THE DEVIL IN ME
EPISODE 5
THE TEMPTATION OF IBUDU
When I got home that evening, I could barely shut my eyes through out the night due to the conversation Ibudu and I had, I kept on tossing from one side of bed to the other. This thought kept ringing and reverberating in my mind, as much as I tried to sleep, the sleep wouldn’t come finally I gave up, opened my eyes as wide as possible and stared at the celling.
“Ibudu! this guy is so dangerous. what could he possibly give to me that will make all the girls bowing at my feet?” this was the thought that occupied my heart through out the night. having run out of cash, I thought about where I could get the said one thousand naira from, I thought about calling my father to lie to him that we were asked to buy a new text book for project. No, I could not lie to my poor man like that, my father is not stupid, he will look for away to investigate my story.
All manners of thought floated through my mind through out the night, I even thought about borrowing from my friend, a sudden thought came to me as an aftermath, I have never stolen from my father before, but this could only be the possible way to get the money.
I don’t need to even bother telling him, since it is already week end, I made the trip home, put my plans in place and during my stay at home my plans were executed, Sunday I packed my backpack and returned back to school.
When I got to school, I just opened my door, dumped everything on the ground of my room, rushed out again to meet Ibudu in his apartment, when I got to his place, my heart was very heavy, I tried not to over think any thing, I have made my choice, I was going to give him a chance for this. On seeing me, Ibudu started grinning and chanting like an idiot,
“Ikemba! Ikemba! What brought you to my humble abode? I perceive boldness written in your countenance, welcome! I hope this august visitor meant me good?” He enquired.
“Come have a seat,” he said gesticulating with his hands to show me or show off his apartment ever which way, I thanked him, took my sit as he took his, I started by complimenting his apartment,
“What a beautiful apartment you got here Ibudu,” he just laughed, feeling proud and replied.
“This is nothing!” I just stared at him. Finally I said,
“Ibudu am here because of the conversation we had during the weekend.” he smiled without a word, brought out his hand in front of me, understanding this, I dipped my hands into my pocket and brought out my father’s stolen one thousand naira, handed it over to him feeling guilty as my conscience pricked my heart. To feel as if this is not affecting me, I said,
“Guy! I hope this thing will work, because I need this babe in my life so badly, this babe means alot to me, you won’t understand sha! because you are not In my shoes.” Ibudu just laughed.
“I can see some one is madly in love here, let your worries go, I am Ibudu. You should learn to trust me. this package am going to give you. I don’t need to say much about it but you will come thanking me later for it”. With that, he left the sitting room to his inner chamber, a moment later, he came out again with a little bottle of cream, the content in the bottle is yellowish, he handed it to me leaving me staring at it, he advised me on how to make use of it.
“When you are done having a bath, apply it on your palms, any one who comes in contact with you will just do as you wish them to do, go and have fun now!” He laughed taking my hands for a shake as if this is an award I have won and him praising me for it.
My blood vessels started pumping fast, sweat broke out of my body despite the air conditioner being on, all I could hear is Ibudu’s words repeating itself in my ears “what ever you want them to do that is what they will do”.
All of a sudden, my panicking turned into joy, feeling like king kong, I soliloquized.
“I will be able to get whatever I want,” looking at my palms in admiration, I said aloud.
“You are now going to be a hand that is used to get what you want.” I smiled again, this time at Ibudu, thanked him and said,
“I will be on my way now,” he offered to see me off but I declined his offer as I rushed out of his apartment with a mind filled with joy at the verge of blowing
Still filled with excitement I ran out of the lodge, took a short cut to my lodge, all I could think and care for was Adaobi. While walking or should I say running, I saw some of my course mates, I waved to them smiling like someone who had just won a lottery ticket. Along the way, close to my junction, I saw Tony, Tony is one of my course mates, he is the president of student affairs.
Tony is humble, prudent and selfless and that is what earned him the name pastor, on approaching him, he was preaching at the junction, calling out to all students, passerby and traders to give their lives to Christ. As I was still walking, he quoted a scripture,
“What shall it profit a man to gain the whole world and spend eternity in the lake of fire?” He continued preaching, shouting and calling to people to repent of their sinful ways and return to Christ who is ready to forgive and accept them as his children. When I walked passed him, the message just hit me as if it was meant for me, my heart became pounding, I was battling with two voices in my mind.
His words came like a two edges sword and peirced my heart. Immediately I also felt another voice in my mind reminding me of how much I have already sacrificed to get where I was now, giving up on this meant giving up on Adaobi, which am not ready to do. All of a sudden I exclaimed.
“No!” am sure passer’s by must have thought me crazy as they were staring at me and moving farther away from my lane. I questioned myself inwardly,
“Does Tony know about my plans, has God revealed it to him? Does it mean that God has sent him to for-warn me?” Thinking about this alone has weakened me to my bone marrow. Still brooding,
“Why is it now that God will want to intervene? Does this really mean that I am being lured by Ibudu to destroy my destiny? Or am I seriously opening my two eyes wide and giving Ibudu full permission to influenced me in a negative way?” After giving much thought to this, I said to myself,
“Ikemba, no Ibudu is not a bad influence to you because you intentionally fell head over heels for this girl, he is just trying to be of an assistance to you.”
I didn’t even noticed that I have reached my lodge due to my inward battle l opened my door, walked straight to my bed, lay down facing up, I didn’t know how much time I have spent staring at the ceiling as if it just suddenly appeared there.
I was about to unzipped my jacket to bring out the charm Ibudu has given me, when Prince walked into my room staring at me suspiciously. I pushed back the content further into my pocket, Prince is one of my course mates and my best friend too.
We share alot of interest, we met each other on our freshers year, since then we have been bonding just fine, we don’t need to announce our visiting hours to each other’s lodge. He stood like a policeman on payroll, with moisture in his eyes, I tried to welcome him with our normal jovial manner but he just shook his head and said.
“Ikemba, what are you doing with that good for nothing Ibudu? I have been observing you this days, if you are not with Ibudu during lectures, you are with him under a mango tree or he even walks you home now, what is it you are not telling me?
I will be deeply hurt if I find out from others what this hide and seek games is all about. You of all people should know better than having any thing to do with Ibudu, his name alone disgust every living creature,” he took my hand in his and looked me eyeball to eyeballs and said.
“I will not like anything that will mar your destiny Ikemba.” By now I could taste the bile that has formed in my mouth, I tried to swallow and mutter a word but I couldn’t so I just kept mute. Giving myself some times, I jumped down from the bed, with venom filled in my voice I said,
“How dare you talk to me like that, who do you think you are, a pastor or counsellor?” My eyes darting here and there over his body, taken by surprise, Prince stared at me awkwardly, I continued,
“Don’t you dare in your miserable life talk to me like that again, what is it?” I thundered, Prince finally found his voice and said.
“I can see that Ibudu has succeeded in poisoning your mind, I pray that the veil covering your eyes will be opened soon else you are digging your grave with your bare hands and you will soon fall in.”
“Nonsense! Shriek, Prince, will you be the one telling me what to do now? In fact, you have outstayed your welcome, now face the door!” Prince shook his head and walked out of the apartment feeling sorry and disappointed.
Still angry, I walked to the door and locked it, came back and sat on the bed fuming, looking for what to punch.
To be continued.
Comd punch me, fool