The Landlord And His Tenants
Episode 5
“I possibly can’t get N1 million to send to this people. This is a serious problem and time is running out. What am I going to do? How did I get myself into this ugly web?” Ije asked herself. Her husband is beginning to suspect her because of her erratic behavour. He once caught her talking to herself like a mad person as she paced around the living room.
“What is happening to you? Are you okay? What is eating you up? Is there anything you would like to talk to me about?” John her husband asked one evening when he came back from work and caught her behaving in an awkward way. She pretended that everything was fine. Ije knew there was no way she could convince her husband to give her N1 million to send to the bad boys. He just gave her N500,000 days ago and asking him for more money will be like asking too much.
Ije decided to carry the cross alone and not to tell her husband.
“I know what to do. No more beating about the bush. I’m going to meet the bad boys and plead with them to release my phone without uploading the nudes. I know this is risky, but I will do it.” Ije said when she woke in the morning. The time the bad boys gave to her already elapsed and she has not sent them the money and there was no way she would send it. She has now taken a decision to confront the boys herself and try to save the situation. Ije picked up her phone and dialed the number which the bad boys had used to call her earlier.
“Hello, this is Ije, the lady you have her nudes. I have the money in cash. I want to bring it to you where you are. How can I find you?” Ije said. Her voice was firm and confident, and there was no element of panic. Even the bad boys would have wondered where she got the confidence to tell them that she was bringing them cash.
“Are you sure of this decision? Don’t try shit with us. We will kill you and wipe out your entire family if you try to come to us with the police. Be warned and think twice before taking this step.” One of the bad boys says with a very husky voice meant to scare Ije, but she refused to be scared.
“I said I have your money in cash and I want to bring it to you. Tell me your address and I will drive their in a matter of minutes. I’m not playing any games and I’m not brining the police.” Ije said.
“Okay. Remember, no police. Drive towards the Third Mainland bridge. Just before you climb the bridge, call this number again. Remember, do not bring the police, because we will kill you if you do.” One of the bad boys warns Ije again.
She jumped into her husband’s car and started driving to the place that was described for her. Luckily for her, there was no traffic, so within a few minutes, she arrived the scene. Ije was scared, but she refused to show it. She picked her phone and dialed the number again while still in the car.
“Hello! I’m here. Where are you?” Ije asked over the phone. Her heart was beating very fast because she doesn’t know what to expect or how the bad boys will react when she tells them that she does not have the money.
“Come down from the car and start walking towards the footpath by your right. We can see you and we see that you are now coming down. Make sure there is no police around you or we will shoot you because our guns are pointed at you already. Lift your two hands up while coming.” One of the bad boys said.
Ije walked slowly. She had her handbag and it was up as she lifted up her two hands. Soon, she came face to face with the bad boys under the Third Mainland Bridge. Her handbag fell as she tried to bring her hands down. Everything in the bag emptied on the ground and there was no sight of any money.
“Where is the money?” One huge man sitting on the pillar of the bridge asked Ije. He sounded very harsh and he had a gun in his hand, playing with it as if it was a toy.
There were four young men under the basement of the bridge and they do not look friendly at all. They seem ready to pounce on her and dump her in the lagoon if she does not have the money. But she took a deep breath and spilled the beans.
“I don’t have the money.” Ije said with a strong voice. It was just like she spitted the words out of her mouth.
“Then consider yourself dead!” The man with the gun said as he stood up from the basement of the bridge and started moving towards Ije. He soon pointed the gun at her and made the barrel to touch her head. It felt like she was already dead. She closed her eyes.
“You are not leaving this place alive. You think we are here to play games?” The man said. He brought down the gun. Ije opened her eyes and started looking at the water that was flowing so fast under the bridge. Then she opened her mouth to speak.
“Look, I know I did something wrong. I slept with my landlord and I never knew he recorded my nudes. I slept with him because I needed him to forgive us our house rent because my husband did not have the money to pay at that time. He has used it to collect N400,000 from me. Look, even if you kill me, you will not get the N1 million you are asking for because I don’t have it. Just give me the phone and let me go. There is nothing to gain if you upload my nudes on social media.” Ije said.
“You do not make decisions here. We do.” The gang leader said. They are aware that Ije is pregnant as they have seen her protruding belly, so they were treading with caution. The gang leader removed his phone and made a call.
“Hello madam. We have her with us and she did not come with the money. What should we do? We want to kill her.” The gang leader said. He was talking to their overall boss who told him to wait and not do anything to harm Ije.
“Wait for me. Do not harm her. I repeat, do not harm her.” The overall boss said on the phone. Ije was asked to sit down and wait. She became very scared but held herself. Soon, the overall boss arrived.
When Ije lifted up her face to look, she saw her friend Linda approaching with other thugs who were guarding her like a VIP. She is the overall leader of the bad boys. Ije almost fainted out of shock.
“Linda! You mean you are behind all these?” Ije asked.
“Yes I’m.” Linda said with a sarcastic smile on her face.
Watch out for episode 6, the last fight.
