Emotional Tingle episode 29
EMOTIONAL TINGLE
(The Mind Reader)
Episode 29
:
:
Written by Author Bath
:
:
Raina jerked awake to the noise of a street preacher who used a megaphone to disseminate the word of God. She tried to ignored it but the noise was irresistible to the extent she had her pillow covered her head, yet it was not enough. She hissed, sat up from the bed and got herself totally naked. One could see her h¡ps, shaking as she walked into her bathroom where she turned on the shower and sat under it, trying to recall what happened the previous night especially at Margret’s birthday party. Oh, yes, she could remember Emmanuel and their conversation but the part of k-issing Lucy skipped her memory because she did not only take it to heart but was also under the influence of alcohol. As for talking to her parents rudely the previous day, she could recall that part vividly.
Nevertheless, on the tied floor of the bathroom, she seated with her hands folding around her legs. Yet, the voice of the preacher never ceased to pierce through her ears. She began to cry. Her voice could be heard by her mother who just entered into her room at the moment.
“Raina?” the woman called from the door of the bathroom. “Raina, are you okay in there?”
“Please, go away!!” She shouted on top of the crying voice.
Mrs. Nelson never said a thing again. After several minutes, Raina came out of the bathroom with towel tied across her chest. She stopped at the sight of her mother, sitting on her bed and wearing a fairy brown gown. “I told you to go away.” she unabashedly ignored her presence.
The mother stood up. “Listen, Raina, about yesterday. Your father said all you said was an illusion and spoken under the influence of alcohol. How could you possibly say your dad is a drug dealer? Do you realize that he owns many bakery factories which you’re away of?”
She turned to her mother with a hand on the towel. “Then why did he try to poison Crucifix?” she asked. Immediately, the father joined them in the room with a suitcase in his hand. Raina turned to him. “Dad, explain why you wanted Crucifix dead.”
“Good morning to you too, Raina.” Mr. Nelson began. “I can see that that boy has gotten into your head. He’s the one feeding you with this nonsense, right?”
“Raina, that boy is no good to this family!” the wife interfered. “Ever since you know him, it has been one problem to another!”
“First of all, he didn’t feed me with any nonsense. Secondly, you’re the one making it look as if he is the problem!” Raina retorted. “He is not the issue here! This is the issue!!” She opened her wardrobe, brought out a pack of crystal Methamphetamine and toss it to the floor near her mother’s feet. “You see that? Do you know what it is? Do you know where I found it? That’s Nkpuru miri, produced and purified in one of the so called bakery factories of your husband.”
Mrs. Nelson slowly picked the drug, looked at her husband them back to her daughter. “Raina, how did you come about this?” she asked.
“Days after I returned from hospital, I had it upon myself to know why Crucifix’ food was poisoned. I know you couldn’t have done it, mum. I know Dad did it from how he wanted me to invite Crucifix for a dinner to how he interrogated him at the dinning table without even allowing the boy to eat. Oh, you didn’t even know that I ate from Crucifix’ food before the dinner started.” Raina adjusted the towel on her chest, took a step forward as she continued. “Do you remember a girl named Lucy whom Crucifix told my Dad as a suspect to his attempted murder? The girl died the next day.”
“Still doesn’t make sense. How does that connect to this thing in my hand, and are you saying your father’s killed the Lucy of a girl?”
“No, but he knows what happened to her.” Raina continued….
:
:
FLASH BACK
McDonald High School was on break period when Raina seated under a tree, watching students roam about the premises either on foot or on bicycles. Though she could see them but her senses were somewhere else, thinking about how she would have died from food poisoning in her own house. Very bad. Suddenly, Grace, her friend, arrived. “Girl, you’ve been quiet and lost. What’s going on?” She sat down beside her, closing her legs properly over the skirt she wore. “There’s this girl I know. Her name is Lucy and she had a brother named Kester. Both were shot dead the same day.” she bitterly explained.
“You know the girl from Kenny High?” Raina looked at her friend curiously.
“Yes, but from our neighborhood. There was a rumour that the brother was…” she looked around and lowered her voice. “..was a drug dealer. The young man must have put his sister into trouble which got her killed.”
Raina averted her eyes, connecting the dots. “If Lucy died after Crucifix told my Dad about the police trying to question her, and the case is about someone who wanted Crucifix dead, may be my father is the one behind all this. Is he into drugs?” she thought within herself.
“Raina, what?” Grace asked her.
“Nothing.” she replied.
:
:
Crucifix walked out from their house well dressed for school to see a familiar car parked beside the mud house. He stopped, watching as Raina came out from it and walked to him. The girl wasn’t looking happy.
“Raina, you just came back from the hospital. You shouldn’t be stressing yourself. What are you doing here?” Crucifix asked, standing before the girl, just beside the car.
“Crucifix, I’m sorry to show unannounced.” Raina began. “I want you to be honest with me. Do you know why or who killed Lucy?”
The question shocked the boy, so he stammered. “I.. mm.. Raina, what… I mean…. why should you ask me that?”
“Just answer.” the girl glared.
Crucifix hesitated for a moment then exhaled. “I do not know anything about Lucy’s death.” he replied calmly.
“Do you know anything unusual about my father too?”
He shook his head. “No.”
Raina left as an afterthought. Of course she knew he was lying to her. She always knew when the boy tells the truth or lies. Nevertheless, one day she secretly skipped school to one of her father’s bakery. She walked in like a boss, wearing a jumpsuit. She could see young men and women busy with one thing or the other. She could hear whispering and scuffing of machines which could barely let anyone hear another. Suddenly, she met one of the female workers.
“Excuse me. Where can I see the manager?” she asked her.
“That’s her over there?” The woman pointed at an average black woman, talking to a worker.
“Her?”
“Yes, she’s a woman. And if you’re looking for a job, girl, no vacancy here.” she added.
Raina smiled, walking to the manager. “Good day, ma’am. I need to talk to you.” she called the woman’s attention.
“Hi, young girl. If it’s a job you’re looking for, no vacancy here.” she replied.
“Is not and I’m not looking for one because this place is my father’s.”
Hearing that, the woman paid more attention to her.
“Now, I want to see you privately. It’s urgent, important and serious.” Raina sounded more like a boss.
“To my office, please.” The manager lead the way.
in,side the office was a bit quiet. Raina seated opposite the woman with her legs crossed, yet like a boss lady.
“I’m sorry, I never knew who you are. My name is Suzanna.” The manager broke the silence.
“Don’t be sorry now. You’ll be when I report to Mr. Nelson Nnaji, my father, and tell him how rude you are to strangers who might be customers.” Raina began shaking her leg thoughtfully.
“I said I’m sorry.”
“Well, I came for a product.” She released her legs. “I believe you know what I’m talking about.”
“I.. I don’t know.”
“Don’t be scared. Do you know the Bible verses: John 16:15? ‘Everything that my Father has is mine, therefore I said to you that he shall take that which is mine and he shall show you. Everything the Father has is mine’. So I know, and he sent me. Give me a pack of the weight. Or do you still want me to report how disobedient you are to him through me because my father and I are one?”
“No, no, no,” Suzanna stood up. “Wait for me.” she walked out and came back with a pack of crystal Methamphetamine which she handed to her. “I hope you know that is not safe, carrying that around.” she added.
“Don’t worry.” Raina stood up. “Thank you, Suzanna. And, please, my father must not hear about this.”
“But you just said…”
“Forget about what I said. Just keep your mouth shut. If you don’t..” she smiled. “You don’t know what I’m capable of.” she walked out of the office…….
:
:
CONTINUITY.
“You did what?!” Mr. Nelson roared angrily, walking towards his daughter who ran behind her mother immediately to take refuge.
Mrs. Nelson totally turned to her husband. “So it’s true! Nelson, you deal on drugs?”
“Raina, who else know about this?” the father was still asking harshly.
“You’re not answering me, Nelson!” the wife fired him.
“You and your daughter should better stay out of this!” The man walked out of the room and slammed the door.
“Mum!” Raina called her confused mother. “We better do something now! You came in here and heard me crying. Do you know why? You should know me better; I always have the feeling when something bad wants to happen to the people I love. Mum, talk to Daddy!” she added with tears….
:
:
Towards the evening, Geb seated outside his house with a plate of food before him. He was shirtless to fully have the evening breeze touch every single hair on his body except the one that lies above his scrotum. Suddenly, he heard a footsteps beside him. Looking up, he saw Raina.
“Good day, papa.” she greeted sadly.
“Raina, my child. What troubles you? Come and sit down.” he tapped a place beside him on the bench. Raina sat down with her school bag sitting on its own too. Geb looks at her bag. “I can see you’re just coming from school.” he added.
“Yes, I don’t want to go back to that our house again.” She replied worrisomely.
Geb smiled. “Worry is like a rocking chair it swings you back and forth and it takes you nowhere. Why do you worry, my dear? If you keep your head and heart going in the right direction you don’t have to worry about your feet.”
Raina smiled over the Proverbs.
“I know you won’t understand. You’re but a small girl.” Geb opened the plate of roasted yam.
“This small girl can do a lot, and knows a lot too, papa.” Raina said smiling.
“Really?” Geb turned to her. “That means you know that girls are like mangoes, while you are waiting for them to be ripped, others are eating them raw.”
“Jeeez, papa!!” Raina laughed, forgetting her worries which was exactly what Geb wanted. “I do not know about that one.”
“Then you’re but a small girl.”
“I’m not.”
“I know you’re worried about something. Let’s eat first before you let the cat out of the bag.”
Raina kept smiling, looking at the roasted yam and Palm oil. Just then, four men arrived which three holding a gun. Seeing them, Raina adjusted closer to Geb who looked up at the men.
“Young men, how may we help you?” He asked.
“We’re from the police.” Foster, one of them replied…
:
:
TO BE CONTINUED