THE UNION

NGOZI HEAD

A young Ngozi is in her room watching TV, it was midnight and she knew what always happened during midnight especially during weekends. She was waiting patiently and was also scared, Samson walks in and closes the door gently.

"Dad, you're back." Ngozi says, she stood up and moved closer to hug him her hands and feet's were shaking.

"Let's get started dear." Samson whispered to her ear, Ngozi knew what her father meant she quickly lay down on the bed, tears filled her eyes. She was defenseless and couldn't do anything, she just stared at her father waiting for him to finish up what he was about to start.

Ngozi wakes up and screams, she was in a park and all she could remember was that Samson was in between her legs. Her head was hurting her really bad and she struggled to stand up after several minutes of grunting and thinking about what happened at her in the Gok house she stands up, there was no one at the park but looking at the place it brought a lot of memories back to Ngozi, she recognized this park and had been there but she couldn't remember when. All her fifteen imaginary friends suddenly appear around her, they all looked concern.

"What? How are all of you here?" She asked, she was confused about what was going on, a young lady holding a quiver and arrow wearing a cupid themed dress moves closer to Ngozi.

"The amulet saved you." The lady says.

"It's been awhile since I summoned you Cupid, so many mistakes have made." Ngozi says disappointed, she had abandoned most of the imaginary friends she felt she outgrown and was too old for, she created Cupid when she still believed in love but that thought was cleared off her mind due to multiple reasons, the imaginary friends pushes Huffcupp to talk he was the first imaginary friend and they automatically made him a leader.

"The amulet was protecting you, those heroes were trying to make you lose your mind but the amulet sucked your mind inside it. Your body remains soulless." Huffcupp says, the whole scenario was strange but hoped she'll understand.

"Huh? And why did the amulet decide to put me in a park?" Ngozi was still trying to remember how she knew this park.

"Your memories are shattered around the amulet, both good and bad. It's time to go back to the surface Ngozi." Huffcupp stretches his hand wanting to lead her back to her body but she rejects the offer.

"No! You guys have no idea what it's like up there, just give me sometime to think about it." Ngozi runs off into the deep ends of the park.

Richard and Gboyega stand beside Ngozi's soulless body thinking of what to do, Richard was more worried about her he had been saying different ideas to Gboyega but none worked to wake Ngozi up.

"There's clearly nothing physically wrong with her, she doesn't have any bruises or wounds on her body." Richard says, he was scared what if he couldn't get her back or save her, he would blame himself for everything.

"Just stay calm, I'm sure something will turn up." Gboyega says, trying to cool the mood.

"You don't get it, this isn't something that I can just drink or smoke and forget about, someone I care about is in pain and I can't just sit around and do nothing." Richard says and wondered what he could do to help her, he didn't want to lose her. Richard looked into her amulet, he concentrated on it and he sees a red light rolling around it, he touches it and all of a sudden he knocks down.

"Richard!" Gboyega screams and runs toward him.

"What do I do?" He wonders as both his friends are unconscious.

Richard wakes up in the same park Ngozi was in, he looks around and finds the imaginary friends around him. Richard gets up and tries to teleport out of the park but he couldn't feel his powers.

"What are you doing here? Take him away." Huffcupp says boldly and punches Richard on the face.

In 2011,Ngozi is using a knife to cut tubers of yam to prepare for Samson.

"It's going to be fine Ngozi." Ngozi said to herself quietly, as she grew older she was coming to the realization that her father would never stop doing this thus she planned to escape. Samson walked in to get a bottle of water and stood beside her, breathing heavily on her chest, Ngozi quickly moves to the counter of the kitchen to pick up a plate, she was shivering and she slipped on the ground and the plate breaks.

"Stupid girl!" Samson shouts at the top of his voice, he grabs Ngozi neck and slaps on her on the different sides of her face cheeks.

"I didn't....... Mean........" Ngozi stutters.

"That's enough! You're already in trouble today, unbutton your stupid cloth!" Samson says at the top of his voice, Ngozi pretended to unbutton her shirt but she wasn't she wanted to protect herself for the first time.

"Don't play games with me." Samson picked up the knife and used it cut her clothes, he threw the knife away and as he was about to tear down her bra with his hands, Ngozi felt a form anger something she had never felt before the kitchen was covered in a black mist. Samson jumps away from Ngozi body, they both heard the disoriented voice of a woman laughing. Tina appeared behind Papa, she was finally born and she quickly without hesitation snaps Samson neck killing him. She stared at Ngozi for a second, Ngozi felt a dark energy inside her she had never created any of her imaginary friends with a bad emotion, her lips started to tremble as she burst into tears. Tina laughs manically and vanishes in a dark mist, Ngozi quickly snaps back into reality she stared at her father's dead body thinking of what to do. A woman barges into the house after hearing all the noises, she was their neighbor and had knew what was going on for awhile now she had tried to report the whole situation before but was threatened by Samson.

"You were never here dear, get out of here quickly." She says happy that Samson was gone for good, Ngozi picks a shirt laying on the kitchen ground and runs out of the house.

She runs to the main road not looking around for cars coming her way, she just wanted to get far away from her house, she accidentally bumps into a black jeep knocking her down. Papa and Chong come out of the car, Chong looked concerned while Papa didn't even bother to look at the person they hit.

"She's still breathing, what do we do with her?" Chong asked, he was worried.

"Let's just dump her at some hospital, I don't have time..........." Papa glances through Ngozi and is fascinated by her amulet. "No, let's take her home with us." Papa quickly retraced his statement.

They arrive at Papa's house, Chong drops her on a chair. He places his hand on her forehead and her body glows up in a green colour for some seconds. Ayo, Richard and Gboyega walk in to welcome Papa.

"Welcome back home Papa, Chong it's been years since we've seen you." Ayo said, he was jealous that Papa and Chong were spending time together.

"Who's he?" Gboyega asked, he had just gotten to Papa's house this year.

"That is Chong, he lives here to but he isn't always stable." Richard explained to Gboyega, Papa's whispers to Chong and he stays away from the team.

"It's been quite a night, as for the lady I'll explain to you................" Papa goes on explaining how he found Ngozi.

A hour later, Ngozi wakes up. She was scared and confused she looked around the house it felt cozy but she wanted to get out, Gboyega walks to her while holding a plate of rice.

"Who are you? Where I'm I? What I'm I doing here?" Ngozi says swiftly, she tried to use the powers she felt while she was in Samson's house but she couldn't feel anything.

"I can explain but you'll need to eat, you look weak." Gboyega moved closer to her trying to comfort her but looking at him the only thing she thought of was her father, she hits him on the face with her hand.

"Stay away from me monster! Stay away." She shouts, Gboyega couldn't handle himself by what she said to him and the plate melts. Richard walks in.

"Sorry for trying to help." Gboyega runs off to his room still bothered about Ngozi calling him a monster.

"I just want to get out of here." Her voice shakens, she was scared tears filled her eyes and she was breaking down.

"You bumped into the car of the owner of this house, he brought you here to help you I guess." Richard says, he glanced at her from head to toe and knew she wasn't fine.

"You look really bad, you should at least eat something." Richard says gently, Ngozi sits on a chair realizing what really happened

.

"I'm fine, I just want to head out of here." Ngozi says, in her head she was thinking of where she'll go to, she had no home or anyone to go to.

"Hey, trust me when I say I know someone who just ran away from home. So just sit and relax." Richard said calmly, Ngozi then nods to the positive.

In the present, Ngozi lays on the ground, facing a lake and the beautiful sunset. She looked around this beautiful world and felt happy to be in it, there was no sort of distraction like work, friends and so on but her father kept hitting her thoughts, she wanted to open up to someone especially Richard but she had no idea how she was going to explain, she was tired of hiding her feelings and just let everything out in front of Richard but was scared, Tina walks up to her and lay beside her.

"You're lucky to be here, very lucky." Ngozi says and turns to the left to face Tina.

"It's not always like that, we all have our base and mine is constant reminder..........." Ngozi interrupts Tina before she could finish.

"About what happened to me, I can't quite get it off my head to." Ngozi wonders what she'll do to help herself, she sighs.

"I have a idea, there's this place in the amulet where your bad memories exist. It's called the Casket, if you can confront your past and defeat it then you'll be free from this torture." Tina says, Ngozi stands up interested in this Casket thing, she'll do anything to get her father off her mind.

"How do you know about it?" Ngozi was curious, she wanted to take off right now to find the casket.

"It's around my base that's why I know much about it but I can't go in cause I'm not real. I can take you there but you'll have to confront a lot of bad memories." Tina stands up and grabs Ngozi hand, she knew what was down there and it wasn't good at all, regrets quickly flooded her mind for even telling Ngozi about it.

"Take me there." Ngozi says boldy ready and determined to clear her dad off her mind.

Richard wakes up in a cell, he tried to open the door but it was locked and made of steel. He cries out for help, after shouting for several minutes, he lays back on the floor hoping someone will find him, he hears the cell door getting opened Richard gets excited hoping that Ngozi had come to find him but to his surprise it was Huffcupp.

"If it isn't the person that locked me up." Richard says disappointed, he sat back on the floor waiting for Ngozi to show up.

"I'm sorry for what I did, I was just following orders." Huffcupp begged, he needed Richard help.

"I wish there was a lot of time to explain but I need your help, Ngozi is in danger." Richard quickly gets up, he thought she was fine when he landed in this new world.

"What happened to her?" Richard moved closer to Huffcupp, he wasn't as tall as the gorilla so he raised his head up to look at Huffcupp to try and feel intimidating.

"I don't know, I sent the other imaginary friends to go look for her but they couldn't find her. We need to get to her before............... She goes to the wrong place." Huffcupp walks out, Richard follows him and continues to question him.

Two days later after Ngozi was found by Papa, she settles in his house hoping this could be her temporary home until she actually finds a way to set herself up, she leaves her room and walks down to the dining to join the others she also planned to apologize to Gboyega. She gets to the dining and spots the team talking as she was about to walk up to them she hears Gboyega mention her name.

"They're talking about me?" She says to herself, she summoned Daisy who was her gossip friend and confronts her with what she feels.

"Can you see those fools? They're clearly saying terrible things about me." She says disheartened.

"I doubt that, I could help you listen and report back." Daisy says hoping Ngozi won't give up a perfect chance in finally having a family.

"There's no need, no one cares about me." Ngozi says and runs back to her room.

The boys were truly talking about Ngozi but not in the way she thought.

"I just feel like she needs time to blend in, we all needed time." Richard says after Gboyega made a complaint about her.

"Agreed, where is she and Chong by the way?" Ayo asked, he didn't trust Chong and couldn't stand him.

"Chong has been in his room meditating for hours, I'll check on Ngozi." Richard says and leaves the others, he wanted Ngozi to blend in so bad. He goes to the front of her door and knocks on her door, Ngozi gently opens it.

"What are you doing here?" She was shocked to see him after what she thought he was saying about her.

"I....... Just came to see how you were doing, I know it's hard to fit in a house filled with........ Men and you're like the only........... Lady.........." She quickly shuts Richard up, Richard felt embarrassed but Ngozi was giggling.

"Thanks, I'm not planning to stay for long. I'll head out soon." Ngozi says, she felt more comfortable around Richard.

"No one is, we're all just trying to get better." They both stared at each other, the conversation wasn't going anywhere and Richard still wanted to talk to her.

"I know it's to early but what made you run away from your house?" Ngozi didn't feel comfortable with this question, she had planned to keep everything about herself a secret from these people she had just met.

"I don't feel comfortable talking about it, thanks." Ngozi said firmly, she retraced her steps back to her room and goes behind her door.

"Hey it's alright, my parents made me ran away. They almost drove me crazy." Richard says he wanted to be careful with the way he talked not wanting to reveal a lot about his past to her he then stepped back too, she wondered if Richard was a telepath that he knew her father made her run away.

"Same." She responds and moves away from the door.

"It's going to be fine." Richard says gently moving closer to he Huffcupp suddenly appears behind Richard and growls at the top of his voice.

"Stay away from her!" The gorilla shouted, Richard slowly turned around and jumps out of fright when he sees a huge white gorilla standing behind him.

"f**k!" Richard shouts and runs away from the hallway.

"It's my job to protect you and I clearly don't trust that kid." Huffcupp says loudly and vanishes.

In the present, Ngozi and Tina walk down a dark forest filled with dark sounds making sounds around the forest, Ngozi trembled a bit but Tina wasn't scared by this she was literally born at this spot, Tina stops and moves to a bungalow building that looked exactly like Samson's house.

"This is my bus stop, just continue to walk down the forest and you'll find your way to the Casket." Tina says and enters the house, Ngozi heard screaming of her young self and her father, she quickly moves far away from the building.

"I can do this." Ngozi says to herself, she exhales out deeply and thinks of how she'll be happy if she can be free from the clutches from her father, this gave her confidence. Ngozi runs deep inside the forest, a huge wave of wind blows toward her she struggles to move forward as the wind pushes her back, she hides behind a tree and sits on the ground. Minutes later, Ngozi doesn't hear the sound of anything, the whole forest was quite and as she gets up to start moving again the whole forest suddenly changes to a hallway filled with different doors, each door had a tag on it with scenario of Ngozi's past, she starts moving confidently looking for the Casket.

Richard and Huffcupp walk down another forest unlike the dark one this forest was filled with beautiful trees and different animals, they've been going around this forest for awhile now and Richard was fascinated about all these things living inside the amulet.

"This place is beautiful, why can't you just let Ngozi wait here till she's like ready to come back?" Richard wanted what was best for Ngozi, he also knew that the surface was a pretty shitty place.

"It'll be great if she stays here but this place is also dangerous, Ngozi mind is a very dangerous place and she can't be here. I've spent all my life here and I know everything about this place, Ngozi is heading to a place of doom." Huffcupp says.

"I don't understand, explain." Richard stops walking, he wanted to know what was going on he got really worried about Ngozi.

"I can't find Ngozi anywhere, I'm pretty sure she's going to the Casket and the Casket is a place where you face your biggest fear. There's no way Ngozi can overcome what she's going through." Huffcupp says disheartened, he feared he couldn't save her on time.

"And what happens if she doesn't overcome it?" Richard asked but Huffcupp doesn't respond, the gorilla faces his head down.

"She'll get destroyed here and become a soulless body forever in the real world." Huffcupp says and moves forward, after walking for few minutes he stops.

"We're here." Huffcupp says boldy, a huge blue forcefield is right in front of them. Huffcupp touches the forcefield and it opens up gently, they both pass through the force field and the forest in front of them changes into a hallway with different doors.

"We have to pass the easy way to get to Ngozi, jumping from memory to memory." Huffcupp says and opens one of the door, inside is a white light shining really bright, they couldn't see what was inside.

"Isn't this like invasion of privacy?" Richard knew that Ngozi didn't like talking about her past so didn't feel comfortable going in.

"Don't worry, it's the good memories that are in these doors." Huffcupp says and drags Richard inside. Richard screams in pain due to the powerful light hurting his eyes, he quickly closes his eyes without looking at where he was.

"Seems like I'm blind." Richard voice shakes as he squeezed his eyes really tight.

"Just open your eyes." Richard hears a disoriented voice of Huffcupp, he also heard sounds of people talking and cars moving. He wondered where he was and quickly opens his eyes.

"f**k!" Richard yells as a truck is moving towards him with full speed, he was standing at the middle of a road, he couldn't access his powers. The truck was very close to him, Richard life flashed right before his eyes and a lot of different thoughts started hitting him, a quick thought hit him that was his purpose his life apart from drinking, smoking and sleeping with women. The truck goes through Richard but surprisingly he is fine, the truck had no effect on him Richard first thought he was dead then later thought he had gotten another power.

"You're fine boy, this place isn't real. It's a fragment of Ngozi memory." Huffcupp wanders around. Richard exhales heavily and remembers this particular roadside.

"I know this place, this was when I and Ngozi were going for our first date. Too bad it ended so soon." Richard says to himself, he looks around for Huffcupp and sees he is very far from him.

"Hold up." Richard runs to Huffcupp as they continue their journey to get to Ngozi.

In the memory, Richard and Ngozi walk around the roadside talking and smiling. This was Ngozi first date with anyone and she wanted to make the best impression

.

"I just had to go, my parents weren't the best really wish I could go into the details but I'm not.............." Richard slows down as he talks, he just told her about his childhood.

"A fan of sharing my past." Richard says.

"Me too, maybe as time goes on we might trust each other we can always work on it together." Ngozi says swiftly, they both wanted to pour their heart out but Ngozi couldn't just trust anyone while Richard didn't want to show any signs of feelings.

In the present,Ngozi walks down the hall, a huge wave of bad memories flooded her mind due to where she was, she felt pain, misery, guilt and so much more. She grabbed her head thinking about all her life choices how she could have been happier in life if she opened up to people who actually cared for her, if she learnt her powers and so many more. She hears disoriented voices of Richard and thought of how both of them were at the breaking point of their relationship. She sees a lady wearing a hood standing at a distance, Ngozi quickly recognized who she was.

"Miss Vicious?" Ngozi moved closer to the hooded figure, she hadn't summoned this her particular imaginary friend for a very long time.

"So you remember me?" The lady removes the hood around her, she had different scars on her bodies and a metal claw for a hand.

"Why wouldn't I? I created you when my principal wanted to get information about my past, I needed a imaginary friend that was going to guide my secrets at all cost." Ngozi says, she remembered vividly.

"Yes and after summoning me for like two other things, you left me here. This is my base I guide your memories and I'm pretty sure you're looking for the Casket, follow me." Miss Vicious voice was quite deep, she didn't bother to wait for Ngozi's reply she turned around and walked towards the Casket, Ngozi followed behind her gently.

In one of her memories, Richard and Ngozi are arguing in a apartment, they've moved together and their differences are breaking them apart.

"We don't talk Ngozi, it's always quiet most times." Richard says, they've still haven't said anything about their past.

"You don't say anything to me too, I really want us to work things out but how?" Ngozi says calmly while sitting on the chair.

"I honestly don't know, we've not even had s*x before or kiss cause you're not still ready can you tell me why?" Richard says, he sits beside Ngozi.

"You've never said you love me, can you tell me why?" Ngozi says bluntly.

"I care about you and you know that." Richard says.

"Typical." Ngozi says and sighs deeply, tired of the arguing this wasn't the first, second or third time's they've argued about this issue.

"We promised that we will trust each other and be there for each other when we move together, this is not working out." Richard says disappointed, he really wanted to start a life with her.

"You're right it's not working out, so what do we do?" Ngozi says as they both stare at each other confused.

The other imaginary friends hang around the park waiting for the others to show up, earlier they all sent Huffcupp to find Ngozi while they wait, this didn't sit well with Blitz.

"Why aren't we out there helping Huffcupp find Ngozi?" Blitz was concerned that they weren't back.

"Huffcupp can't handle whatever is there on his own." Blitz says.

"Huffcupp primary job is to protect Ngozi, we have different purpose." Cupid said swiftly.

"Haven't you guys wondered what our purpose is?" Since when Blitz had left the amulet and went to park he had questioned what he was.

"I won't just sit here and not do anything." Blitz runs off to look for Ngozi, the others watch him from a distance as he goes.

Richard and Huffcupp are still walking around Ngozi's memories, Richard gets really tired of wandering around.

"I'm tired, mainly because of seeing so many good moments of my failed relationship. Doesn't Ngozi have any good childhood memory?." Richard has mostly seen memories of Ngozi at her adulthood.

"Let me just say that her childhood wasn't the best." Huffcupp avoided saying more than that, he looked at Richard and saw that he was quite full.

"Sorry for being quite the asshole, I was trying protect Ngozi." Huffcupp says softly.

"Hmm, it's understandable you're only nice to me when you need me, that's how my life has been around people." Huffcupp couldn't reply, he knew what Richard said was true but Huffcupp was just doing his primary job.

"I just wonder what my life would be if I focused on myself a little bit, while I was young I was busy trying to impress my parents and be like them, got to Papa's house and I was busy taking care of Ayo helping him understand his powers, moved out from Papa house and............. I thought I was finding myself but when Ngozi left, I was just shattered and went back to my old shell." Richard voice trembled as he talked, he regretted not trying to get better and be a better person, he felt empty.

"I understand." Huffcupp Pat's his shoulder.

"Aren't you just a imagination?" Richard asked.

"I don't really know, I've spent years inside this amulet just waiting for Ngozi to call me or for me to come in to protect her. I love Ngozi but sometimes even I want to be free."

The whole area they are goes blank, Richard hides behind Huffcupp, Huffcupp wasn't phased this wasn't the first time he passed this route to the dark forest, a huge wave of light is coming towards them.

"Not again." Richard sighs and covers his eyes, minutes later he opens it slowly and jumps up scared, he was in the middle of a forest.