THE WEEKEND
By Sokes Naths Allamogu
EPISODE SEVEN
SUNDAY 3:10 AM
Max jolted awake as a sharp pain struck his head. He cried out, holding his head, only to be met with laughter echoing in his bedroom. Struggling to open his eyes against the harsh light, he was startled to find four men in his bedroom.
“Shhh… if you shout, I will blow your head off,” warned by one of the intruders, pointing a gun at Max. Confused and disoriented, Max wondered if this was a dream. He looked around and saw Funke, still in his bed, recalling the events of the previous night.
“I’m a tax collector, and I’m here to collect,” declared the leader as he approached the bed, startling Funke awake. She screamed, but Max quickly pulled her close and covered her mouth. Another man pointed a gun at Funke’s head, while the fourth went for Max’s belongings, grabbing his phone, laptop, and wallet.
“If you two behave and cooperate, I promise not to deposit bullets in your bodies,” the leader said, pointing his gun at Funke. “Is she your wife?”
“No! No!” Max stammered in fear.
“I knew it. The way you were grabbing her backside at the club as if it was your last supper,” the man beside Funke laughed with a crooked voice. “Tax collector! Let’s take her as our souvenir.”
Funke started screaming and tried to escape from the bed, but Max struggled to keep her still to no avail. “Please, I’ll do whatever you want, but please don’t hurt her.”
“Will you shut up!” The man beside Max used the gun to hit his head, while the other man produced a liquid-soaked handkerchief and made Funke pass out by covering her nose.
“Oh, my God! please” Max touched his head and he was bleeding. “What do you want please?” His lips trembled with fear.
“Password! And I will be on my way,” the leader demanded, grabbing a chair and sitting down. The fourth man handed him Max’s three ATM cards. “I want access to these three accounts.”
Max’s head throbbed with pain, and he couldn’t believe what was happening. He wondered how these men had entered his secure estate with tight security and accessed his house. He knew he was in the wrong place at the wrong time and they followed him from the club. Now his hard-earned possessions were being taken right in front of him, he regretted being involved with Funke and the decision he made. When they discovered his engagement ring and another woman’s picture, they mocked him.
“I can see you are a big boy, with 20 thousand dollars and a cool 19 million Naira in your account. This means you have friends of such caliber. It’s time to call a friend,” the leader approached Max.
Fighting the urge to resist, Max knew he had to cooperate to survive. “I will give you the option to call two friends and ask them to send you money right now,” the leader said, handing Max his phone. Terrified, Max dialed Isaac’s number, knowing Victor was unreliable. The leader made it clear that if his friends didn’t pick, Max’s life was at stake.
“Put that call on speaker, and if you try anything, he will deposit a bullet in your head,” the guy beside Max pressed the gun to his head.
The phone rang severally with no response “He is not picking up, the next caller.” Max attempted to call Adewale, but he didn’t answer. “Please, they are sleeping,” Max pleaded, but the guy beside him used the gun to hit his head, silencing him.
“I mean it about blowing your head off…” Before he could finish his statement, Isaac returned the call. Max hastily picked up the call.
“Hello, hello, Isaac, please, I need your help.”
Isaac wasn’t hearing him or the panic in his voice. “You were not reachable throughout last night, and what’s going on? You broke up with Chidera?”
“We didn’t break up; it’s happening tonight. I need some cash urgently, like right now,” Max kept his eye on the lead gang, praying that Isaac would come through for him.
“Whatever your plan is, it’s too late. Chidera left for London last night.”
“WHAT!!!” Max shouted, forgetting he was not alone. “No! No!! She can’t leave.” Max got to his feet unknowingly, and the lead guy collected the phone and shouted at him hitting his leg. “You are using my time to do catch-up, idiot.” He walked toward Max on the floor. “Oh, you thought I was joking when I said I would blow your head off,” pointing the gun at his head.
Max shouted but covered his mouth as the gun was pointed at his head. He was crying and begging for his life. “Please, please, let’s call him back. I’m begging you.”
“One more chance, it’s either you get me money, or you are dead.”
Max called back “Isaac, please, this is very urgent, and I need it right now. I need 5 million; I will return it ASAP.” His lips were trembling, and his head and leg were hurting badly.
“At this hour! What’s going on? Is everything okay?” Isaac could sense panic in Max’s voice.
“I’m fine,” he tried to breathe normally but wasn’t working. “Please, anything you can send.”
“What do you need 5 million for?”
“Business… huh, I need to close a deal right now.” He was stammering.
Isaac was unconvinced. “Which business deal is that?”
The only thing that came up in Max’s head was… “ODL, I will explain later.”
“ODL is a scam. Are you even aware that Victor has relocated to Canada, he left yesterday too. A lot of people are looking for him and his guys. So, forget that deal; I will see you after church service.” Isaac went off the line. The silence on the other side of the line gave him a chill, and Max knew his end had come, just because of one night of pleasure, he remembered how he had been mean and selfish to Chidera and now he had lost her, his hard-earned money, and his life was at the mercy of these low lives.
“Knee!” the lead gang waited for his partner to put him on his knees. “I don’t make empty threats,” he pointed his gun at Max. “Guys, we are done here, just one more thing.” His gang members took all their plunder, including Funke, and were on their way. Max was begging for his life, and it fell on deaf ears. The gun was fired, and the cold bullet hit his head with a rushing wind that threw his body to the floor with a force that couldn’t be controlled. Max lay in a pool of blood, trying to catch his breath while his body was cold from the inside. He just wanted to close his eyes for all these pains, loss, and regret to go away and wake up from his dream. His heart became so tight and he was losing breath, he closed his eyes, and it all went dark.
THE END…
Hmmm, how often do we think we can eat our cake and have it, many times I guess, but for Max not this time and what a price he paid.
A valuable lesson for everyone: Consider the values you hold. How much importance do you place on the individuals in your life? Do you take them for granted?
And, importantly, how do you nurture and treat the people who love you? Do you exchange what is real for a few minutes of pleasure? Something to ponder.
Thanks for reading, much love.
Jumie Naths
The ending is not good but I think Funke had a hand in this