When they got in, it was her dead, naked body on the bed. They scattered her hair with no sign of gunshot or bleeding except for the slight cut on her left foot and a piercing that was almost invisible on her heart. Well, one thing is for sure, Imade is dead, and the guy escaped. The stranger she let in. The guy she was madly in love with. Someone she just met on the internet and invited for a visit.

At first, Feyi felt the air whoosh out of her breath like someone had kicked her stomach.

“Imade! Imade oh...  my child!! she rushed to her daughter’s lifeless body on the bed. It was cold and still.” Someone who had died before 10:00 p.m. “Please talk to me?” Her mother cried out loud.

“Kehinde!” Feyi cried on the top of her lungs. Clutching her head, she tried to regain her breath, but it was pointless; the ground reeled before her as she fought to remain conscious.

“Get hold of yourself Mummy Imade.” The caretaker, who was standing right next to her, consoled.

Feyi turned to him, startled. She couldn’t believe what had just happened. Today is the 22nd of December. Just three days to Christmas.

“Out of three children... As if I had done no good in this life. Out of three children... Death had to take the last one? Who did I offend?” Another drop of tear lingered down her face. It was a pitiable state indeed.

Mr. Jembete and some neighbors laid Imade’s body back on the bed and covered her body with a blue blanket.

Doctor Alagbo, the landlord heard the news and came to witness it. “Omg! It’s unbelievably true. Someone that greeted me a week ago?”

“What wrong could she ever have done to deserve this?!” Imade’s mother cried. “Am I at fault? The last of my children is dead! Why is death so cruel?! And that stupid guy! I never trusted him for once. There’s no doubt that he used my precious daughter for ritual...”

Feyi grabbed her daughter’s body to her chest and cried painfully. Still hoping she might wake up, but all her tears and callings were like medicine after death... It was too late.

Mr. Jembete quickly informed the police and some officers who came to witness her death and investigate the issue.

Doctor Alagbo took her to the hospital for a blood test before her body was taken into the morgue. He wanted to know more about what led to her death. Was she drugged, poisoned, or what? There wasn’t any gunshot. Just a minor cut on her left foot.

After a while of observation, the result came out, and the secret was exposed. He read to everyone as the lab blood test results came out.

She was drugged with loads of sleeping sedatives and he injected her with a poisonous chemical. Only God knows what it was, but it makes one strong and weak till it finally leads to death." The landlord read out and a should of wailings followed.

It was just impossible. Someone did this right under their noses and he escaped unnoticed.

“The so-called mysterious guy must be an expert in this. Doctor Alagbo concluded. “Although I never met him for once, I’ll say, his visit here was well planned. Too bad, an angel-like lady like Imade fell into his trap.”

Just then, Iya Ibeta, and Cynthia, her cousin, came to see if the news they heard was true.

“Jesus! I just saw her four days ago!!” Cynthia cried. “I knew there was something off about that guy, but my sister wouldn’t listen. Sister Imade was so kind and hard-working. She had a smile on no matter what and she was an independent woman. Although she didn’t have it all. Although she’s not that wealthy or educated. Sister Imade was the best person I’ve ever known. She looked so happy with him and he killed her? What nonsense?! What have the police discovered so far?” She asked the caretaker.

“They went to the motor park to find the taxi that took him from here. The driver said he dropped him at Irepodun, somewhere in the neighboring town, and he took two enormous bags into a silver Honda 206. Well, when they asked the neighborhood about the car or the guy, they said he had parked it there five days ago.”

“What?!” A couple of women turned to him in awe. “How was this even possible?”

“He had left. There’s no trace of him. Right now, the police are investigating the matter. Maybe they’ll get the plate number of his vehicle or anything that would stand as evidence.” The caretaker added.

Not long after, the sergeant major and a chief superintendent of Police walked into the compound. Outside were women crying out their eyes. Some of her friends, too, were silently weeping in their wrappers. Outside the building stood Imade’s beautiful picture. She still looked very youthful. Her eyes were full of life and her smile brought up joy and happiness, but Imade was late now. Some men were consoling their wives not to cry while some of her usual customers knelt in front of her big-framed picture, reciting silent prayers.

The chief superintendent greeted everyone as he entered, but only a few answered him. As everyone was busy mourning the deceased.

Entering her room, he met her mother, Feyi, and other elders seated.
“You’re back Officer, How did it go?” Mr. Jembete asked with so much curiosity.

The chief superintendent swallowed hard before he started.

“Well, we questioned the people living around the resident, if anyone knows about his were about, but they said no. There was nothing, Mr. Jembete. I tried searching for his fingerprint or probably taking his blood sample from anything here. It’s so confusing... In my 20 years of experience in the Nigerian police force, I’ve never witnessed a case this tough.” The chief superintendent admitted.

“There’s no doubt that he’s a smart guy. He must have planned it. He must have had an assistant or an accomplice or something?” The caretaker muttered.

“Yes, I agree. Too bad we couldn’t find Imade’s phone, or did anyone know his full name?” The chief superintendent agreed.

Feyi blew out her nose before speaking. Two of her very close friends seated right next to her couldn’t help but sympathize with her. “We didn’t even know the guy. He wore only one red shirt and one black trousers throughout his stay here. His name is Bamidele, but she used to call him Dele...and he lives in Lagos. That’s all I know about him.” Feyi whimpered, almost choking on her tears.

“É rora. Take care, ma. Take care.” Some of her church members are presently, consulted.

“This is serious! We only know we’re looking for one guy called Bamidele, and he lives in Lagos. Thinking about it is even more frustrating. There’s no doubt that he wasn’t even a doctor because no doctor would take such an evil act. There’s no pleasure in killing someone, except if he’s a ritualist, an armed robber, or a Yahoo boy. But I’ll try my best to find out everything possible and bring this to light.” The chief superintendent concluded. “I’d like to leave now.”

“Okay, please... Help us get anything possible.” Mr. Jembete mumbled as he walked the police officers out.

Imade’s death was shocking and unexpected. It shocked the entire village like a thunderbolt, leaving everyone dumbfounded.

***

Three Days Later...

It was the 25th of December, 2020. A beautiful time of the year when everyone celebrated Christmas in their homes. That was when Imade got buried. The pastor prayed for a peaceful afterlife and for her soul to rest in peace afterwards. Imade has been through a lot in life. She died just 2 weeks before her 33rd birthday.
That year has been the worst for Mrs. Feyishara.

“My daughter didn’t die of sickness. She died by trusting someone she shouldn’t. And maybe I was also responsible for her death. I pressured her to give me a grandchild. Was that too much to ask? Was I impatient? I’m already 65 and it’s evident that I’m going to die a lonely death as well. I’ve lost three children on earth. What’s the meaning of life without children? No children, no grandchildren. What’s the use of being alive without happiness?” She cried to herself, facing reality. She looked so fed up with everything. Feyi couldn’t eat or sleep. Her old age felt so unbearable, she just wanted to end her life as well, but not that easy. Death wouldn’t come.

Just then, she plugged a string of golden hair from her head. In between anger, guilt, and regret, Feyi swore on Dele for making her life this miserable.

“On this day, I’m going to curse you from the dept of my heart. Bamidele or whatever your name is, wherever you are right now. It shall never be well with you. Anything you lay your hand on would never come to success. Your generations would suffer for this sin you’ve committed. Your death shall be worse than what you’ve made my daughter go through. So shall it be in Jesus’ name!” She blew the hair away into the atmosphere.

Meanwhile, Dele, blade, and the other six were celebrating their mission accomplished. It was a successful one indeed. The second Feyi blew the golden strand of hair in the air, a sharp thunder from the sky strikes the gang’s house. Their mansion rambled as if the earth was going to split in two.

“Our power was renewed... What was wrong?” Dele cried in fear.

The lightning struck the seven of them and they died the same way. One after another. What affects one affects all.

The thunder shook the entire forest and hit the priest’s shrine.
“Where are you from? Who sent you? I command you to go back to wherever you come from!!” The herbalist commanded the thunder, but it struck him hard.

Just then, a spooky spirit appeared. It was the exact spirit of Imade’s dream. In the blink of an eye, it transformed into a human being and then let out an evil, shrill voice like that of a banshee before disappearing into thin air.

Meanwhile, the herbalist started reciting some incantations and using his enchanted staff to send it back to wherever it came from, but after a lot of struggling; he got struck and immediately turned black like an electrocuted thief. The priest was burnt to death from head to toe, leaving him in darkness and stillness like a roasted bush rat. In a twinkle of an eye, the giant baobab tree disappeared and his invisible shrine was exposed. After that day, every single secret about the seven devils was brought to light, and so would it be for every other evil-doer out there.

THE END

***

Words and Translations

-É rora: Take care

***
Author’s Last Words...

Hi guys! So how was the last part? Well, there might be a kind of rush at the end, but... I just added the fact that God took revenge for our lovely Imade. I couldn’t stop crying while writing as well. It’s so wicked... A lot of girls face these. It’s painful, but what pains me more is the fact that these stories go unnoticed. Untold. There’s no one to tell them. No one to warn our girls. This could be someone very close to you. Your friend, your sister, aunt, or even neighbor. Stay Away From Mysterious Guys. Don’t fall in love in a rush. There’s no hurry in life. The patient dog eats the fattest bone, my elders would say.

Well, I hope we learned one or two lessons from this story. Please don’t forget to share your thoughts and opinions with me. Did you think Imade was at fault? Was she so innocent after all, or was it Feyi’s pressure that led her to this? A lot of ladies today meet guys. In their houses, hotels, and lots more. They sleep with the guy and even spend time as if they’re already married. Hmmm... my dear, “no genuine couple without marriage.”

The worst part of this is that the girl’s family/ parents know nothing about this Mysterious guy or the secret relationship. Yes, you know yourselves. A lot of things are happening these days, many people cover these talks and topics under their blankets. Well, if you have a boyfriend, I’d say you’re still in Imade’s category. I’m not saying you shouldn’t be in a relationship, but imagine a relationship going over 2,3 or even 4 years. A secret relationship. You just want to have fun and belong. Don’t be surprised your so-called boyfriend would dumb you for another. A fresher chick.

Relationships shouldn’t be rushed or delayed. I’m talking about something between 3-7 months at least. Lol! I’m not even in a relationship, but I’m giving advice. I don’t know if any of these make sense but, let’s trust our parents with our relationships. Seek their advice and opinions. No one is old enough in Love, yet. No one is too young to fall in love. Love, Romance, and marriage is an enormous school... Even the wisest of men and the most experienced of professors could easily fail. Be wise, Be careful, Be patient. A word is enough for the wise. Thanks for reading my book. Stay blessed.