Chapter 12: The gang members suffered in the hand of the ghost
Witnessing this, the mechanic turned back to join Handy.
Meanwhile, Samba, who was standing behind the second car, expressed her gratitude. "Thank God our problem is solved now."
Etim approached the mechanic to inquire about the cost of the vehicle repairs. The mechanic requested a sum of five thousand naira.
Etim promptly paid the amount from his pocket, and the mechanic gathered his tools before departing.
"Alright, let's go!" Etim announced, and the group entered their cars.
Both vehicles set off towards their destination.
Meanwhile, the father of the child they were targeting realized he had forgotten the money he intended to give to one of his friends for their weekly contribution.
He informed his wife about his oversight, and they agreed to turn back home to retrieve the money.
As Etim and his gang neared the house, they parked their cars behind the gate. Etim then instructed Samba to inquire about the parents' apartment.
Samba knocked on the gate, and a short, yellow-clad gate man emerged to question her.
They exchanged greetings before Samba explained her purpose for being there.
"I've come to visit the parents who recently had a baby and live here," Samba said.
"They just left a few minutes ago," the gate man informed her.
"Can you tell me where they went so I can try to catch up with them?" Samba asked, hoping to gather more information.
"I don't know," the gate man replied, unable to provide further assistance.
"When should I come back to see them?" Samba inquired, undeterred.
"You could try returning in the next 30 minutes," the gate man suggested.
"All right, I'll wait for them," Samba agreed, and she returned to Etim to relay her conversation with the gate man.
Then entire gang got out to seek relief from the heat. They found a shop behind the house, which was closed as its owner was away on a trip.
They sat on a bench outside the shop, waiting for the parents' return.
With just five minutes left before the parents were expected to arrive, the ghost appeared and multiplied, creating a second ghost.
The two ghosts went towards the parked cars.
To the gang's astonishment, the car doors opened by themselves, and the vehicles began to move slowly.
Etim and his gang members, filled with shock and confusion, stood up from the bench.
One of them attempted to approach the cars, but as he moved forward, the car doors suddenly slammed shut, and the vehicles started moving faster.
The gang desperately chased after their cars, attempting to catch up.
As their weapons were left inside the vehicles, one of the gang members stopped a passing bike and urged the rider to help them chase the cars.
Meanwhile, the gate man came out of the gate upon hearing the commotion.
"What's going on here?" he asked.
The vehicles continued to move, and the situation grew increasingly frantic.
The bike rider managed to catch up with the cars, but as he approached, the cars started moving slowly and eventually came to a halt.
The parents of the baby arrived during the chaotic scene and parked their car behind the house.
As they walked towards the gate, they encountered the gate man conversing with a young man.
The gate man informed them that someone had inquired about them and had planned to wait, but when he came out, he found her running with a group of people who were chasing a car that nobody was driving.
The woman looked bewildered. "I've never heard of such a thing! A car moving on its own without anyone driving or controlling it. Anyway, let's go inside. God will help them resolve their problem."
The couple proceeded inside the house, where the man retrieved the forgotten money. They returned to their car and drove away from the peculiar situation unfolding outside.
The ghost, noticing that Mr and Mrs Adam had left the house, then she caused the two cars she was controlling to come to a halt.
In full view of Etim and his gang, the vehicles stopped abruptly, their front doors eerily opening and closing without anybody intervention.
Startled and confused, Etim and his gang members ceased their pursuit, their rapid breaths betraying their exhaustion. The bewildered bike man and Handy also witnessed the inexplicable scene, and Handy promptly instructed the bike man to stop beside the cars.
Dismounting from the bike, Handy paid the man, who quickly departed, eager to distance himself from the strange situation.
Handy cautiously approached one of the vehicles, inspecting the seats only to find them unoccupied. He was utterly perplexed.
"Is this a dream?" he muttered under his breath, unsure of what to make of the bizarre events.
As he stood waiting for his fellow gang members to catch up, Etim and the rest of the gang finally arrived, equally confused and out of breath.
Sorry, I can see that you are all tired, thank God the two cars has stopped," said Handy.
"A car moving by itself without anybody driving it. I wonder the kind of spirit driving the car and how the spirit stopped the car here. Etim said and turned to Handy, offering him the car keys. "Here, try starting the car to see if it functions normally now."
Handy, still shaken, refused the keys. "I'm sorry, but I can't drive the car now. I'm afraid it might start driving by itself again," he admitted, apprehension clear in his voice.
"But the car seems to be functioning normally now," Etim reassured him, attempting to ease Handy's fears and restore a sense of normalcy to their situation.
"Yes, I know, but I'm still afraid," Handy admitted, his apprehension evident.
Etim, determined to get the group moving, turned to Samson. "Take the keys and start the car," he urged.
Samson.
"No, I can't do it," he said. Disappointed by Samson's unwillingness to step up, Etim questioned,
"I thought you were a brave man. So, you're also too scared to drive the car?"
Samson remained silent, unable to provide a response.
Etim scanned the group, searching for any takers. "Okay, who will try?" he asked.
The silence of his fellow gang members spoke volumes, as no one volunteered.
"Alright, I'll drive it myself since all of you are too scared."
Etim entered into the car, started the engine, and drove forward.
After covering a short distance, he turned the car around and returned to his apprehensive companions. Seeing that the car appeared to be functioning normally, the gang reluctantly agreed to join Etim.
The group finally made their way to the hotel, cautiously driving the two cars that had caused them such trepidation.
****
The second day, Etim felt an irresistible craving for a specific type of bread for breakfast. He decided to go to ShopRite to purchase it.
Handy was eager to join him, and he tagged along.
As they drove to where the ShopRite was located, they passed by a field where a lively naming ceremony was taking place. Intrigued by the festivities, Handy suggested they stop and join the celebration.
Etim obliged and parked the car.
Etim and Handy, unarmed and appearing friendly, blended into the crowd.
They discovered that the proud parents of the twin babies, Mr and Mrs Sam, lived in a house right next to the field where the ceremony was taking place.
After the ceremony concluded, Etim and Handy made their way to Mr and Mrs Sam's home to pay their respects.
They presented the couple with a monetary gift, earning the trust of the unsuspecting parents who were unaware of their true intentions.
Once they left the house and got back to the hotel where they were living, Etim and Handy told the remaining gang the naming ceremony they had went to. And they all plotted to kidnap the twin babies.
The gang, now armed with their weapons, drove to the house.