FLASH BACK
The jingling of the pendant in Murphy's hand was like the jingle of the staff of a traditional chief priest. It substituted any other sound in the room regardless the chirping crickets that tried to subdue it through an open window.
Murphy opened the bendant again, staring at the beautiful lady in it. He didn't know when he began to move towards the door, staring at the picture. Suddenly, he stopped.
"But teacher, do you think Monica has a child for you?" He asked without turning or looking back. "She looks so beautiful. Don't you think she has bore you a child wherever she is? What's even her name?" Murphy didn't hear a response but a rusty sound, so he turned to see Nwachukwu setting up a small table. Instantly, he forgot the questions he asked the old man, enthusiastically deviated his mind to the table. He walked closer to see clearer.
"What are you doing? What's the table for?" he was still inquisitive, yet the old man didn't respond. Expectantly, he folded his hands and sat at the edge of the bed, watching to know the outcome of his teacher's project. After setting the table, he saw him walking inside the control room and came out with a rectangular transparent glass with a rabbit in it. He placed it on the table. Again, he got another long constructed wood with holes from the control room and set it at the base of a wall opposite the table.
"This is a game setup. That's why I brought you here." Teacher broke the silence, standing behind the table.
Murphy stood up from the bed. "All the way from the main city, just for a game?" he repeated unbelievably, standing beside his teacher in a way they faced the wooden holes and the rabbit on the table before them. "So how does the game work?" he added.
"It's called Blind Sense. We both will be blindfolded, the rabbit will be released, naturally, it will run into one of the holes and all the holes will close automatically. Then we open our eyes.."
"And guess which hole the rabbit enters?" Murphy interrupted.
"Yes. But you don't use the word 'guess' rather 'sense' and the winner flies home while the loser remains here."
Murphy smiled. "Let me kick your ass." he said.
The game began. Both were blindfolded, standing erect like lost blind men and holding hands like prayer warriors. At that moment only the whining of the rabbit filled not only their ears but also the quiet room. Breeze rattled the windows like the presence of a ghost into the room through them. The degree of the silence reminded Murphy the day they were asked to close their eyes outside very early in the morning.
"Release it, teacher." He whispered.
The man pressed a a red button on the rectangular box, it opened, the rabbit ran into one of the seven holes and they closed automatically.
Murphy first unfolded his blindfold followed by teacher.
"I'll go first." Murphy surged forward, listened carefully to hear the rattling of the rodent to detect the hole, but everywhere was as quiet as it had been. He looked back at teacher to see him, still staring and standing like an iroko tree. He wanted to touch the wood, but teacher's voice startled him.
"You don't have to touch the wood. The closed holes have numbers. Just select one."
Murphy courageously opened number two but didn't see the rabbit.
"Get the rabbit out from number five" teacher instructed him.
Murphy deepened his hand inside the particular number and get the rabbit out surprisingly. "Teacher how did you know?" he asked.
Teacher smiled. Murphy insisted they play again, repeatedly, he never guessed any right, so he quit.
"Teacher, teach me how to win, please." he pleaded.
Teacher began to cough as he sat at the edge of the bed. Murphy juxtaposed with him immediately.
"My son" teacher began. "There's a secret behind the game. If you know it, you'll always be one step ahead of your enemies." he coughed twice then continued. " A person is a being that has certain capabilities such as reasoning and consciousness. It helps you find out ahead of time what regulations apply to your situation."
"Are you saying you knew the hole even before the rabbit entered?"
"Yes, of course."
"How?"
"By observing and connecting yourself with the rabbit. This happens before the blindfold. Then after the blindfold, you try to picture it again."
"How can i connect with a rodent?" Murphy kept asking.
"By knowing her mind through her eyes and charisma then picture it again when blindfolded. The character of a person at a moment determines his next movement. So you can always be a step ahead of him or her if you read his or her charisma then picture it in your mind to connect with him or her." He paused for it to assimilate. "Monica, knows the game too. Asking me if I think she has a child for me is like asking if I made love to her?" he added, leaving the room.
"Of course, children don't fall from the sky." he also stood up to follow him.
Teacher looked back at him with a hand on the doorknob. "Where do you think you're going to?" he asked him.
"Home, with you of course"
"We had a deal; the winner flies home while the loser stays here." he clutched the knob and went out...
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CONTINUITY
Back to the resident of the orphans, Judith couldn't believe she was seeing her parents live and direct likewise others in the dining room. They didn't need to see the DNA test result to be sure because Judith had her mother's face.
The dining chair rattled on the tiles when Judith slowly stood up, staring at her parents. "Is this for real?" she whispered.
"In flesh and blood, my dear, and highly authenticated." Murphy announced, raising two hands like a reverend father before a blessed sacrament. "Judith was found as a baby in a dust-bin, but she found favour in the eyes of teacher Nwachukwu" he added.
Before Judith started crying, the poor woman's tears had started dripping already. She knelt down with the heavy tears. "Please, I'm sorry, my child. Forgive me" she pleaded.
Judith rushed her, knelt down and hugged her as both busted out in a thunderous cry.
"Is okay mother, I really missed you." Judith cried on her shoulder. It happened for a reason." she added.
Others like Cynthia and Vivian had started shedding tears too, even Ada. Only the men had the heart of men.
Dave looked at Murphy. "How did you come up with this, bro?" he asked him.
"It's a long story." he replied.
*************
That night, Murphy had gone without Vivian, Cynthia also located her way home. Ada, Vivian and Judith could be found inside a room again happily discussing about the unexpected surprise.
Ada looked at Vivian. "I told you not to be too sure of your..."
"I'm happy the surprise turned out to be something I'm more happy about than just a marriage proposal." Vivian interrupted her.
They looked at Judith to see her parking her belongings.
"Aah, madam, are you going to your parents' tonight?" Vivian asked her.
"Awww, and she will meet her siblings" Ada amusingly added.
Judith kept smiling at their statements without replying.
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Same night, Bolaji and co. assembled again. For some moments, none coughed thoughtless of saying a word. They just couldn't believe that Murphy caught them for the second time.
"If the investigation continues, they will know that I'm the master planner of that poison" Amandi reminded himself and others.
"But that boy is a wizard!!!" Bolaji confessed bitterly.
"He's always one step ahead of us. He always detect our scrupulous plans" another added.
"That's because he has a secret. Find the secret first" a young female's voice came at the door. All directed their eyes there to see the girl in dreaded hair like a rastafarian. She was on trousers and a thick jacket conjoined with a cap.
"Young girl, who allowed you in here?" Amandi asked her.
"I'm Erika. I have the secret, so I can eliminate teacher Murphy for you. The secret is called Blind Sense. if you don't have it, you can't outsmart him. Are we in?" She asked.
All the men began to look at one another. They believed, for that girl to come there, she must have some guts in her. Therefore they had to bring her in.
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The next day, Vivian reported to Murphy's room well dressed. She even had to wear a shorter skirt in order for him to fall for her. As usual, she stood before him inside the room.
"Murphy, you called me." She said.
"Yes, I want you to accompany me to the street. No convoy, no sirens and no security. Just the driver." The boy said with hands inside the pocket of a caftan like his late teacher.
"Don't you think is risky, Murphy? By the way, why going to the street alone... I mean with only me?"
"To help me get a wife." he replied.
"Wife? Of course.. okay.. umm.. which side?" Vivian found herself fumbling again.
"I'll show you. I hope if you see a good girl, you'll know." he smiled.
Vivian smiled with him even though her heart trembled.
Nevertheless, they set out to the street with just a driver. Hence, they occupied the back seat. People didn't really know he was the one inside the car. Vivian kept twisting her fingers and swallowing hard. She refused to look at Murphy in the car. Surprisingly, she felt his hand on hers then looked up at him with high hopes in a way both stared at each other.
"You're nervous, Vivian, what's it?" He asked her.
"Am I? No!" she withdrew her hand with a smile. "It's the car A.C. It's cold in here" she added.
Murphy turned to the driver. "Put the A.C. off"
"No, no, no" Vivian objected.
"But I thought you said..."
"I like it cold." She interrupted then silence creepped back in.
"I'm still expecting the brighter star" Murphy broke the silence.
Vivian chuckled. Obviously, she wasn't herself. Nevertheless, as they were moving, Murphy sighted a young girl with dread, seated in a local shop--that was Erika.
"Stop the car." he commanded the driver. "Vivian, do you see that girl?" he pointed at her through the tinted glass.
"Is that who you want to marry?" she asked in disgust.
"Apart from that, there's something about her."
Vivian looked at the girl again. "What are you talking about?"
"I don't even know but i have to meet her. Who knows, she might be the lucky girl." He opened the door, while Vivian reluctantly opened hers. They began to walk towards the shop.
Seeing them, Erika smiled for a reason best known to her.....