Delayed Diagnosis {Book 1 of the Rex Obasi Trilogy}

Chapter 4

“What do you mean she's in danger? She’s obviously frolicking around with somebody as we speak" I sounded angry but inside I was thinking...not knowing what to believe any more. My brain had been screwed right, front and center and I was tired of over thinking. What I needed was a drink. "God I'm turning to an alcoholic" I muttered to myself.

I looked out the window then saw familiar buildings "this is my street. We are no longer going to see the chief again?" I couldn't disguise the hope in my voice. The chief was the last person I felt like seeing.

"I need you to get those documents you stole from the chief"

I started to worry and was about to say I didn't have it.

"It’s for official use. It might be enough to hold the chief down. If I can get it to my superiors maybe our team can get something out of it" strange eyes said impatiently.

I shut my mouth then wondered again if I should trust him so foolishly.
"No problem. I’d get it, it won't take time" I Wondered if I could ditch him by climbing out my bathroom and running away through the back but that annoying voice in everyone's head: the voice of reason asked me ‘then what? Run to where? What about work? What about your family?’

I got down from the car "I won't be long just give me a minute"
"My friend you are not going anywhere without me" he replied and killed the engine.
I shook my head and started toward my house, hearing the door slam behind me as strange eyes also got down.
We entered the house and it was eerily quiet. I switched on the lights and shook my head as strange eyes brought his gun out and began moving from room to room with his arms stretched in front of him. ‘This one thinks this is an action movie....my God when did my life become an action movie?’ I thought to myself as I opened my room door.

Suddenly the lights went out, leaving the room in darkness. All was quiet and my fear was renewed. "Strange eyes…John?" I called out tentatively.
Nothing but silence. Instinctively I got down on my knees
BOOM!!!
That had to be a gunshot. I rolled under my bed, drawing the sign of the cross vigorously.
Sule had said 'another one sef dey tomorrow' and I thought I escaped it but thanks to Fumi’s back stabbing and strange eyes manipulation I was back in the thick of things. I stayed still, trying to calm my beating heart and wondering if strange eyes had tricked me.
There was silence that seemed to stretch for hours. The only sound in my ears was my beating heart. I was 100% ready to remain under the bed for the rest of my life. You see I normally wouldn't call myself a coward, just someone who holds life very dear and doesn't want to lose it prematurely. Although circumstances would later on man me up when I refused to man up but on that faithful night my knees were shaking and I was as close to the floor as possible and grateful that I had changed my bed and put a wooden frame underneath it.
The silence still stretched and I was beginning to feel I was alone in my house when I heard another deafening gunshot which had to be just inches away from the bed.
BOOM!!
This was accompanied with some strange noises and grunts which I knew had to be combat. There was a tussle in the darkness, strange eyes was fighting with someone. All the books on my table went down, the mirror and everything else. Finally a body landed on the bed and I heard strange eyes call to me "Rex, Rex, where are you, we need to get out of here now"
I remained quiet as I contemplated If I should answer him or not. My mind was still divided when it came to strange eyes.
"Rex you coward, come out we need to-"
He never got to finish his sentence because for the third time that night I heard a gunshot. Although not as loud as the first two, the silence that followed seemed to be louder. Then finally I heard a strange voice. "Jumbo get up. How you go let this guy take you down. Where the second one dey?”
I felt movement on the bed as the 'Jumbo' moaned obviously in pain then I felt him sit up slowly. "I don’t know o…aaagh…I dey bleed o...my head!"
"Which kain partner you be? Upon say we watch them enter house, I go changeover, I still meet you for bed...that guy for done kill you troway"