3.1 | Undead

6

February 19, 2020.

Outside Le Food Court, Lagos, Nigeria.

There were a lot of promises I had made to myself that I had broken. One time, I'd promised myself I was going to take an entire week off and do nothing but sleep. It sounded like a great idea then, infact, Yemi even supported me on it.

However, once the time came for me to keep my promise, I flopped. I hurried back to work on day two of my week off.

Yemi had set off a fire alarm.

With the way I'd been breaking almost all the personal promises I made, you'd think I'd gotten the memo and stopped making promises. I hadn't stopped.

I'd promised myself I was never coming within a five meter range with Le Food Court ever again. Yet that was exactly where I was going to. To get Lara a pack of rice and peas.

Apparently, she had a craving. And she was going to die if she didn't have the dreaded food.

With everything that had been happening lately, I didn't take that last part well though. I didn't want to loose her the way I lost Bukola. Call me whatever you want, but I was not going to risk having her haunt my dreams like Bukola was.

So, I got her some rice and peas. And boy was I glad I didn't bump into that egotistic man from before.

The temperature the car was still low from the after effects of the air-conditioning system so I didn't bother putting it on. After placing the takeaway pack of rice and peas next to the center console, I slipped the key into the ignition and twisted it. My car purred to life immediately.

A sigh left my lips. This week had been hectic, and coupled with my hallucinations of Bukola, I felt like I was going insane. I knew I was supposed to share some of my burdens with Lara but the more I thought of it, the more stupid it sounded. Telling her would only worry her. Besides, she had this new book she was planning to write, and it wasn't going too easy for her. The rice and peas I'd bought was supposed to ease that tension, at least, just a little bit. Never underestimate the power of stress eating.

Maybe I should stress eat.

My gaze went to the pack of rice and peas beside me. After considering it I shook my head and brought my hands to the steering wheel. Eating wasn't going to solve my problems. Maybe a therapist would.

"Hello, Jacob."

I felt my soul leave my body and come back. If not for the fact that I was in a vehicle I would have certainly run away. My eyes grew wide, a small voice inside my head beginning to chant;

Don't look. Don't look.

I looked. I couldn't resist the sense of familiarity that voice created. A familiarity that was replaced by fear once I realized something.

Bukola was here. I was imagining her again.

Her smile was tight, slapped onto blood red lips. Her eyes twinkled in the most menacing manner and all I could think of was that the door was unlocked. I could still get away from this madness.

Out of the blue, she laughed. "You can't run away from me, Love." A grin split her face. "I'm in your head. I'm everywhere."

Yhup. Certainly hallucinating.