Omotolani's mother's face turned pale, her eyes darting around the room in a desperate search for an escape. "You can't do this," she whispered, her voice thin and reedy. "I won't let you."Mama Kofo laughed again, her eyes glinting with amusement. "Oh, but we can, Mrs. Ogunleye," she said, her voice low and dangerous. "And there's nothing you can do to stop us."Omotolani watched from her hiding place, her heart pounding in her chest.
As Mama Kofo's words hung in the air, Omotolani's mother began to back away, her hands trembling. "Please," she whispered, her voice shaking with fear. "Please, just let me go. I'll leave and never come back."Mama Kofo shook her head, her smile widening into a terrifying grin. "I'm afraid it's too late for that, Mrs. Ogunleye," she said, her voice dripping with malice. "You see, we can't let you go. Not after what you've done."
Omotolani's mother let out a small whimper of fear, her eyes darting around the room like a trapped animal. "What are you going to do to me?" she whispered, her voice high and panicked.Mama Kofo chuckled, her eyes gleaming with triumph. "Why, I think you know what we're going to do to you, Mrs. Ogunleye," she said, her voice hard and cold. "We're going to give you what you deserve."
Omotolani felt a thrill of anticipation, her blood rushing through her veins like fire.
As Omotolani watched, Mama Kofo stepped forward, her hands flashing in a blur of motion. Omotolani's mother cried out as the blow landed, a vicious strike to the face that sent her staggering backward."That's for Omotolani," Mama Kofo said, her voice hard and pitiless. "For all the pain and suffering you put her through."Omotolani watched with a fierce satisfaction as her mother crumpled to the ground, blood streaming from her nose and mouth.
Mama Kofo stepped closer, looming over Omotolani's mother like a predator over its prey. "But we're not done yet," she said, her voice like ice. "We're going to make sure that you never hurt anyone again."Omotolani's mother whimpered, her eyes filled with terror. But Mama Kofo showed no mercy. She grabbed a nearby lamp, raising it high above her head.Omotolani gasped as the lamp came crashing down, smashing into her mother's skull with a sickening thud.
As her mother's body went limp, Omotolani felt a wave of conflicting emotions wash over her. There was triumph, the satisfaction of seeing her tormentor brought low. But there was also a deep sadness, a hollow ache in her chest that she couldn't quite place.Mama Kofo straightened up, wiping her hands on her dress. "It's done," she said, her voice strangely neutral. "Your mother will hurt you no more."Omotolani looked at the body of the woman who had caused her so much pain, her eyes filling with tears.
"Are you crying for her?" Mama Kofo asked, her voice full of skepticism. "After all she did to you, you still have tears for her?"Omotolani shook her head, her eyes still fixed on the body. "No," she whispered. "I'm not crying for her. I'm crying for myself. For the little girl I used to be."Mama Kofo was silent for a moment, her expression thoughtful."There is a part of you that she will always live in," she said finally, her voice soft and surprisingly gentle.
Omotolani nodded, her tears still falling. "I know," she whispered. "I'm not the same person I was before all this happened. And I don't think I ever will be."Mama Kofo reached out and placed a hand on Omotolani's shoulder, her expression filled with unexpected tenderness. "No, you won't be the same," she said. "But you will be stronger, wiser. And most importantly, you will be free."Omotolani took a deep breath, feeling a sense of release and relief wash over her.
Mama Kofo gave Omotolani a tight smile, her eyes shining with a strange intensity. "Now, we have to take care of the body," she said, her voice matter-of-fact. "We can't have the authorities asking questions."Omotolani nodded, her tears drying as a new determination filled her. "What do we do?" she asked, her voice strong and steady.Mama Kofo chuckled, a glint of dark humor in her eyes. "Oh, I have a few ideas," she said, her voice low and conspiratorial.
With a newfound sense of purpose, Omotolani and Mama Kofo set to work cleaning up the mess in the living room. They wrapped the body in sheets, careful to avoid any trace of blood or evidence that might lead back to them."We'll need to get rid of this," Mama Kofo said, nodding to the body. "I know a spot in the river where no one will find it."Omotolani nodded, feeling the weight of their actions press down on her like a physical presence. "And after that?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
As the sun began to set, Omotolani and Mama Kofo loaded the body into the trunk of the SUV, making sure to cover it with blankets and spare tires to avoid suspicion.As they drove through the darkening streets of Lagos, Omotolani felt a strange sense of detachment, as if she were watching someone else's life unfold before her."Almost there," Mama Kofo said, her voice steady and sure. "Just a few more miles."Omotolani nodded, gripping the handle of the car door as they turned onto a dark, deserted road.
As they drove deeper into the night, the road narrowed and grew rougher, until they finally arrived at a small clearing by the river. Mama Kofo pulled the SUV to a stop, her eyes scanning the surroundings."This is the spot," she said, her voice quiet and urgent. "Quickly, help me carry the body to the water."Omotolani nodded, her heart pounding as she climbed out of the car. Together, they hauled the body to the water's edge, the weight of it feeling like lead in her arms.