LOVE BY A BEAST
EPISODE 31
Though I knew he was dead, I still took him to the hospital. I was met by the guys and it was a sorry sight. Sparrow f0rç£d me out of the hospital, back to the house. A lot of people were waiting in the house, down casted and threatening whoever they could. I walked into the room and locked the door. Everywhere still smelled like him. Everything was how we left it, I was just so surreal that he wasn’t going to be coming back home.
I couldn’t sleep; I couldn’t cry…I just stared. There were things I had to do but my life had just crumbled. It would have been nice if Toun was around, but she was on her way to London. I was running mad, his voice was in my head, talking, laughing, joking..i probably shouldn’t have allowed him drop me off..i was dying per second..I called Timi, he was the only friend I had close by..
Timi : Tana, is what I am hearing true?
That was when I started crying, I cried for about a minute…
Me: yes o…they finally killed him..
Timi: I am so sorry…where are you now, how did it happen?
Me: I don’t know…I can’t think…my heard hurts..
Timi: where are you, can I come and see you?
Me: no..i just want to be alone…thanks though…
I hung up..
Tears were choking me up but I had to st©p, I was sure Jafar would not want me to cry like this..i br@ced myself up for the next call I had to make…
Me : hello
Man: Hello
Me: is this Jafar’s father?
Man: yes…
Me: Jafar is dead, died this morning..
Man: who are you?
Me: his girlfriend.
Man: how did he die?
Me: he was murdered…
He kept quiet for a while…
Me : he has to be buried today, if you don’t get here soonest, we will bury him without you..
Man: But I am in Kano
Me: that’s your business!
I hung up…
Uche was still inside, guys had discussed that it would be better I tell him…When I entered his room, he was seated on the be-d, his left hand still on the sling but he looked way better..
Me: Uche, how are you?
Uche: Jafar is dead, you c@m£ to tell me Jafar is dead…
Me: how….how did you know?
Uche: Orisa just called me, swore he had nothing to do with it, him or his friends..
I walked up to face him, his eyes were red, he had been crying. I hvgged him, somehow my floodgates opened…I started crying..
Uche : when I was in 100 Level, I used to go around. Begging from guys, robbing girls at Shokas…obtaining guys..There was this day I went to a bar, Jafar was the only one there, he was drinking…I walked up to him and started threatening him, you see I didn’t know who he was…He didn’t answer me so I punched him on his face…as if on cue, the bar was flooded by his brothers…more than seven guys carried me on t©p of the table, my hands and legs were held. The owner of the bar ran out as a dagger was produced. I was to be slaughtered. Jafar was in 100level too then, but he pleaded on my behalf.. though he was younger than most of them, they respected him…I was left alone…a few punches on my stomach didn’t count..
Uche started crying again..
Uche: He took me to a bar called “ A-Z” and bought beer for me, afterwards we went to eat Amala, he followed me to my house, where we picked up my things and we moved to his ap@rtment close to Ita-merin. The guy cleaned me up..See Tana, I no get mama and Papa, confirm Jafar had been my father. He told me about the group and thought they could use someone like me…Tana, since then me and Jafar had been homies…I could have taken a bullet for that guy!
Guys knocked on the door, so he quic-kly cleaned his eyes…they were in their multitude to pay allegiance to him, I went back to Jafar’s room….
I pu-ll-ed off my blood stained white go-wn, and wore a black shi-t of his, with one of his black bo-xer shorts…I locked the door..and basked in the memory of Jafar.
There was a knock on my door that I ignored as usual; I didn’t want to talk to anyb©dy. Then Uche called my name.. I staggered to the door, my eyes were burning due to the amount of tears I had cried. Standing in front of the door was Uche and another man, seeing the man made me cry. He was the carbon copy of Jafar..
Man : Hello Tana
Me: good afternoon..
Man: I have picked up his b©dy..
Me : I thought you said you were in Kano, how did you get here so fast?
Man: I used a chopper.
Me: He must be buried today..
Man: Yes he would.
Me: good..
Man: I heard he was killed by way-ward cops that have gone into hiding..
I didn’t answer him…
Man: Thank you for loving my son…
***I sl@pped him a million times in my mind***
Me: you should have loved him yourself…
I turned to Uche…
Me: I don’t want to be disturbe-d again by anyb©dy…
Uche : sir, time to go…
I went back to the be-d Jafar and I had dwelled in, made love in…
My phone rang some hours later, an unknown number…
Me : Hello..
Guy: its Orisa..
Me: yes?
Orisa: Accept the sympathies of all of us down here, we will hold an outing for him tonight. I want you to know we had no hand in his death..
Me: okay…
Orisa : Till you graduate, we promise never to cause you any arm or slander. Whoever you curse is cursed, whoever you bless is blessed.
Me: okay..
Orisa: I had the highest respect for Jafar…you will be accorded such…
Me: okay…
Orisa: I hail you!
Me: Thank you..
I sle-pt for a while when I got another call, I wanted to ignore but I changed my mind…
Man: is this Ms Tana?
Me: Yes..
Man: This is Professor Adewole..
Me: good afternoon VC
VC : I heard about what happened today, my people are carrying out the investigation. I learnt you are his p@rtner..
Me: Yes sir..
VC : we were thinking of resuming on Monday, with this tragic incidence…do you want it postponed?
Me: you are the VC sir, I am just a student…
VC: our reports states otherwise.. plea-se meet me for lunch on Saturday in my house..
Me: Okay sir..
VC : you can come with as many of your people as possible…it’s just a meeting.
Me: Okay sir..
He hung up…
I didn’t intend going for any bull$h!t meeting…
I was rolling in be-d.
It was difficult to sleep, everywhere felt like Jafar, from the smell to the bold colors of the room. I tried listening to music but they were his songs. Naeto C’s “Kini big deal” was working for me until; Naeto C said “Kilode my darling?” and I wanted to die. Jafar loved that p@rt of the song.
So I went to the kitchen, two guys were smoking Kush there, they quic-kly exited as I entered, I picked up a piece of cloth and a bucket full of water and went outside to Jafar’s Benz. It was in the same shape in which i had brou-ght it back. The back Glas-s was still broken, with shreds of glas-s on the seats, his blood had stained the front seats. I soa-ked the chairs with water and detergent and started brushing the blood out. In no time the contents of the bucket was de-ep red..i sobbe-d as I washed.
My hands were bruised when I called it quits, I sat on the back seat when a phone rang, I picked up my phone then I realized it was another phone that had rang. I found the Nokia phone beneath the seat; it was the phone that the police-man who was leaning close to my window was holding. it must have dropped in the car when Jafar hit him.
The excitement I got from finding the phone was nothing compared to how I felt when I went throu-gh the contents…towards the end..i bec@m£ shocked…I called Uche, told him to meet me in Jafar’s car.
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May God give us fortitude to bear the loss
LOVE BY A BEAST
EPISODE 32
I was rolling in be-d.
It was difficult to sleep, everywhere felt like Jafar, from the smell to the bold colors of the room. I tried listening to music but they were his songs. Naeto C’s “Kini big deal” was working for me until; Naeto C said “Kilode my darling?” and I wanted to die. Jafar loved that p@rt of the song.
So I went to the kitchen, two guys were smoking Kush there, they quic-kly exited as I entered, I picked up a piece of cloth and a bucket full of water and went outside to Jafar’s Benz. It was in the same shape in which i had brou-ght it back. The back Glas-s was still broken, with shreds of glas-s on the seats, his blood had stained the front seats. I soa-ked the chairs with water and detergent and started brushing the blood out. In no time the contents of the bucket was de-ep red..i sobbe-d as I washed.
My hands were bruised when I called it quits, I sat on the back seat when a phone rang, I picked up my phone then I realized it was another phone that had rang. I found the Nokia phone beneath the seat; it was the phone that the police-man who was leaning close to my window was holding. it must have dropped in the car when Jafar hit him.
The excitement I got from finding the phone was nothing compared to how I felt when I went throu-gh the contents…towards the end..i bec@m£ shocked…I called Uche, told him to meet me in Jafar’s car.
Uche: I think say you don sleep..
Me: no..i couldn’t..
I gave him the phone to peruse..
Uche : are you serious?
I just nodded my head…I was still dumbfounded…
Uche : where did you find it?
I told him how everything happened, including Jafar’s last attempt to avoid the tragic incident.
Me: you know what I realized?…Jafar actually hit the guy at my side so he won’t be able to shoot at me, in the last moments he put me first..
Uche : him na correct guy…
Me: VC called me, asking for a meeting with us this weekend..
Uche ; what do you think?
Me: would Jafar have attended?
Uche : Yes, he likes the VC..
Me: we should go then…
Uche: so when do we move?
Me: move where?
Uche : with this information we have got…or are u not up to it?
Me: oh…as soon as possible…
Uche : are you sure?
Me: I can ba-rely wait…but I nee-d a favor…
Uche: what?
Me : let’s keep it to just you and I for now…
Uche: No problem…
***I bade him goodnight***
I woke up some hours later, it was very cold and I was hungry..i went back to the room to find the left over sugar-cane Jafar and I had munched in the fridge. As I ate it I thought of the past few months..i remembered the meeting I had with Abayomi, Kofo, Michael and Uche…I never knew that gathering would change my life ..But it did…
And tomorrow, it was about to be changed forever..
Morning c@m£ slower than I had hoped, but when it c@m£, I was re-ady..
I went to the bathroom, stared at myself in the mirror, I looked horrible. My eyes were swollen and I looked drain..i str!pped off my clothes and turned the shower on…I sat on the floor as water washed over me for more than thirty minutes..
I didn’t have enough black clothes, I intent to buy as soon as I got the chance. I wore a black go-wn with a pair of black shoes. Jafar’s black Loius Vuitton Shades was in his wardrobe…it didn’t really fit me, but I wanted something of his to be with me at all times..
Uche and “Last-born” were waiting in the Hilux when I got outside, our journey was taking us to Irolu.
As we pas-sed the area in which Jafar was killed, I found it ha-rd to breathe. My phone vibr@ted…
Me : Timi what’s up?
Timi: I am good…calling to see if I can see you today..
Me: that would be nice, I would come to your house later tonight..somethings c@m£ up that I would like to inform you..
Timi: cool, should I cook anything?
Me: not gotten my appetite back..but thanks..
Timi: you know I always got your back…
Me: I am grateful,Timi..
The h0tel we were going to at Irolu was called “Mother Care”. It had been well describe-d in one of the messages seen in the cell Phone. My prayer was that the Police-man hadn’t suspected that the phone was with me.
The h0tel was hidden by a ru-bber plantation, but after a sharp bend along the narrow motor path, it expo-sed itself in all its majesty. It was not ha-rd locating the Suite that we were looking for. He had registered in the h0tel as Mr Williams. When we got to the door, I told the guys to chill outside while I entered. I knocked but there was no response. It was a big suite so I suspected that the occu-p@n-t must be far from the door. I turned the handle of the door, luckily it opened. The place was luxurious, the door ushered me into the sitting room, it was unoccu-pied. So I ti-ptoed in the direction of the room. I started hearing m0@n s before I got there. The door was slightly ajar so I peeped. Lying on the be-d was a man, a very bu-sty girl was ri-ding his face, his ton-gue sma-cking in and out of her, she gr@bb£d at her b—-t in ecstasy, another girl held his dicck in her hand and was su-cking it like her life depended on it. The room was dark but the thr££s©mehappening was visible. I ti-ptoed inside the room, they didn’t notice as they were engrossed in their activity..i turned on the switch by the wall..
Man : Hey! Who the hell are you?
The two girls sprung up from the be-d with their b—-t giggling as they picked their clothes and ran out of the room..
Me: Good morning Sir..
Man: who the hell are you?
Me: I am Tana, and you are?
Man : Get the hell out of my suite, what kind of ru-bbish is this?
The foolish man took his time in tying the be-d sheet around his w@!st…
Me: sorry for disturbing your tryst, but what I nee-d to ask you couldn’t wait..
He went to the Inter-com…
Man: I will call the Receptionist to come and boot you out of here, I am sure a Police station shouldn’t be far away…
Me: don’t be stupid..
He was taken aback; his right hand squee-zed his grey beard…
Man: Are you mad? Do you know who you are talking to?
Me: Yes I Know, Prof Agbaide.
]The DVC stuttered..
Prof Agbaide : young lady, who are you, what do you want and how did you find me?
Me: I am here as regards Jafar?
Prof Agbaide: who is Jafar?
I brou-ght out Jafar’s gun from my purse…
The renowned professor of Maths and Statistics fell on the be-d..
Me: any other wrong answer and you get a bullet..
Prof Agbaide : Who was he to you?
Me: My life…
Prof Agbaide : I am sorry, plea-se…plea-se…I have a wife and kids…little children…plea-se spare my life….
Me : why did you order for him to be killed?
Prof Agbaide: It wasn’t my ma-king, it was orders from above…it was beyond my power…I am a Christian, I didn’t support the move.
Me: I have all the messages you exchanged with the cops, you even describe-d him and the car he drove…
Prof Agbaide : I was just following orders..
Me: So you would be the Vice-Chancellor?
Prof Agbaide: that wasn’t the ultimate aim, the school was going in the wrong direction, Jafar and his guys were the stumbling block.
Me: National would probably have won and given you the mand@t£ you required..
Prof Agbaide : Even with National, Jafar was still a problem..
Me : so you killed my best Friend, Abayomi…and Jafar?
Prof Agbaide: I didn’t kill them, I was just following the script..
Me: Good
Prof Agbaide : Now that Jafar and Eli are dead, we can start afresh…I am influential enough to make you the next SUG president. Believe me!
Me: are you serious?
Prof Agbaide : Yes
Me: wont that be lovely?
Prof Agbaide : I will give you 3million Naira cash too..
Me: you are generous sir…do you know people think you have been kidnapped or even killed in Ago-iwoye.
Prof Agbaide : I just wanted to stay out of the politics for a while, you know I told you I am a Christian..i was tired of the deaths..
The image of the girls with him earlier flashed throu-gh my mind, I smiled at the Christian..
Me: No problem…
Prof Agbaide : Thank you my daughter, what dep@rtment are you in? I promise you that you will graduate with a 2’1. Truthfully…
Me: You are far too kind sir…
Prof Agbaide: it’s my plea-sure dear…just put down the gun…
I did as I was told. I could see the smile of victory spre-ad across his face.
I started to leave the room..
Prof Agbaide : don’t leave like this, let me give you money..
Me: don’t worry…I am okay…
Uche and “Last-Born” were waiting by the balcony as I stepped out..I walked down to the Hilux to wait for them, in about ten minutes, they joined me. “Last-Born” was holding something wra-pped in a piece of cloth..
Me: Uche, we-tin “Last-Born” dey put inside booth?
Uche : Na the man head, we no wan waste bullet on t©p the pig..
Me: Oh…
“Last-Born” joined Uche in front as we drove back to Ago-iwoye..
A Uk number was calling me, it was Toun…
Me: Hello babe..
Toun: I will be coming back this weekend o..heard we will be resuming clas-ses on Monday..
Me: Yes..
Toun: I got you a couple of things, anyhow sha…when we see…
Me: Thanks dear…see you soon!
We were in Ago before 2pm, we went straight to the house, where I closed the door and spoke to Jafar. I didn’t nee-d words, I spoke throu-gh my heart…whenever I spoke to him like that I felt peace.
Around 6pm, I called Timi..
Me: are you home?
Timi: yes dear..
Me: can I come now?
Timi: yes you can..
Me: are you sure…I don’t want to disturb you o…
Timi: come jor, after all that has happened, you nee-d someb©dy to take care of you..
Me: thank you dear.
Timi was waiting by the door when I knocked, he opened the door immediately…I fel into his arms as we hvgged..
Timi: Tana, my Tana…you don’t have to worry again..
Me: thank you..
He led me to his be-d where we sat close to each other. The same be-d that he had deflowered me. The same be-d were many of our fondest memories had taken place..
Timi: so how are you faring?
Me: It has not been easy, but God has been good.
Timi: I am glad you are so strong..
Me: Timi, you still love me?
Timi: yes, never st©pped…why ask?
Me: I just wanted to know…
Timi : you are not alone. When would you leave that place you are staying..
Me: you want me to move in with you?
Timi: yes…so I can take care of you…
Me: okay!
Timi: are you serious?
Me: yes!.. Tomorrow..
He hvgged me, I could still see the love in his eyes..
Timi: Jafar was a wonderful guy…
Me: yes, he was..
Timi: will you sleep here tonight…
Me: if you want me too, Jafar’s house holds too much memories…
Timi: ofcuz…I will go get you Suya Burger..
Me: Thanks darling…
Timi: you are welcome my love…
Me: why did you kill Jafar, though?
Timi looked at me like I was mad..
Timi: what do you mean?
Me: is it because you really miss my p—y?
Timi: you are not ma-king s-en-se dear…why will I kill Jafar?…he is a cultist…he must have had plenty people that wanted him dead…he killed Eli for christ’s sake.
Me: sorry, I just wanted to be sure…
He looked at me de-eply…
Timi: you got me worried there..i suspect Eli’s people though…
Me: me too…
Timi: hmmmm, terrible..chai..
Me: I nee-d you to explain something to me though…
Timi: what?
Me: How come you told me the DVC was missing but he was in an h0tel in Irolu..
Timi: are you serious? I didn’t know that…though the guy was kidnapped..
Me: the thing is I have his phone, and you guys have been doing a lot of talking…
Timi: me? You are going crazy again..
Me: Timi, till I die I will never forget your number…I loved you so much it got stuck in my head…
Timi: ok, the truth is I knew where he was but I couldn’t tell anyone, Jafar and co were after his head..
Me: I re-ad the messages you guys exchanged too, you were his liaison to Eli and the Cops that killed Jafar.
Timi: Tana, shut up!
Me: what I can’t un-derstand is why did you choose to work for us, when National was you people’s candid@t£.
Timi: I don’t know what you are saying!
Me: Timileyin…I have all the evidence…tell me why you killed Jafar
Timi: because I loved you..
Me: what?
Timi: if Jafar hadn’t been killed, you would have been killed…I had to choose Jafar…
Me: and Abayomi too?
Timi: He should have dropped out of the race with all the kidnappings..but it was clear he was strong headed..
Me: I thought he was your good friend..
Timi: He was, but he wasn’t in the big picture. Look Tana, I really liked Abayomi, but when I was approached by the DVC, I had no choice than to pl@ytheir game…
Me: How much were you given?
Timi: what?
Me: answer me Timi…
Timi: 5 million..
Me: hmmm..
Timi: baby, believe me, I did it for us..Jafar was a cultist. There was a high possibility that he would still have been killed. I wouldn’t have interfered further if Eli had killed him, but he couldn’t..
Me: do you know Eli would have R@p£d me?
Timi: that b—–d, I told him not to t©uçh you…
Me: so what happens now?
Timi: let’s just keep it between us..plea-se…not a soul…delete the messages, destroy the phone..we would share the money equally…start that Fast food restaurant that we have always wanted “Tati café”..i will love you for the rest of my life…as soon as we graduate, we serve and get married!
Me: how ro-mantic…
Timi: we belong together..
Me: Uche!..
They broke open the door…
Timi: what the fvcck!..what is happening here? Get the fvcck out of my house!
Uche and “Last-Born” stood on other sides of Timi..
Me: bye Timi..
Timi wanted to say something…but the punch by Uche’s good hand s£nt him crashing on the be-d’s head-rest.
I stood up and went to seat on a chair that faced the be-d, I remembered those times in the past when I sat there and watched him sleep..
Uche and “Last-Born” continued raining punches on him, until he could ha-rd ly move…
Timi: Tana..pleaaaaaaaaase, I beg u…plea-se help me beg them
Another punch broke hisl-ips..blood splattered everywhere…
I looked at the Timi I had once loved..i felt no pity…
Timi: heeeeelp mmmmme…
I walked out of the room.
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Who’s now the beast?
WATCHOUT FOR EPISODE 33