Written by Chibuzor Iwobi
The job was done and it was only a matter of time before James would stop breathing. He hadn’t anticipated the quick arrival of the police but there was a contingency plan. As the blaring sound of the siren got closer, the psychotic man frantically ran to a corner of the house that had been scouted out several times in the past. Before tonight, he had been inside the house when James was present and also because of his obsession with everything that was Titilope. Since the beginning of his search for girls who looked exactly like her, things had gone way out of control.
He got everything he wanted except for another Titi. James bore an uncanny resemblance with his mother, if James was a woman, he would have been the perfect substitute.
The house was a duplex, in the middle of the compound. A warm hazelnut colour surrounded by a cream coloured fence with a black gate. There was enough space in the front of the house to park three cars at the most; to the left was a small garden with a walk-way that ran though it. An outdoor gym sheltered by an awning stood behind the house and to the right was another space large enough for two cars but instead, a tennis table with a Lister diesel generator behind it. There were two perfect hiding spots for him; behind the generator and a tight corner behind the gym. The generator sat in its own little cement house and was the better option but he couldn’t stand the noise of the generator if he was going to spend over an hour hiding there.
Plus, the smoke emitted from the generator would hand him a fate worse than James’. The tight corner behind the gym was only an option because it was the only place in the compound not illuminated by the security flood lights.
Three officers searched the house for him as per my instructions, as I rushed to the hospital in a bid to save James’ life. They split up, each taking a side of the house and the third, inside of the house. The officer who searched the left side of the house really didn’t do much searching because the security lights had pretty much done his job for him.
“All clear here,” He radioed. “I’ll join you inside the house.”
The search for the culprit lasted for a while and when they gave up, they packed up and left. He was filled with astonishment and relief due to how he easily evaded the police. With his head up high, he walked out of the premises casually with a great sense of achievement.
“Too easy,” He sighed, as he casually walked down the long silent road undetected.
The next two months were unbearable for him. He was very emotional and unstable all through because killing Titilope without the omniscient ceremony he had planned for her transcendence broke his heart. It felt like all his years of patiently waiting were a waste of time. She deserved a befitting and beautiful funeral. He regretted his actions every single day and was angry with himself. For the first time in a very longtime, he was purposeless and all that idle time did more harm than good. Again, he went in search of woman who reminded him of Titilope.
Either they had the beautiful personality she had or they were just as beautiful as she was. Never both. He failed in his search, he couldn’t find the perfect one. They all had one or two flaws and he couldn’t do with that.
It suddenly dawned on him that he was just going to be as average as every other Lagosian. In a bid to repurpose his life, he spent time creating a connection with Titilope’s death and a third party. The perfect way to awakening his bloodlust.
“It’s not my fault. It never was. How didn’t I see this? It’s all because of Alfred,” He said to himself. “I had to take action.” Walking around his bedroom, soliloquising, “If only James hadn’t involved that man, I wouldn’t have made such drastic move. It is actually James’ fault but I can’t kill a dead man.” Suddenly, almost like a bulb had been lit in his head, “But, I can kill…”
“Dad,” a feminine voice called, interrupting him.
It was his ten-year-old daughter, Amina. In the eyes of his darling girl, he was the father of the year. After losing his wife to childbirth, in her honour, he named their precious bundle after her. He lived a pretty normal life when he wasn’t murdering people and had mastered how to balance killing and his family. Amina was the carbon copy of her mother. She had a smooth round face, long black silky hair, a petite nose and thin pink lips. She stood at five feet and an inch and was certainly more mature than her peers in terms of her physique.
“Yes, my darling,” He replied.
“Are you okay, Dad?” She asked.
“Of “course I am,” He replied. “Why?”
“I heard you talking to yourself again,” She replied, sounding worried.
The look on her face made his heart sink. He hated that he made her worry so much at such a young. At that moment, he promised to put an end to his dark side.
“Everything is okay.” He kissed her on the forehead and tickled her right bellow her armpits.
She let out a very loud, cute laugh that made his eyes water. Everything she did reminded him of her mother.
Only if you could see how beautiful our daughter is, he thought.
Another two months went by and he was different this time; purposeful and driven. Feeling alive once again, he knew it was the right time to implement his plan. He wasn’t going to rest till he killed me but not before toying with me first. He spent an awful lot of his time watching me, writing down in a book everything he studied about me and my family and when he was satisfied with what he had, he began with phase two of his plan which was monitoring the police station. Everyday, he would park his car opposite the police station, right beside the market.
Day by day, he was more determined to achieve his goal and a couple of days after, he decided to no longer waste time and enter the station.
Upon entering, he was welcomed by three officers at the counter; two men and a woman.
“Good afternoon,” He greeted, smiling.
“What do you want, sir?” The woman asked, sounding rude.
It irked him but he had to stay focused.
“Nothing,” He said, making them angry. “Actually, I just came here to honour you all. I want to thank you for your handiwork.”
He placed a Mr. Biggs bag on the table.
“This is just a small token of my gratitude. Police officers aren’t appreciated enough,” He continued.
They all rushed for the bagged with the woman winning the race. She opened it and there were snacks enough to feed ten people.
“Ahhhh! Thank you oh! Oga at the top,” One of the men expressed gratitude and saluted.
“It’s nothing,” He replied and saluted back. “Have a good day.”
He walked away with a smile on his face.
Two days after, he returned to the police station with the same thing he brought the last time but with a little more.
“Oga, welcome!” The shorter of the men greeted.
“How una dey?” He asked, being on his best behaviour.
“We dey kampe!” They replied, in Unison.
He smiled at them. It was all going according to plan.
“I bin dey the area. I say make I just greet una,” He said, still smiling.
He handed them the bag.
“Oga, you too good,” The woman replied.
He waved at them and walked away.
Four days after, he returned but only met the female officer.
“Where the men dey?” He asked.
“Them don waka do something,” She replied.
“Okay,” He replied and placed a Mr Biggs bag on the table. “Is Alfred around?”
“No,” She replied, shaking her head. “E never too tey since hin comot.”
I know, he thought.
“And I bin wan greet am,” He said, sounding sad.
“I go tell am say you show face,” She said.
“No,” He replied. “I wan surprise am.”
She didn’t say anything.
“You fit help me?” He asked.
She nodded her head.
“I wan give am this message” He said, bringing out a piece of paper from his pocket.
“Make I give am?” She asked.
“I wan give am myself,” He replied.
By now, she was already munching on her second doughnut and hurriedly gulping her drink.
“But him don comot, Oga,” She reminded him.
“I know. But the surprise go sweet if I put am for hin desk,” He responded. “You fit show me hin office, make I do am?”
She hesitated for a while and then nodded her head.
“Na only because you be my Oga o!” She replied.
He smiled. “Thank you, you too much.”
She led him to the office and stood outside as he did what he wanted to do. It was early in the morning and most of the officers weren’t at their desks. He pulled open a drawer in the desk and shook with fear once he saw the sketch laying in it. He took it out and replaced it with the note he had written for me.
“Game over,” He whispered under his breath.
Written by Chibuzor Iwobi
Edited By Olamide (@Miss_Ola_D) & Gbadebo (@Oaa148)
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