'Why did Rose kiss me!' was the trending words the following day at the market.
Kalu felt so bad as he got that as a response when he greeted the neighbour who had stood with him when he was closing the shop the previous evening.
He thought he had succeeded in shifting the boy's mind off the issue not knowing that he just pretended to have forgotten about it.
His sadness heightened when some other neighbors repeated the same words, after he had exchanged pleasantries with them.
He then realized that the boy had already announced it to everyone in the line if not the whole market.
It had definitely been discussed behind him.
Though he pretended not to understand what they were talking about. But the sombreness in his mood showed that it had already been altered by the remark that morning.
He wouldn't want those words to fly into the ears of his master.
Even though he might not ask him about it. But he might believe that he had already got a girl friend which the words were insinuating.
So its wings had to be clipped before it flew further away.
If he should have a girl friend he would keep it a secret, he wouldn't want his master to know about it for now.
Having Rose as a girl friend is something he should be proud of, for he had completely fallen in love with her even without making physical acquaintance with her.
Though he wasn't yet sure of his stand with the girl. That was one of his fears about its exposure.
What if by the end of the day it all came out to be a fantasy or his father as the whole situation was now trying to suggest.
Then that false impression that it had already created would leave an indelible mark that could never be erased.
It would make him feel uncomfortable in the presence of his master, Abuchi.
Kalu tried to make them stop the 'joke' as they had taken it to be, by frowning at the comment each time it was thrown.
But he discovered that the more he frowned at it the more volume they gave to it.
He remembered a word that was once said by an old man who was one of his trusted customers.
The old man had said that the more the world realized that you were not happy about anything in life, the more they will project that particular thing to you just to make sure you are kept in a dark mood.
Apart from your true friends, no one really wants to see you happy.
He then decided to play along and wore a fake smile at the comment after he had even tried talking directly to the one who initiated the joke to stop and discovered that his talk was just like adding dry logs to a furnace.
As he started playing along and the market got more busy, that was when the joke began to die down.
There in the market the servants were always in search of any mistake to joke about on a daily basis.
Especially those ones related to one of their fellow servants, without caring if the one being talked about is unhappy about what was being said.
It was almost afternoon when the customers had flooded the market before the joke died down completely.
Many other issues had risen that relegated that one to the background.
Veiwing from a different perspective, Kalu could have wished the joke continued but that was only if everything about the relationship had materialized. And if he had been settled and was independent as at the time.
A man in love didn't need to hide anything about it, he should be proud of the one he loved.
There was this common adage that was dominant in the society and it went this way ' A child who is being taken care of by someone else, does not take care of a dog.'
On the evening of that day, an announcement was made in the market that gladdened Kalu's heart.
It was announced by the market task force that there would be no market the next day which was Saturday due to the death of one of the market pioneers.
It would be the day of burial of the man. And according to the rules that guided the market, no shop should be opened on such a day.
Every shop owner was expected to be at the burial venue, failure to do so would attract a huge fine and some other punishment.
Any excuse that would make a shop owner not to be there must be a reasonable and unavoidable one like health issue.
But the rule of attending the burial was meant only for shop owners which meant that the masters are bound by it not the servants.
Some one like Kalu and the other servants would be at home that day.
A bus would be chartered by the market union to convey all the masters that would be attending, to the burial venue.
Such a day was usually a free day, for all the servants just like Sundays.
For those of them that are not usually permitted to go out even on that Sunday which was a market free day, it was more than a Sunday to them. In the sense that their boss wouldn't have to be at home with them to restrain their movement, they would in the burial. So the servants would be free to move around with no one to restrict them.
Kalu just like every other servant was so happy with the announcement.
He was seated in the shop as other servants were rejoicing outside, contemplating on where to go that next day.
"Should I go and visit Rose again or should I wait till Sunday" he contemplated.
He needed to go with someone if he were to revisit her.
He didn't want to go alone this time. Even though he had known one person among those men that harassed him the other time he wasn't still that confident of going alone.
Had he gone with someone the other time, even if they would succeed in robbing him, at least he won't be stranded as he was that day.
The second person would still have enough money to take them home because that person wouldn't have gone into the compound with him. He would have waited for him outside.
The only person he could go with was John, for it was not a matter of dream anymore, it's now reality.
He could simply tell John that they were going to visit a friend. Though he had no other friend to visit but John would be so inquisitive to know the friend he was talking about.
But John's working days comprised Saturdays. He could never miss his work just to accompany him to see someone.
After much contemplation, he decided to go alone the next.
He already had his plan mapped out for unforeseen circumstances so that he wouldn't be caught in the same web as of the other time.
That night as he slept, Rose visited him.
He was lying on his bed staring at the ceiling when the door opened to Rose. He couldn't express his joy as he beheld the reflecting beauty looking like an angel in a white gorgeous gown, her face radiant in childlike smile.
She looked more beautiful than the other days she had visited, and was more beautiful than anyone Kalu had ever seen in real life.
Kalu was so surprised as she walked straight to him hiking up her long gown to climb the bed.
she snuggled up to him and gave him a breathtaking nuzzle.
Kalu wasn't sure of what to do at the instance, if he should start cuddling her or not.
He remembered what had happened the last time he revealed his feelings to her.
He never wished that situation to repeat itself again.
So he decided not to hold her for he didn't know what action to take not to make her angry again. "For long she hadn't visited without any reason, this time she resurfaced i wouldn't want to do anything that will make her disappear finally"
"the best thing is to allow her call the shots" he decided.
"I love u" whispered Rose in kalu's ear as she put his hand over her body invitedly.
Kalu was motivated by those words. The urge to respond to those touches grew stronger that at a time a real confidence was generated in him.
At this time, he was now sure about his intuition. There was no doubt about Rose loving him anymore.
He held Rose so tight and they both cuddled and kiss each other.
And slowly they ripped off their clothes.
They were extremely lost in the sensational Romance that they were oblivious of the fact that it was gradually extending to copulation.
Non of them was able to resist the chemistry that had already built up between them.
Both of them had been virgins and lost their virginity at the instance.
After they had attained a climax, Rose quickly put on her clothes and left the room without saying goodbye to Kalu who was still lying on the bed, staring at her in admiration.
He was weak from the experience and wondered why Rose had finally decided to make him feel loved.
Anyway, he was satisfied and happy and wished she could stay with him forever.
The words that was said to him by Rose were the best words he had ever had all through his life and he couldn't wait to hear those words over and over again.
The eyelids fluttered open as he lied in the bed and his gaze shot directly at the wall clock.
It was 3am. A loud hiss escaped his lips for realizing that it was a dream again.
But his heart was filled to the brim with Joy. He had had many dreams about Rose, but this particular one was the best of them all.
His hand went down to his pants and he was alarmed to discover that it was wet and somehow sticky.
His manhood was also half erect.
"Does it mean I bed wetted?" he asked himself.
Every single picture of the dream was still in his memory and he never wished to lose a single memory of it. The aura of Rose's presence still permeated the whole room.
And the nice scent of her perfume filled the whole air.
Kalu had known Rose with that same scent of perfume since she started visiting him.
"This is not a dream o!" he unknowingly exclaimed. He quickly placed his hand over his mouth as it occurred to him that it was still early.
He got up from the bed and went out of the room to check if Rose was hiding anywhere in the house.
He opened both the rest room and the kitchen and looked carefully around those places but couldn't find her.
He couldn't go to other people's room to avoid raising unnecessary suspicion.
Though it was expected that all should be asleep at that hour of the morning but, one could still unusually be awake due to unforeseen circumstances.
But it was unlikely that she should be in the room of others.
He went to the main door of the house to see if it was mistakenly left open. Maybe Abuchi had forgotten to lock it the last night being the last person that that entered the house.
But he was surprised that it was locked.
Checking if the door was locked was just for the benefit of the doubt cause Abuchi had always been the last to enter each night and he had taken it upon himself to make sure that everywhere was locked before going to bed for security purposes.
The city was filled with security challenges and everyone ought to be security conscious as being advised even by the government.
When he came back to his room to change the wet pant, his gaze was instantly caught by a red substance that was on the bed sheet.
He discovered that it was blood as he went closer to scrutinize it.
He remembered that Rose was deflowered in the dream and there was an emission of blood in the process.
He was shocked by the reality of the whole situation.
But there was no other word with which to describe the scenario of his encounter with Rose rather than 'dream.'
It was clear that it was not just a dream, it was something real but the fact that it usually took place while he was asleep made him to leave it at that description.
He assessed all his body just for the benefit of doubt to see if there was any wound on him that caused the blood stain but there was non.
The blood stain on the bedsheet had cleared every lingering doubt and there was no way any one could convince him that it wasn't real any more.
Kalu paused for a while as he stood by the bed side thinking about all that had taken place some few moments ago with Rose.
"This Rose must possess a supernatural power...How come she gained assess into the house with the door still locked?" he questioned.
He was still the more convinced that she wasn't a spirit.
"This is her blood, look at it" he murmured to himself as if he was in a discussion with a second party as he touched the blood stain on the bedsheet. " A spirit doesn't possess blood... and a spirit doesn't wear a perfume. I am very sure she is not a spirit" he reassured himself.
"And there is no way she could be my father!"
As his gaze revisited the wall clock, he discovered that it was already few minutes to 4am.
He knew he needed to wash the bedsheet and his pants before the day would fully break.
He removed the bedsheet leaving the foam bare and changed his pants hastely.
When he was removing the bedsheet, he realized that there were tiny particles of woman hair on it.
He picked one of the hair particles and put it close to his nose to perceive the nice scent. Then he touched it on his lips in kiss before hiding it in his drawer for a reference.
As he was about taking the bedsheet and the pant to the bathroom his decision was altered by the fact that washing that early could be misjudged by others, for he had never washed that early before.
So he decided to just soak the clothes in water and leave them until the day was fully broken since there was no market that day or when he came back from seeing Rose as earlier scheduled.
On his way to Rose's place, he was complimented for his good look by a neighbor downstairs.
And the compliment made him believe that he was really good to go.
He was in his best outfit just like the other time he was there but not in the same birthday clothes. His wrist watch was still on his wrist.
By then, Abuchi had gone for the burial and the other servants where the only ones at home.
He didn't let any of them know where he was going. Not because he didn't care to
let them know, but where to tell them he was going was the problem.
"Should I tell them that I am going to visit my girlfriend" he weighed in his mind as he was ready to go. "No, it doesn't sound right.. before you know it the rumour will be everywhere that I have a girl friend...let me just go, I will just try to be home early" he concluded.
Non of them even knew when he left the house. They were all in their room chatting.
The neighbour who complimented him downstairs a young girl that admired him so much but he had no interest in her, was the only one that cared to know where he was going.
" You look so sweet, where are you going to?" she asked with a melodious tone.
"Thank you! I'm going to visit a cousin of mine" he replied without waiting for further questions which were sure to follow.
The small hut-like structure that served as the local police station was nicely painted and the compound well taken care of.
The flowers that surrounded the vicinity was in a good shape and the grasses neatly cut.
It was located along the express way. And had about twenty officers on duty rotation.
The people of the community had written so many petitions to the state government for an increment of officers to be able to curb the advancing crime in the area but their petitions had not been honored.
Some people had attributed the low number of officers in the area to the size of the building of the police station.
For the govt would only post the number officers that the building could accommodate to the area.
Though that wasn't excuse enough for nothing could stop the government from expanding the building if really they had wanted to post more officers to the area.
The early morning theft that always targeted the early morning lone commuters, which was the only crime endemic in the area kept thriving because of the low number of police officers.
Clara walked into the small building, the interior was well painted as well and looked like it was far bigger than the exterior. there was a counter with two Police officer standing behind it a man and a woman.
Beside the counter was a door that led to the DPO's office. And opposite the counter was an entrance that led to the two cells where the offenders were locked up. One cell is for the male offenders while directly opposite it was the females'
It was the first time of Rose being inside the building.
She was first assessing the whole interior as she walked inside.
"What can we do for you?" asked the female officer as she was lost in stare at the framed picture of the president that hung on the wall.
"I have come to make a report" replied Clara in a manner that suggested she just regained her consciousness.
"Report about what?" the woman's voice sounded a bit friendly.
Clara wasn't too sure if what she had already prepared to say would sound as good as she had thought.
She paused for a while weighing her words once again in her mind before she could voice them out.
She first brought out the picture from her handbag, and walked near to the woman. "About this man" she said pointing to the herbalist in the picture of six.
The face of the herbalist was not as bold as in a one man's picture but at least it was bold enough to be recognised by anyone that had known him before or to be identified by someone in search of him.
The officer looked intently at the picture especially at the face of the herbalist to see if he was someone she had come in contact with, a previous offender.
When she couldn't recognise the face, she handed the picture to her male colleague for him to take a look.
After the male officer had taken a proper look at the picture and declined knowing the face. He then wanted to know what the problem was.
"What happened to the man?" the male officer asked, his own voice not as mild as the female colleague.
Rose was still not sure if what she wanted to say would sound presentable to the officers.
She hummed to herself for some seconds before realizing that she was in front of two officers and there was no going back.
She had already found herself in the station so there was nothing that could keep her from saying what she had come for.
"That particular man in this picture kidnapped my sister...my only sister!" she said exhibiting a sheer bravado.
The two officers exchanged an unbelievable look at the statement.
Clara's mind skipped at the facial expressions of the two officers to her comment.
She had dreaded such reaction and that had kept her in a long practise so that she could avoid it when finally making the report.
Now it's like all her practice had been in vain.
"You said this man kidnapped your sister?" asked the female officer after exchanging the doubtful look with his colleague, to be sure of what they had heard.
"Yes" replied Clara, this time her voice got a bit shaky.
"We haven't heard of such a report in this community before" said the female officer with a serious look in her eyes this time like she was now gaining interest in the story.
That serious look in her eyes reignited Clara's confidence for it was like the report had scaled through in enkindling some interest in the officers and they were eager to hear more about it.
"How did it happen?" asked the female officer.
Clara started the narration exactly the same way she had practiced for over a week concerning the report.
She started narrating the cooked up story to the officer.
"I was seated with my sister outside our compound on that faithful day when the man who was our neighbour as at the time came and pleaded with my sister to help him purchase a packet of matches.
The man told my sister to bring the matches for him inside his house when she had come.
And when my sister had gone inside the man's house to give him the matches, my sister didn't come out again.
After i have waited for her for sometime, i decided to go inside the man's compound by myself to know what was delaying her.
When i got there, i couldn't find anyone in the house. I searched round the house and discovered that the man had escaped with my sister through the back door. The whole rooms were already empty.
And that was the last time i set my eyes on my sister and the man as well."
"For how long has it been?" asked the male officer, he was listening attentively to the story.
"It's getting to three months now replied Clara.
"What is the name of the man" the officer asked again. " His is a herbalist and we refer to him as herbalist" Clara replied.
From the look in the officer's eyes it appeared she was not yet convinced with the story.
Clara on her own part, was somehow glad she had finally said all she had been practicing for weeks now.
The officers paused for sometime in thought on what to ask next.
"What about your parents" the officer questioned to break the loud silence.
"Our father is late but our mother is still alive." Clara disclosed.
"Then bring your mother, we will like to see her" requested the officer.
Clara wasn't satisfied with the request. "Why would they request for my mother?" she questioned inwardly as her gaze was pinned on the picture that hung on the wall in an attempt to avoid the man's gaze that was fixed on her.
There was no way she could be able to bring her mother for such issue. She would never comply, it was certain.
"Your mother is here with you right" repeated the female officer as she noticed the coldness in Clara's eyes.
Clara nodded in response.
"Then tell her that the police would like to see her."
"It's okay" Clara tone was cold in disappointment.
The report hadn't taken the kind of shape she had imagined.
Her feet was so heavy as she turned to walk out from the station.
The officer had kept the picture with them hoping that she would come back with her mother as agreed.
There was a distance look in the eyes of Clara as she walked along the express thinking of what to do concerning the issue of bringing her mother.
How in this world would she be able to convince her to come with her?
Her mind was that the police would just note her report and commence the search immediately.
She had never reported any issue to the police before, she had no idea of how it went. That was her very first time, her practice on how to compose her fabricated story and answer some few questions didn't extend to that request made by the officer.
She walked pass the gate of their family house.
After she had gone a bit farther, she paused in contemplation.
"Should I just go in and lie to my mother.. or use some other excuse to convince her to come with me to the station?" she contemplated.
"But even if I succeed in bringing her to the station, she will still deny the fact that her daughter is missing..there is no way it is going to work" she concluded. Then she continued on her way to her house.