The Faintest Dawn

Read Story: SEASON 1 EPISODE 7

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As Victoria packed her things into her bag again. She thought of how confused she was. A few days ago, she left her husband’s house for her parents. Now, she was leaving her parents house again for her husband’s but, if there was one thing she was certain about was that, leaving her parents house was the best thing to do. She decided to finish packing before calling her husband.

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Gbenga: Who is your boyfriend?

Tina: Are you high? You’re questioning me in my own house.

Gbenga: I just asked you.

Tina: wetin una dey find for here?

Gbenga: Release my guy.

Tina: Are you deaf?, you’re in my house, what are you doing here?

Gbenga: Release my guy, then, I will tell you.

Unknown: E be like sey one nut Don commot for your brain abi?. You know no sey na our guy territory be this? You wan come dey tell us wetin we go do. Infact sef, drop all your guns now!.

Tina: Chill chill. You wan to dey tell me wetin to do for my guy house, as e be like so eh, we go just start to dey kill una one by one.

Gbenga: Oya, make we negotiate.

Tina: Negotiate wetin?. My mind don dey tell me sey, una know where my boyfriend dey.

Gbenga: Release my guy.

Tina: Even though, we release him, you guys are outnumbered.

Gbenga: I’m aware of that, but…

Tina: But what?, in fact sef, drop your guns.

Gbenga: I’m sorry we can’t do that.

James : (Whispered)Oga Gbenga Make we just drop am abeg.

Gbenga ignored him.

Gbenga: I said, let’s talk.

Tina: Talk about what?, you guys tried to sneak into my house, I should shoot all of you now. (She collected a gun from one of the guys)

Gbenga: If you shoot, neighbors will alert the police.

Tina pointed the gun to the hostage’s head, she cocked the gun and had almost pulled the trigger when, Gbenga interrupted.

Gbenga: If you pull that trigger, the neighbours would hear and call for the police.

Tina: I know. (She pulled the trigger).

Unknown: Madam Tina, police go show ooo.

Tina: We go dey go now, when we finish with this

James saw a person die in front of him for the first time, watching the blood splatter on the chair. He baffled at the guffaw of the men. He couldn’t tell how a hole in a man’s head and a pool of blood was funny.

Gbenga watched one of his men fall to the ground. Rather than thinking of how to make peace, he let his anger take the lead, he saw it as an insult, hence he foolishly retaliated. He brought out his gun and fired it at one of Tina’s men. This action caused a shoot out with Gbenga’s and Tina’s men except James who ran towards the door to flee for his life.

Two of Gbenga’s men died, he was left with just one. He aimed for Tina but, she was protected. The fight wasn’t in their favour at all and the police would arrive soon. The other guy and Gbenga made an attempt to escape too. They ran towards the door. However, Gbenga was shot on the arm causing him to yelp in pain as he tried to run through the door.

James was running so fast, he wasn’t careful of the steps, he tripped and fell causing a twisted ankle. Gbenga and the other guy ran over James like he wasn’t one of them. Tina stopped her guys from chasing after them, though, two guys were dead, it wasn’t time to pursue anybody, they needed to flee to avoid the police. Tina instructed them to get the drugs from her boyfriend’s room before they left.

James was still by the edge of the second flight of stairs groaning and aching in pain. He regretted running carelessly down the stairs. He could smell death as Gbenga didn’t care to know if he was alive or not. Tears flowed freely down his eyes like a child whose candy was taken from.

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Unknown: Tina, shey we no go carry them? (he referred to the dead bodies).

Tina: No, we can’t.

Unknown: But….

Tina: But what?

Unknown: They were our people na.

Tina: And they are dead.

You!, carry these bags. (She ordered the other guy in the room).

Unknown 2: Yes ma.

Unknown 1: (Angry) if oga was here, we would have carried them ooo.

Tina: Well, oga is not here.

They ran down the stairs with the bags and there, they found James at the bottom of the stairs.

Unknown: Is this not one of them? (brought out his gun in a bid to shoot him).

James saw his life flash before his eyes. He remembered his happy and sad experiences, his wife and kid. He knew, he would die someday but just not this way, he never thought it would be at gun point.

Unknown: (pointed the gun at him)

Tina: Stop, (she held his arm)

Unknown: Wetin na?

Tina: Richard is still missing, maybe he can tell us where he is. Asking him here would just waste our time, so, let’s take him along.

Unknown: But…….

Tina: Just do as I say.

James was relieved, being taken was better than being killed. He was ordered to get up. Before, he could explain that his ankle was bad, they forcefully dragged him up.

James: My ankle, my leg.

Tina: Idiot has probably twisted his ankle, drag him along.

Unknown: I told you, this guy is of no use.

Tina: Drag him along if you really want to find Richard.

Unknown: That’s not possible.

Tina: Really?, Richard would kill you, when he returns if you disobey.

Unknown: (Grunted in exasperation). You join me. (he ordered the other guy).

They successfully left the compound, the police was not there yet.

Tina: The police is not here yet.

Just then, they heard the sirens, they made their way to the back of the street, the opposite direction where the sound was coming from. They dragged James to a car, it was torture for James as they didn’t care about his legs, the dragged him by his hands, ignoring his screams of pain.

Tina drove the car not too far from the compound to her parents house, a bungalow. They were away on a trip. It was way beautiful than the Richard’s house. She beeped the horn, the gate keeper opened the gate and she drove in recklessly like a drunkard.

Gateman: Useless girl.

Tina: Oya bring him out fast.

They dragged him out the car again in the like manner as they did before, this time, threatening him not to yell to avoid questions from the gateman. Tina was a little scared of their gate keeper as her parents had high regards for him and would believe any report he accused Tina of.

Gateman: Wetin do your friend?

Tina: Nothing sir.

Tina: Drag him faster. (She referred to the guys.

Gateman: You sure?

Tina: Yes sir.

Tina directed them to the guest room where they would keep James and then discuss what to do with him.

Unknown: I still think it’s a bad idea, bringing him here.

Tina: Ola, Ola, wetin sef?, would you stop trying to oppose me?, I know what I’m doing.

Ola: I’m just saying, we should have killed this guy.

James was on the floor, he wasn’t even listening to their conversation. He was almost unconscious, due to severe pain. Then, the phone in his pocket started vibrating, followed by the loud ringtone. He wasn’t expecting any call, he didn’t even know the phone would still function considering the crack he heard when he fell from the stairs.

Tina: Geez, what kind of ringtone is that? Whose phone is that sef?

Ola: I no know oooo

Tina: (looked at the other guy)

Unknown 2: It’s not me.

Tina: (looked at James). It’s his phone. Bring it out.

Ola: Na im babe ooo.

Tina: How you take know?

Ola: Na Victoria I dey see for here.

As soon as James heard the name Victoria, he became scared, he didn’t want them to know he had a family, he just didn’t want them to be involved in the mess he created.

Tina: Who is Victoria?

Ola: How I wan take know?

Tina: I said wasn’t asking you. I was asking him. (pointed at James).

James: she’s, she’s my wife.

The call ended.

Tina: Hmmm, your wife abi?. So, definitely, you’ll have to tell me what I want to know.