JAMES'S POV

The night was still very young and the strength in my limbs were failing gradually. I flagged a cab at the front of the hospital and entered calmly. I relished the warmth in the vehicle. The taxi driver was wearing a black cap but it didn't bother me. I thought about John and wondered what would have transpired between him and Danjuma. I closed my eyes and smiled at the shimmer of thought of Eniola. I felt a discomfort in my belly and noticed the taxi driver driving well over the speed limit.

"Please stop overspeeding, where are you rushing to?" I inquired, placing a trembling hand on the headrest.

I got no response from the driver but he didn't slow down either. He continued with his uncontrollable driving which made me wonder if he was drunk. A harsh movement made my head hit the headrest harshly which made me spit out words of venom.

"Are you out of your mind? How do you even have a license ? I am getting out of this vehicle." I spat, gripping the car door.

But the car door didn't bulge open. Something was wrong. I started to grasp the gravity of the situation staring at me. I felt my body tremble in fear and a huge tightness in my chest.

"Who are you? Open this door now." I yelled, gasping heavily.

"You don't need to know who I am. All you should know is that you are in for a bumpy ride, Your Honor." The driver replied, laughing.

The the hair at the back of my neck stood at attention and sweat dripped down my forehead. That voice was so familiar and terrifying. I screamed and I sensed a sharp turn before my head hit the window. The last thing I remember was feeling of the metallic taste of blood on my tongue and the horn of a car.

                                                  ************

I woke up to the clanging of metal. I was strapped to a chair with no means of escape. My eyes were just beginning to adjust to my surroundings.

Tolani.

Her eyes were sunken but she looked very radiant with a grin that almost made uncomfortable.

"You really like me, I admire your affection for uncompleted buildings. It's a shame the feeling isn't  mutual." I said with a croacked voice.

"Shut up." Tolani yelled, with her hands in her trouser pockets.

"Why did you kidnap me again? Did you miss me? Haven't you punished me enough?" I asked, sniffing the air around me.

"Yes, I missed you, I missed your cries of agony, I missed seeing blood on your face. You deserve more than punishment. I should have killed you at the hospital. But I didn't want to rat myself out." Tolani replied, advancing towards me.

"You have a child in your belly. You have a chance at another life. Why me? Why all this? It won't bring him back." I yelled, as I struggled with the chair.

"Funny you should mention that, I lost my child due to the gruesome stabbing made by you. I lost my unborn child because of you. You always take away someone I love...." Tolani screamed, as tears streamed down her face.

I was shocked. I was so concentrated on escaping that night, I had forgotten where I had stabbed her. Oh No.

"I'm really sorry Tolani, I don't even know what to say. I just wanted to go. I wanted to escape..."

"Shut up, Shut the hell up.You are just a murderer. You can't help your natural instinct. " Tolani yelled.

"Why are you making yourself the victim? I was the victim! You kidnapped me Tolani. I'm sorry about your child Tolani, I really am." I replied.

"You are still as talkative as ever. Can't you at least give yourself a quiet last moment of your life?" Tolani whispered, gripping my cheeks in her arms.

"Who visits him in prison apart from you of course? " I asked, biting my upper lips.

"And why should I answer your question?" Tolani inquired, raising a brow.

"I just want to know." I replied softly.

"Only me. Does that answer your stupid question?" Tolani asked, her voice laced with sarcasm.

"Did you ever trigger his emotions?" I asked, inhaling the sharp air softly.

"What's all this questions you keep asking? Can't you see I am in control of you?  I never told him to commit suicide. I begged him not to plead guilty. I begged not to give up, He was always so sensitive. I told him I would leave him if he plead guilty. It was only a threat. I didn't mean it." Tolani replied, placing a trembling hand on her quivering lips.

"You keep talking about revenge everytime. You never filter your words. I may have sentenced him but you sped things up. You caused his death too.  Everything comes back to you." I added, smirking.

"I didn't do anything. You did." Tolani cried, wiping her eyes.

"You are a murderer too." I whispered silently.

"Shut up!" Tolani yelled. Her eyes were bloodshot. Maybe from pain or anger. She picked up a knife. It was definitely both.

ENIOLA'S POV

Flashback

6 years ago.

I walked round the shopping mall looking for a Valentine's gift for myself. I admired the adverts that stuck in the walls and smiled. I walked on and failed to notice a body bumping against mine and the cold spillage of a soft drink my blue sundress and my face. I looked at the intruder meanly and yelled.

"Why did you bump into me? Are you blind? You totally just ruined my day."

"I am very sorry. I was deep in thought. I am truly sorry." He said, placing his hand at the back of his neck.

"What are you thinking about? Are you depressed?" I asked, casting a judgemental look at him.

"To be honest, you are the one that looks depressed. It was a mistake and you are already as hot as a volcano. Cheer up, It's Valentine's day. Your anger won't bring back your ex."He replied, checking his watch.

"Excuse me, who are you to talk to me like that? You are supposed to say sorry." I yelled, folding my arms.

"Can I help you with the cleaning up your dress?" He asked, ignoring my former remark.

"Help me what? Do you look like someone that can wash anything?" I hissed, swiping a strand of my braided hair backwards.

"Should I give you motivation to live? If you keep talking to people like that, I am sure you won't get married." He replied, pinching my nose.

I was pretty sure steam was coming out from my eyes. I was livid.

"It seems you are settled already. Goodbye ma'am." He added, laughing loudly.

"Is he sane at all?" I muttered, placing a relaxed hand on my smooth chin.

"I heard that." He said, looking sternly at me.

"You are arrogant and rude .You can't even help me." I retorted, sticking out my tongue.

"You don't look like a damsel in distress either. Have a good life, Miss pompous." He replied, walking away.

I went to the restroom and tried to clean off the stench of the drink but it wouldn't come off. I gritted my teeth harshly and looked at my destroyed face mashed in uneven makeup.

"Do you want me to fix you up?" A lady in the restroom asked, squeezing her lips.

"No thank you." I spat, rolling my eyes at her.

I walked out of the restroom with a furious face and because I refused to grasp my surroundings properly, I walked into a fountain, I screamed in amazement as the people surrounding me laughed. I felt humiliated and I bit my lip in anguish. I felt a squish in the water and a suit wrapped around my shoulders. I looked up to see him.

"You again?" I asked, sighing heavily.

"Yes, it's me again. Do you want to be humiliated more or should I get you out of here?" He asked, chuckling lightly.

"I am afraid I don't have a choice." I whispered, as he dragged me out of the fountain and covered me with his suit jacket.

We sat on a bench in comfortable silence and I fought the urge to speak.

"Thank you." I said, smiling.

"You are welcome." He replied, crossing his legs.

"So what do you do?" I asked, trying to pick up a conversation.

"I don't reply strangers." He replied, smiling softly.

"My suit jacket costs fifty thousand naira. Do you want to do a bank transfer or you have cash on you?" He asked, bringing out his hands.

"I don't want your jacket again." I concluded, removing the dripping jacket from my shoulders.

"I was just joking." He laughed, holding his stomach

"Happy Valentine's day!" He added, shoving a red rose into my wet hands.

"You don't have to give me this." I replied, nodding my head in embarrassment.

"A beautiful and sharp tongued woman deserves more than a rose. What's your name?" He asked, putting his muscular hands on his lap.

"My name is Eniola. Why are you even wearing a suit?" I asked, chuckling lightly.

"A suit is what makes me a gentleman." He replied, winking.

"Thank you for giving me your suit jacket. Sorry it's wet." I said, pouting my lips.

"You can keep it." He replied, getting up on his feets.

"I am sorry, I didn't catch your name." I yelled, smiling like a fool.

"It's James Okafor." He said, wearing the most handsome smile I had ever seen.

Present

"I can see you are awake. Apparently you kept muttering James in your sleep, Are you that obsessed with him? " Ayo said, biting his fingernails.

" It was a beautiful sleep but it would have been awesome if I wasn't strapped to a chair like an animal." I replied, spitting bits of sand.

"You did this to yourself. You chose James. If I can't have you, nobody will." Ayo replied softly, dragging his chair towards mine.

"Are you listening to yourself? Is this love to you? You are holding me against my will. Are you deranged? " I yelled, wriggling in the chair.

"Eniola, you don't understand anything. I never chose this life. Do you think I even wanted to be a lawyer?" Ayo asked, gripping my hands.

"How is that my business? You are a psychotic person and you need help desperately." I retorted, sliding my hands away from his.

Ayo took something that looked like flour. He spread the content on his palm and began to inhale.

It wasn't flour. It was cocaine.

"I wanted to be a chef. But my father would never let me do as I wished. He wanted me to be a lawyer. He always reminds me that I'm never going to be enough. Trying to please him is futile. During one of our numerous fights, he let it slip that I was adopted" Ayo said, folding his arms.

"Why are you telling me this Ayo?" I screamed, as my voice echoed into the night.

"My father doesn't love me and I need someone to love me." Ayo said, rubbing his palms frantically .

Even in my current predicament, I laughed at his words.

"Do you think I will ever love you? After everything you have done, It is James I love. Only James. Forever James." I said, smiling briefly.

"You will learn to love me, Eniola. You must learn to love me." Ayo yelled, stamping his feet on the ground.

" I hate you. Ayo, I hate you so much." I screamed, as tears poured down my face.

"I love you Eniola. You have to understand me. Let me get you a drink." Ayo pleaded, patting me on my shoulders.

I struggled to get out of the ropes which was already loose due to my previous effort. I got out successfully, I felt a rush of adrenaline and I picked up a pace to the gate. I looked back and I didn't see anything. I looked forward and saw the outline of the large gate. I frantically struggled to open the gate. I put a foot out of the gate and I was about to take another step but I was dragged by my legs backwards into the house. My head hit the ground and I screamed in agony.

"You shouldn't have done that, Eniola." Ayo said, with disgust written over his face.

"I will never love you. Get that into your head Ayo." I yelled, gasping  for breath.

Ayo gripped me by the head and dragged me towards the backyard.

"I have a gift for you." Ayo said, smiling with a devilish glint .

"I was told not to collect gifts from kidnappers." I screamed, as my scalp throbbed in pain.

Ayo dropped me on the ground harshly and my head hit a hard surface. I looked up and screamed once more in fear. Ayo clasped a hand around my trembling lips,  I tried to fumble the words out of my mouth but it ended in vain.

This is it.I was going to die.

The thought kept jumbling in my mind as I cried in despair. Ayo pointed at something and my eyes remained fixed at the hard surface in front of me with tears and blood streaming down my face.

A coffin.