Your Turn.

YOUR TURN

The Year 2000

     The Igi stood at the end of Tokunbo street in Lagos, facing its original planter’s house, an old abandoned bungalow house. The house that had not yet been put up for sales had housed a family who simply moved on and out of the neighborhood after their little boy had disappeared more than five years ago, they had never looked back. The Igi, a tree planted in the eighties by a man called Dapo had sprung up tales of swallowing people who came too close to it at night. Parents told their kids different tales about it to scare them and put them to bed. They had believed scaring the children almost every nights would prevent them from staying out after dark. Kids were easily scared by the different tales they had heard about the Igi tree but soon forget about it as they got older.

As the years passed by and parents got bored with the tales about the Igi tree, the tree was soon forgotten. It stood there through weathers, storms and all. In the year 2003, the house of Dapo was finally put up for sale. It took another two years before they finally got a buyer.

Mr. Charles had moved into the area with his family after loosing his job in the major city. He was a drunk who never cared so much about his family. He had wanted them moved into a neighborhood he thought he could cover his shame and probably start a new life there. He was a bad tempered man who hit every single member of his family without hesitation. He had been married to his wife for fifteen years with two kids, the boy was twelve while the little one, a girl was only six years if age. Mr. Charles soon sniffed out a bar somewhere within the neighborhood where he frequently visited. He resumed there everyday like his new job and spent out of his savings on any alcohol he had the mood for. He drank more whenever his job hunt had been fruitless for that day. He would get home and hit whoever gave him the slightest irritation. Bolu, his twelve-year-old son had forgotten to polish his dad’s pair of leather shoes one night before he went to bed. His dad had returned from wherever just like every other night in one of his tempers. Bolu heard his father say something to his mother before he headed to the bedroom. Bolu froze on the bed when he heard his dad’s angry voice, demanding where his shoes were. He heard his mum replied in her soft tone and then his dad raising his voice that he was ready to kill his son. Bolu got up shivering in fear, he knew his father would come into his room with either a leather belt or a cane and finished him, he still had scars from the last flogging from his father. He got up and contemplated on where to hide, underneath his bed, his closet, bathroom or where. He looked at his window that overlooked the backyard. He shook his head at the ridiculous idea that sprang up in his head and faced the door. He thought he should probably take whatever beating his dad would dish out to him that night, his dad still shouting allover his house and finally demanded for is leather belt. His dad loved to soak his leather belt in water to give more effect in the beating he was giving whoever he was descending on. Bolu looked around him again shaking his head in tears, he opted that he might run away and headed for his window. He pushed opened the windowpane close to his bed and climbed over. He hid under the opening and ran across the street. His dad must had just left his room because he could hear his dad calling out his name in anger, Bolu decided he was really going to run away finally, he hid behind the only tree facing his house shivering. Shortly he saw his mother step outside the house looking around and then headed back inside, he started to cry knowing that his mother would receive the wrath of his father if he didn’t produce himself. And even if he returned to the house, he was sure he would certainly touch the gates of heaven by the time his father started with him. His father stepped out of the house slamming the door. His mother followed shortly behind Charles. Bolu wanted only to make a run for it but he knew his dad would certainly see him and probably catch up to him, he held his breath as his father shouted into the streets, he had been so worried that he hadn’t notice the tree becoming warm and moved slightly, he knelt behind the tree wishing he could disappear or something. He backed the tree as he quietly sobbed, he thought he heard his father shove his mum telling her to go look for her son wherever she must had kept him. Someone touched his shoulder and he swung around out of fear, his heart might had stopped beating if it was his father’s hand he had felt on his shoulder. He tried not to make any sound and covered his mouth with his hands. His mother must had walked down the street searching for him because only his dad stood outside the house. He heard his dad shout his name again promising to beat the hell out of him when he finds him. Bolu sniffed and wiped at the tears on his face. He hadn’t seen the branches that had transformed into arms and grabbed him, for a brief second he wasn’t sure what had just happened and who’s hold he had felt. He turned around wondering who was behind him, when he saw no one he looked up and just few inches above him he stared into a face attached into the tree. He might had been quick enough to get away but shock had made him too late as he felt hands pull at him. He tried to struggle and let go but the force was more than he could handle, he was pulled into some kind of hollowness and just as he tried to scream there was a closing that manufactured right into his mouth and cut his cry short. He couldn’t move nor struggle anymore. He could only make muffled cries and sounds, he started feeling himself transform into something he couldn’t explain. He saw as someone struggled out of something in front of him and fell to the ground, the boy must had been fifteen years of age, younger or older he couldn’t say, the boy stood up and dusted his clothes. Bolu still couldn’t move but he could blink his eyes, he tried to speak but couldn’t. The boy stood facing the tree and shook his head in pity. The boy asked what year it was and when he got no answers he started to walk away then he changed his mind and came back to the tree. He introduced himself as Stephen and looked up at the new face in the tree. He didn’t come too close to the tree for reasons Bolu didn’t understand. “You can only get out of that tree if you ever get a replacement, you have to pull whoever it is into the tree… you only have powers at night and make sure your victim is alone, if you fail, you’d be certainly cut down” the boy said with an emotionless 

Knock, Knock, Its The Unfriendly. Chapter VI

CHAPTER SIX

FOREVER

     Patricia woke up on Saturday morning stretching her arms, she thought she felt fine. She got excited remembering today was her school dinner night. She looked at her closet and got up to

get her dress out. She tried on her shoes and placed them by her reading table, she placed the dress on her chair and headed downstairs. “Mum, Good morning, Dad Good morning” she met her parents in the kitchen holding each other or something, Patricia giggled and covered her face, her parents both replied her and resumed their attention to each other. She went into the living room and found her brothers cleaning. She smiled and shook her head. “Good morning twins” she said to both of them, they both ignored her knowing she was about to tease them, “Look who won the sleeping match, showing us her teeth for a medal” Wale said, the three siblings laughed. There was no denying that Saturday mornings were always one of the best. Patricia loved the traditional family breakfast thing, the way everyone disobeyed the law of not eating with your mouth full. She loved to listen to her mother talk about who and who was getting some kind of punishment for bad behavior. She felt even more better when nobody talked about her Thursday incident. A good morning it was.

     Alex had called her at mid afternoon to check on her, he wanted her home address so he could come get her but her dad had promised to get her to the school premises by himself. Alex could meet with her up there and he could get to see who was taking his daughter as his date. Alex had agreed and hung-up. Patricia watched the clock hourly waiting for the dressing time to lapse. She watched television most part of the day and help her mum make lunch. She watched the clock in the kitchen too.

     At half past six she retired to her room to take a shower, she needed all the freshness she could get, “Nothing is stopping tonight” she thought to herself. Her mum came in later to dress her as she was applying her moisturizer. Mrs. Andrews had come in with her makeup set and gotten her daughter made up. She thought Patricia looked older and really beautiful, she was glad the doctor’s report on any pregnancy had been negative, she decided to pack up her daughters hair and form a wrap with it. She sighed when she was done with the makeover, she was proud of her self. “Look in the mirror” she told her daughter. Patricia leaped excitedly when she saw how beautiful she looked. Her mother handed her her dress and she put it on, it must had been a dress cut and made specially for her as it fitted her like a second

skin, Patricia kept beaming. Mrs. Andrews stepped back to look at her daughter with pride and handed her some simple jewelries. “There you go, my baby’s so beautiful, wait till everybody sees you in school” she said to her daughter. Patricia kept smiling “Thank you so much mum” she finally said. “Get your shoes let me go tell your dad you’re ready and get a camera, my daughter’s first date” she heard her mum say excitedly before she left her room. Patricia was left alone now, she looked at herself in the mirror and smiled. She knew she was beautiful and jaws would drop that evening.

     Mrs. Andrews arrived downstairs at the dining table to tell her husband to get his camera ready, she told him he wouldn’t believed how his daughter was looking. On his way to get the camera he stopped to get the door when he heard a knock. He opened and smiled as he saw who it was but said nothing, few seconds later, his wife and two sons heard him say “Oh why, come in dear.”

     
     Patricia had only waited five minutes and had gotten impatient, “What was keeping mum?” she thought to herself, the desk clock read twenty past seven o’clock. She wore her shoes and took her purse with her, she left her room and headed downstairs. “Mum, Mum!, Mummy!” she had started calling as soon as she left her room she was worried about spoiling her dad’s and siblings’ surprises. She gave up and headed to the living room. She stopped at the last stair hoping that someone sees her and jaw-drops but no one came, she rolled her eyes and stepped down holding her dress so she doesn’t trip. The living room was empty, so was in the dining area to the kitchen, she called “Mum! Dad! Dad! Deji! Wale!” she called out aloud but got no response, she headed upstairs again and checked every room. “Empty” she said to herself. She was back down stairs and took off her shoes, she wore a pair of flip-flops and walked outside, the cars were in the garage, she found no one. “Where did they all go? What’s going on? Is this some kind of a joke?” she said more to herself. A frown now crossed her face as she walked back into the house, there was a new chill to the house that she had ignored earlier. She stood at the entrance and opened her mouth in a voiceless scream. The blue eyed one sat on the edge of the stairs looking at her with concern. “I’m here now, now we would be together forever” he said with a beautiful smile.

Dear Man Please. Episode III

Episode 3

To cut to the chase of this event of my life, I should had called up Yemisi to tell her about the phone call from Dele but I decided not to, I didn’t want to sound too excited about the whole thing, God knows- he might not even call me anymore, I didn’t want to overexcite myself as well.

I wasn’t surprised when I didn’t hear from the so called Dele all through till Friday finally came, he had said he would call back and he didn’t, I was certainly not looking forward to meeting him anymore, I was grateful the excitement of his call lasted for just a day.

Yemisi woke me up in the morning of Friday with her call, she sounded excited and told me that her newest catch was coming to Ibadan that morning already, she said he was coming along with his friend that wanted to hook up with me, I asked her without much interest if she remembered she told me she was giving the number to Dele and she sounded surprised, she asked who Dele was and I said he called me just once, she said the real person had probably not called me yet and maybe I was mixing things up, I agreed with her but also told her that I wouldn’t be going anywhere with them, she seemed shocked and hung up almost immediately. I laughed after she hung up and decided to resume my sleep. Few minutes later Yemisi was at my door, she was practically screaming my name from the corridor; I rolled my eyes and went quickly to get the door before she woke up my roommate up. Without wasting too much time she came straight into the room whispering “Ahn ahn! Why now, why did you change your mind” she asked me, “I never agreed on going anywhere with you in the first place” I told her and added that I was busy with classes and other things, “I know you’re lying, you have just a lecture today and I know when you’d be done, I just spoke with Bolaji and he said that they’re both coming, he told me to beg you, pleeeeeeease babe!” Yemisi began pleading, I remembered she didn’t tell me the name of her new man or maybe I wasn’t listening when she did so I asked who Bolaji was even though I knew she was referring to him, she told me that was the name of her so called new catch, I acted surprised and still shook my head that I wasn’t going anywhere, I didn’t want to sound somewhat needy or something by telling her he never called me even though she said she gave him my number so I finally told her that I would let her in on things later incase I changed my mind. She succumbed to this and finally left my room. I sighed and knew I had just been robbed off my remaining sleep that morning. I decided to prepare for school.

Dear Man Please (Episode 2)

Dear Man Please (Part 2)

 "Though I know some men are gonna not so like me so much after this post, but you see I wouldn't want to confuse who reads this because men don't like getting busted for anything, well- especially when you know or play the game better than they do, they get pissed at you, hate your guts and still like your fine butt though, I'm washing some dirty laundry out here people so don't read if its gonna burn your eyes"   

 

Yemisi decided to bully me about my crush as soon as we got outside the library and we both laughed about it but were soon talking about something else before getting to the Tantalizer’s cafeteria to eat lunch, Yemisi who drooled over married men with money gave me the gist on the Saturday date she had lastweek, the date she had lent a dress of mine to go to, I had told her to keep it though because I was so big on not taking back stuffs I borrow to people and the dress was really nice on her as she was the curvy girl of all men’s speck,

she fell into almost all the category of what men like, I on the other side was the slim girl who wasn’t also not bad looking but limited to one or two speck of women men wanted and liked. She told me she went shopping too and presented me with a bag of gifts, she had gotten me two new dresses and a pair of beautiful shoes,  she new my size and taste and I was ecstatic about them, I knew for her to bet me these stuffs that she must had bought loads of stuffs for herself I wouldn’t want to say she was the stingy type but again I’m not even near being offended, she gave when she wanted to without feeling compelled to do so too. She told me about her bank transaction too and whatever happened the night that led to all that she was telling me at the cafeteria- I have my mouth zipped on that. I wasn’t even jealous though but just like the human that I was I wondered why I wasn’t the one who met the man she was so excitedly telling me about, I wondered I didn’t have her very appealing body “Maybe I would had been the one in her shoes by now.“ I thought, well can’t worry about that I waved it off my mind atleast I got 2 dresses and a pair of shoes just by lending something to a friend, ‘ That wasn’t so bad .” I thought. I smiled genuinely at her as she went on with the whole event of that day till she finally added “A friend of his wants to meet a friend of mine oh! He said he liked slim fine girls and I thought of you, would you like to meet him because he’s just as rich as well oh!” she said to me and I was indeed surprised and felt a sense of guilt for what I had been thinking previously and asked if she was sure this so called person would like me to the extent of being so crazy about me without me even trying to impress and she finally added that he had seen my picture and she even told him I was prettier in person than what he was drooling about in the picture and she needed my permission to give him my number, I smiled and asked if she was really serious about it and she said she was so I was like  “of-course, give him my number, hope he’s got some good money oh and he’s not the beer belly kind” because I was also choosy on the men of my choice and I know my dear Yemisi didn’t mind what you looked like but just as soon as she smells you bulky money your face magically transforms into handsome to her and that was all she knew, I wouldn’t want to end up with some bald headed fat belly man looking like 10 of  me, no way……no way……no way. We concluded that she would send my number to her new boyfriend or manfriend! So that he could give it to his friend and that I should expect his call pretty soon. We left the cafeteria to our hostel though different rooms and I was excited to try on my new wears. 

The next week passed and I got no call from the so called Mister Man that I had been expecting, I gave up waiting once 1 week lapse and thought she must had had a whiff of my genuine envy when she was talking about her new catch and thought of telling me something to make me feel better, I shrugged at myself and picked up a romance novel I had been reading and decided to go take my bath instead cause I bet  I must’ve been stinking already, would feel so lazy to take my bath everytime I wasn’t having lectures or any reason to leave my hostel although I had a pending assignment to write but wasn’t ready to start with that, I pushed myself off the bed to frab my towel and all my necessary bathing stuffs and tools you would think I was planning on transforming in the bathroom when you see all I take to take my bath in the bathroom, I love taking care of myself though and smelling goo and believe me men were attracted to this, I always wanted to be fresh everytime I go out, it was already 5pm and I knew I would want to step out atleast just the sake of leaving my bed. I proceeded to undressing to wrap myself in my towel while eavesdropping to my room-mate who was lamenting about her boyfriend again to her friend I wasn’t in the mood to advice her this time around because I don’t why she’s still with the guy who makes her unhappy, I mean like except if she’s not a goat she’d keep going back to him and its not even like the so called BOY did anything tangible for her- he crowned everything all up by dating and deceiving other girls just like her but I guess the guy has some good talents if all these girls keep going back to him, I shook my head and picked up my toilet bag  laughing at my room-mate within me “poor girl”, my phone rang in time for me to leave the room and I almost didn’t want to go back and pick up the phone, “Lola “my room-mate was already calling my name as I almost stepped out of the room,  I told her I was going to pick it up anyway and I went for my phone, I stared at the strange number calling and wasn’t sure I wanted to pick up because I had been avoiding some people for  a while now and I had the habit of being  quick at deleting phone numbers off my phone which I usually blame myself for because I always end up picking up unwanted calls. I missed the first call and the second one came in before I could return the phone, I sighed and answered the call, I whispered hello to hear the voice of who was calling and it wasn’t whomever I must’ve been expecting so I relaxed, within a minute my caller was chatting me up and I was careful not to sound so convincing and then he finally introduced himself as Dele, he said he was a friend to Yemisi and has been dying to meet me (I rolled my eyes because it took him 1 whole week to prove this), he said he’s been so busy for while now and just thought of talking to me to ease himself and I giggled sweetly at this like I meant it, he said I was a realy beautiful girl with a lovely physique and would love to meet me in person, I giggled again and asked why he wanted to meet me, he said he wouldn’t want to miss the chance of a life time not to come across a beauty like mine and to tell you the truth I was indeed flattered at all the psyches he was throwing at me, he then said he would be coming to Ibadan which was were my university was located for some business meeting and also to get some pleasure as well and in response to this I sounded unsure about being available on that day and lied that I would be having classes and was onto finishing my assignment which had the deadline of that day after all I thought  “you had to wait till you come over here before you called me, what am I? A call girl or what? “  He laughed and said we could still see in the evening time as he would be busy during the, he also added that Yemisi told him that I was a shopaholic and he hopped I wouldn’t finish his money when he comes over, I faked a laugh even though I was smiling from ear to ear from hearing this and yes, he had passed the needed message and I picked it  clearly, I said I would let him know before then if I would be available which meant that if he didn’t keep tabs on me he wouldn’t be see me then, he gave me some more psyches and got me laughing genuinely because he was kind of funny, after some minutes of talking we ended the call with him promising to talk to me later but I wasn’t banking on this promise though. I dropped the phone and smiled to myself thinking about all the shopping and the money of this world, I picked up my phone again and checked him out on face book, he looked good enough if I was sure I was checking out the real person, I think he looked lika some billion dollars too. I dropped my phone and knew I was going to have a happy time in the bathroom ................to be continued.

Dear Man please!!! (Part 1)

Dear Man please!!! (Part 1)

 "Though I know some men are gonna not so like me so much after this post, but you see I wouldn't want to confuse who reads this because men don't like getting busted for anything, well- especially when you know or play the game better than they do, they get  pissed at you, hate your guts and still like your fine butt though, I'm washing some dirty laundry out here people so don't read if its gonna burn your eyes"