SIN SEEKER

SIN SEEKER (CHAPTER TWO)

          CHAPTER TWO
One thing was so bizarre to dharham all these while. He never had a right answer to that which kept coming repeatedly. Since the very day he left home because of the evil plan which his own mom and her present husband had, there was this dream about meeting a young man who was a little younger than him. The dude often had a similar message at all time which he deciphered whenever he surfaced. It was too often to the point of being countless. But what was this message and its meaning?
     On the first day which he ran away from his abode to seek for safety, he was so ravenous that his only alternative was to take an apple which an unknown lady offered to him. He hated collecting things from strangers especially when there wasn't genuine reason for it or when he didn't ask for an aid. But his present situation was far more worse than holding onto his self principle and for that, gladly got the apple from her to eat. Even before she could raise his head after taking a first bite to thank her, there was no more trace of this lady. Since that period he never saw her around, neither was he suspicious of anything evil.
       But this dream which kept on appearing to him at all time caried the picture of this young lady along with the man previously portrayed. He used to see vividly, a picture of this man running faster towards a bush while he followed him with no reason. He always chased after him in his dream dedicatedly until he finally arrived at a venue. In this place was a throne surrounded with the paint of blood. The upper part of it was always having the heads of two major people which are his mom and her husband. But his confusion even in the dream often lead him in asking questions about the reason for those. Still, he never got an answer to that until the same lady he collected the apple from, came and welcomed him as the king of the throne.
   He never understood the dream for once, neither had he met anyone trustworthy enough to relay it to. This kind of picture in his memory paved way for an increment in taste for revenge whenever it took him to the time he was with his father. He didn't first want to retaliate on her because she was his mom, but something inside him kept aggravating his emotional state and needs.
       Today he rose up from the arena he slept overnight which was on some one's roof and saw himself flanked up by men with huge bodies holding different batons. The dream he had again was his major focus at that moment when he noticed that presence. But his intuition was speedy enough to tell him the reason they were staring at him. He slept on the roof of someone's house without them knowing and that must be the major cause of them taking action to find out who he was. Most times thieves did such thing that even caused people to lose their properties after waking up in the morning.
      He knew the implications of what he did and the aftermath if possible he couldn't explain better to them about the reason for having a slumber on the top of this roof. Immediately as they strived to get rid of Dharham, he was faster than his shadow and jumped off with out bordering to know the height of the building. They thought in the beginning that he had committed suicide by doing so until they found out he varnished to no where.
          He was so fast in speed than anything imaginable and wise as well. Somehow surprising, he escaped a punishment by jumping a high building without dieing. No one could tell how he managed to make such a wonderful move, but his portrayal word would be a survivor.
   He walked briskly down the narrow road panting heavily from the kind of vigor he deployed to get away. His eyes were focused on a particular direction, he was able to see a man who was with a burden of his damaged car engine. It was as if something inspired him to try his luck for the young man. He decided to take a walk to that point and see what he might be able to do for him.
   As soon as dharham got there he greeted first with politeness and softness.
      "Hello sir, can I help u with that" he sought for permission
The man was not too sure about who he could be or the reason he wanted to help. This was due to the fact that many people in their society always give a wider berth to those having problems with their lives. They were never willing to assist others who found themselves in any quagmire. He was dressed in a sky blue outfit both the upper and lower garment. This man's eyes were encompassed with an eye glass and his wrists were filled up with jewelries.
     Dharham knew this person could be a rich man. He assumed that this point had been the right moment to bravely dive into business with him maybe indirectly.
       " Such a young handsome man, what do u know about cars?" he inquired with genuine mood.
      "Ah, I am trained as a local engineer by my deceased dad." dharham spoke back
       "That's nice anyways , I am troubled with my flat Tyres, will you be able to assist me in in changing them?" he questioned to verify. The manner in which he uttered his words were so much intriguing and also revealed his munificent nature. Dharham promptly added a broad smile to accept that challenge of changing those Tyres. He gladly stretched his arms in request for the tools.
        Dharham did not expend his limited time. Within a jiffy, he was done with the perfect work.
    "Wow, what a wonderful guy are you." the owner of the car commended him so much while guesticulating to express how amazed he was.
   To dharham, this was just a tip of an ice bag. He could do much more than even repairing the damaged tyres. He possessed effective knowledge on engines of disparate kinds and that could be a praisal to his dead dad who was able to pass down his flair to him despite his memory loss. Who would not be grateful for a help rendered in the moment of despair especially in a society where people were not too prepared to look into the trouble of others. The man was contented with this small favour and requested for him to hop into the car so they could depart for breakfast together. This was meant to be an appreciation for what he had done while assuming he was a soul with pure and righteous heart.
     The beautiful restaurant they went to was not too distanced from the precise arena they just departed from. It was decorated, well furnished with aesthetic and spellbinding varieties of furnitures. The last time dharham recalled to have visited such a commendable and comfortable zone was when his dad was alive. It was long time ago when he was taken to a restaurant at their neighborhood town to enjoy a meal. But today was a lucky moment when his destiny helper surfaced to offer him the necessary help which he needed.
       There was an order by the man to the waiter standing medium in size with chubby skin and an elegant look. Dharham did not imagine for once that his tongue would forever taste a delicacy such like "Apapa" with pap. This is a kind of special food for one part of the ethnic groups in nigeria from the middle belt. They are known as the igbiras who have their setting at okene in kogi state. This food was attributed to them before it began to get popular around the world due to its delicious nature. The southern part of the country had also embraced the taste of this food and that was why dharham had the Chance to see this in the restaurant.
     When the dude inquired to know what he wanted to eat, he could not make any choice. As if the man knew his intention and sought for the delicacy. That was one of his best days in his life , as he used to believe food was the only thing that could create him moment of euphoria In his odious condition.
       For this time, the breeze was attentive to his present situation and perpetrated in blowing mildly across the place he was in. The two of them began to eat their foods in a civilized manner. Suddenly, the man broke the silence and started a conversation
   "You are so adorable even in the way you eat. Do you come from a rich family? " he inquired sympathetically
    Dharham hummed and waited a while in reticence before finally giving response.
    "yes sir, I came from a poor family but not still freed to enjoy the privilege. My parents were very rich until calamity struck us."
    "Which kind of calamity, am I permitted to know?"
  " It's a long story sir and this begun many years back."
      "Since you don't want to tell me, maybe it's because of what you faced that taught you not to trust any person"
  " You are right sir, my own mom tricked my dad and me." he revealed with easy breath blinking with dullness.
    " Your mom?"
   " Yes my own biological mom." he answered certainly. As he managed to take the last chew of the food he put in his mouth, his spoon was promptly dropped off on the table. He wasn't too sure about trusting this man with his life story, but his naivity and altruism was far beyond normal. At this point in time, he needed a helper and the man he had met could be a person of great personality. Dharham decided to narrate the whole story of how everything started casually, developing into a worse one before terminating at the juncture he was sitting down beside him.
      This dude was so concentrated with full attention to listen. He commiserated even more to the sad account of his poor and innocent life and his look and facial appearance corroborated all that he said. Dharham also got to know some part of his story as well. He had a wife and two female children . One was about 20 and the other one could be 16 years old in age, attending a borden school somewhere faraway in the north. He worked as a lawyer and his wife was also into the same profession with him. There were still more areas of his life he touched casually to narrate. Since they were still strangers to each other, there wasn't room for intimate connection. After all, no one knew what the other might actually be which was concealed.
      Within this short range of time they met, the two sides had begun to like each other so much. Dharham was chirpy in his ways which turned out to be more attractive to the bloke. He found it hard to believe that just the single step he took to provide succour to the unfamiliar man he met could begin to shape his life to the right form.
    " I was coming back from a journey to my home. Do you mind coming with me to my house?" he proposed. Dharham couldn't believe his ears. His heart already strayed to the imagination of how beautiful his house might be. He could not risk hesitating or disagreeing to that proposal and endorsed briskly. Suddenly, the man finished up with his meal along with dharham and they both departed for his home.
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His car skidded roughly at the personal garage of the man's dwelling. They both alighted from it with cheerful mood not knowing what was awaiting for him. Dharham began to get more involved in the family issue right from this day. This was because things didn't seize to become difficult for him. In his history, life was hard with the challenges he faced from abductors and terrorists. They never left him free for a while. It was equivalently yearly he encountered their disturbance and that was still the cause of his relocation from the former place he situated with his family.
     Now, he was engaged with them. All these while he never met any one of the problematic and mischievous kidnappers that often took him with a demand for ransom. But today which he met a new friend became different story. He could not still trust him in the beginning of their meeting due to this situation. Who knew if dharham was among them. But this man was so kindhearted and sympathetic that he quickly noticed his naivity and decided to pay him back for what he rendered as aid to him.
     On getting home, he ensured to introduce dharham to his family members which was followed by a perfect amity among them. His family members were so altruistic and cute in nature. The man's better half was so enchanting and had a persuasive tongue. Her smile could bring an army to their knees and her voice was loud and sweet enough to make a hen fall asleep. This was a description of how perfect her look was. Her 20 years old daughter was also beautiful like her mother and was of same age with Dharham judging by her stature. "The other one might be an angel." he thought
       As dharham went to sit on the sofa chair in the parlour looking around the whole viccinity due to the many pictures of unknown people being hung around, something came to pass. There was a loud sound of knock on the door and it looked so soft and gentle. Their assumptions on hearing this was that it  could be someone familiar. The man's daughter was the first to swing into action in finding out who the person could be. But there turned out to be only one mistake she committed and that was her forgetfulness in seeking to detect who the person was. Not even a question she asked before snappily approaching the door.
   This time's scene was totally not same with what used to happen in the past. He  often experienced invasion on the way and this had been the sixth time of such problem. He didn't believe his own house wasn't safe any more. As soon as the door was made ajar, there was right knowledge about the evil plotting of the miscreants.
      "Hey don't move and remain silent" that was the command they reiterated while pointing a sniper gun at the forehead of the girl. Others were sitting comfortably until their sight reflected the vision which left them agape. There was an interminable silence in the form of graveyard and the hearts of theirs especially the mother and daughter as females were beating heavily and speedily. That indeed spoke of only one thing which was that something nefarious could be the outcome.
      How many they were could not be their actual concern at that particular moment. But the tension that rose to the utmost point encompassed their senses. There were over 10 of them at this point. The others were also holding onto rifles with their faces masked and their outfit in general was white fabric. These people seemed suspicious to the man. He noticed right from onset that some one was into this against him. The rat he smelt was emerging from an old friend due to all which happened among them in the previous years. He kept on serving as menace to his family while hiding.
Sometimes he could be abducted to be punished by them and most often to demand for ransom. But the manner in which he was always treated by those scandals deciphered a secret. It was as if they were not intending to harm him but just following orders from a person they considered to be a higher personality.
        However, those same people who used to trouble him were same with those at his house. Their dressing codes were similar and their ammunition were also quasi with one another. This was a credible and pellucid sign to show who they were. Even their modus operandi revealed how organized they also made themselves to be. This group was not an ordinary kidnapping group. They were trained to secretly carry out  missions and nothing they did was from their personal bidding.
     Dharham was the only one who could not tremble badly at this place. Many things had happened at his very eyes which were worse than being raided at home with snipers and rifles. These experiences even offered him trainings of disparate kinds which attributed more vigor to him. He became brave and powerful even to the extent of not fearing death anymore. Living in the  street for so many years had proffered to him the resilience and courage he needed to live his prestigious life. But no matter what he defined himself to be, a death angel was sniping from nearby to know when his work was ready to be accomplished. The fatal weapon they held firmly on their hands could be the best way to die now. Just the movement of their index finger could wipe off lives from the surface of earth.
      The house was scattered by them and many things were annihilated. They came in violence and caused problems in every corner of the arena. No one was able to defend them because of the raiders strengths. But it was still so much stunning to note that they didn't come to massacre or abduct anyone. Rather, all they did importantly aside the destruction was to mark one of the pictures being hung with a dark ink from a marker and that carried a significant message along. The picture carried the image of this old friend he was still suspecting to have been behind these all.
     They departed suddenly and vanished from the sight of theirs immediately even before the police forces could arrive due the sound of gun shots they heard in the air. They came to survey the venue for the scenario and found out the threat they faced from them. But what mattered mostly was their safety. Aside the young daughter that was injured on her head from the beneath of their guns, none surfered from any other afflictions and this had been a luck to them. They quickly admitted her in a nearby hospital for proper treatment. Dharham followed them to the hospital and even aided in rearranging the dispelled materials and annihilated fixtures in their abode. At this moment, he could not leave them for home and this also contributed on fortifying their friendship bond.