The Robbery Attack - Episode 1

 

I was furious as I read the note dropped by the ‘Men of the Night’, that's what they called themselves. 

This is to inform you before the said date that the MEN OF THE NIGHT would visit your premises from 11-12pm on Thursday 1st November 2018 to raid and also take possession of your valuables and money. We would admonish you to stay indoors, not to travel or alert the authorities . This would be a smooth and non-violent raid. 

Your cooperation is expected to ensure a smooth sail and raid void of violence and tears.

We would be 6 men, with our face masked and in black ensemble. When we knock on you doors, open with no questions asked. Don’t offer us anything, as we would pick and choose that which gladdens our heart.

Be wise. We would be richly informed if the authorities are alerted and that means severe punishment for the culprit.

See you soon

MEN OF THE NIGHT.

“Who dropped this absurdity”, I asked our security man

“Ma?” He replied scratching his head. Knowing Akpan, he didn't understand my English and ‘Ma’ implied an explanation of what I just said. I was irritated.

“Who dropped this letter Akpan?” I replied almost screaming at the top of my lungs.

“Na one small boy o

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. Him give me 5 letters”. He replied as he ran inside to get the other letters. It was neatly folded with numbers of the flats written on it. We were five families in a 5-apartments building. I was the only one back from work. I locked my car door and walked briskly into the house. I dialled Seun’s number immediately to inform him about the funny note. He told me he was on his way home from the picking of the kids from his sister’s place. 

Seun was my husband of 10 years. We have 3 lovely kids, Tayo, Tara and Tobi. They were 9years, 6years and 3years, male, female and male respectively. 

Few minutes later, Seun arrived and the kids ran out of the car into the house.

“Mummy!!!” Tobi the youngest screamed.

I ran out to open the door and to hug my son. 

We entered into the house. I told the children to go change as I made noodles for them, at the sound of noodles, they were excited and ran in to quickly change. 

I gave the letter to Seun, he read it and was smiling.

“You are smiling?” I asked perplexed how someone could smile at such absurdity.

“Babe, they are bluffing. Who writes a letter to a house they are planning  to rob?” He said.

“They issued a letter to every occupant of this house o. This isn’t a bluff”. I replied emphatically.

Food served for the kids on the dining table, with Seun already eaten and full. He entered the room to change into comfortable short and a polo. 

“I want to talk to Akpan about this letter”. He said as he walked out. Being the inquisitive being I was created to be, I went along to hear again from Akpan. We got outside to see Akpan running to 2 of our neighbours who just returned to the house. We walked towards them, exchanged pleasantries and waited for them to open their letter.

“What nonsense” Dayo the occupant of Flat 2 asked. His wife Kemi stood beside him with their 9 months old baby Segun.

“This is very funny” Stanley, the occupant of Flat 5 said laughing. He got stern glances from his wife Nneka, myself and Kemi. 

“But seriously guys, who writes a letter to someone before they rob them?”

“Exactly the same thing I said” Seun said.

“I’d advise we wait for Matthew and Emeka to return before we discuss what to do” Dayo said

It was some minutes before 7pm when Dayo came to knock on our door informing us that all occupants of the house are back from the office and the meeting is scheduled for 7pm.  When it clocked 7pm, with the assignment of the kids done, I and Seun left instructions with the kids to sit still and not destroy the house before our return. 

The meeting held at the gazebo. All five tenants and their spouse making a total of ten persons in attendance. 

“We received our letter this evening when we got home and we were informed of an earlier meeting which was dissolved and we were asked to reconvene at a later time, which is now. This letter is outrageous and it’s an element of foolery, I am peeved to say the least”. Emeka said

He was the grammarian of the house. He doesn’t make a simple sentence; he always has everyone wondering what he is saying. I try to avoid conversations with him because it ends with me nodding to something I don’t comprehend. He was the occupant of Flat 4. His wife’s name is Chinwe, they have a 3 year old child.

“I think we should bring the police stylishly into this matter”. Matthew, occupant of Flat 3 said. His wife’s name was Cynthia and they have a 5 and 3 years old son and daughter. She was my closest House 5 wife amongst all. 

“They clearly stated that the Police shouldn't be involved in this”. Dayo replied. He seemed calmer compared to before.

“I took the liberty of sending a copy of this letter to a friend via WhatsApp and he attested to have heard about this and that the occupant who violated their rules by calling the police was shot dead when they arrived at the compound. How they got to know he was the person that called the police is still a mystery to everyone” Stanley added.

“Did you guys see the sentence at the back of the letter?” Chinwe said

“What sentence?” I replied....picking our letter with speed of light to read the content at the back. 

‘We would enter your house first since you are flat 1’

I shivered when I read that sentence. I didn’t wish anyone to be the first but didn’t think for a minute that it could be me. On each letter they wrote same statement but interchanged the positions and number of the flats.

“What do we do?” I said. I might have been thinking aloud, didn’t know when I blurted it out. 

“Since we can’t call authorities to come to our aid, I think we should be our own security and guards. We would fight till we are brought down”.

Read " The Longest Night " by the same author ( Nancy Eseosa )

. Cynthia said.

Everyone nodded in agreement.  As we discussed on security measures to take, Akpan approached us. We paused when he got to where we sat.

“Good evening my ogas and madams”. We all stared at him and answered in unison.

“What is it Akpan?” Seun asked.

“Oga abeg I wan ask for permission to travel” Akpan said.

Seun  and I were the first occupant of the house, hence conferred  ‘Caretaker of House 5’ by the landlord. Seun relayed every event and problems to the landlord. So he made the call regarding most things in the house. 

“I wan travel on October 31 go home go see my mama, them call me say she nor well, I go come back on the 3rd of November”. He said

We all burst into laughter. 

“Akpan, are you a medical doctor or a nurse?” Emeka asked.

“I tire oh” All ladies present said in unison.

“I nor be doctor Sir but them tell me say everytime she wake up, na my name she dey call”. Akpan replied.

“You are not going to any home Akpan, you are going to stay here like the rest of us until this plague passes. I would call you later, so we would look into the matter and see how to send help from here” Seun said.

Akpan was scratching his head having being caught in his lies.

“You  wan run abi? Na all of us dey here together. We die here” Nneka replied laughing.  

We continued with our discussion as Akpan walked away disappointed.