28/02/2024
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2024
EXCERPT: From the Work in Progress, The Mystery of Taiwo Da Silva by Omoruyi Uwuigiaren.
So many things crept into my mind as I waited for a vehicle to convey me to my destination. I thought of kicking Yomi out of the house, for his coming has robbed me of my job. The thought of taking my life was an infirmity in my troubled mind. Then a vehicle pulled by at the other end of the road. Before I could blink, four masked men stormed out of the car and opened fire on me. I ran into an old busy street. People scrambled for safety. Stray bullets caught an old woman in the head. She drew a loud shriek and lay struggling for life. One motorcyclist became a victim of the crossfire. Bullets riddled his body. He tumbled from his bike and fell stone dead.
As everyone on the street fled for dear life, I raced with my legs almost touching the back of my head. People perished as bullets flew in every direction.
I was the target. As they gave chase, I went past two or more bends. I glanced back at intervals at the horrible creatures. They were making strange noises. I made the best use of my legs down the last bend that led to an old graveyard near an abandoned church. Two men formed a whirlwind and flew into the other two. As soon as the devils entered the men, they snarled. The devils became very strong and apprehensive. They became supercharged. My pair of legs did not disappoint.
Then I climbed the barbed wire fence that separated the abandoned church from the street. I tossed myself clear over. As I made for the church, the horrible men took a new form. They transformed into large dogs, barking, and scaled the fence without breaking a sweat. Before the wild dogs could get me, I was already in the church building.
My pants almost hit the roof of my chest. I went near the altar and found a door half-open. I looked in every direction, no enemy in sight, and I went in. The room must have served as a lodge for the pastor or owner of the abandoned church.
An old candle and some Bibles occupied a table covered with dust. Discouraging sights of cobwebs were in every corner. Also, a bookshelf lay on the extreme. The cobwebs on it suggested no human activity there in recent memories. Why it was in such desolation, I could not tell. There was a little window on the wall. And there was another window that faced the church. It would help the pastor or whoever was in the room see the church.
There was a steel door in the far end under lock and key. I looked in every direction to find a weapon I could use against my adversaries if I ran into them again. My gaze met a piece of note on the floor. I went for it and dusted the piece. There were strange writings on it and I could not read it. Then I squashed the note and disposed of it. I broke off one leg of the table in the room to serve as my weapon.
Then I went to the window to glimpse at the church. My heart jumped into my mouth when I noticed the dogs were around. I dashed to the other side to secure the door. When I got back to the window again, one dog came near the room.
Before the devils stepped into the area, I pondered over the possibility of running through the iron door as ill will kiss my soul. There was a short barking from the temple. Before I could blink, it mixed with the thin air. To imagine the beasts would never find me was only an illusion.
Moments later, I noticed a dog appeared on the wall and entered the room. The stench of treachery hung in the air. My heart died within me, for the dog snarled and attacked me. I fought back and sent the dog the other way with my weapon. As the wood fell to the ground, I wrestled my way to the back door—my hope of deliverance. I broke the lock with a single blow. I was already on the other side before the beast found its feet.
My legs were true to their responsibilities. They did not fail me as I raced through the field to the graveyard. Devastation caused me to stumble and weep at intervals. As the mad dogs chased, I noticed an old man holding a digger at the only building in the graveyard. As I cried for help, the old folk got to the veranda, dropped the digger, and went into the house, ignoring me. I suspect the man did not hear me.
My legs, gravestones, and demarcations here and there almost gifted me to the devils. Before they could make quick work of me, I was already on the veranda. I grabbed the digger and hurled it at one beast. The whine of a miserable dog hit the air as the enemy lay struggling for life. Before the other could make any move, I pushed the door open and dashed into the house.
I slapped my hand on my chest and gasped when I got into the room and did not find anybody. No old man and the room were quiet, as if no life had set foot for ages. As the strange barking of one dog flew into the room, I accepted my fate. Find my way before the dogs poured in like night rain. As I threw my gaze in every direction, I noticed strange carvings on the wall at the extreme of the room. When I went close, I was glad it was on a door to some other habitation. Only a push got me to the other side of the bloody mess.
It was a gigantic house, calmer than the still water. The enormous house contained books, papers, wooden boxes, and so forth. There were inscriptions on the walls that proved difficult to decipher. On the far left were old graven images. Horrible creatures that sent jitters down my spine. I feared I had stepped into a world of misery. As soon as I made two or more cautious steps forward, one image fell and shattered.
Every other thing, including a curious little man reading a book, was upside down. The old man was bald and had a beard I could not notice.
At intervals, he would grin and let go of a yawn that took some time to mix with the air. I thought he did not see me. So I moved towards a door on the far left, which I felt was an exit.
God will make a way where there seems to be no way. He works in ways humanity cannot see. I was a stone’s throw from the exit when the old man cleared his throat. He turned to me, “Fat pig, what are you trying to do?” He turned the other way and flew to knock me over. As I fell, begging at his feet, a withering smile paraded his face. He muttered, “Why are those creatures after you? What is your crime?” He raised an eyebrow that gave birth to a furrow on his forehead. “They always have a reason to hunt, you know. I don’t want to make life difficult for you. Give me an answer so I can resolve what to do with you immediately. I have no time.”
His hesitation to strike was a sign that there were chances I would leave the hole alive. I sat on my elbow, panting, and answered, “I guess they are from my landlady. I have not known peace since I moved into her house.”
The old man chuckled. He crossed his arms over his body and threw out a question. “Who is the fellow?” A strange look sat on his face. “Saying you have not known peace since you moved into her house is a weighty allegation, isn’t it?”
“She is Methuen!” I stammered. “I am not lying. The allegation is true.”
“It wouldn’t have been a clever thing to say if you have no evidence. Methuen is a bloodsucker, unholy, and a coldhearted murderer. It’s a shame! I knew that was your problem. Good, you did not lie to me. I would have cracked your ribs with a single blow! You were trying to play tricks like most silly kids do, but she is not your regular woman. She is always a step ahead. You cannot pull her down. She is tough. If she feels cheated, she will hunt you down like a dog.” He laughed out loud. “You had s*x with her and you wanted the party to stop because of your girlfriend. Is that not a silly thing to do? Methuen is wild, and she doesn’t understand the language of a weak man. She will always come for more!” He glared his eyes at me and growled. He breathed fast as if he was about to emit some destructive powers.
“Who are you?” I asked, adjusted my terrified body on the floor, and tried to look at him. “May I ask why you know so much about her?”
“I am Syclos. I know enough of the world,” he replied. He chewed his lower lip and added, “Such questions provoke me. Don’t remind me of my past. It wasn’t palatable. I should not remember how I ended up here. This is how far she can go to get back at people who she feels have hurt her. I fear for your life!” He shook his head. “You are dealing with Armageddon.”
“Sorry if I have offended you. I am scared. Could you let me go? I need to leave here before my pursuers arrive. If they find me, they will kill me…”
“SHUT UP! Methuen is my wife! You had s*xual in*******se with my woman! We were married.” He hissed and turned away. “Things were fine until one evening she found some text messages on my phone.” His countenance fell. The man walked away from me. He sat on a chair that I guess was his favorite. He paused. I froze when a cat suddenly crossed the room. The poor cat disappeared into a little opening on the roof of the building. The man placed his head in his hands. “I could not cover my tracks. Methuen found me out. I forgot to delete the chat on my phone.”
“Didn’t you password your phone?” I adjusted my frame on the edge of sorrow.
“I did to fend her off. That did not work. I wonder how she unlocks the phone, checks my messages, and calls logs. That is strange for a woman who is not tech-savvy. If I had not found out, I would never have known who she was. I underestimated her. Methuen is a top-level witch. She tells people she is a devoted voodooist. That is on the surface. But she is a shadowy creature. She doesn’t require any expertise to break into any phone. I have seen her do it with my phone many times.
“She is in the habit of checking my messages when I go to the restroom. For this reason, she never allowed the both of us to use the showers at the same time. At first, I did not understand, but later I realized she was doing something behind my back. I observed that once I was away in the showers, things didn’t remain as I left them if I got back to the room. She was disgusting.
“To summarize my story, Methuen felt I was messing around with my secretary. She was right. Mirabel and I were seeing each other. She accused me of cheating on her, which I denied. I thought there was nothing to worry about. But Methuen has a heart of stone and was always a step ahead of me. She doesn’t forgive. Have you seen a man cry? I once did to prove my innocence. It’s not good to lie. But if you must lie, be brief. Once you are out of trouble, fix that thing that made you lie as quickly as you can. You may not have the luxury to lie another day.
“For several days, we argued over my cheating. I thought I was in the clear. Not knowing it was only a matter of time before things would spiral out of control. To avoid her, I started skipping our usual evening meals together. That did not change the situation. She did not believe I had anything to do with the poor lady.
“One day, she asked that I sack the secretary. For peace to reign in my house, I agreed and asked the lady to go. Yet, Methuen remained unsatisfied. That was the beginning of my sorrow. She kept a close watch on me. My wife monitored my every move. It was trouble. There is no peace for the wicked. There is no concord for the fellow who cheats on his partner.
“One evening, she came home. She ran upstairs and burst into the room. Then I was in the room reading a novel. The force at which she broke into the room scared me. I flung the book away and jumped out of bed to see who must have caused the disturbance. It was my wife. Methuen came to my corner. She landed a slap on my face. Her eyes were red with rage. She was shaking out in anger. It was a jealous rage. If she had a gun that very moment, she would have closed my eyes upon the light of the world.
“I was the thorn in her flesh. I was the devil on a cold night. She told me she will deal with this matter once and for all. I didn’t need a prophet to tell me what she was talking about. It was Mirabel. My secretary was the reason my wife lost her mind.
“Before I could blink, she smacked me on the face again. It was killing a fly with a sledgehammer. I lost my balance and went to the ground. She walked out of the room and slammed the door behind her. I sat in a corner, with my head in my hands. She must have gotten wind of the information that I was still seeing the woman. I sacked Mirabel, but I did not let her go. She was a good worker. It was difficult for me to let such a nice staff leave my establishment. She knew her job. The poor girl was efficient. There are few workers like Mirabel. She was exceptional and loyal. Instead of severing ties, Mirabel and I agreed she should work from home. I had her where I wanted. It was like she never left. Nothing changed. We only moved location so we could have more time for ourselves.
“It was fun. So, I started spending more time at her house than at the office. We made love like wild dogs everywhere in the house. Mirabel was the forbidden fruit and forbidden fruits are the sweetest. We used the showers together. Did almost everything like love birds. Mirabel could cook. She spoiled me with s*x. She was the perfect woman.
“As for Methuen, I took her outburst as one of those things that women say when they are angry. I did not read any meaning into her message until I had a fatal road accident.
“I was returning from a business trip to Ondo state. I took a public bus that could take eighteen passengers at once. Then I sat in the passenger seat in the front beside the driver. We were comfortable, and the atmosphere was peaceful. It was clear weather. The sun had settled on the bare chest of the sky and everyone could see beyond their nose. The city had burst into life and I could see the future from the horizon. It was a beehive of activities. Men from all civilizations would gather here someday to eat and drink to the greatness of the land. Everything started fast. Our time here was up. We had to move on. I was eager to get home to see my family again after some days outside of Lagos. I missed my daughter so much. She was the consolation in my entire life with Methuen. My marriage was a bone in my neck. We didn’t have that connection. Sometimes I wonder why. But I could not walk away from the marriage because Methuen brought so much to the table. She wasn’t a woman you could push aside by the mere wave of the hand.
“As we left the city behind us, our vehicle gathered dust. Trails of Ore were fast fading. We were descending into the road that would end in the popular Ojota garage in Lagos. Tall buildings and houses were growing smaller as we moved on. Soon, they disappeared completely from sight.
We saw huts, pockets of them spread about like pastures clothed with flocks. Then the huts too, either became a tiny fraction or disappeared. Only beautiful bushes, tall trees, and the forest world stared at us in the face as we journeyed back to the center of excellence. I was happy that Ore had disappeared. It meant we were advancing to our destination.
“After the driver had covered a vast distance, I noticed he dozed off. I tapped him on the shoulder. The man looked at me and nodded his head. The motorist pulled his handkerchief from his chest pocket and wiped his face with it. He threw the handkerchief on the dashboard of the vehicle. The man steadied himself again behind the wheel. He tried to fend off the sleep that had crept into him as soon as we left Ondo.
“Not long after, a giant bird flew into the path of the bus. The driver tried to avoid the creature and lost control of the wheel. Our vehicle wheeled off the road and plunged into a pothole. The bus somersaulted. It landed on the nearby bush, a few inches away from the road. We were motionless. The once bubbling atmosphere in the bus had gone silent. No one, except my poor soul, survived. Human body parts littered the place. The driver had his head snapped from his body; his torso ripped off his body and was by the road. I saw an index finger covered in blood on the dashboard. I guessed it was that of the driver or the passenger behind him.
I couldn't feel my legs, and my shoulder was dislocated. I tried to pull myself out from under the ruins, but there was nothing I could do. I had no strength. It was the saddest moment of my life. I thought about my little family back home in Lagos. How will they cope without me? When I remember my only child, Bisi, I had this rush of energy. I wanted to survive and go back home to be with her. These seemed like an uphill task. I had one arm moving and the rest of my body buried under the bus. I could do nothing.
“As I bled inside the vehicle, I started growing weak. I lost hope. Defeat stared at me in the face. I thought about death, her fangs, and all the madness in this world. It was vengeful. Bitterness wrapped itself in the air. I was going to die after all. No matter how hard I try, I may not survive before help finally comes. We were on the lonely road that stretched from Ondo state to Ijebu Ode. No houses on either side of the road. Bushes encroached on the tarred road and no sign of life in the near jungle state sealed my fate. I wish death would come fast. At intervals, a vehicle will speed past. The drivers or the passengers will glance at us and then they will move on.
“I understood their fears. We are in a wicked world. The fear that it could be their turn if they stopped to help was real. That area was notorious for armed robbery. It’s a kidnapper’s den. Drivers don’t pull up there for any reason. It was a black spot. From a distance, we must have appeared like some victims of kidnappers or highway robbers. And the criminals are not far away from the scene. So it would have been a miracle if any vehicle with no armed security men pulled up to help us. I tried to pick up my phone from my pocket so that I could call home. Peradventure, my wife could get me help. I could not reach into my pocket because the lower part of my body was stuck on the bus. I felt the pain mounting and my end growing with each passing second.
“As I waited for death to kiss me goodbye, the gigantic bird that caused the disaster landed on the floor some meters away from me. It shook and transformed into Methuen, my wife. She wore a dark, flowing garment. Methuen was elegant and robust, as usual. The enchantress walked up to me as I bled to the floor.
“She paraded a wicked smile on her face. The woman paused and stared at me. Then she shook her head and said I did not respect her. I broke her heart. My wife revealed my secretary confessed I was her boyfriend. Methuen thought she tamed me, but she was wrong. My mind was a wild animal. The woman disclosed how I rented an apartment for Mirabel so that I could eat her rotten fruit. That was true. We were even planning to marry. That was how dirty we were and how we had gone.
“Methuen told me she placed my secretary where she belongs. I understood her. She killed Mirabel. Then she grabbed her large b***s and turned around. “Look at me, Syclos,” Methuen fumed at me. “Is this not enough?”
“I couldn’t say anything. What exactly is that thing the skinny girl gives she does not have? You have had s*xual in*******se with my wife, Taiwo. You can also testify. She spat on my body.
“It is true she gave me everything I asked of her on the bed. But my wife gave more than s*x. She established me. How much did she invest in me? It’s already in the millions. Methuen was close to tears. It was clear I frustrated her. When she said I always call her a witch. But she used her powers to push me up the ladder. I felt depressed. It was obvious I was ungrateful. I didn’t value my woman. I took her generosity for granted.
“That woman made sure I brushed shoulders with the best in my industry. What else do I want? Rather than tag along, I cheated on her. I lied to her. She told me it pains her. She had to take me through this. I was out of control. I brought the mess upon myself.
“She looked at me one last time. I could feel the heat on her face. I sensed she still loved me. But I pushed my luck too far. Mirabel killed me!
“I tried to apologize, but I had no strength left in me to talk. She tossed her hand in the air; a dark cup appeared in her hand. Then she emptied the content on my body and said I will not die but will suffer. I will live like a bat. Because of my daughter, she will spare me. She will give me a chance to get my life back. I will recover if I can find any man who has slept with her. Sacrifice the fellow on an open field. As the smoke goes up into the high heavens, I will recover and be a human once more. But there are no guarantees that we will be together. Our paths will cross again when I come to see my daughter.
“She will make me tough so that I can protect myself and make the most of my new house. She walked up to me and touched my lips; my body shook for a moment. Then she disappeared. As soon as she disappeared, a mighty force pulled me from underneath the vehicle. It tossed me into outer space. I disappeared into the wandering clouds. By the time I opened my eyes, I found myself in this room. I hung upside down in a corner of the room like a bat. Every night here, I must transform into a bat. Then fly around town. Perch on trees and eat fruits. That’s depressing.
“Now, as providence would have it, you are Methuen’s runaway boyfriend. You have bruised her petals and eaten the forbidden fruit. You have had s*xual in*******se with my wife. It pains me that another man is seeing my wife. But there is nothing I can do. It is what it is. Life is no bed of roses. With you in my arms, I stand a chance to be a complete human all over again. Bisi will see her father once more…”
He clenched his fist, roared beating his chest, and waved his tiny fingers at me. He got me in midair. The fear of death stood before me. I could feel the heat on my face. “I will do exactly as Methuen had suggested. I will not only sacrifice you, I must have my revenge. You will burn on the fields and I will feed you to the bald vultures. Your death will have a purpose. My pain will disappear from the face of the earth. My name will rise and swim against the tide. I have been in this hole for a few years. Nobody wants to be trapped forever.”
Shivering, I said, “It is true we had s*x a lot of times, but I have stopped seeing her. I called it quits because I have a girlfriend and we are getting married. Please don’t kill me!” As I begged, the walls behind us cracked and the fiery dogs broke into the house. They almost barked the room down.
The dogs transformed into creatures of dual appearances. From their waist to their heads, they were the head of a human and the torso of a wolf!
Syclos, unfazed by their appearance, waved his tiny bony fingers at me. I flew out of his sight and landed in a corner. There was no time to check for bruises. My eyes shot back and forth, watching for his return.
Then he turned to the creatures and spoke. “Ah, Methuen’s puppets are here. I have long expected you. I see you want to claim your meal under my nose?” He clenched his fists.
“Yes. Feasting is the beauty of living.” One creature said and straightened his chin as if he was ready to emit some harmful powers.
“I hope you know the rules. “ Syclos asked with a frown.
“Which rules, old man?” said the other creature.
“You are such a terrible interloper. Under normal circumstances, you shouldn’t be here! This is my house!”
The creature chuckled and took some steps forward. “Syclos, we are players in this world. He is our meal, and it is not our wish to trouble your soul. You know what we stand for. We are messengers. In a situation like this, you must hand him over to us. You could see he strayed into your net,” said the creature, and his head swelled. “He did not fall from the sky. He got here because we chased him. The man belongs to our boss. Respect our decision so that peace would reign.”
“He is more useful under my nose than anywhere else. I also need him for my sacrifice so that I can be a complete human again. If I use him, I will walk the street and trade with humanity. I am missing my daughter. The little girl your wayward boss had for me,” Syclos said and swallowed hard. “She knows. She is aware I need this situation to get back on my feet. I already have her blessings. I expect you to leave now so that I can begin the process of my recovery immediately.”
The beast wore a frown. “Not this one. Syclos, find another meal. He belongs to Methuen. She has ordered us to deal with him because she still needs the poor soul. If she did not need him, she would have ended his life before now.”
“You are insulting me. Methuen is my wife! Respect my decision and get out of here!” Syclos yelled at them. Syclos threw his hand into the air and made some incantation. Before I could blink, stones fell from the roof and crashed on the intruders. But they were smart enough to duck before they could get hurt. One beast charged and clashed with the old man. They shared blows from one end of the room to another. The devil tasted misfortune as his meal for the day. Syclos waved his hand at him. He landed on the floor and broke his neck. As he groaned in pain, the old wizard cast a spell on him. The beast transformed into a piece of stone and disappeared.
The other creature grabbed hold of one of the graven images and hurled it at Syclos. It knocked him over. Before he could regain his feet, the beast pounced on him and a fresh battle followed. As they descended on each other, sharing filthy blows in the air, I crawled out of the room.
Syclos saw me crawling away but was too engaged in the fight to get his hands on me. Then he yelled, “I know your scent, silly boy. I will hunt you down….” His voice filled the room as I fled the scene. I ran at top speed out of the graveyard and raced homeward. My legs were touching the back of my head as I ran fast.
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