MISSING - Episode 3

Eunice walked hurriedly along a dark deserted street, pulling a heavy sack which slightly slowed her pace. She’d stayed longer than planned at Tola’s place, talking with her cousin for close to two hours. She turned at a junction, paused to catch her breath and continued. One more turn down the road and she would be home.

She replayed the day’s events in her mind as she walked, smiling at vivid memory of how Ike’s face lit up around her. It was obvious that he still had feelings for her, but she wasn’t interested in that sort of relationship now. Ike was intense, while Kabir on the flipside was the stereotype young rich playful Hausa dude, who was serving for just the fun of it. His lighthearted personality made it easy for her and everyone else to be carefree with him.

She’d found herself drawing closer to him in recent times, and she was sure Ike had noticed, but she wasn’t bothered.

‘Maybe Ike needs someone to take his mind off me. Hmm…that’s an idea. Now that I think about it, Tola’s sweet on him. They would make a great match.’ She giggled to herself.

A dog barked as she walked past a gated compound, and she jumped, startled, and for the first time took note of her environs. It was eerily quiet and she hadn’t seen any open shop so far. She increased her pace, becoming edgy, because she had never been out this late.

She approached the last corner and spotted a dull flicker of light from the corridor of a closed shop. Her heartbeat quickened when she made out the silhouette of two men standing on its corridor, so she stopped walking. She stared at the kiosk, wondering if she should turn back and take an alternative albeit longer route.

‘I’m too tired to walk back, and this load isn’t helping matters.’

With slight hesitation, she resumed her trek. When she grew closer, she noticed their frenzied gestures, then a voice carried in the still, silent night.

‘Weytin we go run with this guy? If them gbab us nko?’

The words stopped her in her tracks, and it dawned on her that these men weren’t out for just fresh air. They hadn’t seen her, but she knew that if she went any further, they would. If she turned also, she was likely to be seen. So, she tip-toed sideways, drew close to the shop and hid in the shadows.

‘Maybe I should wait here till they leave.’

When she got close to the wall of the shop, she looked again and saw a crouched figure. She strained her eyes to see the face and gave a startled gasp. It was the face of a young man, disfigured, swollen and stained with bloody cuts. Suddenly, a kick landed in his mid-section and he grunted in pain. Eunice clasped her hands to her mouth to stop herself from screaming.

She could hear their conversation better from her vantage point.

She winced as one of the men landed a sudden slap on the already battered face.

‘Na you get mouth go report abi,’ he spat. His was tall and slim, but his voice was deep and echoed in the still night.

Wham! He sent another kick to his midsection.

‘Osa.., abeg…’ he clutched his stomach, keeling over in pain. He lifted one hand and reached out to his assailant for help.

They struck his hand down and it hit the ground firmly.

He cried out in pain and spoke again, his words coming out in short painful bursts.

‘Osa,’ he grunted, ‘I swear…no be me yan the mata.’

The second burly looking guy at his left landed another stinging slap on his face.

At this point, Eunice decided she had seen enough to know that they weren’t telling tales under the moonlight. She needed to leave. She turned away quietly and walked lightly away from the wall. She then remembered that she’d dropped her sack. She paused for a moment then tip-toed back. she stretched her hand to grab it, folding her hand around its handle, then a familiar sound pierced the night air and she froze. Her phone was ringing.

#thriller #fiction #election #nysc #suspense