Uduak are you sure you want to do this? I kept on asking myself as i prepared for the outing. Apart from being vulnerable at the news of Aniekan’s marriage i felt something akin to pity for Femi as he had been consistently chasing me around the place these past six weeks. Mom always told me “never date a guy out of sympathy or pity, it will save you from future heartbreak”. I had always upheld this rule but like Asa sang in her song “be my man” tonight i am breaking mama’s rule, besides it was nothing serious attached just a to cool off.
At 5:45pm Femi was at my door fully charged up to go. He was on a Calvin klein Polo shirt, black jeans with black sneakers, he looked well trimmed and dapper. Chinasa was not at home, this was a relief to me, i didn’t want her to see me leave with Femi. I didn’t want my friend to start wondering if my name has been added to Femi’s list of conquests.
You look good, he said as he admired my little red chiffon party gown.
Thanks, you look good too.
Kulmat palace was the name of the hangout that Femi choose. It was a serene place with an ethereal atmosphere, the music was good and soothing, classic R&b tunes from boys 2 men were from the speakers, just what i needed. Femi was urging me to join him in drinking beer. “I don’t take alcohol’ i kept on saying repeating everytime he mentioned it. I was okay with sipping my fruit juice.
Not even smirnoff ice?...come on Ud, smirnoff ice is a girly drink, you should take it, he insisted.
I finally succumbed and settled for a chilled can of smirnoff ice brought to me by the waiter. The food was good, the sharwama was delicious.
It was clear that we were not on the same wavelength and would never click. I wanted to chat, he wasn’t much of a good conversationalist, he kept on staring at me as he drank his beer. I began to get worried when i noticed 5 empty beer bottles besides him on the table.
“Femi If you get drunk who will drive me home?”
Don’t worry i will not get drunk, not with this brand of “soft beer”! He boasted.
After 35 mins i decided i have had enough of letting off of stress & wanted to go home.
We got into the car and suddenly everything became hazy and dizzy in my eyes. Just lean on the seat and relax was the last word i heard from Femi as i drifted away....
Jesus christ! Where am i?...was the thought that on my mind as i slowly opened my eyelids. I saw myself lying on a kingsized bed in a large room with silver coloured curtains with flowery patterns covering the glass windows. The walls were tall walls painted light blue. I managed to sit up erect and found out that i was still wearing the red chiffon gown that i wore to the outing. Where are my shoes?! I started panicking. The single door in the room suddenly opened and i turned around & saw Femi walked in bare chested, he was wearing nothing but a blue boxer short. He gave a quick startle at the sight of me and then i watched his face and features quickly harden.
“what is the meaning of this and why am i here? I screamed at him, “did you drug my drink?”
“yes i did and it seems you slept it off rather quickly, you have always been a strange calabar girl, maybe that’s why the effect didnt last long on you”
Wtf!!! I shouted, you dared drug my drink with rohypnol and brought me here to molest me? Is this what you do to every young unsuspecting girl that comes your way? You slip date rape drugs into their drinks? I should have listened to Chinasa and never gone out with you! Get me out of here now!!! i demanded.
You’d better keep your voice low to save your strength, no one outside can hear you even if you scream, this room is sound proof & for your information, the door is locked from outside and can only be opened by my orders. This is my private guest house, no one knows where you are.
I suddenly regretted my unwise decision of not informing Chinasa that i had gone out with this brute.
“He is drunk! I caught a whiff of beer and stale cigarette in the room and the nauseating smell almost choked me.
Femi was advancing close to me, “You better give me what i want or i’ll take it by force. You have been carrying yourself as too good for me for weeks now, no girl says “no” to my advances and you won’t be the first!!
I’ll rather die first than let you get close to me and i’ll have you arrested asap! I retorted.
That depends on if you’ll be able to get out of here in one piece, i’ll see if you will be able to bear the stigma that comes with being molested. We’ll see if you would be able to stand and testify in court before people.
“Jesus pls create a way of escape for me” i silently prayed in my mind.
Femi lurched forward on me & we wrestled on the bed, he landed a quick blow to my head, i gave him a hard blow on his stomach and for some brief seconds he recoiled in pain. I glanced around the room searching for anything i could use as a weapon to defend myself with, there was only a flimsy rubber stool...i was a desperate woman fighting for my life and dignity. He came after me again and as he pressed me down and made a motion to tear my gown, i suddenly remembered something i read two yrs ago about the jugular veins on the sides of the neck that can cause unconsciousness when pressed down. I relaxed my hold on his arm and he came down on me bringing his neck close.
I suddenly gripped my hands around his neck, i felt the two veins and pressed down with all my strength, he suddenly went limp.
I got up from the bed and hammered at the door, it suddenly opened, it wasn’t locked! I ran out of the room and realized that the whole apartment was empty. He probably said the door was locked to breakdown my resistance and drive fear into me. I ran along the hallway and outside the main entrance. There was his car the toyota hundai parked outside. My shoes & handbag would probably be inside there. I rushed and pulled at the car door knob. It opened! This guy was so anxious to accomplish his evil agenda that he forgot to lock the car door! I retrieved my bag from the car seat, lucikly my phone was inside but unfortunately i couldn’t find my shoes...to hell with the shoes... I ran out barefooted of the building and dialed Chinasa's number.
The road was a deserted and lonely road, i didnt know this part of Lagos, this wasn’t Surulere! Where the hell was i!? cuts & blisters were developing on my feet but i didn’t feel the pain as my goal was to get away as far as possible from the area. I didn’t know how long i ran until i broke and fell down from sheer exhaustation.
One week after this incidence there was no sign of Femi in the neighbourhood. I had told Chinasa every detail. She revealed that a local boy had found me lying by the side of the road and the moment Chinasa’s call came through, he answered her call & revealed my location. She came with Ola to rescue me.
We had gone to the police station and narrated everything to the Dpo. The Dpo revealed to me that Femi has had two criminal records of rape in the past but on both occasions the matter was hushed up because of his father’s influence. Due to the discreet nature of the case the Dpo came with his boys to our estate to quietly pick up Femi. However he was not nowhere to be found. They went to the secret apartment where the incidence took place, he was not there, The dpo ordered the sealing off of the house. The Dpo then placed his estate apartment under constant surveilance. I wanted to resign from my job and leave the city of Lagos but Chinasa discouraged me from doing so.
Two days later i got an email message from an unfamiliar address. On opening it, it read:
“Uduakobong its me Femi, i am very sorry about what transpired between us. I am ashamed of myself and my actions, pls find a place in your heart to forgive me. I can’t face you that is why i have left the country to begin a new life and won’t return in a long while. Shortly you will receive a cash deposit in your bank account, it is my little way of saying sorry. Goodbye”.
That week we had information from the caretaker that Femi had informed him that an important business matter necesitated his relocation outside the country & he didn’t know when he was coming back and therefore mandated him to rent out his apartment.
There was a strong rumour among our neighbours that Femi went abroad to manage his dad’s companies and also study for his masters degree. I smiled whenever i heard these rumours because i knew that apart from Chinasa and Ola, the residents will never know that Femi’s relocation had nothing to do with business but everything to do with me Uduakobong the Calabar girl.
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