Chapter Five

Her body seemed frail as I looked at her through hooded eyes. This wouldn't have happened if she hadn't provoked me. I didn't care though, I had gotten what I wanted. Her body and sex. 

I smiled like a sadist. Scratch that, I was a sadist and a notorious rapist. When I saw Ada that afternoon or evening, I can't seem to remember the time frame, I was a bit mesmerized by her beauty. Not in a way, that screamed she's the one forever but in the way that screamed, I want her body beneath me as I rode her to oblivion.

I didn't crave a one-time affair. I wanted it to be a repeated thing, to achieve that I needed her to trust me. She seemed to be an easy catch but then I was stunned I wasn't getting the desired effect. My charm was failing and Joyce had informed me in her bubbly manner that she'd be staying for three days.

I couldn't let her slip past my fingertips without having her. I'd try all I could do and this is the most patient I've ever been with a girl. Back home, I didn't ask for intimacy or try to flatter girls but went down the bedroom path. I had noticed her quiet reserve, that's why I had tried the old fashioned way but it had to be a waste of time.

I wondered what she thought of herself. A queen? God? To me, she was a nobody. At least, this action of mine will humble her somewhat. A smile curved my lips at the thought.

I scrambled away from her. I didn't want to get caught with her. I needed it to be as clean as possible. Looking down at my hands and clothes, I noticed the bloodstains. Yes, she had been a virgin. She was also ruthless in her fight to keep me at bay.

I tiptoed out of the room. It was a good thing I'd cornered Joyce out of the house. I didn't think she was a good friend anyway. Knowing how Ada reacted to relationships, she still felt the need to pair us up without the girl's knowledge. Well, that wasn't my cup of tea.

With my sisters safely tucked in bed, I walked into my room closing the door solidly behind me. I carefully undressed on my way to the bathroom. It was locked and out of impatience I kicked the door with some force, it made a dent but other than that, it was stiff.

Finally, I got it open after much pressure. There was a pantry under the washing basin. I dumped my clothes in it. I looked around for hypo and Kiln. It must not have a dot of stain to give away what happened. It would be my word against hers. 

I dumped my clothes into a bucket and placed them beneath the tap. I washed it vigorously. There is no way am getting caught. If she eventually wakes up and says it's me, I would turn the case against her. I smiled evilly at the thought.

In between washing and my disarray thought, a piercing scream was heard.

**************

The house was eerily quiet as I walked in. There seemed to be no sign of life like it was just the furniture living here. Where could they be? Hopefully, they were asleep. Adanna, most especially. I wasn't in the mood for her piercing questions this evening. When she says you have some explaining to do, know it's going to be detailed.

I was a tad anxious about the quiet atmosphere due to the fact I may have arrived later than my parents. A glance at the wall clock showed I was safe. It was 5 pm. There was no way my parents would be back by this time.

I let go of the breath I had been holding in and decided I should search for them. Ada would surely be annoyed that I'd spent half of the day outside. I mean, I was the reason she was here. But I had to leave for her sake, she needed to let loose and get a man in her life. Luckily, Emeka took a fancy to her. 

He had promised to go slow and I trusted him in that respect, despite the horrible things dad claimed he perpetuated. The Emeka I knew couldn't do all that. Surely, he was framed. I could swear with my life that he is innocent...100% innocent. 

Hello!" 

Silence greeted me. If I were a thief, I would have stolen a lot of things. I laughed at the thought.

As I walked up the stairs, I decided to open up to Ada. It was going to be fun in a way thanks to her witty remarks plus I couldn't wait to see her facial expressions when I told her I kissed my adorable photographer. I frowned almost immediately as I remembered it.

I was naive to think he only had eyes for me. No sooner have I kissed him, a petite lady had sauntered in, intimately touching him. The worst was he wasn't even trying to be less conspicuous. I hate him so much but yet I want to go back, so I could feel the butterflies I'd felt when he had kissed me. 

I shook my head from those thoughts. Now, wasn't the time to dwell on them. Seriously, was there no one in this house. Or were they sleeping like dead logs?

"Hello!" I shouted a bit louder this time.

Again, silence. 

I decided to check in on the girls first. They were asleep like I'd expected. They were completely dead to the world. I needed to teach them how to sleep with their eyes half-open.

I closed their door quietly for it had been opened slightly. I remembered a new track that was just released by Shawn Mendes. I hummed as I walked towards Emeka's room. I was in the process of opening the door when I had second thoughts, I will just meet Ada as I had thought of. No need to catch him in an awkward situation if he were undressed.

Still humming, I moved directly to Ada's room. I knocked quietly for the sake of propriety.

"Girl, open the door. I'm back." I called out. 

Nothing. 

"Are you dead already? Open up or I'm coming inside o." I warned.

Still nothing. 

"Alright, I'm invading," I announced as I opened the door. 

I looked ahead, no one was on the bed. I was about to leave when my eyes caught sight of a silhouette figure lying in a grotesque position. My breath caught in my throat, I moved carefully to the figure, careful not to collapse out of panic. Nothing could have prepared me for the image that greeted me. 

I could hear sounds coming out of my mouth but it seemed from another world. Ada was the figure, her clothes were torn and I noted a smear of blood on her thighs and on the floor which she lay. This wasn't real life.

*******

I trailed the continual screaming to Ada's room. The door was ajar and I could see the back of Joyce as she stared at Ada. Her shoulder was hunched and seemed paralyzed.

Taking a deep breath, I ran into the room. "What is it?" I asked in fake concern. 

No response from her. I walked closer to her, trying to see her features properly.

"What...What happened?." My voice rose in dismay.

"I should be asking you this question." She said coldly.

"Hey, what's that supposed to mean?" I snapped angrily.

I lowered myself to Ada's figure, placing her head in my hands as I moved it back and forth as she would move. She didn't. I checked her pulse and I heard faint breathing, not too much but it was there.

"You were home with her, I wasn't. I found her this way...I can't believe this is happening? Tell me, what did you do to her?" Her voice quivered at the end. 

I turned my head upward, noting her face was streaked with tears. She looked so lost.

"Nothing. I did nothing." I released Ada, to run my right hand over my face. "I'm so shocked. I can't believe this happened. Like how?" I spoke quietly.

"I...I shouldn't have left the house." She looked at me directly as she spoke.

"This isn't the time to apportion blames. Call your parents now. We need to rush her to the hospital." I ordered.

"Oh, my God. Oh, my God. The hospital." She wailed as she fumbled in her dress pocket for her phone. 

Her hands shook as she tried to type in the digits or check her contacts for her dad's number. She finally got through to him. He didn't pick immediately but answered on the fourth dial. 

"Dad..." She whispered. 

I calmly carried Ada in my arms and rushed out of the room, towards the stairs with Joyce hot on my tail.

"I'm not ok. I found Joyce unconscious in the bedroom..." She cried.

After a pause, she spoke again. "No... I..." She exhaled loudly. "I don't know dad, I met her that way. I just don't get it. She wanted to sleep, that's what she said. I'm so confused." She whispered.

A smile curved my lips, she was still lying. I guess we had to lie our way out of this one.

"Yes, dad." She agreed to whatever was being said.

We were at the foot of the stairs by now. Ada was heavier than I'd thought. I steered my body towards Joyce. She was still crying. That call must have been hard to make.

"What did he say?" I asked impatiently.

I needed to drop this load off my hands. My hands were crying as they were. This wasn't part of my plan.

"Dad said we should take her to the hospital. He promised to be there as soon as possible."

"Did he give you a name?" I asked.

"Yes, Emeka, he did. It's our family hospital. It's not too far from here." She informed me.

"Ok. Quickly tell those two we are coming soon." I ordered her.

"No. What if something happens to them? We don't know who did this to Ada, remember?"

"Alright, be quick." I left the house and unlocked her dad's v-boot. "Aboki! open the gate." I shouted.

He raced from his post and quickly opened the gate. I could tell he was biting down the urge to interrogate me. It was quite smart of him not to, for I would have washed him like a bitter leaf.

Joyce and my sisters entered the car while I laid Ada down. I ran to the driver's side. I started the car and drove out of the compound in haste.

"What happened to Sister Adanna?" Onyi asked.

"I don't know. We found her like this but she would be ok." I said looking at their worried faces.

************

"Where is the doctor? There is an emergency." I shouted.

The nurses sprang to their feet on hearing that and another wheeled a stretcher in the room and placed Ada carefully on it.

"Young man, come this way." a nurse said.

I told my family, I was coming and followed the nurse.

"There are some questions we would like to ask."

"Ok," I said.

"Do you have any relation that we can call?" She asked.

"Yes, my uncle is on his way. He goes by the name, David."

"Good." she smiled for the first time. "Take it easy. the doctor is attending to her. She would be fine." she said as she placed a hand on my shoulder and squeezed.

"Thanks," I said with a small smile.

"Who would have done this to her?" Joyce asked as I walked into the reception.

"I don't know and I don't understand anything. We left to take a nap, only to find her in a pull of blood thanks to your scream."

"I don't want to curse the person that did this because if I do, his soul won't rest in peace." Joy said furiously.

I gritted my teeth and placed her hands in mine and squeezed it. "Don't do that yet. What if she was the one that hurt herself?" I tried to reason with her.

"No. Ada wouldn't do that! She is too strong to do such a thing," she said stubbornly.

"I hope so."

************

Thirty minutes later, my uncle walked into the reception with his face set in harsh features. He looked murderous. I tried not to show that I was guilty of this matter. My acting needs to be more dramatic than it had been with Joyce.

"What nonsense were you sprouting on the phone? He shouted at Joyce who kept swallowing loudly like she swallowed hot palm oil.

His voice attracted a few patrons to glance in our direction. My uncle was fond of creating embarrassing scenarios.

"I don't know. I met her bleeding." Joyce mumbled as she moved closer to me on the battered sofa. 

"Hello."

We all looked up to the doctor. He looked pensive. I knew that I might be done for but I couldn't help wishing that the man wouldn't find out the cause. Phew, I could blame the gateman for it though. I was still safe.

"Are you her father?" He asked looking at my uncle.

"I am not but she came to my house on vacation." Uncle clarified as he glared daggers at Joyce. 

He hasn't looked at me once and I was grateful for that. I spared a glance at my sleeping sisters, they were hurdles closed to each other.

"We need to see her parents, the sooner the better." The doctor announced somberly.

"Doctor, you can tell me what is wrong." My uncle implored.

"It's a confidential case. I am sorry."

Uncle sighed as he said, "I would get in touch with them as soon as possible."

The doctor nodded calmly. He was satisfied with the response he had gotten.

"Can we see her?" 

"Yes, she is in room 207."

"Thank you."

The doctor nodded curtly and left the room and my uncle turned his attention to us again.

"I want to know everything that happened but before that let's check on her."

We walked to her room in silence. Uncle opened the door quietly. We all gasped. She had tubes inserted in her vein and oxygen was pulled tight on her nose.

I had never been in the situation where I was forced to see the aftermath of my rape victims for they had been too scared to point accusing fingers at me. This time was different. I realized the gravity of what I did to women...to put it better, young girls who had trusted me blindly.

I didn't know how I felt about that. I didn't want to be sucked into this aftermath. I didn't want to clean the mess. I still hated Ada for playing hard to get. If she was as normal as a sensible creature, I wouldn't have raped her...or, maybe I would but she would have enjoyed it. I heard some girls enjoyed being raped.

I almost smiled at the thought but quickly controlled myself. I wasn't the only one in this room.

**********

My mind was cloudy and I was beyond anxious at the events that unravelled this evening. If I knew that the little lad that always seemed to be malnourished would bring so many problems to me, I would have stalled my daughter from having anything to do with her.

I was no fool though. Something had happened here and it was my job to make sure I get to the bottom of it before pulling Ada's family along. I don't know what the doctor found out but from the tone of his voice, it wasn't good. I needed to act fast to avoid being taken unawares.

With that in mind, I called the two teenagers to my office. We were home now after the stress at the hospital. It was time to unravel the truth.

They walked in with their heads bowed low. Joyce was looking haggard, my poor baby. But Emeka seemed nonchalant about the whole thing, he kept whispering things I couldn't easily grasp.

That boy was nothing but trouble.

I got up from my recliner, walked towards the door, and made sure it was locked.

"Sit down." I snapped. "Can both of you tell me what happened here?"

No one said anything which fuelled my rage. "Are you deaf?" 

Still nothing.

"Fine, you know if you don't talk now and her parents find out the real cause of her sickness, it won't go on well with us."

"Dad, I don't know what happened I swear." Joy said a bit shaky.

Emeka hasn't said anything since we came back and I was beginning to suspect him. I remember his parent complained that he was a tyrant.

"Emeka," I said in a secretive tone. "What do you know that happened, you can talk to me."

"Nothing happened." He said easily.

"What do you mean nothing happened?" I barked. "Did she supernaturally get blood on her and makes herself hospitalized?"

He shrugged. "I don't know, I wasn't with her." He said effortlessly.

"Shut up. What gave you the guts to talk back at me? And by the way, weren't you at home, so what do you mean, you weren't with her?"

I watched as he opened his mouth, then shut it quite quickly. This boy was getting on my nerves. I took a deep breath, schooling my temper in the process. Anger wouldn't solve anything, I need a sense of diplomacy.

I knew exactly what to do. I was an officer, after all, and I knew how to make people confess their crimes. He might be my nephew but that doesn't mean he can get away with things.

"Joyce, wait for me outside." 

She nodded. I walked her out, locking the door, I took a plastic chair cover to him, then sat down facing him.

"I don't want us to do this the hard way, young man. What happened?"

"Uncle, what's all this? Are you insinuating that I have a hand in this?" He asked angrily.

I hit him on the face. "Are you telling me that you don't know what happened to Ada or what went down in this house when you're not a ghost?" I snapped.

"I told you, I don't know."

I glared at him. He really wouldn't bulge, but oh, he will.

"Go and get me, Joyce," I ordered.

He left for about three minutes. I'm sure they were planning what to say but that would come to nought either way. Joyce walked behind Emeka as they came back in. This time, I didn't lock the door.

"What happened today Joyce?"

"Nothing." She was sweating profusely despite the air-conditioner. 

This continuous monotone answer was starting to get on my nerves. How can they both insist, nothing had happened today? It wasn't right.

"Precious! Onyinye! I called out.

I watched as they both looked at each other with masked panic. I was right, there was something fishy.

"Precious! Onyinye!"

They ran into the office. "Joyce, Emeka face that side." I pointed to the wall. I didn't want them intimidating the girls.

"Tell me what happened today," I said softly.

"When we woke up in the morning, Sister Joyce was nowhere to be found. Emeka asked Sister Ada if she knew of her whereabouts, in which she said sister Joyce went to school," Precious answered.

I shook my head in disbelief. My daughter was now behaving waywardly. "Continue."

"After playing, I said I wanted to sleep, I don't know what happened after that."

"Did Joyce come home by then?" I asked.

"No, she wasn't back yet."

"You can go, thank you." They dashed out of the room. 

************

I knew I was done for the moment my cousins said I wasn't at home.

"Joyce!" My dad screamed making the hair on my back stand up.

He walked towards me and I stepped back. He pulled me by my hair and used the other hand to slap me. I felt the sting hard and tears fell.

"I am sorry."

"You are what?" He thundered.

"I'm sorry, it won't happen again," I said sobbing.

He pushed me aside. "I am will get to you." He barked. His eyes left me cold. I was so scared. 

********

"Now Emeka, after the kids have gone to bed, what happened?"

"I went to my room."

"And?"

"I don't know."

He laughed. I felt panicky, I knew he knew I was lying. The way he handled his daughter made a lump form in my throat.

He loosened his belt and I jumped. "Are you going to talk?" He asked in anger.

"I would talk."

"Ok, start."

Fear gripped my heart. I was going to jail. I can't let that happen.

"I told you I don't know what happened." I felt the head of the belt hit my bone. It's like it ripped it to pieces. I screamed. Tears blurring my vision. I have almost forgotten he was an officer.

"Are you ready to talk now?!!!" His voice was so distant.

"Yes." I managed to say as the pain rocked through my body.

"Good." I felt him sink into a chair.

I couldn't bear looking at him in the eye, he was so scary right now.

"Please, don't take me to jail."

He grunted. "Talk!"

"I... I... I..."

"Speak up!!! You what?!"

"I raped her." Everywhere went silent.

I could hear Joy sobbing hard.

"You disgusting, perverted soul. You raped that girl."

He walked out of the room and Joy faced me. I prepared for the worst. The look she gave me made me grow cold.

"If I knew this was your plan, I wouldn't have allowed you to talk me into leaving the house, you son of a bitch."

I shivered. She has never spoken to me like this before. " Joyce, I know what I did was bad but..."

"But what? I trusted you to leave her with you. Despite all the trash, I heard about you. Yet, you fucked up."

Just then her dad came in. "Get up." He said coldly.

I got up in pain because of the belt being beaten. It was like a train ran over me.

"Listen very well. You are not going to tell the parents or doctors anything. I would handle it. It's a shame what you did but I'm not surprised."

My head was downcast. I felt pain hit me in my heart. I hated that I had failed my family but this was what I was. I couldn't change for anyone. I was a sadist and a rapist. I hope, he keeps his word for I wouldn't want to result in murder.

"Leave!" His voice snapped me out of my reverie. 

************

I tried to follow Emeka out but unfortunately, my dad called me.

"Joyce stop there this minute."

"It's such a pity that after all the love I and your mother gave you, you still want to be useless." His voice was laced with bitterness.

"Where did you go? And don't you dare lie to me ok."

"I went to my friend's place."

"Boy or girl?"

"Boy."

"I knew it. What do they give you that I haven't? Whatever you ask for is always given to you. You saw with your eyes what your cousin did. If you like, keep going around with boys. I implore you to change your ways. Now go!"

I quickly ran out.