Endless Love October 15, 1995

For the first time in my life, I slept away from home, and not just that alone, but in that stinky environment, I had once reproached. I was fortunate though.

Had Deji not imprinted on me the overall befitting make-over, who knows, I might have had great difficulty relating with almost everyone in that surroundings. With the little cash that I had left, I made no reluctance and rather was freely discharging everyones favorite. From liquor to mixed herbal concoctions to cigarette and Indian hemp. I also discharged a series of hard pills too just to make me feel among. That night made me rethink diverse people, their cultures, lifestyle, and belief. Just that one night.

Before I hit the sack though, I made sure to forget all that has happened believing that night might be my last. However, I woke into a new dawn with the last words on my lips, never discriminate . So it was just a dream!

It was almost the eleventh hour when I awoke. Not bad for me though as it was a much-needed rest and sleep. I felt fewer pangs as the muscle ache had reduced, although, I was a complete weakling as I tried to get seated on the bed. Surprisingly enough, someone had cared for me with some healthy herbal body aid. From the effect of such herbal roots and ointments, my entire body felt fewer pangs and I shone bright like the finest of satin. Honestly, it was only in movies, Chinese in particular, that I do experience such a scenery.

I imagined such a place I had spent the night. Though divine, It was a complete mess of a place. A shelter so disorganized, housing scattered clothes about, some rusty and too dusty cobweb utensils, a shattered overloaded wardrobe, and an outdated wrecked television were set in place too. Without looking around for a testament, that room harbors rodents and diverse crawling insects too. I coached myself to behave and accept such a condition. I made sure that all through the days I stayed, I was happy with every organization.

Slow and steady, I walked to the window. Adjusting the robe that was meant as its blind, my eyes felt sore from the heated sun rays. It was so hot that morning. Looking around as if lost, all my senses came right back. My family , I thought loudly. I had hardly reached out for my trouser aiming for my handset when she walked right in. I smiled! Extensively, I composed myself resting on the wall while seated on the edge of the shattered string bed.

How far, guy, and how you dey? asked Laide, excited. She never stayed longer anyway as she left sharply then came back shortly with some porridge beans and plantains, and some liquid mixture herbs too. She fed me herself. As that moment rocked, she took time to narrate my ordeal the night before. According to her, they helped me from a serpentine passage that leads to her mothers shop which is close to her home. It was almost the eighth hour of the night, and I was gravely exhausted. I had been around, in that corner she saw me, more than she expected. And as I am none of the passersbys business, no one questioned my stay, she guessed. She stressed further that I had helped myself too because, even though I almost passed out, I still managed to call on her as I saw her pass while heading to the mosque. She wasted no time but rather yelled a call through to Kenny, a.k.a kokoro who is her twin brother and they both helped me to his quarters where I had stayed the while. With the help of both parties, I got fed, and with all sorts of herbs and ointments, I was administered to my unconscious state of mind.

Truly, not all that is golden is gold. And beauty truly comes from the heart. It has always been grace at work too. And I also realized that most people like me have just been privileged. I was over-appreciative at that moment. And right after she had left, I continued with my previous action.

Laide and Kenny are two random friends who live in the Ikotun ghetto not too far from the market. We were teammates of one of the finest sports clubs in Ikotun, Adebayo Samba Boys. Although it was a boys football academy yet, Laide, Yetunde, and Ngozi loved training with us. Together, we thrived as one of the most decorated teams before Mr. Adebayos demise. Mr. Adebayo was the founder and coach of our precious football club. The twins have got just their mother who has raised them from the scratch, and she happened to be a member of the medical herbal practitioner too.

Using Laides handset- it was a two sim cards Android device- I helped myself with the other empty sim portal. At last, I can get connected with my aggrieved and helpless family members , remarked I, delighted. Because I use a 9mobile network with missed call notification feature activated, I got multiple messages after I got connected. My mother, Tade, Mr. Donatus, an anonymous caller, and O.M had tried to reach me severally. I had missed out on those calls because right after I had spoken with Tade the previous evening, for the fear of my parents, I had switched off my device by removing its battery. ” Who do I call first? , I asked myself. Of course, its Tade. ”

How are you, sister? , I said, dispirited. Delightful and anxiously anxious too, she dialogued with me. Per her narratives, both our parents had fled to the churchs prayer city after taking shelter overnight at our regional pastors home. Prior to that point, however, our father was attacked in his workshop. He was beaten blue-black-like to death by some gallant unknown roysterers. His colleagues, however, had helped him to the nearest hospital as he battled for his dear life under critical conditions. But not long after, he was discharged owing to some serious warnings from his dear colleagues that our family might be in a serious death threat and danger of Ijaya Iberu. Everyone knew who was behind it as some of his cohorts faces were recognized. My spirit left me at a glance. I wept like a day-old baby who has lost his milk. I have done unimaginable evil to my family. Oh, what a great mischief!

Furthermore, I got to know that our home was completely devastated too. She was so fortunate to have escaped the wrath and wreck of the devils advocates. And, she had stayed behind to look after me. In our distress, we talked more at length. I had no option but to tell her what a great mischief I had caused. And we wept! As I had no audacity to call our mother, even though she doesn know I was the cause of it all, I passed all messages via Tade to her. I seek divine forgiveness from both my parents through her. Just as the same manner the call section was over, I too was over. For close to an hour, I was wrecked in my sea.

Looking deeply into the matter, convincingly, it became obvious that the devil and his cohorts would be after my close relatives too. Since my mother was out of the call-back list, I racked my brain, browsing the screen up and down to decide my next call. Again, I ruled out Mr. Donatus too because I don want any harm to him. Ignoring O.M as well, I pushed a call through to the unknown. Although I had different intentions all subsided as the section was on a different plane mood. It was Deji. He was agonizing. In tears and distress, he narrated all that has befallen him. It was a great tragedy he made me understand that very moment that the devil had his story scripted right before the cue. Fear gripped me.

He has been a bad boy, a marlian with no manners as he would gladly proclaim through our secondary school days. Through his wayward, pleasured, and ruthless life he had come across one of Ijaya Iberus boys. Together, they had wrapped up so many deals. Not too long anyway, he had introduced him to the devil who had requested fewer tasks of him as they rolled on and he thought the former barely knew facts about him not until a certain day he got interrogated concerning his early life and me to be factual. He further stated that he was promised a life after death if he gets his first task to completion. No doubt, my case was one. But the other task was one he had no clue about initially. My case, however, was three in one; to cause me such anguish- the destruction of my family, my home, and me- that would make me ruined that I wouldn have an option but to be one of his cohorts. Ijaya Iberu, a sadist that he was had derived not just pleasure but human weapons too through such many subtleties as devised thus far. Before he could say further, he apologized countless times because he had led those forces which pulled my fathers crown-capped tower down. Uncontrollable tears rolled down my eyes as I gapped over the bed.

Excitement was all over him after such a successful mission. He admitted how he was all over the place anticipating his next task. It took him by surprise when he found out that his mother had been kidnapped to an unknown place. He couldn get to know exactly where it was because he was blindfolded to the spot. In his mind, the victim he was to eliminate wouldn exceed me. He was so eager and determined to get the task done. But right after he was unmasked, to his utter surprise, the victim turns out to be his mother. Fear gripped him. He was shaking in tears and pleading with the boss to terminate the process. With much interest and intention, he advised what danger his mother would cause him. He can afford to have a family alive who knows his beginning as they would pose more danger and threat to his growth. He needs to be a man who no one can make decisions for. No one except him because he is his strength. A product of his burning furnace. He needs to be fortified and that moment begins his fortification and rites.

I possibly don know what to think, do, or say at that critical moment as my head became heavy upon me. In the perplexity of my mind, I was about to ask him how it all went and if he did it after all when he pleaded continuously in tears for my help and support. I was confounded. I asked myself how and why I am to be his Jesus, Lord, and Saviour! It baffled me. In conclusion, he was dire in need of help, strength, and support to save his mother in the next three days. I got confused more after the call section was over.

A lot of questions struck my mind. A lot of thought stuck through too. Already, come evening, I had to report my ordeal the night before to the twins as theyd kept me in without their mothers consent. Should I lie or speak the truth about the matter? Adesuwa also was in my thoughts. And just a short moment ago, Deji happened too. I had been completely paralyzed in those thoughts when I fell deep into a sound sleep.

Morning gone. Noon went too. And it was evening. I woke up amidst both siblings conversations. Emphatically, with a smile, and sympathy, I was cheered. I had been wondering what those gestures were all about when Laide showed me an online news article comprising my home and my father. I was taken aback instantly. The incident was no news anymore and it has also been linked with Ijaya Iberu. It has been the talk of the town. I wasted no effort trying to associate what had happened. Both twins got up from where they were seated, shared both sides of the bed with me, and while I concentrated more on the article, they gave an assurance that I am safe with them on my stay for as long as possible. They gave me their word. If not for the fact that I was a guy with an angelic heart, they wouldn have helped me. But for the trust, the good character I had portrayed, and the friendly support I had given to most friends, they inclusive, they vow to be a pillar upon which my house is solidly and firmly settled. Words can express the joy in me at that moment. I just looked on smiling and appreciative.

Two nights had overstayed their welcome, and It was the new dawn of the third day. My recovery subsisted awesomely. Following Tades advice, I had ignored all Dejis phone calls in expectation of the evil he claimed would befall his mother and him. Tade never bought any proportions of his story, therefore, she had advised me to stay clear. All through that day, his calls were so disturbing that I had to switch off my network.

Using Laides line, I pushed a call through to O.M. His joy and happiness were like the lily flower floating while being unflappable on the source of life not minding its tempestuous nature. I quickly apologized for hadn answered and returned his calls. Beating against his pressure and multiple questions, I hit the nail on the head. I told him all that has happened and the plans for Dejis assertion. Truthfully though, O.M confirmed that Dejis mother had been absent from her provisional shop for the past two days, but I should stay clear still as advised by Tade. Nevertheless, he would make it a task the following day or two to see whether she would be absent still.

Although, Dejis phone calls had stopped on the third day, and it was the fourth day yet his mother had not been seen, on hearing this I felt sad. I had committed another grave mistake , I bemoaned. Several temptations to call him took over me but I overcame them anyway. Towards the evening of the fifth day, however, she was seen offloading several goods from a Toyota Hiace into her shop. On hearing that, I became speechless on the spot where I stood behind the window. What a beautiful devil he was , I thought. And as explained by O.M, everyone was taken aback too and questioned her source of a such large amount of goods. Deji and his mother as Salome and Herodias would have helped themselves out with huge bounties derived from my head on the devils platter of doom. His conscience had completely been corrupted beyond reviving.

For the second time in a week, I pinched myself again to be sure if all that has happened was a dream. Relatively convincing as the first, I was in a perfect reality. I couldn hold back the joy that has taken over me before hitting the sack. And for all that has happened, I counted everything all joy.