Itunu did not discover that the yellow cardboard was missing until four days later.

She was on her period, looking for one of the set of panties that she usually used during the time. She brought out all of her clothes from her bag and when she found it, her mind went to the yellow cardboard.

And then she realised that she couldn't find it. There was no way it could have disappeared, just like that.

Someone had taken it, definitely.

Itunu remembered her dream...was it really a dream?

Apprehension settled in her stomach and she felt like puking. What if it was not a dream? What if someone was really in her room that night, what if it was the kidnapper among them?

She searched everywhere in the room, just to confirm. The yellow cardboard was nowhere to be found.

Somebody had been in her room while she was sleeping, she realised.

This is getting out of hand.

Fear gripped Itunu. She wanted to call her mother again, but then she decided there was something more important to do, first. Before she forgot, she hurriedly wore her night dress from the night before and raced out to find her aunt, Tamilore.

Tamilore was in her room, and her husband was there too. Itunu did not expect that at all. She wasn't as free with her aunt's husband as she was with her aunt, so she comported herself.

"Yes? What do you want?" Tamilore asked tiredly.

"I...I um. I wanted to ask for the keys to my...my room," Itunu said.

"Why? You know I don't like leaving keys out, because children could lock themselves in or even misplace the keys..." Tamilore started to oppose.

"Please, aunty Tamilore. I need it."

Tamilore frowned, "Why are you insisting?"

"Maybe she wants her privacy. You know she's now a big girl," Dipo cut in, a small smile playing on his lips.

Itunu felt her skin crawl with his statement.

Tamilore chuckled in spite of herself. "Okay then. I'll look for it for you and give you later."

Itunu nodded, "Okay Ma. Thank you." As she left their room, she hoped her aunt didn't just say that to dismiss her.

She went back into her room. She picked up her phone and dialled her mother's phone number. She tried calling her over ten times yet not one time did the call go through. Itunu became scared; she was going to have to stay here.

She was sad, and she thought about how it felt to have a dad. At least if she had one, if her mother couldn't come and pick her, her dad would be another alternative. They could lie to the police that she had an important exam to take. Hers had died when she was a toddler, so ever since Itunu could remember, she didn't have a father---or know how having one felt like. Her mother never remarried since then.

She shook her head when Titi, the housemaid came to knock on her door, informing her that lunch was ready. Itunu was on the brink of tears, so she went to wash her face in the bathroom and wiped it, and then she came outside.

* * *

Tiwa looked very sad, so Modupe asked her what was wrong.

She whimpered, "I'm going to have to redo a whole year. A whole year!"

Her sister pursed her lips. "I'm just tired," she empathised with her.

"I swear! Everybody has been texting me, wanting to know what happened. I have to tell the ridiculous story over and over again! I've missed tests, what if I'm still here, when exams start?" Tiwa didn't realise that this case was going to be this serious. She took her education quite seriously, so all of this was a nightmare to her.

Modupe just stared, alongside all the people that were in the living room.

"See ehn," Tiwa grumbled like a child, "I...I don't want to know oh. I must leave here before exam time. You people cannot come and spoil my life. You...you've all gone to school and graduated."

"Who is spoiling your life? You think we want to be here? We all have jobs that are waiting unattended," Kola, Bisola's husband said.

Tiwa just pouted and shrugged.

* * *

Tamilore had gone into Bisola's room to check on her niece, Dami. She felt bad that she hadn't really catered to her since the beginning of this nightmare, and she really loved her. She was coming back from her room, passing her own door, when she stopped.

Her husband was talking to someone on the phone.

She heard him say, "---I'm as confused as you are. I'm trying all I can, really. I just...I just don't know. My mind is not settled, at all. I'm under so much pressure."

Tamilore exhaled deeply.

But he wasn't talking to someone. He was recording a voice note.

* * *

Around seven o'clock, they were all in the living room, just looking. Even Dami was here. The helps were, however, in the kitchen or in their rooms.

"Uncle Dipo," Bisola began.

Dipo raised his head, looked at her. "Yes?"

"I know you're so worried. I know how this feels, I know you have your work that is left hanging. I can't even begin to imagine..." Bisola trailed on, looking at him, expecting an answer.

He looked lost, until he saw everybody looking at him. "Y-yes," he finally choked out. "E-exactly."

Bisola just shook her head pitifully at him.

* * *

The next day, Itunu was tired of staying in her room all day long. She had been too scared and freaked out after her "dream", making her lock herself indoors all day, but she decided that she couldn't go on with that forever.

She was even surprised that nobody wondered where she was, or even called her. She guessed she was the young one, the child, the "smallie".

It was around five-thirty in the evening when she went to the living room. Every head snapped up at her, and she felt a little self conscious. Tamilore, Dipo, Bisola and Modupe were here.

"Itunu," her aunt, Tamilore said. "How are you? Are you okay?"

Itunu nodded, "I'm fine." Then she stepped outside.

It was the first time she would step outside since the day her cousin disappeared. The fresh air was nothing like Itunu could describe. She closed her eyes and savoured it, letting it blow past her face, her hair, and carry her clothes.

Once again, she marvelled at the beauty of the compound. The pink paint just looked amazing, and the interlocking blocks were so smooth and satisfying. The shrubbery, though, was starting to overgrow, and she wondered when the gardener would come and do his work.

She found herself walking round the compound, going to the backyard and walking back. By the time she walked back to the front, she noticed that one of the cars were open. She stopped.

She identified the car. It was her sister's husband's, Daddy Dami.

She craned her neck, trying to see if he was inside. He was. She wondered why he was sitting inside his car, alone.

She suddenly felt curious, wanting to see what he was doing. She tiptoed, as carefully as she could, towards the car.

Daddy Dami seemed to be stuffing his private part with something.

On closer look, she saw that he was trying to make his penis seem bigger.

Once she was sure of what she had seen, she stepped back and hopped away. When she was as far away as possible, with no possibility of being caught by him, she stopped. Why was he doing that?

He's here with his wife, she thought. And his wife already knew his size, she knew how big---or small---his penis was. So why was he trying to make it look bigger? For who?