The Pawn_Athan Ayo.
The intruding rays of the morning sunlight dazzled her while she lay curled up on the bed, basking in the mild sunlight that had managed to peep through from beneath the window curtain. It was way past 10.a.m. She would not mind clinging to the bed a little longer while she savoured every detail of the previous day's rumpy-pumpy between her and Jimmy. The duo had spent the whole day and night in bed having it off. It was even more pleasurable that Jimmy had arrived just in time to douse her burning honeypot. For a moment, her mind digressed to how Jimmy possibly found his way into her apartment, and then, she remembered she had given him a spare to enable him prepare some meal should she be late back home. Jimmy had been quite helpful, even with the chores each time returned home late. She was just a banker who would not waste much time at work. She could not be more excited to have him back, especially now that she was on a month's annual leave from work.
She still lay stark naked on the bed, with the duvet delicately draped over her up to the chest, while facing the window and staring back at the rude sunlight. She had a big smile on her face--apparently feeling contented, energetic, and sober than the previous day. In a randy moment, she slithered her arm down to her vulva, stuck the index finger in the clitoris and thrust the finger In and out in quick succession. She closed her eyes partly and enjoyed the sensation of sex again, even as she thrust the index finger in and out of her clitoris a bit harder. A groan almost escaped her throat, but she muffled it before Jimmy could catch her in the act. Her arm slithered away from her genitals, up to her heated belly, fondling her belly-button, then slid further up to cup her breast and squeezed the nipples firmly as if to draw some liquid. She felt her nipples standing, and a pang for more sex ran through her spine.
She swung round and away from the bedside towards the direction of Jimmy, who still laid sprawling on his belly. She folded her leg and placed her thigh on his buttocks, drawing closer to savour the warmth and macho odour from his nape. She clenched even closer to caress his hairy nape and towards his Adam's apple, only to discover some liquid staining her palm. Curious and bewildered, she instantly yanked her arm away from Jimmy's neck to have a look at what liquid this was. It was red all over; It was all blood. Jimmy was bleeding. She sat up straight, engulfed in sweat and anxiety.
''Jim! Jim, wake up. Are you all right?'' She smacked and jerked his arm repeatedly to no avail. In this moment, she floundered clumsily as she made effort to flip his lifeless torso(which had laid on its belly) to have a clearer look at the source of the bleeding. There was a gory stab around his esophagus. He had bled so much that a large part of the pillow he laid his head was soaked in blood.
Whoever had done this must have stabbed him repeatedly, ostensibly with a knife. But who could have done this? When did this happen, and she was not aware? Or did Jim stab himself? Why would he stab himself to death--if he did? These were the questions racing through her mind. She had checked the door, and was intact as she had locked it. She had also examined all windows, and there was no evidence of breakage. What could she possibly tell the cops if she invited them? No one would believe her innocence as there was no evidence. She sobbed and wailed violently while she repeatedly tossed Jimmy's lifeless body in vain hope that he would be back to life.
Murder! Murder! These were the nagging voices in her head as she sobbed over the lifeless body that laid still on the bed. She would be charged with murder and sentenced to death or, better still, condemned to jail. She had no evidence to prove her innocence. Now, she thought of a plan: she managed to roll the duvet round Jimmy's body, and tied it as firmly as she could. ''No, Jim never came here. We've broken up,'' she consoled herself, trying hard to take the weight off her heart. She would dispose of the body into the sea when she was sure the neighborhood was dead asleep.
Not a single person must see this. Sure, no one must! She said to her herself in feeble apprehension. Slipping into a new pair of panties and slowly strapping up her bra, she paced awkwardly across to the living room to clear her head. She paced back to the bedroom, clutching her cheeks with both hands, making vain effort to resist the trickle of tears that rolled down her cheeks. What would she do now? What is the next move? She muttered to herself, ''Jenny, you have to think up something. Really fast!'' Now, she set about cleaning up the patch of blood on the bed, as much as she cleared away Jimmy's personal effects that could implicate her if found within her custody.
Opening her brown, wooden wardrobe that stood firmly fitted in the alcove of the room, she delicately selected a dark torquoise jacket and a brownish sleeveless shirt.
''I'll go to Mikel's tavern till night falls,'' she said, her hands trembling violently as she donned the outfit and laced her chelsea boots.
Jenny's apartment is just opposite to the flight of stairs that led to two more stair cases to touch down the ground floor. She resided on the first floor of the 4-storey condo which towered alongside other complexes on the Island. She had resided in the condo for 3 years now, and yet, she was not on familiar terms with any of her neighbours. She preferred a reserved lifestyle, and she had kept to that till this moment.
Rushing down the short flight of stairs, she bumbled into two lovebirds who were locked in the act of romance at the base of the descending stair case. She stopped short, wondering if she should beckon their attention, as the base was the only avenue that led to the ground floor. In a moment of distraction, the lovebirds caught a glimpse of Jenny's watching eyes as she stood poised to descend the stairs. Readjusting themselves, the duo sheepishly scurried into the room which was just parallel to the stairs. As Jenny landed on the base and made to descend the last flight of stairs, a short, stout man hurried awkwardly out of the same room, almost shoving Jenny away from the way. She staggered a bit. Unperturbed, Jenny forged ahead and made to hurry downstairs.
''Hey, Jenifer Lawrence,'' called the stout man, waving flirtatiously at the young lady who was in trouble.
Surprised, Jenny stopped dead on track and shot a curious look back at the young man who stood at 5 inches tall. That feminine voice rang a bell, she thought. It's Benjamin Ataga from St. Peter's Synagogue. They had met the previous day, and he had been lavishly nice and receptive in welcoming her to the church.
''Hey, Benji'', she said uneasily, wishing that this fella had never surfaced now. ''You stay here?'' She continued in affected composure.
''Yes...yes, this is my crib,'' he said, grinning and pointing his thumb backwards at the door.
As the conversation seemed to linger, Jenny cut in, ''can we catch up tomorrow? I'm in a rush right now.''
''But Jenny...', Benji moved an inch closer to her. ''You have a red stain on the tip of your jacket,'' said Benji, holding the tip of Jenny's jacket now.
''Never mind. Thank you. I've been taking much of red wine lately,'' she said, grabbing the tip of her jacket back, and pursing her lips to flash back an affected smile.