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He came to propose to me, and died in my hostel

Jareth came over to my hostel that evening. We ate, laughed, and talked about everything—our future, our plans, the names of our unborn kids. It was perfect.

By nightfall, he yawned and stretched.

"Babe, I’ll be leaving soon. I just need to rest a little before heading home. Tomorrow’s a busy day at work."

"Okay,"

I smiled, kissing his forehead.

I let him sleep.

But at 9 PM, when I tried to wake him, he didn’t move.

"Jareth?"

I whispered, shaking him lightly.

Nothing.

"Babes? Ademi, Ayanfe mi?"

I shook him harder.

"Jareth, wake up!"

Still nothing.

I pushed, slapped, screamed—no response. His body was warm, but he wasn’t breathing.

Then, the real horror set in.

Jareth was dead.

My neighbors were gone for the night. It was as if they all planned to go to a party that night.

I was alone.

See me, see Kirikiri.

See court, see jail!

I grabbed his shoulders, shaking him with all my might.

"Jareth, please! Don’t do this to me!"

He didn’t even twitch.

I pounded his chest. I tried mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. I did everything I had ever seen in a medical drama, but he just lay there, lifeless.

Then... his phone rang.

I looked at the screen.

His mum.

I froze.

Then another call—his elder sister. Then another—his younger brother.

As if they knew. They kept calling.

My heart pounded so hard it felt like it would explode.

What would I tell them?

I panicked.

I couldn’t call the police. No hospital would accept him without a proper explanation.

I am finished.

My stomach churned. I ran outside to throw up in the nearby gutter. I started coughing. I was disoriented.

Then, his friends started calling too.

I had to move him.

But how?

His body felt heavier than the weight of my sins.

I dragged him to the car, struggling to lift him inside.

The boot? No. That was too suspicious.

I sat him upright in the passenger seat and buckled him in.

Then, I started the engine.

As I drove out, the security greeted him.

"Bros don jonz. He like life. See as he sleep. Bros we greet oh."

One of them laughed.

If only they knew.

I reached the big ditch. Student usually use it as a dumb site.

I turned off the car and sat there, crying for an hour.

"Jareth, please wake up. Please, baby. We had plans. Our dream house, our children... we were supposed to grow old together."

Nothing. I caught myself talking alone. I was beginning to run mad!

His lifeless body just sat there, unmoving.

I wiped my tears. I had no choice.

I opened the car door, went to his side, and pulled his body toward the ditch.

Then—something small rolled out of his pocket.

A small box.

I bent down and picked it up with trembling hands.

An engagement ring.

I stopped breathing.

He came to propose to me.

That realization shattered my soul.

I staggered back, the air suddenly too thick to inhale.

My entire body shook.

I couldn't do it. I laid on he floor with him, begging him to just wake for some minutes, and propose to me.

No.

I had to go back. I had to tell his family the truth. Whatever happened next, I will be ready.

I wiped my eyes, summoned all my strength, and struggled to lift him back into the car.

I was almost at my hostel gate when police stopped me.

They checked and tried to wake him but he didn't.

"I don't know why fine girl like you will be dating drunkard like this."

I was nearly ruining mad. How the police didn't noticed was beyond my understanding.

When I got home, my door was open.

I knew I locked it.

Something moved inside. I saw a sharp shadow running in my house.

My heart should have skipped a beat. But it didn’t. Because I was already dead inside.

Jareth was gone.

Whoever was inside could kill me if they wanted.

I grabbed a wooden plank near the door and stormed in.

And then—

UPROAR.

"SURPRISE!!!"

My legs buckled.I blinked, confused.

In front of me stood Jareth’s mum, my mum, my brother, his siblings, his friends— even my neighbours

All smiling.

My friends, Helen, Lydia and Johana all opening their wide teeth and holding balloons.

Then— music started playing.

A saxophonist emerged from my room, holding a small banner that read:

"Turn around."

I slowly turned.

And there he was Jareth.

Alive. Smiling. Holding the same ring I had seen by the ditch.

"Babe,"

he grinned.

"You always say nothing scares you. So, I decided to put that to the test. I love you. Please....."

I didn't bother to wait to hear the last sentence before I collapsed.

I woke up to laughter and claps.

Jareth sat beside me, holding my hand.

"So... will you marry me?"

he whispered.

With no strength left to scream or faint again, I nodded.

"Yes."

I will forever love him.

But first...

I need to kill him.

The End.

Amusan Tolulope Writes