The initiation process is more gruesome than those in the stories my teachers told. I've been on bed rest for three months. At the point of death in the first month, wishing to die in the second month, and now. It's my first day outside school. Wale my bunk mate, popularly called Lexy, had been amazed that I had never been to a cinema before and had decided that today had to be the day. We dress up in our black shirts as is customary to our brotherhood, and accompany it with anything red. Lexy goes for red shoes. I just hang my red face towel in my back pocket. We take a cab and are there in fifteen minutes. Wow! This place is just like heaven. We walk towards the escalator. I recognise it from the movies I watched from our neighbour's window back in our town, which was also where I learned to speak well. Most people say I speak like an ajebutter. Good to know. Pidgin still remains my first love though. The movie is over. One of the greatest movies in this life, I swear! I can't remember the name. Something about America. No, the white house.
Mehn! These Oyinbo people are good. But right now I'm hungry. Lexy is on the phone as usual. I look around. Are all these girls Nigerian? Especially the ones in my school. They all have beautiful long hair (Lexy says its fake hair though), different colours of eyes, fair skin and lovely nails. I would be insane to think such girls would actually fancy me. "O'boy, na Island sure pass," Lexy says, now off the phone. "How far?" I ask.
"There's a party tonight." "Is it free?" I ask again. "Only for the ladies. But no worry guy. You no know say you be confra boy? Doors gotta open for you." So I follow him to the party. We walk all the way to the back where there are sets of comfortable looking sofas. "Your bill is on the brotherhood," Lexy whispers and disappears. I know our policy. The brotherhood takes care of new initiates for about three months after recovery, after which they will have to 'sustain themselves'.
Sounds like a fair deal to me. I didn't take those cuts and stabs for nothing.
I spot a beauty. Wow! She has got to be a mermaid. I have never seen such beauty, hair, complexion and figure before. Plus, her dress is not helping matters. It barely covers her breasts and I can see almost all, if not all her fresh long legs. I walk towards her and squat in front of her, struggling to
keep my eyes above her thighs and chest. "Now why will a pretty lady like you be sitting alone?" I hope this works. It's my first time. Well, maybe not.
There was Amara in my final year of secondary school. She was and still is the love of my life. I'll go back to her someday. With a car. "Waiting for Mr. Right." The mermaid replies, batting her eyelashes in the most appealing way. "Well, your wait is over. And sorry I took so long." Looks like its working. "May I sit?" "Sure," she smiles.
I rise to take my seat and… Who is this guy? Didn't he see I was about to sit there? "Bros, how far?" I query him. "I was about to sit there."
"Me too. But I guess I was faster." He scoffs. Well, this is awkward. I can't walk away and I can't keep standing. Then I hear Lexy's voice in my head.
"You be confra boy now o." I decide to try the trick he taught me. He says only guys understand. Ladies have no clue. So I lean closer to the guy, bring out my red towel and wipe my neck. "I said," I spoke in a firmer but cooler tone, "I was about to sit there!"
His eyes widen at the red towel. He scoots away without a word. Lexy didn't lie, the girl is clueless. "Where were we?" I ask confidently. I've won her heart. I think we emptied a lot of bottles. I can't remember. And we danced too. But right now we are at this motel. "Fifteen thousand for a night," comes the voice from the counter. I hand him the card Lexy gave me. "Your pin sir." I punch in the
digits and lead my mermaid to our nest.
***
There's something not right about tonight. This is not our first robbery operation, so why does it feel different? Maybe it is because everyone in the car is panicking. We are in Jay's car. He's Lexy's elder brother and also the leader of the brotherhood. Traffic is at a stand still, but that's not the cause of
the tension. It has to be the siren. We are stuck in traffic with a patrol van not so far behind. It's only a matter of time before police officers exit the van to attempt to ease out the traffic. And a black SUV with tinted glass and four grown men all dressed in black sure does look suspicious. We start to pray.
Each one to himself. Traffic is stubborn. A lot of impatient drivers honking, especially the one in front of us. He or she seems in a big hurry. "This dude should just calm the hell down," Jay blurts, as if trying to calm his own self down. He looks to his younger brother and then to me. "Wetin do you KC?" "I'm okay," I reply, not taking my eyes off the road. The boys on the sidewalk catch my attention, with their bottles of soapy water and wipers each. Why are they working so late? Extra money I suppose. I wonder if they desire wealth as much as I did when I was in their shoes. Time passed.
The impatient driver of the car in front of us steps out to survey the traffic situation. I can tell he is cursing. He looks familiar. Maybe I've met him at a club. I wouldn't remember though. He goes back in. God please let this traffic just move. Even if we have to cancel this operation. The boys end their
meeting on the sidewalk and get to work. I reach for a five hundred naira note as one of the boys squirts soapy water on our wind screen. "Let the boy earn his money." I stop Jay from turning on the car wiper. I knock on my window to summon the boy and then lower the glass a bit to hand him the money. I watch him float merrily to the impatient driver's car. He is skilled. I shift my gaze to the rear view to scout for the van when suddenly, out of the corner of my eyes, I spy something. I close my eyes. I feel like I have been bitten by a mad man. My blood is boiling. Breathe KC, breathe. It's most likely your imagination. I open my eyes the same second as the little boy goes crashing hard on the ground.
"Beggar!" Came a voice from that car. My body begins to move of its own accord. "Oh shit!" Lexy understands. "KC abeg. KC please don't do this. For the love of Christ KC. KC!!" My left
hand opens the door. My right hand goes into the left side of my jacket and rests on my firearm. My legs move me swiftly to his window. I knock. He ignores. So I knock again. With my gun. I break a tear. It's him. He still looks like me. "Who is begging now?" I lodge a bullet in his head. Right where mine hit the ground the day he pushed me.
***
"Hey you!" The Police officer points in my direction. "Me?" I ask, looking behind and around at other inmates.
"No. My twin brother. My friend stand up, you have a visitor."
I stand up, stagger a bit and then begin to limp towards him. I haven't quite healed from the bullets I took the night we were caught. I took two in my left leg. Jay took one in the shoulder and three in the waist. He is in intensive care. But I know they will bring him here when he recovers. Curtis got
away. Lexy took two in the head. That still haunts me.
The Police officer half drags me into this small room that has only a small table and two chairs at opposite ends of it. My eyes have not yet adjusted to the light. He dumps me in the empty seat. I bury my face and begin to weep. I can't look at mama. All she ever did was try to give me a good life. I just wanted to repay her. I didn't think it would end this way. I can hear her crying too. It kills me.
"You didn't have to," the lady speaks.
"Amara!" I can't believe it.
"You were every woman's dream. For a son. For a lover too." Her tears have dried up. "Mama is dead." She avoids my face. "She had been nursing a stroke for a while when the news of your being here came. That was it."
I didn't think I could feel any more despair until now. Everything was suddenly turning black. Amara's tears return.
"But you know what Kachi? I was there with her. Waiting for you. Willing to forgive you, no matter
how bad I was hurt. Willing to…" her voice ceases. She swallows hard. "Willing to love you Kachi.
Whenever or however you would've returned. Rich or poor."
I can't speak. I'm weak with weeping. The news of my mother's death will kill me. My only family. My first love. Well, before Amara.
"How long did they give you?" Then she answers herself. "I mean, you killed him. So that should be life imprisonment." She searches my face with a hint of hope.
"Twenty-five years with hard labour," I mutter. "The little boy he pushed sustained internal head injuries and is in critical condition. His parents pleaded on my behalf." She starts to cry as if in anticipation of my request. "Amarachi," I start. "God, no! Kachi just stop!" "Amarachi, please." I reach out and place my cuffed hands on hers. "Where do I begin after twenty years? Amara you are all I have. Please!" I go down on my knees. Both of us now weeping. "I know you still love me Amara. You've waited three years for me, why end it now? I know twenty-five years is a long time, but it will soon be over and we'll both be happy. Please." I bring her fists to my face and drench them in tears and kisses.
"No, no, no, Kachi, no," she recites, shaking her head like there is a war in it.
"Time up!" comes the Officer's voice. He stomps in, lifts me out of the chair and begins to half drag me out. I take one step outside that room.
"I LOVE YOU KACHI!!" It's the last thing I hear. It's all I really need.
Curled from: vinemag.com
About The Author:
Onwuka Princess, popularly known as Princess Onkar, is currently studying Chemistry at the University of Lagos. She is a poet and a writer. She
tweets via @princy_ella1
No comments:
Post a Comment