The Red Moon

Episode 2

There was a loud pandemonium among the citizens of Gezos city when they saw the moon disappearing, giving way for the sun which shone brightly from the sky at about two O’clock in the afternoon. Only then did many realize the time of the day coz they had been blinded and confused by the red moon. Hence, miscalculating the time and date.
Dera ran outside followed by the twin sister to witness the pass away of the red moon. People began to wonder why it decided to disappear and why it appeared at the first place. Questions rouse from parts of the world and researchers began to make effort to know why such thing happened. Michael was the only one yet to get the answer to these questions.
He ran into his room, locked the door and and placed the book on a table. His hands and legs quivered feeling the power of the book. He took another look at the caption on the cover which reads: ‘Death Note’.
He dislikes notes or notebooks, thus, writing in a lecture hall disguised him. Hardly would anyone see him with a notebook, copying note or jotting down something while a lecturer lectures, yet, he comes out with better grades. A very large bag always hung on his back as a student, the notion had always been that his textbooks and notebook occupied the volume of the bag but only him knew the content, not until one of his course mates mistakenly hit the bag off his shoulder to discover a mini laptop as the content. When asked why, his reply had always been, “I hate notebooks”

Now, at the very favourable hour of the day, a notebook, Death Note to be precise, rested on his table. Without opening the book, he walked to the window to see the red moon totally disappeared. He untied the curtains of his windows which gently flump down making the room dark. He located the electric switch, put it on then a white energy bulb illuminated the room. Michael walked back to table. His hand quivered as he flipped the book opened.
“What’s this?” he opened several pages to the end. “Nothing is written on this note. It’s blank!” he turned the cover once more. “Death Note, what does that mean?” a muttering sound escaped from his mouth wryly.
“It means a note that kills” a deep male voice came from behind.
Michael startled swiftly with a heart of qualm. He turned to see a scary looking being; bold eyes, scattered teeth, body, more like a skeleton but had dried rumpled flesh. His legs never touched ground, hence, the mode of locomotion remained unknown.
Michael leaned against the wall. “What are you?!” he pressed hard on the wall as if to penetrate inside of it.
“I am God of death but you can call me Shakiti”

“Shakiti?” Michael thought for a while. He had heard stories about Shakiti, the God of death, never had he believed it truly exist. Therefore, he fearfully left the wall. “So you exist?”

“Yes” Shakiti floating in the air to the table. He picked up a banana found there, pilled it and began to eat. “Huummy! I love this.. this.. d–k like thing”
“It called banana” Michael corrected.
“Bana-what?”
“Ba-na-na!”
“I guess it not use for sexual act coz it looks more like a d–k” Shakiti took another bite.
“Just forget it!” Michael snapped. “I guess this Death Note is yours”
“Yes, It got missing from my world to your world. For days I cried out blood when the book lost…”
“Blood?” Michael repeated dryly. “That explained the red moon! I was right after all when I called it a blood moon”
Shakiti took another banana, folded his legs in the air like a Muslim on a mat as he began to explain. “I kill people in your world by just writing their names on the Death Note. There was no way I would have found it after it got lost except a human picked it, and thanks to you for picking it up”
“So by just writing someone’s name on this book, the person will die” Michael repeated in disbelief.
“Yes, and also seeing the person’s face. try it”

There was a television in the room showing a criminal who was about to be sentence to jail, Michael grabbed his name from the screen after seeing his face then wrote it boldly on the Death Note.
“Don’t forget to write the time of death” Shakiti reminded him then took another bite of the banana and began to lick his fingers in excitement.
“Rickey Bob, die now” was the sentence on the first page of the Death Note written by Michael. Instantly, he watched the criminal dead on the television. “So this is real” he moved away from the table watching on how the criminal was carried out of the law court and people wondering what killed him. He looked up at Shakiti and said, “I must keep this book”
“Huhuhuh” ShakitI laughed scarily. “Of course you must keep the book but I’m not gonna assist you do anything. Do we have a deal?”

“Deal!” Michael moved heroically towards the television while Shakiti towards the table for another banana. “With this book, I’ll create a new world; a world without bad people and a world without crime then I’ll become God of the new world!” obviously, the book was beginning to possess him but he never understood it.
A knock came from the door. Michael quickly hid the book then looked at Shakiti in a way for him to hide.

“Don’t worry, nobody can see or hear me except you” Shakiti assured him.

---

Days passed, more and more people died, mostly the bad guys, which became suspicious and questionable in Gezos City. Michael had killed them with the Death Note.
Mr Nelson, the father, called on him when he came back from work, he looked worried and exhausted as he collapsed on the cushion.
Michael came out wearing a jean trouser and a white T-shirt. The look on the father’s face got him wozzy. “Dad, is everything alright?” He sat down too. Shakiti floated in the air behind him but nobody could see him except Michael.

“No, son” Mr Nelson sat up in a way his hands gained balance on his thighs twisting his fingers. “The city is turning to something else. Any criminal annoyed in the television last few days dies instantly. Police has commence investigation. We believe there is someone who kills these people by… ”
“And who could that be, Dad?” he interrupted.
“Someone we call Kira, we believe he’s an invisible killer. But we must find him and execute him”
“Huhuhu,” Shakiti laughed from behind. “They have already given you a name, ‘Kira’ interesting. What are you gonna do now?”

Michael ignored him coz any attempt to reply him, he would become suspicious in the eyes of his father. Just before the impromptu conversation continued, his cell phone rang from his pocket which attracted the father’s attention. He looked at the caller to be Nelly but ignored it.

“Why don’t you wanna pick your call?” Mr Nelson narrowed his vision at him as a police officer to detect his unspoken response.
“It’s not important, Dad” he replied sheepishly. Just then, a message came into his phone. That was Nelly again. Michael read the message thus: Mike, help me!!!
He jumped up from the seat. “Dad, I gat to go” he hurried into his room, put the Death Note into his bag which he hung on his back then ran out at the very sight of his father.
Shakiti followed him.
That very act made him more suspicious. Therefore the father couldn’t take his eyes off the staircase through which he went out of sight.

Vera came out from her room. “He looks suspicious, right?” she said with arms folded, standing beside the father.
“Yes, he just had a strange attitude” he replied then check the time: 9:09pm. “Where’s he going with his bag by this time of the night?”

“I have been observing him for days now. I guess he has a Cockroach in his cupboard” Vera stressed.
Mr Nelson took off his eyeglasses and looked at his daughter with a lot of qualm and inquisitiveness…..