is always quick to apologize even though I insist she doesn’t have to. Her smile then is like the rising of a thousand moons on a dark night. Dimples appear on her cheeks and she heaves a sigh from her chest as if I’ve forgiven her for one grievous offence. I’m mad about the way she smiles, the way her lips curve together when she is pouting, the way she puts her hands on her hips when she wants to make a point. I love everything about her and can’t wait to make her mine.


I searched in my right pocket again, brought out the little box containing the ring and opened it. It was an 18-carat white gold engagement ring, the best I could afford, with the phrase “be mine” inscribed upon the outside of the rim.
I hoped she would like it.


Was she still angry with me? She had replied favourably when I had told her about the dinner date and even though it was a monosyllabic text message it had been friendly enough to show she wasn’t harbouring serious bad feelings, at least not enough to stand me up. I battled with the idea of calling her to ask where she was, whether it would be good manners to do so or not. I decided to give her another ten minutes.


The door of the restaurant swung open and a couple walked in. It was obvious from the aura surrounding them that they were in love. I welcomed their presence, hoping it would add to the romantic atmosphere I was trying to will into creation and I nodded politely as they offered salutations. The lady went to sit at a corner of the restaurant while the man headed for the bar.


“Give me two roasted chicken and potato chips with two bottles of coke.” He ordered. He glanced back at his girl, then at me. I averted my gaze, completely ignoring the chain of bottles and cigarettes trailing behind him. He got his order slip, paid for it and went to join his lady friend at their table. As he approached his love, something wonderful happened. The chain of bottles and cigarettes shortened and faded away. I smiled secretly to myself at the effect a good woman can sometimes have on a man, making him want to throw away all his bad habits for a chance at happiness with her.


The man in the Michael Jackson suit ordered for another drink. He looked forlorn, probably worrying about the girl ghost sitting beside him. At least she was right there, not like me that was being stood up by the girl I wanted to marry on the romantic evening I had chosen to propose to her…


Damn it.

I picked up my phone and called.


‘The number you have dialed is switched off’


The robotic voice seemed to be deliberately taunting me. I tried again and got the same response. I closed my eyes and sat back on my seat, massaging my temples with my hands.


Why had she switched off her phone? Was she really that upset? Was it that her battery had run down and she had forgotten about our date?


The glass door slid open and I sat up expectedly but instead two burly men walked in. Both men wore black t-shirts and blue jean trousers just like the other staff at the restaurant. I groaned and sat back down, asking myself why I had behaved so badly this morning and wishing I could turn back the hands of time. The two men passed my field of vision and headed for the bar.


I sat up again immediately.


Above them hovered an imp of greed and mischief, his leather whip in one hand and a bottomless pot in the other. The pot was glowing. I had been unfortunate enough to see this manifestation twice in my lifetime and it meant only one thing:



They were going to rob the place.

CHAPTER 3


By six in the evening I had my bath and dressed in a fitted blue and white striped shirt and black denim trousers. I walked down the road to the new fast food restaurant that had just opened up a few weeks ago. It was a two-storey building with ruby colored steel-plated sides and a see-through glass front wall with shiny lights emblazoned across, making the entire structure look like a beautifully wrapped gift. It had an underground club as well. Their food was delicious and the atmosphere was serene. It would be the perfect place to propose to Nina.


I had booked a table there about two weeks ago and I hoped the manager of the place remembered. I had not been there more than twice since then to remind them I was coming and I didn’t want to catch them unawares; I needed to make the event extra special after the goof I had made this morning.

As I approached the place, I saw that business had really taken off. Customers were lined up at the entrance and there was loud music blaring away as the DJ played the latest hits. I became anxious for a moment, wondering if the environment would be too rowdy for the romantic evening I had in mind. Anyway, I had booked in the VVIP suit and been assured of some privacy in that area.


I walked into the restaurant and made a beeline through the crowd for the security guard and told them I wanted to see the manager. They were polite enough to let me through, pointing to the back entrance.


The office was a small one and his desk had been placed right in the middle of it. It was quite chilly as the air conditioner was on full blast. The manager was a short fat dark-skinned man with a cigarette between his lips and furrows of worry etched across his meaty forehead like a wavy tattoo. He wore a light grey suit with a black shirt beneath it. His hair was cropped very low and balding at the centre. He sat down, worrying over sheets of papers on his desk. My Sight revealed a chain of bottles signifying alcoholism attached to his legs which protruded from under the small uncomfortable looking desk. A hooded dark creature with a scythe sat very still beside him, signifying a worry which leads to death. It was not attached to him in any way which showed that he could still change his fate if he made the right decisions.


“Hello sir,” I said. “I’m Chukwudi. The guy who made a reservation about two weeks ago when you first opened…”


“Show me your receipt first if not I can’t help you!” He retorted angrily. “I don’t know why my staff will be booking seat reservations in a busy place like this! If your receipt isn’t here we can’t do anything about it!”


I saw the hooded creature shift closer to him. I ignored it.


“Sir, here’s the receipt.” I handed it over to him.


He let my hand hang in midair for a few seconds as he wrote furiously into a ledger. With each stroke of the pen I could see his veins pop out on his neck and forehead. The scythed creature put an arm around his shoulder.


“You really should calm down.” I sighed, my conscience getting the better of me.

The man misconstrued my concern for aggression.


“I said I will get to you!” he barked. “I have people waiting in the VVIP list and I don’t have time for…”


“Oh, I’m in the VVIP list.” I cut him short quickly.


“Eh?” he looked up from his papers and at my outstretched hand. He took the receipt from me and stared at it. The moment he saw the insignia for VVIP his countenance changed.

“Ah, sorry sir, please wait a minute while our waiter takes you to your table.”


He pressed a button on his desk and in seconds a young waiter entered the office.


“Sir?”


“Take this fine gentleman to his seat in VVIP section.” The manager purred putting on a fake smile. The boy nodded and turned to me. “This way sir.”


I thanked the manager and turned to leave... then paused at the door and sighed. I had to try.


“Pardon my asking, but have you checked your blood pressure?” I said to the manager who had gone back to studying his papers. He glanced up at me.


“No. Why? You selling something?”


“No Sir, but you should have it checked soon as a matter of urgency. All the signs of an impending stroke are there on your body.”


The man leaned back in his chair and smiled crookedly. “What are you, some sort of doctor?”


“Something like that.” I said, “Take it as a friendly advice. Get your blood pressure checked first thing tomorrow morning. I’m serious.”


He thanked me very politely and returned to his work. I left, saddened that I couldn’t tell him anything further for fear of being labeled a psycho or worse, having my real powers known. People who found out about what I could do tended to complicate my life and I didn’t want that at all, least especially today. The hooded creature had barely budged from its sitting position near him. He hadn’t taken what I said seriously. Hopefully he would later on in the future.

I opened my eyes to the sound of urgent knocking at my door.

“See this lazy guy oh! Don’t tell me you are still sleeping. Wake up!” Nina’s voice hollered from the front door.

I grunted and stumbled out of bed. A quick glance at my watch showed it was already seven thirty in the morning. I had overslept by thirty minutes. I looked at my alarm clock reproachfully as Nina continued to bang on the door. Apparently I hadn’t heard it ring.

“Chukwudi! You’re supposed to escort me to computer village today! Hello?”

“Coming! Coming!!” I shouted back as I staggered to the door and opened it. Nina almost fell in as she was leaning on the door and carrying some groceries with her in both hands. I reflexively grabbed and steadied her. My nostrils caught the sweet scent of her perfume as she leaned against me, giggling. She wore a short Ankara blouse on top of dark blue jeans trousers and black sneakers.

“Troublesome somebody,” I whispered into her hair.


She smiled and planted a kiss on my lips. “Good morning sleepy head!” She grinned. I mumbled good morning back and made for the bathroom.
“Why are you just waking up, didn’t you sleep well last night?” She asked as she went to put the groceries in the kitchen.


“I should be asking you that.” I replied, slathering my toothbrush with Colgate and sticking it in my mouth.


“What do you mean? I slept okay.” She put on the electric kettle for the tea and came to peep at me in the bathroom.


“No bad dreams?” I queried further.

“No, why would you ask that?” Nina replied, surprised.


“Oh, nothing. Just wanted to know how your night went.” I said and went back to brushing my teeth. Nina looked at me with narrowed eyes.

“You’re seeing things again, aren’t you?”


I looked at her in mock bewilderment.

“Who, Me? I beg your pardon madam, are you saying I’m not quite right in the head?”

She grinned and punched me playfully in the arm.
“It’s no big deal.” I shrugged reassuringly. “An inconsequential dream.”

“I know. If it was something you’d be panicking already.” She laughed and went back to the kitchen. “Fried eggs with tomatoes and onions and then we head out. It will be nine o ‘clock before you know it.”


I watched her walk away, swinging her hips in a seductive fashion, and I involuntarily swallowed a mouthful of toothpaste.


I was madly in love with this woman. I wanted to marry her so bad. I had surreptitiously measured her ring size the last time she was here and bought quite an impressive engagement rock if I did say so myself. The ring hid somewhere in my bedroom closet, in a place her hand could not reach, the very back of the topmost shelf.
I didn’t have a tinge of nervousness in proposing, I had it all planned out and God willing, it was going to be the most romantic proposal ever. It was actually planned for dinner tonight, though she didn’t know it.


I valued her more than life itself.


In case you are wondering, I still remain the perfect gentleman. We had both agreed that what we had was something special and that being sexual would becloud our judgment of what we wanted out of the relationship. She felt we needed to know each other better but deep down I knew it had to do with her Christian values. I had decided not to force her. I had the same values of course but sometimes the temptation was, eh, a bit much.


She caught me looking at her through the mirror and smiled shyly, showing forth a pair of pearly white teeth that could only belong to a goddess or an angel.


“What are you staring at?” She asked, breaking some eggs into a bowl.


“You are so beautiful…have I told you that before?” I asked


“Yes. And it makes me wonder if you would still love me if I was a little uglier.” She mused


“Women, why do you always have to spoil the moment?” I asked in mock annoyance. “I would love you even if you had one eye and a cleft lip.”


“Hmmm, you know where all liars go to.” She quipped, adding the seasoning to the egg and turning towards me while whisking it. I finished up brushing my teeth, rinsed my mouth and approached her, holding her by the waist with both hands. The whisking stopped immediately as she inhaled sharply.


“You know I’m serious. I do love you.” I said, emphatically this time.


She sighed and looked away shyly. “How are my wings this morning?” She asked probably to change the topic. She rarely asked about my ability ever since our run in with her uncle two years ago. It was one thing she didn’t usually talk about with me, mainly because I had earlier given her the impression that I didn’t like talking about it. I glanced behind her and saw her wings manifest, spread out, shiny and humongous as usual.


“They are spectacular. Wish you could see them.” I said with a smile.


We looked into each other’s eyes for a moment and suddenly we were kissing. We had kissed many times before obviously but this kiss was different, mainly from her body language. It was filled with desire, fire, a longing. I opened my eyes for a moment and yes, she was manifesting the red hot flames of lust I usually saw on others and a couple of times on my reflection when I was with her. I closed my eyes again and allowed myself to be drowned in the euphoria of our kiss. I took the bowl of eggs from her and dropped it on the kitchen table in one fluid movement. Her hands found my chest and mine wrapped tighter around her waist drawing her closer to me. She shuddered a little and I cupped her backside and drew her in, my chest now against hers, her hands finding the small of my back. My actions caused a moan to escape from her lips and her breathing grew fast and urgent. I grabbed her off her feet and still kissing her, walked towards the bed.


She opened her eyes and gasped and put her feet down, gently putting her hands on my chest to stop me. I paused.


“I’m sorry…” She began


“I’m not.” I said and kissed her again. But this time she pulled back.


“Are you kidding me right now?” I said, a little too harshly. She backed away from me, a hurt look on her face. All the lust flames had disappeared. From her anyway, I was sure if I looked at myself in the mirror right now I would be on fire from head to toe.


“I thought…for a moment there, I thought, maybe…”


“I don’t know what came over me, I’m so sorry sweetheart.” She said, looking very uncomfortable.


I paced the room like a wounded lion, growling furiously on the inside but trying my best to be understanding on the outside. She saw through it immediately.


“I love you too.” She said, coming towards me. “I do, and maybe you are right, maybe I’m being a prude but, but I don’t know, I don’t want us to spoil it, you know?”


“Spoil what?” I was still a little angry, “You think I’m going to use you and dump you or something? After all we’ve been through?”


“It’s not like that…” She stuttered.


“Even the boyfriends of one-eyed cleft-lipped babes get to taste the apple once in a while.” I grumbled, and wished immediately that I hadn’t said it.


Tears formed in her eyes and she batted her eyelids furiously to push them back. She turned abruptly to the mirror and quickly reapplied her make-up without another word. I was mortified.


“Babe, I’m sorry I said that.” I said quietly, remorsefully, standing at the door awkwardly, not knowing whether to go to her or stay where I was. “I guess I lost my patience a bit there but I’m all good now.”


She said nothing, picked up her purse and came to the door, waiting for me to stand aside.


“What, you are not talking to me now?” I demanded.


“I’ve chopped up your veggies and whisked the eggs. All you have to do is fry them. I’ll head down to computer village alone if you don’t mind.” She said quietly.


I whistled, exasperated, and stepped out of the way. She walked through the parlour and out the front door and hailed a passing motorcycle.


I watched her go and then shut the door and went into the shower. I stood there quietly as the cold water washed over my entire system.


“I’m sorry.” I soliloquized, sighing to myself and fighting the irritation that was rising up within me. The more I thought about it though, the more I realized she was in the right. I of all people, being a seer, should have known better about what sex did to the mind and how lust blinded one from a lot of things, physical and spiritual.
I came out of the shower and dressed up. I composed an apology text “I’m so sorry” and sent it to her. She replied a whole grueling ten minutes later. It was an emoticon blowing a kiss.

“Dinner still on tonight?” I texted.

“Ok” she texted back.

Good. At least she was still talking to me, in a manner of speaking.

I smiled and looked up at the wardrobe, at the corner where her hand couldn’t reach. I had been planning this for ages, had even reserved seats in advance. Tonight was going to be the night and nothing was going to spoil it.

____________&&&_&&&_________________________

CHAPTER 2
I woke with a start. I checked the time and saw that it was an hour past midnight. Everywhere was dark save for the light emanating from the rechargeable lantern I had kept by the side of my bed. As was the norm in my part of Lagos, the power had been cut for the night, to be restored by six o’clock in the morning. Outside my window the sound of purring Lister generators gave the darkness a familiar hum. My generator, definitely not a Lister, wasn’t on; I do not like running it beyond 12 midnight for personal reasons. I sighed and got out of bed to get a glass of water. I checked my phone to see if I had any unread messages. I saw a lot of notifications on my social media handle but decided to ignore them till morning. If I started to attend to them now the night would be completely ruined for sure. I returned back to bed and tried going back to sleep, the night was still young and I had quite a busy day ahead of me.


The images of the two unfortunate souls, one dead and the other weeping over his mangled corpse, still burned behind my mind’s eye. The dream was vivid enough for me to know that it wasn’t ordinary. Then again, I’m used to seeing extraordinary things every day. The dream, gory as it was, wasn’t what bothered me.


What bothered me was how it ended.


Those wings the Baba saw. I know those wings only too well.


As a matter of fact, I saw them just this afternoon.


Nina. They were Nina’s wings.


I’d recognize them anywhere, dream world or real world.


My name is Chukwudi and as you may have guessed, I’m not exactly an ordinary Nigerian youth in his late 20s. I mean, I do my best to blend in; I am a single and hopefully soon to be married young man working at a top notch Public Relations Firm somewhere in Lagos. I’m of average height and weight, dark complexioned, athletic and in generally good health and physique. A neatly trimmed full crop of hair covers my head and chin. Most people would say I have handsome features and a quiet disposition. My eyes are dark brown and I’ve been told I use them a lot in that I have the tendency to stare piercingly, like I want to look deep into a person’s soul.
The ladies like it. They call it my “sexy stare”.
If only they knew the truth.


Most of the time when I’m staring, I also happen to see things others do not see.


No, I’m not crazy, just special, which in certain parlances could mean the same thing, I guess. I see visions, signs, spiritual beings, you name it. Pachios, my guardian angel, says my Sight is as a result of not being properly neutralized spiritually before I was born. Almost all humans that cross through the veil to this life lose their gifts of vision as soon as they are born; I was left with a great percentage of mine. Yes, I’ve seen a doctor about it, a story I’m sure you’re familiar about, but the visions are way too accurate to be termed a psychiatric illness.

Like I said, I do my best to blend in. I keep my paranormal activities to myself and don’t intervene unless I absolutely have to. It has been one heck of a roller coaster ride trying to do this in recent years but I’ve come out of it in one piece.

But enough about me, back to my girlfriend, Nina.
Nina is the most beautiful girl that I know. And that is just the physical aspect. She is light complexioned, almost as tall as I am, with a narrow nose and light brown eyes and teeth so white you were prompted to remember a toothpaste commercial anytime she smiled. When I spy her with my Sight, she has the biggest pair of wings, the biggest I have ever seen till date. Gold chains surround them, but very loosely, not as tight as when I first saw her. She’s sweet and kind and wouldn’t hurt a fly.
So why were those two men planning to harm her?


“Pachios?” I whisper out silently into the night, seeking my guardian angel’s counsel.


I’m not really expecting an answer; Pachios has not been around for a long time. Before my run-in with the Man-animal in Asaba and my full blown manifestation as Chukwudi the Stronger, Pachios had started appearing less and less. It seemed the more I matured in the things of the Sight, the more he receded into oblivion. Now he has completely disappeared. The last I saw of him was when we had just returned from Asaba. I was alighting from the airplane with Nina when I saw him on the tarmac. He had given me a knowing smile, nodded and faded away. The note of finality in his silent farewell was unsettling but I had shrugged it off, expecting to see him in a few weeks at the most. I didn’t believe he would leave without some words of goodbye. Apparently I was wrong on that count.


“She’s fine.”


The voice comes from deep within me. It’s a very familiar voice especially as it sounds exactly like mine. It has a laziness and nonchalance about it that makes me smile and lifts my spirits for the first time this night.


“Stronger?”


“Who else?” Chukwudi the Stronger replies from deep within my belly. My alter ego seems to be my new guardian. I lift up my hand from the sheets and watches as it ignites with a mysterious yellow flame, gently pulsing in sync with my heartbeat. I sigh and turn it off again. I believe I have all but mastered the art of making my supernatural flames manifest in the physical. Unfortunately manifesting completely as Chukwudi the Stronger is not without its consequences. The last time I was him on full gear I was sick for a month with splitting headaches and didn’t have any visions for weeks. So I keep him in check deep inside me.
It’s complicated, I know.


“She’s fine,” He repeated, “The vision tells us that much. She slept peacefully through it all, her wings protecting her from the onslaught. It was a poorly cast spell anyway, all the requirements were not met, and the vengeance demon had to return unfulfilled. I pity the poor souls who conjured it up. Vengeance demons get very pissed off if they are unable to accomplish their missions and they usually take it out on those who sent them in the first place.”


“All the same, I’ll say a psalm to protect her,” I said, reaching for my bible which lay on the bed beside me. I read psalm 91 and watched as a protective orb materialized from my words and almost enveloped the entire room. It hovered in the air for a while and then darted through the walls and out of the room towards Nina’s location where I knew it would surround her in protective light for the rest of the night. I made a mental note to say my night prayers more often at least for Nina’s sake, and closed my eyes, slipping fitfully into slumber.
*******

As they got close to the hut, they heard a voice:
"Ikenna and Afam, what are you doing back here again?”

The two men stopped abruptly. Ikenna, the man who had been previously grabbed by the neck, looked terrified and almost made to run away but Afam grabbed him.

"We got her necklace Baba!"

There was silence, the only sound coming from the nervous shaky breathing of both men in the cold night. Finally the door of the hut swung open and Baba came out. He was an elderly man, his scalp covered with a red plain cap with coils of white hair protruding from the sides. From his chin hung a majestic silver beard, bushy and long but obviously well-tended. His eyes were surprisingly soft as he regarded the two men pitifully. He took a step forward holding a long walking stick on his right hand even though he didn’t appear to need it.

"Give it to me." He said, his voice strong and coarse.

Afam handed him the necklace and the Baba studied it.

"It carries her essence. You speak the truth." He said. "How did you get it?"

"We followed your instructions." Afam said "We spied on her for many days and saw it was her favourite item as she wore it every day to work. We finally made our move yesterday and pretended to be beggars. We were able to convince her to give us the necklace instead of money."

"I was the one who convinced her; I told her that the night before I had a dream that someone would give me a necklace and that person would then be blessed beyond measure." Ikenna chipped in, "I even quoted a passage from the bible-"

"You must be certain she gave you this necklace of her own free will, Ikenna. Are you sure you are telling me the truth?"

"Of course he is!" Afam retorted. Baba glared at him sternly and he took a step back and kept quiet.

"Answer me Ikenna, did she give you this necklace willingly?" Baba inquired again, looking hopefully at the young man.
Ikenna thrust out his chest and nodded emphatically. "Yes she did! Check it yourself, is it not hers?"

The pity that had momentarily left came back into Baba's eyes.

"The only way I can check is to begin the rites. If it fails..."

"Enough of all this Baba!" Ikenna shouted suddenly in a burst of courage, "If it fails we will look for another way! Try it first!"

"The punishment for trying to deceive the gods can be severe..."

"We don't need to know the punishment Baba!" Afam jumped in. "We need to avenge our boss! Try it!"

"Go ahead!" Ikenna enthused, getting carried away with his own bravado.

The old man sighed and finally nodded.
"Wait outside."

He turned and entered back into his hut as the two men sat outside in the midst of the night insects. Afam dropped the oil lamp and the cutlass and clapped Ikenna triumphantly on the back.

"Now you are behaving like a man!" He grinned.
Ikenna smiled back. He had always wanted to impress Afam who, on more than one occasion had made him feel cowardly and childish. Afam was the only family he had ever known since he was abandoned by his mother as a child and left to die in the streets. Afam, who was a few years older, had found him and introduced him to a street gang made up of orphans who begged, stole and did all sorts of illegitimate things for money. They had grown up together like brothers and Afam was always getting him into trouble but Ikenna didn’t mind as he practically worshipped him. Besides, Afam never abandoned him and was always there to pull him out again. He was proud of himself as Afam clapped him on the shoulder once more.

From inside the hut they heard the old man's coarse voice as he chanted incantations. The smell of burning incense filled the air and the sound of cowrie shells tumbling in an earthen vessel pierced into the night. Ikenna looked at Afam, his apprehension suddenly returning full force.

"But what if it doesn’t work? He said the punishment would be severe..."

"Whatever it is, I will share it with you." Afam said, thumping his chest. "The last time someone disobeyed Baba, the Boss gisted me that the man was made to walk through the streets naked and unkempt like a madman for a month, a gong tied to his neck..."

"What? I don’t want to do that?!" Ikenna retorted, "I thought you said we would be made to sacrifice a goat or two..."

"Anyone; I will help you steal a goat, it’s not a big deal so don't worry. And if it is to walk round the city naked it will be a chance for both of us to show off to the women!"

They laughed together in their camaraderie as the moon went behind a cloud and the night grew even darker. The chanting in the hut had stopped and a moment later, Baba came out.
"Here," He said, handing the necklace to Ikenna. "Since you were the one she gave, you have to return it."

Both men jumped to their feet.

"So it worked?" Afam asked enthusiastically.

"Yes, it did." Baba replied, his hand still out.
Ikenna stretched his hand to collect the necklace. "We are going to be rich! We are going to avenge our boss and get our respect back!" He cried and took it.

As soon as his hands closed around the necklace Ikenna fell into a terrible fit. He convulsed where he stood as his eyes rolled up into his head leaving only the whites of his eyes visible. He tried to open his mouth to scream but his jaw muscles went into spasms and he bit down on his tongue and cut a good portion of it clean off. Blood spilt on Afam's face as he started to shriek in horror.

"Ikenna! Ikenna! What is it?! Baba, what is going on?!"

"You finally killed him, Afam." Baba said sadly. "You finally led him to his death."

Afam cried out in panic and grabbed his friend, trying to make him stop shaking but it was no use. The convulsions increased in intensity and Afam heard a sickening snap as the bones in Ikenna's hands began to fracture. Ikenna suddenly toppled over like a log of wood and crashed on the floor with Afam following suit, trying to hold his friend still with no success. Ikenna continued to convulse and his bones continued to break as blood oozed from his nose and mouth.

"It will continue like this," Baba said, "Till all the bones in his body are broken. If you have a gun or knife it will be good of you to use it and spare him the misery of a very painful death."

"But why?" Afam screamed as he continued to hold on to Ikenna, "Why is this happening?!"

"It only happens like this when the item is stolen. I told you specifically not to steal it..."

"But we didn't!" Afam shouted even as Ikenna’s body finally began to go limp. "We told a boy to steal it from her house and then give it to us willingly! Isn’t that the same thing?"

"You stupid, stupid fellow, it is not the same at all. I gave you specific instructions." Baba said with a deep sigh. "I should kill you for what you did to your friend, you’ve always found a way to lead him astray and escape all the trouble; but I think letting you live this time will serve a better punishment. Now go, and carry his corpse with you.”

So saying, the old man turned and went back into the hut. Afam’s wailing reverberated through the hut from outside but Baba ignored him. He had no pity for Afam and actually wished he could deliberately mete out the same punishment on him as he had inadvertently done on his friend, but unfortunately there was no one around to help move two heavy corpses.

The inside of the hut appeared much bigger than from the outside. A fire burned brightly in a corner, illuminating the entire room. He turned to the plain mirror before him and gazed into it intently. The young woman, the intended victim, was still there. She was sleeping peacefully on her bed in her room far, far, away in Lagos. And covering her protectively were the biggest pairs of wings he had ever seen.
“Interesting,” He muttered, bringing out a tobacco pouch and lighting some in his pipe with a twig from the fire. He turned away from the mirror and walked towards the door of the hut. He paused for a moment.

Then he turned and seemed to be looking directly at me.

I hesitated for a moment with bated breath, surely he couldn’t see me? He walked up to where I was standing and stood still.

“Chukwudi the Stronger” I called nervously, “If you can hear me, wake me up okay?”

I knew the old man couldn’t hear me, this was just a dream, I wasn’t really here. And yet the old man cocked his head to one side as if listening to a whisper.

“Very interesting.” He said.

An extra loud wail escaped Afam’s lips from outside and the old man sighed irritably and went back to the door. He opened it and went out and I heard Afam’s wails of sorrow turn to cries of terror.

I had seen enough.
_____________&&&&________&&&&_______________

CHAPTER 1
I stood alone in the quiet forest, darkness and shadows surrounding me, the moon above offering little illumination. I knew immediately that this was no ordinary dream, I was getting used to differentiating visions from the fantasies of my slumbering mind. I had no fear that I would be attacked by night creatures as I knew I couldn’t be seen. I was only mildly concerned that this dream might leave me exhausted by morning as they sometimes tended to do.

I watched as a light approached in the darkness; two men carrying an oil lamp to show their way as they passed by me to their unknown destination, oblivious of my presence. As was the way with these things I followed, a ubiquitous entity in the events unfolding before me.

The two young men walked steadily towards the old man's hut. They were dressed only in raffia leaves and short wrappers made from Adire fabrics and their heads had been clean shaven. One of them carried the necklace of their intended victim and the other carried the oil lamp in one hand and a cutlass to clear through foliage in the other.

"Do you think he'll listen to us this time?" The first man asked apprehensively as he struck at a mosquito which had landed on his chest.
"He has to,” His colleague replied, “The oracle said he is the only one left who can carry out this ritual."

"It is true that she deserves to die. She ruined our boss." The first man said, and then began to stutter “But...but considering the repercussions if we fail…Maybe we should forget the whole thing…after all, we don’t really owe the boss any obligation…”

The second man stopped in his tracks and turning around grabbed the first man viciously by the throat.

"Our boss is mad! Our source of livelihood is gone! The others blame us for it since we were his servants…”

“Servants, not body guards!” the first man choked, trying to pull away from the grip on his throat. “Our job was to take care of the house and mind the girl, not all this dangerous stuff…”
“Even that we couldn’t do!”

“Because he let us leave that day! This isn’t our fault in any way bros!”

The second man snarled viciously, “This might be our only chance to redeem ourselves and gain recognition, who knows, the gods might smile on us and Brother Zeke will respect us enough to give us a well-paying job, after all, we are doing what he dared not do!”

He let go of his squirming companion and hissed.

"We who once lived on the laps of luxury have been turned into common street beggars and you still wail like an old woman! Have some courage! Or did you enjoy the fact that you had to beg for food yesterday? Did you?!"

"No!" His companion rasped. "It’s not like the food tasted good anyhow. Mama Iyale knows nothing about cooking; I don’t know what she is doing owning a buka..."

"Shut up! This is your last chance; if you want to turn back do so now!" His friend drew close, “But knows this. when I do succeed, when I gain my riches and glory, when I get the respect and accolades I deserve...I don’t so much as want to see you near my doorstep! I will have nothing to do with you! Do you understand?"

The first man grumbled, massaging his now aching neck. "Why are you talking like this, I was only airing my views a little. We are here already, let’s see Baba together."

The second man grunted and they continued their march.

kelvinezeh55 , Hongkongfukid , Dybala11 , SageMK, Divineroyalty , purples25 , chyoooma , eniafelamo, ministerblessed, trevolicious1, AdeniyiA , Idyllic, Bec , amjou, Pukka36 , riyageh , Uncleodi , ValentineMary , mako007 , Arinze96 , Xcely, Ochek, Haryanfe7 , Lilibeth914 , Dennis192, eboigbedavid1 , Tbrak , vokes247, MrsExplorer , JummyGee, Teeneyo , yorhmienerd , spokesman3k , Titidi , iamzubby , dynatress, olanshile2016 , olenyi , CHYNAEYEH , kokosheen , MONDAYkay , shegs2009 , PrincessMM , Ayokunumi24 , Ujuuzoma, PBeni , sleemoon , ideykwum, Despirado121 , mbapelvis, flez09, ojuolu , Olusharp , CNARIOjoseph , eitsei , IamLukas , Santi222 , Rachel01 , holusormi , smokeydrinky, lanre2009, buoye1 , DaVinci24 , copg22 , ajsans, Izyyblaze , Countrygirl , Horlorlardaey, Yuneehk , Dunnipearl, raphieMontella, saintTim , FreshestManny , Deejay1000 , Maydayy , rawdpiper , MichaelKadi , Smooth278 , chiexcel, mylove4God , jokepearl , ablatgraphicplus , ikescope, drippingink3, drdrei09, Mcphancey7 , RemenZack , Jummyjagz , smartigo, vivvyo , mackzydon9 , Asito , LarrySun , socially4fun, amosamali , Ziondee , gulfer, vonn , Olansgee , TheRealStuff, bundlez, speckless, Ashbal , Gorgeousolasco , Donvilo , Calismart , harmlessphil , Writeditor, lenmafon, coolsegun2002, Glorious1985, Peejayybold , Fatalveli , Emanuel1997, AleshKeem , dejialam , 88natzy , teetee92 , Donpoker9 , Freshtomato , tommychizzle , lupey, Hauneg , Chrisx1x , Aimedrey , samopeyemi, singlefade25 , creamyanne, afotrick , Yudeeaikay , Sowhizy , Colynx , WorldGreatest1 , chinnygold, fam24 , Nuges11 , kingphilip , rexoluj , Daughterzion , MumZ , Flakeey , Carinaflo , labaski , Truth234 , FameG , missuniverse , jumainsexy , gr890, Mimisboygreat, treasuregr8 , bquin2all , Mollyallex , PrettySleek , aboyaji , tenajtek , Nimen , Victoriousvic , zyzxx , immortalvoices , pweedierhonda, Aipete2 , pinkkyjenny , chinedumo , Ephhay , edogho , fhunn, tobex23 , jaetrill , Euphrosyne , Yeboah10 , omotolaray, Lawconfessor , toykathy , 3Dimension, Cheriepet, PrinceAdepoju , Coldfaya , thelastgenius, Niyipo , Shawdey , hapiness44 , Harrychocoberry , lozanni , Donlino , Queening , ashbal5683 , Imunique, Maccoy1 , ALAYORMII, Annais , Sugarbabekemi , Jeanfortune , chupcake , jaybeecom , Damlesky , sdqxxx , Davidsonical , capip120 , SexySapphire , JigsawKillah , Joyicy , Treasure95 , Dyoungstar, awoononi , write2obi , Emperortj93 , anneabidemi , Kimmo , Joebeck , pmc01 , mizjules , Nostradamus, Solphiequeen , whitemosquito , spicyuzo , 2bey , 9slick , slimfredo , Bertadayz, omowolewa, nuwell , missterious , ANDREW2EIC , imohcyril , shegzi , flames77 , ttime , straneur , PoetWritefield , MrBenSun, Layiwoo , Mistically , KabukiSensei , Jayses , Brite02 , eyezik3 , Mutaino7 , ProfessorD , drollster , adepink , fabnikky , Oluwason , coonax , Wealthyone, seundex , ivyy , MightyFortress, seankay , Ishilove , JeffreyJamez

It's an honour to invite you all once again. Come with your friends. This is the last (apparently) in the Chukwudi the stronger series. Hope you enjoy the ride.

Let me try one more time

zerozeroseven:
Royver!!!

My brother, I hadn't even started before antispambot banned me. I've forgotten how much fun nairaland can be

All rights reserved. No part of this work may be produced, reproduced, scanned or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission.


Copyrighted by Royver

I tell you to keep going, not because it's easy. Not because it doesn't hurt. I tell you to keep going because there's no other way. To stop is to die. Life is in motion. In growth. In change. Life is in seeking and in finding. Life is in redemption. Each moment is a new birth. A new chance to come back, to get it right.
A new chance to make it better.
-Yasmin Mogahead.

LarrySun:
ROOOOOYYYYYYYYY! WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN

Wow! It's been such a long time. How are you doing?

I'm fine bro
I've been buried in my academic pursuits. Ended a while ago praise God. Decided to come and see how the old crew was doing. Not bad from what I can see

LarrySun:
Flash 3: The Chronicle of Gbenga

I remember the first day Gbenga joined my class. That was the moment I knew we were going to become great friends. It wasn't because he was brilliant, for he wasn't. As a matter of fact, you couldn't juxtapose 'brilliant' and 'Gbenga' in any expression of virtue. But even though he wasn't the fastest sprinter in the intellectual, he wasn't the biggest stone in the shoe either.

Gbenga made a lasting impression on me the day he joined my class. Well, he actually joined the class because of me, but that's another story for another time. I could still recall vividly how Gbenga would rise up to answer any question asked by the teacher when the rest of us were afraid to answer even though a few of us knew the answers.

Although Gbenga never gave a correct answer to any of the questions asked, I admired his courage. And he was able to create a brief impression on us, albeit wrongly, that he was a brilliant chap. Even the brightest boy in the class believed Gbenga was a formidable adversary, someone that might soon overthrow him from his pedestal position of brilliance.

But after a week, it was soon discovered that Gbenga's brilliance was a sham. Saying Gbenga did not know much could constitute the greatest litotes in the history of descriptions. However, what my friend lacked in sagacity, acuteness, wit and acumen, he made up for in courage. Gbenga had the confidence of tarrying in places even angels feared to tread.

And, of course, his overzealousness often landed him in some embarrassing pickle.

We were in our final year in high school when Gbenga's naughtiness, and of course fatuity, almost resulted in an imbroglio that might have caused us to feel the ambience of a detention facility.

My courageous friend spoke with a girl named Basira at one party we chose to crash. The following weekend, I saw Gbenga and Basira appear in my house. I was surprised because I thought the two would never meet each other again after the first encounter. Gbenga always talked to girls as a pastime, something I didn't have the courage to do, and he never pursued them after the first meeting even though most of them always agreed to be his girlfriend. My friend was blessed with the gift of the gab; he always knew the magic words to say for girls to fall head over heels in love with him.

So I was greatly surprised to see him at my doorstep with Basira, of oeuvre of girls he had met. But what was more surprising was the fact that he had brought Basira to my parents' house to consummate his relationship with her, because apparently, his jobless step-father was always at home. He knew my own parents would not be around.

Gbenga was excited because that was going to be his first experience with a girl. I wondered what he must have told the girl for her to agree to let him stick his thing into her. Well, it was after everything that I learnt that it was the girl herself who persuaded him.

I allowed the two in and told them to hurry. I wouldn't want my parents to return home and meet two teenagers making out in their space. I was sure my parents wouldn't like that, and I wouldn't be spared from the inevitable rod.

I was sitting outside and watching the time. I had decided that I would burst in and chase them out ofter an hour. But just within thirty minutes, I heard Gbenga call my name. His voice registered a note of fear. I quickly rushed in and found Gbenga and the girl in their birthday suits. Basira was unconscious.

"What's wrong?" I asked, knowing that something was definitely amiss.

"I don't know," he replied nervously. "We were doing it and she suddenly stopped responding."

My heart did a somersault. I knew what the 'it' he was talking about meant, but I didn't know why the had chosen our living room to trip off. Even in the midst of the situation, Gbenga's phallus was still standing straight like an exclamation mark of doom.

"She's not moving," I said for the lack of any other sensible thing to say.

"I think she's dead," Gbenga said.

"Dead?" I couldn't believe what I had just heard. If she was truly dead, a yoke of oxen would not be enough to drag us out of jail. What kept itself on repeat in my head was that Gbenga had stabbed a girl to death with his member, in our house! My parents would kill me first before the police arrived.

"What are we going to now?" I asked nervously, aware that either of my parents could step in any second.

"We have to get rid of her," he replied confidently.

"How?" I asked incredulously.

"Do you have a big bag that can accommodate her?"

"What?" I could hardly process what I had just heard. It started dawning on me that I was an accessory to murder.

"A bag!" he repeated urgently.

"We have a Ghana-must-go," I replied. It was a large bag usually used for packing bulky loads. I apologise to my Ghanaian friends for the vicious stereotype, but I didn't invent the term.

"Bring it!" he commanded.

At that moment, my reasoning faculty had shut off. Gbenga seemed to be the radically nimble one in the situation. I searched around the house and located the bag. Immediately, my friend began to direct the unconscious girl into the bag. I could do nothing but watch. I didn't want to involve myself in stuffing a human being into a bag.

"I'm so sorry, Basira," Gbenga began to cry as he struggled to put her into the bag.

Finally, after what seemed like eternity, Gbenga succeeded in getting Basira into the bag. He dropped her clothes - bra, panties and wig inclusive. As he was about to zip the bag shut, the girl stirred and opened her eyes. Gbenga and I froze.

She was surprised in the awkward situation she woke up to. She looked around and saw Gbenga hovering over her with tears in his eyes. Then she saw me, the only dressed person in the house.

She turned her attention to Gbenga and asked, "What are you trying to do?"

There was no sensible explanation for the awkwardness of the moment. Since that moment, the girl had always avoided Gbenga and me. She was convinced we were ritual killers.

Well, who would blame her?

Larrysuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuunnn


Have i ever told you how much i enjoy your writing?
Awesome flashes you've got here!

Dybala11:
Royver remains one of my supposed best writer on this forum, I doubt if his account is still active though.

It is active by God's grace , Thanks so much for the recognition. I highly appreciate.

Going through the thread, I guess I'm not the only one who absconded from nairaland for a while.

NIGERIANS CAN BE NEGATIVE SHA! (PART 2)


It’s 12.30pm. We are outside the ATM machine of a well-known old-generation bank. The midday sun is roasting the people on the queue like they are bole (roasted plantain). I am among them. Once in a while we turn uncomfortably from side to side as if to ensure that we are properly cooked by the heat. Some have sought shelter within the small shade provided by the ATM’s plastic roofing. There are five ATM machines but only one is working. A middle aged man walks up to the queue. His first words:

“Is the ATM working?” (No Sir, we are all waiting for our Sun tan to be complete then we disperse).

Someone nods in the affirmative and the man joins the queue. He watches someone withdrawing and then says

“I hope the money won’t finish o.”

There is a deep sign among members of the queue. Some turn to stare at the man with daggers in their eyes. He smiles at no one in particular and keeps quiet. But it is too late, he has set off a chain reaction.

“This bank they always keep small money in their ATM.”

“Let it not finish before it gets to me oh.

“Oga why are you wasting time there? Is it not working again?”

It is working in Jesus name, I mutter under my breath.

The man at the ATM calmly withdraws his money. He ejects his card and strolls away majestically. A middle aged woman comes next. She puts on her glasses, and someone in the queue sighs in exasperation.

“Chei, we go dey here today.”

“And I have where I want to go ehn…”

“We should have entered the bank.”

“For where, they will just send you out again. All of these banks are useless.” ( you have account in ALL the banks)

The woman is carefully entering her pin. She reaches where the ATM asks if she needs a receipt. She pauses for a few seconds to think.

“Madam receipt no dey. This machine never print receipt one day since dem bring am.”

“Push ‘No’ ma.”

“Is like you have not withdraw before, can I help you ma?”

The woman ignores everyone and pushes ‘yes’. The machine informs her that receipts are not available, would she like to continue. She pauses for a few seconds. The gasps and sighs from the crowd shows that some people have committed murder mentally.

“The system will soon go down o.”

“This woman should hurry up nah.”

“I’m going to be late ehn.”

“Mommy, is the ATM still working?”

The woman finally withdraws her money. She turns glaring around and the whole crowd goes quiet. She stalks off and a young hausa boy with a bagco supersac walks up to the ATM.

“Ah! Aboki wait o!”

“Make other people withdraw abeg!”

‘Aboki’ ignores everyone and deftly punches in numbers. The ATM spits out N20,000 and asks if he wants to withdraw again. He punches “Yes.”

“This money will soon finish...” The last man declares.

“I cancel your words, it won’t finish in Jesus name.” I mutter under my breath, but I too, am becoming anxious. ‘Aboki’ withdraws N100,000 in total and ejects his card, and then proceeds to bring out another ATM card from his purse!

“This money will soon finish!”

I turn to face the man, “Do you want it to finish? Do you want it to finish?!”

“Why are you facing me bros, I be aboki?” The man responds chargined.

“It’s his turn, he can withdraw N1million if he wants. We will all withdraw. Stop speaking negatively!”

“Forget that thing bros! Do you know how many times the money has finished before it gets to my turn in this place? I know what I am saying!”

“Have you considered that maybe it’s your constant confessions that it will finish before it gets to your turn that makes it finish before it gets to your turn?”

He looks at me like I’m crazy. Then he laughs.

“Bros I tell you say make you forget that thing. E get as I dey take measure am! E go finish!”

The woman besides him nods her head in agreement.

I give up and begin muttering holy incantations under my breath. Please let it reach me. It won’t finish, let it reach me. I will withdraw, I will hold my money in my hand, I will withdraw…

See me see wahala, praying for ATM again!

The aboki finally leaves and the next person makes a quick withdrawal. Then it is my turn. I punch in N20,000. The ATM whirrs, clicks and pauses. Then whirrs and clicks again.

“E don hang abi?”

“Chei, after all this time!”

“The system too dey hang.”

“It’s network, the network is bad.”

“Check that they have not deducted from your account oh!”

“That machine is always deducting from my account without paying me!”

“Nonsense bank!”

I hold my breath and wait as calmly as I can. All this talk and the delay has not been up to a minute. The ATM clicks again and spits out my money. I grab it and collect my ATM card. The woman after me goes to withdraw as I head for the roadside to wait for keke.

There is a sudden commotion and I turn to see people hissing and cursing as they disperse. The man walks up to me.

“You see bros, I told you it will finish before it gets to my turn!”

I express my condolences and stop a passing keke. I enter and it zooms off leaving the man still muttering to himself. I’m so glad I got my cash. The negativity missed me by a few hairs!

Nothing like that you say?

Pure coincidence?

Maybe.

But I make a mental note to counter any negative comments I come across again at the ATM queue or anywhere for that matter. This is Nigeria, surely a little positivity won’t hurt.