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Category: Priceless One

  • Priceless One – Episode 13

    Priceless One – Episode 13

     

     PRICELESS ONE

    Priceless One – Episode 13


    ______________________________________
     
       
    “Students listen to your names…”
     The class teacher of SS2 science announced as he made the roll call.
    “ Elizabeth.”
    “ Present sir.”
    “ Jomiloju”
    “ Present sir.”
    “ Eberechukwu”
    “ Present sir.”
    “ Chima!”
    There was silence as everyone looked around.
    “ Chima is absent sir.” One of the students said.
    The teacher nodded.
    “ Sandra!” the teacher continued calling.
    “ Sandra is also absent sir, as well as her friend; Chioma.” It was Harriet that replied this time.
    The class teacher took a long pause and gave a look of surprise.
    “ That’s strange.” He said.
    Yes it was really strange to Harriet who was in a lighter mood today. It was an unusual day at school because, apart from the excitement she felt after the conversation with her mom, the class was unusually calm and was almost getting boring because some students were absent. And these set of students who were absent, were supposed to be the major entertainers and also the trouble makers of the class.
    For the first time since she resumed school, she had never witnessed the absence of Chima and his friend, along with most of the members of the dynamite squad.
    Sandra, Chioma, and even Shalewa!!!
    This was really unusual!!
    Only Jennifer and Osasuyi were around and were unusually so quiet all through the lessons that day.
    *****************
    Mr Nwafor returned from his trip and met his mother sitting in the dinning area with her chin cupped in her palm. 
    “ Good morning Mama.” He greeted his mother cheerfully as he rested his arms on her shoulder lovingly.
    “ Good morning my son.” 
    Mama gave an uninterested reply.
    “ Hope you didn’t miss me too much….. look what I got for you?” He said brightly and opened his traveler’s box , bringing out a nylon, he handed it over to her.
    “…I know you will like these Hollandis wrappers.” He continued but noticed that his mother seemed to be restless, and tapping her foot anxiously on the floor.
    “…Mama is everything ok?” he asked her worriedly.
    Mama gave a long pause and directed her gaze fully on her son.
    “ Chidindu.” She called.
    “ Yes Mama.”
    She beckoned him to sit down on the seat beside her and he complied.
    Mama sighed.
    “ How long have you been traveling like this and leaving Sandra at home?” Mama asked him.
    “ I’ve been traveling like this for years.” He said.
    Mama frowned her face.
    “…I don’t understand, why are you asking this question Mama?” Mr Nwafor asked his mother.
    “ You mean you have been traveling for years and leaving your daughter all to herself?” Mama questioned him.
    He scoffed.
    “ Mama…. Sandra is big girl o….. she’s no longer a child who needs to be babysitted anymore…… is that why you are frowning your face?”
    “ Chidindu.” Mama called.
    “ Yes Mama.”
    Mama shook her head sorrowfully.
    “ God knows I did my best to train you and your sister well…… even after your father d!ed and left me a widow…..I still did my best to work so hard, just to give you and your sister a future……” Mama began but was interrupted by her son.
    “ Mama….. why are you bringing up these stories now…. Did I do anything to offend you….if I did, just go straight to the point and tell me.” 
    She nodded briefly.
    “ Do you know that Sandra sneaks out of this house and goes to club?…… Do you know that your daughter keeps late nights?” 
    Mr Nwafor sighed.
    “ No mama….. I’m not aware of it.”
    “Hmm!”
    “Yesterday, Sandra sneaked out of this house late in night….. only to come back home at 3:30am…… but that is not everything o.” 
    Mama sighed again and continued.
    “ She was reeking strongly of alcohol and when I asked her where she was coming from,…. She said she went to a party…… I went on to correct her in a motherly way, but Sandra walked out on me.” Mama ended sadly.
    Mr Nwafor scratched his head.
    “ Mama please I’m sorry about Sandra’s misbehavior toward you……please forgive her…. She was only being childish….. you know the youths of these days Mama….. she’s just within that age bracket where she wants to explore,….. I believe with time, as she grows matured, she will outgrow the habit of keeping late nights……. You know…..we call it youthful exurberance….. that’s what Sandra is doing Mama. Mr Nwafor said persuasively.
    Mama scoffed unbelievably.
    “ Really!!…… Chidindu is that what you have to say about all this things…… where you ever allowed to go to clubs when you were her age?” Mama questioned her son.
    “ Mama….. that was during my time…… this generation has evolved now….. meaning Children of this generation always wants to be given more liberty to explore.”
    Mama shook her head pitifully.
    “ I am so disappointed in you Chidindu….. is this how you have been training your daughter?..…. So you give her liberty to do as she likes?” Mama chastised.
    Mr Nwafor exhaled deeply.
    “ Ok…. What do you want me to do now Mama?” he asked her.
    “ I want you to call her to order and be strict just like a parent will be….. it’s because you’ve been pampering her like this that is why she’s so r0tten!!…”
    “ Ok mama….. I have heard you….. I will call her to order….. but right now I’m just so tired…..you know I just came back from a trip.” He said and stood up.
    “ Where are you going Chidindu?…. we’ve not finished our discussion.”
    Mr Nwafor growled in frustration.
    “ What is it again mother?”
    “ Chidindu sit down.” She instructed him.
    He grumbled but complied.
    “ Don’t you think it’s time you get married?…… I mean, it been long since Sandra’s mom d!ed…. And Sandra needs a mother figure in her life…..she can’t continue to grow up like this without a mother to guide her….. besides, you also need companionship also, to cure the loneliness you feel at times.” Mama said.
    “ Ok mama, I will work on it.” He said quickly.
    “ Please work on it fast….I need other grandchildren from you apart from Sandra.” Mama said.
    “ Ok mama…. Please can I go now?” he asked.
    She rested her gaze on him for a while.
    “ Yes you can go.”
    *****************
    Chima’s Mom sighed worriedly as she watched her son sleep peacefully on his bed. 
    Three times had he vomited,
     and three times she had cleaned his vomit, before he finally fell asleep.
    She watched on as he snored heavily, waiting patiently for him  to wake up so she could air her grief at his misconduct. But he slept on with reckless abandon, while she lost her sleep tending to him.
    He finally jerked awake at 2pm. 
    Clasping his hands on his head, wondering the best remedy to soothe the pain he was feeling on his head. 
    He couldn’t even tell if it was a nagging headache or a migraine that hammered through his head.
    He managed to look round his room, it was empty.
    “ What happened to me?” Chima pondered hard, trying to get past the pain gnawing through him.
    Memories of last night began to trickle slowly through his memory lane.
    Yes! He remembered feeling so depressed last night, and had to douse the feeling with the continuous puffing of sm0kes through his nostrils, coupled with a few cups of strong alcoholic drink he had.
     
    He sighed and got up from bed.
    “ Arrggh.” He growled.
    His head was really banging, and probably a few glasses of cold water would cool off the temperature.
    Chima walked slowly from his room and climbed down the stairs into the kitchen.
    He saw his mom, but said nothing,
    He walked past her to the freezer and gulped down a bottle of chilled water which soothed his patched up throat.
    “ Uncle Chima….. good afternoon sir!” His mother greeted in sarcasm.
    He murmured his greetings to her quietly and made to walk out.
    “ Not so fast young man….. we have a lot to discuss here.” She pointed out.
    Chima paused and slowly turned to her direction.
    “ I’m all ears.” He said briskly.
    She folded her hands akimbo with her eyes shooting daggers.
    “ Chima!!!….. Since when did you start sneaking out of this house without my knowledge?” She interrogated.
    He turned his face the other way and didn’t reply.
    “ Chima!!!…. Are you de@f!!!…. Are you not the one I’m asking a question?” She asked half yelling.
    “ And since when did you care mom?” He fired at her.
    “ What kind of stμp!d question is that?” She challenged him.
    “ You of all people know that I care for my children…… and I’ve made more sacrifices in this house for you than any woman can ever make for her kids!!!….. So I don’t expect you to ask me such stμp!d question!!!!” 
    Chima scoffed loudly, watching his mother continue in her rants.
    “…So you have a lot of explanations to give me as to what kind of party you go to in the late hours of the night!!!….. You were d£@d drunk when Sandra brought you the early hours of this morning!!!…… Chima!!!…. How you have so disappointed me, after all the sacrifices I make for you as a mother!!!….. You repay me back by picking up a bad lifestyle!!!…. What kind of example are you laying for your younger ones!!!!” His mom yelled in frμstration.
    “ I do not owe you any explanation mother!!” Chima fired back.
    “ Chima!!!….. How dare you talk to me like that?”
    “ mom! I said I do not owe you any explanation because you do not care about me, my siblings or anybody else…..all you care about is yourself!!” Chima yelled, his eyes red in tears.
    His mom calmed a bit.
    “ Chima…..that is a lie…….and I’m so pained you are talking to me like that.”
    He nodded.
    “ Do you care about my mental well being mother?…… Did you even care why my grades drastically dropped over the years from the first position to the 14th position!!!!…… Mother you do not give a d@mn about my well being…… so please, stop sounding like you suddenly care!!!”
    She was hit by his words.
    “ Chima…..I care about you….. God knows I care about you….” She replied painfully.
    Chima scoffed amidst his tears.
    “ if you cared so much about me…..or any of your children at all,…… you would have taken us out of this toxic house……instead of agreeing to be dad’s punching bag!!!!…… Do you know how much pain and trauma we go through each time dad b£@ts you to a pulp!!!!….. Do you care what it does to my mental health?” Chima challenged his mother shakily.
    Running his hands through his head as the headache pounded more.
    “ ..So why should you complain when I leave this stupid house to a party, so I can at least get some peace and sanity?” 
    His mother bursted into tears.
    “…Just give me one reason mother why I should remain in a house where my dad has reduced my Mom to nothing but a common servant in disguise of a housewife!!!!….. If you breath, he b£ats you ….. you talk, he b£ats you…. You don’t talk, he b£ats you!!!!”
    “ Chima stop!!” His mother interrupted amidst sobs.
    “ No!…. I won’t stop mother.”
    She fell to the ground in tears.
    “…Despite his gruesome treatments to you, you are content to still stay in this house, until he beats you up one day and you travel to the world beyond!!!…..”
    “…So you see mother!!…. You do not care about us, because if you really did!!!!….. You would have taken us out of this toxic environment!!!”
     Chima screamed painfully, ignoring the headache that seered through him.
    He stamped his foot on the ground ângríly and walked out of the kitchen  to his room where he sobbed loudly.
    (Do not take credit or Plagiarize AMAH’S HEART stories)
  • Priceless One – Episode 13

    Priceless One – Episode 13

     

     PRICELESS ONE

    Priceless One – Episode 13


    ______________________________________
     
       
    “Students listen to your names…”
     The class teacher of SS2 science announced as he made the roll call.
    “ Elizabeth.”
    “ Present sir.”
    “ Jomiloju”
    “ Present sir.”
    “ Eberechukwu”
    “ Present sir.”
    “ Chima!”
    There was silence as everyone looked around.
    “ Chima is absent sir.” One of the students said.
    The teacher nodded.
    “ Sandra!” the teacher continued calling.
    “ Sandra is also absent sir, as well as her friend; Chioma.” It was Harriet that replied this time.
    The class teacher took a long pause and gave a look of surprise.
    “ That’s strange.” He said.
    Yes it was really strange to Harriet who was in a lighter mood today. It was an unusual day at school because, apart from the excitement she felt after the conversation with her mom, the class was unusually calm and was almost getting boring because some students were absent. And these set of students who were absent, were supposed to be the major entertainers and also the trouble makers of the class.
    For the first time since she resumed school, she had never witnessed the absence of Chima and his friend, along with most of the members of the dynamite squad.
    Sandra, Chioma, and even Shalewa!!!
    This was really unusual!!
    Only Jennifer and Osasuyi were around and were unusually so quiet all through the lessons that day.
    *****************
    Mr Nwafor returned from his trip and met his mother sitting in the dinning area with her chin cupped in her palm. 
    “ Good morning Mama.” He greeted his mother cheerfully as he rested his arms on her shoulder lovingly.
    “ Good morning my son.” 
    Mama gave an uninterested reply.
    “ Hope you didn’t miss me too much….. look what I got for you?” He said brightly and opened his traveler’s box , bringing out a nylon, he handed it over to her.
    “…I know you will like these Hollandis wrappers.” He continued but noticed that his mother seemed to be restless, and tapping her foot anxiously on the floor.
    “…Mama is everything ok?” he asked her worriedly.
    Mama gave a long pause and directed her gaze fully on her son.
    “ Chidindu.” She called.
    “ Yes Mama.”
    She beckoned him to sit down on the seat beside her and he complied.
    Mama sighed.
    “ How long have you been traveling like this and leaving Sandra at home?” Mama asked him.
    “ I’ve been traveling like this for years.” He said.
    Mama frowned her face.
    “…I don’t understand, why are you asking this question Mama?” Mr Nwafor asked his mother.
    “ You mean you have been traveling for years and leaving your daughter all to herself?” Mama questioned him.
    He scoffed.
    “ Mama…. Sandra is big girl o….. she’s no longer a child who needs to be babysitted anymore…… is that why you are frowning your face?”
    “ Chidindu.” Mama called.
    “ Yes Mama.”
    Mama shook her head sorrowfully.
    “ God knows I did my best to train you and your sister well…… even after your father d!ed and left me a widow…..I still did my best to work so hard, just to give you and your sister a future……” Mama began but was interrupted by her son.
    “ Mama….. why are you bringing up these stories now…. Did I do anything to offend you….if I did, just go straight to the point and tell me.” 
    She nodded briefly.
    “ Do you know that Sandra sneaks out of this house and goes to club?…… Do you know that your daughter keeps late nights?” 
    Mr Nwafor sighed.
    “ No mama….. I’m not aware of it.”
    “Hmm!”
    “Yesterday, Sandra sneaked out of this house late in night….. only to come back home at 3:30am…… but that is not everything o.” 
    Mama sighed again and continued.
    “ She was reeking strongly of alcohol and when I asked her where she was coming from,…. She said she went to a party…… I went on to correct her in a motherly way, but Sandra walked out on me.” Mama ended sadly.
    Mr Nwafor scratched his head.
    “ Mama please I’m sorry about Sandra’s misbehavior toward you……please forgive her…. She was only being childish….. you know the youths of these days Mama….. she’s just within that age bracket where she wants to explore,….. I believe with time, as she grows matured, she will outgrow the habit of keeping late nights……. You know…..we call it youthful exurberance….. that’s what Sandra is doing Mama. Mr Nwafor said persuasively.
    Mama scoffed unbelievably.
    “ Really!!…… Chidindu is that what you have to say about all this things…… where you ever allowed to go to clubs when you were her age?” Mama questioned her son.
    “ Mama….. that was during my time…… this generation has evolved now….. meaning Children of this generation always wants to be given more liberty to explore.”
    Mama shook her head pitifully.
    “ I am so disappointed in you Chidindu….. is this how you have been training your daughter?..…. So you give her liberty to do as she likes?” Mama chastised.
    Mr Nwafor exhaled deeply.
    “ Ok…. What do you want me to do now Mama?” he asked her.
    “ I want you to call her to order and be strict just like a parent will be….. it’s because you’ve been pampering her like this that is why she’s so r0tten!!…”
    “ Ok mama….. I have heard you….. I will call her to order….. but right now I’m just so tired…..you know I just came back from a trip.” He said and stood up.
    “ Where are you going Chidindu?…. we’ve not finished our discussion.”
    Mr Nwafor growled in frustration.
    “ What is it again mother?”
    “ Chidindu sit down.” She instructed him.
    He grumbled but complied.
    “ Don’t you think it’s time you get married?…… I mean, it been long since Sandra’s mom d!ed…. And Sandra needs a mother figure in her life…..she can’t continue to grow up like this without a mother to guide her….. besides, you also need companionship also, to cure the loneliness you feel at times.” Mama said.
    “ Ok mama, I will work on it.” He said quickly.
    “ Please work on it fast….I need other grandchildren from you apart from Sandra.” Mama said.
    “ Ok mama…. Please can I go now?” he asked.
    She rested her gaze on him for a while.
    “ Yes you can go.”
    *****************
    Chima’s Mom sighed worriedly as she watched her son sleep peacefully on his bed. 
    Three times had he vomited,
     and three times she had cleaned his vomit, before he finally fell asleep.
    She watched on as he snored heavily, waiting patiently for him  to wake up so she could air her grief at his misconduct. But he slept on with reckless abandon, while she lost her sleep tending to him.
    He finally jerked awake at 2pm. 
    Clasping his hands on his head, wondering the best remedy to soothe the pain he was feeling on his head. 
    He couldn’t even tell if it was a nagging headache or a migraine that hammered through his head.
    He managed to look round his room, it was empty.
    “ What happened to me?” Chima pondered hard, trying to get past the pain gnawing through him.
    Memories of last night began to trickle slowly through his memory lane.
    Yes! He remembered feeling so depressed last night, and had to douse the feeling with the continuous puffing of sm0kes through his nostrils, coupled with a few cups of strong alcoholic drink he had.
     
    He sighed and got up from bed.
    “ Arrggh.” He growled.
    His head was really banging, and probably a few glasses of cold water would cool off the temperature.
    Chima walked slowly from his room and climbed down the stairs into the kitchen.
    He saw his mom, but said nothing,
    He walked past her to the freezer and gulped down a bottle of chilled water which soothed his patched up throat.
    “ Uncle Chima….. good afternoon sir!” His mother greeted in sarcasm.
    He murmured his greetings to her quietly and made to walk out.
    “ Not so fast young man….. we have a lot to discuss here.” She pointed out.
    Chima paused and slowly turned to her direction.
    “ I’m all ears.” He said briskly.
    She folded her hands akimbo with her eyes shooting daggers.
    “ Chima!!!….. Since when did you start sneaking out of this house without my knowledge?” She interrogated.
    He turned his face the other way and didn’t reply.
    “ Chima!!!…. Are you de@f!!!…. Are you not the one I’m asking a question?” She asked half yelling.
    “ And since when did you care mom?” He fired at her.
    “ What kind of stμp!d question is that?” She challenged him.
    “ You of all people know that I care for my children…… and I’ve made more sacrifices in this house for you than any woman can ever make for her kids!!!….. So I don’t expect you to ask me such stμp!d question!!!!” 
    Chima scoffed loudly, watching his mother continue in her rants.
    “…So you have a lot of explanations to give me as to what kind of party you go to in the late hours of the night!!!….. You were d£@d drunk when Sandra brought you the early hours of this morning!!!…… Chima!!!…. How you have so disappointed me, after all the sacrifices I make for you as a mother!!!….. You repay me back by picking up a bad lifestyle!!!…. What kind of example are you laying for your younger ones!!!!” His mom yelled in frμstration.
    “ I do not owe you any explanation mother!!” Chima fired back.
    “ Chima!!!….. How dare you talk to me like that?”
    “ mom! I said I do not owe you any explanation because you do not care about me, my siblings or anybody else…..all you care about is yourself!!” Chima yelled, his eyes red in tears.
    His mom calmed a bit.
    “ Chima…..that is a lie…….and I’m so pained you are talking to me like that.”
    He nodded.
    “ Do you care about my mental well being mother?…… Did you even care why my grades drastically dropped over the years from the first position to the 14th position!!!!…… Mother you do not give a d@mn about my well being…… so please, stop sounding like you suddenly care!!!”
    She was hit by his words.
    “ Chima…..I care about you….. God knows I care about you….” She replied painfully.
    Chima scoffed amidst his tears.
    “ if you cared so much about me…..or any of your children at all,…… you would have taken us out of this toxic house……instead of agreeing to be dad’s punching bag!!!!…… Do you know how much pain and trauma we go through each time dad b£@ts you to a pulp!!!!….. Do you care what it does to my mental health?” Chima challenged his mother shakily.
    Running his hands through his head as the headache pounded more.
    “ ..So why should you complain when I leave this stupid house to a party, so I can at least get some peace and sanity?” 
    His mother bursted into tears.
    “…Just give me one reason mother why I should remain in a house where my dad has reduced my Mom to nothing but a common servant in disguise of a housewife!!!!….. If you breath, he b£ats you ….. you talk, he b£ats you…. You don’t talk, he b£ats you!!!!”
    “ Chima stop!!” His mother interrupted amidst sobs.
    “ No!…. I won’t stop mother.”
    She fell to the ground in tears.
    “…Despite his gruesome treatments to you, you are content to still stay in this house, until he beats you up one day and you travel to the world beyond!!!…..”
    “…So you see mother!!…. You do not care about us, because if you really did!!!!….. You would have taken us out of this toxic environment!!!”
     Chima screamed painfully, ignoring the headache that seered through him.
    He stamped his foot on the ground ângríly and walked out of the kitchen  to his room where he sobbed loudly.
    (Do not take credit or Plagiarize AMAH’S HEART stories)
  • Priceless One – Episode 10

    Priceless One – Episode 10

     

     PRICELESS ONE

    Priceless One – Episode 10


    ______________________________________
     
          
    Shalewa was the first to detect the smoke when she excused herself to use the restroom.
    “ I need to use the restroom.” She said to Sandra who was sitting next to her by the pool, sipping from a glass of lemonade and stirring the water with her feet.
    Sandra nodded her response.
    “ Please help me bring a bottle of water when coming.” Sandra added.
    Chioma on the other hand, had herself occupied with Tayo as they chatted gleefully, while Osasuyi and the others continued dancing.
    Shalewa walked hurriedly  and entered the sitting room. She had held the urine for too long and desperately needed to offload.
    She opened the door and entered the sitting room but was greeted by smoke that pierced through her nose. This halted her steps. The smoke was beginning to choke her and she coughed.
    She cleaned her eyes with the back of her palm to be sure she wasn’t dreaming. She blinked in disbelief at the sight she saw.
    Everywhere was covered in sm0ke and the dinning section of the house was already in flames and was fast spreading into the sitting room.
    Her mouth fell open in wonder, still trying to process what was happening and it’s implication, when her gaze fell on a figure lying down in the middle of the sitting room. Her anxiety grew, but she managed to move as close as she could.
    “ Chima!!!….. Chima!!…..” She gasped suddenly.
    The fire was spreading close to him already!!
    “…Chima!!” She screamed continuously, but was unable to enter the fire.
    Shalewa shivered in feār.
    Panic had overtaken her at that moment that all she could do was to scream at the top of her voice and run out of the building towards the swimming pool.
    Her screams were piercingly loud enough to be heard by the others at the pool.
    “ What is it Shalewa?” Sandra yelled in agitation.
    Everyone’s attention was now on Shalewa and the music was tuned down.
    “ Shalewa what is it?” They each asked her, but Shalewa was disoriented already.
    Pausing to catch her breath.
    “ Fire!!….. Fire!!!….. There’s fire burning in the sitting room and Chima is trapped in the fire!” Shalewa announced, panting between her breath.
    “ What!!…. Jesus!!!”
    Everyone rushed into the building to confirm what Shalewa had said.
    Chioma almost fainted on seeing the fire and realizing the damages it had caused.
    She screamed at the top of her voice, further increasing the tension in the atmosphere.
    “ My house keeper is upstairs!!” She announced.
    They all began to panic more at what Chioma had said, and seeing Chima lying on the floor like a log of wood, totally surrounded by fire and looking unc0nscious was another reason to worry.
    “ What do we do?” Osasuyi asked no one in particular in a shaky voice.
    It was midnight already and even if they called the fire services, they might not get a quick response.
    Sandra and the other girls began to cry, while Habib clasped his hands on his head as an indicator that they were in deep tr0uble and if Chima d!ed that night, all of them will be in a deeper ocean of trouble than they were already in.
    Tayo saw everyone panicking and got agitated.
    “ This is not the time to panic!!…… we all need to get a grip of ourselves and be in control of the situation….. we need to act fast as a team and put out the fire!!.” He said at the top of his voice.
    Everyone turned their attention to him.
    “ So where do we start from?” They asked him in fear.
    Tayo bit his lower lip, trying to calculate the extent of the damage the fire had done.
    Thankfully, it hadn’t gotten to the ceiling so there might be hope that they could put it out if they all worked together.
    He ran a quick scan again and saw two fire extinguishers placed at the exit point of the sitting room. But the fire had covered that axis already.
    “ Do you have more fire extinguishers?” He asked Chioma.
    “ Yes…. Yes….. we have in the storage room…..” She replied hurriedly.
    “let’s go and bring as many fire extinguishers as we can find….. and also alert the security men.” 
    They all rushed out of the building and gathered the fire extinguishers, while Chioma and Sandra ran to alert the gate man and the security men in the neighborhood.
    The security men gathered together and wet their handkerchiefs, then tied it on their nose.
    Thankfully, one of them was once a fire fighter….. he mobilized the rest of them and they were able to put out the fire and rescue Chima.
    But Chima was already unconscious, he only survived the fire accident by whiskers.
    “ What happened?” one of the security men questioned them.
    It was Habib that replied.
    “ We were having a party in the house by the pool side…. We didn’t know how the fire started inside…” Habib explained.
    “ So who detected the fire?” 
    Everyone pointed their hands to Shalewa.
    “ we need to take him to the hospital….” One of the security men suggested.
    The head of the security men placed his hands on Chima’s nose and discovered that he was still breathing heavily.
    “ Please get me water…” He instructed.
    Water was brought and sprinkled on Chima. He gasped and opened his eyes slowly.
    Everyone heaved a sigh of relief.
    “ Where am I?” He asked slowly.
    But got no response.
    The head of the security men turned to them once again.
    “ Take him home.” He instructed them.
    Sandra volunteered to take him home, while the rest slowly exited the building one after the other, leaving only Chioma who sat crying profusely and thinking of the best explanation to give her father to cover up the fire incidence.
    ***************
    Shalewa grabbed her phone from her bag hurriedly. 
    “ What?….. 15 missed calls!!”
    She checked the caller ID.
    It was her sister.
    Why was her sister calling her continuously?
    She dialled her sister’s number but there was no response.
    “Tayo please let’s get out of here!….. I just saw 15 missed calls on my phone now….. and it’s from my sister!!….. I don’t know why she was calling me.” Shalewa said in anxiety.
    “ Calm down Shalewa…. Why don’t you find out by calling her?” Tayo replied.
    “ I’ve called her but she isn’t picking up.”
    “ Ok…. Let’s get out of here.” He said.
    Tayo started the car engine hurriedly, in an haste to leave the building, with Shalewa sitting beside him. He reversed the car and drove out of the compound, still trying to process the fire incident that happened earlier. 
    He thanked God in his heart that Chima survived.
    If that guy had d!ed, they would have been in a serious trouble.
    “ we shouldn’t have come to this party….” Shalewa whispered in emotions.
    Tayo nodded slowly in agreement to what Shalewa had said.
    “ Yes….. now we are all in deep trouble….. because there is no how Chioma would not implicate us when her father returns.” Tayo replied sadly.
    “ I’m scared Tayo….. I hope everything is alright at home…… ”
    “ That’s what we are going to find out.” He suddenly checked the time.
    “ Jeez!! ……It’s almost 2am!!!….. If I don’t get this car home before 2:15, I am done for!!” Tayo exclaimed and turned to Shalewa.
    “… I’m sorry I can’t drop you at home because time has elapsed…..I will drop you along the way, then you will find your way.” Tayo added anxiously.
    Shalewa became nervous.
    “ Tayo please I beg you…..just take me straight home,…… it’s really late out here…. If you drop me along, how will I find my way back home…… please Tayo…. Please!….. I don’t want to get k!dnapped on the way.” Shalewa begged.
    Tayo ran his hands on his head fustratedly.
    “ Fine!!….. I’ll drive fast so I can drop you home and meet up.”
    Tayo manouvered his way through the express way with speed.
    He sped through the round about and drove as fast as he could, until they got to Shalewa’s house. He parked the car carelessly so she could get down.
    “ Thank you so much Tayo….. thank you….I know undoubtedly that this would be the last time I will ever go out for such a party….. I really regret going to the party.” Shalewa said.
    But Tayo was impatient.
    “ We will talk about this tomorrow…..I need to take this car home.” Tayo replied.
    She nodded and got out of the car.
    “ Thanks once again.” She said.
    “ You are welcomed.” He muttered impatiently, fixing his gaze on the time. 
    It was 2:40am already.
    Tayo reversed the car and sped anxiously across the bad road, calculating how long it will take him to get home in his mind. Turning a bend, he didn’t see clearly the nearness of the car in front of him, and before he could slow down, it was too late.
    The SUV clashed into the red Toyota Camry in front of it with a forceful impact, still on full speed. Tayo battled to stay in control of the steering until he finally was able to slow down and pull the brake. 
    It was only by a miracle that he was still conscious, nevertheless, he sustained an injury on his head and his panic grew.
    Tayo was afraid to step out the car to see the level of damage he had done to the other car. He wondered if the driver of the car was even still alive.
    He bit his lower lip in regret as adrenaline rushed through him. 
    “ What do I do?…. What do I do?” he asked himself in panic. But managed to calm down a bit. It was 3:15am already and most cars just sped past them. 
    His instincts told him to run away from the scene as fast as he can or he will get into a deeper trouble.
    He reversed the smashed car quickly and sped home with tears in his eyes.
    (Do not take credit or Plagiarize AMAH’S HEART stories)