A Dread in the Spine - Episode 7

 

 After Nosa left her in a haste and she was about to join those praying within the house, she received a call that would have cracked her up on a normal day or might have incited her joy. The number belonged to one of her former customers, who worked as a customer care agent with Glo Fortunecity. The last time they met, they fought- that was the day before she gave her life to Christ . He would assume she would still be in the business of prostitution.
'Joany, how far?'
'Raphael, how are you?'
'Sorry, I want to speak with Joana'.
'I'm the one, of course'.
'Why are you going all formal with me?'
 She smiled warily. 'Don't mind me. Things have changed'.
'I guessed so because there is serious trouble'.
 She shook her head. Raphael would never change. He always took his desire for pleasure as a problem she could help him to solve. 'Raphael, I'm now a serious believing Christian. I'm not into that business again'.
 'Forget that side. Am I not a Christian too? At least I go to our church every Sunday. They know me when I carry the bell and begin to sing. Most times, I go into trance

All episodes of this story can be found here >> https://www.ebonystory.com/story/a-dread-in-the-spine

. I fall and stain my white prayer gown. But, I still do what I do'.
'Raphael. You need Jesus. Celestial Church of Christ will not help'.
'Ah see this girl-she. If I'm not a Christian, then how will I now have visions? It was one of the visions that made me do Igbele. You know what Igbele means?
 'Yes... That one that your pastors would tell you to stay in the church because something bad wants to happen, and they want you to avoid it by staying in the church. I know Igbele'.
'Yes. My own was even two months. But, that's not the reason I'm calling you'.
'What are you talking about?'
'There is a serious trouble. A big bottle of urine has been opened. Some very influential person asked our office to run a match of your voice'.
'My voice. Why me? How do you know it was me?'
'I don't know why you, but I know that you were talking to a man. I wouldn't have known it was you, but because I heard you say you were once a prostitute and you mentioned your name'.
 'I don't get...Who brought the voice match?'
'I don't know. But the person had the power to pull strings. Our boss selected a very few people. As in, how will they ask us to start running a trace on your voice from all our call files? In fact, you were talking about going to heaven or seeing visions'.
Joana stared into oblivion. Nosa had just deceived her.
'Why will they want your voice?'
'I don't know. I don't know...'
'Be careful'.
'Have they discovered it was me?'
'No. Not yet. I've told my friend Thompson to delete every of your file from our database'.
'Is that not a sin? I don't want you to sin for me'.
'Idiot. If it's true you're seeing heaven. Then, the person is looking for you'.
'How will you know?'
'How won't I know? People have been disappearing. I meanDo you listen to the news? You better go and glue your ear to the news. They are kidnapping people. Joany, please, hide your head'.
'I don't know where to hide'.
'I know. But for now, be safe. I'll see how I can help'.
'Raphael, thanks'.
'No worries. No worries, babe. It will be fine. You're surer than Bet9ja'.
Joana wondered what would happen now that she trusted Nosa. Surely, Nosa couldn't be the one. He knew who she was. Maybe, something was wrong. He must have recorded their meetings and someone would have heard it all. She dialed his phone number.
'Hello'.
'Nosa, please help. There's trouble.'
'What happened? 
'I...I', she searched her head and tried to figure out what so important she wanted to tell him. At that time, she hated ever being involved in the accident that made her have the memory issue. 'I've forgotten it. Oh! It's dangerous. I've forgotten'.
'Don't worry. You have no fear. You still have till tomorrow'.
'I hope. I will write it down. I always remember again'
'That's good'.
'Can you text me the address of your house'.
'I'll do'.
'Immediately you drop the call, before you forget'.
She nodded. She sent the message with trembling hands. Regardless of the fact that she was in the public, she went down on her knees to pray. She was sure wouldn't be able to sleep that night. She needed something to hold on to. What if she slept and saw another vision? Although the angel told her she needed a lot of rest, for now, she still had that nagging feeling that she might be carried away. The feeling haunted her like her late grandmother's forever-nagging voice. 
                      ***
Nosa sped off to the house and drove into bends without fear that he might encounter little children or animals or even other cars. Shayla was about to make his light of happiness burn out quickly.
 One of three things was sure to happen if he continued barking at Shayla over the phone that she shouldnt enter his compound- Chloe might hear Shayla's voice or Shayla truly barged in as she threatened or he got so angry that he would finally break his record of never beating a woman. 
As much as he cherished the love she had for him and understood what she felt at that moment, he wouldn't allow her to defile the serenity of his compound, especially with her sassiness. Chloe was still grieving, but none of the death of her loved ones would be as hurting as discovering that he had been deceiving her all these while, that their marriage had been in the virtual reality like that of the film, 'Under the dome'.
'Just wait', he mumbled as he stepped on the accelerator. The wind and the darkness had truly cleared the path for him, however, if Moriah was seated in the same car as he, she would have lamented about his recklessness. Although he was prepared for any sudden appearance of another car or somebody, he couldn't reduce his speed out of fear of hitting someone or bashing another car.
He couldn't fathom how it happened, but their calls got disconnected, and the phone brought up the TV series he was seeing on his way to the places he was making his investigations before she called, but he wasnt in the mood to watch it right there. He stopped it and poured all his concentration on the roads that looked as if one was entering a cult, and the trees on the side of the road were hooded figure, who kept swaying from side to side as they hummed a mantra.
Shayla called again, he picked up the call and put her on speaker phone. 
'I swear I'm counting to five. If you don't come outside, I'll barge into this shabby thing you call a house. I'll be rough and talk and scream and win you away today'.
All he needed to meet up with her was for her to keep ranting. He had the best formulae for that.
'You know I'm not lying. You mean the world to me. But my wife is grieving over the loss of our child'.
'That implies that you are ready to lose another child because I'll keep shouting till my baby pops out to the hard ground'.
'Shaylee, don't you dare do any stupid thing. I'm not far from home. Trust me'.
'I don't trust you. I don't give a heck. Not a single bit of it. I'll scream till the street bare their ugly, rotten, brown and black teeth to see you leave this house'.
'I'm near the house. I will block you at the house soon. I'm at the fullest speed'.
'You liar, you tyrant, you madman. You are in the house. I can see your car. One'.
'Hold on a bit'.
'No. You are a deceiver, pretender and you said you'll always choose me over her. Two'.
'I'm in the estate. Please just stall your attack'.
'No. I'm knocking on this door, and I'll not wait for a second after my fifth call. Three'.
'Baby, hold on, my car will be there soon. You're more trustworthy than any bulletproof'.
She laughed. 'You're a making mockery of me. I guess you and your wife would be laughing at me right now or do you think I don't know you people laugh behind my back? I won't allow you do that to me today. Four'.
'Please, I went with my wife's other car. If you scan the end of the street you will see me speeding up to meet you'.
'And this is the end. Tell the rest to your friends and the likes of them that laugh at me to no end. Five'.
'Please don't ruin a good evening with your thirst for my blood. I'm here'.
She went to the gate and banged just as he parked by her side. 'I'm here'.
'You devil. You weren't at my level, but I adored you like heaven. Now you want...' She raised her hands as she shouted and turned then rushed at him.
'Shhh', he whispered as she tried to make him see that she was really angry. She struck at him with her fists, but he didn't resist her; instead, he took both hands and drew her nearer. 
'I'm sorry. Ive offended you'.
She cried and crashed into his chest. 'You left me and deserted me and refused to see me. Have I offended you? What's my offense in loving you?'
'Nothing'.
'I love you'.
'I know... So you came this night to see me?'
'Yes. I couldn't live without you any longer. I was tired of being in this state without you by my side. You're all I have.'
'I know you like I know every part of my gun'.
She giggled, stared into his eyes and buried her head into his chest. It was his love for crimes that made her love him at first.
'Let's leave here'.
'Let me meet my wife. I'll stay with you tonight but I have to be back tomorrow'.
'Why?'
'We have a big case...to solve. Mr. Johnson called me in'.
She nodded. 'But you're not leaving early'.
'At least ten'.
'I know you. You would hurry'.
'My appointment is by ten. If I tried to do that before ten, shoot me'.
'You're pulling my leg'.
'I'm not joking'.
She nodded as he entered the house. He was joking, but if it would make him have a happy family, he would let her have that hope. She was that part he never saw in his wife, who was never interested in the criminal aspect of his life. She only wanted him to be a celebrated P.I. He and Chloe were good together. But things had stopped being rosy after she lost her father. Regardless of his love for Moriah, he still had a little connection with Chloe, and he had always banked on that until she lost her father. That day, she prayed for three days unending, but Mr. Kings didn't even bat an eyelid. Since that time, he had lost Chloe to her inner grief, to her Chloeset. Those days were so lonely for him that he had to resort to visiting a club, where he met a first timer, Shayla. Despite the disturbing fear of his father coming all the way from Edo state to Fortunecity to find him with someone else, he went ahead with the relationship.
Just as he was entering the house, Joana called, saying she had information for him, but she couldn't remember. That statement in itself was infuriating. Why would she call if she had nothing to give him? He felt like yelling and telling her how stupid she was. In fact, a thought briefly came to his mind as he put the phone into his pocket. With the way she was suddenly warming up to him, maybe she was beginning to like him. He rubbed his face and brought his hand to his bald head. All he could tell her was to send him her house address, that he would visit her the next day. Her paranoia was becoming extraordinary. At Victoria's place, she kept crying that she was in trouble- from God and Devil. How was that his concern? Everybody that wants to be a Christian must be ready for trouble from any of the two of them.
When he entered the room, Chloe didn't even flinch as if she noticed his presence.
'Chloe'.
She turned and smiled at him. 'Shhh!
He stopped on his track and did a few seconds prayer to God. Why was she acting in a weird way? Chloe mustnt be mad at this period. The world would blame him for being nonchalant with his wife.
Papa is inside.
Nosa was now 50% sure. His fear becoming reality. Which Papa?
Papa now. Your father is
Hes here? Oh, God! Another bottle of urine'.
'Don't bring that here. That's reckless as Moriah would say'.
'What What is he doing here?
He is here to rest and for the Christmas.
Why? Is that why he came down here? Couldnt he have stayed in his Idumwurgha forest?'
Chloe looked up at him and sighed exasperatedly. No. Nosa, they are looking for him. Some secterm, Cults. They blame him for something odd his Pastor friend did. They want
God punish all of them. Now, they've brought a burden to me. They don't know how much I love to put my bee out of his miseries. One bullet to the heart, another to the brain. So quickly.
Chloe groaned to show him that he was either being rude or was shouting. But I dont just understand you. Why are you? Why have you not stopped being angry at your father? And lower your voice My cat and Papa are sleeping.
Im not angry at him, Nosa said between closed teeth. I hate him like Satan hates God.
Chloe shrugged. Maybe youre the Satan.
Nosa brushed the air away. Hope he is still sleeping?
 Chloe nodded. 'Meanwhile, my WhatsApp has expired and'
Yes. Good. Tell him Im not coming home till tomorrow. Probably in the night.
Thats a lie.
Its not a lie. Im leaving truly. I have to get to a place near the riverbank as early as possible.
If its not because of your father, thats good.
What? Me? Him? Impossible. By the way, did you hear someone knock the door?'
'The door...No'.
'Erm... I mean the gate'.
'No. Did you see anyone?' 
He shook his head. 'Meanwhile, I came inside, I saw you all morose again. You should talk to someone'.
'I'm talking now. See me, talking to you. Im fine and okay. Talking. See me. Happy. Talking'.
He shook his head. 'This is not talking. After you lost your father, you didn't recover for months. Then, we lost our babies. It was disastrous. You should let out your anger at God or something grievous. You cry or grieve or do something. Just do something'.
'But we talk. We talked about the weather'.
'That's the problem. You don't cry about it. You zone out'.
'But, I'm perfectly alright. See me. Instead of zoning out as you assert, I watch T.V, bury myself in something ideal and unconventional for a grieving woman. I know you don't see them as good, but I'm alright'.
'No You're not alright'.
'I'm perfectly alright like a fresh flower', she said as she sat straight, rose, spun and sat again. 'I'm fine. I tend to my things. My father's companies are running fine. I get information regularly from my managers. In fact, I would have started work, if not for the contract of my overbearing father. See, do you see me having any speech defect? No. I'm fine dear'.
'What of Irene? Your friend from Columbia. Can I get her number? I will inform Raphael also. When last did you talk with any of them?'
'Irene, a day before she died - yesterday. My friend is dead. Raphael, we still talked this week', she shrugged.
'Oh my God! Oh my God!' Nosa said and dragged her nearer. 'I'm so sorry. Why didn't you tell me?'
'Because I've erased the dead from my mind. I don't want to keep grieving for anybody. God knows where they are - heaven or hell'.
'I'm sorry'.
'Don't be. You didn't kill them. I, really, am fine'.
'I need to go for more investigation. I'll be back, tomorrow morning'.
She nodded and faced the TV.
'Let me pick some clothes inside the house'.
 'And please, find these kidnappers. They are reasons to grieve on their own. They make us lose contact with the ones with the true visions of heaven'.
 'I will', he said and kissed her forehead. She stiffened. His wife was grieving and he was following his mistress to her place- there must be something he could do to avoid all these. Not that he really loved Shayla, but he was obliged to follow her because of his unborn child. 
'Give me your phone.

Read " Grabbing The Hot Gate " by the same author ( Akíntayo Akinjide )

. As I was saying the other time, my WhatsApp has expired', she said as he stood. He handed over his phone to her, his mind still fixed on the bad news she just shared. How come she didn't talk about Irene's death yesterday?  He should find a way to help her regain her humanity and start responding like any normal human being.
After he had picked some clothes, he returned to the parlor for his phone. She returned it and said,' you had a message. I'm sorry I mistakenly opened it. It's a message about one address'.
 It's nothing', he said and kissed her forehead. She was worth to him than rubies, than their two dead children.
'I'll call Raphael to come tomorrow if it will make you happy'.
'It will'
'Okay And don't you dare climb my grass.'
'Yes, mummy'.
'Your bald'
'Yes, mummy'.
 He smiled and went out to meet an agitated Shayla. She skipped to meet him and had to stop herself from hugging him as if she was afraid he would never return. 'I was beginning to fear'. 
Out of nowhere, came a woman, whom Chloe had always complained of her nosiness. 
'Good evening sir', she said as she rocked her crying baby. 'I want to see Mummy Kings'.
Nosa sighed. 'She is not around'.
'But she said I should come to meet her this eveni'
'Woman, are you deaf?' Shayla shouted and pulled Nosa towards his IVM G20.