Me: isn’t it dangerous?
Jafar: nope, we are not going far… It was a cold night, even after he put off the car’s AC, it was still cold, I embraced myself to fight it. He didn’t drive into the main road, instead he continued driving along a rough path until we got to an open space. This space was surrounded by a thick bush. The space was almost circle in shape, we were in the middle.
Me: what is this place?
Jafar: I really don’t know, I stumbled on it some months ago..
Me: what were you doing that you stumbled on it..
Jafar: in times of relative peace, I like to drive around close to mid-night. It helps me think and process ideas..
Me: so you were driving and you got here, what’s so special about this place? Although I like the circular thingy…
Jafar: are you ready?
Me: yes… He turned off the car’s engine and lights.
Jafar: shhhhhh We remained quiet in the car…I looked at him after a while and almost giggled out. He must have been talking about a spiritual experience because I wasn’t seeing another physical. Then it start…a fire-fly put on its light on the right side of the bush, then a group put on theirs on the left..then a couple more put on theirs. Before long, the entire bush was filled with light emitting fire-flies…it was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen…we were the darkness surrounded by light….
Me: this is nice…
Jafar: I come here everytime…
Me: you haven’t brought any other person here before?
Jafar: no..just you..
Me: thanks…
Jafar: Lets go outside…
Me: I don’t want them to leave…
Jafar: they won’t… We laid down on the car bonnet…facing the sky, surrounded by God’s light…
Me: after all these ends, what becomes of us?
Jafar: I thought about it too…
Me: so
Jafar: I really don’t know, a day at a time I guess…
Me: I will be going to Lagos soon, probably after I leave Sagamu. He didn’t say anything…dew was falling on the car, making the cold night even colder. I drew closer to him to tap some warmth..
Jafar: I love you Tana… My heart skipped several beats as he said those words..i kept looking at the stars that filled the sky. Now that he had said he loved me, this guy just made it very hard for me. What if we are forced to say our goodbyes…what will happen to me…I would be broken…
Jafar: look there.. He pointed at a building from a far, with lights at the top…
Jafar: that is the Ebumawe’s palace..
Me: I love you too… And then I started crying again..how did I get here? How did I get to fall in love with someone like Jafar.
Me: can I ask for a favor?
Jafar: sure…
Me: can you just remain on the low-key till we graduate. Forget about Eli and all…lets just be.. He didn’t reply…
Me: can you?
Jafar : its not a one way thing, we are fighting an evil…if we don’t…it would be the end of us all..
Me: then be careful…
Jafar: Eli worries you…
Me: yes..
Jafar: don’t worry… I started shivering after a while so we went back inside the car. Hoobastank’s “the reason” blarred from his speakers…He switched the gear into drive and once again…we eased into the night… I woke up without remembering how I got to the bed. I was alone, I didn’t like the feeling. I was also hungry. I walked out of the room and found Jafar and Uche shooting pool in the parlor..
Me: was looking for you…
Uche: howfar madam Tana?
Me: Uche, I dey o…
Jafar: I will be with you soon…. I went to the kitchen, there was no food besides bread, so I made myself a cold cup of Milo and took two slices from the loaf.
Jafar: you should be sleeping instead of eating, its 4am… He came inside the room and sat on the bed..
Me: how did we get inside, last I remembered we were on our way…
Jafar: you slept off…I had to carry you in…
Me: awwww…thank you…
Jafar: something came up, I would have to leave very soon…when I come back…you can leave for Sagamu..
Me: what came up?
Jafar: can’t tell you, but we would need all the hands we can get, one of the guys will stay with you here..
Me: okay… He helped me take the empty cup back to the kitchen, then joined me beneath the blanket.
Jafar: when you wake up in the morning, I will be gone..
Me: just come back….for me…
Jafar: sure… Just as he predicted, I woke up to an empty bed..the house was eerily silent. I called Toun…
Toun: how are you?
Me: I am good o..i will be going to Sagamu today…
Toun: nice, Ago is dangerous now…
Me: how are you feeling?
Toun: I have dreams of him everytime…
Me: he is in a better place…
Toun: how is Jafar?
Me: he is fine, he told me he loves me…
Toun: awwwww, I like that guy…cultist and all.. I didn’t even bother correcting her…
Toun: Timi nko?
Me: I will call him as soon as I hang up..
Toun: he called me last night…said he still loves you and all..
Me: I will try to see him soon….
Toun: I will call you later during the day…
Me: thanks babe…
Toun: bye…
Me: bye… I called Timi but he didn’t pick up… I put on one of Jafar’s shirt and went to the bathroom to brush my teeth….my phone rang, it must be Timi.. It was Jafar..
Me: hey J!
Jafar: Tana, lock up the door to the room, look into my wardrobe, you would see a black shoe box, open it, there is a loaded gun inside…take it to the bathroom and lock yourself in with it.
Me: what is happening?
Jafar: Just do as I say…I am on my way back….
Me: I am scared…
Jafar: I am with you… He hung up…
My heart was beating fast..i considered bolting outside the house to the nearest public place, but it was risky..i decided to just obey Jafar. I was at the corner of the bathroom, with the heavy metallic object on my lap…my phone rang again…
Me: Jafar, I am scared..
Jafar: I am on my way…hope you are in the bathroom?
Me: yes.. He hung up… The water dropping gently from the tap was coinciding with the beating of my heart…in no time, Jafar will be around and it will be alright…I kept telling myself.. Then I heard the big bang! The guy in the apartment seemed to dash into a room and ran back out…another shot was heard. This one shattered the sitting room windows. The guy returned fire…my ears were exploding…I held on tight to the gun.. Then I heard a crash…the front door was broken…there was a brief exchange of fire…then silence… I was hoping our guy had won, then I heard Eli’s unmistakable laughter…
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Eli : Tanatolo…Tanatolo…I know say you dey hear me… He started knocking on the door of the rooms…
Eli: come out!… I started praying to God…I was shaking like a fish out of water.. I heard him break open a door; he wasn’t the only one from the foot-steps I heard. Then he broke another door..mine was next…. I wanted to call Jafar but Eli would have heard my voice… He broke open the door… Eli: Tana…I know say you dey inside here…na your bag be dis…come out of the bathroom! I started sobbing… Then he broke open the bathroom door…
Eli : Ahn..Ahn…princess like you come dey hide inside bathroom… The gun he was holding was the biggest I had ever seen. The shades he was wearing made his look even deadlier..
Me: Eli…please…don’t hurt me…
Eli: that time don pass… He leveled the gun at me…
Eli: pull your clothes..
Me: no!.. I didn’t know a human being could be so fast, his smack crushed my face..
Eli : Jafar don dey give you mind abi?…i say make you pull your cloth, you dey do shakara? The gun was laying useless by my side… I pulled off the shirt, leaving me with my bra and panties…
Eli: chai…you go sweet o…after I fvck you…I go waste you…
Me: Go to hell! I tried picking up the gun again, but his leg was faster..kicked my dropped hand… The pain was unbearable, I screamed…He came untop of me…
Eli: pull your pant!
Me: No! Eli dropped his gun and dragged started trying to drag down my panties..i tried to poke his eyes but he moved his head at the nick of time..He slapped me hard!
Jafar: Eli, stand up and raise your hands.. The only person more surprised than I was, was Eli… He turned slowly, his gun was on the floor..but he didn’t raise up his hand…I quickly put on Jafar’s shirt…as I attempted to run to Jafar, Eli pulled me back and held me in a death grip…
Eli: Jafar…drop your gun…except you wan kill me and Tana together… Jafar didn’t lower the gun, but Eli started moving with his hand around my neck. He kept me infront of himself as he faced Jafar…As he stepped forward, Jafar stepped backward until we got to the parlour. There were two dead guys lying awkwardly on the floor..
Jafar: Leave her…and I will allow you to go…
Eli: you dey see me as mumu abi?
Jafar: you have my word..
Eli: oya drop the gun and I drop the girl…
Jafar: deal… Eli smiled…
Jafar: leave her first…
Eli: throw your gun on the floor first.. I heard sounds of cars pulling closer to the building. Then it was pandemonium outside…gunshots everywhere…
Eli: I change my mind…E be like say my people don show….Tana goes with me…
Jafar: I go shoot you for here…
Eli: you no fit try am…and you know… Using his back, he dragged me outside… Uche’s Hilux was on the driveway…two of Eli’s people were on the sandy floor…gun shots at different parts of their body….Uche was also on the floor..his top was soaked with blood..Eli guy was standing close to him, his gun was pointing at Uche’s head…
Eli: hehehehehehehehehe….i too like my people! Jafar was alone, defenseless against this beasts…
Eli: change of plans, throw the gun here…kneel down…I promise say I no go kill Tana, but I go kill you… Jafar’s shoulder dropped…
Me: Jafar…don’t…
Jafar: I have no choice… I started crying….Eli pulled me closer and ran his tongue along my neck.. I gave up as Jafar threw his gun to Eli…
Eli : I win….you lose… Eli bent down to pick the gun, the event that followed happened in less than 3 seconds.. Jafar brought out a gun from the back of his trouser. It must have been held in place by his belt but covered by his shirt. One shot rang out that drilled a hole in Eli’s head…his brain matter splashed over my legs…The second shot hit the guy over Uche on the chest…it brought him down… I sat down on the floor and screamed. Jafar walked up to the guy and shot him on the head…lying infront of me was Eli…the gun-shot had forced his eyes and tongue to bulge out…it was a terrible sight..
Jafar came back and carried me to Uche’s Hilux… He also assisted Uche inside, I didn’t know if Uche was dead or alive, but he was motionless and must have lost a lot of blood…
Jafar: I am taking you guys to the hospital…I hope he makes it… I didn’t bother to answer him…in my head they were all the same..Jafar, Eli and Uche… I just wanted to disappear..
To be continued
