Roses And Thorns – Episode 12 – 13

Roses And Thorns – Episode 12
Joel drove on a high speed with his heart beating fast, he prayed and hoped he wasn’t too late to save the innocent lady, he got close to okponam Nnebuisi road and met with a heavy gridlock, he gro-ned in frustration. He decided to get down from his car and continue the journey on foot but then what if the gridlock started clearing out how would they get his car out of the way
“Jesus please, i hope three days is not too late for her rescue? I can’t bear anymore deaths, just take the wheel from my hands because i can’t do this on my own” he prayed slowly with a heavy heart. Almost immediately, the gridlock started clearing, he turned on the ignition and got ready to move.
He diverted to the untarred road and drove slowly because of how the road was. He got to the junction where the lady insisted they dropped her off on Friday and that was when it him.
“I don’t even know her name, jeez, what was i thinking?” he asked hitting the steering.
Nonetheless, he got down from the vehicle and paced around impatiently, he decided to wait even if it would take the wh0le day, he didn’t mind. Just few hours after, he saw her coming out from the ghetto, was that where she lived? he wondered but put the thought aside almost immediately.
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Melody sang in a whisper as she walked to the junction, ever since her encounter with the stalker, she decided to be extra careful and vigilant.
“Thank you, thank you Lord, thank you Lord, thank you Lord for everything you have done” she continued singing in whisper, she looked up at the entrance of their street and her heart skipped a bit, she wondered what else he had come to do, she got to where he stood, with questions in her eyes, she greeted him.
“Good afternoon sir, this one you came around our side?” she asked.
“Listen to me Lady, you are in danger right now and you have to follow me out of here” Joel said with his heart almost exploding out of too much Joy for her life.
“Sir but i told you that i will be fine, my money is almost complete for a better apartment and i will soon leave this place” she said folding her hands against her chest.
“This one is different lady, the stalker is very dangerous and deadly, you need to follow me so that i can keep you safe.” Joel said with a sigh, they needed to leave there immediately.
“Don’t worry sir, i can take care of myself, i have been staying in this ghetto since after my NYSC so i know how to handle stalkers” She said placing her hand on her wa-ist.
“Oh ye stubborn woman” Joel shouted in frustration. “just listen to me carefully, you know my dead ex? they one you attended her funeral last week Friday? she was raped and killed by this stalker and also four other dead ladies, you are his next target and am trying to protect you, i can’t even bear it if anything happens to you, please listen to me am begging you” he whispered almost trying to cry.
“But how did you know that am his next target?” Melody asked again.
“We need to leave this place first, i will explain everything to you when we get to a safe place” Joel replied with assurance.
“You will have to wait then let me go and get few clothes from my house” she said trying to get back into her street.
“Listen to me Lady, forget about the clothes, i will get you as many clothes as you want, just get into the car” Joel replied irritated, she was giving him stress.
“Melody” Melody said getting in the car.
“What did you say back there?” Joel asked after joining her in the car.
“You keep on calling me lady, my name is Melody and not lady” she replied with a smile.
“Alright then” he said turning on the ignition.
Episode 13
Joel honked loudly when they got to his parents house, he didn’t want to take her to Ebube’s house because of privacy and moreover, he believed his parents house would be more secured for her. The gate flung open and he drove in,side. he got down from the car and waved at the gate man, he had really added a lot of flesh.
“Wow, you live here?” Melody asked as she gawked at the beautiful duplex with a colourful painting.
“No, i don’t, my parents live here, come with me” Joel said walking into the house with Melody following behind.
They entered the sitting room, Joel’s father was watching television, Joel looked at the screen and shook his head, he didn’t know what connection his father had with CNN, the man shifted his gaze from the TV when he noticed the entrance of someone.
“Chineke mu ooo, nwam alotago ooo (My God, my son is back)” he scre-med rushing to embrace Joel.
“Good evening dad” he greeted holding tight unto the old man, he had really missed him.
“Evening my son, so you decided to finally visit us eeehn? i don’t know Chidiebube’s house i would have visited you” he exclaimed with joy.
“Well it’s a good thing you don’t know his house” Joel smiled. “Where is mama?” he added almost immediately.
“She is in the kitchen” he said but then turned towards the direction of the kitchen “bia nwanyim oma nwa anyi alotago ooo (come my beautiful wife, our son is back)” he scre-med. Joel shook his head and then shrugged. His mother came out from the kitchen and shouted too.
“Onye Kam na ahu ihe aa, nnam kedu ka imere? (Who am i seeing? my son, how are you doing?)” she asked hugging Joel with tears rolling down her cheeks.
“Mama, am fine” he replied tiredly, he needed to sit down.
“Okpokwa obia were lota (he even came back with a guest” his mother said after noticing Melody’s presence for the first time.
“My son, who did you come home with?” his father asked.
“Let us all sit down, i have something important to say” Joel said sitting down. Melody smiled, glad that they wouldn’t be speaking a language she wouldn’t be understanding, what if they were planning to kill her? she shook her head at the negative thought.
“Mom? Dad?, this is Melody, her life is in danger, the person that killed Mercy wants to kill her too, so she will be staying here till i find the killer” he explained checking the facial expressions on their faces.
“God forbid bad thing, he cannot kill another person this time around. nwam iwukwa onye igbo? (my child are you igbo?)” the woman asked Melody. Melody looked at her as confusion graced her face.
“She is asking if you are Igbo” Joel told her in English.
“No ma, am Yoruba” she replied with a smile.
“Oh, no problem at all, we are all one Nigeria, you are welcome to our house” Joel’s father said with a smile.
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The stalker gritted his teeth as he parked in front of the duplex, he hit his steering, growled and scratched his cheek in anguish.
“How dare you take her away soldier man? who do you think you are?” he shouted in anger. earlier that day, in a bid to calm himself down after his episode concerning their father’s doc-ments, he had decided to go and see her, he wanted to calm down just by looking at her bright face from afar, but the soldier man had gotten to her before him.
“I will destroy you soldier man, you are acting all heroic, you will die like a chicken in my hand” he yelled.