obehiD:
VOLUME THREE
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KUTE

(A Spectral existence word which represents one of the five spectrums in the spectral existence. This word refers to the people of this spectrum, that is the uspecs of the Kute spectrum who have a tail as their distinctive feature. The uspecs in the Kute spectrum are sometimes called okun people as they are so tightly bound to the okuns in the spectral existence. As such, kute eyes give an uspec the magic of the okuns, which allows them to use the okuns to harvest the power needed for spectra from any creature. The uspecs in the Kute spectrum are also bound to the pain emotion.)

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Part 1
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Outside the pits. The third burg in the second metropolis of Hakute
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A half-naked imp, with streaked skin and empty eye-sockets, sat on a wooden platform a few paces in front of me. The imp’s arms moved in a somewhat circular motion as it moved the oar, using it to displace the liquid in the okun, and propel the open-top canoe forward.

My eye stared emotionlessly at the ripples in the pink liquid made from the moving paddle. Occasionally, another vessel would come into our path and the imp driving it would nod in a passing greeting at the imp driving ours. Then the vessel would move away, out of my field of view, and I would continue to stare at the pink liquid.

In a part of my mind, I registered that the world I now inhabited was so much different from the world that I had spent my first years in. That world, the world of my slum, was a world filled with sludge and hovels. This world, outside the pits, had okuns everywhere. I could not recall how many days had passed since we’d left the pits. I did not remember how we happened upon this canoe, and I did not know where I was being taken. All I knew was a depression that had stolen my ability to care.

I heard feet shuffling behind me and interpreted the sound as one coming from another uspec’s pacing. I knew who it was that shared the canoe with me, but even if I hadn’t, I would not turn around to find out who the uspec was.

Gone were the instincts that I had been forced to learn in the pits. Gone were the days when the sound of the unknown would have me leaping to my feet and preparing to face the coming threat. Now I was a fragmented mind trapped in a carcass. It seemed so long ago since I had last moved my feet, I could no longer recall how, and I had no desire to find out. My hands remained immobile, resting on the arms of the wheel-stool in which I sat. My head did not turn to take in the new sites in which I passed and the marvelous world of okuns and the burg built around them. The only part of my body I still controlled where my eyes. I knew I could shut them when I pleased, and that I could open them when the fear of the darkness pushed me to.

Fear, had there been a life before it? I could not remember. But it was the only stimulation I now knew, the only thing that made my heart race. Every glance from a strange uspec reminded me of Fajahromo’s cunning eyes, and every loud sound reminded me of its jarring laughter. I saw Fajahromo everywhere I went, and I remembered how easily it had manipulated me. I knew that it would find me, and I knew that it would kill me, it was only a matter of time.

But not even the fear could make me rise to my feet and take control of my fate. Because everywhere the fear went, the sorrow accompanied it. I remembered Fajanux as it died with its eye open, staring into mine as if demanding answers it deserved from the one who gave it life. I recalled the first day I had seen it as an uspec, the day that Fajahromo had brought it into my cell. It had done to me what I had done so carelessly to so many others. It had infested me with polluted emotions and then it had looked up for approval from Fajahromo.

I think I would cry if I had enough feeling to shed tears. I mourned an offspring who loathed me and was responsible for the state I was currently in, one where the sorrow in me was so deep and so overwhelming that I could not summon the will to move my own body. I felt a hand on my shoulder and I simply continued to stare ahead, not able to turn my own head around and meet the eye of the uspec behind who touched me. The uspec let out a deep sigh of sorrow and then its hand left my shoulder. I heard it move backwards, away from me, and all I could do was continue to stare ahead, at the wide end of the oar displacing the pink liquid.

As the canoe continued to rock in the vast okun, I shut my eye and simply waited in darkness for the fear to override my desire to escape the sights in front of me. It never happened instantly. Sometimes the fear was so slow to build that I could keep my eye shut for minutes, but then it would bear down on me, and become so imposing that I would have no choice but to open my eye and reassure myself that I was not back in the pits, hanging from shackles in the wall. I had not slept since I left the pits, but I knew, from the changing lighting in the environment I inhabited, that several days had passed. Although I had not slept, I had many moments of detachment, when my sorrow, the depression, overrode my fear to such a degree that just staying cognitive in my mind was too much of a burden. And so, with my eye open, all thoughts would cease and I would simply exist, if it could even be called that. That was the closest I got to resting. In those moments, I longed for the use of my limbs so that I could give myself the eternal release of death. If I had enough strength to move my limbs, I would have ended my life a long time ago, regardless of Gerangi’s presence.

It took me a while to realize that the canoe had stopped moving. Perhaps I had gone to that phase where my mind was too exhausted to keep thinking and had simply stopped. I do not know. But when the fear rose up, coursing through me like a violent wave, I opened my eye, and watched the imp jump down into the pink liquid of the okun. It bent, doing some work below the level of the canoe. When it rose, the canoe was secured to a wooden post.

The sound was slightly startling. I was still positioned with my eye staring into the okun, and although I could see the post which our canoe was secured to, I could not see anything else. But I knew there had to be a platform of sorts somewhere close, from the faint sounds I heard.

Suddenly, a green body appeared in my line of sight. The uspec cast a pitying glance my way, before turning to the imp still standing in the okun.

“How do we get to the island?” Gerangi asked.

“Where?” the imp asked. “Coulda been go Hamlet Kook?” the imp’s voice was scratchy, and it spoke a broken Kute tongue which I could barely decipher. It was obvious that this imp had not been in a Kute port for long. “Or coulda been go Hamlet Asha?”

“Kook.” Gerangi replied.

The imp nodded. Then it climbed to the top of the wooden post and balanced itself on one leg. Perhaps if I cared enough to be impressed, I would have been astonished at the imp’s expert ability to keep balance while standing in such a precarious position. But I did not care and so I simply stared emotionlessly at it all.

The imp placed both of its hands around its mouth, and when it spoke again, its voice sounded much louder. “Ahhh! Kooka-kooka-kooka!” it repeated its bellow a number of times before I heard a voice from further off reply,

“See me.”

“Come!” the imp yelled, before jumping down from the top of the post into the canoe.

Gerangi turned sideways and I could see that it was staring at something. Then the corner of its lip tipped upward in a smile of satisfaction before it turned its back on me. “How much?” it asked.

“Only three pieces of merit.” The imp replied.

“Only?” Gerangi scuffed. “One for your master, and two for yourself, eh? Do I look like a fool?”

What followed was pointless haggling that I quickly allowed my mind to escape. A part of me remembered our money. It had been so long since I’d seen the white square pieces. I knew that one piece of merit was a lot of money. And so, I imagined we must have been on this canoe for a long time if the cost was only payable with merit, as opposed to value, which was our lowest denomination. Worth was the highest, but a single piece of worth could buy a tract of land. I doubted I would ever see that much money.

“Greetings!” A cheerful voice called out. The voice came from my side, and since I would not crane my neck to see the owner, I could not tell what it was.

“Greetings domina.” The voice spoke again. This time, Gerangi turned. It grumbled at been ripped off, but then it pulled out two white pieces from the sachet bag it had carried out of the pits and gave them to the imp who’d driven the canoe. The imp was all smiles and gratitude as it accepted it.

“Help me canoe boy.” The new voice called out. The imp who’d driven the canoe, quickly hid its money in its trouser pockets and then it walked over to me. The imp walked out of my line of sight and a few moments later, I was lifted out of the crater in the canoe where my wheel-stool had been placed to keep me from rolling around in the canoe, and was carried off our canoe, onto a wooden platform. Then I was carried up a slight ramp by the two struggling imps and left to rest on another platform.

I stared ahead as I heard more feet climbing unto the platform. The sound of the feet was followed by the bang of wood against wood. Then more feet shuffling. I felt my stool move a little, and after a while it stopped moving. It was held faster than it had been in the canoe.

“What is this?” Gerangi asked.

“A mobile domina. It is a platform that moves. It’s used all around Hamlet Kook domina.”

Both voices came from behind me.

Suddenly, the platform lurched, and we were moving. Gerangi let out a low sound of shock. As we moved, we got closer to the source of the sound that I had heard. I could faintly make out an end to the okun, and solid ground with people milling about.

“Fascinating. Where are these mobiles from?” Gerangi asked.

“They are made in Lahooni domina.”

“What are you?”

“Me domina?”

“Yes, you. Who owns you?”

“Oh!” the imp chuckled. Although I was still yet to see it, as it had not once entered my line of sight, I could tell from the way it spoke to Gerangi that it was an imp. “I belong to the Hamlet domina. I am a runner.”

“Do you have a name?” Gerangi’s voice sounded amused.

“You may call me whatever you please domina.”

Gerangi’s laughter was dry. “What were you called in your umani life?” it asked.

Silence followed the question.

“I don’t mean to pry.” Gerangi’s voice was cautious.

“Oh no, it’s nothing domina. It has just been so long since my umani life ended that I must think to recall the name. It may have been Promise.”

“Have you been in Kook the whole time?”

The imp laughed. “No domina, I cannot stay in any one place for so long. I have been in Kook for ten years though.”

“Who owns you Promise?” Gerangi asked again.

The imp laughed. “You are very perceptive domina.”

“No slave can come and go as they please.”

“I was owned once. I was a slave for my first fifty years in the spectral existence, but then my master died, and I could not serve its offspring. So, I ran away.”

“How much do you charge for your services then?”

The imp gasped in shock. “You will pay me even knowing that I am a runaway?”

“Slavery is such a terrible institution. There is more than enough wealth in the spectral existence for all imps to be employed and paid for their time. But for a twist of luck, I could have been born umani and you uspec.” Gerangi sighed. “I will pay you Promise, and I will pay you well.”

“Thank you domina. I will take whatever you give me.” The imp’s voice was filled with awe.

A few moments passed in silence before Gerangi spoke up again. “Tell me Promise, have you ever heard of ‘The Isle of Brio’?”

“No domina. It cannot be in Kook, I know everywhere in Kook.”

“Perhaps not in Kook, but very close to it. Are there any imps in Kook who’ve been here for centuries?”

“Only one I know of domina. Her name is Mel and she owns the border motel Last Chance. It will cost you to speak to her though.”

“The imp is free?”

“She served the most prominent Kook line for over a century and in return they gave her freedom, a home, and a source of income.”

“All she had to do was remain a slave for over a century.” Gerangi’s voice was thick with sarcasm.

The imp laughed.

The platform stopped moving and moments later, I felt my stool move underneath me.

It was as if we had docked at a market. I heard a cacophony of voices, none of which held any particular meaning to me. The platform had stopped by a plankway which extended from the land I had seen. I was rolled onto the plankway and then to the land, where I saw uspecs and imps brushing past each other, running from one spot to the other. I watched emotionlessly as other canoes and some platforms docked by different plankways, and their inhabitants walked off their modes of transportations and came to a stop, where I was stopped at.

It was only then that I noticed that there were barriers cordoning off the section I was in, where the arriving platforms and canoes had docked, from the rest of the hamlet. As we got closer to those barriers, we were formed into lines.

I was only a few people away from the front of the line when I heard a familiar question.

“Tiyoseriwosin?”

I could not hear the answer, but it was followed by a large uspec picking up an axe with a cyan blade and swiping it in the air. I watched detachedly as four uspec heads were cut off from their bodies and the heads rolled on the soft ground. One of those heads stopped in front of me.

I got my first view of the imp Promise, when it walked around and stopped in front of me, bent, picked up the head, and then tossed it aside, as if it was trash. Then the imp walked back behind me and my stool rolled forward.

My gaze remained ahead, and I was suddenly staring at wispy green legs, and blood-stained cyan axes. We were next in line, and an uspec asked, “Tiyoseriwosin?”

Rosemary33:
EPISODE 40

“Shiii!!” he hushed the babies as he picked them from their crib. They both stopped, sucked on their fists and looked at him suspiciously “Mummy needs some rest” he said to them. But they weren’t agreeing with him at the moment.

As he sat down with them on the bed, one went for his bare chest and tried suckling on it, while the other went for Ebube’s fingers and sucked then with anger.

“Where is that water bottle” Ebube muttered, he carefully stood up and meant to put them back on the crib before going for the water bottle, but the babies wouldn’t take any of that. The boy clang on him and wailed loudly, “Hei boy! Real men don’t cry…” the boy cried louder while the girl drew a blanket from the crib into her mouth.

Ebube stylishly lay the crying boy on the crib and grabbed the bottle warmer to get the water “I am coming…” he said to himself. “Okay” he brought the bottles and put the nipples on the babies’ mouth, it was as if they planned it, the babies echoed their cry of revolt “Now this is serious” Ebube muttered in frustration, Elizabeth busted out in laughter

“Really? So this is what I get for trying to appease these little humans” Ebube turned to her

“Sorry…” she couldn’t stop laughing “But you look so funny with them”

“Thank you!” he gave up “Just tell them that daddy can do a good job with them too” he brought them to her and sat by her side.

“Let me feed the boy first” Elizabeth took the baby boy from him

“And you are leaving me with this one that nearly bit my fingers off? How nice” he stood up with the baby girl “So girl, it’s you and me now” he kissed her pink cheeks the babe touched his nose and babbled “That’s right, I am your daddy, your nose is as flat at mine”

Elizabeth slowly pulled her nipple away from the baby boy’s mouth and lay him on the crib before she took the baby girl from him, she balanced the baby on her lap and offered her the other heavy breast to her, the baby pushed the nipple in her mouth with her tinny fist and suckled voraciously

“Look at her, I wish I am in her place right now” Ebube sat close to her and observed the feeding with amazement

“Bube you are looking at my breast!”

“Our breast” he added

“not so” she adjusted herself and looked at him shy-faced “And stop looking!”

He laughed and relaxed his head on the pillow.

It didn’t take time before the baby gave in to sleep like her brother and she tried to stand with the baby

“Let me help” he gently took the baby from her, his fingers brushed her bare areola as he dislodged the baby from her arm, he looked at her and gave a wicked smile

“You are just crazy” she said

He laughed heartedly and walked with the baby to the crib.

He met her in the kitchen where she went to drink some water, he leaned by the door and watched her every move, he night wear hid nothing from the eyes. “do you deliberately twerk when you walk?” he startled her “Sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you”

“How long have you been there?”

“Long enough to allow you seduce me with your backside”

She turned to him fully “You have a dirty mind”

“I know” he walked towards her “You are making my mind dirtier”

She sipped some water and looked at him from the corner of her eyes, until he was a breath away from her

“Marry me Elizabeth” he took the cup from her and kept it on the kitchen table

She opened her mouth and closed them, she had dreamt of the day he would say those worlds but didn’t rehearsed her responds

“Lizzy…is anything wrong? You are not saying anything” he took her hand

“I don’t know what to say Bube”

He was confused “What do you mean you don’t know what to say? Don’t you want to marry me?”

“Yes…but I want to know why you want to marry me, because I don’t want to get married to you because I was unfortunate to get pregnant…”

“Wait! You call what we have ‘unfortunate?’ a reminder of a beautiful moment…and you are calling them unfortunate?” he folded his arms across his chest “Lizzy do you regret what we shared? I mean the babies?”

“No! God no…that came out wrong please, I swear they are the most beautiful thing that have happened to me, I just want to be sure that you love me enough to marry me…”

“God woman!” he walked towards the fridge and rested his head on it in frustration “How can I show you how much I love you?” he turned towards her “After all these times and you still doubt what I feel for you? you mean everything to me babe…” he walked to her again “I have never doubted my love for you…except you are worried about married a soldier” he added and looked at her

“What is in there for me Bube, what will I battle with?” she asked

“Some days of my absence, transfers from one state to another…a husband that may face terrorists and militants” he looked into her eyes “Your husband’s life will always be at risk, long fighting missions like the one I just came back from is inevitable”

“I have no other option, you have taking the whole of me and I have nothing left to offer another man” she said

“You love me then?” he asked with a smirk

“You know I do”

“And you will marry me?”

“When are we getting married?” she smiled

He laughed “I love this woman” he muttered “Come here” he opened his arms for her to come and she did.

He kissed her neck “I promise to be everything you want in a husband, I know my first marriage failed but I swear to you that this one will not fail, I will be the perfect man you ever wanted”

She placed her finger across his lips “Don’t say that Bube, you are perfect for me, you are all that I want”

He embraced her again, kissed her lips and her nose “We will be going to Abuja on Thursday next week for my decoration, when we come back we will start preparations, meanwhile I will like to see your mum as the day breaks” he held her face

“I like that” she said

He kissed her deeply “Do you like this too?” he asked

“Hmm”

With her back leaned on the kitchen unit, he held her waist and pushed her hips to touch his groin “Let’s make love here…” he said seductively

“Jesus no!”

“Why” he chuckled

“no more sex till after the wedding”

His warm breath caressed her face as he teased her with his tongue “Are you sure of that?” he said

“Yes”

His fingers crawled beneath her gown and brushed her buttocks like soft feathers “Are you still sure about it?”

“Hmm…yes”

Without warning he jacked her up and sat her on the table, went on his knees and spread her legs. She slapped his shoulder and jumped off the table

“You are insane!” she laughed and ran towards the door

“Common…woman…don’t be difficult” he pleaded

“No!” she laughed and ran towards the room

“Okay just this once and I will wait after!”

“No!” she replied and was gone

He ran his palm on his head “I may fix this wedding tomorrow” he muttered

Rosemary33:
Good morning people, it breaks my heart to announce that everything that has a beginning also has an end. The soldier story is on a wrap up. We only have a Navy wedding to attend to before we send our New couple off to their honey moon . Thank you all so much for staying with me, I appreciate all corrections, criticisms, comments, and posts. I really enjoyed your engagement with this story. You people connected to this story so much that the characters came alive to me ��.

So once more, thank you so much. I will be working on another Romance story "MY NEIGHBOR'S WIFE" It is going to be a complicated relationship story. I have the story in my head not on paper Lol, so as usual, you guys will be writing it with me.

With that being said, Oya... Get your geles, Laces, suits and selfie sticks, we have a beautiful wedding to attend today

kayo80:
The Diary of a Shy College Kid: Year Two

By

Kayode Odusanya


Chapter 1: Year 2 Begins

My second year at university of Lagos was the most interesting times I had on campus. Year two was nothing like year one. The holiday between was long, and people had enough time to upgrade. Girls that used to dress modestly changed their whole wardrobe; from clothes that covered their whole body, to body revealing dresses. At least seventy percent of us now had mobile phones, and a lot of guys had gotten cars; some pimped up their dad’s old cars, and other bought cars of their own. My friend, Sope had gotten a blue old school Nissan. It wasn’t so fancy, but we fixed a solid sound system in the car.

As usual, Sope and I got a room together; it was at a hall called Jaja, not too far from the female hall, Moremi. Not that that meant anything anyway, as I had already made up my mind to focus on only one thing this session- my books. I had to replace the constant urge I had for the companionship of a woman, so I found the bottle. We had a routine; go to class in the morning, come back to the hall to eat and shower, then go to class to read for a few hours, before heading out to the bar in Sope’s blue car. Beer was cheap…one hundred Naira for Larger beer, and one hundred and seventy Naira for my brand, big Guinness Stout. It was a constant cycle we kept going the whole session. I always had something to look out for at the end of the day, so it kept me focused. And it worked. I had my very best result in those two semesters of my second year in Unilag.

My department was fuller, as a lot of Diploma students had joined us- at least fifteen of them. Also, a few people transferred from Engineering faculty. It just so happened that one of the girls that joined us from Diploma was the light skinned girl I had seen at Debbie’s room the first time I went to see her. The girl had a yummy yellow complexion, dreamy eyes, and had the right curves in all the right places. I hadn’t recognized her at first on the first day of first semester year two when she walked up to ask about the time table. But when I saw her talking to Debbie later on, it clicked. She had a very warm demeanor, and it had an effect on me. I would have asked her out if I didn’t have bad grades and had vowed to stay away from females for as long as I could. She had a circle of friends; they were five in total- Sope and I used to call them Labella Mafia because of how close-knit they were. I bounded with one of them over our mutual love for music, and as an extension, became friends with a few of the other members of the labella mafia.

The guys from Diploma were fly; they dressed fly, and had cool cars. Most of them kept to themselves and never really mingled; they loosened up after a while. The guys that transferred from Engineering were cool, layback guys that had seen years of Unilag’s fast life. They had transferred to my department because of bad grades. Most would have probably been in their fifth year, but had to begin at year two with us. I ended up making friends with a lot of them after finding out one of them was a friend of my elder brother. I would eventually be in a clique with the engineering boys and some other of my course mates. The clique was called D12- dirty dozen. We were twelve guys that had become blind to the flashy lifestyle on campus. We would hangout after classes to talk about movies, music, and the world in general.

The combination of the various individual characters and cliques in my department made year two one of the most memorable years for me in the University of Lagos.

kayo80:
The Diary of a Shy College Kid: Year Two

By

Kayode Odusanya


Chapter 1: Year 2 Begins

My second year at university of Lagos was the most interesting times I had on campus. Year two was nothing like year one. The holiday between was long, and people had enough time to upgrade. Girls that used to dress modestly changed their whole wardrobe; from clothes that covered their whole body, to body revealing dresses. At least seventy percent of us now had mobile phones, and a lot of guys had gotten cars; some pimped up their dad’s old cars, and other bought cars of their own. My friend, Sope had gotten a blue old school Nissan. It wasn’t so fancy, but we fixed a solid sound system in the car.

As usual, Sope and I got a room together; it was at a hall called Jaja, not too far from the female hall, Moremi. Not that that meant anything anyway, as I had already made up my mind to focus on only one thing this session- my books. I had to replace the constant urge I had for the companionship of a woman, so I found the bottle. We had a routine; go to class in the morning, come back to the hall to eat and shower, then go to class to read for a few hours, before heading out to the bar in Sope’s blue car. Beer was cheap…one hundred Naira for Larger beer, and one hundred and seventy Naira for my brand, big Guinness Stout. It was a constant cycle we kept going the whole session. I always had something to look out for at the end of the day, so it kept me focused. And it worked. I had my very best result in those two semesters of my second year in Unilag.

My department was fuller, as a lot of Diploma students had joined us- at least fifteen of them. Also, a few people transferred from Engineering faculty. It just so happened that one of the girls that joined us from Diploma was the light skinned girl I had seen at Debbie’s room the first time I went to see her. The girl had a yummy yellow complexion, dreamy eyes, and had the right curves in all the right places. I hadn’t recognized her at first on the first day of first semester year two when she walked up to ask about the time table. But when I saw her talking to Debbie later on, it clicked. She had a very warm demeanor, and it had an effect on me. I would have asked her out if I didn’t have bad grades and had vowed to stay away from females for as long as I could. She had a circle of friends; they were five in total- Sope and I used to call them Labella Mafia because of how close-knit they were. I bounded with one of them over our mutual love for music, and as an extension, became friends with a few of the other members of the labella mafia.

The guys from Diploma were fly; they dressed fly, and had cool cars. Most of them kept to themselves and never really mingled; they loosened up after a while. The guys that transferred from Engineering were cool, layback guys that had seen years of Unilag’s fast life. They had transferred to my department because of bad grades. Most would have probably been in their fifth year, but had to begin at year two with us. I ended up making friends with a lot of them after finding out one of them was a friend of my elder brother. I would eventually be in a clique with the engineering boys and some other of my course mates. The clique was called D12- dirty dozen. We were twelve guys that had become blind to the flashy lifestyle on campus. We would hangout after classes to talk about movies, music, and the world in general.

The combination of the various individual characters and cliques in my department made year two one of the most memorable years for me in the University of Lagos.

RoyalBlu:
My father my father.. Deliver your children from 'Insufficient Funds'

Bless the work of our hands. *only the legit ones*

Give us wisdom to manage our daily activities.Amen!!!


OP it's well o.

TemitopeDaniel:
Copyright Temitope Daniel Abimbola © 2019
Hello! I am Tombri Feire and you are welcome to today’s show. I know you missed me, or you want to form that you didn’t? I know you did! So today, we would be talking about relationship. Yay! I know you are excited, right? This will be fun, so tighten you seatbelts and listen to me attentively before you start calling in and contributing what might have nothing to the subject of discussion.


So this is the aspect of relationship that we would be talking about today, guys. Does it make sense for the fellow you are in a relationship with to be hiding you from everyone? Like, hide the relationship from family, mentor- if he or she has, and also friends? What do you say about this? I think it makes no sense. I actually know a fellow who has hidden the lady from every obvious eyes, none of his friends even know about his relationship, he only tells the lady to keep it between the two of them.

I would start entertaining calls now, the number is 0-8-0-3-8-1-0-0-6-2-9. I would repeat the number again, so this time, be more attentive. 0-8-0-3-8-1-0-0-6-2-9. Let’s go!
** ** **

“Hey there, Hello. I am Tombri Feire, can I know your name?” Ecstacy flushed through her voice as she picked the first call of the day.

“My name is Chioma, I am calling from Lekki, Lagos.” The voice replied.

“Okay, welcome to today’s edition of a gist with Feire. So what do you feel about what we sre discussing today? Does it make sense to be in a relationship with a fellow who is not ready to make your relationship known to anyone?” She asked again.

“Feire, it doesn’t make sense.” Chioma started.

“Really? I am interested, feed me more.”

“Yeah. Who gets into a relationship when he or she is not ready? Why would I buy a new car and keep it in the house? That is not possible, I am not talking about showing off your boyfriend or girlfriend here, but at least, if you are asked if you were in a relationship, you would still say no? For what reason?” Her voice got a little husky as she continued talking.

Feire chuckled. “Okay, calm down. What if there is a reason behind hiding your relationship?”

“See, Feire there is no sensible reason for you to hide it from at least some of your friends. I feel whoever is hiding the relationship might have skeleton in his wardrobe. Maybe his friends know him or her with another person and he has made you his side chick.” She reeled out.

Feire held her breath for a moment, she didn’t know what to say to the caller. The caller was already taking the issue personal as though the issue was going on in her relationship, but beyond that, she was distracted from the ongoing program. Her mind has travelled far while she chewed the words of Chioma again. Side chick, the word she hated to hear but has said a million times. She was confused, so confused that she just ended the call and her breathing became uneven.

“Okay, the show is still on, I am expecting another call from…” She barely concluded her statement when another call came through. She found her voice at last but was not stable to continue. She didn’t want to pick this issue as what to be discussed but she really wanted to know what people would feel about it too. At least, she couldn’t approach anyone to ask so they wouldn’t suspect that it was what she was going through, but she knew she could hide behind the finger of her show to know if what she was feeling was right or there was no big deal.

“Hello, this is Tombri Feire, may I know your name?” She asked.

“Good morning Feire, this is Desmond.”

Feire lost her voice. Her right index finger was tracing the table. It was as though her brain stuttered for a moment, her fingers began to jump rhythmically as if in spasm and silence began to last forever.

“Hello, are you there?” Desmond’s voice rang again.

She knew that voice. So Desmond was really listening to her all along? What would he want to say about the issue on ground now? This is the man in question and he has called to contribute to the show? She had thought he told her that he would be so busy with some clients that day and wouldn’t be able to follow that edition of the show and that was why she felt it was the perfect opportunity to bring up the issue on the show and hear people’s opinions.

She ended the call at once. She made a huge mistake picking the call, it already distablized her. She wasn’t afraid of him, but, you know there is this feeling when the one you are talking about suddenly appears? “Let’s go on a short break.” She quickly said, so she could have time to repackage her pieces. She picked her phone and scrolled to see the reactions of people who were following on Twitter and Facebook and it was all the same. Who hides relationship if there is nothing ulterior about it?

She really didn’t know if she was scared or worried. She knew Desmond was not that type of person who would turn heaven to hell because of what has happened, she had thought about this before coming to the show- what if Desmond tunes in? She decided to push the thoughts away, the break would soon be over and she must not mess up the way she has been. She was more determined this time, even if Desmond calls back, she would relate with him based on the issue on ground.
** ** **


www.temitopedaniel.

Oovi5:
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Despirado121:
Guys, for quick and easy respond, kindly send me direct message. That way, I'll easily reply your message by dropping the book into your mail. There are time I don't come online on nairaland for days but me and my. Mail are inseparable.

Rosemary33:
EPISODE 33

Adsame rushed into the room like a bull, Abdulkareem sat at the same position where Ebube sat some minutes ago. he looked up with a smirk on his face when he sensed Adsame’s presence. He was about to stand up when the punch landed on his face and shifted his jaw.
His bad leg gave way and he crumbled on the floor. He didn’t see the punch coming, he heard the crack of his jaw bone and he tasted his own blood. He rolled on his side, with his hands he made to stand up, but he was too late as the General rushed him again, this time he dug his heel on his rib cage and sent the surprised man flat on his face.

“How could you!” Adsame roared in Somali “Beast!!”

Adbulkareem crawled to the edge of the wooden bed, he held the bed and managed to stand. He spat out the thick blood in his mouth and looked at Adsame in fear

“Why” Adsame asked coldly

Adbukareem already know what he was talking about, he felt sorry that the general found out that way, but he wasn’t sorry for what he did, he hoped the UN soldier died for good “I did it for you…for us…”

Adsame gave him a slap that pushed his head on the hard rough wall “You did it for yourself” Adsame moved closer to the man, held him by the neck “You Bastard!” He screamed at him “After what I did for you…you dare stab me at the back?” he shoved him roughly and he crumbled on the floor

Abdulkareem struggled to stand, blood mixed with spittle dropped like slimes from his mouth “You did nothing for me…” He retorted. His bad leg was weak and couldn’t carry his weight. He saw the look of surprise on Adsame’s face and continued “I have been the one doing everything, I am your messenger, I negotiate for arms, I recruit men for you, I am your brains and your eyes, but you have never appreciated me” he struggled to balance on the good leg but it was no use, he was in severe pain, so he sat down on the floor again

“Adbulkareem, I have loved you like a brother…”

“Lier!” Abdul spat out “I mean nothing to you Adsame, I am only an errand boy” he laughed mockingly “Yes…I was a confidant to you, until that wh*re came in. you became obsessed with her, you wanted her more than anything, you chose her over me…”

“What are you talking about, I gave you everything, you have privileges more than any other militia here…” Adsame was confused

“I don’t have your attention!” the weak bad legged man shouted

“So this is what all this is about? Attention? Are you a woman that needs attention?”

Abdulkareem ignored his angry question; how couldn’t he understand what he felt for him? A feeling forbidden in Islam and in the district. “I wanted you to see my like…like someone more important, when you didn’t do that, I took out my anger on your bi*ch…”

Adsame rushed towards him in anger, he circled his palm on his neck and threatened to strangle him “you Bast*rd!!!” he shook him like he was a dead chicken, and threw him roughly on the floor

Abdulkareem coughed and massaged his sore neck “Yes…I f*cked your bitch” he swallowed and looked at Adsame, he enjoyed the pain he was inflicting on the General “…I have been f*cking him everywhere, in your room…this room…in the kitchen…”

“Shut up! Shut up!!”

Abdulkreem laughed loudly “I needed to get back at you, I didn’t love her like you do” he threw his head backwards “Women doesn’t appeal to me that much” he added casually

“How did you get her to open her legs for you?” Adsame asked coldly

“Well planned, I drugged her the first time and set her up with it, other days were very easy…with little blackmail and threats…”

Adsame clinched his fist “You are a devil…you have no conscience”

“You turned me to this…”

“You have always been evil Abdul, you were waiting for an opportunity to release your venom”

Abdul looked at him “Anyways, I was about to forget your carelessness and negligence…then you brought him” his voice was getting thick with emotions “A nobody, someone that was not part of us…and like always, you chose him over me, he was the perfect one, he was handsome and I am not…a soldier with perfect body…as for me…I am nothing for you to behold” the blood on the neck of his robe stuck to his skin, he pulled it off “I ceased to exist, he was everywhere with you…he ate with you, planed with you, I saw how you looked at his and I recognized the lust…”

“What? you dirty Idiot…how could you ever think me so dirty and sinful” Adsame couldn’t believe the pitiable man on the floor, all of a sudden he felt disgusted by him

Abdulkareem didn’t care about what could happen to him at the moment “I wanted you to look at me the way you looked at Sagal…I want you to smile at me the way you smiled at him” he gestured with his fingers “…Your Nigerian soldier…”

He didn’t finish the sentence before the general descended on him again, “Shaytan! Shaytan!!” he screamed and punched Abdul with the fury from within

“You Killed a man for nothing? Iblis!...murderer!!” Adsame cried

Abdulkareem hadn’t feared death in his life more than that day, his ribs were broken and his face was like a pounded meat. He managed to balance his weight on his good leg and limped outside with the help of his hands on the walls.

Adsame followed with rage; kicking, punching and pushing. No one dared come close, his rage was like a wild fire, it would burn anyone that would come in between him and Abdulkareem at the moment. He was hurt, he felt betrayed by a brother “You are a murderer!”

Abdul staggered round the yard seeking for help, but none came, men, women and children ran inside and avoided being roped into the fight. He had nowhere to run to as he had his back against the babble wire.

He was beating until he became breathless, his life hung on a thing line. People were beginning to gather to witness his passing away.

Adsame wiped the sweat on his forehead “Do away with this rubbish” he said to no one in particular, yet three militia gathered round the man on the ground as the General left.

For the first time in years, after the death of his wife and children, Adsame had tears in his eyes. He staggered like a drunk back to his room, he searched for the pack of Cigarettes; throwing things from the table and cupboard until he found it. his hand shook as he tried to light a stick. He had not smoked for a while, he felt he could calm his nerves but it was no use. He took a long drag and puffed in the air before he let out the cry.

He cried for his brother and friend, he cried for the betrayal, he cried for the soldier that was ever true to him, he wouldn’t have died if he had not listened to Abdulkareem. On the other hand, he cried for himself; he felt no different from Abdul, both of them had killed for different reasons, him for power and vengeance, Abdul for whatever his deluded mind had convinced him of.

He took a drag again, closed his sad eyes and puffed from the corner of his mouth.

*

He inhaled large air into his lungs, gasped and opened his eyes

“Seems to me that death is not fund of you” the kind voice of the doctor brought him back to what happened the previous day

“I shouldn’t be alive” Ebube muttered softly

The doctor came close to him, checked his pulse and said something in Somali to someone else in the room before he turned back to Ebube “You should have been dead long time ago, but then you have got nine lives” he examined his ribs and the color of his palm “do you have an ancestral linage with cats?”

Ebube was too weak to smile “What happened? How did you bring me here?” his voice was very faints

It was easy to be charmed by the Soldier, he was different from soldiers the Doctor has seen before, so when Sagal approached him with tears, begging for the life of the fine Soldier, he knew he wouldn’t mind staking his own life for that of the Soldier. But by the time he got to where the Soldier lay on the sand; his body was cold and green, he had concluded that there was nothing left to save.

“Please! Save him…do something…anything…” Sagal had cried out

He has never believed in miracle; it was something godly people held on to, but he was not one. He had carried the Soldier with little faith, the first thing that had gotten his interest was that his veins still worked even when his body was numb.

“It was a slim chance thing; we didn’t know you would come around”

they were still talking when Sagal came in with Adsame “If you want to die next time, die completely, don’t scare me” Adsame said and playfully slapped the Soldier on the cheek

“How did you know the truth?” Ebube asked

“She told me”

Ebube looked pass the General, towards the door where Sagal stood with her arms wrapped round herself “Thank You” he muttered, he hoped that she understood.

“We still have time for the meeting with the UN force…” Ebube said

“Tomorrow is the day, I promise you”

*

PORT HARCOURT NIGERIA

“Look at you babies…so adorable like your father, I wish he is here to witness this day” Elizabeth gazed down on the cute babies that sucked on their fingers and lips with admiration

“It is time o Elizabeth; everybody is here” Amaka called out
“Oya come and carry one o, it is time you started learning your job as an Auntie”

They carried the babies to the Sitting room where the little crowd waited for the naming ceremony. Elizabeth was surprised to see faces she hadn’t expected to see.

“Auntie Elie” Mark called out with excitement, beside him was his lady love, the Church Elder’s daughter, she smiled shyly.

Aminu came with his wife too. Doctor Nkama stood by the window and smiled up to her as she came closer “You don’t look like you just put to bed” he commented

“I will take that as a compliment, thank you…” she said with a smile.

Elizabeth bent to meet Ebube’s mother, she gave the woman a peck and handed the babies to her “You will name them for me Mama”

Mrs Ojukwu was shocked and pleased, he lips quivered as she didn’t know how to show her gratitude “Thank you my daughter”

“…Beloved people of God, the gift of a child is a beautiful thing and when God gives two at a time, he is telling us that his blessings are without limitations. We have gathered here to rejoice with this wonderful family and to give names to these babies that the lord has given them…”

Elizabeth nudged her friend “Where did you get this pastor from?”

“Does it matter? He has a church and he prays a lot so…” Amaka hushed

“You are just wow…so you picked some pastor from the street to name my children?”

“His ministry is at my street, and besides, would you have wanted me to invite our pastor? You left the church since God knows when”

“…Name these children…” The pastor requested. All eyes turned towards the woman on the sofa with the babies

“I call them Ebubechukwu and Chimamanda Ojukwu” Ebube’s mother named the children.

Everyone presence applauded, the babies wiggled as if they knew what was going on.

After the prayers and lunch, visitors left gradually until it remained Doctor Nkama, Amaka and Elizabeth’s mother, who was busy with the babies and Omalicha.

“You are really taking good care of yourself, look at how lovely you look” Nkama had a can of malt drink with him. He sipped from it, he should have been on his way home like the other visitors, but he felt he should hang around a little more

“Thank you so much Doc, I am trying my best”

“Ehm…I have to check on Mama, she needs to rest now” Amaka gave Elizabeth a knowing look before she left

Elizabeth was uncomfortable, she had noticed the undue attention from the Doctor and was alarmed by it. no matter how much she tried not to lead him on, he had kept coming around.

“So how are you coping with such large family?” Nkama asked

“I have my mom to thank, and Mama is not that handicapped, she can help herself a little”

At first, Nkama had used the excuse of checking on Mama to show up in the house once in a while, but after she gave birth, he had not showed up but had called almost every day to know how she was doing with the babies.

They sat without proper conversation, Nkama had so much to say but was scared of saying the wrong thing. He finished the drink and stood up “Let me run now, I will call you to know how you are doing”

Elizabeth stood up and walked him to the door “Thank you for everything”

She was still by the door when Doctor Nkama drove off and Amaka walked up to her “He is developing something for you”

“It’s a pity, he may end up hurting himself” Elizabeth sighed

stblessing:
[color=#770077][/color]Prologue
She could still remember the joy she felt in her heart after she was told she was pregnant for twin girls. After ten good years of fruitless marriage,one could only imagine how happy she and her husband were. She could remember the way the prepared for the bundles of joy. She could remember her husbands eagerness for the babies to finally come into his arms.
THEN TRAGEDY STRUCK
On the day the delighted parents would finally touch their children,an enemy said they wouldn't enjoy the two and stole one of them taking her to a far away place. It felt like a dream to her and a fairy tale but it was real as hell. Someone was angry. She could remember the fury that lingered in his heart due to the loss. He had almost even shut down the hospital due to carelessness on their part. They searched for culprit and victim all to no avail. She was gone and she thought,would never return.
But destiny had other games to play with her