“Don’t worry, my dear. I’m here with you.” He assured hand placed her left arm over his shoulder, holding her by the side.
“You must be stressed right now. Let’s go in.”

They gently walked in as Dele carried her to lie on the bed. She laid down flat on her back with the head raised, just like he’d instructed.

Getting warm water from the bathroom, he soaked a small hand towel and carefully wiped her forehead. Imade couldn’t see clearly. All she noticed was the blurry vision in front of her, but she didn’t worry so much because she knew definitely, she was in excellent hands.

“You need to rest and breathe gently. In... Out.”

“In... Out.” He inhaled and exhaled, making her do the same.

“Very good. Stay here. I’d be right back.” He muttered.

Although Imade tried to smile, it ended up in pain. She felt her head banging like a drum of war against the bed. Dele quickly poured the raw egg into the hot groundnut oil on fire. The heat was high, so he reduced the firewood. He fried the egg and made sure everything was done and set before quenching the burning coal.

Taking the pot inside one after the other, Dele placed it in a corner. Well, it was only a small piece of yam he sliced and cooked, so... there’s nothing to worry about.

“Your temperature is high. He told her. You need a shower. Come, let’s go.” He helped her up as they walked into the bathroom.

Dele carefully took off her jumpsuit and her undies. That was the first time Imade was ever naked in front of any man, but who cares? Dele wants to bathe her. It’s a good thing, isn’t it?

Making her squat to the floor like a toddler, Dele brought out a locally made sponge to rub her body, starting from her head. The water was cold enough that the first shower on her head sent shivers down her whole body.

Taking a cut from the black soap into the straw-made sponge, Bamidele rubbed her whole body from head to face, arms, and legs. During the bath, he recited some incantations. Something he had learned from the herbalist, and he did as he was instructed. Imade had to be under his spell. However, she didn’t know what was happening. She was just there, but she felt something.

Safety.

After the bath, he wrapped up her body in an Ankara wrapper and walked her back into the room. He sat on the bed, looking confused and worn out.

“It’s time to eat now.” He muttered. ‘Let’s see if you can eat anything.’ a voice said in his head as an evil smirk placed across his lips.

Dele placed two slices of yam and sausage egg to complement the food. Placing it in front of her at the table. He used his hands to feed her. She took a bite but ate slowly. He gave her the pills to take, and she took it. The six tablets were just like how it was in the morning. After the first slice, and turned to him and rested her head on his shoulder.

‘What’s wrong, Imade? Are you alright?" He grabbed her face up.

“Yes, I’m fine. I just want to sleep. I don’t know why I’m feeling nervous. Right now, I am so scared. She muttered, tears welling up in her eyes.

“You don’t have to worry, my love. I won’t leave your side, I promise.” He grits his almost rambling teeth inside his mouth and places a hurtful kiss on her forehead.

A burning passion of hatred plastered on his strict face. He placed his head with Imade’s own, as they leaned towards each other, making their nose and foreheads touch each other. Closing his eyes and trying not to break down with his feelings.

It was like love amid hatred. It was like love amid gale anger. She could smell her death near. She could feel him... Sitting right close to her as if he cared. It was as if there were thousands of questions floating in her mind that she wanted to ask, but she couldn’t. More tears flowed down her eyes as she tried to control her breathing that thickened. Her heartbeat raced within her chest as if it would jump out at any moment.

“I want you to know one thing, Imade; that I truly love you. I love you so much, but I need to do this.” Dele felt his jaw twitch as he said this.

They were still seated in this position. Staring at the beauty in front of him, Dele nibbled the lower part of his lips, still staring at her. Imade slowly whimpered in tears, fighting all the pain inside of her. She was just too weak, but she understood who Dele was. And just now, she knew.

“I l...love you too, Dele. And I trusted you.” She croaked, quivering in tears.

Imade felt her heart racing too fast as she fought down the hysteria. Her lips shivered at the fire burning up her soul.

Bamidele stared intensely at her lips. Somehow, it brought a tightening to his guts, but he tilted gently, taking another bite of her sweet, wet lips. He kissed her passionately as boiling tears escaped from the corner of this tear duct. Peeling his lips from hers sent a lump into Imade’s throat, but she swallowed.

Suddenly, he stood up and washed his hands in a small bowl. Taking her to the bed, Imade laid flat thinking of what would happen next, but she knew something for sure. She’s in a trap.

A deadly one at that.

After that, Dele walked to his bag and took out another syringe. Tearing the leather with his mouth and opened the cap, inserting the injection into another small bottle and inserting a needle at the tip.

Gently, Bamidele took off her wrapper and turned her to the side, making her lay naked on the bed. At this time, Imade was unconscious. She was still alive, but she couldn’t understand a thing. Her whole body was shaking in a slight, tremulous motion as tears were dropping from her eyes. She really looked sad, but no one ever knew this was happening. It was already getting late at night.

Holding the injection like a pen, Dele inserted the needle into her skin. He gave up to 3ml of fluid into her body before he pulled it out. Immediately, Imade’s eyes started closing, gradually. As if she wanted to say something, but her voice wasn’t audible enough. As if she wanted to say the word ‘Mother’.

Her teeth rambled like that of a convulsing child. Dele lay beside her, watching and waiting to death to take her way. This went on for a couple of minutes until everything suddenly went quiet; including Imade.

Looking at the quiet, lifeless body lying beside him, dele quickly grabbed his bag to do the task given to him. He pierced a needle right into her chest, making it go in between her lungs to draw an amount of blood from her heart. He was careful enough not to touch her bronchial tubes as he had googled about the structure of the internal organs earlier that day, the heart lays below the windpipe.

After taking the blood directly from her heart, he proceeded by taking blood from her red blood cells and posterior tibial street, just around the region of her fibula, by the left side of her leg.

Drawing the blood into a bowl, he did it carefully in such a way that there wouldn’t be any trace. He took out a small handy dagger from his side pocket to tear her skin a bit. It wasn’t as difficult as he’d imagined so; he did this as quickly as possible. Till the bowl got full, he poured it into a plastic bottle and placed it into his bag. It was a 750 ml plastic bottle he’d find somewhere in her room. He did this over 5 hours, making sure that he’d filled three more bottles so that it would be enough for the ritual and would save him and his friends.

After the blood was taken, Dele wiped off a stain of blood, leaving no space for evidence. He took her phones and turned them off immediately, packing some of her goods left in her room. He ate, washed the dishes, and took a warm bath. Bamidele unfixed her small plasma television and grabbed some of her reasonable jewelry that could be of use or maybe bring him small money. Scattering her baggage and arranging his needful into one of her biggest boxes, he made sure everything was prepared for the next day. Meanwhile, that night. Bamidele slept next to her naked body. Her icy-cold, freezing dead body.

****

At the first call of the cockcrow, Bamidele made everything look as neat, and realistic as possible. He swept the room and took her shop keys.
As early as 7:00 a.m., Bamidele went to open the shop. Well, that was the normal time of opening the shop before he came. He swept the shop and unlocked her shelf. Making sure that he packs every piece of attachment, weapon, and other valuable hair products she has in her shop.

Packing the whole money into a big, back bag, he took her ATM cards from the shelf and every other valuable thing his hand could touch.

Just then, a customer walked in.

“What about I made?” She asked.

“She’s still at home, ma. She would come soon, she just asked me to pack these stuff for her.” He retorted.

“Okay then. I guess I’ll come back later.” The elderly woman muttered and turned back.

“Bye,” he waved at her as she walked away, unnoticed.

Well, Bamidele packaged the bag back home and locked the shop. He took this bath that morning and stopped a taxi in front of her compound. With two gigantic bags, he went away. He didn’t take the boat this time, but he took the taxi and dropped where he packed his car five days ago. He paid for the taxi and unlocked the doors of his vehicle. Still looking neat and untouched, Dele opened the boot of his car and dropped the bags there before zooming away. Out of Ekiti state.

***

10:39 a.m

Feyishara, Imade’s mother, noticed her daughter didn’t open the shop.
“What’s wrong? Could anything have happened?” She asked herself because she knew, Imade would never skip her work for anything. She is so dedicated and hard-working. Feyi wasn’t settled. She felt so uncomfortable and disturbed as she turned back towards Imade’s house.

Just then, she paid her a visit at home. When she got there, she knocked. She noticed the place was silent, so she pushed the door. Well, the place was locked.

‘Is she at home? Where could she be by this time of the day? It’s so unlike my daughter.’ She cried mentally and checked on her in minutes.

About to leave the compound, she met a young boy who was living in the same compound and asked if he had seen Imade.

“Ekaaro ma.” He prostrated.

“O, bawoni,” she replied to him as he raised from his prostration. “Anti e n’ko?”

“I haven’t seen her today ma but I say that uncle.”

“Which uncle?” She asked him, confused.

“The tall, fine uncle with beards... The one that usually walks with her. He opened the shop this morning and closed it again. After a while, he took some bags with him and left.”

“What? He left?” Her eyes widened in astonishment.

“Yes, ma.” the boy calmly answered in confusion.

A smile appeared on Feyi’s face. Thank God he left my daughter alone. She stuttered.
“So where’s she now? Did she go out?”

“I don’t know. I haven’t seen her today.” The boy reported earnestly.

“Then what’s wrong?’ Feyi thought. She took her phone and dialed Imade’s number.

‘The MTN number you’ve dialed is not available at the moment. Please, try again later.’ A feminine voice sounded over the phone.

Feyi tried and tried to get through, but it seemed something was wrong. She called the neighbors to help her. Mr. Jembete, the caretaker ordered some guys to help him break down the door.

It was like a tug of war, but after a lot of struggle and effort, the huge wooden door dropped.

What they saw next made everyone’s mouth drop in the same motion.

***

Words and Translations

E Kaaro: Good morning.

O, bawoni:  Yes, how are you

Anti e n'ko? : What about your Anty? (referring to her daughter, Imade.)

****

23.04.2021