Roses And Thorns – Episode 8

CHAPTER EIGHT

By Jennifer Godwin

Joel was all dressed up as he stepped into the living room to meet Ebube watching a match, beside him on the stool was a pack of popcorn, typical for him to always have popcorn available when watching a match. Joel stood watching him, if Ebube gets his eyes fixed on the television watching match, nothing would ever get his attention until he was through.

“Hey captain, you are all dressed, where to?” he asked sparing him a glance.

“so how did you do that?” Joel asked with a smile.

“How did i do what?”

“How did you notice my presence because i know you don’t care about anything else whenever you are watching your Match” Joel said emphasizing on “Match”.

“Your cologne wafted through my nostrils” Ebube replied with a chuckle.

“I thought your nose and ears are always blocked whenever you watch your unending match” Joel hissed.

“You know captain, you should learn to like soccer, you will enjoy it, football is a good sport”

“The only sport i like and enjoy is punching” Joel said with a smirk appearing on his face.

“Punching?, is there any sport like that?” Ebube asked confused.

“Yes there is. Punching is the type of sport i will use on Mercy’s killer when i finally catch him” He replied gritting his teeth.

“You know you won’t ki*ll me in this house, seriously? I actually wanted to believe that there is a sport called punching” Ebube said letting out a loud laugh.

“You will start believing when i catch him first” Joel said smiling. He noticed he was smiling a lot that day.

“That aside, where are you off to?” Ebube asked when he had stopped laughing.

“Am going to just drive around maybe go to my parents’ house, i just need fresh air” he replied scratching his head.

“Sure man, you really need it, you are passing through heavy stress but am sure once Mercy is being buried, you will be fine” Ebube said wanting to go back to his Match.

“Am off bro, if you like come and ki*ll yourself by yourself with football” Joel said leaving the house.

Ebube let out throaty laugh. “And i just missed how C Ronaldo scored this second goal now, eeehn when you were busy distracting me” he said with a chuckle.

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Joel drove around for a while with no destination in mind, he didn’t want to go to his parents because they wouldn’t want to let him go especially his mom and he didn’t want that. He continued driving while lost in thought. Then he made his way towards Okponam Nnebuisi road, he drove a little and diverted to the untarred road with his heart beating fast. He had not really being himself since he saw her at the dump site, he didn’t even know what he felt, he just wanted to meet her and know why a beautiful girl would be at a dump site. He drove slowly, passed the dump site and then he came to a halt. He relaxed in his car and waited but there was no sign of her. He laughed at himself

“Now i think am going crazy, why would i want to see her? i need to concentrate on how Mercy’s burial ceremony should be done and then start looking for the killer, what am i even doing here?” he said to himself turning on the ignition. He drove away and concluded never to go there again.