Chapter 2
In everything the family
considered Vicky worthy and they promised her sponsorship into one of the best secondary schools in the state. Vicky did not experience some of the hard realities of life like her peers because all her needs were met by her mother.
The people of Ara were common traders. They equally did farming and reared some domestic animals like goat, chicken, and pig. All these made them familiar with the inhabitants of the town. Some of them were trders who sold thier wares on marketAs a young girl Vicky was privileged never to experience any of these because they had an underground tank which stored water from year to year. Her mother used labourers to run domestic chores including washing and cooking. Vicky's elder ones were doing well, they had a good standard of living, some of them lived abroad; Vicky was the only one still living with her mother.
They supported their mother to a superlative degree since they lost their father quite early. They decided to provide everything for their mother and their youngerVicky as a favored princess only read her books, ate food and play with her friends. In church, Vicky was an active alto choir singer in the Roman Catholic Church. She followed her mother to morning mass every Sunday. When the admission list into the Federal Government College was released, she made it to the pride of her family.
When her brothers heard about her academic excellence, they all backed her to proceed with her secondary education.
CHAPTER 3
It was a sunny morning Vicky was
already prepared to leave for the boarding school. Her mother could not hold her tears. She hugged her daughter very tight in a warm embrace for a very long time. When she released her, the little Vicky was surprised that her mother was crying.
She pleaded with her to stop crying. "Mama please stop crying or else she will not go to school again". vicky pleaded. With that she was able to calm her and consoled her.
Vicky and her mother got to the park where she would take a bus.While waiting for the bus to come Vicky and her mother became buried in conversation with mother, giving piece of advice. Not too long, the traveling bus arrived.
She entered and waved her mother goodbye as the bus started moving. Vicky arrived the Federal Government College at Asaba in the evening. It was her first day at the boarding house, she was not familiar with the environment or anyone there unlike her town.
She was staring at the whole environment. Looking at the magnificent building, they are big and beautiful, she said: ''I guess Asaba is really a nice and beautiful place''. Suddenly, someone tapped her from behind. When she turned, it was a tall girl with some other female girls. "Hi am beauty and these are my friends", she said. "I'm Vicky and i'm new here", vicky responded. "Alright follow us we will take you to your hostel" they said and Vicky followed.
Beauty and her friends were bad girls in the college. Nobody tolerated them, not even the teachers because they beat up teachers and they did all manner of crafty acts in the school but no teacher could report them to the principal as they fought teachers and beat up teachers at Will.
CHAPTER 4
Vicky became a very close friend to
Beauty and her gangs. They were already in JSS 3 and they always missed classes for one reason or another. One morning the principal caught her and her friends sneaking out through the fence. This made the principal to call their parents to the indiscipline character of their children and told their parents all the crafty acts they had been indulging in. But Vicky's mother refused to believe what the principal was saying; rather, she supported her daughter and believed her words.Eventually Vicky and her gang were expelled from college.
disappointment of all in the family. They advised that she should continue in the village community secondary school. Having lost a golden opportunity for quality education, she continued her secondary education in one of the communities in Ara which most of his primary school friends were attending. Vicky's popularity increased in the secondary school because of the way she flashed wealth and affluence.
Vicky can spend as much as three thousand naira daily in the school on eating and drinking with her friends "Bad company they say, corrupt good manners''. By the time she got to SS1 her popularity had turned to notoriety.She often absconded from classes. One day, Vicky arrogantly challenged her teacher and the report got to the principal and she was suspended for one month. When she came back from suspension, her bad attitude continued; she even started having immoral affairs indiscriminately with boys.
CHAPTER 5
One day her mother came back
from the market to see a boy's shoes at her door. Being so disappointed, she decided to seize the shoes. When she came out with the boy, the mother confronted her and vowed not give the boy the shoes so as to teach him a lesson.
To her mother's dismay, Vicky struggled and forcefully took the shoe from her mother's grip and slapped
her in the presence of the boy. The news circulated everywhere like wild fire but that did not change anything. Vicky was still loved and cherished by her beloved mother.
Even as people ridicule Vicky that did not stop her from bad attitude, she became a big issue in her community and even in school. It got to a level that the school could no longer bear it, thus they expelled her completely. That was before the senior secondary certificate examination. Vicky wrote her exams as an external candidate.
Vicky came back to the village after her secondary school examination, In the first month of her stay at home, her mother thought she has changed from her old attitude but she was disappointed when the news flew everywhere that Vicky and some
notorious girls in the community had formed a gambling gang at the community secondary school. After some warning from the community leader, the gang disbanded from that location to another location they considered safe.
CHAPTER 6
Vicky got her mixed up in series of
controversies ranging from drinking in bars, smoking and coming home very late at night. Her attention had gradually shifted from being a church girl to a gangster and cultist. Vicky became a village champion girl with no character and home training. She always engaged in one evil deed or another, sometimes people thougth she was possesed with an evil spirit inside of her because of her fearless attitude and wayward lifestyle.
When Vicky got admission into the university around the month of September that same year, it was a total relief and jubilation for her family and community at large. The family was quick to buy the necessary things that she would need in school so that she could depart immediately. ''It is said that when people mastered bad character they become addicted to evil inclination''. Vicky may not have joined a cult group in her year one in the university but she associated with lots of ''bad girls''.
Vicky's brother supported as much as possible, giving her much money that would be more than enough for a semester so that she will not start flirtingaround with men in the campus. The eldest brother being one of the richest and respected men in the community promised her a better future if she concentrated on her studies. "Vicky, you are very intelligent and a promising young lady. You have proved it time without number long ago but I really don't know what went wrong but whatever it is, I wish to firmly promise you that I will support you if you concentrate on your studies I want you to see your entrance into the university as an opportunity to reform yourself in all ramifications.'' Vicky's brother charged her when Vicky was departing for the university.
CHAPTER 7
Vicky ignored all these beautiful
words of love from her family and deluded to her own way. She believed in seeking the wrong way out instead of doing things right. Unfortunately for her, the planned cheating strategy failed woefully and she had seven carry overs in the first semester. The exam supervision in the school, especially her class was very tight even at that she never learnt her lesson instead she started meeting with lecturers trying to pay them off and even begging them to sleep with her to give her pass mark in every course.
By the time Vicky got 200 level, she
has bagged over 18 carry-overs and she
already saw herself with additional three
years against five years required for her
course of study. Most of her course
mates saw her as a prodigal child
because she was from a well to do home
yet had decided to amount to nothing.
At 200 level, Vicky had become one the
ring leaders of a notorious cult in the
school. She continued like that until her
department could no longer bear with
her,
Hence after a faculty meeting in her
fourth year in the university she was dropped. She could not graduate and therefore could not go for her nationalyouth service but vicky could not; she missed out.Vicky did not go home because she had not really made up her mind on what she would tell her family. Since she was living off campus, she stayed on in the town struggling for admission for fresh candidate seeking admission popularly known as Jambites. After six months of struggling and fighting for another admission, everything got squashed and failed and no money came from the home front because they were aware that her course of study was only four years. Vicky packed her luggage and headed home after selling everything she bought while living in her off campus
CHAPTER 8
Vicky came home after wasting five
years instead of the four years meant for her course, yet no certificate accompanied her. By the time she came home most of her mates and contemporaries were already in their service year. Vicky appealed to her mother and family that she had extra year which she had already covered and that She would go for the national youth service corps.
Vicky decided to camouflage herself as a national youth corps member. She hired the uniform and started roaming about the community from one end to
another. After her camouflage ride, shepackaged her things again and left the community in the same uniform claiming that she was going to the orientation camp. It was at that point a lot of people observed that she was just acting and mocking herself because a lot people know that the uniform are only
given at the orientation camp.
While she was away she was calling a
lot of people to support her financially because life in the orientation camp was very hard. Funny enough people were supporting thanking God that "she has graduated and now a corps member. But the truth was that, that Vicky was hiding at a corner in Port – Harcort with one of her friends lavishing all the money with designer clothes and shoes. Port Harcourt life exposed Vicky to so many things. She began to see what some other girls were doing and was following suit, Vicky started living a life of runs- babe. She would go out at night with any guy and return the next day morning after she had been paid.
CHAPTER 9
One night Vicky was on the road
side well dressed waiting for a customer to pick her up. She waited for a long time just when she wanted to give up a car drove to her direction and horn to her. While she walked to the direction of the car, she noticed that it was a young man that was in the car. Vicky was so pleased she entered the car and they drove off. Guy: Hi! My name is Ken.
Vicky: Hi! My name is Vicky.
"Beautiful name for a pretty lady" Ken said. After they passed the night together Vicky was taken home the next day with a huge amount of money. Shewas so happy, she said she had never seen such amount of money in her life. Vicky and Ken exchanged numbers unknown to Vicky that Ken was a kidnapper. He has kidnaped so many innocent people and sold them out all for money.
Vicky and Ken started going out together. Vicky was not bothered to know more about Ken because he had a lot of money. During that period, Ken was busy gathering information about Vicky from an unknown source. After all his investigation,
he was able to introduce Vicky to his
illegal job, telling her all the benefits that
accrued to it. Since Ken was so rich andwealthy, Vicky reasoned that part of the business she would also be very rich and wealthy like Ken. She did not mind the dangers and risks that involved in the kidnapping of other people, especially when caught. Vicky did not know things about that but her focus was after the huge amount of money she could be making with Ken whenever their
mission was successful.
CHAPTER 10
That early morning Vicky had a
thought that if she could kidnap her mother in order to raise huge ransom on her from her brothers especially the eldest brother who was a very rich man in the community, then she could use the money to start a new life with Ken outside the country. After all, her brothers were very rich and they would allow their mother to die in the hands of kidnappers. They can raise any amount of money to keep their mother alive. She reasoned this in her mind and gave an evil smile.
Three weeks after the evil meetingwas held by Vicky, Ken and some other group of bad gang, Vicky carried her luggage and headed home in her sparkling neat NYSC uniform and cap. When she got home there was much celebration that Vicky had returned after NYSC year. Her mother was the happiest, since her enemies and rumour - mongers had been shamed by God as her daughter had finished NYSC and she is better than what she was before
she left.
"Now she can think of getting
married and starting her own life". She muttered Vicky's mother was very happy and pleased; she became muchhappier when Vicky handed over a present of provision, wrapper, kitchen utensils and other thing My daughter hasbecomeresponsible."ToGodbethe Glory'' she urtered silently. The following morning, she went to the parish priest office to book a thanksgiving mass for the successful completion of Vicky's NYSC. As a master planner, Vicky was at home She became calm and calculative, hardly noticeable. Like a green snake under the green grass . The community accepted her once more and accorded her respect. Some suitors started coming to seek her hand in marriage "since has turn a new leaf ".
CHAPTER 11
After four weeks at home, Vicky called Ken to get ready his men as the time to strike was getting close with the latest development. A few members of the gang relocated to the nearest community so that they could monitor the mother's movement. In their last meeting, they decided the day for the execution of the job would be market day since her mother hardly missed the
weekly market.
On that fateful day, it was Vicky that
reminded her mother that, that day was Orie Market day as if she didn't know. She boiled water for her to take her bath. her mother never read the handwritingon the wall. She was only thanking God that her last born had become a real responsible woman.
After taking her bath and got dressed up, Vicky got a bike rider popularly known as "okada'' to take her mother to the market and possibly bring the mother back after purchase. The truth was that the so called "okada'' man was one of the gang members. They got to the market around 11:00am and she got through with her purchase by 3:00pm (in the afternoon). and the
"okada" waited patiently.
The gang waited for them to pass so
and they followed them closely watching for the right place to strike. Ithappened, close to the woman's house. The gang intercepted them by the red gulf as the okada lost control and fell. They quickly dragged Vicky's mother into the boot of the gulf and closed it heartlessly, not minding how tired she could be, having been in the market since morning. Again, everything happened that in that circumstances, she could not even shout and nobody coming would have the slightest thought that a crime had been committed there. ''The irony of life is like puzzles that cannot be solved''. A mother who brought a child into the world so as to be taken care of when she is old; instead, she gets humiliation. What a pity.
CHAPTER 12
Vicky was following them on phone. When she was sure that they had left,
she raised an alarm that her mother was kidnaped by unknown gun men. The community gathered and the youths commenced search but there was no trace of the woman anywhere. Then Vicky communicated with her brothers that their mother had been kidnaped. without hesitation her brothers started arriving home one by one to get the full gist of the abomination. From some quarters, people were murmuring that Vicky must know something about what had happed but considering the evil skills and calculations involved in kidnaping, they could not suspect her.yet there where guesses in that direction in some quarters.
Vicky had already gone to the nearest police station to report the case before the arriver of her brothers, They went into a closed door meeting on how to pay the ransom that the kidnappers demanded. As a master strategist, Vicky released the phone number of the community leader to Ken, five million had been agreed by the two negotiators. While the gangs were moving along the expressway, before they got to their hiding place, they noticed that Vicky's mother was not making any sound in the boot.
When they brought her out she wasalready lifeless. Quickly they called her and she became terribly troubled like a lunatic. She never bargained death of her own mother. People pitied her more because of the way she was going about it not knowing that she was carrying so much in her mind. That night, Vicky, Ken and his gang stole a coffin and went to the nearest bush to bury the woman. Vicky came back claiming that she quickly went to submit her curriculum vitae in a company via a
recommendation from a close friend. While the family was waiting for the information from the kidnappers and the police they decided to delay the transfer of the money. Since they wantedto hear the voice of the kidnapped woman so as to be sure, they had murdered and buried the innocent woman, so they could not handle making the dead woman talk; so, their five million was not released.
CHAPTER 13
Their eldest brother who was the community leader was determined to keep all the detainees until something was heard about his mother. It was as if the detention of the suspect calmed the tension in the community. For one year now nobody heard anything about the missing woman. Vicky's eldest brother had made series of arrest, though few people were still very much around
wining and dining in the community. One of them by name James who had not been at peace with his soul since the event of the burial of an innocent woman. He had been having terrible
night mares where he was being pursuedby old woman with a machete, even in broad day light, he felt some people were following him. It happened that James was a carpenter and close friend to Ken. He knew Ken, was never rich, he was a merely wanted criminal that moved at night. That was how he saw Vicky and grabbed the opportunity when Vicky brought the plan.
That afternoon he was roofing a house when he felt dizzy and fell from the roof top and crashed. Fortunately, he didn't die but he broke one of his hands and legs. He said somebody pushed him down but he could not recognize the person. They rushed him to the hospitalbut on the way he pleaded they should take him to the police station. Bewildered by the tension in his voice, the driver took him to the police station, without asking any question. At the police station James opened the can of worm.He toldthestoryofthekidnap and all those involved. That ws when Vicky's name was mentioned. Then, police summoned Vicky's family through the eldest brother, then it was decided that Vicky should be tortured until she lead them to where she buried her mother.
When she learnt that the cat was
already let out of the bag, she obliged
and complied to the astonishment of herbrothers and other people. Eventually, Vicky her elder brother, Ken and the rest of them who was involved was taken to court and later sentenced to life