UDEME
©Kikelomo Fadugbagbe
Episode 10
“Udeme stand up your Dad is here to see you” Mercy informed Udeme who was busy staring at her pictures in the newspaper.
She jumped out of the bed with so much energy.
“Daddy….!,” she jumped on him
“Have you been waiting for long?” she stared at him
“Your mood, What has happened?”
Jesse inhaled deeply, robbing his head in distress, “Your step mum lost her pregnancy”
“Oh I’m so sorry about that, truthfully, she deserves all that Is happening to her” she spoke frankly
“Udeme stop! Is it high time you embrace reality she’s now your mother,” He exclaimed
“I would like you to come back home” He muttered silently
“Never!, not until she’s gone.”
“Is ok then,” Her Dad stood up in anger “I’m leaving, Miss Mercy I sent some money for her upkeep you guys should take care of yourselves” He left.
Mercy embraced Udeme, patting her back “You need to go back home” Udeme looked into her eyes. “Go, you can always come to visit, I don’t want it to look like I’m the one teaching you to disrespect your Dad”
“Is okay, I will go the day after tomorrow”
“That’s my girl” They retired to the kitchen.
The next day, Mercy was seen running to Jesse’s house in the wee hours of the morning, she slammed their gate
“Haha, this early morning, who is that?” Okon, the security Man screamed, stretching his body whilst he walked reluctantly to open the gate.
“Teacher is you, but is too early now”
“I know please, is Udeme here?” She asked panicking
“No now, Oga say she dey chill for your side”
“Ha, I woke up this morning, I can’t find her”
“You can’t find who? You are joking”
“I’m serious, are you sure she’s not here” Mercy walked into the house to confirm
Jesse’s eyes were red when he heard the report but Caroline was more furious, she slapped Mercy repeatedly
“Go and look for our child” She yelled
“Stop slapping her please,” Jesse said. He called the police, Mercy was arrested and detained as the search for Udeme continued. Her face where all over the place labeled “wanted!!”
“I saw this child at Enofiok community” Okon’s girlfriend revealed
“Rebe, are you sure of this”
“Yes, you know I traveled there, last week, I saw her working for one old woman.”
“Rebe, you will do me a favor this thing you are telling me don’t tell anybody”
“But we can tell your boss”
He squeezed her lips, “I said don’t tell anybody not even my boss, except you are ready to go to jail”
“Go to jail for what, for saying what I see with my korokoro eyes”
“Since we have been dating, you have not seen good things, all you see is what will land us in trouble, come and be going to your house, I will call you” He stood up and tightened up his already loosed trouser, pushing her out of his room.
“Officer how far, help us now, my husband has not been himself, if you know you can’t handle this case tell us, let’s take it to the state, A child has been missing for over a month now and you have not done anything” Caroline lamented
“Madam please relax, we promise we will get to the root of this”
*****************
Mama Mazi was seen rubbing Udeme’s body with a charm, she would repeat the act every day. she has successfully hypnotized Udeme and she seemed not to remember anything.
A young man sneaked into her house when she was absent.
Udeme was terrified when she saw him
“Don’t shout I’m here to save you. I saw your face on the news, that you are wanted. He showed her the picture, “this is you right?”
“No” Udeme replied nodding her head in disagreement
“Haha, what do you mean is this not your face?”
“No”
“This is you now, ok what is your name”
“I don’t know” Udeme replied
“I understand, but you have to come with me, I’m a friend ok” He was going to escape with Udeme when Mama Mazi showed up from nowhere.
To be continued…
