A STORY YOU'LL LIKE TO READ
Life brings different things to
different people. Sometimes it gives endless joy. For other it gives endless
grief. Such was the fate of Tamie and His sister Ella. And just when things
begin to look up for them the enemy they do not upturns their joy…… will this
enemy succeed? Will he get away with his atrocities…?
 She is standing on a mountaintop. It's so high. To her, it's
like standing on Kilimanjaro. Suddenly, she realizes its cold. She wraps her
hands around herself hoping to warm herself up, She has on a flimsy nightgown,
one she has worn since she was eight.At first, it had been too long. She was always tripping on
it, until one of the matrons had taken pity on her and hemmed the edge to make
it shorter. As she grew older and taller, the herm had been loosened. The
nightgown was no match for the harsh cold.Suddenly, from nowhere a hand appeared. Instinctively she turned, but it was too late. The hand pushed with such force that in a second, she realized she was falling and screaming for help. One thought rang out in her mind: "I am going to die, I'm going to die." |
Suddenly, she was jerked awake by her Bunkie. "Wake up
sleepy head, wake up." Slowly, she opened her eyes, and squinted. The sun
was up and the rays filtered into the room, making it bright. She tried to
focus. Oh God! It was only a dream, she thought, sitting up.
"My, my, not another one of your nightmares Ella. You
were practically screaming." Julie, her Bunkie, said in a chiding tone.
Suddenly her expression changed to one of worry, seeing
Ella's features crease in pain. "Again? Has it She
gently cuddled Ella in her arms, rocking her back and front. "My head
Julie, it feels like it's bursting. My migraine is back, 0 h God ," she
cried holding her head, while Julie held her. "You've been under a lot of
stress lately. I told you to relax but you worry too much," Julie scolded.
~
"Let me get you a wet towel." Getting up, she moved
across the small room to soak wet a towel. Minutes later, she was back with it.
"Now Ella, lie down. Just relax, hmm? You'll be okay." She placed the
towel on her forehead. "Just relax, she continued in a gentle tone. You'll
be fine."
"What of our test? Mr. Okorie will be ... "
"We will go for the test Ella," she cut her short.
"After all, its in an hours time, lets get you well first." Ella has
always had this recur- rent nightmare.
She never could understand or realize what it meant. Always,
she found herself falling from a cliff, having being pushed down by an unseen
hand. She woke up most of the time while falling. She was eight when the
nightmares began. Often, they left her weak, unable to do much. Having being
brought up in an orphanage run by the Edo state government, very little attention
was paid to her ailment. Deep down, she knew there was something about her past
that was connected with the dream, but she couldn’t' figure out what it was.
************************************
1978
The man dialed the number; he had to be sure everything was
in place. He didn't want excuses. He had g one to see the boys, but just to be
sure, he would call them. "Hello, Samson, I hope you boys will carry out
this assignment very well. I want no excuses."
"Oga, you need not worry now, this is our business and
you know, you are our mentor. Everything will go according to plan."
"I hope so because if you fail your arises will be on
the line." "Bros we can't fail now, how we go fail? Na im be say we
don tire for dis world now if we fail oga me."
"Okay," he switched off the handset. For how long
has he waited for this opportunity? How long? Years, it had taken him years,
but finally the wait was over. It was just a matter of days and the son of a
bitch would be six feet under.
It was a pity his family would have to join him as well. A
smile of triumph broke out on his face. His wife chose that moment to enter.
She was a good and hardworking woman.
One would wonder at the ironies of life that had landed her
and the monster she called a husband together. But of course, she didn't know
the true nature of the man she had married. If she had known, it would have been
a disaster.
"Why are you smiling like you Just won a million
dollars, dear?" she queried, staring quizzically at him.
He burst into laughter. Very rarely, she saw her husband in
these moods.
"My dear, I think I just did, yes I just did." This
joy was close to the one he had felt when
his wife had given him a boy and the thrill turned him on
just looking at his beautiful innocent wife. He stood and pulled her up.
"What now? leave me," she protested feebly as he
half led, half pulled her to their bedroom, his laughter loud.
************************************
Dr. Chuba was a very generous man, a man of principles. People
referred to him as a genius. He had graduated from Ife at the age of
twenty-one, with a first class degree in economics. He'd won a scholarship to do
his masters and PhD abroad. He had also graduated on top of his class and had
acquired the name Dr. Genius.
He'd worked for various financial organizations before he'd
decided to be on his own.
Today, he was a billionaire. One of the silent billionaires
Nigeria had. His was a wealth acquired through hard work and honesty. By
nature, he was a kind hearted and open man.
Openness was a fault he had and a fault that would later lead
to his death because he believed everybody to be as open as he was.
He could never understand why someone should nurse ill
towards him.
He'd married late. His wife was an American. They had met and
fallen in love and today, they
were blessed with two children. A nine-year-old boy and an
eighth teen months old daughter
Today was the eve of their departure to the east, they had
arrived Nigeria a year ago to settle
down, hoping to build a life in the country
"Honey, your food is ready," Sara called to her
husband. He was in the study going through some files
"Sweetheart I'm coming," he called back. She was a
pretty American lady, slim despite two kids. She was an artist and plans were
underway for an exhibition of her paintings.
She was sponsored by the American embassy. It wasn't like her
husband couldn't have been able to finance it, after all, they were rich beyond
their wildest dreams. But she had wanted
the international community to come in. She would get more
exposure from the press. She stopped by the study door, looking at her husband
he was so engrossed in his work. She walked up to him and gently closed the
files firmly. "What the ... "
He burst out looking up at her.
"Come and eat, you've been at this since morning,
darling," she complained.
He smiled and shook his head, getting up.
"I was almost through with the reports, Sara. You know
we're leaving first thing tomorrow morning. We need to leave on time. I
honestly can't imagine driving that long distance, Sara ... " he
complained, taking a seat on the dining table, just as his nine year old son
rushed out of his room to take his own seat.
"Well young man, have you washed your hands?" Sara
asked.
Tamie stared at her guiltily and slid off his chair to go and
wash his hands.
"Honey, why don't we fly? We could come back by road.
All we need do is ask the driver to meet us in the village," Dr. Chuba
tried to cajole his wife.
"No sweetheart, we can't. I want to see the scenery and
take some pictures. Have you forgotten I am an artist?" she insisted,
sitting on the table.
"Oh well, its just the distance, my dear," he replied
beginning to eat. "The driver can take us if you're not up to it darling
... " she said in a gentle voice, placing a reassuring hand on his arm.
"No ... no ... never! I will drive my family." Just
then, Tamie returned to the table.
"Where is your sister, Tamie?" his mother asked. .
"She's with the nanny lulu." Dr. Chuba smiled.
"It’s not lulu, Tamie. Its Lola, how many times do I have to correct you
young man?"
Tamie smiled and shrugged his shoulders. "Whatever
dad."
A car horn broke the quiet. Minutes later, the door bell
sounded. Tamie made to rush out but a look from his mother stopped him.
Her son was so energetic. He never stayed. In one
place.Always jumping from one place to another, performing stunts. For her, his
only saving grace was his intelligence. He'd taken after his father.
"Hello .. Hello ... "
She turned to see Dupe, her husband's senior brother's wife
with her three unruly and ill-mannered kids. She grimaced. In a minute, they
would turn the house into a mess and she knew she wouldn't have the energy to
clean it since she had to conserve her energy for tomorrow's trip.
"I can see I came at a good time," Dupe said, her
eyes taking in the family on the breakfast table. "Not really," Sara
replied, summoning up a smile.
"You can join ... " "No ... no ..don't bother.
We've had our breakfast," Dupe protested, taking a seat.
Tamie stopped eating and fixed a pleading gaze on his mother.
"Mom, I'm alright."
"Tamie, you've not finished your food," she
accused. She knew it was Dupe's son. Her son had struck up relationship with
him immediately they landed in Nigeria. The boy was a bad influence on him.
"Please mummy, I'm full," he pleaded.
She sighed deeply.
"Let him go," her husband said starring at her.
"Let him go Sara ... " In a whiff, Tamie slid off his chair and in
the next minute he and Justice were running outside.
Suddenly, Paula's cry rent the air. Wondering where the nanny
was, Sara got up and made for the nursery, followed by Dupe.
CHAPTER 2
TO BE CONT.
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