Arrested By Love

Episode 5

Light from Austine’s supermarket shone
all over the vicinity where Roland’s
mouth was smoking light a burning
bush. He handed another cigarette to his
friend, Henry still waiting for Austine to
answer his question.
“Guy, Daria is fine” Austine replied with
a smile.

“The girl really gave me a hard time!”
Roland said bitterly and stretched a
cigarette to Austine who refused.
“How many times have i told you that i
don’t smoke?” Austine asked.
“But you do the one worse than
smoking” Henry backfired him then they
giggled.

“Back to what i was saying” Roland
blew out a smoke and shook his head as
if he was about to get mad. “Daria gave
me a tough time! And i must get her!”
“Guy, remember you’re talking to my
girlfriend” Austine said.
“F–k you! You think i don’t know you
are eying Prisca too after you have
gotten what you wanted from Daria.
Now, you wouldn’t want me to take my
own share, abi? Guy, you are wicked!”
“Watch your mouth. Don’t say i didn’t
warn you” Austine concluded and
ordered a drink for them.

**

Still on that very evening at Mr Alfred’s
resident, Daria could be seen in the
kitchen with her mother. She handled a
pot she was holding carefully while her
mind wandered to Austine and
eventually to what Lana told her earlier
that day. Therefore, her mood changed.

The mother noticed it from aside, so she
asked, “What’s troubling you?”
“Nothing, mother” Daria replied without
looking at her.
“I know you’ve gone to see Austine
today coz no day passes-by without you
seeing him” the mother added but Daria
kept quiet. “Did you hear about what
Red did to two elders today?” the
mother changed the topic.
“Yes” Daria seemed interested on the
topic. “I heard he’s not a human being.
Mother, is that true?”
“Nobody knows my daughter. Even his
face has not been seen by anyone due
to the mask he normally wears”
“Who is he?”
“A popular criminal. Even though you
shoot him with a gun, it won’t enter.
And now, the latest news is that he
wants to reside in our land by telling
King Lucas to secure a house for him
before tomorrow”
“Hmm… Mother, that means our land is
in trouble”
“Big one” both remained quiet.
“Mother?” Daria broke the silence. “Why
can’t the police or soldiers arrest him?”
“How can someone who resist bullets be
arrested. He cannot be arrested!” the
mother concluded.

**

At Mama wine’s shop, only Odem
remained there. Before him was ten
empty bottles of palm wine which he
has consumed. Though, Mama wine
wanted to close for the day but Odem’s
presence couldn’t allow her. So she came
out with a sore face. Her physical
typology was totally endomorphy.
“The Wine!” she shouted.
“Yes, Mama wine” Odem replied.
“Please, start going i want to close my
shop”

“Are you okay? Can’t you take advantage
of our names?”
“What do you mean?”
“I am the Wine and you are Mama Wine!
Or should i call you madam Wine? Our
names should tell you that we suppose
live like husband and wine.. sorry, i
mean wife. And the gods of palm wine
will bless our marriage”
“Over my dead body! Better stand oh, i
want to close” Mama Wine went inside.

**

9:15pm
Daria was ready to sleep. She la!d on the
bed staring at the ceiling hoping Austine
would call her on the phone but he
didn’t. So she called him herself.
“Good evening, Austine”
“Good evening, how are u?”
“What do you think? You never care to
know until now i called you. Austine,
what’s going on?” Austine kept quiet.
“You are really hurting me, what’s going
on? Please, talk to me” she added.
“Nothing is going on” Austine finally
replied.
“Should i be worried about Prisca?”
Daria asked but Austine kept quiet
again. “You are not talking” her voice
began to break remembering what Lana
told her. “Austin, please, talk to me” she
added but the line went off, so the tears
finally dropped.

Though, Daria couldn’t sleep that night
but finally did at the very late hour of the
night. Darkness covered the land once
again. The chirping of crickets could be
heard from a nearby bush. Suddenly,
Daria’s legs began to move which
indicated that she was dreaming..
:
DREAM
Daria saw herself face to face with
Ebube. She stood a bit far from him but
began to walk closer when she saw
tears dropping from the mask he wore.
“Red?” she called as she moved closer.
Yet Ebube stood still without saying
anything but the tears continued
dropping.

“Why do u shed tears?” Daria was still
asking standing very close to him.
“Please, stop crying” she raised her
hand to take off the mask.
“Don’t come close to me” Ebube
interrupted her. “Leave!” he
commanded but Daria insisted. “I said
leave me alone!” he shouted and
brought out his sword to cut her but
Daria shouted and woke up..
:
REALITY
Daria sat up on the bed breathing
heavily. Her mind wandered to and fro
to deduce the meaning of the dream but
she couldn’t get it, then she went on her
knees and began to pray. Just after she
finished praying, she heard the sound of
Ebube’s motorcycle…