LOVE BY A BEAST
EPISODE 28
We were both in be-d…
Jafar: I have liked you since the first time I saw you…
Me: when was that?
Jafar: During GNS 103, I was in your clas-s, I saw you answer a question once and you got stuck in my head…
Me: why didn’t you ever tell me…
Jafar: because of Timi…plus someone like you doesn’t deserve just a fling…
Me: that is so sweet…
Jafar: come let me show you something….
Me : where?
Jafar: Just come…
It was past 9pm when I entered his benz with him, and he drove us into the night…
Me: isn’t it dangerous?
Jafar: nope, we are not going far…
It was a cold night, even after he put off the car’s AC, it was still cold, I embr@ced myself to fight it. He didn’t drive into the main road, instead he continued driving along a rou-gh path until we got to an open space. This space was surrounded by a thick bush. The space was almost circle in shape, we were in the middle.
Me: what is this place?
Jafar: I really don’t know, I stumbled on it some months ago..
Me: what were you doing that you stumbled on it..
Jafar: in times of relative peace, I like to drive around close to mid-night. It helps me think and process ideas..
Me: so you were driving and you got here, what’s so special about this place? Although I like the circular thingy…
Jafar: are you re-ady?
Me: yes…
He turned off the car’s engine and lights.
Jafar: shhhhhh
We remained quiet in the car…I looked at him after a while and almost giggled out. He must have been talking about a spiritual experience because I wasn’t seeing another physical.
Then it start…a fire-fly put on its light on the right side of the bush, then a group put on theirs on the left..then a couple more put on theirs. Before long, the entire bush was filled with light emitting fire-flies…it was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen…we were the darkness surrounded by light….
Me: this is nice…
Jafar: I come here everytime…
Me: you haven’t brou-ght any other person here before?
Jafar: no..just you..
Me: thanks…
Jafar: Lets go outside…
Me: I don’t want them to leave…
Jafar: they won’t…
We la-id down on the car bonnet…facing the sky, surrounded by God’s light…
Me: after all these ends, what becomes of us?
Jafar: I thought about it too…
Me: so?
Jafar: I really don’t know, a day at a time I guess…
Me: I will be going to Lagos soon, probably after I leave Sagamu.
He didn’t say anything…dew was falling on the car, ma-king the cold night even colder. I drew closer to him to tap some warmth..
Jafar: I love you Tana…
My heart skipped several beats as he said those words..i kept looking at the stars that filled the sky. Now that he had said he loved me, this guy just made it very ha-rd for me. What if we are f0rç£d to say our goodbyes…what will happen to me…I would be broken…
Jafar: look there..
He pointed at a building from a far, with lights at the t©p…
Jafar: that is the Ebu-mawe’s palace..
Me: I love you too…
And then I started crying again..how did I get here? How did I get to fall in love with someone like Jafar.
Me: can I ask for a favor?
Jafar: sure…
Me: can you just remain on the low-key till we graduate. Forget about Eli and all…lets just be..
He didn’t reply…
Me: can you?
Jafar : it’s not a one way thing, we are fighting an evil…if we don’t…it would be the end of us all..
Me: then be careful…
Jafar: Eli worries you…?
Me: yes..
Jafar: don’t worry…
I started shivering after a while so we went back inside the car. Hoobastank’s “the reason” blarred from his speakers…He switched the gear into drive and once again…we eased into the night…
I woke up without remembering how I got to the be-d. I was alone, I didn’t like the feeling. I was also hungry. I walked out of the room and found Jafar and Uche shooting pool in the parlor..
Me: was looking for you…
Uche: howfar madam Tana?
Me: Uche, I dey o…
Jafar: I will be with you soon….
I went to the kitchen, there was no food besides bre-ad, so I made myself a cold cu-p of Milo and took two slices from the loaf.
Jafar: you should be slee-ping instead of eating, its 4am…
He c@m£ inside the room and sat on the be-d..
Me: how did we get inside, last I remembered we were on our way…
Jafar: you sle-pt off…I had to carry you in…
Me: awwww…thank you…
Jafar: something c@m£ up, I would have to leave very soon…when I come back…you can leave for Sagamu..
Me: what c@m£ up?
Jafar: can’t tell you, but we would nee-d all the hands we can get, one of the guys will stay with you here..
Me: okay…
He helped me take the empty cu-p back to the kitchen, then joined me beneath the blanket.
Jafar: when you wake up in the morning, I will be gone..
Me: just come back….for me…
Jafar: sure…
Just as he predicted, I woke up to an empty be-d..the house was eerily silent. I called Toun…
Toun: how are you?
Me: I am good o..i will be going to Sagamu today…
Toun: nice, Ago is dangerous now…
Me: how are you feeling?
Toun: I have dreams of him everytime…
Me: he is in a better place…
Toun: how is Jafar?
Me: he is fine, he told me he loves me…
Toun: awwwww, I like that guy…cultist and all..
***I didn’t even bother correcting her ***
Toun: Timi nko?
Me: I will call him as soon as I hang up..
Toun: he called me last night…said he still loves you and all..
Me: I will try to see him soon….
Toun: I will call you later during the day…
Me: thanks babe…
Toun: bye…
Me: bye…
I called Timi but he didn’t pick up…
I put on one of Jafar’s shi-t and went to the bathroom to brush my teeth….my phone rang, it must be Timi..
It was Jafar..
Me: hey J!
Jafar: Tana, lock up the door to the room, look into my wardrobe, you would see a black shoe box, open it, there is a loaded gun inside…take it to the bathroom and lock yourself in with it.
Me: what is happening?
Jafar: Just do as I say…I am on my way back….
Me: I am scared…
Jafar: I am with you…
He hung up…
My heart was beating fast..i considered bolting outside the house to the nearest public place, but it was risky..i decided to just obey Jafar.
I was at the corner of the bathroom, with the heavy metallic object on my l@p…my phone rang again…
Me: Jafar, I am scared..
Jafar: I am on my way…hope you are in the bathroom?
Me: yes..
He hung up…
The water dropping gently from the tap was coinciding with the beating of my heart…in no time, Jafar will be around and it will be alright…I kept telling myself..
Then I heard the big ban-g!
The guy in the ap@rtment seemed to dash into a room and ran back out…another sh0t was heard. This one shattered the sitting room windows. The guy returned fire…my ears were exploding…I held on ti-ght to the gun..
Then I heard a crash…the front door was broken…there was a brief exchange of fire…then silence…
I was hoping our guy had won, then I heard Eli’s unmistakable laughter…
Eli : Tanatolo…Tanatolo…I know say you dey hear me…
He started knocking on the door of the rooms…
Eli: come out!…
I started praying to God…I was shaking like a fish out of water..
I heard him break open a door; he wasn’t the only one from the foot-steps I heard. Then he broke another door..mine was next….
I wanted to call Jafar but Eli would have heard my voice…
He broke open the door…
Eli: Tana…I know say you dey inside here…na your bag be dis…come out of the bathroom!
I started sobbing…
Then he broke open the bathroom door…
Eli : Ahn..Ahn…princess like you come dey hide inside bathroom…
The gun he was holding was the biggest I had ever seen. The shades he was wearing made his look even deadlier..
Me: Eli…plea-se…don’t hurt me…
Eli: that time don pas-s…
He leveled the gun at me…
Eli: pu-ll your clothes..
Me: no!..
I didn’t know a human being could be so fast, his sma-ck crushed my face..
Eli : Jafar don dey give you mind abi?…i say make you pu-ll your cloth, you dey do shakara?
The gun was laying useless by my side…
I pu-ll-ed off the shi-t, leaving me with my br@ and p@n-ties…
Eli: chai…you go sweet o…after I fu-ck you…I go waste you…
Me: Go to hell!
I tried picking up the gun again, but his leg was fas-ter..kicked my dropped hand…
The pain was unbearable, I screamed…He c@m£ unt©p of me…
Eli: pu-ll your p@n-t!
Me: No!
Eli dropped his gun and dragged started trying to drag down my [email protected] tried to poke his eyes but he moved his head at the nick of time..He sl@pped me ha-rd !
Jafar: Eli, stand up and raise your hands..
The only person more surprised than I was, was Eli…
He turned slowly, his gun was on the floor..but he didn’t raise up his hand…I quic-kly put on Jafar’s shi-t…as I attem-pted to run to Jafar, Eli pu-ll-ed me back and held me in a death grip…
Eli: Jafar…drop your gun…except you wan kill me and Tana together…
Jafar didn’t lower the gun, but Eli started moving with his hand around my n£¢k. He kept me infront of himself as he faced Jafar…As he stepped forward, Jafar stepped backward until we got to the parlour.
There were two dead guys lying awkwardly on the floor..
Jafar: Leave her…and I will allow you go…
Eli: you dey see me as mumu abi?
Jafar: you have my word..
Eli: oya drop the gun and I drop the girl…
Jafar: deal…
Eli smiled…
Jafar: leave her first…
Eli: throw your gun on the floor first..
I heard sounds of cars pu-lling closer to the building. Then it was pandemonium outside…gunsh0ts everywhere…
Eli: I change my mind…E be like say my people don show….Tana goes with me…
Jafar: I go shoot you for here…
Eli: you no fit try am…and you know…
Using his back, he dragged me outside…
Uche’s Hilux was on the driveway…two of Eli’s people were on the sandy floor…gun sh0ts at different p@rts of their b©dy….Uche was also on the floor..his t©p was soa-ked with blood..Eli guy was standing close to him, his gun was pointing at Uche’s head…
Eli: hehehehehehehehehe….i too like my people!
Jafar was alone, defenseless against this beasts…
Eli: change of plans, throw the gun here…kneel down…I promise say I no go kill Tana, but I go kill you…
Jafar’s shoulder dropped…
Me: Jafar…don’t…
Jafar: I have no choice…
I started crying….Eli pu-ll-ed me closer and ran his ton-gue along my n£¢k..
I gave up as Jafar threw his gun to Eli…
Eli : I win….you lose…
Eli bent down to pick the gun, the event that followed happened in less than 3 seconds..
Jafar brou-ght out a gun from the back of his trou-ser. It must have been held in place by his belt but covered by his shi-t. One sh0t rang out that drilled a hole in Eli’s head…his br@in matter splashed over my legs…The second sh0t hit the guy over Uche on the che-st…it brou-ght him down…
I sat down on the floor and screamed. Jafar walked up to the guy and sh0t him on the head…lying infront of me was Eli…the gun-sh0t had f0rç£d his eyes and ton-gue to bulge out…it was a terrible sight..
Jafar c@m£ back and carried me to Uche’s Hilux… He also as-sisted Uche inside, I didn’t know if Uche was dead or alive, but he was motionless and must have lost a lot of blood…
Jafar: I am taking you guys to the hospital…I hope he makes it…
I didn’t bother to answer him…in my head they were all the same..Jafar, Eli and Uche…
I just wanted to disappear..
WATCHOUT FOR EPISODE 29