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The news droned ominously from the fast-food restaurant's TV, casting a shadow over the room. "Mayor Chisom has declared a state of emergency. The lockdown will begin at 5 PM this afternoon."
Around a table stacked with chicken wings, fries, and burgers, a family of four sat, their lighthearted chatter occasionally drowned out by the grim announcements. The mother, a petite woman with a timeless grace, shot a glance at her husband. He, older but with rugged good looks, had streaks of silver woven through his dark afro curls, a charm that still turned heads despite the years.
"Koa, pass me the ketchup, will you?" Kira asked, her voice casual as she worked through her plate of chicken strips.
Her twin brother, Koa, stood up without hesitation, grabbing the ketchup bottle and squeezing it onto her plate. Then, with the tenderness that had become second nature to him, he wiped a smudge of sauce from her lip with a napkin. The gesture was so routine between them that it barely drew any attention—except from their parents, who exchanged a knowing look. It was the kind of glance parents give when they sense something more, something deeper.
"Kira, when are you going to start doing things on your own instead of making Koa do everything?" their mother teased, a smile playing on her lips.
Kira, her mirror image in a feminine form—jet-black braided hair, star-bright eyes, and a beauty mark beneath her right eye—popped a fry into her mouth, grinning mischievously. "Mom, you know we're inseparable."
Koa, with a smirk that mirrored hers, chimed in, "We come as a pair, always."
Their father chuckled, shaking his head. "I'm starting to think Kira's the reason Koa will never get married."
Koa shrugged, completely unbothered. "Honestly, Dad, I don't trust anyone else to take care of Kira like I do. Not even you and Mom."
Their mother feigned shock, clutching her chest dramatically. "Excuse me?!" she laughed, and the whole table joined in, their laughter creating a warm bubble of joy that contrasted the unsettling feeling in Mmiri.
The TV continued its relentless warnings. "The recent killings have thrown Mmiri into chaos. With the police racing to catch the culprit, the lockdown is crucial. Everyone is urged to follow the curfew..."
Koa, now chewing on a mouthful of fries, grumbled, "They keep talking about the curfew, but there're no intimate details of the murders. Shouldn't they shed a bit of light on that?"
His father glanced at his watch, a silent signal that their time was running short. "We've got two hours to eat, grab your school supplies, and get home before the lockdown starts."
The twins shared a quick, secretive smile, an unspoken conversation passing between them. Their parents noticed, as they always did. The bond between Koa and Kira was tighter than anyone could fully understand. It wasn't just sibling closeness—it was something more profound, a connection that both fascinated and concerned their parents. But at the same time, it made them proud.
As Koa reached across to wipe his sister's mouth again, their parents exchanged another glance. How could anyone else ever get between them?
The first day back at school after the break felt eerily quiet, the usual energy dulled by a sense of unease. In the halls, students buzzed with excitement about the new term, but beneath it all was an awareness that something had changed in their town.
"Oh hey, Koa!" A girl with flushed cheeks waved as they passed, her smile shy.
Koa offered a polite nod in return, his expression kind but distant.
Kira mimicked the girl in a high-pitched, teasing voice, "Oh hey, Koa!" She nudged her brother playfully, causing him to stifle a laugh.
As they continued walking, Koa instinctively draped an arm protectively over Kira's shoulders. Every time a boy dared glance in Kira's direction, Koa's steely gaze sent them quickly looking elsewhere, a silent warning to stay away from his sister.
They reached their classroom to a chorus of greetings. The twins were popular, but not just because of their striking looks—there was something magnetic about them, an energy that drew people in, even though they kept mostly to themselves.
"Koa, you were so quiet over the break," said Adora, a cute girl who had been crushing on Koa for months. Her eyes sparkled with hope, as if this might finally be her chance to catch his attention.
Koa smiled, a little too smoothly. "We were out of the country on vacation," he lied easily, knowing full well they'd spent the break holed up in Mmiri. He simply preferred the quiet moments with Kira over the exhausting noise of socializing.
Before anyone else could make a move, Koa slipped into the seat beside Kira, just as he always did. The girls in the class sighed with disappointment, and the boys exchanged annoyed glances, frustrated by the unbreakable bond between the twins that made getting close to either of them nearly impossible.
"Alright, settle down!" The teacher's voice boomed as he strode into the room, smacking a stack of books onto his desk with a thud. "Looks like some of you had a fun break. Well, guess what? I didn't, which means you're not going to have a fun term."
The class groaned in unison, but the teacher only smirked, clearly enjoying their misery. Meanwhile, the twins shared a knowing look—Kira rolling her eyes, and Koa smirking in return. They had a way of navigating school life, always together, always in sync.
As the day dragged on, Koa couldn't shake the growing sense of dread. By the time the clock edged closer to 4:30 PM, Koa and Kira prepared to head home, gathering their things in silence. The streets were nearly deserted, the last few cars hurrying home as a sense of foreboding hung heavy in the air. Shops had closed early, and the usual chatter of people enjoying the evening had vanished, replaced by an uneasy silence signalling the impending lockdown. Koa felt his protective instincts rising, more intense than ever, as though the shadows themselves posed a threat to his sister.
The twins walked side by side through the deserted streets, Kira chatting away about school while Koa's mind raced. Images from the news reports flashed in his head—the mutilated bodies, the gruesome details. He couldn't stop thinking about it, couldn't ignore the nagging feeling that the worst was yet to come.
"Hey, Koa," Kira's voice cut through his thoughts, bringing him back to the present. She glanced at him, her face softening when she saw the worry etched on his. "You're quiet. What's wrong?"
Koa shook his head slightly. "It's just... this whole situation. I don't like it. Something feels off."
Kira gave him a small smile, her hand reaching out to take his. "Don't worry so much. We'll be okay, we always are." She squeezed his hand, trying to reassure him. "Maybe tomorrow we can visit the hospital? It might help distract us from all this."
Koa sighed, feeling a brief flicker of warmth from her touch but not enough to extinguish the anxiety gnawing at him. "Yeah, maybe." He glanced around at the empty streets, his grip on her hand tightening.
Kira was quiet for a moment, her playful demeanor fading. She glanced up at him, her voice softer now. "You really think it's that bad?"
Koa stopped walking, turning to face her. "I don't know. But I can feel it. Something is coming, Kira."
She looked at him, her brows knitting together. "Then we face it. Together."
Koa's chest tightened at her words, his protective instinct roaring to the surface. He would do anything to keep Kira safe. As they resumed walking, the silence between them spoke volumes.
By the time they reached their home, the streets were already deserted
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The twins had barely made it home when their father, who had left work early, bolted the front door. He wasn't a superstitious man, but the look in his eyes suggested he understood the gravity of the situation.
"I don't like this one bit," he muttered, locking the windows and double-checking the backdoor. "This lockdown... it's not going to solve anything. We're just sitting ducks."
Their mother, who had been setting the table for dinner, looked up with a concerned expression. "We have to trust the authorities, Chike. They know what they're doing. The best thing we can do is stay indoors and stay safe." But Koa and Kira knew better. After dinner, the twins retreated to their room, where they could talk freely without their parents overhearing. The room they shared was small, cozy, and filled with memories of their childhood—pictures of them at the beach, on their bikes, and at birthday parties lined the walls.
"Koa," Kira whispered as she closed the door behind them, "I've been having dreams again."
Koa's heart skipped a beat. The dreams had started when the first victim appeared, strange visions that only Kira seemed to have, and they were concerning.
"Tell me," Koa said, trying to keep his voice steady.
Kira sat on her bed, pulling her knees to her chest. "This time, it's different. I see the murders, not how they happened, but what's left after. The body parts... They're... taken. something's collecting them."
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The cold fluorescent light flickered ominously in the cramped conference room of Charle's Street Police Station. There was tension in the air, the kind that makes the walls feel like they're closing in and the ceiling lower with every breath. Chief Dele, a man known more for his iron fist than his bedside manner, glared at the two teams assembled before him, his eyes brimming with disappointment and barely restrained fury. He looked like a thunderstorm personified.
"So, have you made progress?"
His voice was sharp, cutting through the silence like a blade. The detectives of the Violent Crimes Unit—Teams One and Two—stared back at him, their discomfort clear. They'd rather have been thrown into a pit of venomous snakes than face Chief Dele's wrath. His gaze was like a dagger aimed squarely at their pride.
The silence was suffocating. He scanned the room, his eyes sweeping over every detective, searching for even the smallest flicker of a response. But all he got was the shuffling of feet and the occasional nervous cough. Team One and Team Two, usually so composed, now looked like schoolchildren caught red-handed with their hands in the cookie jar.
"It seems all of a sudden, everyone here has gone dumb!" Chief Dele's voice boomed as he slammed his hands on the table, the force of the impact making the walls tremble. The sound echoed through the room. The detectives winced, their collective silence growing louder, almost deafening.
The chief's frustration was clear. "It's been three weeks, and there hasn't been any progress from you lot." He swept his gaze around the room, his disappointment etched into every line of his face. "I expect this kind of behaviour from Team One. Those guys are useless in these things, but Team Two? You've been the ace of this police station for four years in a row, solving cases. How are you guys slacking now?" His words hung in the air like a death sentence, leaving Team Two feeling as if they'd been flayed alive.
The room remained silent, each detective too ashamed or too scared to speak. Chief Dele's expectations had always been high, but his belief in Team Two had been unwavering. They had been his golden team, the ones who always got the job done. Now, they were failing him, and that disappointment was a bitter pill to swallow.
"The commissioner is on my neck to get this psycho in. The whole town is losing its vibrance, so whatever you are all doing, do it fast. I want results, and I want them quick. If not, be ready to quit your jobs as detectives and go stay at home looking after the house, because that's all you'll be good for." His words were a hammer, striking each detective where it hurt the most—their sense of duty, pride, and purpose.
With one final slam of his hands on the table, Chief Dele turned and stormed out of the room. The door swung shut behind him with a loud bang, and the room was left in stunned silence.
Oke, the captain of Team Two, slowly rose to his feet, his bulky frame casting a long shadow across the room. He was a tall man, his presence imposing, but his expression was far from solemn. Instead, a sarcastic smile played on his lips, a smile that immediately set Nonso, on edge. Nonso's face darkened, and he made a move to stand, his anger boiling over, but Ebi, grabbed his arm and pulled him back down.
Oke's snicker echoed through the room as he walked away, the sound grating on Nonso's nerves like nails on a chalkboard. Nonso's fists clenched, his knuckles turning white with the effort of restraint.
"You should have let me smack that stupid smile off his face," Nonso muttered, his voice low and dangerous.
"And to what end would that be?" Ebi replied, his voice calm, though his eyes were hard. He was always the more level-headed of the two, the one who kept Nonso's fiery temper in check.
The rest of the detectives quickly filed out of the room, eager to avoid getting caught in the brewing storm between the captain and the Team Leader. Nonso, however, wasn't so easily pacified. He slammed his fist against the wall, his frustration echoing in the empty room, before running his hands over his bald head.
"I really hate him," Nonso half-muttered, the bitterness in his voice unmistakable.
One couldn't blame him. There was a long, dark history between Nonso and Oke. Years ago, there had been only one Team under the Violent Crimes Unit, and Nonso had been in charge. He had been a rising star, respected and admired by his peers. But then came the case that changed everything—a case where an arsonist had slipped through Nonso's fingers, escaping from the police station only to burn down another house, killing two innocent people in the process.
The memory of that case was a stain on Nonso's career, a black mark that refused to fade. Chief Dele had nearly bitten Nonso's head off for that failure, and the sting of that reprimand still lingered. To make matters worse, Nonso had struggled to catch the arsonist for nearly a week, a week that had felt like an eternity. It wasn't until Oke, a junior officer who was then under his tutelage, stepped in and caught the arsonist, bringing his reign of terror to an end, that the nightmare was finally over.
That victory had propelled Oke into the spotlight, and soon after, he was made captain of the newly formed Team Two. It was a promotion that many, including Nonso, had seen as a slap in the face especially since he was demoted to Team Leader. Nonso's subordinates, sensing the shift in power, had jumped ship, joining Oke's team and leaving Nonso with nothing but Ibe, the only one who had remained loyal.
The rivalry between the two had only grown fiercer with time. Team Two thrived, solving cases with a speed and efficiency that earned them accolades, while Team One struggled to regain its footing. They were like dying embers, flickering weakly while Team Two burned brightly.
"When will you let it go? It's been over four years now," Ebi said, his voice tinged with exasperation.
"I'll never let it go," Nonso replied through gritted teeth, his anger simmering just below the surface.
Ebi chuckled and shook his head. His phone buzzed in his pocket, and he pulled it out, glancing at the screen.
"Hello... yes, this is he... Oh, has she?... We'll be on our way," he said quickly before hanging up. He immediately stood, his demeanor shifting from casual to focused in an instant. "Let's go," he belted out, already moving towards the door.
Nonso's anger was forgotten in a heartbeat as he hurried to follow his partner. "Where are we going? Who was it?" he asked in one breath, his mind racing to catch up.
"The hospital," Ebi replied, starting the car and pulling out of the police station with a sense of urgency. "Nora is awake."
The ride to the hospital was a blur of flashing streetlights and tense silence. Fifteen minutes later, they arrived at the hospital and made their way to the ward where Nora was recovering. Uche met them at the door, his face weary but managing a weak smile.
"Detectives," he greeted them, his voice barely above a whisper. He looked back into the ward, and the detectives followed his gaze to see Nora, half sitting, half lying on the hospital bed.
"Hello, Detectives," came a weak voice from inside. They entered, standing beside Nora, who looked pale and fragile against the stark white sheets.
"Feeling any better?" Ebi asked gently, his tone softening.
Nora nodded weakly, her movements slow. Nonso pulled out a tape recorder, holding it up as if to ask for permission.
"Hope you don't mind," he said, and she nodded again, though the effort seemed to exhaust her.
"Could you tell us what happened on Friday the 9th?" Nonso asked, his voice steady but gentle.
Nora turned to Uche, who gave her a sympathetic look. She managed a wry smile and nodded toward the glass of water by her bedside. Uche quickly put a straw in the glass and held it so she could sip from it. After a few moments, she turned back to the detectives, her eyes filled with a mixture of sadness and resolve.
"That Friday," Nora began, her voice barely above a whisper, "I got a call from Somi. She was so excited, she had just snagged a new modeling job. You should have heard her—she could barely contain herself." Nora's eyes flickered with a brief, bittersweet smile before it disappeared under the weight of her grief. "She couldn't wait to leave this place and all its unpleasant memories behind."
As the words left her lips, Nora's voice faltered. Her breath caught in her throat, and she choked back a sob. "I can't believe I'm talking about her in the past tense," she mumbled, her voice breaking. A tear slipped down her cheek, tracing a path of sorrow as it fell. Ebi quickly offered her a tissue, while Uche, standing by her side, looked around helplessly, unable to find the right words or gestures to comfort her.
Nora accepted the tissue with trembling hands and dabbed at her eyes. "I was so happy for her," she continued, her voice wavering. "I insisted that we should go out and celebrate. But she didn't want to. Somi was never the extrovert I am. She preferred quiet nights and small gatherings." Nora paused, as if the memories were too painful to recount. "But I kept pushing, kept insisting. I didn't take no for an answer. If only I hadn't asked her to come out with me... She would still be alive."
Her voice cracked under the weight of her guilt, and she broke down, sobbing quietly into her hands. The room fell silent, the detectives giving her the space she needed to gather herself.
After a few moments, Nora took a deep breath and continued, her voice shaky. "I eventually got her to agree, and we went clubbing at Club X. We had such a good time, and for a while, I was both sorry and happy that she was finally leaving this dump behind. Everything seemed perfect, like a proper goodbye to the old and a welcome to the new."
Nora paused, the memory playing out in her mind as if it were happening all over again. "When we were done, Uche came to pick me up. We offered to give her a ride home, but Somi insisted on walking. She said her house wasn't far, and that she wanted to enjoy the night air. She promised to call me as soon as she got home, said she'd be just ten minutes behind us. But that was the last time I ever saw or heard from her."
Nora's voice dropped to a whisper, as if speaking any louder would shatter her fragile composure. "When I got home, I waited. Ten minutes passed, then another ten. I called her, but all I got was her voicemail. I kept calling, but she never picked up. That's when I started to panic... and that was when you picked up."
She finished speaking, her voice trailing off into a silence that was thick with regret and fear. The detectives exchanged a look, knowing there was more to uncover.
"You mentioned 'unpleasant memories' and wanting to leave them behind," Nonso said gently. "What was that about?"
Nora wiped her eyes again, her expression clouded with a mix of sorrow and hesitation. "Her main reason for leaving was because of a certain someone. There's this boy... She had a huge crush on him. She finally got the courage to confess her feelings, but... it didn't go the way she had hoped. She was devastated. Completely heartbroken. She couldn't bear the thought of staying in town and seeing him every day, so she applied for that job out of town. It was her escape."
Ebi leaned forward slightly, his tone soft but probing. "And who is this person?"
Nora's eyes filled with anxiety, and she bit her lip. "Do you think they could have hurt her? But why? Why would they?"
"We don't know yet," Nonso replied, his voice steady. "We have to follow all leads to get to the truth."
Nora's guilt seemed to intensify, her frustration bubbling to the surface. "Gosh!" she exclaimed, her hands clenching the bedsheets. "Somi never mentioned his name to me. She always talked about him, but never gave me a name. She said she'd introduce us when they were officially a couple... but that never happened."
The detectives shared a glance, their thoughts aligned on the difficulty of this new twist.
"So you have no idea who this person is? Not at all?" Ibe asked, his voice edged with urgency.
"I'm sorry, Detective," Nora said, regret. "I wish I could be of more help."
The detectives nodded, though they couldn't hide their disappointment.
"Do you know if Somi had any enemies?" Nonso asked, shifting gears. "Anyone who might have wanted to hurt her?"
Nora seemed to consider this, but then shook her head slowly. "No... Somi was such a sweet girl. Everyone loved her. She was kindhearted, always looking out for others. I can't think of anyone who would want to hurt her."
"What about her family?" Nonso pressed gently. "Did she have any family members?"
"She has a grandmother," Nora replied, her voice softer now. "But they're estranged. I don't know why, but Somi moved out of her grandmother's place a while ago and got her own apartment."
"Can you write down the address for us?" Ibe asked, handing her a pen and a notepad.
Nora nodded and scribbled the address down, her hands still trembling slightly. The detectives stood, ready to leave.
"Thank you for your cooperation, Miss Nora," Nonso said, his voice full of professional courtesy.
As they turned to go, Nora's voice stopped them. "Detectives...?"
They both turned back to face her, their expressions questioning.
"Please," she pleaded, her eyes brimming with tears once again. "Please find whoever did this to my friend. I won't be able to rest knowing that Somi's killer is out there, walking free."
The detectives nodded solemnly as they left the room, determined to bring justice to the one who had taken Somi's life.