Rose! Rose!" She heard her mum calling from afar. She needed to get up to prepare for school but she felt so fatigued that opening her eyes was a great effort. She managed to open them though, but she still could not move her limbs. It was as if a great weight was placed on her. She needed to go to the bathroom to brush her teeth and take her bath, lest Mummy be mad at her. She did not want Mummy to be mad at her, but there was nothing she could do. The room was dimly lit. She moved her head and looked round. Her school bag was not where she normally kept it. In its place was a huge shelf. She could not see her shoes either. Nothing seemed right, even the bed felt harder than she remembered. She panicked when she noticed that she was not in her room. She opened her mouth, trying to call out but no word came out. She wondered where she was and how she got there. Then she remembered. She was with Daddy, he had come to get her at school. She relaxed and slipped back into oblivion.
★★★
She woke up shivering. The dream had been so real. She sat up and put on the bedside lamp. She looked at the wall clock facing her just above the bedroom door. It was 7am, but was still somewhat dark outside. The Sun seemed to be taking its time to rise. She sat there on the bed for several minutes, wondering if it was just an ordinary dream.
---Maybe it's because I have not seen him in a long while, and my heart is longing for him --- She reasoned. But she could just not convince herself that that was the case. She believed so much in her dreams, especially when they looked so real like the one she just had. Could it be a premonition that something bad was about to happen to her dear Siji? She had to talk to him. She found her phone beside the Yoruba Bible on her bedside drawer. She had had little difficulty learning to operate the device when Siji had first gotten it for her. But with his patient tutelage, she had learnt to at least make and receive calls.
"Ma'ami. Ekaro ma." He greeted when he picked the call.
"Kare omo mi, se da'ada laji? Hope you are well?"
"Beni ma. Hope all is well?"
"I had a dream."
Siji could barely suppress the laughter. "You called me because you had a dream?"
"Stop being silly. It's not an ordinary dream. It was so real and you were hurt in it. Are you planning to do something bad? Something that might hurt you?"
He was silent for too long that she had to prod. "Siji? Is there something you need to tell me?"
"No Ma'ami, I am not planning on doing anything bad and I'm not about to get hurt." He answered, evasively.
Her deep sigh told him that she was not convinced. He had to reassure her.
"Ma'ami it's just a dream, it's nothing you should worry about. Nothing bad is going to happen to me."
"Please promise me that you'll be careful."
"I promise I will be."
"Okay, take care of yourself. Odabo."
"Okay ma, Odabo."
She laid down and stared at the ceiling after the call. She still was not satisfied. His response had not been convincing enough, but she had decided not to push. Maybe her warning would suffice, or maybe not. Before she could stop herself, she picked the phone again and dialed the Professor's number. Maybe the good Prof would help her talk to him. He was like a father to Siji and he respected him. It took a while, but a sleepy voice soon said. "Hello Mama. Ekaro."
"Ekaro profeso. I'm sorry for disturbing your sleep."
"Rara ma. It's nothing. Se kosi? Hope all is well?"
"Ko ma ba si nani. It's your son Siji."
"Anything wrong with him?" He asked, concerned."
"I had a dream this morning about him getting hurt badly."
"A dream?"
"Yes, I just called him now. I strongly believe something is wrong but he wouldn't tell me what it is. Can you please help me talk to........"
"Mama eni suru nan. Calm down." Jasper interrupted her, then went on to lecture her about dreams not being reliable and hence, should not be trusted. He told her her imaginations were probably running wild because she missed Siji. He promised to advise him to pay her a visit. She thanked him and ended the call. All he had said did not make her feel any better.
---That is the problem with people who had read too many books. They do not take things like this serious--- She thought.
She had asked for help, and had ended up being lectured. There was nothing she could do now but pray. She reached for her Bible and opened it to the 91st Psalm.
★★★
Siji switched his phone off after talking to Ma'ami. He wondered as he drove the Lagos-Ibadan express road if Ma'ami's dream was more than a coincidence. It was too late to second guess his decision since he was already on his way and even a little bit behind schedule. He must get to Badagry on time lest Pago would think they were stalling. And who knows what the crazy guy might do?
He had thought of telling Jasper about it, but he had reasoned that it would not in anyway help his situation. If nothing, it would make the Prof worry about him, and he did not want that. That was why he had put his phone off after speaking with Ma'ami and assuring her he was fine. He did not want either of them worrying about him.
"It's a trap Siji." Ese had repeatedly told him. But they had no choice but to go along with Pago's instruction. She had also said he did not have to help her, that he needed not get involved to help her get her daughter. But he had grown so attached to the young girl that he would do whatever he could to help. One other reason - which he was yet to admit even to himself- was that he secretly relished the thought of a face-off with Pago again. He had started thinking about jettisoning his quest for vengeance, but Pago had just given him a reason to face him. It's just unfortunate that, like always, Pago was at the advantaged position. Trust his friend never to fight fair. He needed to be careful because he did not know what Pago had planned. Despite their own plans, he still believed they would need a great deal of luck to be able to outsmart Pago. The fact that they do not know if he was alone or had accomplices, did not help. As he drove into Lagos, he prayed Ese's new friend would come through.
★★★
Victor cursed as he ran into another pothole. He was speeding and it was to late to slow down when he saw the pothole. The hole was so deep and wide that the Jeep shock absorbing mechanism could not save him from the impact as the Jeep ran into and bounced out of it. His knee and shoulders ached seriously. The road linking Lagos to Badagry was not one of the best in the country and he had been driving for more than an hour. He could not remember when last he drove. Normally he would be seated at the back while his driver did the job. But it was not a normal situation and the order had been explicit enough. "Come alone, tell no one."
He had only decided to play along because he hated unpleasant surprises, and he had been unpleasantly surprised once too many by his unruly son. It was time he put a stop to all the craziness.
He heaved a sigh of relief when he saw the signpost welcoming him to Badagry.
About the Author
Soji Adeola Ayanleke was born about 3 decades ago in Kano.
He studied Electronic and Electrical Engineering at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, he speaks Yoruba and Hausa fluently and he is trying to learn Igbo and Spanish. His hobbies are reading, writing and playing some indoor games.
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