Deadly Desire

Read Story: SEASON 1 EPISODE 27

It was evening, Itohan sat with her children holding money in her hands. She was particularly sad because Osas ought to be in school but she is still at home.

“The money wey I don gather na only thirty two thousand. I no want make you miss school. Take money make you go school tomorrow. Anything wey I fit gather again I go send am”

She handed over the money to Osas and she knelt to thank her mother. Efosa and the girl called Grace also thanked Itohan. Grace was the name given to her by Itohan because she has to call her by a name.

“No worry! I go try my best to gather more money”

Osas nodded.

“No follow bad friends because of money oo. You dey hear stories of how yahoo yahoo boys dey sacrifice girls for money. Go school go learn no mean say, go school go follow one boy oo”

Osas smiled then nodded again.

“You remember the story wey that man wey come buy beans talk yesterday? How the girl wey her parents send go school, reach school come get Facebook boyfriend. The boy tell her say make she come meet am for one place, she no tell anybody. She mumu go there. She never die now? Osadebamwen no take the grace of God play o. Get sense oo”

She thanked her mother again and hid the money in her bag. Since she was to leave unexpectedly, she decided to inform Iya Folake. It will not be nice to leave without informing her.

Iya Folake was eating when Osas entered her house and greeted. Taiye was watching television but turned as he heard her come in. She took her seat and smiled.

“I am going back to school” She informed Iya.

“Aah! So quick?” Taiye asked.

“Actually, the break was just for a month, but I have spent more than a month”

“But why would you spend more than a month when you were given a month my child?”

Osas smiled but said nothing.

“You have missed lectures already” Taiye said.

Iya Folake said nothing for a time. She concentrated on her food.

“Your mother is a hardworking woman my child. Emulate her. You see how she is working hard to put food on the table. I know she is trying but whatever she is getting is not enough to send you back to school. Tell me my child, what do you need money for?”

Osas sighed deeply and frowned.

“I need money for many things”

“Let me hear them.”

“I need money for school fees, house rent, books and feeding”

“Hmmm!”

“You need a huge amount of money”

“Beeni!” Osas said in Yoruba language.

Iya Folake licked her fingers, then commented on the food.

“Taiye, Folake has turned to a chef”

Taiye laughed.

“She is trying maami. She learned culinary skills from you”

They all laughed.

“Taiye! What are we going to do for Osas. She can’t go to school without money”

“True maami”

“Do you have an account”.Taiye asked.

“Yes I do”

“Let me have it”

Osas gave him her bank details and Taiye transferred money to her.

“I am done!” He said.

She thanked them then gisted a little with Taiye before taking her leave. Osas was almost at the entrance of her house when she received an alert.

“290k!” She screamed.

She ran inside, told her mother and all the family rushed to Iya Folake’s house. Itohan rolled on the ground crying but Iya didn’t like it.

“I am not God. Don’t knee for me again”

Itohan stood up and embraced Iya. She was so emotional. When they got home. They went on their knees thanking God.

“See as you love me Baba. See as you put Iya for my way to help me. I call you and you answer me”

Before they went to sleep, Osas returned the money her mother gave her initially, but she refused.

The next day, Efosa escorted her to the motor park where she boarded a bus to Delta state.

————————————-

Grace woke everyone with tears. She held her head and cried.

“Wetin dey do you?” The worried Itohan asked.

“My head aches”

She brought Panadol and handed to her. The girl stood up and got water herself.

“My name is not Grace” She said “I am Cindy Igiebor”

“Heei! Thank God you don remember your name. Wetin you remember again”

“Nothing! That is the only thing I remember”

“No worry! Doctor say na small small”

Cindy nodded.

“Oya sleep again, who know? You fit sleep and when you wake up, you go remember everything”

“Alright ma” She went back to sleep.

Itohan didn’t go to sleep. Though she had not slept much before Cindy screamed. Since she was awake, she used the opportunity to pray.

———————————–

Nicole sat on Nosa’s legs, smiling into his eyes. She used her hand to rake his hair.

“Nosa, you know I love you and I will do anything for you”

“I know.”

“Don’t you think it’s high time we started planning for our marriage”

“But I don’t have money Nicole”

She laughed and stood up.

“But darling, you know money is not a problem. You have to make your intentions known to my parents first.”

“That is true!”

Nosa tapped his legs on the ground.

“When will you make the trip to Benin” She asked.

“I am thinking” He said still tapping his feet and nodding his head.

“The earlier you meet my family the better”

“Next year!”

“Aah! Next year is too far darling. My father is already angry that I got pregnant for a man that is not my husband and I lost the children. See darling, if you love me, this shouldn’t be a problem. I expected you to jump at the mention of it. Your eyes should be on me only. You are wasting time by delaying. Is there any other woman in your life apart from me?” She smiled seductively.

Nosa stood and held her from behind

“You are the only woman that flutters my heart. I want you to recover fully from the loss of our twins and when I see that you have gotten yourself, I will do the needful”

He kissed her deeply for a long time before releasing her. Nicole left him in the sitting room and went to the bedroom. She picked her phone from the bed and discovered there was a text message. It read: God so love the world that he sent his only begotten son; whosoever believeth in him shall not perish but have everlasting life. Nicole, it is for your sake that Jesus died because he loves you. Surrender your life to His authority and you will not regret. Shalom!

Nicole read the message two times then muttered to herself. She picked the phone and replied the sender.

“Whoever you are, please stay out of my business. What I do with my life shouldn’t concern you. Rubbish!”

She hissed, them dropped her phone on the table.

“I know the sender is Eghosa. People should learn to mind their business” She said collapsing on the bed to sleep.

———————————–

Nicole’s mother had been following a bush path. She glanced here and there. She was going to a shrine in the heart of a forest. Her friend was supposed to follow her but she fell ill unexpectedly. She described the place Nicole’s mother was going to. Nicole’s mum has been walking for almost thirty minutes now and she was tired. She saw a log of wood beside the bush path and sat down to catch her breath.

“The place far oo. My friend describe the place like sey na back of house”

She had not rested a minute, when she noticed a woman sitting beside her. Shocked. She jumped up!

“Iye mwen oo” (my mother oo)

The woman laughed baring her colour stained teeth.

“No one rest on the way to the shrine. Keep going. Only stop when you get there”

“O…k..ay ,Okay”

Nicole’s mother fearfully picked her hand bag that flew from her hand and started moving. The woman’s laughter was eerie. Nicole’s mum kept looking behind her. When she noticed the woman had disappeared, she removed her low heeled slippers and ran. She got to the shrine panting and crying.

“Iye mwen oo. I never see spirit before, but I see one today” She said crying and adjusting her wrapper that was falling from her waist. The shrine marks the end of the bush path.

Nicole’s mum scrutinized everywhere then shuddered. She was still outside looking at the terrible human and animal skulls used to decorate the place. There was no one house in sight.