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| omoruyi uwuigiaren |
CHAPTER FIVE
The Dilemma of Syclos
So many things crept into my mind as I waited for a vehicle to
convey me to my destination. I thought of kicking Yomi out of the house, for
his coming has robbed me of my job. The thought of taking my life was an
infirmity in my troubled mind. Then a vehicle pulled by at the other end of the
road. Before I could blink, four masked men stormed out of the car and opened
fire on me. I ran into an old busy street. People scrambled for safety. Stray
bullets caught an old woman in the head. She drew a loud shriek and lay
struggling for life. One motorcyclist became a victim of the crossfire. Bullets
riddled his body. He tumbled from his bike and fell stone dead.
As everyone on the street fled for dear life, I raced with my
legs almost touching the back of my head. People perished as bullets flew in
every direction.
I was the target. As they gave chase, I went past two or more
bends. I glanced back at intervals at the horrible creatures. They were making
strange noises. I made the best use of my legs down the last bend that led to
an old graveyard near an abandoned church. Two men formed a whirlwind and flew
into the other two. As soon as the devils entered the men, they snarled. The
devils became very strong and apprehensive. They became supercharged. My pair
of legs did not disappoint.
Then I climbed the barbed wire fence that separated the
abandoned church from the street. I tossed myself clear over. As I made for the
church, the horrible men took a new form. They transformed into large dogs,
barking, and scaled the fence without breaking a sweat. Before the wild dogs
could get me, I was already in the church building.
My pants almost hit the roof of my chest. I went near the altar
and found a door half-open. I looked in every direction, no enemy in sight, and
I went in. The room must have served as a lodge for the pastor or owner of the
abandoned church.
An old candle and some Bibles occupied a table covered with
dust. Discouraging sights of cobwebs were in every corner. Also, a bookshelf
lay on the extreme. The cobwebs on it suggested no human activity there in
recent memories. Why it was in such desolation, I could not tell. There was a
little window on the wall. And there was another window that faced the church.
It would help the pastor or whoever was in the room see the church.
There was a steel door in the far end under lock and key. I
looked in every direction to find a weapon I could use against my adversaries
if I ran into them again. My gaze met a piece of note on the floor. I went for
it and dusted the piece. There were strange writings on it and I could not read
it. Then I squashed the note and disposed of it. I broke off one leg of the
table in the room to serve as my weapon.
Then I went to the window to glimpse at the church. My heart
jumped into my mouth when I noticed the dogs were around. I dashed to the other
side to secure the door. When I got back to the window again, one dog came near
the room.
Before the devils stepped into the area, I pondered over the
possibility of running through the iron door as ill will kiss my soul. There
was a short barking from the temple. Before I could blink, it mixed with the
thin air. To imagine the beasts would never find me was only an illusion.
Moments later, I noticed a dog appeared on the wall and entered
the room. The stench of treachery hung in the air. My heart died within me, for
the dog snarled and attacked me. I fought back and sent the dog the other way
with my weapon. As the wood fell to the ground, I wrestled my way to the back
door—my hope of deliverance. I broke the lock with a single blow. I was already
on the other side before the beast found its feet.
My legs were true to their responsibilities. They did not fail me
as I raced through the field to the graveyard. Devastation caused me to stumble
and weep at intervals. As the mad dogs chased, I noticed an old man holding a
digger at the only building in the graveyard. As I cried for help, the old folk
got to the veranda, dropped the digger, and went into the house, ignoring me. I
suspect the man did not hear me.
My legs, gravestones, and demarcations here and there almost
gifted me to the devils. Before they could make quick work of me, I was already
on the veranda. I grabbed the digger and hurled it at one beast. The whine of a
miserable dog hit the air as the enemy lay struggling for life. Before the
other could make any move, I pushed the door open and dashed into the house.
I slapped my hand on my chest and gasped when I got into the
room and did not find anybody. No old man and the room were quiet, as if no
life had set foot for ages. As the strange barking of one dog flew into the
room, I accepted my fate. Find my way before the dogs poured in like night
rain. As I threw my gaze in every direction, I noticed strange carvings on the
wall at the extreme of the room. When I went close, I was glad it was on a door
to some other habitation. Only a push got me to the other side of the bloody
mess.
It was a gigantic house, calmer than the still water. The
enormous house contained books, papers, wooden boxes, and so forth. There were
inscriptions on the walls that proved difficult to decipher. On the far left
were old graven images. Horrible creatures that sent jitters down my spine. I
feared I had stepped into a world of misery. As soon as I made two or more
cautious steps forward, one image fell and shattered.
Every other thing, including a curious little man reading a
book, was upside down. The old man was bald and had a beard I could not notice.
At intervals, he would grin and let go of a yawn that took some
time to mix with the air. I thought he did not see me. So I moved towards a
door on the far left, which I felt was an exit.
God will make a way where there seems to be no way. He works in
ways humanity cannot see. I was a stone’s throw from the exit when the old man
cleared his throat. He turned to me, “Fat pig, what are you trying to do?” He
turned the other way and flew to knock me over. As I fell, begging at his feet,
a withering smile paraded his face. He muttered, “Why are those creatures after
you? What is your crime?” He raised an eyebrow that gave birth to a furrow on
his forehead. “They always have a reason to hunt, you know. I don’t want to
make life difficult for you. Give me an answer so I can resolve what to do with
you immediately. I have no time.”
His hesitation to strike was a sign that there were chances I
would leave the hole alive. I sat on my elbow, panting, and answered, “I guess
they are from my landlady. I have not known peace since I moved into her
house.”
The old man chuckled. He crossed his arms over his body and
threw out a question. “Who is the fellow?” A strange look sat on his face.
“Saying you have not known peace since you moved into her house is a weighty
allegation, isn’t it?”
“She is Methuen!” I stammered. “I am not lying. The allegation
is true.”
“It wouldn’t have been a clever thing to say if you have no
evidence. Methuen is a bloodsucker, unholy, and a coldhearted murderer. It’s a
shame! I knew that was your problem. Good, you did not lie to me. I would have
cracked your ribs with a single blow! You were trying to play tricks like most
silly kids do, but she is not your regular woman. She is always a step ahead.
You cannot pull her down. She is tough. If she feels cheated, she will hunt you
down like a dog.” He laughed out loud. “You had sex with her and you wanted the
party to stop because of your girlfriend. Is that not a silly thing to do?
Methuen is wild, and she doesn’t understand the language of a weak man. She
will always come for more!” He glared his eyes at me and growled. He breathed
fast as if he was about to emit some destructive powers.
“Who are you?” I asked, adjusted my terrified body on the floor,
and tried to look at him. “May I ask why you know so much about her?”
“I am Syclos. I know enough of the world,” he replied. He chewed
his lower lip and added, “Such questions provoke me. Don’t remind me of my
past. It wasn’t palatable. I should not remember how I ended up here. This is
how far she can go to get back at people who she feels have hurt her. I fear
for your life!” He shook his head. “You are dealing with Armageddon.”
“Sorry if I have offended you. I am scared. Could you let me go?
I need to leave here before my pursuers arrive. If they find me, they will kill
me…”
“SHUT UP! Methuen is my wife! You had sexual intercourse with my
woman! We were married.” He hissed and turned away. “Things were fine until one
evening she found some text messages on my phone.” His countenance fell. The
man walked away from me. He sat on a chair that I guess was his favorite. He
paused. I froze when a cat suddenly crossed the room. The poor cat disappeared
into a little opening on the roof of the building. The man placed his head in
his hands. “I could not cover my tracks. Methuen found me out. I forgot to
delete the chat on my phone.”
“Didn’t you password your phone?” I adjusted my frame on the
edge of sorrow.
“I did to fend her off. That did not work. I wonder how she
unlocks the phone, checks my messages, and calls logs. That is strange for a
woman who is not tech-savvy. If I had not found out, I would never have known
who she was. I underestimated her. Methuen is a top-level witch. She tells
people she is a devoted voodooist. That is on the surface. But she is a shadowy
creature. She doesn’t require any expertise to break into any phone. I have
seen her do it with my phone many times.
“She is in the habit of checking my messages when I go to the
restroom. For this reason, she never allowed the both of us to use the showers
at the same time. At first, I did not understand, but later I realized she was
doing something behind my back. I observed that once I was away in the showers,
things didn’t remain as I left them if I got back to the room. She was
disgusting.
“To summarize my story, Methuen felt I was messing around with
my secretary. She was right. Mirabel and I were seeing each other. She accused
me of cheating on her, which I denied. I thought there was nothing to worry
about. But Methuen has a heart of stone and was always a step ahead of me. She
doesn’t forgive. Have you seen a man cry? I once did to prove my innocence.
It’s not good to lie. But if you must lie, be brief. Once you are out of
trouble, fix that thing that made you lie as quickly as you can. You may not
have the luxury to lie another day.
“For several days, we argued over my cheating. I thought I was
in the clear. Not knowing it was only a matter of time before things would
spiral out of control. To avoid her, I started skipping our usual evening meals
together. That did not change the situation. She did not believe I had anything
to do with the poor lady.
“One day, she asked that I sack the secretary. For peace to
reign in my house, I agreed and asked the lady to go. Yet, Methuen remained
unsatisfied. That was the beginning of my sorrow. She kept a close watch on me.
My wife monitored my every move. It was trouble. There is no peace for the
wicked. There is no concord for the fellow who cheats on his partner.
“One evening, she came home. She ran upstairs and burst into the
room. Then I was in the room reading a novel. The force at which she broke into
the room scared me. I flung the book away and jumped out of bed to see who must
have caused the disturbance. It was my wife. Methuen came to my corner. She
landed a slap on my face. Her eyes were red with rage. She was shaking out in
anger. It was a jealous rage. If she had a gun that very moment, she would have
closed my eyes upon the light of the world.
“I was the thorn in her flesh. I was the devil on a cold night.
She told me she will deal with this matter once and for all. I didn’t need a
prophet to tell me what she was talking about. It was Mirabel. My secretary was
the reason my wife lost her mind.
“Before I could blink, she smacked me on the face again. It was
killing a fly with a sledgehammer. I lost my balance and went to the ground.
She walked out of the room and slammed the door behind her. I sat in a corner,
with my head in my hands. She must have gotten wind of the information that I
was still seeing the woman. I sacked Mirabel, but I did not let her go. She was
a good worker. It was difficult for me to let such a nice staff leave my
establishment. She knew her job. The poor girl was efficient. There are few
workers like Mirabel. She was exceptional and loyal. Instead of severing ties,
Mirabel and I agreed she should work from home. I had her where I wanted. It
was like she never left. Nothing changed. We only moved location so we could
have more time for ourselves.
“It was fun. So, I started spending more time at her house than
at the office. We made love like wild dogs everywhere in the house. Mirabel was
the forbidden fruit and forbidden fruits are the sweetest. We used the showers
together. Did almost everything like love birds. Mirabel could cook. She
spoiled me with sex. She was the perfect woman.
“As for Methuen, I took her outburst as one of those things that
women say when they are angry. I did not read any meaning into her message
until I had a fatal road accident.
“I was returning from a business trip to Ondo state. I took a
public bus that could take eighteen passengers at once. Then I sat in the
passenger seat in the front beside the driver. We were comfortable, and the
atmosphere was peaceful. It was clear weather. The sun had settled on the bare
chest of the sky and everyone could see beyond their nose. The city had burst
into life and I could see the future from the horizon. It was a beehive of
activities. Men from all civilizations would gather here someday to eat and
drink to the greatness of the land. Everything started fast. Our time here was
up. We had to move on. I was eager to get home to see my family again after
some days outside of Lagos. I missed my daughter so much. She was the
consolation in my entire life with Methuen. My marriage was a bone in my neck.
We didn’t have that connection. Sometimes I wonder why. But I could not walk
away from the marriage because Methuen brought so much to the table. She wasn’t
a woman you could push aside by the mere wave of the hand.
“As we left the city behind us, our vehicle gathered dust.
Trails of Ore were fast fading. We were descending into the road that would end
in the popular Ojota garage in Lagos. Tall buildings and houses were growing
smaller as we moved on. Soon, they disappeared completely from sight.
We saw huts, pockets of them spread about like pastures clothed
with flocks. Then the huts too, either became a tiny fraction or disappeared.
Only beautiful bushes, tall trees, and the forest world stared at us in the
face as we journeyed back to the center of excellence. I was happy that Ore had
disappeared. It meant we were advancing to our destination.
“After the driver had covered a vast distance, I noticed he
dozed off. I tapped him on the shoulder. The man looked at me and nodded his
head. The motorist pulled his handkerchief from his chest pocket and wiped his
face with it. He threw the handkerchief on the dashboard of the vehicle. The man
steadied himself again behind the wheel. He tried to fend off the sleep that
had crept into him as soon as we left Ondo.
“Not long after, a giant bird flew into the path of the bus. The
driver tried to avoid the creature and lost control of the wheel. Our vehicle
wheeled off the road and plunged into a pothole. The bus somersaulted. It
landed on the nearby bush, a few inches away from the road. We were motionless.
The once bubbling atmosphere in the bus had gone silent. No one, except my poor
soul, survived. Human body parts littered the place. The driver had his head
snapped from his body; his torso ripped off his body and was by the road. I saw
an index finger covered in blood on the dashboard. I guessed it was that of the
driver or the passenger behind him.
I couldn't feel my legs, and my shoulder was dislocated. I tried
to pull myself out from under the ruins, but there was nothing I could do. I
had no strength. It was the saddest moment of my life. I thought about my
little family back home in Lagos. How will they cope without me? When I
remember my only child, Bisi, I had this rush of energy. I wanted to survive
and go back home to be with her. These seemed like an uphill task. I had one
arm moving and the rest of my body buried under the bus. I could do nothing.
“As I bled inside the vehicle, I started growing weak. I lost
hope. Defeat stared at me in the face. I thought about death, her fangs, and
all the madness in this world. It was vengeful. Bitterness wrapped itself in
the air. I was going to die after all. No matter how hard I try, I may not
survive before help finally comes. We were on the lonely road that stretched
from Ondo state to Ijebu Ode. No houses on either side of the road. Bushes
encroached on the tarred road and no sign of life in the near jungle state
sealed my fate. I wish death would come fast. At intervals, a vehicle will
speed past. The drivers or the passengers will glance at us and then they will
move on.
“I understood their fears. We are in a wicked world. The fear
that it could be their turn if they stopped to help was real. That area was
notorious for armed robbery. It’s a kidnapper’s den. Drivers don’t pull up
there for any reason. It was a black spot. From a distance, we must have
appeared like some victims of kidnappers or highway robbers. And the criminals
are not far away from the scene. So it would have been a miracle if any vehicle
with no armed security men pulled up to help us. I tried to pick up my phone
from my pocket so that I could call home. Peradventure, my wife could get me
help. I could not reach into my pocket because the lower part of my body was
stuck on the bus. I felt the pain mounting and my end growing with each passing
second.
“As I waited for death to kiss me goodbye, the gigantic bird
that caused the disaster landed on the floor some meters away from me. It shook
and transformed into Methuen, my wife. She wore a dark, flowing garment.
Methuen was elegant and robust, as usual. The enchantress walked up to me as I
bled to the floor.
“She paraded a wicked smile on her face. The woman paused and
stared at me. Then she shook her head and said I did not respect her. I broke
her heart. My wife revealed my secretary confessed I was her boyfriend. Methuen
thought she tamed me, but she was wrong. My mind was a wild animal. The woman
disclosed how I rented an apartment for Mirabel so that I could eat her rotten
fruit. That was true. We were even planning to marry. That was how dirty we
were and how we had gone.
“Methuen told me she placed my secretary where she belongs. I
understood her. She killed Mirabel. Then she grabbed her large boobs and turned
around. “Look at me, Syclos,” Methuen fumed at me. “Is this not enough?”
“I couldn’t say anything. What exactly is that thing the skinny
girl gives she does not have? You have had sexual intercourse with my wife,
Taiwo. You can also testify. She spat on my body.
“It is true she gave me everything I asked of her on the bed.
But my wife gave more than sex. She established me. How much did she invest in
me? It’s already in the millions. Methuen was close to tears. It was clear I
frustrated her. When she said I always call her a witch. But she used her
powers to push me up the ladder. I felt depressed. It was obvious I was
ungrateful. I didn’t value my woman. I took her generosity for granted.
“That woman made sure I brushed shoulders with the best in my
industry. What else do I want? Rather than tag along, I cheated on her. I lied
to her. She told me it pains her. She had to take me through this. I was out of
control. I brought the mess upon myself.
“She looked at me one last time. I could feel the heat on her
face. I sensed she still loved me. But I pushed my luck too far. Mirabel killed
me!
“I tried to apologize, but I had no strength left in me to talk.
She tossed her hand in the air; a dark cup appeared in her hand. Then she
emptied the content on my body and said I will not die but will suffer. I will
live like a bat. Because of my daughter, she will spare me. She will give me a
chance to get my life back. I will recover if I can find any man who has slept
with her. Sacrifice the fellow on an open field. As the smoke goes up into the
high heavens, I will recover and be a human once more. But there are no
guarantees that we will be together. Our paths will cross again when I come to
see my daughter.
“She will make me tough so that I can protect myself and make
the most of my new house. She walked up to me and touched my lips; my body
shook for a moment. Then she disappeared. As soon as she disappeared, a mighty
force pulled me from underneath the vehicle. It tossed me into outer space. I
disappeared into the wandering clouds. By the time I opened my eyes, I found
myself in this room. I hung upside down in a corner of the room like a bat.
Every night here, I must transform into a bat. Then fly around town. Perch on
trees and eat fruits. That’s depressing.
“Now, as providence would have it, you are Methuen’s runaway
boyfriend. You have bruised her petals and eaten the forbidden fruit. You have
had sexual intercourse with my wife. It pains me that another man is seeing my
wife. But there is nothing I can do. It is what it is. Life is no bed of roses.
With you in my arms, I stand a chance to be a complete human all over again.
Bisi will see her father once more…”
He clenched his fist, roared beating his chest, and waved his
tiny fingers at me. He got me in midair. The fear of death stood before me. I
could feel the heat on my face. “I will do exactly as Methuen had suggested. I
will not only sacrifice you, I must have my revenge. You will burn on the
fields and I will feed you to the bald vultures. Your death will have a
purpose. My pain will disappear from the face of the earth. My name will rise
and swim against the tide. I have been in this hole for a few years. Nobody
wants to be trapped forever.”
Shivering, I said, “It is true we had sex a lot of times, but I
have stopped seeing her. I called it quits because I have a girlfriend and we
are getting married. Please don’t kill me!” As I begged, the walls behind us
cracked and the fiery dogs broke into the house. They almost barked the room
down.
The dogs transformed into creatures of dual appearances. From
their waist to their heads, they were the head of a human and the torso of a
wolf!
Syclos, unfazed by their appearance, waved his tiny bony fingers
at me. I flew out of his sight and landed in a corner. There was no time to
check for bruises. My eyes shot back and forth, watching for his return.
Then he turned to the creatures and spoke. “Ah, Methuen’s
puppets are here. I have long expected you. I see you want to claim your meal
under my nose?” He clenched his fists.
“Yes. Feasting is the beauty of living.” One creature said and
straightened his chin as if he was ready to emit some harmful powers.
“I hope you know the rules. “ Syclos asked with a frown.
“Which rules, old man?” said the other creature.
“You are such a terrible interloper. Under normal circumstances,
you shouldn’t be here! This is my house!”
The creature chuckled and took some steps forward. “Syclos, we
are players in this world. He is our meal, and it is not our wish to trouble
your soul. You know what we stand for. We are messengers. In a situation like
this, you must hand him over to us. You could see he strayed into your net,”
said the creature, and his head swelled. “He did not fall from the sky. He got
here because we chased him. The man belongs to our boss. Respect our decision
so that peace would reign.”
“He is more useful under my nose than anywhere else. I also need
him for my sacrifice so that I can be a complete human again. If I use him, I
will walk the street and trade with humanity. I am missing my daughter. The
little girl your wayward boss had for me,” Syclos said and swallowed hard. “She
knows. She is aware I need this situation to get back on my feet. I already
have her blessings. I expect you to leave now so that I can begin the process
of my recovery immediately.”
The beast wore a frown. “Not this one. Syclos, find another
meal. He belongs to Methuen. She has ordered us to deal with him because she
still needs the poor soul. If she did not need him, she would have ended his
life before now.”
“You are insulting me. Methuen is my wife! Respect my decision
and get out of here!” Syclos yelled at them. Syclos threw his hand into
the air and made some incantation. Before I could blink, stones fell from the
roof and crashed on the intruders. But they were smart enough to duck before
they could get hurt. One beast charged and clashed with the old man. They
shared blows from one end of the room to another. The devil tasted misfortune
as his meal for the day. Syclos waved his hand at him. He landed on the floor
and broke his neck. As he groaned in pain, the old wizard cast a spell on him. The
beast transformed into a piece of stone and disappeared.
The other creature grabbed hold of one of the graven images and
hurled it at Syclos. It knocked him over. Before he could regain his feet, the
beast pounced on him and a fresh battle followed. As they descended on each
other, sharing filthy blows in the air, I crawled out of the room.
Syclos saw me crawling away but was too engaged in the fight to
get his hands on me. Then he yelled, “I know your scent, silly boy. I will hunt
you down….” His voice filled the room as I fled the scene. I ran at top speed
out of the graveyard and raced homeward. My legs were touching the back of my
head as I ran fast.
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