DARK NIGHT (episode 5)

© Oladipo Daniel

DARK NIGHT EPISODE 5
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The room was nearly empty, alone Beauty sat down facing a student table with no cover. In this dilapidated room, how on earth could one think straight even the music in her belly was worthy of h¡p hop beat. The door opened, officer, she said, I think I need to use toilet. You’re insane, the male officer replied, when you dey kill Shief you no know. You batter kooperate. Her mind flashback to three years ago: she was called on that afternoon from B Division where told a young maiden of early twenty had just arrested. She went there to intercede for Billy who was allegedly charged for walking late. She remembered the post on the wall – “police is your friend” and how she settled with #15, 000 to get Billy released. This made her to conclude,  “police is friend when money is involved or at hand”. she thought she could settle her case friendly once money is involved.  Officer, I told you I know nothing, I will give you anything you ever want if you can let me leave,  she said rom-ntically. You will give anything the officer responded.  Yes, I will.  Just settle my case, she continued,  whatever you want,  be it monetary or (she shook her chest). The door banged behind the officer, it was a  female officer telling Beauty the deceased family has taken the case to court. What do you have me do?  Beauty inquired. She was advised to get her own lawyer. The male officer furiously left the room making a hug hiss as if there was a long train sounding its horn.  He said as he was going, ‘she enter spoil my business’.  Don’t mind her the  female officer said,  let’s make the matter “hiss-and-tell”. She asked Beauty what has happened and the cause of living that warrant the present fettle…
She started her story, I never killed in my life except… even one night on bike there was this useless and stupid citizen of this nation that could not take his mind away from female ‘property’. He would mashed his break to ensure my br-ast hit his back taking the advantages of this and drove me beginning of journey. What do you mean by that?  Officer asked. I mean it was the beginning of a new chapter in my life. I was sixteen, he (the bike-man)  stopped at the road side beside forest, at first, I thought he wanted to pee having known man’s heart was too far  from his physical appearance. I crossed to the other side,  He… he… I mean he followed me quietly where I bent easing, grabbed me from behind,  forced away all my clothes.  strengthfully,   I  struggled to set myself loosen but all to no avail. He pulled my back on the ground,  got my legs… (She was crying as she wanted to continue with her story). The officer sympathetically turned the table down and took her seat. She raised up her head looking as the roof,  picturing if it would be night of fun or curse, sorrow, fierce grief,  and shook her big head incomparable to Oke-idanre in pity. Despite of my struggles, she continued, he  pulled my legs apart  and…. She covered Beauty’s mouth…  You killed him? She asked.   I never killed him, but every body blamed me because I had the privilege to do just that immediately he stood up but I was too scared to kill. I let him go, she said remorsefully.
I did shame to go back to my aunty.
Officer: No, it wasn’t your fault.
Beauty: it was.
Officer: you mean…
Beauty: my aunty told me to abstain from Lisa…
Officer: Lisa! what is Lisa?
Beauty: a friend, she lived in next street. My  aunty called her ‘unworthy’,  that she would one day  destroy my life.
Officer: what does that has to do with this?
Beauty: I was coming from her place when it happened.
Officer: oh!
Beauty: she made me stayed late which I later realized  was deliberate.
(Officer adjusted her seat)
Officer: Sh… She..
Beauty: there was no bike, because it was late.  she told me she had her personal bike-man whom she called to take me home.
Officer: geez!  The bike-man did you this?
Beauty: (tears ran down her cheek) yes. (She smiled)
Officer: OMG!  You let these animals go just like that?  Why not brought  them to book?
Beauty: I was too poor for that. And, ever since this day, I did not go back home. I joined the street.
Officer: why is it that females are always the prey of our society?  Where is this Life?
Beauty: after three weeks, my system changed. I went to her house, she did embarrassed me.  I flushed it… The next year, I heard she did of accident.
Officer: amen, amen, amen!  Hallelujah!  Hallelujah!!  Hallelujah!!!
Beauty was confused to see the prison suddenly turn to church… The door was opened, a voice said, oga they call you ma. Officer who was walking round the cell with her hallelujah, stopped and gazed at Beauty, said, for the case of Chief, collect lawyer if you know you are innocent…
To be continued…  (Episode 6, coming soon)
what do you think of beauty in this episode?