THE MISTAKE OF MY MOTHER
The Mistake Of My Mother -Episode 11
Anita
I looked at him for some information after he had asked the man to get his men together and surround the area to make sure the man did not escape but to also stay out of sight since it could be a false alarm but when none came, I had to ask “Who was that?”
Derek: “One of the officers posted to Kiyi Banara; a suburban area in Kuje. He said he saw a suspicious looking man and a young girl there this noon”
Anita: “We have to check it out as soon as possible. No! We have to go there right away. Please make a U-turn already” she said .
Derek: “There is no need for that dear” he chuckled stepping harder on the accelerator.
Anita: “But why?” I looked at him unbelievably. “A child’s life is at stake here and you are saying no need?” it was unimaginable.
Derek: “There is no need to turn back because we are headed there right now. This road leads there too and it is the shortest route. Do not worry my wild cat. We will save our girl”
Anita: “I see! Why didn’t you just say that in the first place? How can you be so naughty” I asked trying as much as possible to conceal my embarrassment but of course he must have known I was since he gave me that knowing smile of his again.
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Rose
Rose: “So what are you waiting for? Aren’t we going to get on with it already?” I asked when he only sat down on the mat, blowing breeze on himself after endlessly sharpening the same axe he had used before.
Man: “I am not in a hurry my dear girl so you shouldn’t be too. Didn’t you say you were going to enjoy every bit of it with me? I am enjoying it already so why aren’t you?”
Rose: “You are really a psycho. I wonder how God allows men like you to continue breathing fresh air with the normal humans. You are not normal at all” she sighed and shook her head.
Man: “Yes I know I am not normal. I am not disputing that my dear. Knowing I am not normal is what drives me, knowing I am different from the rest of you who think you are good just because you are not acting on your dark desires makes me feel special” he defended himself.
Rose: “Oh dear! How does acting on your dark desires make you feel special? You are so twisted beyond repair”
Man: “Yes I am twisted my girl. I am twisted and I know I am twisted, I love being twisted, I love being extra ordinary or paranormal or abnormal or whatever you want to call it. Now let me tell you something, there are two sides to every coin, when you throw it up, only one side will turn up and the other side down. Now people are like that too. We all have two sides: the good and the bad side and only those who wholly embrace their two true nature are the true humans. Sometimes I can be good and sometime bad depending on which side turns up. Right now my good side is up and that is why we are having this conversation”
Rose: “I should be grateful then? But to think of it, a part of that theory of yours does not apply to humans and that is why there are good and bad people. You can choose to turn off your bad side totally and let the good in you wholly be in charge. Even at this young age of mine, life has dished out bad experiences that adults will find daunting on me yet I have never thought of paying it back in its own coin. You are not wise, I can see wisdom is not by age and yeah age is just a number. You should read more books, you obviously need it”
Man: “Oh wise one! Today will mark the end of that wisdom of yours. Now tell me, of what use will it be to you in the grave while the foolish ones like me roam around free?”
Rose: “I feel like I could start liking you if we keep up with this conversation so just keep your mouth shut”
Man: “You are rude child and I like you already but I will still kill you. I need to feed my ego. Not just that, I have to keep you silent forever, you will do me no good being alive” he paused for a minute, listening to a sound that was not there or maybe he did hear a sound. “Why do I feel there are eyes watching us? I need to check out this surrounding again” he said, peeped out and rushed back inside. “Oh my God, they are outside. I have to do something and fast” he reached for me but stopped in his track.
“If I drag her along, they will come for us. I have to pretend as if I am going to ease myself then crawl out of sight. She might start screaming any moment too and that will be the end of me” he seemed to be in a very deep thought as he kept mumbling unintelligibly. The funniest part was I had no intention of screaming, I was ready for whatever was coming my way.
He looked around the room, sighted a bunch of dirty old looking cloths piled at a corner and walked hurriedly towards them with his knife, cut a long piece from it and came back to me. He tied the piece tightly around my mouth and my nose then relaxed.
Man: “You can now enjoy it all by yourself, but I am afraid I might not be here to enjoy it with you” He looked so innocent all of a sudden wearing it like an old comfortable shoes.
He walked out, walked for a while and said loudly “I want to ease myself girl. Will be back in a jiffy” he probably said this that loud so whoever was watching would hear him loud and clear.
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Anita
I was surprised to see a village as remote as that in Abuja. It took us more than thirty minutes to reach there despite the speed we were on and the fact that there was no traffic jam. He called out the men but only one of them came out…
Derek: “Where are the rest of your men?” he asked as discreetly as he could. “And where is the house”
Officer: “Over there” he replied pointing at a little round hut which I’m sure will not be able to accommodate five people.
Derek: “And the rest of your men?” he asked, checking out the direction the officer pointed.
Officer: “They went after him” he replied looking down.
Derek: “What? You mean you let him slide through your fingers? A man we have being searching for, for the past one month?” he couldn’t believe that trained police officers could be that foolish.
Officer: “We heard him say he wanted to go ease himself. We didn’t know he had already noticed us. When we realised that he was taking too long, the men went after him”
Derek: “D–n it! And the girl?”
Officer: “She was not with him sir”
Anita: “Did you check the hut?” I had to say something, I wouldn’t forgive myself if anything had actually happened to the girl.
Officer: “Not yet ma’am, we were waiting for him” he replied casting Derek a glance.
We both looked at each other and bounded for the hut with one trying to outrun the other. He never really got to beat me in a race before. I got there before him and on the floor, sprawled Rose, her nose and mouth were covered with a piece of cloth knotted tightly at the back and she looked lifeless…
To be continued…
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QUESTIONS
Is she dead? Will the man be caught?
Who is this mysterious man?
