EPISODE FOUR
MY STRANGE NEIGHBOR πππππππππππππππWritten by Nicholas Stephen
The woman later went back because I heard no sound nor trace of her and she didn’t dare to even knock our door. I took care of the boxer by watching it and spreading it outside.
After what happened that night, I resolved not to sleep at all.
When everyone else would be sleeping, I’d put on my earpiece and listen to uplifting music or watch a movie.
I tried everything possible to make sure that my phone was always charged before nightfall. They don’t put on the compound Gen everyday and they do restore power mostly in the morning.
There was one night that my sister woke me up, that should be around 5am. Fortunately, I mistakenly slept off that night.
I was startled when she woke me.
“Shedrack what happened to you. Better start talking.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about please could you tell me what happened?”
“Remember that woman, that our neighbour that mum and dad told us to stay away from?
Immediately I heard this my heart abruptly skipped a bit..
“Yes…. But… But. What, what happened?
“The cold breeze jolted me up from sleep. That should be around 2am. I noticed that the door was unlocked. When I turned I couldn’t find you, only saw your shirt and trousers. I almost woke mum.”
I was taken aback by what she said.
“Then next thing, I went outside to look for you. I saw you sitting down at the backyard of her house with bare shorts. She was talking to you. I hid myself and was observing the both of you. Immediately she went inside her house probably to get something, I rushed there and dragged you here..”
“Can’t you see you’re on your shorts? Is this what you wore to sleep?”
“Jesus Christ. Esther you’re right.” I whispered looking so confused.
“Esther, truth be told, I had no idea of what you’re telling me. So I left this place mehn….”
“So you normally sleep walk? It’s high time you turn to mum for serious prayers. Tell her everything that happened.. You know you’re my brother and I wouldn’t want anything to happen to you.”
“But let’s keep this between ourselves for now. Please I’ll look for a way to fix this…” I told her.
“Fix what? Shedrack what’s going on… I don’t understand you these days. Sometimes you wake up late, and you sleep so often like a pregnant woman.. While some days you don’t even join us for morning devotion. Hope all of these is not connected to that woman?”
“Esther you have nothing to worry. I’ll fix this. Please stop involving that woman in our discussion.. It gets me upset..”
“I’ve told you o..” She uttered, drew her wrapper and continued her sleep.
“What should I do.. I brought this upon myself. If only I had listened. If what my sister is telling me is true, then I’m in serious problem. Oh God I need to do something..” I told myself, wore my clothes and went back to sleep.
The following morning was on Sunday, dad was even the one that woke me up.
“Shedrack dress up let’s go to church. We are waiting for you outside.. I don’t know why you’re always finding it difficult to get up from bed… It’s almost 9am.”
“Dad I’ll come when I’m done.. Let me go and bathe.”
“Alright we are going time is almost running off. See you in church.”
“Okay Dad.”
I took my bath, held my Bible and got dressed.
When opened the door about leaving, I saw the woman right in front of me..
Before I could say another thing, she barged inside the parlour gazing at me.
“Tell that your sister to stop invading our privacy or else…. I believe you know what I’m capable of..”
“But… But…. Please I’m.. I’m going to church now”
“Don’t ever ignore my knocks again. If I knock your door, you come out understood?”
“Please leave my sister out of this…”
“Then tell her to stop monitoring us..” she bellowed at me.
She kept an eye out to see if anyone was approaching, but nobody did. She turned to face me after carefully knotting her wrapper.
“You’re a handsome looking young boy.” She said hugging me and planting a kiss on my lips..
……………………………………………..
TBC
