BELINA (Tender Beauty)

CHAPTER 3

I walked down the lane crying. My life just seemed to be going bad by the day. I felt like dying and all of a sudden, my phone went alive and I picked up almost immediately.

“Hello, Prisca, oh Prisca… thank God you called” I said still crying. Even my mum’s admonition about tears could not stop my tears.

“What is the matter Belina? I had been calling like forever, are you ok?” she asked.

“No, you only need to see me but I need your help now, I would tell you everything later”.

“I knew you were not ok, we are already on our way to your house now, Tony and I” she said.

“No, no, don’t go there o, I am not there. I am at Boruwa Lane. I don’t know the area but that is where I am, on the road”. I said hurriedly

“What are you doing there and where the hell is that?” she asked then paused to ask Tony before she said, “Tony knows the place, stay where you are babe, we are coming”. She said and hung up.

The breeze turned cold and I looked at the sky and I noticed that it was about to rain. My tears started coming more frequently and I tried to subdue it. I noticed that the bushes were moving and I thought it was due to the breeze. I moved slowly so that I would not be easy to locate. I heard something that resembled footsteps and I stood completely still but I almost passed out when I heard two people’s voices coming closer.

I scanned the area quickly and saw a place where the bush was thicker and ran there silently. I entered the bush without thinking about the snakes and scorpions I might find there. I saw two guys and I identified them to be the guys who abducted me; they were obviously searching for me. I stood completely still even my breath seemed to cease. They started scanning the area and when one of them looked in my direction, I expected him to see me instantly and just pick me out of the bush but instead, he looked away. I breathed out but stood still for fear of giving myself away.

“Ei, I don die”, one of them said, placing his hands on his head.

“Ahhh, see gbege. Which kind sleep we sleep so, ehn? Wetin we go tell Oga Tolu now?” the other said. I scanned my head to see if I knew any Tolu but I didn’t.

“Oga Tolu palava no worse reach Oga Tunji own, him go kill us”, the first said.

Tunji?

“Na you cause am o, Spanner, why you sleep after I tell you say make you watch the girl”.

The other whose name I now knew was Spanner said, “you no well. Make I dey watch person when you dey sleep abi? Na me no sabi sleep?” Spanner asked the other. He didn’t answer, so they started scanning the area again. Spanner saw something and stopped.

“Sparrow….” He called and pointed a place to him. They both looked there and I found myself looking in that direction too. I saw a light that looked very much like a headlight. My immediate thought went to Tony and Prisca and I started thinking of how I would get out my phone without catching the attention of the two guys. I looked at the two guys and noticed that they were moving backwards trying to hide themselves.

I brought out my phone and dialed Prisca. She picked almost immediately and I spoke quietly. “Pric, where are you” I asked. “I was just about to call, we are at Boruwa Lane now but we can’t find you”.

“I can see your head lights so just come forward. The guys are after me and they are few steps away from me. I would start running towards you guys, so please, open the door so that I can get in immediately you reach me” I said.

“ok”, she said and hung up.

I saw the vehicle coming ahead of me so I said a little prayer and came out of the bush. I started running towards the car, waving at them so that they would recognize me. I noticed that the footsteps I heard were not mine only so I looked back, lo and behold, they were at my heels. I ran with all my might and when I got to the car, it slowed down; the door was already open so I jumped in and the car zoomed off almost running over one of the two.  *****