Emotional Tingle episode 30
EMOTIONAL TINGLE
(The Mind Reader)
Episode 30
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Written by Author Nath
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A black Toyota Camry pulled over in front of a story building. The compound was quiet like a grave yard except the ch¡pping birds from nearby trees. The front doors of the Camry opened at once and also closed at once. Two young men came out; those were Emmanuel and Crucifix, coming directly from school.
“This is my home. My parents are at work as we speak.” Emmanuel said, heading to the front door.
Crucifix kept looking around like a village soul. He was on casual wears; a yellow polo shirt, jean and canvase with his bag hanging on one said of his shoulder. “Do you have siblings?” he asked behind his friend.
“I’m the last born. Two of my brothers are abroad while my only sister is married.” The front door cracked open. Both entered, taking the tairs to Emmanuel’s room.
The room had just a bed, wardrobe and a reading table with a reading lamp on it. Crucifix sat on the bed, watching as Emmanuel took off his clothes.
“I must confess; you lack nothing, Emma.” Crucifix broke the silence. “Except a girl.” he giggled.
Emmanuel put on a knicker. “You really like that gender and they seem to be all over you.”
“It’s not like that. My life with girls is quiet complicated now due to a decision I made. That’s why it seems like I can’t do without them.”
Emmanuel stood still with hands on the waist, remembering Raina’s words: “I love him! I love him! I really love him. It’s so painful he must marry Margret because of lovcilia….”
“Emma.” Crucifix called his senses back. “What? What are you thinking?” he asked him.
“Nothing.” He released his hands from his waist. “Let’s go have lunch down stairs. Linda might come over to join us.” he headed towards the door.
“Speaking of Linda.” Crucifix stood up. “Something is strange about her. I can’t read her mind, Emma. When I try, I see nothing but darkness.”
Emmanuel twisted his mouth. “I’m not surprised. Linda is a kind of strange girl.”
“Do you know anything about her background?”
“Not really, but trust me, the first time I went to their house, everybody was acting absurd. The girl is just complicated. Though I like her.” he clutched the doorknob.
“Have you had s-x with her?” Crucifix took a step forward.
“No, just one time k-iss.” Emmanuel released the doorknob to have the door locked again. “Have you, with Margret?” he asked looking, straight into his eyes.
Crucifix remained mute. The next thing he heard was the doorknob and the door itself, opening by Emmanuel who had admitted that Crucifix didn’t want to answer him. For that, he knew the answer. “Come on, let’s go have lunch.” he lead the way, followed by Crucifix who picked his bag immediately.
Quickly, both prepared noodles and fried eggs. On the dinning table, they ate, discussed and laughed like brothers. Suddenly, Emmanuel’s mood changed, he looked up at Crucifix and asked, “What is lovcilia, Cross?”
Stunned, Crucifix stopped chewing the very noodles in his mouth, returning the look his friend was giving him. The staring contest generated both silence and tension in their midst. Crucifix had to roll the noodles into balls and swallowed it forcefully. “Where did you hear that, Emma?” he asked.
“From Raina. Though she was drunk but she said a lot of pretty things to her parents that I shouldn’t have heard when I dropped her yesterday. She said you must marry Margret because of this lovcilia. What did she mean by that?”
Crucifix dropped his spoon. “Emma, I’m a mind reader. We have personal cultures and tradition which one of them is lovcilia. It’s giving seven gifts to a girl without her knowing who is giving the gifts.”
“How’s that possible?”
“You can drop it at her doorsteps or give them to someone to give her, witholding your identity. When this is done, you can then reveal yourself to the girl, make her love you because your life depends on her.”
Emmanuel narrowed his face. “How? I mean why?” he spread his hands.
“Because she must marry you otherwise you’re as good as dead if you don’t get the ribbon of your ancestors from anywhere possible. And nobody in our history had ever succeeded on that quest. They had always died within seven days of deadline to get ribbons.”
Emmanuel dropped his spoon too, cleared his throat and adjusted his seat backward. “If I understood you very well; Margret must marry you otherwise you die within seven days…”
“Seven days from the day she makes up her mind never to marry me.” Crucifix completed the sentence for him. “This is why Margret doesn’t know about it until the day I make up my mind to propose to her.” he added.
“Oh, boy!” Emmanuel exhaled. “This sounds scary and very delicate. You made a stupid decision by doing the lovcilia of a thing at this age!!”
“I know!! My grandpa reminds me of that everyday! But I love her! I mean we love each other.”
“There you go again. Circumstances has the power to change someone’s emotions, Crucifix!! One single thing can make her lose her love for you! One thing can make her wish never to set eyes on you forever!! I once told you that gender has the ability to make or unmake you, and this could be the beginning of your own unmaking.”
“Why can’t someone be positive for once?!” Crucifix retorted. “What if it’s the beginning of my making?”
Silence creeped back in,side the house as both stared at each other.
“Fine, I hope it is” Emmanuel broke the silence. “But why did Raina’s father want you dead? Is it because you knew he’s a drug dealer?”
Stunned again, Crucifix exhaled. “Who’s feeding you with all this…”
“You know, Crucifix, I think it’s beginning to make sense.” Emmanuel interrupted him, standing up. “You reported Lucy to the police, suspecting her to have the knowledge of who wanted you dead. She was shot dead before the police brought her in for questioning. You later discovered who wanted you dead which is Raina’s father, yet, you’re not dead neither have you reported the man to the police. Categorically, you know who killed Lucy.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Crucifix stood up with his bag. “Now I see why you took me all the way from school to your house.” he began to surge towards the door.
“Crucifix, you need to open up to me. I’m your friend! I might help you. My father might help you!” he stepped down from the dinning room to the living room.
Crucifix turned aggressively. “Don’t you understand! Nobody can help me, Emma!! I’m in this shit alone and I’m gonna die alone. You think I do not know that?!!” Not only did his voice echoed in the whole building, his eyes had also turned red with trace of tears in them. He sniffed hærdly. “Better stay away from Raina, Emma.” he warned then headed back to the door briskly.
“What?” Emmanuel spread his hands. “Raina loves you, not me!” He shouted. The sound of the slammed door by Crucifix was like a response to him. Linda walked in immediately.
“What’s up with him?” she asked.
“Never mind.” Emmanuel walked back to the dinning table.
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Back to the residence of the mind reader. The police were still standing before Geb and Raina.
“What can I do for you, young men?” Geb asked, looking up at them.
“We’re the police. We came to ask you some questions as an eye witness to the murder of James Amos who died here some time ago.” Foster said.
“I thought we have been over this.” Geb began. “I told you I was in,side the house when I heard gunshots. I came out and saw a dead body on the ground.” he explained.
“Where was Crucifix then?”
“He wasn’t home.”
“I think he was.” Foster objected, taking a few steps forward. “The man died protecting Crucifix. Now, you ask; why would someone of that caliber protect small Crucifix? Who was James Amos to him?”
“You don’t have any prove of what you’re saying.” Geb challenged. Already, Raina had been very close to him over the sight of the guns in the hands on the policemen.
“People wanted Crucifix dead but after the death of Lucy and Kester Oman, he has been fine without an ant stinging him. I think your grandson know who killed Lucy and her brother. Tell him not to leave town we shall be back.” He took off with his men then Raina moved away from the old man with sharp breath. She actually believed that her father killed Lucy and her brother. But Geb didn’t think so, of course he had no knowledge of Mr Nelson’s life.
Suddenly, Crucifix walked in slowly. His eyes and that of Raina caught instantly. He wanted to enter into the local house, still upset with Emmanuel’s conversation with him, but the grandfather called him back.
“Crucifix, come here.” he had said. The boy came back, standing at the same position Foster stood. Once again, Raina’s eyes caught with his. “The police were just here. What happened the night a girl named Lucy died?” the old man asked him.
Hearing that, Raina paid more attention.
“Nothing happened, papa.” he replied.
“Something happened. You came back shivering, behaving like someone who just got tired of life. You never ate the food I gave you, and you’re telling me nothing!”
Crucifix became mute. Instantly, Raina stood up with her school bag. “I’ll be on my way now, papa. Bye.” she said with a smile and glared at Crucifix before walking out without saying a word to him. She walked to a distant before hearing Crucifix calling her name from behind. She turned, waiting for him to come closer.
“Raina, what were you doing, telling Emmanuel all those things? You had to even expose your father to him!! Are you out of your mind!?” he approached.
“Oh, Crucifix, you were aware all along. You lied to me that you do not know anything unusual about my father. You knew all along that he’s a drug dealer and since he couldn’t kill you, you joined him.” She glared closely to his eyes. “Tell me, Crucifix, did he make you kill Lucy?”
“Raina!”
“Just answer me!!”
“I don’t know what…”
“You do know.” She interrupted him. “Remember that day you visited me in the hospital? I noticed a trace of guilt in you and asked what was happening, but you practically changed the topic. The guilt was you murdering Lucy for my father.” She paused, breathing heavily. “You know what? I do not ever want to see you again.” she walked out smartly. Raina may not know mathematics like Margret but she was socially smart unlike Margret.
“Raina!” Crucy called in vain. Her last statement reminded him of Emmanuel statement too: ONE THING CAN MAKE HER WISH NEVER TO SET EYES ON YOU FOREVER. Though he was referring to Margret, but here was Raina making the statement. If Raina reacted this way after knowing the truth, how would Margret react regardless the fact she didn’t know all decision the mind reader made was because of her.
Nevertheless, Crucifix stood at a s₱0t, watching as Raina moved out of sight. It was so painful for him to lose such a friend. His world was crashing down gradually. He knew it but didn’t know how to fix it. The load was just too much for the poor boy. Seeing Raina walking away from him had his tears gland activated. Suddenly, his phone vibrated in,side his pocket. He brought it out, opened a message that just popped in from unknown number then read thus: YOU’LL DIE. BUT YOU CAN’T DO THAT WITHOUT PEACE OF MIND IN THE GRAVE. ARE YOU READY FOR ME?
Crucifix astonishingly looked up from the phone. “Linda.” he murmured…..
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TO BE CONTINUED.