DEATH CAN WAIT.
EPISODE 7.
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(ISRAEL'S POV)
Israel stood by the roadside on his way back from school. Then, he plunged his hand into his bag to feel the 50,000 naira he had stolen from his sister the previous night. He knew that what he did was wrong, and he felt guilty for taking the money without informing Sarah first. But despite his remorse, he kept reminding himself that he had stolen the money for a greater purpose.
As he waited for his friend, Israel glanced at his wristwatch and wondered why Sadiq was keeping him waiting for so long at this spot. He turned around to look again, hoping to spot his friend among the crowd on the busy street. After a few minutes, Sadiq finally approached him from behind and gently tapped him on the shoulder.
The two guys exchanged a brief handshake, and Sadiq kept looking around casually, as if he was trying not to attract attention to himself. Without delay, he quickly asked Israel for the money.
"The money is what you will ask for first?" Israel asked, beginning to express his concerns. "What is the update on Don Jazzy? Any news yet from the record label? It's been a while already. When do you think they'll finally reach out to me for a trial?"
"Relax, Israel," Sadiq replied, still glancing around cautiously. "The label is sorting things out, and Don isn't around at the moment. These deals take time, you know? All you need now is money and patience to see it through."
"I just don't know if I am making the right choice anymore," Israel said and shifted uncomfortably. "I need a chance with Marvins record label as soon as you can make it happen. I can't afford to mess things up by stealing my sister's money for nothing."
"Trust me, you did the right thing," Sadiq said smoothly. "You're not messing anything up. Just hand me the cash, and let me take care of the rest. I'll make sure Don Jazzy reaches out to you soon." He said and extended his hand to take the cash.
Without thinking much about it, Israel reached into his school bag and pulled out a bundle of cash. He held it tightly, feeling reluctant to let it go. But Sadiq snatched the money from his hand and quickly tucked it into his pocket.
"Everything is going to be alright," Sadiq said, giving Israel a few quick pats on the shoulder. "Calm down and relax. We'll be in touch soon. Just trust the process."
Before Israel could say anything more, Sadiq turned and walked away, leaving Israel feeling confused and uncertain. He watched as Sadiq disappeared into the crowd, and the reality of the situation sank in deeply. Now, it was time to return home and start coming up with excuses, thinking out how to explain to Sarah what the money had been spent on.
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Meanwhile, as Sadiq made his way back home after taking the 50,000 naira from Israel, he pulled out his phone and called his girlfriend, wearing a bright smile on his face. When she picked up the phone, he stopped to lean against a nearby wall so they could chat casually.
"Hey babe, what's up tonight?" Sadiq asked confidently, feeling pleased with himself.
"Nothing much," his girlfriend replied. "I have just been free these days."
"Well, maybe we can link up later? Catch up at that restaurant you like," Sadiq said. "I just made some 'rabas,' you feel what I'm saying?"
"Alright, baby," Sadiq's girlfriend responded. "I'll see you later then."
Sadiq smiled and ended the call. It had been a profitable evening for him, and he was ready to enjoy the reward with his babe.
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(ISRAEL ARRIVING HOME)
Israel arrived home to find Sarah already there, which surprised him. It was unusual for Sarah to be home early, given that she usually worked until 10 p.m.
His mind immediately raced to the 50,000 naira he had stolen, and he wondered if it got anything to do with Sarah being home early.
While standing at the doorstep, Israel swallowed hard, trying to think of a plan to explain himself or, better yet, avoid any suspicion. After a brief moment, he took a deep breath, pushed the door open, and stepped inside.
"Where is my money, Israel?" Serah demanded angrily, the moment her brother stepped inside.
"Wh-what money?" Israel stammered, trying to keep his expression neutral and faking ignorance about what his sister was talking about.
"Don't you dare play dumb with me, Israel!" Serah shouted at him in annoyance. "It's just the two of us in this house. Unless the money grew legs and walked away, where else could it have gone?"
"I didn't take anything, Serah," Israel replied, putting on an act of innocence. "Either you misplaced it, or maybe the money did grow legs and walked away, just like you said."
Serah was hurt by that reply; and she wasn't buying any of her brother's excuses. She closed the distance between them, grabbed Israel by the collar, and shoved him against the wall.
"Don't you dare lie to me, Israel," Serah said angrily. "Do you know what kind of humiliation I experienced because of this missing money?"
Without waiting for another silly excuse from Israel, Serah clenched her fist and threw a punch into his chest. She didn't stop there; she also bit Israel on his arm, causing him to scream in pain.
"Ow! Serah! Please stop!" Israel shouted and managed to pull away from her bite.
"Everything I did," Serah said, panting heavily, "everything I sacrificed was for you. I took on menial jobs and gave up my education, and you repay me by stealing from me?"
"I… I'm sorry, Serah," Israel muttered sadly, unable to look her in the eyes. "I needed the money for my music career. It was for a good purpose. Once I make it, I'll be able to ease your burden."
Serah let out a bitter laugh. "You stole from me for a greater purpose? Do you think this is a joke?" She stepped forward and pushed her brother. "You really think this so-called music career of yours will fix the mess you've created? You sold my mother's chain, embarrassed me publicly, and now they almost locked me up today because of that money. All for your music career."
Israel felt pity for Serah and started to apologize, but her words cut him off.
"Look at you, Israel! You're supposed to be in school, using your intellect to work towards something meaningful. Is this all you can think about? Do you really believe music is going to solve everything?"
"It's my dream, Serah," Israel replied with tears in his eyes. "You're supposed to believe in it and support me, not ridicule it like that."
"Believe in you?" Serah repeated in disbelief. "I doubt if you will even continue your education, considering I no longer have a job to pay your bills anymore. Maybe when you find yourself on the street working hard to survive, you'll understand the value of what I'm doing for you."
Serah was hurt. She sat on the edge of the bed and began to cry.
"Serah, I didn't mean to hurt you like that," Israel tried to apologize. "I thought… I thought that if I could make it big, if I could become a successful musician, things would get better for us. I just needed a little help to get started."
"Do you even hear yourself?" Serah said and looked him in the eye. "You've been chasing this dream for how long now? And what has it brought you? Nothing but trouble. You didn't even care to see how your ambition is hurting the people around you."
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SHOLA'S POV
Shola sat on the edge of her bed, with a heart racing with troubling thoughts as she stared at her phone. She reached for the phone, entered her password, and swiped to her contact list before deleting Samuel's number. As she tried to process her emotions, memories of her recent past flooded her mind.
After her failed suicide attempt, she had made a crucial decision to continue living her life no matter what. She no longer wanted death, nor did she intend to tērmi-nāte the pregnancy. She felt somewhat steadier now, but she still wasn't completely calm about her life.
Shola was only sure enough to choose life for herself and the unborn baby, but she wasn't entirely at peace with how to proceed, especially being a pastor's daughter.
She took a slow deep breath, and she imagined what her father's unforgiving anger would be like when he found out about the pregnancy. She wondered how disappointed her mother and siblings would be too.
Shola also thought about the church community and her school, imagining how they would react to the news of her pregnancy and the stigma that would follow, particularly as the daughter of a respected pastor.
As heavy as these thoughts were, they wouldn't make Shola change her decision about keeping the baby alive. She thought of a bold choice in the future, perhaps to run away when the pregnancy symptoms began to show.
But these decisions felt overwhelming, and she had no clear plan on how to carry it out. The only thing she was certain of was that she would keep the baby, regardless of the circumstances. So she felt it is better to take one step at a time.
Shola tightened her grip on her phone, believing that the first step toward choosing to stay alive was to delete Samuel's contact. In doing so, it felt as if she had erased him completely from her phone and, in a way, from her life too. It felt final; there would never be a Samuel in her life or in the life of her child in the future
@Berry Tyra