The service was full. It was like a reunion of
old school mates. She got herself a seat and sat down. She watched from her
seat as Emeka led his mother to the front seat. They were closely followed by
his father and brother. They cut the picture of a family in grief. She'd
avoided taking his calls or calling him.
Suddenly, her attention caught a face, a familiar
face.
"God! Isn't that Latie?" she asked
herself and got up on shaky legs. She was standing by the church door, wiping
her eyes with a hanky. Ella caught the engagement ring on her finger.
"Latie!" she called out, tapping the
self-engrossed girl.
Latie's head snapped up and turned to see who
could be calling her. Her mouth dropped open.
"Ella!" and they hugged with both
bursting into tears. "She's gone Ella, our friend is gone," she
lamented.
"Yes Latie, a plane crash," Ella
managed, to say. "When I heard the news, it was in the papers, I couldn't
believe it. I had to come," she added.
"Ella, lets go and find a seat, they are
about a starting the mass.
Are you still on with Emeka?" her eyes going
to Ella's ring. Latie asked as they slide into the seat.
"Yes," she said in a subdued voice.
Emeka sighted them as he stole a look behind him. He waved and Latie quickly
waved back.
Ella's heart tore at the pained look in his eyes.
The service lasted for an hour and thirty
As they got up to go, the heaven, opened up and
the clouds darkened, letting out heavy drops of rain. It rained angrily for
twenty minutes then subsided. As Latie and Ella waited for the rain to subside,
Emeka walked up to them.
"Hi Latie, long time," he greeted, his
eyes on Ella, who avoided his gaze.
"Yes Emeka, I heard the news and thought it
good to be here. I'm really sorry. She was such a sweet soul. Everybody had
something nice to say about her."
He sighed, a sad smile playing on his lips.
"She's going to be missed by everyone,
especially I. She was my favorite girl." He straightened up. "You
ladies are invited to the house, there will be light refreshment for family and
friends."
''Thanks Emeka, we'll be there," Latie said.
He stared with questioning eyes at Ella, who kept avoiding his gaze.
"Well, I guess we'll see at home, right?'
the question was directed at Ella, but Latie quickly answered seeing Ella
wasn't responding. Mrs. Orjakwu sent her youngest son, to fetch Emeka. He took
his excuse and left.
"What's the matter Ella, why are you so cold
to him? I thought you two were dating?" Latie asked as they made their way
out of the church.
Ella smiled sadly, "yes we were to get
married but I guess that won't be happening again," she said.
Latie stared at her, with narrowed eyes.
"Why? don't you love him?"
Ella shook her head, "I do, that's the
problem. Come on I'll tell you everything," she said as they got into a
taxi and headed for Ella's house.
************************************
Justice paced up and down his living room. He
appeared agitated. Once in a while, he stole an anxious look at his wristwatch
then continued his pacing. Then, he heard the sound of a car. Quickly picking
up his car keys he rushed out.
"Where have you been all this time, Tanko? I
thought we had an agreement to meet here?"
Tanko came out of the car smiling apologetically.
He was very tall and heavily built, with a dark complexion to match his
sinister look.
"Sorry, Justice, Obe said we could come this
evening."
"Are you sure they're reliable, Tanko?"
he queried, an anxious look on his face.
"I don't want any tuck up o. if I go down,
you're definitely coming with me," he warned.
"You don't have to be afraid. This isn't my
first job, and remember I'm not a baby," Tanko smiled reassuringly.
They got into Justice's car and drove off.
They finally came to a stop at a dry and filthy
looking place. It was a neighborhood in Obalende and very quiet. Tanko led the
way into what looked like an underground bar. The heavy stench of alcohol and
cigarette hit Justice first. The place looked like night. There was no light
but it looked lively and well hidden, a nice hideout for criminals, he thought.
"Sit down, I'm coming," Tanko said and
disappeared behind a door. Minutes later, he appeared, followed closely by two
well-dressed guys in expensive looking attires. They took their seats. Their
fine look struck him. His eyes ran through their expensive clothing, Rolex
wristwatches and polished shoes.
Thirty minutes later, Justice and Tanko were on
their way out. The killers asked for N5 million and after much argument they'd
arrived at 3 million. Obe stared at the picture of the young man. There was a
familiarity but he couldn't place it. He felt no compassion for the victims, it
was simply a job. You had to kill to survive in this business. His feelings
were dead. But this face, it sure struck him as familiar. What a waste, he
thought as he passed the picture to his second.
"He's our next job, in two months
time."
"Ha, why this long?" his second Jumbo,
queried frowning.
"Because we have to finish the minister and
the general's jobs. But we've been given the deposit. Infact, the guy wants it
that way Jumbo shrugged, slipping the picture into his pocket "Well,
what's my own," he muttered.
Obe wasn't his real name. It was Philip, a Delta
boy, brought up in a poverty stricken home. He never had a chance. He struggled
his way through secondary school then got an admission to study accountancy. It
was a difficult period. He could barely survive on what his parents gave him.
He relied on few of his friends and what they gave him. One in particular had
gone out of his way to make things bearable for him.
He remembered one night when he'd fallen
seriously ill. He hadn't known he had typhoid. He'd been treating malaria. He'd
fainted in his room immediately he got back from lectures.
One of his roommates, a senior student, had found
him and rushed him to the hospital where, still unconscious, a test had been
carried out and they discovered he had typhoid. His generous and kind hearted
roommate had paid all his bill amounting to about N5, 000.
He made sure he ate every morning by bringing
food for him. He'd remained eternally grateful to him and had prayed to pay him
back one day.
He only prayed that day would come. He'd been
driven to a life of crime due to penury. He had to survive. He'd tried looking
for job for four years after school. Desperate to satisfy his parents and
younger ones, he'd been forced into a violent life. One which he hated.
Deep down, Obe prayed every day that he wouldn't
die in his life of crime but come out of it in a something better.
CHAPTER 8
TO BE CONT.
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