The Reaper's loot (Episode 22)

The Reaper's loot (Episode 22)

Ifeoluwa: “Bola are you awake for real? Is this really you?” the joy in his eyes was unmistakable.

Bola: “Don’t tell me you missed me that much? I think I must have missed you too, can you hug me for a bit please? don’t say no” she pleaded with him with half closed eyes.

Ifeoluwa: “If only you know how much I have been wanting to hug you. If only you know how much I have to tell you. I can’t believe I am becoming emotional” he said as he hid his face in his hands trying to hide the tears which were glistening in them.

Adunni stepped in with Bolu in her arms and on seeing her daughter sitting up, she almost threw the baby away out of joy but contained herself. She walked slowly towards the bed crying silently.

Adunni: “Bola, is that you? Are you really awake?” she asked the same question Ife had asked feeling like she was in a nightmare she didn’t want to wake up from.

Bola: “Yes mum. I am so glad that you are here. And my daughter too. Can I have her for a minute before the doctor comes please?”

Adunni: “Of course!” she handed the baby to her gently, careful not to tamper with the drip still attached to her arms.

Bola: “My baby is so beautiful and grown already. For how long have I been out?” she asked looking from her mum to the man her heart still beat for.

Ifeoluwa: “Three months. It’s been three months now and I kind of felt you have been watching each of us every minute of the day. Thanks for waking up dear” he said emotionally.

Bola: “Three months is a long time. You two must have suffered a lot because of me. Thank you for not giving up on me. What is her name please?” she asked smiling at her daughter who smiled back at her fondly. She recognised her from all those times she had seen her mum watch her gently and tried to touch her times without number but couldn’t. Children never forget an act of kindness towards them anyway.

Adunni: “Boluwatife, he dad gave her the name and it suits her perfectly well” She said and they all chuckled with Bola saying the name over and over again so as to get acquainted with it.

===

She dashed out of the hospital like a mad woman, looking over her shoulder and without checking to see if cars were approaching or not as she made to cross the road. All she was thinking of was how to get to her car which she had parked at the other side of the road. A Toyota Camry which was on high speed rammed into her as she tried running across the road. The last thing she remembered was flying in the air and landing on the floor. People gathered around to check her, many of them brought out their phones to video record her as she bled out on the floor with crumpled legs and arms. The policemen finally ran up to the scene of the accident and she was rushed back to the hospital she had ran blindly out of just a few seconds ago.

===

He felt himself losing concentration all of a sudden. His mind became bugged with thoughts of dark magic looming around. At some point, he lost all concentration like one who had blanked out for no apparent reason as he was signing the file his secretary had brought to him earlier that day. He heard his wife call his name and issue out commands to him, commands he could not understand but which he felt were having effects on him.

===

As she laid on the floor watching her aunty place curses on her uncle like that, she knew she must do something or her father’s family will be done for forever. She summoned up all her courage and strength, pushed herself up gently just as Mmesoma was about to perform the last ritual and slumped on her with all her strength. The little red mirror went shattering on the floor and the enraged Mmesoma turned to her with bloodied eyes.

Mmesoma: “What have you done little girl” she growled as the girl laid still on the floor where she had fallen to after slumping on her.

Nneka: “You have done enough aunty Mmesoma. Please leave my uncle alone” she muttered almost inaudibly.

Mmesoma: “Do you know what you have done you fool? All my power lay in that shattered mirror” she bent down and started gathering the shattered bits in her hands.

Nneka: “We both know stuffs like this don’t last forever. I will bear your child but I will not sit by and watch you harm my uncle. No I will not” her voice was becoming stronger and her clogged mind was getting unclogged.

Mmesoma: “You will pay for this girl. Just pray it already worked, pray he didn’t come back to this house or you will be dead before nightfall. Thank God no one knows you are here not even your cowardly father and uncle. I will make sure you regret ever standing up to me” she stood up, dropped the bits of broken glasses in her hands on the floor and stormed out of the room.

Nneka: “God almighty, you know I have confidence in you. Please save me, save me from this den I am in before I take my own life” she prayed as she eyed the broken glasses on the floor.

===

“Yes I have to leave this place. I am even tired of seeing everyone in this city. I am tired of this city I need a break. But where do I go to? Whichever way, I have money, I can go wherever I want but for now, I need to just keep driving. When I get tired of driving, I will stay wherever I find myself at. I am done with the life here. What does she want? My company? My house? Money? She can have them all for all I care. I feel there is something more important I need to do, I need to find her, I need to try righting my wrongs, I cannot continue living with this quilt and getting punished every day. I think I am the author of my own woes, I caused everything happening to me and it is high time I did something right for once” he was in a deep thought as he drove out of Lagos and into Ogun sate and still continued driving. He was not tired of driving just yet.

===

A few minutes after the doctor left, as they talked and laughed about so many things with Ife still thinking of how to tell her how much he loved her, she suddenly went still and then fell back to the bed and fell into cardiac arrest. Adunni began to scream for the doctor while Ife ran out to fetch him again with his head throbbing violently against his skull. The doctor and his nurses rushed back inside while Ife and Adunni were asked to step outside for a moment.

Ifeoluwa: “Mama, hope she is going to be okay? I love her and I can’t live if anything happens to her”

Adunni: “I know you love her, I know you do. Nothing will happen to her. please bring your hand, we have to go to God in prayers now, we have been silent enough about all these” he placed his trembling hands on hers as she began to pray to God to spare her daughter’s life with tears pouring down her eyes and groans in her heart.