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16. THE DOG ATTENDANT. T.D.A by Darousmart Emmanuel. (T.B.M)



The true test of BOYFRIENDilism, as passionately, experiencically and regrettably explained to us in GLOCOTEL by the V.C himself, Prof, Dr Shango, is not measured by the amount of restaurant you take her to, nor by the amounts of iPhones you can buy for her, and it's surely not measured by the amounts of Brazilian hair you can get on her Nigerian head, trust me, none of those can stand the test of BOYFRIENDILISM. However, it's true test is measured by how you react to this statement when she eventually says it to you. "I'm pregnant".
I know that in some cases, the way a guy reacts to such statement kind of depends on the circumstances surrounding the pregnancy. But in other cases, the account balance goes a long way in influencing how a guy reacts to these two legendary and ancestoral words....'I'M PREGNANT'.
Let me stop here for now. The topic will continue later. Class dismissed..... Lol..


Let's go back to the story.......

Joke maintained a few distance between us as I stopped abruptly in my tracks. I can't even begin to tell you what I was feeling at that moment of suspense.
It was as if I was dreaming or in a trance like earlier when I was subconsciously wrapped up in the trance of slapping her to death.

I had to kick my own legs together and let my brain confirm the reality of my present situation.

"No, I'm not dreaming..." I said to myself as the night continues to announce its arrival slowly.

I quickly gather myself together and turn around to face her.

She bowed her head in a sober look as I stood there in the bushy path that led to the back gate of my house.

"I'm pregnant and...." She sniffed hard after pausing. "I know this is not the best time to tell you this but there's nothing I can do... You deserve to know the truth Darous.... I owe you that... Not after every pain I've caused you..." She swallowed hard as I watched on, still battling with the daunting task of how best to handle the situation. " Prior to this moment, it's your face I see everywhere I go, I hear your voice in my dreams and....and... Darous, I feel the lingering sadness and loneliness that only your absence can give me....and after everything you just told me now, ... I...." She paused again to cast a brief look at me. " honey, I feel responsible... " She gestured with hands in the air. " I want to make this right....I just have to make this right....even though a life time might not be enough but, I still want to start today and right now...just please give me the chance to do this.... Please I'm begging you...."

I only sighed at that as I still don't know what to say to her in that moment. However, my face still wore that anti-intimidation look. I wasn't going to let my guard down so easily and be tricked into another dubious scheme. Everything happening now is just too fast and hazy for my shangoic brain to handle at once.
'There are more than ten places that you need to be right now....' A voice in my head told me as I continued staring at her . 'But like a fool that you really are, you are going to let this lying b1tch tie you down here with another scheme? Aren't you supposed to be wiser by now? How can she be pregnant? I can't believe you are letting the same thing that happened between you and Favour occur again.'
Then I remember that incident with Favour, (the girl that later became Jide's wife). How she told me that her 8years old daughter has breast cancer and she needs surgery. I remember how I fell instantly for that trick. Jide later told me that he was the one that told her to tell me those things she told me incase we meet again after she stole my wallet in the car. Jide said he knew that I have a thing for children in need. And here we are again, another person in the name of Joke, telling me something that involves a child.

'can't you see that this is all a plan out game to delay you till Lewis comes with the police?' The voice continued. 'Remember he called her earlier...Darous wise up and stop putting us in trouble because of your brains inability to function properly...' The voice concluded and that gave me another reason to have a deeper thinking.

(You self too think of it na, it wasn't up to thirty minutes ago that she begged me to forgive her for the role she played in how my life was ruined. It wasn't long ago that she gave me that breastfull hug that helped in changing my mood towards her. All that is happening right now are just too fast and I need to be careful. She might be playing some sort of games for all I know.)

All those thoughts finished processing in my mind and I snapped instantly. All the emotional feelings I was starting to have for her some minutes ago scattered into thin air. The slightest thought of being betrayed again by her with this pregnancy issue quickly turn my heart against her.

"No..." I mummured but she heard.

"I know it's....it's hard to believe but.... Please let me make this right by my conscience...pleaaaaasssssseeeee...." She emphasized stressfully with almost crying tone. She clasped her hands together in a pleading gesture.

"So, you think telling me that you are pregnant is the next step to take on this so called redemption trip of yours?" I asked her with a hard face.

"Yes love, I'm pregnant and I'm sorry for putting it to you like this, I mean, it's not appropriate like this, like right now.."

"Then why did you choose to tell me right now of all times? You know, you had all the time in the world to tell me about this when I was in prison but did I even see your face? Nooo, but, I'm sorry, there's a lot in my mind right now and I don't have time to edit this..." Frankly, I said to her.

"You don't have to, just please believe me and take me with you, we can discuss this later once we've gotten to a safer place..."

'thats part of her plans...don't fall for it...' That voice told me again.

"I can't imagine how my life will be like once you leave me again.. Please believe me...I don't want to live another moment of my life without you in it.. please my love..." She stopped talking after her last word. Tears were already flowing freely on her cheeks. She was swallowing the tears that fell on her lips as she stared at me in silence. She probably want to give me enough time to process this out on myself.

"What do you want me to do now? Just tell me cos I'm very confuse here....." My emotions wanted to gain access to my body again and that was the reason behind that question.

'what? Like seriously? You are considering this?' The voice said again but I paid no attention to it.

"I just want you to let me follow you to wherever you go...give me a chance to be your wife again...please.... I...." She was saying when I cut her short.

"Joke? You are pregnant?" I snapped again. " Are you really serious?" I gestured towards her stomach "How can that even be possible? Eh? Answer me na?," I took a step towards her as she looked at me with pleading eyes as my step brings us more closer. Her lips were shaking as she fumbled for what to say.

"Darous please...." She pleaded with rubbing palms.

"You can't really be serious Joke. I know you very well. I know when you are lying and when you are being sincere. Right now, every bone in my body is going against you...., you self think am na, how many months did I spend in prison? Is it up to ten months?...."

"Darous...."

"Just three months...Joke, just three (I emphasized on the THREE), just three bloody months and you are here telling me you are pregnant...pooooof... Who does that? Eh?. That's below yourself Joke..."

"Hear me Darous...." She pleaded with tears but I wasn't ready to give in to her. I was very angry at that moment.

"Don't say anything at all....let me talk...." I cautioned with an angry tone when I finally realized that she might be trying to play some games after all. It's very unusual of her to be panicking whenever she's saying the truth, so this one that she's jittery and shaking now, that means she's lying. Or so I thought.

She went mute immediately and I continued.
I cast a cursory look all over her stomach region to check signs of pregnancy but didn't see any.

"Where is the protuding stomach? Answer me! Tell me Joke, Where is the pregnancy confirmatory saliva from your mouth? You think you can decieve me with another prank?" I hissed frustratingly. "You think I don't know what you and Lewis said on the phone?"

"What?"

"Oh! you think you can tie me down with this pregnancy issue so that your boyfriend can come back here with the police and get me!?" I slammed my chest hard at that moment and bit my lips angrily.

"I'm not decieving you Darous... I'm serious, please believe me,...."She was now weeping slowly and I had to shift my gaze sideways so I don't get intimidated by her tears again. "It's hard for me to see you talking to me this way...but what is more hard is you not believing me...."


"I should believe you?" I scoffed. "I'm sorry Joke, the last time I believed you, see where that got me?"

"I thought we've move past that na? anh-anh" She grumbled amid tears.

"Maybe you have, that's understandable...you are not the one in funny clothes. You are not the one who hasn't take a proper bath for three months. You are not the one that has been sleeping on the cold floor of the prison for three months. You know how big and wicked those mosquitoes are? They are as big as your thumb Joke and this mosquitoes don't feed gently, Joke, they usually come with straws..." I paused as those memories were about to trigger my tears. "I'm sorry ... I just can't believe anything you say, I've been betrayed too much in my life... And you are certainly not the one who has lost everything.... You are......" I swallowed the remaining words as I return my gaze to the ground.

She stepped closer to me and suddenly grab my cheeks. She looked straight into my eyes. "If I lose you Darous, I'll be left with nothing.... You are my everything....." She said in a soft tone.

I refused to let that affect me one bit, so I only scoffed at her.

"You know, 9ice said, once bitten, is twice shy...I seriously don't believe that....I see your face and you remind me of the devil... Even the devil can't treat me the way you did back then...."

"Ah...." She gasped. "This isn't you." She said vehemently with a disappointed tone. "This isn't my Darous....my Darous is smarter than this...."

"Of course..." I said as I forcefully took her hands away from my cheeks. "This is what your betrayal, Lewis betrayal and your sister's reduced me to.... This is who I am now and the sooner you start accepting it, the better for you....."

"I...." She sniffed in the tears again and brought her face down.

"See, it's night already and I have to go now...before I get caught in your trap again." I turned around and attempted to begin to walk away before she spoke again.

"Okay...." I heard her take in another deep sniff. "If that's what you want, then there is one thing you should know...." She was silent again for some seconds before my curiosity got me to talk.

"I'm hearing you..."

I stared hard and long at her as her lips continue to shake. I took another curiosity step toward her and she gave out another sigh before she talked.




WILL CONTINUE LATER....

CONTINUATION OF T.D.A 15.



I bowed my head down to think. To see if I truly deserve all the things she said to me. To see if I should honor her with a reply or just let it go. Then the latter part of her statement got on my nerves. Where she said I have been nothing but a pain to her family and her as a whole.

'no, you can't take that. You don't deserve all those blames alone. Let her feel your pains also.' A familiar voice communed to me. I chew my teeths together to decline the request of the Temper fc in me that was calling for a rematch with Pacifist Fc.

There was silence for some minutes as she tried to fight off the emotions that were trying to overwhelm her. The tears that were trying to send her crying on the ground.

My dangling legs were swinging in a Jingle-over-like-a-motor- motion as I sit on the tree. My brain was busy trying to come up with the best possible way to tackle this situation.

"Last thing I want to say is, " Her voice cuts into my thoughts. I didn't even bother to look at her anymore. "I've taken Chris and if you don't want any more trouble, anymore wahala than this one you are in, please I'm begging you again, to stay out of our lives for good. " She threatened sternly. I was again tempted to act at that moment, but my Pacifist Fc was already leading the Temper Fc by 2goals to nothing..

She suddenly turned around and begin to walk away slowly. Back towards the direction she had came from.

"I..." I struggled for words but they didn't come as a part of me was trying to keep me from calling her back.

She must have sensed that I wanted to say something so she stopped and turned back to look at me but after waiting for almost a minute without getting anything from me, she shake her head and in a regrettable manner, hissed out loud.
"If you have nothing to say to me, then let it be so. Let this be the last time I'll ever see you." She said that from a few feets away and that was when I saw the need to talk.

"Joke...." I called sharply before I will even think of not doing so again.

She turned around with a contempt filled eyes. "Yes?"

"Hmm.." I scoffed. "Joke, just do something for me please..." I said with an appealing tone.

"What is that?" She asked frankly.

I jumped down from the tree and remained where I landed.

"As you are leaving now, nothing will thrill me more than to hear about your death tomorrow morning." I dropped that outrightly.

I can't begin to explain the kind of look on her face. She was stunned, shocked, and highly horrified when those words settled in her mind. I would have asked you to borrow me more words to justifiably qualify her expression but the ones I borrowed in the first part of my story, I never return am, so you have to manage the ones I used above.

"So now....now you want me dead?" She finally said with a confused tone.

"Yes....yes....I promise, I will masturbate for 30days and 30nights if I hear tomorrow that you are dead....Joke, can you do me that favour?"

"Hmmmm" She scoffed briefly and moved closer to me so that our eyes were now meeting very close. "Then be a man and do it yourself!" She cried out. "Do it yourself you bastard!" Suddenly, she hits me on the chest with her palms and if not for the Mango-weight I'm using, I might have dropped to the floor from the effects of her hands.

I thought she would stop hitting me but she didn't. She never stopped hitting me and raining curses and abuses on me. That was the exact reaction I was hoping to see from her. I want to give her pain so her brain will be vulnerable enough to grab everything I planned on saying to her.

I got tired of letting her hit me and I gently pushed her back. She was crying and sobbing heavily and she had to bend on her knees to maintain her body from falling to the ground as her emotions continue to overwhelm her.

I let her cry for some minutes before I cleared my throat and begin to talk while she was still crying.

"You know, the thing is, Joke, all these years, I kept a secret from the world. A shred of faith. See I never believed that life, the universe, a higher power, God or whatever you want to call it, that's controlling it.....Nothing can ever make me suffer so much and then die without knowing true love...damn it Joke, that.... it'd just be too cruel. Too cruel for me to die in this life with everything that I've been through, all the pains, hustle and sorrow....." I paused when I sensed that my that tears were getting themselves ready to start driving through the borders of my eyes towards my cheeks, so I had to pause momentarily to set up a road block for them.

"And when I met you,....." I continued after setting up the roadblocks. "When I met you Joke, my faith was rewarded. I was happy. I found true love in you. Before meeting you, I know how I was living my life, I know the things I do to get to a woman's pants. I know the bad things I used to do before I can eat... But then I met you, my kryptonite, I was ready to change for you... I no longer chase after girls, but it's not my fault that they tend to find my looks irresistible. My looks got me into most of the trouble I'm in right now... I was already losing hope on myself.....but meeting you again after the times we spent apart restored my hope...." I paused to adjust the roadblocks when I sensed that my tears were trying to maneuver around it.

"Then the marriage came,...." I continued while she remained in the bending position. She was no longer crying, just occasional hiccups. "You vowed to me on the altar before your God and man that you will never leave me no matter the density of my faults. You promised to stay with me no matter what. You promised to swim with me throught the thick currents of the oceans. You never said you will leave me to face them alone. Ah, Joke, no matter how you try to justify it, I don't deserve what you did to me...no human, no matter the gravity of their undoings should have to go through such an ordeal in their lives. My world came crashing down before my own eyes. You didn't spare my mother of that horrible experience. You just decided to be the jury and executioner. You played God on my life.... You decided my fate in the most dehumanizing way...." At that moment, the tears have already bribed my emotions and they have lifted the roadblocks, hence their arrival on my cheeks. In simpler un-motoric terms, I was already weeping. My legs were shaking and I had to get into a squatting posture to sustain my weight.

Joke on the other hand was still bending down, still resting her palms on her slightly bended knees.

"I believe that this life has a way of testing someone's will, either by having nothing happen at all or having everything happen at once...sadly in my own case, Life chooses the latter. And I was hoping with you by my side, I can climb the tallest of mountains...but all you did was abandoned me at the deadliest peak of Everest. You took away my life support and left me in the open when you know that my life will be meaningless without you in it...."

There was silence again as the two of us continue to get drowned in our respective emotions.

"You know, I was truly hurt, when....when....hmmmmm.... You know, you acted on what your sister said to you that I did to her, she said I rap3d her, hmmm, and then Chioma told you that I killed Adedoyin, hmmmmm,......" I paused again. "Today, you deserve to know the truth about those things.....I will tell you in full details of everything concerning those issues...."

I took my time to explain to her in detailed pieces of how Nike and I had a consensual anal sex. Again, I went further by telling her, detail by detail of my affairs with Adedoyin, up till the circumstances surrounding her death and how Chioma played a larger role in it. I also told her of how I thought Chioma had amnesia until she showed up at our wedding. I also told her that I didn't sent her any message requesting her presence at the guest house. I told her of everything Lewis did to me and the boy and how I managed to get us free. I went further to tell her that how can I send a message to her when she know that only Lewis and Nike has her new number?

"How do I know everything you just said to me is the truth? That you are not trying to garner my sympathy so you can strike me again...." She said to me when I've finished explaining to her.

"Well, I know you always tell me not to say it but if it's what it will take for you to believe me, then I will say it..... Joke I swear to you on my father's grave...."

"No..." She tried to caution me.

"On my father's grave that everything I just said to you are nothing but the absolute truth... And if I'm found wanting in any thing I just tell you, let thunder strike the left breeast of my....."

"Noooooo..... don't go there....." She said and used her two index fingers to block her eardrums. So I had to stop. She straightened up momentarily and returned to the bending down posture. I don't know why she chose to remain in that tiring posture.

"I'm not claiming to be a saint Joke, I'm not saying I'm not at fault, but I did everything I did back then with the best intentions of not wanting to hurt you... I was scared of what I would become if you found out about my past and you decide to leave me. I had the best intentions for everything I did to you but you know one thing I earnt from watching the Legend of the Seeker is that Wizard's second rule which states, 'the greatest harm can come from the best intentions'....how so true..."

I sniffed hard and looked around. The sun was almost setting and that tells me it's time to go. Everything that just transpired between Joke and I has made me lose interest in dealing with Lewis. So I sighed and mentally prepared my last words.

"But, I must tell you Joke, there's no regret in life, just lessons learnt... Because in the end of it all, all I learned was how to be strong A-L-O-N-E." I ended with ambiguous emphasis on the last word. My last words hit her hard and the next thing I started hearing from her were plain cries if agonies. The tears were dropping to the floor subsequently and it was starting to affect me greatly.

Swiftly, I arose and turned around in a determined attempt to walk away but the next thing I hear her say was something I never expected to hear from her in a thousand years.

"I...I...I'm sorry...." She stammered out amid sniffs and hiccups and wailings.

Hearing that made my heart to melt instantly. My will power broke down and I had no choice than to make the wailing task a plural one for both of us. I dropped to my knees without turning around to face her as I begin to weep bitterly. We were weeping so hard to the extent that none of us paid attention to her phone that was ringing out loud. The phone rang for some minutes before it stopped totally.

"I'm sorry.... Darous, I'm sorry....I'm very sorry...." I heared her footsteps approaching me very quick and before I could think of standing up to avoid her, she have already wrapped her arms around my neck and shoulders from behind. I wanted to wriggle myself free of her grip but the mere fact that her breast was touching my head was enough to make my body's stubborn armed-robber to lower it's weapons.

I was just swinging gently from side to side as she remained locked to my back. She continued to express how sorry she was through her crying words and before I knew it, I was already pacifying her to stop crying. She continued to tell me all she discovered about Lewis but she was unable to do anything to it because he was the only one keeping her safe from the wrath of every beneficiary of my short term wealth. She told me about how my family members threatened to kill her if she doesn't get me released from the prison. She said that was the reason why she decided to leave Abeokuta for my house in Ibadan. She also told me that she was aware of the 2bn I have in my Diamond account but her conscience would not let her tell Lewis or even act on taking it.

All this she told me through robust crying and fat wails.

We eventually got over ourselves after some times of expressing out our deepest pains through crying and wailing.
The night was fast approaching and I saw the need to bid her farewell so I can get away fast before Lewis shows up to come and complicate things for us.

"Where will you go now?" She asked me after I've announced to her that I'm leaving.

"I'm sorry, I can't tell you..."

"Why?" She asked searching into my eyes for answers.

"My safety depends on it...." I told her.

"Hmmmm..... I understand, but do you think running away is the best option?"

"Nooo... I don't think it's the best option but survival first before anything else...there are people that are already aware of my 2bn money and they will stop at nothing to get it from me...they are the ones that broke me out of jail. As I'm talking to you now, two people are dead already because of that money...believe me, walking away is the best way to keep people safe..." I explained hurriedly to her as I dust off the dirts on my garment.

She pondered on my words briefly and then looked me in the eye.

"What if I go to the police and tell them I'm no longer interested in the case?, that I want to withdraw it? Will that change your mind from running away?"

"Ahahaha....." I laughed wryly. "You got to be joking... Joke, this is no longer your case... You are more like a witness in this case... This case involves murder, attempted murder and attempted suicide.... presently, Chioma is still in the hospital....she's in a coma state and her parents are on my neck.... And only Chioma can solve this. She's the only one that can tell the police about the truth and maybe the judge will see other actions as a mere frustrated retaliation from me...maybe he might give me a light sentence in two weeks time."

"Hmmmm....so there's no way out of this than running away?" She asked again.

"Sadly, there isn't....it's for the safety of everyone that I go away."

"Hmmmm....Then if that's the case, I will go get Chris and we will follow you..."

"Is that a joke or what?" I asked confusingly.

"Like hell I am...., You think you are the only one affected by this? Remember you met me a virgin....I never had sex all through my life and you introduced me to that sexual life...I could never have wished for someone else than you to be my first love maker...and I have promised myself never to have another man in my heart... I love you Darous....."

"You can't say you love me Joke, you know I hate crowded places..."

"I know you don't believe me, but it's a good thing I now have a second chance to prove it to you...."

"What about Lewis?"

"What about him?"

"Don't you love him?"

"Darous, what are you talking about? I can't love someone like that....I don't love...." Her phone rang at that moment and she picked it from the ground. She checked the screen and scoffed before pointing the phone to me. "Speak of the devil..."

"Lewis..." I said after seeing the name on the screen.

I thought she was going to pick the call but she just switched off the phone and stuff it inside her tight jeans.

"So what do we do now?" She asked.

"Joke," I called her and cleared my throat. " As much as I would have loved to have you by my side for ever, I can't do that. I can't let you be a fugitive because of me...you will be throwing your life away and I can't let you do that..." I moved closer to her and held her by both cheeks

"No Darous, my life is beside you.. I know what I'm saying..." She countered.

"Listen to me.... Joke, you are the most beautiful thing that ever happened to me.... You have brought me the best joys I ever known...."

"And the sadness too...don't be so gentle on me Darous...."

"I wasn't planning to, but it will be harsh of me to let you do this because you feel guilty about what you did to me....no I won't be able to live with myself if God forbids, something happens to you... Joke, my life will be totally ruined. Every shred of hope of finding happiness that I'm hanging on will be gone with it if something happens to you... Please, I'm doing this for me, not for you...."

She was starting to cry again when I finished saying that to her. I wasn't ready to let her tie me down with her tears again so I quickly turn around away from her.

"Please just take care of Chris for me...please, don't let anything happen to him........" I said finally and begin to walk away. I was about to bend the last corner that will lead me to the fence of my house when I hear her voice again.

"Darous....!" She shouted at me and I wasn't ready to stop. So I planned on increasing my pace but before I could take another step forward she said something that made me froze to the spot.

"I'm....I'm...." She stammered long enough to trigger my curiosity. "I'm pregnant....!"

Okay, okay, wait guys,.....let's just pretend she didn't say that. Let us pretend for one second that I didn't just hear her say that out to me. Let's just pretend that that was her last attempt to make me stay with her.

Have we finished pretending yet? Okay. Now let us tell her to say that out again. We are all going to ask her to say it again. Okay? On the count of 1 to 3.

Ready? Guys are you ready? Okay.

1....


2!!!



3!!!!!! Go.........


"Joke come again please?" We've all say that to her.


She sighed high. "I'm Pregnant!"

There you have it, she have said it again, so now.....

WHAT NEXT?


T .B. C.

Add me up on WHATSAPP to enjoy my T.B.Mocks and T.B.Meds on 0.8.1.6.2.1.2.8.1.4.1.

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15. THE DOG ATTENDANT. T.D.A by T.B.M.



The ground stood still as we both stared at each other. Our eyes meeting again after some months since her birthday was giving me mixed feelings. She was still clad in the same cloths I saw on her earlier in the morning. Truth be told, the urge and zeal to approach her and take out my anger on her surged through my body at that moment we were alone inside that bush.

'is that her? Darous, na she be this?' A voice asked me from within. 'see her face, that treacherous face! Kai, Darous, Wetin you dey wait for? Make we beat nonsense comot for her body na? See as she stand dey look us like say she no know Wetin she do for us...abeg, wire her better slap for face make her brain receive sense small...'

'no...no beat her.....' Another voice countered. ' make we kill am ni. She deserve to die for everything wey she do to us.'

I pondered on those thoughts briefly and I feel like I should just dash towards her and give her face a correctional slap for everything she's making me go through in my life.
The slap landed on her face heavily and the complexion of the affected area changed quickly to a reddened one. She winced in pain as she grabbed her left cheeks with the left palm. Her face was filled with shockhorror. The look on her face encouraged me to make her feel my wrath again, so I plunged at her and gave her another one but with more force this time around. The force was so much that she staggered back whimpering in silence. Her lips were quavering and her hands were shaking.

She spit out the blood in her mouth spitefully. She looked at me with contempt and that got my anger to skyrocket. It felt as if I have been wasting my time by just slapping her, so I introduce another variable of punch to the equation. Being a trained boxer, I know where to punch her and will make her fall to the ground. So I clenched my fist as her beautiful eyes locked on mine. She wants me to stop, but no, I need to first take out my anger in her. I swung my right hand forward and like a thunderstorm, the blow landed on her face and her stamina succumbed to the power of my 46kg blow. A blow almost the weight of a bag of cement.

She landed on the floor on her back as the phone in her hand dropped. She was now crying but I wasn't done with her yet. I hate her now more than any living thing crawling on the surface of the earth. Chioma is already in a coma, Nike is nowhere to be found, and Lewis who is also an accomplice in my tribulations has gotten a heavy beating from me earlier even though he retaliated with something that could have ended my life but still I'm okay with the fact that I get to beat him. So , Joke should not be left out. She masterminded everything so I need to beat her to a pulp. Forget about her being the love of my life, forget about my own undoings too, she needs to feel my pains too.

Having those feelings, I pounced on her as she was trying desperately to get up from the floor. I used my hands to separate her face that she was trying to cover. I pinned her down heavily and begin to slap her face harder.

KPA! "that one is for betraying me..."

KPA! "That one is for that public humiliation...."

KPA! "That is for taking my everything away from me!"

I continue to slap her heavily on the floor. Then she started breathing very slow. She was gradually losing her strength and despite the fact that I'm aware of this, even in the innermost part of my brain, I still didn't stop dishing out the most Anthony-Joshua of slaps to her face. In simpler un-boxingful term, I was still slapping her heavily.
She was no longer trying to push me away. I never stopped slapping her as the slaps continue to terminate the contract her body has with strength. My eyes were bloodshot and rage filled. Hers too was starting to roll in their sockets. Before I knew it, blood have started to form in her eyes as I continue to dish out my slaps on her face. Her breathings begin to get ragged. Then I cried out loud in anguish as I raised my hands up in the sky more than ever and brought it down heavily on her face. She went limp immediately. She was no longer breathing. I on the other hand was breathing heavily.

Then my mind starts to settle and by the time my brain reached it's final cooling point, the ugly reality dawned on me. 'She's dead. I'd kill her!. I've kill her!.... I was saying out loud to myself but then the ringing of her phone snapped me out of my trance.

Madu, the song of Kiss Daniel boomed out of the Samsung10 lying on the floor.

I wiped my face down with the palm of my hand as I watch her bend down to pick the phone on the leave-covered ground. She stared at the phone before she returned her look to my face.
I know you are confused, but just remember what I said before the slap scene. I said I feel like I should just take out my anger on her by slapping her.
So basically or technically, or practically, or literally, or whatever word you find that ends with (Cally) that will best qualify what I said earlier is okay by me, all I just want to let you know is that everything I said about the fight was nothing but a figment of my imagination, a demonstration of how things would have gone if I hadn't control the anger welling up in me as I stood motionlessly in front of her.

The phone must have fallen off her hand when our eyes met. My eyes were hard and stern. The phone continue to ring in her hand and I was beginning to get worried that it might draw attention to us if not answered quickly. She got over herself and she picked the call.
The next thing I heard her say is, "hello Lewis,..." She said very low.

NOTE** The amount of 'eeee' you see in each SILENCE you see below, is to tell you how long she was silent on the call.

She cleared her throat before she continued. " I got it like twenty minutes ago.....( silenceeeeeee) no no Lewis, I've forwarded the message to you already, just check your phone.....he said...(silenceeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee) The police?....no, they are not with me....... I only told them that my friend said Chris is with her and that they shouldn't worry anymore.... (Silenceeeee) yes..I mean no,...you don't know him like I do Lewis.... he made it clear that I should not involve the police at all... (Silenceeeeeeeee) no, I can't wait for you to get here Lewis, Chris life is at stake here....( silenceeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee again.) I know the place, its behind our house...( silenceeee) noo, please don't bring the police into this... You don't understand....I think I can handle him....( silenceeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee).......". The call continued as a lot of thoughts continue to sprang up in my mind.
Everything I just hear her say on the phone has somehow answered part of the questions that popped into my mind when I first hear her voice outside the door. Questions like; How did she locate that place? How did she knew we were there? Where are the police she was with some minutes ago? I mean the police that spoke with Lewis on the phone when he was still holding me inside that uncompleted guest house? Have she brought them to arrest me?, But thanks to that call, I already have a clue to most of the answers.

The message she was talking about must surely have something to do with all the questions in my mind. I don't need to waste my time trying to find out what message she was talking about, putting one and two together, I realized Lewis must have sent that message to her when he was typing that phone earlier in the guest house. That bastard wants to set me up against Joke so she would come inside the guest house and think I'm holding Chris hostage. Although I don't know the exact details of the text but it can't be far from what I presumed it to be. Lewis main agenda is to make Joke see me as a full devil so that she won't have any reason to be regretting what she did to me, so she can fully move on with her life and hopefully for him, she might eventually say yes to his advances. Sounds like a perfect plan but the bastard didn't know that I've already gotten out of the guest house. I'm only concerned with why Joke is now lying to him that she hasn't entered the guest house yet when she have already.

"okay Lewis but don't bring the police, I will wait for you at the junction...( silenceeeeeeee) no, no,no, I am almost there but I'll go back now....okay. Just don't tell the police anymore okay....." She sighs as she ends the call and returned her full concentration on me.

"That was Lewis...." She said out but I don't know whether to give her a response or not, seeing as I was still feeling a bit uncomfortable with the sudden meeting. I need to be very careful here if I don't want to make a very costly mistake that can ultimately end my own life, both literally or practically.

"How do I handle this? Should I just turn away from her or continue to grant her audience?" I asked myself again but before I could deliberate further on that, my stomach produced a hunger-notification alert. I haven't taken anything into my stomach since the previous night when I was in the prison and being an ulcer person, I know it's only a matter of time before my worms starts feeding on my intestines.

"Darous....." Joke finally said to me. That voice was sooo cool but it's effects on my senses was the contrary.

Every fiber of my body quickly remember that tone that she just used in calling my name and they were screaming to me to run away, but a smaller part of my body that wasn't in support of running away keeps telling me to wait and talk to her and who knows, Lewis might join us in time and I might finally get my chance to unleash my full wrath on him for everything he did to me and my child in that guest house. For drugging my child and tying me down like a goat, he needs to pay for that. A good thing Joke has told him not to involve the police at all.

'make sure you don't leave him alive this time around, so he doesn't come back with something more than a pestle to finish you completely.' That smaller part of me said to me.

On the other hand, as if they were acting on their own accord, my mouth opened and this was what came out of it.
"Yessss......" I stressed the word with a questioning look as I wrapped my arms across my chest.

She begin to pace my front in a short sideway motion, probably trying to see how best to proceed in her words.
The sun was almost at it's resting zone and soothing has substituted for scorching to reduce the effect of the sun on our skins. The breeze was blowing gently and that was when my eyes caught the sight of a mango tree standing not very close to where we were standing in the lonely bush. I gave the tree a quick cursory survey and I was happy to the bone when I saw two ripe mangoes begging to be plucked on one of its branches.

"I got your message and now I'm here..." She said without missing my eyes in one second.

I wanted to ask her which message she's talking about but then I remember the call she just had with Lewis. I already know about the message so I continued on my decision to keep mute, while just staring at her and doing everything possible in my Buharific power not to call her herdsman a terrorist.


"I....I...." She stutters out and tried taking a step closer to me but I quickly stepped back.

"Whatever you want to say, please do me a favour, stay there and say it.... Please don't come any closer to me if you don't want trouble." I lashed at her and I didnt bat an eyelid.

She called my warning a bluff and attempted to move closer to me again and that was when multiple folds of anger dominated the possession of my body and the striker of clenched fist and gritted teeth started having a series of shots on target on the Pacifist Fc part of my body's goal post before the lone striker named Calmness from that Pacifist FC broke away on a counter attack and scored a late goal to win the match. So I had no choice than to give in to Pacifist Fc.


Still with clenched fist I said to her, "you hardly do whatever I tell you to do right? Just get out of my way....."
I begin to match forward in her direction and I could see it in her eyes, the fear and apprehension, as they grew with every step I took closer to her. She sighed as I walked past her and straight for the mango tree. I adjusted the dirty white garment on my body and begin to climb the tree. I first plucked the two mangoes I saw earlier and quickly ate them before I begin to search for another one.

While still on the mango plucking adventure, I will occasionally look down from the tree to check on her and surprisingly, she was still standing there. Watching everything I was doing on the tree. Somehow, I was glad she got to see me like that. For her to be seeing me in this kind of situation will leave an everlasting dent on her conscience, that's if she has any left. I'm glad she gets to see a fraction of what I'm going through. I'm glad she gets to see what she has reduced me to with her betrayal and self acclaimed vengeance.

I spent more than fifteen minutes on the tree, eating everything I plucked and when I was satisfied that my belly is okay a bit, I sat on the closest branch to the ground and rested my head on another branch. I picked another mango from my garment's pocket and took a bite.

"So, to what do I owe this unpleasant meeting?" I said to her and that was when I noticed the traces of tears in her eyes.

'No, not that again. Not those manipulative tears again. She knows that's my kryptonite and she's trying to give them to me. But no, I won't let my guard down so easily. ' I said that to myself and shifted a larger percent of my attention towards the mango in my hand.

I will not say anything again. I will just follow what Sultan, one of my inmates use to say. He use to say, "sit back and observe, not everything needs a reaction." And another one that he use to say is, " you have two ears and one mouth. Follow that ratio in every situation. Listen more and talk less." And the last one is this, " when you let people talk for long, you get to know their true feelings and intentions."

So putting all that into a handy use, I acted nonchalantly to her actions of cries, they might be stunts for all I care.

"Darous, first of all, why?" She broke out. " Why did you want to take Chris away from me? " She questioned me but I gave her no reply or signal to let her think I'm listening to her. I only chew harder on my mango.

"You know you are cruel and wicked? You know that right?...." She paused again. "After everything you did to me, you still have the guts to come here and hurt me again? Eh? Have I not suffered enough in your hands? What exactly did I do to you Darousmart, for you to be doing all this to me? Tell me!" She was almost shouting on top of her voice. I looked around from the tree to see if someone else is around the area but I saw no one.

"You know, let me be sincere, I was starting to feel sorry for what I did to you... I mean how I got you arrested and all the ...all the......" She fumbled for what to say as I strained my ears to hear what she wants to say. "Well, admittedly, you can say I went too far, I get it, but it was you, with your lies and dishonesty that left me with absolutely no choice... I just had to hit the quit button on us...." She paused and sniffed in hard. She stared long into the sky and when she eventually brought her face down, heavy tears trickled down her soft cheeks.
"Honestly, I hate everything that happened to us,....." She continued. "believe it or not, I was already regretting it, but with this one that you are doing to me now? Eh? to me again? Darous! Again?!" She hits her chest very hard with her palms. "Seriously, I hate myself for feeling sorry for someone like you.... I hate the fact that my head and brain has never worked together in any situation that involves you.... The last time they eventually came to terms on your case, that was when I was truly free.... Honestly, getting rid of you was the best thing I ever do with my brain...."


By now, you should already have a picture of how her face will look like while dropping those heavy words on my wounded doorstep.
"I don't feel sorry anymore. I've come to realize that you deserve every penny of pain or struggle you are going through in life right now..... Truly, it was I that pulled the trigger on our relationship, but it was you, with your unending lies and unrepentant character to see lies and deceit as a grand option, it was you that loaded the gun...and whatever you are going through now is of your own doing not mine.... Don't hate me for wanting to stay away from someone like you.....for wanting happiness for once in my life....you can't hate me for that..."

"Ah" I sighed out when I thought she has finished talking but that only gave her an indication to continue.

"I don't know how you did it, I don't know how you managed to escape from prison, maybe for some part of God's unquestionable reasons, this meeting was meant to happen so we can clear the air, but let me tell you clearly, I'm not saying you shouldn't run away, I won't stop you but, I repeat, if you ever come across my life again, if you try as little as hurt a single member of my family ever again!......" She declared vehemently and bit her lips hard as I listened anxiously to hear the remaining parts of her pains. "You will spend the rest of your miserable existence rueing the day you first sent me that Facebook friend request....cos I've realized that you are nothing! Nothing... but a great pain to my life and family as a whole...." Her eyes were that of a wounded lion. So fierce and full of anguish.

NzeSteve:
Dropping dis episode means u are getting stronger... We stand wit u broo.... More strength to d man wey sabi

sure boss. I resumed work fully on Wednesday. All thanks to your well wishes

14. THE DOG ATTENDANT. [T.D.A] by TBM.


The C.P stood at akimbo as my inmates fumbled for space to stand. The leg chains and handcuffs was making it kind of difficult for the policemen that marched them in to get them into orderly order.

There were murmurs and whispers going on amongst them as they ventured for comfortability in the room. They were all clad like me in the same V-neck short sleeves and knickers.

They formed a U-shape around the spacious room while the C.P, Nike, Lewis and the Chief Warden stood in front of them. Sergeant Audu and two other policemen with rifles stood at the rear end of my inmates while I remain seated on the floor in the middle of the lots.

This situation I found myself in suddenly is making blood to flow abnormally in my system. The first thing that first came to mind was to back out of the plan but they never born me well to do that. Not now that things are about to get extremely unpredictable.

Truly there was a plan going on, but still nothing is ever guarantee where ever the fate of my well being is involved, so you can understand the reason behind my unsettled apprehension.

"You all need to do our ear drums the favour of keeping quiet...." The C.P Mr Femzie Carlos announced to all of them when the murmurs and titters refused to die down in time.

Groans and Grunts which are the first symptoms of Discomfort, were the reactions that immediately met with the C.P's words to my colleagues in blue vests before one of them suddenly spoke up without minding the presence of who we were.

"Baba police, where we comot still make sense pass this one na, haba, how you tey expect make we nor talk when you pack plenty human being for inside this o n gbo na feli-feli hole (very hot) as if say we be sardine? Ah, we self be human being na. He no... ..." One of the Albinos instantly replied the C.P but before he could finish his statement, Sergeant Audu have interrupted him.

"Keep kwayet there! Where you think say you dey wey your mouth dey sing like mosquito?"

"We dey inside the place wey we no like and you dey expect make we no talk..? Make we no talk?...." Another lanky man by the name of Festus replied him.

"You all better learn to behave or else?...."Seargent Audu warned abruptly.

"Or else what? You go kill us?" Simon, a slim-prison-fit guy replied amid the ongoing murmurs.

"Silence?" The. C.P barked again. "Where......"

"Sir....." One female police with a tomboy stature like that of Sarah Connor of the Terminator film walked in with that interruptive word. She was so slim to the extent that her breast have metamorphosed to make her gender more bobrisked and complicated. I just pity her future children. Those poor souls will have a have a hard time differentiating their dad from their mum. Poor kids will have two dads. One with a vagina and the other with a diick.

"Yes Faith, what's it?" The C.P turned to her as she found her way to him, brushing aside the disgruntled prisoners in the process.

"No push us na?" The albino she made contact with grunted.

"Abi who be this ganself?" Saipon chipped in too.

Faith got to the front of the C.P and saluted him.
"Sir, D.C.P is back in the office sir, with the governor's people." She announced in almost whispers but I was able to hear her loud and clear because of the C.P's relative closeness to my location.

Mr Carlos first wore a frowned look on his face before he spoke back. ".C.P and the governor's people ke ?"

"Yes sir......" The said Faith replied sharply as we all listened on in silence trying to pick pieces of what they were saying.

"But the meeting was slated for tomorrow Monday , why are they here today?" In another whisper, the C.P said again.

" I don't know sir...but I can tell them you are not around if that's okay sir..." Faith replied in whisper too.

"No...no...they have already seen my car,....the D.I.G must have called them...."

"You mean my Dad is aware of my situation already?" I hear Lewis say to the confused man in almost whispers too.

Mr Carlos gave him a hard glare and ignored Lewis before returning his face to Faith. "How many of them?"

"Answer me na, is it my dad? I've been calling him.simce but not picking my calls..." Lewis voiced out again to the man in authority here.

"Young man, not everything revolves around you...so please stay out of this..." He said sternly and beckoned Faith to speak up.

"Four sir, plus the D.C P sir...." She replied standardly.

He shook his head briefly as if in a thinking mode before he then settled his gaze on the standing lots. "I don't like this...." He muffled under his breath. "Tell them I will be there shortly. "

"Okay sir..." Faith saluted and exited the room.

"Audu, come here..." The C.P called the Sergeant. "Take down their names for me before I come back. But if I'm not back in the next 30mins, you know what to do....." He instructed in an explicit tone that's devoid of noise.

"Yes sir." Sergeant Audu stiffened his body at once and saluted the man.


"And you..." Mr Carlos faced Lewis. "Don't you have an appointment to catch?"

"No, I will meet my doctor later..." Lewis answered defiantly without giving the man a glance.

"But still, You two have no business here for now, so follow me." The C.P told Lewis and Nike before he motioned to Audu again.

Lewis wanted to counter him again but Nike spoke up. "He's right, we need to check on Chris, he might be already looking for us...." They both exited the room immediately.

The C.P stopped in front of me and called Audu to come again.

"Take him from this place and lock him up somewhere in the toilet, we don't want him intimidating his friends....." The C.P pointed to me as he gave Audu that instruction.

The moment he finished talking, Audu dragged me up gently and led me to the wooden door by the rear side of the spacious room. He opened the door and gently shoved me inside.

He made me sit on the closet while the other corporal that followed us inside worked on getting my handcuff locked to the burglary proof. They exited the restroom after making sure there's no way I can escape from that place.

I bowed down my head exasperatedly as I begin to think again about how I got back into custody. Thinking if o actually made the right decision.l

Meanwhile, I can still hear what is going on outside the door but let me first tell you how I got back to prison when I'm supposed be on my way to Jide's house to claim my 2bn money and be out of the country even despite the fact that I did not have my child with me anymore.


>>>>>>>HOURS AGO<<<<<<<


My eyes flew open when the absence of my child was staring at me in the face. I couldn't believe I was still that stupid to the extent of leaving him all alone in that lonely and dark passage all because I don't want him to see me when I'm looking for what I will use in opening the door. Still because I don't want him to discover my lie as an angel.
'What if Lewis have got him?' That possibility question sprang up in my mind in that instance of fidgetability but before I could ponder more on it, I heard Joke's voice from the outside.

"is he inside?" Her voice queried and I instantly switched off the torch in my hand. I was stunned to hear her voice in that environment.

"Who mummy?" That was Chris voice.

"The man inside with you...." Joke said again. "Did he hurt you? Why are you sweating? Did he hurt you anywhere? Come over here....come here....." There was a brief silence after that before Chris spoke.

"Mr Zeus?" I heard Chris say that out and I was left to wonder when I suddenly became Mr Zeus.

"Who is that? Who is Mr Zeus?"

"Mummy, you don't know him?”

" of course I don't know any Mr Zeus..."

" Mummy, mummy, he disappeared to my room and said he want to take me to my daddy..he said bad Uncle Lewis is not my daddy......"

"Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.... Let's get you to safety first..." That was the last thing I heard from Joke shortly before the sound of her footsteps followed.

I waited two minutes before I concluded on what to do. I gently open the door and stepped outside into the open. The day was very sunny and windy. The environment was bushy and fenced with blocks to an eight course height. A small house still under construction was situated closely to the big gate. The walkway path to the gate was narrow and littered with used pure water sachets and empty plastic drinks.

I contemplated on going out through that gate or just scaling the fence so as to avoid any collision with Joke in case she plans on returning to the place.

Scaling the fence is dangerous seeing as I don't know what lies outside it, but passing through the gate is also risky but I have to take that risk.

Then, I begin to proceed out gently towards the gate with all my sense organ working in unison to alert me of any approaching danger.

I got to the gate and peaked out first. The outside was almost as bushy as the inside but I saw one big WINNERS CHAPEL signboard that suddenly gave me a priceless clue of where I am. I'm still in Ibadan, also in the street behind my house that Joke got from me illegally.

I quickly pondered on which road Joke must have taken. The polygamous motorable road or the divorced bushy one that leads to the back gate of my house? I know about the road because when the builders were building my house, it was through that place that they use to get to the other street whenever they want to go and buy something to eat.


I don't know if Joke knows about that road or not but remember that the back gate was locked when I got there earlier, so it's only logical to presume that Joke must have taken Chris through the polygamous one.

I stepped outside fully and begin to walk straight with the aim of taking the shortcut that leads to the back gate of my house, with the hope of rounding my own fence to get to the other street that will lead me to where I parked the car I brought to the place. Remember that car belongs to Jarter's men, late Lovelyn's husband. I plan on using it to get to Jide's house.

I was now walking very fast along the bushy way that leads to my fence. All sense was on red alert to get out of that place uncaught.

I saw the black colored gate and took a pause. The pestle knock I got from Lewis , coupled with the fact that I never chop anything since the previous day was starting to affect my strength so I decided to catch my breath a little.

I bent down and rested my hands on my knees. "I will overcome this...that's for sure..." I said to myself and got up again. I formed saliva in my mouth so as to alternatively quench the thirst in my mouth.

I proceeded in my steps but as I was about to round the left corner of my fence, a voice called me from behind.

"Darous...." The voice was grumpy so I wasn't able to identify the owner. The earth stopped in it's rotation when the voice called me again, but now with a less grumpy tone. "Darous, is that you?"

Slowly, I turned around, it felt as if the earth has resumed in it's endless rotation and my neck begin to spin faster when my eyes settled on that familiar face.

In Carl Sagan's voice when he was describing the Earth as a Pale Blue Dot, he says, " that's her, that's she, in her lies, every joy I've ever known, and every mountain of sadness I ever passed through. Standing before me in that tiny spot enveloped in that cosmic bushy arena.

Finally, She's truly the aggregate of all my Joys and Sufferings.


T.B.C. This update came from the sickest part of my being while I was in the hospital. In simpler unhospitality terms, HELP ME MANAGE AM.

More.....

More.......

More...

LawizzyAh:
There He Goes Again Making Me Uncomfortable Till The Next Update. Thumbs Up Bro.There He Goes Again Making Me Uncomfortable Till The Next Update. Thumbs Up Bro.There He Goes Again Making Me Uncomfortable Till The Next Update. Thumbs Up Bro.

lol....but no worry. Like I said earlier, the next update is presently under surgery.

chisiudeh:
I use God.beg you, save darous from this impending gbas gbos coming his way cos e no go funny atall if e fall on him.

he be like say you don forget say na something wet don happen tey tey na in the old man dey narrate to us.......so whatever happens to Darous I beyond my doing.

Adesina12:
The BlessedMan, the heir of Sango
I don dey laf tired
Just be calm you will be freed soon
Your enemy are plenty and more than your Ota
Sweet popcorn for you

Baba popcorn.....longest time....I dey feel you brother mi

arfezces:
More wisdom bro... You just a blessing to this generation... I pray sango will be on side this time o cuz the whole kasala is about to boast

I'm humbled . Thanks bro

darniejay:
wow. . .honestly ur writing skills is outta this world what am I even saying, after all you attended GLOCOTEL and you are the heir of sango. more grace and skills

awesome this oooo... I'm happy beyond words...... thanks

dawno2008:
Baba TBM you just made my byday a lovely day,I was feeling blue,imagine on ma byday,I just checked literature section,and viola,an update,you really made ma day

God bless you as you continue to make people happy through your writing
Thank you so much,from the bottom of ma heart I say thank you.
It's gonna be a good"Happy day"to everyone out there.

hbd to you bro oooo.......I'm very happy to be a part of this oooo.....just do the needful by requesting for thunder services.....you are striked with blessings from the ultimate thunder altar bro

kaysmart4real:
TBM you no go kill us with suspense. Abeg make una no delay the next episode too much ooo. More Grease to your Elbow More Ink to your pekn

amen brother......

cenaman:
Thumb up TheBlessedMan, nice update but i hope the suspence wont be too long?

hopefully not. The 14th episode is already undergoing surgery....

hatchetman:
GLOCOTEL send dis guy-TBM go excursion...
dat means more wisdom wen him go return...d jonzing don weak me finish..
ehen! b4 i 4get.. TBM u 2much.. ororo 2much 4 ur head..d kind entertainment wey u dey gve us 4 free..na so blessings and mercies and favours and good health(i gas add am make e no b lyk say na gels i dey wish u) more SHANGOISTIC BIC ink 2 every pen in ya life...
HATCHETMAN WISH U WELL

THE appreciation is well appreciated bro.......it's a morale booster

CONTINUATION OF T.D.A 13. BY TBM.




CONTINUATION OF T.D.A 13. BY TBM.

I was not allowed to sit down even though there were enough chairs in the room to accommodate more than 6people at once. The Sergeant sat down after closing the door and centered all his attention on me as I stood in front of him.

The effect of the A.C in this room is not as intense as the one we left. My wrist, where the cuffs was clipped was already getting sore. I was only managing to stay on my feet. The effect of the ordeal I passed through the other day is still messing with my body.

"You fit sit down na, but no touch any chair...." Sergeant Audu said to me after probably sensing my discomfort.

I smiled and quickly connected my bottocks with the tiled floor.

I now have a few minutes at my disposal to think things through and hope it all goes according to plan. It's already working in my favor as it stands but the only thing I'm worried about is the private meeting they are having right now.

Lewis is a stubborn bastard.... When he came into my life fee years ago, I never would have thought him to later become this kind of person. Someone hell-bent on making sure my life is totally ruined beyond recognition. But with everything that went down in the C.P's office, I think I still have a slim chance to scale through this.

I was in that position for more than twenty minutes before the door opened and surprisingly, the C.P emerged from the entrance with a paper in his hand.

Sergeant Audu rose to his feet quickly and saluted the other man.

I also tried getting up but the C.P waved at me to remain on the floor. I didn't know whether to be happy about that or to be cautious.

The C.P raised the paper to his own face, he read it briefly before he turned to me with a plain face.
"Darous," He called me. "This text that I'm about to read to you was sent to your ex-wife's phone yesterday when she was looking for your child....."

"What? Did he got missing?" I feigned ignorance.

"Silence!" The C.P ordered and I was instantly mute.
"Once I'm done reading it to you, I want you to be completely honest with me with any questions I ask you....that's if you don't want to be in total soup.. Be honest...what did I say? Be completely honest.....that's the only thing that can help you here...you already have enough on your plate...in fact, enough to earn you a lifetime sentence in jail, I don't want you to add this one to it. We can settle it here without it getting out but I need you to be completely honest with me. You see those two inside my office, they want nothing but to see you in a body bag...but I don't want that for you. People think of us police as wicked people but that's not who we are. We always want to help the citizens, but it's when they refuse to cooperate with us, that's when things get ugly. You yourself can see how that man, because he's the son of my boss, see how he's talking to me? All because I refuse to punish you? So if you don't want me to take out my frustration on you, you'd better behave yourself...." He paused and took a seat inside the chair opposite me. Our face was directly against each other.
"Here is the message ....let me read it loud for you to hear." He adjusted in his seat before he began. "The message reads as this...'Joke, don't shout after reading this message. No cause for alarm. I just want to tell you that I've come to pick what belongs to me. I know it will hurt you but this is what you deserve for ruining my life. Now I want to give you a chance that you never gave me. A chance to say goodbye to this boy. I'm in that uncompleted guest house located at the back street of my house that you stole from me. I give you twenty minutes to get your snitching self over here or else I will kill this boy. After all he's the cause of our break up. If I see any police with you, I will twist his neck..be warned..." The C.P looked up from the paper in his hand. He dropped it on his laps and placed his elbowed hands on it. "Now, I will ask you three questions, if you answer it honestly, then I promise you on the honor of my rank that I will do everything in my power to help you out....."
He got to his feet and begin to pace the room in a circular motion around me.

"Darous, I've asked you this before but now I've got reasons to ask you again... Where were you yesterday....?"

"Like I told you earlier sir, I was inside the the prison and that's where I've always been since five months ago...." I replied instantly.

The C.P scoffed. I managed to look up to his face as he continued pacing around me but what I saw in his face terrified me.

"I will ask you again and that will be the last time I will be asking you...." He suddenly stopped in front of me and got himself into a squatting posture. "Where were you yesterday....?"

I took some seconds to deliberate on whether to tell him the truth or to just play according to plan. Telling him the truth is certainly a one way ticket to hell but if he's truly honest about helping me, then it might be a risk worth taking. But the problem is, how do I know if he can be trusted? Lewis might have manipulated him during those times they spent together. This might be some sort of ploy to nail me finally to the cross.

'tell him the truth ....take that risk....' An inner voice told me as the tension in me continue to grow.

"I'm waiting...." The voice of the C.P cuts into my thoughts.
I swallowed hard and pondered on it briefly before making my decision.

"I..I was inside the prison sir....." I replied amid breaking voice again. I have made my decision and that's what I'm going to stick with. I only pray it doesn't comes back to hunt me.

The C.P released a deep breath and rose back to his feet. He used his left palm to wipe down his face. He handed the paper in his hand back to his Sergeant and continued to pace me again.

"One last time.....one final time for you to let me help you....I swear I will make sure you rot in prison if you don't come out clean with me... The picture is there as enough evidence but I still need your confession. To understand what is really going on. We already have the warder that was killed during the break in the hospital for postmortem.... I've gotten all the necessary information from your prison mates and they have told me all I need to know, but you know I don't know why, something is telling me I just have to help you in this case....if not for anything, at least for the arrogance of that Lewis of a man....so now, if you don't want to have another enemy in me, I warn you for the last time to tell me the truth...or else, you will spend the rest of your life wishing you had....." He threatened furtherly and paused to see my reaction. "Darous, where were you yesterday?"

'telll him the truth....tell him the truth and damn the consequences....' That inner voice said to me again but ....

"I'm waiting......!" The C.P snarled at me again and that sent shivers of fear down my spine.

"I....I..." I stammered out in absolute trepidation.

"You are what..? Tell me, you are what?"

I sniffed hard. "the prison sir....I was at the.. prison sir......."

"Hmmm... you want to be stubborn abi? You will meet me there.....Okay....erm....Sergeant Audu," The C.P called out loud.

"Yes sir!"

"Go and bring them in..." The C.P ordered authoritatively.

'you are in soup...I told you...' That inner voice told me again.

The Sergeant marched outside and before I could reconsider my stand, the door flew open and as if watching a movie, my cell mates, starting from Principal, followed by the two Albinos and others begin to troop inside the room in hand cuffs and leg chains.

At a cursory count, they were up to sixteen . The whole house was present....

The door opened again and Lewis walked inside alongside Nike. Lewis couldn't hide the smile on his face when he saw me sitting in the middle of the lots.

The chief warden at the prison was also escorted inside the room and silence instantly dominated the atmosphere.

My life and trouble are like the alphabetical arrangements in the state and capital recitation. If Ebonyi cannot be Abakaliki, then Edo can never be a Benin City...


T.B.C.

CONTINUATION OF T.D.A 13. By TBM.






The atmosphere developed to a tense one with the latest development in the saga.
"Calm down Mr Lewis.... I've done my own investigation on the matter and I have my objective reasons for bringing him here for questioning.... So I implore you to calm down....."

"Calm down? How can you tell me to calm down after seeing this clown?” Lewis stressed out with a furious tone. The C.P and the rest of us were just silently watching him display his frustration. He ranted and bemoaned for some seconds before Nike saw the need to caution him.

"Lewis, calm down first..calm down na, this thing no go settle if we continue this way na...don't let me bring my own into this ooo....ahaha, what if my sister is here? Is this how you will be doing? Calm down first...I'm as angry as you are ,even maybe more than you ganself but let's just let them do their work ....let's hear what they want to say to us.." Nike voiced in with the tone of a pacifist.

There was temporary silence in the office after Nike has spoken. The silence lingered on for more than ten seconds before the C.P saw the need to end its tenure.

"First I must thank you for coming on such short notice. The police unit in ibadan have given me all the necessary Intel on the incident that happened yesterday...they are suppose to be the one to handle it but I just decided to take charge myself since the alleged culprit is still facing a trial in a court situated in this state...... You know we police, whenever we are tasked with investigating situations like this one, we always endeavor to go by the right line of justice. And when I say justice, its only a certified court of law that can grant that. We can't inflict pain or any form of physical abuse on anyone irrespective of the gravity of crime they were being alleged.. The law explicitly frowns on such things, this man here that we are talking about is still facing trial in court. So how will it sound if his lawyers later see him with swollen cheeks and battered eyes? Trust me, those lawyers will play on that till it gets out of hand....so that is why you are seeing him here.. if you have any personal issue with him, that's not our fault, so you can't possibly drag...." The C.P was still saying when Lewis curts in again.

"Will you just for once spare me all these bullsh*t and go straight to the point? "

" Lewis..." Nike called but Lewis isn't ready to back down just yet.

"Nike stay out of this....you are not the one that was beaten by this idiot..you are not the one feeling the pains I'm feeling right now....." Lewis moaned.

"Do I need to remind you of what I've also passed through in his hands?" Nike faced him squarely. " Is it the emotional torture or the physical ones? Or the irreparable loss of my mother that he caused? Or the....." She shook her head at that moment. " Trust me Lewis, you have no idea what I'm feeling right now, so stop making this all about you......"

"Then that's the more reason why you have to agree with me that this guy needs to die...."

"I'm afraid Mr Man, Only the court can do justice to that..not us and not you...it's far beyond our jurisdiction..." The C.P expressed vehemently.

" Then what's the purpose of inviting us here? Tell me nau? or is it so you can let him laugh in our faces? So he can gloat about it when you finally set him free?" Anxiety could be felt in every fiber of words spoken by Lewis.

"And why the hell would I do that?" The C.P groaned.

"Then it's not too much for someone like me to want to know why you haven't locked this idiot up yet. Instead you are here preaching to me like a parrot..."

The eyes of everybody in the room (except that of Chris ,who was already dozing off on the chair) shone wide at the sound of that.

" Gosh..." That escaped from the mouth of the police standing behind me as he could no longer contain the feelings inside.
Even the C.P was not left out in expressing how shocked he was to hear that. But instead of taking actions, he only put on a squeezed face and continue watching Lewis.

Not minding whatever reactions we were showing, Lewis continued anyways.. "Wait, when did you people even start embracing the act of due process? Eh? When did that one start?....if you know what's best for you, you will tell me why this clown is not covered in blood by now....trust me, if you do anything funny , I will make you lose your job...all it takes for me is just a phone call to my dad and voila, you are done....." He released a disgruntled sound at the completion of his statements.

All eyes were now focused on the C.P, Mr Femzie Carlos.
I was expecting the C.P to flare at him in that moment but he just smiled and scoffed. That further gave me reasons to believe what Lewis said to me the previous day about his father's status in the country. His father must truly be a very powerful figure for him to have the audacity to talk like that to a whole commissioner of police. That realization is not good at all for me. Knowing the kind of person Lewis is, he will surely explore this opportunity to make sure I enter more troubles.

"Calm down Mr Lewis...let's be civil here please...." C.P broke the deafening silence.

"How can you tell me to be civil? " Lewis curts in again amid the growing tension in the office. Still the C.P still see the option to put on a smile as the best thing to do. "See my face! See my hand? " Lewis placed his bandaged hand on the table as the C.P continue to smile back at him. "Have you even try to get a report from the police people in Ibadan? Have you heard from them? Evidently not...cos if you have , you will not be sitting down there like a fat duck and be giving me that daffy smile..."

"Mr Man, behave yourself na" The police behind me expressed his angered feelings towards what Lewis said. "na my oga you dey follow talk like that na...at least if you can't respect his post, try and respect his age na abi Wetin dey ...." The C.P cut him short with the wave of his hand. I could hear him chewing his teeth very hard.

The C.P scoffed again and smiled.
"I just want you to calm down.. don't aggravate things ignorantly...." The C.P said calmly. "I'm the head of police in this state and you can't continue to talk to me like that...I understand how you are feeling but also know that I am tolerating this because of your father..."

"What's that suppose to mean?" Said Lewis with a narrowed look at the man opposite him. "I'm a man of myself..how can you say you are doing one thing because of my father...?." He beats his chest to that.

"Yes!, its because of your father ...if not for him, why would I be allowing you to continue talking to me in such a rude manner?"

"That's ridiculous...." Lewis voiced out in a frustrated tone.

"The only ridiculous thing here is me letting you talk down on me like that...."

"What will you..." Lewis interrupted and before he could also finish, Nike too had interrupted him.

"Will you just for once stop acting like a child.... Stop being self centered...you are not the only one hurting here...." She lashed at him. He bit his lips tightly as if trying to surpress the temper in him.

"Well, that's that on that by the way...but remember there is limit to everything...I want you to know that.....if you talk to me in such degrading manner again, then I will not be held responsible for whatever my boys deem fit for you...." The C.P emphasized.

" Sorry..we are deeply sorry...that bandage must be messing with his head..." Nike said sarcastically.

" I can't agree less..." The policeman behind me added quickly. I thought that was meant to quell the rising tension but little did I know that there's still more to come.


Lewis narrowed his furrowed angry brow at my direction after hearing that.
"Wha....wha...what did you just say...? Mr Man, can you say that again?" Lewis stutters as his eyes blinked in rapid successions. He is evidently angry.

"All I'm saying is let my Oga do his work..." The man fired back.

"Which work? Is it the same one that is currently exposing his incompetence or the work he wouldn't have gotten in the first place if not for my dad....! God..how quick people can forget the good things we have done for them! Ingrates!" Lewis grumbled.

"You make it sound as if your father is the creator of heaven and Earth..." That was what I wanted to say at that moment but them never born me well to say such in that moment. Nature is already fighting for me so all I can do is stand back and relax.

"Wait young man, who has been feeding you with all these fables? What gave you that idea? " The C.P is starting to show some real balls. "Please don't take my meekness for weakness....I beg of you..."

"Say whatever you like but tell your boys to never speak to me like that ever again. I have got rights too...this is my country!...." Lewis countered again.

"And does your right gives you the right to stamp on other's right? Even if they are criminals?" C.P said.

"stamping on people like this clown here is a good riddance to humanity." Lewis pointed at me. " I can't just understand why you are treating this guy with respect....has he...has he....gosh! I'm confused....." He lamented under his breath.

"That's what happens when you are the only one without a functional brain among four people." I wanted to say that again but as it stands, them never born me well.

The other man opposite the table rested his jaws in his palms that was elbowly placed on the glass table in front of him. He was probably processing what to say again.
"Well, you certainly don't know what you are saying at all. So, don't let me thread that lane with you....I'm more older than you...but I insist, this is my office and I have the power to do and undo in this office and beyond too...so I advise you behave yourself....."

"Is that a threat?"

With a smile, the C.P said, "how can a simple explanatory advise be a threat?..come on where is your sense of humor?"

"Hmmmmmm" Lewis murmured under his squeezed lips.

The ongoing drama in the office has made me temporarily forget about my predicament. You have no idea how it feels watching your enemy make a enemy out of someone that's suppose to be your own enemy. That's what I call the square of enemization. I shifted my gaze towards my child and saw him trying to place his head on Nike's laps. He definitely wants to sleep. The aspirin might still be affecting him.

"Erm...hun-hun..." Nike chipped in after she has probably got tired of keeping mute. "Let's just forget the ruse and focus on why we are here...Lewis please calm down...let them handle this.. Mr C.P we are sorry....."

"No...no...its alright...I understand his frustration but he should also have known that I can't just act rashly without a thorough investigation...thats how things work here..."

"I know..." Said Nike with a soft voice in replica to that of yours whenever you are trying to sing SPEECHLESS by Michael Jackson. She adjusted the dozing boy properly on the seat before she leaned forward to continue her statement. " I knew things might get to this level and that is why I begged my sister to follow us here but I don't know why she suddenly decides not to come again..."

"I wouldn't myself...." Countered Lewis. "She has suffered enough in the hands of this clown here, so we can't blame her for trying to take a break..."

"Not when getting justice is on the horizon..." Nike answered faintly.

"Or maybe she probably wants us to do our job our selves.." The C.P said before focusing on Lewis. "Which is why I asked you to come today so we can carry out a thorough investigation...but here you are, making it more and more difficult for us...."

Lewis released a long breath and smiled briefly in a wry manner. "Okay... I'm all ears. Let's continue."

"Perfect..." The C.P said with a grin..

Nike looked at me again but I avoided her gaze so I can keep my brain loaded and focused in that moment of silence.

"Sergeant Audu, " The C.P called and the man behind me answered. "Take him to the other room, I need to speak privately with this people first...."

"Yes sir...!" He answered and I was immediately marched out of the office into another room at the opposite end of the corridor of the C.P's office.

13. THE DOG ATTENDANT. [T. D. A] by TBM.



The atmosphere of the room suddenly received a fragrant-filled one all thanks to the sudden presence of Lewis, Nike and Chris (who remains the only one yet to notice my presence because of the ice cream and snacks he was battling with.)


"No try any funny thing if you want to have your brains intact...." The policeman standing behind me murmured to my ear after probably seeing my reaction towards the emergence of the three people in the air-conditioned office.

I released a scoff and started doing everything possible in my power to get myself prepared for whatever mission these two diabolical agents of the devil might be scheming for me.

It took me more than thirty seconds to get over the shock of seeing Nike in that office. Going by what Chris told me the previous day, she suppose to be in the US. Only God knows what is going on.

Lewis was clad in a blue Jacket and black pant trouser. A white bandage was strapped across his head region and shoulder, obviously to create awareness in reference to the heavy beating I gave him the previous day. He exchange a stone-type pleasantry with the man in authority before deciding to seat on the second sofa from my position .

Nike on the other hand, had on her body a blue tank top and a trouser that featured pink and red stripes as its colors. The short black-coily hair on her head adorned her head so gracefully that I had no choice than to mentally give her creator a thumbs up for a job done beyond fault.

Even with her unexpected appearance, my eyes still got enough time to process her exquisite face, large bosom and pleasing curves. The tightness of her cloth made everything about her more konji-provoking and also mentally torturing. Her massive breeast is already Diego-costaying my madrid eyes by the fraction of cleavage that was on display due to the inability of her top and bra to conceal the asset beneath. In simpler unfootballic terms, her alluring cleavage is affecting most of the male eyes in the office, even the C.P can be seen trying to keep his eyes in check.

Her beauty still remained at the top of the beauty table in their family and with the way things are going, I don't think she's ready to give up that position just yet. Right from when I first set my eyes on her, she have maintained a faultless beauty at the top of the family's beauty table. The breasst difference is however the only thing separating her from Joke - who is in the second position on that beauty table. Without mincing words, Nike is truly a beauty goddess. The older she gets, the more the beauty. Somehow, I feel delighted when I remembered my sex experience with her sometimes back.

(Sighs.........)


Well, I need to stop talking about her beauty for now because my d1ck is starting to behave quite funny by merely thinking about her.

So let's continue guys. Where are we? Someone should remind me.......Okay, thank you Damibiz, for that remindation....

I was telling you about their appearances abi? Okay. That's that on their appearance. Let's continue with the story.


(Sighs again........)


I can't continue to tell you how uncomfortable and perplexed I was to see them both in the office of the C.P because I know undoubtedly, they have both came with some clandestine motives to add more woes to my troubles.

Nike's eyes and I met momentarily before she sat down on the chair and I could see how much hatred she has for me in her eyes. Her eyes was filled with nothing but contempt for me as I was seeing it.

"You are welcome lady and gentleman..." The C.P said with a smile towards the two of them. "Oh cute boy, take five...." He extended his hands below the height of the table to meet my son's hand. "How are you?"

"I'm fine...." Chris answered. I couldn't see him quite well from my position, seeing as Nike was standing in my way of viewing him.

Still holding the boy's hand from the other end, the C.P continued. "I'm fine too ...What's your name?"

"Chris" The boy answered with a mouthful of snacks.

"Okay Chris, you are welcome...you can take a seat beside Uncle here or your Sister...." F.M Carlos offered with a smile.

"I'll sit with you...." Chris said to Nike who immediately helped the boy to the cushion chair.

Two packs of chilled Five alive was quickly served to both of them as they claimed their respective seats. Chris was sitting at the other side of Nike, specifically in-between the two adults and unless Nike rests her body against the back rest of the chair, there is literally no way Chris would see me from that angle .

"Welcome once again..." The C.P. rubbed his palms together as he said that with a smile.

"Thank you, but we don't have a lot of time here..I've an appointment with my doctor in the next two hours...so can we make it snappy please?." Lewis said out in a hurry after taking a sip from his drink. He returned the mug to the table and sat back into the chair.


"Of course....I'm not going to take much of your time....You haven't touched your drink yet?” The C.P directed that statement to Nike who was all the while still stealing glances at me to check out my unkept and beard-ful appearance in cuffs.

"He's talking to you...." Lewis had to say that to Nike before she finally took her eyes away from me.

"Ah....sorry...I'm ...I'm on diet... Sugar is really not my thing this days... .." She turned down the offer amicably.

The C.P's eyes flew wider when he got that reply from her. "oh, is that so? Hmmmm, that's kind of a bad timing"

Nike only smile to that while Lewis wore a look of distaste on his oblong face.

”okay......lets get on with it then...." The C.P expressed with a placid smile as Nike stretced her hands in between her laps.

"Erm sir," Lewis said. "before you continue, I want to ask this.."

" Okay go on.." The C.P beckoned with his head..

"Seeing this guy here got me confused somehow...."

" As how? Mr Lewis?"


" As in, what is he doing here? Why is he here?" Lewis questioned the C.P with a tone that portrayed a fraction of authority.
When he got no instant reply, he pushed his question further by saying, "I just want to know why this guy, who has been nothing but an aggregate of our sufferings and pains in this recent times....yet still has all his body intact despite what he made my eyes see yesterday...." He finished with a look of contempt directed at me.

The C.P closed his eyes briefly and opened them again. "So what were you expecting us to have done to him?”

"Anything ...just anything to make him also feel a fraction of the pain I'm currently going through will suffice...." Lewis stressed frustratingly.

" So if we swap position right now, what would you do in this chair?" The C.P asked him.

" Ah, don't go there at all...." Lewis was almost boiling with anger when he said that. Nike was just exchanging glances from one man to the other . Whoever is talking gets her look.

" What will you do? Just a simple question"

Lewis looked at me in that instance before he spoke." Let's just say he will definitely be on his way back to his creator by now...."

The C.P scoffed at that. "Then it's a good thing for our nation and humanity at large that you are not sitting here then..."

" What's that supposed to mean?" Lewis rasped with a cold look at the opposite man.

"It means there is a fine line between being professionally objective and being senti...."

" Will you just cut the crap?" Lewis Curt's in with an evidently angry tone.

"Beg your pardon?" The police standing beside me said out when he could no longer tolerate the insolence of Lewis.

"Am I talking to you?" Lewis fired at him.

" Be caref....? The police behind me was still saying when his boss gestured to him to stop.

arfezces:
God bless you bro... Thanks for this pieces... Your ink will not dry... God Almighty will continue to bless your way... Ghost mode deactivated...

A lot of ghostmoders are repenting these day, am I missing something? At least , three people within the span of one day...I love this o. Na morale booster be this

darniejay:
Lemme too finally deactivate ghost mode. I don dey follow since, nice one TBM, more ink to ur pen and more lightning to your thunders

the appreciation is well and highly appreciated sir. Thanks for deciding to be a living soul in the e-world.

Bossy512, I see you viewing...longest time o....just want to let you know that I'm extremely happy to see you back with us

Goldensword:
ghost mode deactivated, onbehave of my main account that was banned till thy kindom come. my first ever comment since, from countless to this very bomb, dog attendant,Boss you're the best. How come the picture considering the fact that darous was never at any point, walked on the street but drove in a car to joke house, somebody should explain where i'm missing out.

next update will certainly do justice to that boss...

dhesire:
TBM has done it again.
Nice work.

Welcome back from dat long break.

Lest I forget, you shall overcome whatever you are passing through.

amen and thanks boss.... I app it

Iphupa:
TBM ....THE BEST WRITER ON NAIRALAND,BLESS YOUR BOY WITH YOUR PHONE NUMBER

its right below my signature sir. But incase ,this is it, 08162128141. Thanks

honourable356:
Hehehehehhe....

A hilarious but interesting story.

I took my time to read everything very carefully... You tactical continue to make the story quiet unpredictable giving the audience no chance to figure exactly the direction of the story and that us admirable.

.You greatly improved leap and bound in that aspects.

The standard of your humorous aspect of the story remains top notch. Indeed I laughed and so did a lot if readers.

He laughed again.

Your use of words have also improved geometrically. You have indeed borrowed a leaf from some top writers here...and the rate at which you learnt the rope is commendable.

However,focusing on the character of Darous himself, there are a lot of unquestionable events...A human being gets better with age...You can't continue to portray Darous as being too stupid in every encounters...the extent you kept describing his stupidity doesn't conform with reality.

He smiled....

Your make belief of the story is the secret of breaking into the leagues of exceptional writers...

He nods

BOSS of bosses...make I no lie, na your matter we discuss most during the last meeting of the All Shango Descendants Association of Nigeria.

No worry, your boy still dey learn the scope to this whole writing things. But be rest assured, I won't rest until NairaMarley is out of prison...wait, what am I saying gan self... No mind me boss...na your comment dey give me over excitement...

Thanks in a million sir.

Dedicated to the memory of my late Dad, Mr Idowu Abiodun Olufemi, who passed away on the 20th of July 2012.
May his soul rest in peace. 7years without a father... Not easy at all.



12. THE DOG ATTENDANT [T. D. A] by TBM. @facebook- Darousmart Library. @twitter- Darous_emmanuel. @ WhatsApp - +2348162128141.



>>>>SOME HOURS LATER<<<<

The noise inside the cell reduced instantly as the approaching footsteps got nearer to the iron bar that stands as the only thing protecting the warders from our wrath. The reason for the sudden quietness is basically because of the result that tends to emanate from the after effect of the approaching footsteps. It's either they are coming to pick one of us for questioning or time is up for prisoners on death roll. So you can understand the reason for the sudden silence in the cell.

"If you hear your name just come straight forward with your hands up where we can see them... " A warder pronounced as the group stopped in front of our cell.

We are more than sixteen in a cell that at a tape rule measurement, wouldn't be more than 14ft by length and 8ft by breadth. Some of us rose to our feet in nervous anticipation of what's to come.

"Darous Emmanuel... Step forward. Others should move back. If you know you are not Darous Emmanuel, step far away from the bar.. "The man that spoke earlier announced again.

My heart nearly jumped out when I heard my name.

"Is today your hearing?" A guy called Principal muttered to me as I brushed past him slowly in my fright-loaded attempt to get close to the bar.

"Not in two weeks time... " I managed to reply Principal before I got to the bar with hands in the air. It wasn't until I got to the bar before I saw that two armed police men actually came with the warder that pronounced my name earlier and that further sent my heart on that unkindly trip to anxiety lane.

"Don't forget to make sure you calm your mind under no.... " Principal was still saying when the warder interrupted.

"No matter what.... Yea yeah... That's becoming more like an old school now Mr Principal, try inventing another one.... This one is already outdated..." There were murmurs from behind me as the warder said all that. Principal is one of the big guys in the prison that we all treat with big respect. Very kind and humble to earth. He only has twenty years left on his sentence of 42years. He has a lot of business in the outside world that is being run for him by his brothers. So, he has money and he's not stingy with it. He often sneak in soft drinks for us and most of us would have committed suicide a long time ago if not for his motivational words and kind approach to new comers. However, because of the usual norm of whoever has money definitely controls the cell, we all obey whatever Principal commands.

"Step out here.. " The warder said to me after unlocking the bar.

"Is he the one? " One of the policemen asked the warder who just finished locking the bar.

The warder made sure the keys were back in his breast pocket before he replied with a sharp affirmative nod.

"Okay.. stretch out your hands for hand cuffing please... " The police man with the initials M.Audu said to me.

I obeyed instantly and the other policeman cuffed my hands together.
"Let's go.. "

"Move" The police men ordered respectively and I complied again.

"Where are you taking him? " Principal's worried voice came from inside the cell.

"He will tell you himself if he returns... " The warder replied as we keep moving.

"Our hearts and prayers dey with you o Darous... " The other inmates chorused out our usual farewell slangs. "May Shango wey be your papa return you safely to this home... "

"And no forget to buy bread come as thanksgiving offering when you dey come back o.. "

"And sardine too ooooooo... " Another person quickly added as we moved out slowly.

"And Choco milo" Another added.

"And that... " The volume trailed off as we got further away from the cell.


We got outside the prison yard and entered the long alley that leads to the administrative blocks of the OBA PRISON.

A police vehicle was already waiting for us outside. Two other policemen were standing close to the vehicle and as soon as they saw us, they made for the driver seat of the car and the other side respectively while I was being led to the back seat.
I was ordered to seat in the middle of the back seat while the police men that led me out flanked me on both sides. The vehicle roared to orgasmic life after the key, which happens to be the only d1ck it has ever known had surely fingered its ignitionaly-center of gravity.

***

The police men at the gate saluted their other colleagues in the car I was in as we drove into the vast premises of the Police state headquarters there in Eleweran, located inside the city of Abeokuta.

I was marched out of the vehicle after the key and the ignition have finished their inter course.

We walked for some minutes, climbed some stairs until we finally arrived at the doorsteps of an office that has this tag 'COMMISIONER OF POLICE' written boldly above its entrance.

"Bring him in... " That aunthoritative voice echoed from inside the office of which door I was standing against. The two uniformed men beside me pushed me forward to enter the office.

I stepped inside the office that was tastefully furnished to the brim. The cold breeze of the air con swept past my already apprehensive body in that moment of total trepidation.

The policemen saluted their boss and he also replied in the same accord.

The C. P, Femizie Carlos, who was the same man that graced the birthday party of my ex-wife, gave my appearance a sultry survey for some seconds before he spoke up.

"You two can sit down... " He pointed to the two chairs in front of his desk for the people behind me to seat.


They obeyed him and he then returned his attention to me.
"Your name is? " He asked me with elbows on the table between us.

"Dar... " I could barely hear my own voice due to the tension in my body so I quickly coughed my throat before I proceeded. "Darous Emmanuel.. " That came out louder.

"How old are you? "

"34.,... "

"Why are you in prison? "

"Attempted murder, attempted suicide and alleged murder... "

"What a case file you have there... " He sighed. "You know why you are here? "

I shook my head negatively.

"You are suddenly dumb? " He lashed out.
"No sir.. I'm not.. "

"When next I ask you something, and you chose to answer with a body language, then I will have no choice than to render your mouth totally invalid since you are not willing to use it... Understand? "

"Absolutely sir... " I stressed out in fear.

"Okay.... " He replied and picked up a paper from the table. He read it briefly before he spoke to me again.

"Where were you yesterday? " He asked me with a tone that expects me to lie.

I swallowed hard when he said that. Of course, I already know something like this will happen but I wasn't expecting it to be inside the office of the Commisioner of Police.

"What part of yesterday sir? "

"What part were you not in custody? "

"No part sir... I was under custody throughout yesterday sir... " I replied as calmly as I could even though my guts is telling me I might regret saying what I just said.

"So then, you will happen to know a thing or two about the incident that happened last night? "

"Happened where sir? I don't get you... "

"Don't you dare to play smart here.. You will get yourself in serious trouble if you try to deny it, we have undeniable evidences of the violent jail break that happened last night in your prison... Denying it will only get you into serious trouble... " He fired with a stern voice.

I was a bit shaken by that but somehow I calmed my mind and put on a calm look.

"Sir, I have nothing to fear sir.. I was in custody throughout yesterday and the days before. I never set my foots out of the prison since I was locked in except when I'm being taken to court... "

"You sure of that Darous? "

"Yes sir... "

"Then what happened last night? "

I returned my eyes to the floor to be able to come up with something to say.

"Some guys broke into our yard and there were sounds of gunshots every where... "

"Did you see them?"

"No sir.. " I replied with a negative nod.

"Then how do you know they are guys and not ladies? "

I nearly bite my own tongue when he asked me that but again, my brain works best in calmness. So I quickly calm my mind.

I put on a smile as something arrived in my mind.
"As far as my ssce education can take me sir, I believe the word 'GUY' to be gender neutral, so they might be men or women but at the same time they are guys sir.... " I have finished saying all that before I begin to wonder where it all came from.

"So, what time did this happened? " He said after letting out a scoff.

"With all due respect sir, there is no wall clock in our cell to answer your questions sir and the mosquitos are more friendlier than the warders... " I said sarcastically.

"Did you notice anyone missing from the prison when you woke up today? "

"Sir, again with due respect, we are more than 900 in that prison, I've stayed this healthy for long because I learned to mind my own business... "

The C. P released a complicated breath after I have finished talking.
He rested his gaze on me for some seconds before he finally spoke up.

"I remember I was present on the day you were arrested. If I recall very well, it was your own wife back then that orchestrated the plan that led to your arrest. All the evidences gathered at the time against you and everything she accused you of were later found out to be true... Hearing you talk now so brilliantly and ellusively made me realize how it must have been very difficult for your own wife to detect your lies and which later hurt her so much to the extent she had no choice than to give you an open embarrassment... Well that being said,... " He paused. He picked a photograph that shows my back appearance in a white celestial garment as I was running on the road.

My heart nearly jumped out of my mouth at the sight of that. I instantly knew it was over for me. I can't lie my way out of this now.

"That picture was taken at exactly eighteen hundred hours of yesterday at Molete area of Ibadan. Now tell me, who is that in the picture you are seeing before you? " He asked with a skeptical look as I maintained my gaze on the picture placed on the table.

It took me some seconds to find my voice and when I finally did, this is what I said.

"sir, what I see here is a prophet running to, probably his church... I would have been able to see if I can recognize him assuming the picture was taken from the.... "

"Silence! " The C. P fume out in total expression of anger. The raging breath coming out of his nostrils was strong enough to scare even the papers on the table as they begin to run towards the floor for their dear lives.
He rose to his feet and focused his furious eyes on me as I tremble from within.

"Where... Where do you think you are? You think I'm playing games with you here? " He lashed out again and waited some seconds before he continued. "Eh? Warn yourself this man." He pointed a warning finger to me. "I'm telling you seriously here, warn yourself very well, Or you will spend the rest of your life wishing you had... " He reclaimed his seat after I have bowed my head.
"haha? What sort of nonsense is this? Arrant one!"
"I'm ..... sorry.... " I stuttered out.

"You were pictured running away from arrest and you are still denying it.. Its like you have a fight with honesty... "

"I'm sorry sir... " I said again and managed to raise my head up to his facial level. He was still boiling but the only difference is the level of boiling point.

"Sorry won't solve this unless you tell me who is in that picture.. And I need you to tell me now... "

I studied the picture again. It was evidently mine but I still can't admit it. Admitting it will spell doom for me and some people you will get to know later.

"Sir, this person here is not me... We have the same height but this isn't me... "

I finished talking and looked at his face again. Oh boy, what I saw in there is nothing pleasant at all.
Have you watch that film titled THE ORIGINALS? If you have, then lucky you but of you haven't then I must tell you, you are missing out big time.
You know that angry look that NIKKLAUS, the immortal hybrid used to wear on his face whenever he's angry? Yes, that's the exact look on the face of F.M Carlos after I had finished talking.

"Its like... " The C. P was still saying when one policeman walked inside. "What is it Seyi?" He raised his gaze to the man and asked him that.

"They have arrived sir... " He announced.

A smile instantly erupted on the face of the C.P at the sound of that. He seemed very delighted to hear that.

"Perfect... " He muttered. "Just perfect... " He reiterated with a smile again. "Bring them in.... " He ordered and the policeman exited the office after a salute.

"Seems like you have exhausted your time of grace Darous.. You are about to.... " He was still saying when the sound of the opening door interrupted him. I turned around to see for myself only to be met with what will further give me reasons to question God for being this unkind to me.

Lewis, alongside Nike and Chris (my son) walked inside.

Someone should tell me this is not my END...


T. B. C

Update arrive shortly in remembrance of the memory of my late father who died on the 20th of July 2012.

May his soul rest in peaceful peace.