Edmond got into the car, and they drove off.
By this time, the real hardship of the country was already etched onto Edmond's face. One could gauge how hungry he was without needing any apparatus.
"I don't even know your name," Edmond broke the silence.
"Austin. Austin Donwell."
Austin took Edmond to his hotel apartment, where he had his bath and ate a meal. It was the first meal Edmond had eaten since he was sacked the previous day. Austin also gave him a change of clothes.
"You're not eating?" Edmond asked.
"No, no. You need it more than I do," Austin replied.
Throughout the meal, both of them exchanged glances in silence.
As soon as he was done eating, Edmond picked up his phone to make a call.
"Please let me call my friend to know what happened at the office today. He assured me of updates about every string pulled by the MD. I'll also inform him about you, and if possible, invite him over here. He must have returned home by now."
Austin continued staring at him without a word.
"The way you're staring at me like this is making me uncomfortable. I shouldn't call anyone?"
"No! Go ahead. Take your time. Call anyone."
That was when my phone rang.
"Ezek! How far? How was work? Were you able to get anything from that side? Any reason why madam sacked me? Did she say anything?"
"Bros, I didn't go to work today ooo. In fact, I stopped going to work as from this morning," I responded.
"Why? What happened?"
"I resigned. I tendered my resignation letter last night. See, I have a wife and a 4-year-old son to look after. And if my wife is pregnant—because I've been suspecting her—then I have to be alive to see my new baby. I can never set foot on..."
"Last night? How?" Edmond interrupted. "So what did she say when you handed her your letter?"
"Handed her which letter? Have you forgotten she's a demon? I didn't have to take the letter to her. I can't go there again. I dropped the letter on my table. Demons fly everywhere looking for what does not concern them. I know she was there last night and read it. That's why she hasn't called to ask why I wasn't at the office today. She must have read it. Demons are something else. You don't know them."
From the background, I heard someone laughing scornfully.
"Who is that?" I asked.
"That's one of the reasons I called. With me here is Austin. Things are becoming more complicated. Austin claims that Rukiyat is his wife, his ex-wife, and that her real name is Rukiat, not Rukiyat. He said he came to see her for one reason he's yet to tell me. Now, the most shocking part is that Austin seems to be my twin brother. Very identical. My mother used to tell me I had a twin brother. He also has the same scar on... I can't say it all. Just come along, let's fix this. It's becoming heavier than I thought."
"Errrmmm, Edmond," I interrupted. "The horn of a cow can never be heavier than the cow that carries it. Also, when a caterpillar gathers wood, it is on its head it must carry. When you embarked on investigating a demon whose mission was to destroy you completely, what were you expecting? I hear demons do weddings as we do. They have husbands, wives, and children. Maybe that man there with you is her husband. Besides, have you eaten anything from that guy?"
"Yes. Why do you ask?"
"No wonder! You have just eaten a meal from a demon. That's why you're talking all this rubbish. 'Her name is Rukiyat, her name is not Rukiyat, you've seen her husband, he's her ex-husband, your twin brother is with you, and you're eating.' Look, bros, you will die and join them. First, they've rendered you insane, then gradually, you'll begin to die."
"What are you talking about? I'm asking you to come over so we can fix all these together, and you're displaying your illiteracy. Please stop this joke and come over. Let's..."
I dropped the call and began to soliloquize. "You think you can drag me into your fight with spirits. No way. I cannot be manipulated. So even my resignation no do you. First, she was your wife, then she died and resurrected on the third day—abi third month. She later became a demon, then changed to another person's wife, and all of a sudden, that person becomes your twin brother. I'll switch off this phone and travel to my mother's place."