New Telegraph

Different strokes…

Jay was on his fourth bottle of beer. He was seated alone in a dark corner in the joint where he ended his impromptu race. Whenever he thought of Debola, fear would grip him.

 

He could remember the deep, seamless eyes that seemed like they would swallow him. He shuddered.

 

He had never felt that way before. Something just didn’t feel right with Debola, as if she was taken over by a strange spirit. There was something eerie about her.

 

Then, a pungent odour filled his office as she came out of the convenience. When he raised his head in surprise, it was obvious she didn’t smell a thing because she was smiling at him.

 

As she moved towards him, the odour became stronger, threatening to suffocate him. That was why he bolted from his office and sprained his ankle on the stairway.

 

He had made a stop at a pharmacy and was given some painkillers and had some ointment applied on his ankle. He was to apply the ointment four times a day until the pain disappeared. He smiled as he poured the golden liquid into the glass.

 

He wasn’t supposed to be taking alcohol. But then, he needed it to steady his nerves. He was sure of one thing today, he didn’t want Debola. Pregnancy or no pregnancy, it was over between them. His phone rang. It was Meg. “Sir, Madam Debola has gone,” she said.

 

“Oh, that’s good. If I’m not back at your closing time, lock my office,” he told her and ended the call. He had no intention of leaving that hangout before dusk. He would wait until bedtime before leaving.

He moved over to the sport bar where a match between Borrussia Dortmund and Monaco was being screened. It was more lively than the corner where he sat earlier. He met some diehards who were in argument.

 

He joined them in the soccer discussion and didn’t check the time until it was close to midnight. By the time he got to the street, everywhere was deserted.

 

He noticed that his security man wanted to tell him something. He was saying something about a madman and wife, but Jay wasn’t in the mood to listen to any story. He waved the security man away and lurched to his apartment. He was tipsy; he had not taken beer in a while and overdid it today.

 

Whatever he had to say would wait. He had a hurried shower and went to bed. He slept off almost immediately his head touched his pillow.

……………………

 

Jay ran as he had never done in his life before. A man was chasing him. The man was muttering something. He thought he heard something like, “My wife. Give me my wife My wife…”

He ran blindly, not knowing where he was going. All he knew was that he had to run as fast as his legs could carry him. But no matter how fast he ran, the footsteps in hot pursuit were only some paces away.

 

He turned the corner of a street and heard a guffaw behind him. He turned to look at whoever was laughing only to be confronted by a madman with red teeth. He doubled his pace and ran behind a boulder.

 

He hid behind it and was about to close his eyes when he felt a hand close to his neck and he shrieked. Jay jumped up and looked around wildly. He had been dreaming! But why dream about a madman? He lay back his head on the pillow…


The madman dogged Debola’s footsteps. Few people had noticed and were looking at them.

Debola looked back The security man in Jay’s house was watching them and her heart nearly stopped beating. What if he relayed what he saw to Jay? She resolved to lead her unwanted follower as far away from any familiar ground as possible. She increased her pace.

 

She knew that the easiest thing for her to do would be to flag down a cab. Several cabs had driven past her but she knew that the madman could level up with her any moment if she slowed down. She decided to put as much gap as possible between them.

 

Then, she would flag down a cab and jump into it before talking destination and price with the cabbie. She ignored the people looking at them, determined to get to the next street.

 

Suddenly, she remembered that she had a shawl round her neck. She took it and casually draped it over her head and neck. That way, people wouldn’t see her face. She moved with more confidence. Her phone rang and she answered the call from Aunty Prophetess.

 

“Aunty, I’m on my way. I’m looking for a cab,” she said. “Hope you’ve shaken him off?” She asked. “Nooo. He’s still following me. But once I get a cab now, I’ll jump into it before negotiating,” Debola said. “Please do and fast. The more time he spends with you, the more difficult it becomes to fix the problem,” the prophetess said.

 

Debola casually looked back and noticed the madman was mimicking her again. The good thing was that he had slowed down a bit.

 

Debola doubled her strides. She saw a cab approaching from the opposite direction and waved to him. She just prayed that the driver would stop where it would be easy for her to cross the the road to meet him. But no.

The cabbie stopped opposite the madman. She swore under her breath and moved on.

The cabbie honked his horn but that only drew the attention of the madman who turned and watched him.

Debola quickened her pace again. In no time, a cab negotiated a bend just a few paces away and she quickly flagged it down.

 

She was inside the cab before the cabbie knew what was happening. She needn’t tell the cabbie to move before he did.

 

The cabbie screeched off, apologising. “What was that for?” She screamed. But just then, she noticed that the madman was already beside the cab and had stretched his hand to grab the door knob. Did he fly? He was a good distance away from her a moment ago! Mad people and their powers!

 

“I’m sorry ma’am. I noticed that the madman wanted to open the door,” the cabbie apologised. Need he apologise? Debola murmured something and yawned. A wave of tiredness suddenly washed over her. She gave the cabbie her destination address and they talked price.

 

As she made to relax, the cabbie asked, “Er…er…do you know him ma’am?” “Who?”

 

Debola asked. “Er…the madman is following us,” the cabbie said. Debola turned and yes, the madman was running after the cab.

 

“How would I know a madman?” She asked irritably. She hoped her tone fooled the cabbie, meanwhile, she was praying inside her that the madman didn’t catch up with them for traffic was building up and they weren’t moving fast enough. “I’m sorry ma’am,” the cabbie apologised. She had no rest of mind.

 

She was glancing back half of the time as they weaved through the traffic. Not until they had moved a good distance and the traffic was moving freely did she relax. By then, she was having a terrible headache.

 

How would she get Jay to accept this pregnancy? No doubt, he was responsible and he knew. Debola knew that it was only the pregnancy that she could use to have a hold on him. Let her get out of this madman’s palaver first. Aunty prophetess called again to know where she was.

 

She informed Debola that she was already in her (Debola’s) house, waiting for her. Debola’s head was throbbing by the time she alighted from the cab at home. Aunty prophetess was waiting for her at the gate. Debola wobbled into her apartment and flopped on the couch, clutching her tummy. She felt dizzy. Aunty prophetess, alarmed, rushed to her.

 

“What’s the problem?” She asked. “I…I…my tummy,” she forced the words out. “What’s wrong with your tummy?” Prophetess asked. Suddenly, she clutched her tummy, screamed and collapsed on the floor. Prophetess rushed to her, tried to prop her up and screamed…

 


 

Adele and Bolan were back from the UAE. It was a memorable time together. It was Adele’s first time of going on a vacation with a man that truly loved her… and she loved him.

 

The Residence Armani experience was one she would cherish for ever. Bolan, who was sitting on a reclining chair in his private sitting room, smiled at her. She smiled back and she shrugged the house coat off her shoulders, revealing her well sculpted body. She had nothing underneath…

 


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Let’s continue this journey on Sunday!

 

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