Ikemefuna was aware. It must be carefully guarded in every way possible. He cannot afford to take any chances.
It was Obiora, Ikemefuna’s daughter and on the 16th of every month, something happened. Each time she ran into those titanic thoughts of past occurrences, she would struggle to freeze the tender teardrops left in her eyes but they would leap out. She would hit the ground under her feet in despair, howling profusely, throwing herself over to be drenched in tears. Life has never been this unfortunate. But how would one describe such timely and damning series of incidence? Who would dare perpetrate such vengeful act and fearlessly so?
All the way, she decided never tell her ordeal to anyone, but her silence would summon Ikemefuna and once again, she would crash into his soft arms and though he asked her what the matter was, she would never mutter a word. She only silently prayed and hoped this menace would someday be discovered.
But as each day came by, someone mightier was watching.
Today was the 16th of March, and her decisions were stronger this time even though through the night, she kept seeing her dream fall down flat on the walkway of disarray. She only hoped fate would keep her indoors. No one was aware so she had no excuse for not running errands.
The evening sun was gradually shying away and her petition quietly played out in regular drips. At every turn, her mother called her to remind her that at sunset, she would help her father with his luggage just outside the road and get some drugs at mama Nkechi’s shop. Ikemefuna was an influential and famous driver known for his riches and all time goodness both to friends and strangers alike. The nature of his job and the state of his health demands that often times, he would need to offload goods from his booth. He had a big and mysterious wound on his leg, so his daughter would always come to the roadside to help. Mama Nkechi’s pharmacy was just a stone throw away and those drugs were meant for Ikemefuna. Her only passionate prayer, since she could not tell anyone what the matter was, was that the day gently fades off.
Dusk came and she set out to do the needful. She had not taken ten steps outside her compound when she saw three hefty men running to reach for her. She tried to catch her breath as she ran towards the mama Nkechi’s shop but she slipped and fell off the shores.
As usual, she found herself in a dark room, wrapped in the face with a black piece of cloth on the face with her arms tied just around her waist to the front. But something happened. As the menace came over her and she struggled and shrugged, her right thumb slipped into his left leg and because of the sudden contact, his head spun. He was about falling off when the three hefty men that held her left her to seize him. They had barely left her when she took off the piece of cloth from her face. All she was left with was her perplexed gaze catching the weak gait of the perpetrator. It was her father. Not only did she see her father. Her mother, who supposedly sent her on that spiteful errand also sluggishly crawled in. She had trailed closely.
The thud that chewed from her head below held the cold chill that flowed through her spine. A dream of a thousand years, caught up in a tunnel of grief. The moon had again stared hopelessly on her misery. A lonely night of darkness and silent laments. Weeps laced around with strokes of calm agonies.
#OneDarkAndLonelyNight
