EVELYN.
9️⃣
Looking at the way he was peering at me. I quickly gave him the phone so he wouldn’t suspect that I was hiding something from him. I quickly rushed to the toilet while he was answering the call. Fear had consumed me to the point where my entire body trembled uncontrollably, making it challenging for me to even perform excrete. I had to struggle and let out a groan before I could relieve myself, as the fear had affected me so profoundly.
It appeared that no one was responding to my husband. Something was telling me that the call was from promise.
He brought the phone and rushed to meet me in the toilet. “Serah let it not be that you’re hiding something from me! This one that a strange number is calling you this night. Hope you’re aware that our only daughter had been missing for months.”
“What will I be hiding from you aside from me trying to find and protect my daughter. Honey just the way you’re pained, that’s how it saddens me. I’m not also happy I’m pretty sure you’re already attesting to it.”
“You want to do everything all by yourself abi! were you not the one that was telling the officer the other day that you had no idea about Evelyn’s whereabouts? Oh now you’re telling me you want to find and protect her!! How can you find something that location is unknown?”
“Honey you can’t just understand. It’s— it’s, I’m doing the best I can please.” I told him confusingly as I quickly got dressed and was about leaving the bathroom but he blocked me with his left hand.
“Make me to understand!” He shouted looking so annoyed.
“I’m already feeling exhausted. Please I really need some rest, so let’s continue our discussion tomorrow. Both of us are deeply upset about the incident with Evelyn, our daughter. It seems like you’re insinuating that I am somehow happy or pleased with her disappearance….” Before I could finish my sentence, the phone abruptly rang again. My husband answered it, but there was no response from the other end. The racing in my heart slowly subsided, calming me down.
I took my phone from him and slept in Evelyn’s room throughout that night. The following day my husband returned late from work and he was drunk. I was the one that escorted him to bed.
That very night, as I drifted into sleep, I found myself plagued by a haunting dream. In the dream, an individual with an unrecognizable face mèrcilessly stràngled my daughter, their hands tightèning around her delicate nèck.
Behind them loomed a deep hole that had already been dug, her body was stained with blood. I was held firmly by two men, rendering me utterly helpless and unable to come to my daughter’s rescue. Blood spilled from her mouth, pàinting a gruesome picture of her struggling for brèath until her life slipped away.
All I could do was strûggle, watching in agônizing despair, my tears flowing uncontrollably. They callously lifted her lifeless body and callously discarded it into the gaping hole, before I suddenly jolted awake from the nightmare, drenched in perspiration.
When I told Cecilia about it, she told me that I need to be very prayerful. In tears, I asked her. “Please I know we are both christians but let’s leave religion out of this. Let’s say your mother was missing for instance and you had an opportunity to rescue her without paying a dine, what would you do? Knowing fully well that it’s a situation of life and dèàth.”
“I’ll do the best I can and leave the rest for God. I’ll try my best to save her regardless. But why asking me such question… Wait ooo. Serah where are you driving at?”
“It’s okay. You’ve given me the answer I was looking for. Cecilia you’re a good friend. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.”I told her as she was perplexedly looking at me as I left her house unexpectedly.
There was one of the weekends when I got a call from another strange number. I was actually going to buy ingredients to prepare soup in the house and it was around 10am.
I rushed to a quiet place and picked the call because everywhere was crowded with market men and woman.
“So that day you gave the phone to your husband abi! You’ve told him everything right!” He said annoyingly. I knew it was no other person than promise.
“Please. I didn’t tell him anything please. I’m begging you. I’m begging you. He was only curious to know the reason why a strange number would be calling me by that hour. Please I’m begging you.” I begged as I began to pee on my tights due to the fear that had engulfed me.
“You think you’re smart! you want to trace me right!!”
“Please I’m begging you. Please don’t harm my daughter. I will never lîe to you. I said wiping my tears.
“Anyway that’s aside. Our business continues tomorrow better prepare yourself. I’ll be the one to call you.” He said and cut the call.
Overcome by a flood of emotions, I dropped to my knees and wept uncontrollably, my tears flowing like that of a child. In my distress, I vented my frustration by angrily tossing off the small sack that I had intended to use to purchase two custards of garri. A young man happened to pass by and noticed my distraught state. He approached me with genuine concern etched upon his face, and to my surprise, I recognized him as Frank, a fellow member of my church.
“Ma’am, I can see that you’re in distress. Could you please confide in me and share what has gone awry?” he sympathetically inquired, with worry evidence in his eyes.
…………………………
To be continued.
