"It's great to see him like that once in a while." the still mid-air Eze said.
"Hard life right?"
"How do you know?"
"I am in your head." the spider stated coldly.
"Oh."
"And besides, that is not what we are focusing on." the spider continued. "Let us start with finding that Obinna boy. Also, watch out for the Danfo."
"The what?"
Have you ever felt 18,000 kilograms ram into your body at 130 kilometres an hour?
Well, let me say this. The impact of pure metal ramming into his body was like no other.
His invisible body rolled across the tough road, scraping everything that could be scraped. The experience felt like a lifetime for the young boy, who believe it or not, hadn't been rammed by a bus before. pain erupted throughout his body like a torrential shower. His ears rang with a deafening roar, drowning out all other sounds save for his heartbeat pounding. The world tilted on its axis, as Eze struggled to make sense of his surroundings.
As for the Danfo driver, he seemed confused as to why there was a thud on his bus when there was nothing there.
"Anansi. I think. I'm dying." Eze said, between extremely painful gasps.
You could almost hear the Spider roll its eyes.
"Well, I think you are reacting too much. Get up."
"My brother in... whatever your religion is meant to be." he said, gripping his ribs. "I have been hit by a bus."
"Do you think I care? Get up!"
Eze groaned.
"Fine, stay there and die." the spider exclaimed.
And Eze of course, didn't move a muscle.
"That is very sad of you."
Headlights were pointed straight at him.
"Fine. Here is a new one to try out. Try and move your wrists."
And so he did. and suddenly, a black thread shot out of his it, grabbing onto a street light. He zipped through the air at high speeds.
"Woohoo!" he exclaimed, feeling reinvigorated. He landed on top of the light and watched the night's lights from below.
It wasn't the cleanest of sights from above. But it was one no one else could witness. He sat down and watched from the pedestal, as the sky's starline twinkled. The car lights also.
"Woohoo!" Eze exclaimed feeling reinvigorated.
From this vantage point, he had a unique view of the city below. It wasn't the cleanest of sights from above. But it was one no one else could witness.
Perched on the pedestal, He took a moment to catch his breath and soak in the scene before him. The starry sky stretched out above him, a vast canvas of darkness speckled with twinkles of light. Below, the city droned with life, its streets alive with the glow of headlights.
"Your breath is caught now, is it? If so, we have to keep moving."
"How are we going to find him?"
"Great question."
. . .
"You were meant to say something after that." Eze voiced.
"I am not very sure of how we can find him. I don't think I have a way of locating him." the Spider retorted.
"You would think the Spider-god would have a tracking device or something. You have to have some sort of power you can give me for this. right? God. What do we do?"
After that Eze pondered for a moment, his mind racing with possibilities as cars raced by. "What about Chinwe?" he suggested. "She's not bound by Mr. Okafor's restrictions. Maybe she knows something or can help us find Obinna."
Anansi's silence lingered for a moment before he responded, "Chinwe... doesn't sound promising. Even if we went there, what would you even theoretically do? We can't risk exposing her to danger."
"Chinwe is smarter than me. I'm sure she'll think of something."
Anansi sighed. "Well, let's get going then."
"Agreed," Eze replied, determination evident in his voice. "Wait sef. How are we even going to get there?"
"Use the threads Eze."
Eze looked down at his wrists, and back up at the sky. He prepared to shoot.
"This isn't... hard or anything right?"
"I am sure you will be fine. You are skilled at parkour, are you not? This will make it even easier."
Eze nodded, understanding the analogy. With a determined expression, he focused on his wrists, visualizing the threads extending from them. Despite the lack of any visible opening or hole, the threads shot out into the night sky, defying all logic.
The threads wrapped securely around the top of a nearby pole, anchoring Eze in place. He took a moment to steady himself, feeling the rush of anticipation coursing through his veins.
Then, with a deep breath, he propelled himself forward, launching into the air with effortless grace. As he swung above the bustling city streets, performing acrobatic feats that would make a certain Parker proud, time seemed to slow down. The cars below him blurred into streaks of light, the wind rushing past his ears in a thrilling symphony.
Despite the inherent danger of his precarious position, Eze couldn't help but feel exhilarated. The sensation of freedom, of soaring through the air with nothing but the support of the threads.
Suspended between earth and sky, He felt truly alive. He couldn't shake the feeling that anything was possible.
Moments later, they finally arrived at Chinwe's residence. Eze gracefully landed on the window sill, skillfully maneuvering to open it.
"Let us hope that your friend is not armed,"
"Chinwe? What would she be doing with weapons?" Eze replied confidently as he pushed open the locked window with sheer strength and vaulted through it. However, as soon as he entered, he was met with an unexpected surprise.
Without warning, a heavy object collided with his head, causing him to stagger backwards in pain. Instinctively, he reached up to massage his skull, expecting to feel a bruise forming. Yet, to his surprise, there was nothing there.
The assailant remained obscured in the shadows, the frying pan still swinging menacingly. Eze knew he had to stay alert and agile to evade any further attacks. Without hesitation, he sprang into action, and by that, I meant he was running away from the aggressor instead as he navigated the dimly lit room.
The assailant, undeterred by Eze's evasion, continued their assault with a fierce determination. Their swings grew more aggressive, narrowly missing Eze as he danced around the room in an attempt to avoid further blows. In a split-second decision fueled by instinct, Eze lunged forward and delivered a swift kick, disarming the assailant and sending the weapon upwards, before clattering to the floor.
The moonlight shone brighter. The figure previously concealed in darkness was revealed. It was Chinwe.
"Eze? What in the world are you doing here?" her voice quivered. Her hand reached out, intending to touch his hair in reassurance, but before she could make contact, Eze pulled her into a tight embrace.
Chinwe, taken aback by the sudden embrace, hesitated for a moment before returning it, her arms wrapping around Eze.
"I...uh...we...need your help," he managed to stammer out after separating the hug.
Chinwe's expression softened slightly at his words, her initial wariness giving way to curiosity. "Help? With what?" she inquired, her tone tinged with a mixture of apprehension and intrigue.
"First things first. What's with the Pan?"
"S-security reasons," she said, shyly. "Sorry."
Anansi's voice echoed in his mind, laced with amusement. "Quite the resourceful one."
"That's... besides the point," Eze said, ignoring the spider. "We...need to find Obinna."
Her face dropped lower than it already was.
"Eze... Obinna..." Chinwe's voice wavered as she struggled to find the right words. Her heart weighed heavy with sorrow, her mind clouded with regret. "I-I'm so sorry. I should've... I should've been there for him."
Eze reached out, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. "I know, Chinwe. It's a lot to take in," he said softly, his own voice tinged with concern.
"I can't believe this is happening," Chinwe murmured, her voice barely above a whisper. She hugged herself tightly, seeking solace in herself. "It's not fair," Chinwe whispered, her voice trembling with emotion. "He didn't deserve any of this."
"That's why I'm going to fix it."
"How?"
"I-I don't really know yet. But you're smarter than me. I'm sure you'd have something in mind."
"Don't say that now. You get higher than me in...um, in...in..." She turned as red as she could when nothing came to mind.
"Ok, no need for that," Eze said, backing away. "Any bright ideas?"
She thought about it for a moment, as she walked around her room. An Organized clutter, much like her mind. Neat stacks of books lined the shelves, their spines worn from years of love. A single bed, neatly made with what could only be described as a boring coloured quilt, occupied one corner. The window, adorned with lace curtains, let in a soft glow of moonlight, casting shadows that danced across the cluttered surfaces. If one would open her locker, however, it was a different story.
Oh yeah. Story.
Something seemed to have popped into her head.
"Eze. Hear me out." she said, with a bright smile on her face. She was one to gesticulate wildly, as she did here. "Don't you think Titan has been a bit too quiet lately?
"Titan? That guy? What does he have to do with any of this?"
"I don't know. "Let's think for a moment Eze. Is there anyone with a notorious criminal record that also includes kidnapping?"
The clocks seemed to be ticking in his brain.
"Like...Titan?"
"Me almighty, I have attached myself to an idiot." the Spider in his head complained.
"Like Titan!" she grinned, putting her hands up emphatically. "Why don't you try doing something Titan-related?"
Eze nodded decisively and made his way to the window. With a smile, he turned back to Chinwe and enveloped her in a tight hug, conveying his gratitude and determination. Then, without hesitation, he leaped out.
As Eze disappeared into the night, the spider within him stirred with newfound purpose. "If Titan is involved, the area boys will know something about this. I would say a good job, but I do not feel like complimenting you."
Eze simply shrugged in response. "Given. Let's head back to Ikeja GRA!"
Meanwhile, Chinwe secured her window and collapsed onto her bed, her arms outstretched as she stared up at the blank ceiling. Amidst the silence, a sudden realization dawned on her.
"Wait sef, how did he even reach my window?"