HUNTED

HUNTED CHAPTER 8

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HUNTED

An Mma Moses mindset

8

By 5:20am the next morning, we arrived at maza maza. My husband who claimed to be familiar with the area because according to him, he lived there as a boy, led us to a low budget hotel around old Ojo road. I have been angry at Ini and Basey. So I kept them quiet thinking that they will directly or indirectly beg me, but they didn't. They even felt comfortable discussing and cracking jokes like people who had no care for the world.

My husband paid for 2 rooms. Before we departed into our various rooms, he warned Ini to always lock her door and never go out unless we ask her to.

We took our bath and Basey slept facing south. I was so pained that I wanted to act like a baby so that he will beg me. But, I remembered that Ini will drag me for it. So, I decided to face north and shush my mouth.

By 10:25am, Basey's voice woke me. I lay still and listened to his conversation on phone. He was talking to someone I'm sure he hadn't met before, looks like Mr. Dele's contact as he asked the person where he can meet him. After the call, he slumped back into the hard hotel mattress and muttered a short prayer. I sat up.

"you know we need to talk, are you ready now?"

I asked.

"if you're going to nag, get angry and raise your voice or complain and refuse to understand me, then, I'm not ready at all. But if you want us to talk like reasonable adults I am ready"

That was when I knew I had fvcked up. So I decided not to drag it.

"what's going on? Now that we're in Lagos. What next?"

He readjusted as if lost.

He exhaled

"well, I'm here with no plans of my own, I'm just trusting on Mr. Dele"

"what, so if he doesn't come we will be stranded in Lagos. Of all states to be stranded in, it has to be crazy Lagos?"

"your problem is that you're very negative and hardly trust anyone. I trust Mr. Dele and I am being optimistic. But if he doesn't come, we won't die, that's for sure. There will always be a solution to every problem. All we need to do is to be strong especially for Ini, she doesn't deserve this at all"

"so when is Mr. Dele coming?"

"approximately, a week from now"

"what next after that?"

"Enem I am not a machine but a human, easy with these questions. What happens to taking life one step at a time? I can't possibly knows what tomorrow holds for us, I am not the Holy Spirit. All I know is that we need to see the house and every other thing will gradually fall into place... "

He fixed his gaze on me. I guess he saw my broken heart and contrite spirit. He held me.

"have faith in God and trust me. I need you to be strong beside me for encouragement and hope. Please... I know i owe you a lot because this isn't what I promised you"

We made up and kissed.

The next 3 days in that hotel saw us happy. I and Ini were always nagging about the low quality of the hotel, it's staff and management and we were always requesting for features that we were used to, but they couldn't provide it. Basey will always say that the money to put us in a luxury suite was not a problem as we all knew. But he wanted us to start Lagos by living low because he didn't know what kind of compound or area we were going to live in and he wouldn't want us to be aliens to whatever class of life awaited us. In order for us not to raise suspicions, that might attract our enemy. We were preparing to live just like an ordinary poor people as this may earn us the freedom we so desires.

In the evening of the 4th day, we were drinking in the hotel's bar when all of a sudden we heard.

"no matter how you take run, you no fit hide ooo. Person wey wan find you go still find you and when they do, death go steal you away. Runny runny!"

I looked around to see who said it, but everyone in the bar seemed unstatled and doing their thing as though nothing happened.

I thought I had gone nuts because I thought I was the only one who heard it, but with the way my husband looked towards the direction of the voice, I knew he heard it. Ini too was busy looking around. Basey quickly stood up and went upstairs almost running as we didn't see who said that, I and Ini followed him behind as our bodies shook.

By the time we got in, Basey was already on phone begging mr. Dele to start coming already. I didn't know what Mr. Dele told him but he seemed relieved.

"did you hear that?" I asked him

"this place is no longer safe. They have infiltrated our camp once again"

"how did they find us here nah? That's the most ironic and scary part of this whole thing. Okay how sure are we that they won't find us in Mr. Dele's house?"

"Mr. Dele promised me that they won't ever find us because of the strategic location of the place. We have no choice than to try"

He held Ini and pat her back.

Around 7:30pm, my husband made the silliest suggestion ever. He asked me and Ini to disguise as men while he disguises as a woman. I refused but to my greatest surprise, Ini bought the idea and soon Ini came out as a man while Basey came out as a woman. They have packed and about to leave me behind. I had no choice than to play along.

By 8:28 we were headed to Ajah. Basey was calling one man for direction. Finally we dropped at Ikota first gate.

We stood at the bus stop and Basey called the man. One slender shot dark man came to pick us up.

When he came, he started addressing me as sir, and called Basey madam, before I pointed out that I am not the man. He commended our dress sense and we all laughed over it.

We began to trek down to the house. There was no light in the ghetto, I saw mud houses and rough street roads. I never imagined that this kind of place existed in a place like Lagos.

The man lodged us into a very small dusty Pako room. There were other rooms like that in the compound. The man helped us light a candle and left.

"Basey what is this? Because I and my daughter ain't gon stay here. This is total madness"

Basey ignored me and went to Ini.

"mama. Please I want you to forgive daddy for putting you through all these. You've been a very strong woman and your level of understanding has been great. When all this is over, I am going to buy you a very expensive gift. Please bear with me some more I... "

"dad, you don't have to say all these. I understand that we are running for our lives and you're doing everything to save your family. That's what every sensible man would do. I commend your efforts. You too deserve to be encouraged and motivated. I want to tell you that you're the best dad in the whole world" they hugged tight.

I instantly felt useless and unreasonable. If this young girl understands Basey this much, why can't I? Why am I the only one slowing him down, dragging him back with my unending nagging, questions, lack of understanding and cooperation. I exhaled.

I and Basey are beginning to grow apart and when I think of it, I knew it was my fault. I was going to make amends and apologise to my husband.

I got out of his trouser and shirt that he made me wear in disguise, I and Ini Swept the house and almost choked on the dust. There was a student size mattress by the corner, we laid it as it was late and made to sleep. The mattress could not contain the 3 of us, so Basey slept on the cold hard floor. I watch the two most important people in my life groan in pains from being uncomfortable. Tears rolled down my cheeks and soaked the denty pillow I put my head on.

Basey woke us up in the morning and admonished us not to disclose anything about our past. The story is that we moved from surulere to this place because he was sacked from where I worked and couldn't afford to pay our rent and take care of things. I wanted to object, but when I saw Ini shaking her head in affirmation. I just decided not to give my husband anymore issues and play song.

There were 3 rooms like ours and a mini flat, just next door. The mini flat was locked and Basey said it was Mr. Dele's apartment. Infact, he was the landlord of the property. The other 3 rooms were occupied by iya Bisi. Strong amebo woman, she doesn't mind her business. They call her gbeborun, the other room was occupied by Dozie, a bachelor with not less that 10 girlfriends, the last room was occupied by some Benue guys. There was certainly no one we could be friends with in the compound so I made a resolution to mind my business.

2days later, Mr. Dele came back and we thanked him endlessly. We asked about his wife and he said she wanted to stay for few more weeks in Ikot Abasi before coming back. He encouraged us to stay away from people and trouble at least for two years until we can go back to our lives. He told us that he went to visit anty Eno in the hospital upon my husband's request and she was doing okay to be discharged soon. He also helped find her a maid as my husband requested. He also thanked my husband for paying for his treatment. That was when I remembered the condition of his leg, it was fair now, he was still limping but the leg was not swollen and the dark corner on some part had clears. He recovered so fast, we all thanked God for him.

My husband called anty Eno and asked for forgiveness, he asked her what happened, but she was obviously still very angry at us to tell the story.

After 3 months of no issues, people began to gossip that we do not do anything apart from staying at home eating and laughing. So, my husband rented and set up a small business, where we sold petty things like biscuits, sweet and the likes. But I noticed something. In our street, there was this woman who sold fresh tomatoes, onions and pepper. I always Petronize her, but this woman hated me for no reason, she threw shades my way and indirectly insulted me and I kept wondering what I did to this woman that made her hate me this much.

I told Basey and he told me that that was how typical Yoruba women behaved with their south eastern counterparts.

I took it in good fate and continued patronizing her because she's the only one that sold those items around that place.

Mr. Dele was right, that place was a safe haven for us. It's been 5months now and there has not been any problem, issues, laters or threats.

We do not go out at night, Mr. Dele advised us to always take whatever we needed for the night inside because the area was rough. I have told Ini countless times to bring in the paint rubber I got so she can be using it to ease herself at night instead of going out. But Ini never listens.

Until that faithful night.

Ini's movement woke me. I picked up my phone and checked time. It was 20 past 1am. "Ini where are you going to by this time of the night?" she was silent "ahhhhhhhh, don't tell me you forgot to bring in that paint rubber again"

mummy, I didn't forget it. But I don't like to pee inside in presence of you and daddy"

what do you mean by that? Anyways don't go far. Stay by the door and be quick"

She left. I turned to see my husband looking at me.

We heard Ini open the door.

you should have accompanied her. You know what we are running from"

Ima mi. No one knows where we are. No one can ever guess that we are here. In as much as I don't like this place, I think it's safe"

what is Ini still doing outside. How many minutes does it take one to pee and come back in. Go and call her quick.

I went out and met the door open, wide open. but Ini was not in sight. I intruded further into the dark night, flashing my phone touch but there was no sign of Ini.

I rushed back in and told my husband. He rushed out with me and we began to search for Ini, Calling her name, until we woke all our neighbors up and they began to come out.

They helped us search for Ini for a while before our next door neighbor and helper Mr. Dele discovered a note on the floor which reads

"you can run but you cannot hide. The wages of sin is death and it's so sad that your innocent child would have to suffer for your wickedness"

Ahhhhhhhh... I held my husband's neck and almost strangled him. "you must provide my daughter. You must! Basey, be ready to kill me. Where did you keep my daughter?"

My husband held me down as we wept.

I don't know who I offended. I don't know who is after me and my family. I don't know why the person took our only child. They should have taken me, they should have taken me instead" Basey said while we wept together.

Ahhhhhhhh. These people finally caught me where it hurts the most. At 53 where do I begin? They have HUNTED us down.