Secret Cults

Chapter 1    One of the many nightmares that tortures Abe seemed to be the very first misfortune he brought upon himself. It was no different from the ones he had every night, only that this happened during the day and it felt real than others.  He paced about the front door of the CEO’s office, awaiting judgement from the awkwardly silent room. He glued his ears after some hours of restlessness just only to scrape off a bit of the loud whispers in the room.  “Mr Johnson, please have your seat,” Stella said. Abe’s ears turned deaf to the middle-aged secretary who seemed to have grown tired of his incessant misconducts.   “Mr Johnson. Please.” The ruffled look on her face signaled Abe about her displeasure. They never really got on good terms with each other, and Abe was not ready to add another unmanly ‘mistake’ to the list, he yielded. He rubbed his palms together holding it against his cheeks. The waiting room was the standard temperature recognized in the building except the CEO’s office which the workers dubbed ‘Alaska’s twin’.   After a while, tensions began to rise both in the waiting room and the CEO’s office. He could hear  Giwa’s voice soliciting for him and the CEO’s disagreement, the usual trend which Abe was aware of. When the office phone rang he had no doubt it was time for judgement. He had prepared himself for this moment right from the time his fist bashed the face of the CEO’s son, he pulled his last string.   “Alright sir, ” Stella whispered over the phone, “you presence is needed,” she  nodded towards the office door. Abe heaved out a sigh, adjusting his suit and tie, he rose towards the door and glanced towards Stella’s table hoping he could get some of those ‘wish you the best’ compliments from her, rather , all he got was a witchy stare beneath her eye glasses that looks like a made from the 90s version. He summoned courage, rubbed off his face and sniffed, he slipped open the glass door, taking a step of faith into the cold hell. He gulped a cupful of saliva as he sighted the CEO’s placid look, that creepy look never ceased to give him a cold feet. He locked eyes with the CEO’s son who stood by his father’s chair, leaning his hands against the brown leather mafia-like seat the CEO occupied.  He saw Giwa sitting directly opposite to the CEO. He tried to conceal his disappointment in Abe with an ice stone look, positioned towards the CEO. Abe knew Giwa was mad at him, countless number of times he had always gave Giwa a reason to scold him, a reason  to make Giwa regret he was given a chance to live a normal life a decent human should live. He wasn’t human afterall. He was too lost in his interest in his judgement to notice the man sitting on the cushioned chair backed towards him.   “What a rough city to live,” the man said with a tut, observing suburban layout of Ikeja through the office window. He puffed a thick smoke of his thick cigar. The intoxicating flavoured smoke of the Cohiba Bohike enveloped the room, creating a lasting aroma that eased the worries of every man in the room.  “Goo...”, Abe clears his throat, “Good morning... sir”, he greeted the CEO. The scornful eye from Lanre, the CEO’s son, made him uncomfortable , nevertheless he felt a jolt of bliss course through his veins seeing Lanre rub his cut lips. He was proud of his mistake, a smirk glued to his face.  “Funny right,” Lanre said out of disgust from the mocking smile he saw on Abe, “I look funny to you, isn’t it?”. He clenched his fist, trying to walk over to Abe but was restricted by his father.  “Kinda,” Abe mumbled with a snot that elevated Lanre’s ire.  “Mr Johnson, it seems you don’t feel remorse for your actions,” the CEO said. He rested his hands on his polished brown table, that glistened under the luminous chandelier light.  “No sir, its just that,” he glanced at Lanre’s face  restraining himself from smiling, then observed the frown on Giwa who was not enjoying the humor in it. “Its nothing sir,” he said with his head down.    The vendetta between Lanre and Abe dates back beyond the fight they had a week ago. They’ve had a few encounters that was not so friendly when Abe was in The United States for an official assignment. Lanre was rounding up with his masters degree then. Their first encounter occurred in the subway station, Abe which was so unlike him, chose to play the hero when he saw Lanre harassing a girl on the subway. He made sure Lanre got arrested for his misdeeds but was let off with a fine based on the strings his father pulled. Subsequent fights and arguments led to the awkward moment Abe, realized he punched his boss’s son. He wished it was not true. He wished it was someone else. He thought. That has always been the awkward excuse he rendered whenever his fists got the better of him.  “I thought he was a jerk I knew,” Abe said.  “Jerk?” the man said with a short lived cackle. His black hat, hindered Abe from seeing the man’s face, only the back of his shiny bald head and his thick neck. The man was dressed in a purple tuxedo that could pay Abe’s salary for four consecutive months. “Interesting”. More cackle and puffs of cigar followed.    Abe focused on the man’s bass that resonated the room. It sounded like a voice he knew, he wasn’t sure where.   “Any problem?” the CEO called back his attention.  Abe nodded a negative. The trial continued.   “You are one of the best hands we have here,” the CEO said, “whatever history you have with my son, I don’t care,” he sat rested his back, adjusted his posture like a judge about to pass a verdict, “this might be the last chance you get, and I want you to be wise with it, my advice and I would want you to keep it.”  Abe froze for a second, but tried to keep his cool. He knew something was fishy remained under the waters but he focused on the present. Lanre’s displeasure was not hidden as he wanted to question his father’s judgement, but it did not matter.   “Thank you very much sir,” Abe smiled. He turned to Giwa who looked disappointed, “thank you. You will not regret this.” he whispered.  He was almost at the door when the man’s voice stopped him. “Mr Johnson,” he said, “you are a man with a mission driven by a great desire, I look forward to meeting you in the future.”   Abe was stupefied, the man’s voice tremored in his ears making him inconvenient, but he shoved it off, keeping the words with him.