After Nneka's father almost loses his life and farm, her mother mysteriously vanishes. She then moves to Lagos to live with her grandmother, but she soon finds there's more to her grandmother's life than she knows.
While hawking, she meets a boy...
Landlady eyed Mama Agnes before sighing. "Help me pack the things, carry the bones, then we'll go." They burst through the door, stuffing their loot in the boot and jumping into the front seats. Landlady started the car, jamming her foot on the accelerator as soon as the engine started humming. Mama Agnes gripped the seat, fearing for her safety. "Agnes, I hope you like speed!" Mama Agnes's head fell to her side, defeated. At this point, any missions she went out on only resulted in terrible driving and near-death experiences.
Landlady zoomed past SUVs on the highway, crossing lanes and almost falling into the river at Third Mainland Bridge. They drove to a flat at Ojuelegba, turning into a dark corner of a street and parking the car near a mechanic's shack. They removed their loot form the boot before entering the flat. The flat was a dilapidated building with a soggy wooden door. Moss coated the bottom part of the wall, and a few clay pots were strewn around the veranda.
Three men, two buff ones, and a skinny one walked out from behind the house. Landlady passed them the car keys, and they went to the car. One of the men blew a kiss at Mama Agnes. "Those are some of my boys. I got them from a human trafficker some years ago." Landlady beamed. "I didn't clean this place for a long time o, just bear with me." The men entered the car and disappeared into the noisy, dark street. She unlocked the door with a rusty iron key from her breasts, then they went inside. The inside was even filthier than the outside.
The stench of rotting flesh and strong cherry air freshener attacked Mama Agnes's nose. Unfortunately, the air freshener overpowered the stench, producing a gut-churning smell. Ten steps into the room, Mama Agnes hurled into a metal bucket of rusty water next to her. Landlady flipped the light switch and hastily drew the one pair of curtains. If Landlady didn't lock the door, Mama Agnes would run home.
Landlady pushed a sun-dried embryo from a sofa and directed Landlady to sit. "Sit down. We will talk tonight, and I will only answer four of your questions." Mama Agnes untied her wrapper, untied the rag she tied around her waist, then she placed it on the seat. Her clothes would be preserved because of her genius plans. It was covered in bloodstains, sticky orange globs, and coconut flakes. There was a loud clinking in the next room as Landlady looked for something. A few moments later, she came in with a small beige bag. Landlady opened the bag to reveal two bottles of cologne. "Don't smell it, or you'll die. Ask your first question, and give me that embryo at your feet first." Landlady pulled a stone pestle and mortar from under the bench she sat on. Mama Agnes fiddled with her finger as she decided on the question to ask first. She coughed lightly and cracked her knuckles before speaking softly. "Who was Mama C to you? What did Iya Dorcas do?"
Landlady eyed Mama Agnes, squeezing blood and mucus from the embryo. "I said one question." Mama Agnes tried to keep her head up, but Landlady's intimidating look discouraged her. "Mama C was Baba Jide's best friend, and the mother of that police officer, Bolu. One thing about that woman that I hated was that she was very proud. She never considered anyone except her son. The woman cheated Baba Jide out of eighty-thousand naira once, making sure he never found out. She also stole from him countless times. Innocent people paid for her lies, and her thefts. I never told him because I didn't like him then." Mama Agnes shook her head. Drops of rain fell on the roof, creating a relaxing thud sound. Landlady pounded a brown paste in the mortar. She threw in Mama C's and Iya Dorcas's bones in the mix, adding them by the handful.
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Landlady used this mortar, but imagine it covered in mold and grime.
"Her son was even worse. He was a 'Man of God.' He always went on time to church, sang in the choir, and always gave hefty offerings. He dared to say that God blessed him with the money. I don't fear man, but even me, I fear God." Mama Agnes snapped her fingers, and then she threw her hand over her head. "Mama C had three daughters-in-law before he discovered Ebere's girlfriend. One of them was fifteen years old, and the other two were in their thirties. When the teenager was pregnant, he handed the girl to Mama C to 'care for her.' Mama C killed the girl and used her unborn baby for sacrifice. He sold his other wives to human traffickers because she told him to. Mama C kept the money to herself. The woman wanted to get back at me because I got rid of Baba Jide, her side source of income." Mama Agnes felt Landlady's rage seep out of her body.
"I expected that she would kidnap me, but I didn't expect her to do it so fast. That woman found me in one of my retreat shelters in the heart of Victoria Island. My injuries were plenty, so I didn't have much strength. She came with her son and Iya Dorcas, and they forced me into the parlor first. Her son expresses an interest in me, trying to kiss me in my weak state. I tried to resist, but they overpowered me. Iya Dorcas showed them my safe, and Mama C stole all my jewelry!
They bundled me into the backseat of the car; Iya Dorcas and her son at my sides while Mama C drove. They beat me up when they reached that Mama C's house and they waited for you. They wanted to use you to kill me, so they could blame the crime on you. Mama C had a secret needle hidden in her earrings.
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Mama C's type of earrings.
If she pressed a hidden part of it, a poisonous needle would eject out of the back. If you killed me, she would kill you with the needle."
I just recovered from a little ailment, and I'm glad to publish this chapter after such a while! Please stay safe, don't forget to vote, and continue to go along this journey with me!
