SACRED_OATHS

Author: Samuel Frederick

Episode 17: DANGER DASH.

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“What is it?” I asked, almost panicking.

“Fifi, donʼt touch that envelope!” Mimi screamed, acting like she just had a heart attack.

“Whatʼs in it?” I asked again, but she kept staring at the envelope like she'd just touched poo.

“Mimi, what is inside?” I yelled, losing my patience.

“Don't touch it!” She said again.

I was getting fed up with Mimi's nauseating attitude. The next thing I knew, she went to her bed and grabbed a full bottle of olive oil to pour on the envelope. If I wasn't quick enough to stop her, she would've emptied the whole bottle on the envelope.

“What is wrong with you?!” I was forced to yell at her, wide-eyed. “Are you out of your damn mind?”

“Don't touch that envelope Fifi, I know what I'm saying!” She persisted. “Hear me out!”

At this point, the last thing I wanted was an argument with Mimi, so I simply ignored her uncivilized behavior as I bent low, picked up the envelope and opened it slowly and gently.

Within the envelope, four bundles of fresh Naira notes laid like haystacks. I instantly understood what prompted Mimi's bizarre reaction. In fact, I also flinched at the shocking sight of it.

“Fifi drop that thing. Itʼs blood money.” Mimi said with both hands on her head, acting so dramatic.

“What makes you think so?”

“I can feel it deep within my soul that this money is not pure. Drop it down!”

I looked at her and I couldn't help the laughter that erupted from me. Mimi always had this funny way of complicating issues with her religious belief.

“So what you are saying is that this money I am holding in my bare hands is blood money?” I asked, still laughing out my lungs—literally.

“You think itʼs funny?” She retorted out of annoyance.

“I think it is, because if it is truly blood money as you claim it is, why haven't I disappeared yet? Why haven't I died?” I asked, looking directly into her eyes as she was unable to provide an answer. “Oya na, tell me why I haven't turned to yam yet?”

No answer, still.

“You better wisen up!” I added. “These people want me to campaign for them and they are willing to do anything to make me succumb. I already said I am not interested but they won't desist, so itʼs better I just play along and enjoy the benefits for the time being.”

Despite my very clear explanation, Mimi still wasnʼt convinced. I could see it in her eyes.

“What do you plan to do with the money?” She asked.

“What do they use money to do before? Iʼll settle our rent for another year from it, and we'll take the rest.” I said. “We’ll share it equally.”

“Thanks, but no thanks. I'm not interested. What about the phone?” She asked.

“I don't know yet, maybe I'll sell it or give it out to someone who needs it. Or do you need it?” I asked, and she shook her head to show her disapproval.

“I don't want anything affiliated with that money,” she said, snapping her fingers around her head in the typical Nigerian fashion. “Count me out of it.”

Arguing with Mimi was as pointless as trying to count a full bag of beans; a complete waste of time.

So, I surrendered and sat down, pouring everything I held on the table.

I split the money into two halves and I was about to stash the half meant for my house rent when a knock came at the door. Quickly, I dipped everything back in the nylon—including the iPhone pack and the T-shirts—and flung the nylon straight up to my wardrobe.

Mimi opened the door and it was my landlordʼs daughter, Ijeoma, standing at our doorstep. We exchanged pleasantries and she said that there was someone waiting for me outside the gate. I asked her who it was but she said that the person already told her not to disclose his identity.

Out of curiosity, I followed Ijeoma to the gate. I wasn't too surprised to see him since he had promised to return earlier. He wore a simple polo shirt and grey jeans, coupled with a jeans jacket with a hood over his head. His black and white sneakers also served justice to his outfit.

From afar, one could easily mistake him for a foreigner if they didn't look well. We finally got to him and he pulled off the fine hood, letting his curly afro hair out.

“Thank you,” Boma said, referring to Ijeoma. Ijeoma only nodded and turned around to leave but he held her hand gently and slipped something into it. Without even bothering to check what it was, she thanked him and left with a big smile on her face.

“What did you slip into her hand?”

“Is it necessary?” He answered with a smile, and I rolled my eyes.

“Why couldn't you just come in?”

“See that man there,” he pointed through a visible part of the gate to Ijeoma's front yard, where her father sat with a newspaper in his hands.

“So?” I asked.

“I know heʼs your landlord and I don't want any trouble, that's why I asked her to call you out here.”

“Wait, is he the one paying my rent? Whatʼs his business with my visitors? So that's the major reason you chose to stay out here?”

“Well, I actually didn't plan on staying too long, since it's getting dark already. Can we just go somewhere else; somewhere preferably secluded and talk?”

“I'm not going anywhere. If you can't come in, then you can as well stay out here.” I said and turned around to leave but he held my wrist firmly.

“Please, Fifi.”

I peered at his pleading eyes and he seemed to have every iota of seriousness in them.

“Why can’t you just come in? My landlord won’t bite you, for goodness' sake! You’re an adult.” I insisted, hoping he'd change his mind.

“I need somewhere secluded,” he said. And he was serious about it.

“So where do you have in mind?” I asked.

“Do you know Paloma Joint?”

“No, I don't know the place.” I feigned total ignorance, despite knowing the place like the back of my hand. “Where is it located?”

“It's not too far from here. If we leave now, we can make it back before 8:30.” He said, peeking at his wristwatch. “That's if traffic allows us, though.”

“Very inspiring.” I said and gave it a quick thought and then I came up with an idea. “Wait! Hold on, let me inform Mimi.”

I moved away from him a little bit and dialled Mimiʼs number. When she picked up, I informed her about my movement and I told her that if she didn’t see me back in an hour, she should most likely raise an alarm about my disappearance.

After the call, I went back to meet Boma. Unknown to me, he came with a car. I had thought that we would go with a bus all along until he pointed at the small Toyota Camry straight ahead of us. We soon got inside of it and began our trip.

Within 15 minutes, we arrived at Paloma Joint. We hardly talked during the ride.

We eventually got in and secured a table.

“So you don't know this place?” Boma asked, trying to start up a conversation.

“I donʼt.” I answered. “Honestly.”

He gave me this look that suggested that he knew I wasn’t telling the truth. Fortunately, a waiter came by to take our orders, saving me from Boma's awkward gaze. I ordered for a medium-sized cup of ice-cream since I didn't know how financially equipped he was, while he ordered for beer.

I was somewhat surprised at that.

“Despite my presence, you still ordered for beer?” I asked, frowning.

Boma laughed. “I drink beer anywhere and any time. I don't fake it.” He said proudly. “Beer is life!”

I cringed. “And you are proud of it?”

“Why shouldnʼt I be? I am a man! Where I'm from, my people say one thing must surely kill a man. It's either you drink or you smoke or you womanize; something must surely kill you.”

“What about those people that die naturally without doing any of those things you just mentioned?” I asked. “I've come across a few of such men.”

“That's their problem,” he said with a smile. That smile meant the end of that topic. That was Boma's way of ending any topic he didn't like. I'd noticed it since I knew him.

The waiter returned and served us in a tray, then he left.

I hushed up and sipped a bit from my cup of ice-cream, staring into thin air.

“You didn't even bother to ask why I brought you here.” Boma said, taking a gulp from his glass.

“Thatʼs true. What are we doing here?” I asked almost immediately.

“I want to propose to you.” He said with a wild smirk, and we both laughed.

“Be serious Boma, what are we doing here?”

We gave each other a super long look, peering into each other’s eyes as silence settled between us.

“Fifi,” he began, “during Jovita's birthday party last week, while we both sat outside the hall, you said something that touched me that night. Do you still remember?”

“I do.” I answered. “What about it?”

“I don't intend to bring up this issue but I have to, because I need to correct you on something. We are not ‘cultists’ as you may think. We don't see ourselves as such nuisances. In fact, if thereʼs a way I could erase that particular word from existence, I definitely will.” He said plainly.

“So just because you are denying it now, am I expected to suddenly believe whatever you say?” I asked.

“The ball is in your court. It's your choice to believe whatever you want to,” he said. “But I know what I stand for, and that is all that matters.”

I took a deep breath and took a sip from my cup and he did the same with his gaze on me.

“So since you claim not to be a cultist, what then does the tattoo and the ring signify?” I asked, overwhelmed with curiosity.

“Erm, I got this tattoo even before I joined. As for the ring, it's a symbol of brotherhood,” he said, clenching his fists.

“Do you kill people?”

“No. We don’t kill unless we are forced to. If you don’t offend us, we can’t attack you. Thatʼs our rule.”

“Okay.” I swallowed hard, seeing a more different and dangerous part of who I was dealing with. “So, who is the leader?”

“I can't tell you. I've said too much already.” He answered. “Doing that would break the rule and my pledge for loyalty to the brotherhood.”

Something in me wanted to push on with more questions, but I decided to be cool instead.

“Can I ask you one more thing?” I asked.

“Feel free.” He nodded.

"What do you stand to gain in this sort of lifestyle?” I asked, straight and direct. He filled his glass with the last content of the bottle, took a big gulp from it, and smiled.

“Good and bad things happen to us in life sometimes. It's a matter of choice sometimes, but in most cases, life gives you no choice. I didn't just choose to go down this path. Life chose me.” Boma answered softly with a smile in place. That same smile that signified the end of our current topic.

“I promised not to waste your time. It's getting late already.” He added, glancing at his wristwatch. “Come on, let's move.”

Sighing, I fixed the remnant of the ice-cream into a nylon and then Boma stood up and extended a hand to me, which I grabbed at once, then he lifted me with ease.

We came out of the restaurant and stood close to his car. He opened the passenger door for me, probably expecting me to get into the car.

“Don't worry, I can find my way home.”

“Are you sure? I don't mind seeing you off,” he said, concerned.

“I'll be fine. Don't bother yourself.” I assured him, having my reason for not wanting to follow him.

Boma was a certified target of many dangerous people, and I didn't want to be labelled as his gang member and become a target too, hence my refusal to go with him, especially at such time of the night.

He heaved a sigh and dipped his left hand into his pocket, took out his wallet and stretched some Naira notes to me.

“What's that for?” I asked, quite embarrassed.

“A little token for your transport.”

“I told you I'll be fine. Goodnight.” I said and turned around to leave. I had barely walked three steps away from him when he called my name.

“Fifi!”

I looked back and realized he was right behind me. He held my hand and entwined our fingers, hardly leaving an inch of space between us.

The next thing I knew, Boma reached for my lips and kissed me. It was a brief kiss that felt like forever to me. I couldʼve sworn that I actually wanted it to last longer than it did, but he withdrew almost immediately and clutched my hand tightly, slipping something into it.

“Goodnight.” He released his firm grip from my hands and turned around, walking back to his car. I realized he had just slipped the money into my hand. Before I could even call out to him and protest, he got into his car, started the engine, gave me a wink and zoomed off right away. He was just too smart for my liking.

For some indescribable reason, I felt extremely glad as I walked back home. The event of the last few minutes kept playing in my head. I suddenly knew that Mimi was right when she said I had fallen in love with him.

I got to the junction where I was supposed to take a bike home but it was unusually scanty, so I kept on walking till I got to another junction. Then I proceeded further into a certain street where I could take a shortcut that leads to my area, since I was almost home anyway.

Along the way, I noticed that there was this certain guy following me. If I turned left, he turned left. If I turned right, he also turned right. I became alarmed.

I increased my pace and he replicated my action. When I was sure that he was really after me, I started running. He chased after me really fast and I was afraid he would catch up with me but then, like a miracle, I saw a moving taxi.

The taxi man saw me heading toward his direction and he instantly understood the scene. He opened the passenger door and asked me to hop in quickly, and I did so as fast as my legs could carry me, then he zoomed off right away!

I almost had a heart attack in the vehicle as I tried my best to breathe properly. I could've passed out at that point in time.