I stood staring at the written words on the door, the door actually happens to be very refractive and thus enabling me see myself in it , likewise every other part of the sitting room. I was still staring at the words when I saw the reflection of someone in pure black move from the right side to the left side of the sitting room, he entered the door leading to my guest room, that movement flashed me back to the man in black I had seen on the day I was coming back to Lagos. " who are you?" I Shouted knowing well I could be heard. I knew it was Daniel. Suddenly the whole light went off and darkness filled the house. " I rather die like a man" I said to myself as I brought a knife from my waist side, I actually do go out with knives. I stood sideways by the door ready to jump on anything and immediately the light came on again. I heard the sound of a high heeled shoe from the visitor room, the sound signified that the person was approaching the sitting room. I had the door creak open and I saw the right leg of the person in black. " I got you there" Israel shouted as he jumped out of the visitor room, from the right side of the sitting room also came Matt laughing as tears filled his eyes, he was holding a can of red paint. " What is the meaning of this?" I asked a bit angry, they didn't answer me as they continued to laugh. They were dressed in our black uniform. " We got him at the right spot" Matt said turning to israel and they bursted into another round of laughter. " This isn't funny" I said jumping into a cushion. " That was fun" Matt said as he started cleaning the door with a sort of liquid and a towel. " Why are you this dirty?" Israel asked noticing my stained clothes. " I was involved in a club fight" I answered him lazily. " A club fight? Why?" Matt asked still cleaning the door. " Because of a girl" I said while they bursted into another round of laughter. " For all I know, you dont have a girlfriend" Israel said as he tried stopping his laughter. " She isn't my girlfriend, just a random girl" I replied. " So what brought about the fight?" Matt asked dropping his cleaning equipment on the tile floor. " Those tout thought I was the reason she snubbed them"I replied. " why did they think so?" Israel asked. " She was sharing my table with me" I replied him. " So what are you guys doing here by this time of the night?" I suddenly asked sitting upright. " We had actually been here since around 7:00pm" Matt answered. " So what brought you guys here?" I asked again. " We came to spend the night here" Israel replied. " How was today? Were you employed?" Matt asked while I shook my head. " The principal made it clear that he cant employ a secondary school cert" I told them . " oh that's bad, what will you do now?" Matt asked. " I will apply for the post of a cleaner" I said. " A what??" They both asked in shock and amusement. " A cleaner" I said not minding what they might think of it. " So tell me, why are you guys dressed in uniform?" I asked them, I was now feeling sleepy due to the day's stress. " We wanted to scare you now. " Matt replied. " Daniel told us everything, he says you think he is a serial killer and that there is a serial killer in Atata. So we used that advantage on you" Israel said. " But why on earth will you think Daniel is a killer?" Matt asked. " Because there are so much about him to be suspicious about" I replied wiping my face with my hand to prevent me from sleeping. " Guy this isn't a Movie, all you are thinking might not be real" Israel said again. " See guys, I am a well trained spy, I know when my thoughts are wrong or right " I said . " so you mean we aren't also well trained spy?" Matt asked. " Not that, you can't have the instincts because you guys aren't connected to this" I replied. " Anyhow, that guy Daniel doesn't look like a serial killer" Matt said again. " Serial killers dont look like it " I said . " Let's drop this, Gabriel, gist us about that club girl" Israel said feeling excited. " She is quite different from other club girls, she only came to share my table with me" I said as I stood up. "Not that kind of gist, I meant is she pretty, endowed, curvy and the likes" Israel said again. " I couldn't notice all that in the short time she spent with me" I said yawning. " Goodnight guys" I said again walking lazily to my room. " Goodnight, I and israel still wanna play some games" Matt said.
AS NARRATED BY ADANNA.
• Call me Adanna or Joy, I answer both. I grew up in the small village of Atata located in the eastern part of Nigeria. The state , I won't disclose. My mom is a trader and my dad a Farmer, that's the normal occupation for all couples in Atata. I am the only child of my parent, that makes me of course a special child. All my life, I haven't really been interested in the male folks although most have showed attraction towards me. I rather use this to my advantage. I will make some help me carry my father farm produce from the farm while some help me carry my water pot from the village stream home. But there is this one guy I dreaded giving my water pot ever since he broke one when we were teenagers, Gabriel Omiyi. We had been like family friends when we were much younger although I dont visit him, he only comes to visit me. He was the only male friend I had until one day, I didn't see him again. His parents told me he had left for the city, he didn't even tell me he was leaving, anyways I had no business with him. It was on one fine morning approximately about 6 or 7 years that Gabriel had left for the city that I had went to the stream and met a fine built man locally dressed like the men of Atata. His face seem familiar but I couldn't place my hand on where I knew him from. The surprising point was when he called me by my native name, I then looked closer at him and remembered my long time friend. I was tempted to jump into his hand, but I held myself, I was still angry with him for not informing me before leaving for the city. I hissed and walked pass him hoping he would follow me and sure he did, I would have jumped into the stream and drown myself if he had left. This was not the Gabriel I knew back then , the one I knew back then was a troublesome idiot, forgive me for that. He use to be rough and tattered, he enjoyed playing with sand like babies do even if he was about 16 then. But the guy I saw by the stream that morning is a tall, muscular and handsome guy. A lot had changed about him, truly the city is a place flowing with milk and honey. Though a lot changed about him, he was still as troublesome as he was some years back. He came to me and pleaded to help me carry my pot, I declined not because he had broken the pot once but because I felt it will seem like I was using him like I used other guys. He wasn't ready to give up as he insisted on carrying the water pot, I had no choice than to give in. That was about a week ago, now he has gone back to the city, he didn't even stay up to a month, I wanted him to stay forever in the village, because of him, I had started going to the stream every morning, I dont go every morning before, I go at least once in two days. He said he had to go back to manage his business, he owns a big chemist in the city. I fell sick when I heard from his parent that he had gone, although I was expecting him to go but I had prayed he would change his mind over night and come back to me shouting " I ain't leaving anymore" but no, Gabriel had left. He said he would come in some weeks time but something kept on telling me he might stay for another six years like he had stayed the first time he left.
I had woken up one morning to see a strange man standing in front of my compound, he said he was looking for Adanna which I told him I was, he then brought out a piece of paper and handed it over to me, he told me it was a letter from Gabriel, I opened it in a hurry and was shocked by the content.
1, Madu street.
Atata.
Adanna,
How are you, I hope your parents are doing great, and how is Atata. I only want to use this medium to clear your mind from all tiles you might think is between us, i would be a sinner if i continue to lead you on. I have a fiance in the city, so please dont think there is anything between us, i love my fiance and wont want to leave her for any girl, not even a village girl. I have nothing for you, I only played along with the moment. Go get married, remember, you are growing older by the day.
Gabriel Omiyi.
I read the letter again and again as tears dropped freely from my eyes, I couldn't believe it was the same Gabriel who I saw as being so loving wrote this letter. I looked up at the post man and wiped my tears. " Please do you know how I can contact the sender ?" I asked him as I noticed his address wasn't in the letter, he had placed my address where his should be.