WRETCHEDLY RICH-CHAPTER 5

WRETCHEDLY

             RICH 💉🎌

       An African Story

                BY JESSICA DURU 🔳

@@*∆∆∆*@@ THE DEVIL MADE ME ♻♻♻

 

Obiajulum’s eyes soon opened. Ocheole on seeing her son, fully up and whole, with his hands and legs back to normal, shouted on the top of her voice, alerting everyone.

When everywhere was calm and they were left alone, Ocheole talked with her son, remembering the moments they’d talk and laugh as she told stories to him.

“Nne, I thought I’d never see you again.” Obiajulum told her, frankly. “I was scared and lost, wishing that you were there with me.”

Ocheole looked at him. “Where, my son? What did you see?”

Obiajulum didn’t want to scare her. He told her he was happy to see her again, and that he was never going to leave her side.

“Nne, please don’t worry yourself again,” he told her “I am back.”

Ocheole smiled with tiny drop of tears leaving her eyes. “Oh, my son.” she pulled him into a warm embrace, wishing never to let go.

 

*****

Obiajulum returned to school and was soon able to catch up with the rest of the kids. He performed excellently well despite all that happened, and he maintained his position as the first, Adanne coming in just behind.

“Congrats, Adanne. I hope we make a good team.”

Obiajulum wasn’t so mad at Adanne like before. In fact, they were becoming friends, and often times worked together whenever a class activity was to hold.

Obiajulum would talk about Adanne and admire her dedication to her studies. They were the perfect duo, two brainy kids, putting heads together and working towards something better. Their friendship soon blossomed, and by their senior year, they became inseparable, creating in the minds of the many that envied them, that they were something other than just friends.

“AD.” Adaeze, who Adanne regarded as her twin because of the first three letters of her name that were no different from hers, hailed, drawing her friend’s attention.

“What is it now?” Adanne looked up from where she had her eyes on her book.

“Ah-ah. Babe, calm down.”

Adanne asked, not smiling. “Can’t you see that I’m reading?”

Adaeze called her in full, trying to annoy her. Adanne Nwakaego Akuabatago.”

Adanne’s anger soon disappeared, as she switched from her normal tongue. “E be like say you dey ment?”

Adaeze laughed and sat beside her. “Wetin you dey read like this?” she peeked into the book seeing how much words she had underlined. “Hm.” she said. “Jacker of all Jackers!” she added in an exclamatory tone. “Where you dey get this motivation from?”

Adanne covered the book and relaxed her elbow on it. “I know you want to say something. Oya talk.”

Adaeze laughed and clapped her hands, getting ready for the gist. “You know eh?”

“Eh-eh,”

“You see that boy you’re always following. Piom piom piom—”

Adanne’s countenance fell. “What about him?”

Adaeze continued. “That cha-cha-cha boy wey dey do…”

“Eh-eh! Don’t start.” Adanne eyed her and went back to reading, knowing where she was headed.

Several times her friend had talked her into rolling with bigger boys. Even men. She wasn’t ready for that. All she wanted to do was to focus and make good grades.

“Oya, what do you think I want to say?” Adaeze asked as Adanne ignored. “Talk nah,” Adaeze pleaded. “I’m going to cry if you don’t talk to me.” the girl pouted and acted like she was about to cry.

“Adaeze, can you please stop? You know fully well that I don’t have time for your silly discussions now.” Adanne said, not caring if it hurt her.

“Well, I was only going to say that you and Obiajulum—” she stopped seeing the sharp eyes Adanne gave. “Okay.” she said. “I’m sorry.”

“You’d better be.”

Adaeze made to continue. “But how is it that you’re still yet to tell him?”

“Tell him what?” Adanne pretended not to know as her friend punched her lightly.

“Your feelings!”

Butterflies fluttered in her stomach at Adaeze’s reminder. “There are far more important things to worry about than some mere crush that would still end once we leave this school.”

Adaeze pouted again. “You really think that it would?”

Adanne remained mute, not knowing what to say.

Adaeze unlike Adanne was a bit wild and took a separate path she wanted so dearly for her friend to follow, unknowingly to the latter. So many times she tried to talk Adaeze into sneaking out with her. If it wasn’t one party or another, it would be her boyfriend’s house—Boyfriendssssss.

Countless times Adanne had tried to talk her out of the life she was living, but all advice she gave, fell on ears that wouldn’t hear.

“My friend,”

Adanne looked at her, flipping the page she was done with.

“My friend, you have to…”

Adanne interrupted before she could speak. “Please I do not want to talk about Obiajulum right now. He is just a friend,” she stressed, “A FRIEND!” she took up her book, not wanting to hear, and left to her friend’s surprise.

Adaeze sat speechless, wondering what she had said wrong. She couldn’t figure out why her friend would get angry at the mention of Obiajulum’s name, and came to a conclusion that she wasn’t going to bring him up next time. “Guess I have to go to class,” she said at the ring of the bell, getting up from where she sat.

She was on her way back to class when a strange man beckoned to her to come.

“Me?” Adaeze seemed possessed by his presence as she unconsciously went to meet him.

“You are not to tell anyone what I am about to say.”

Adaeze nodded at his command, listening quietly as he whispered to her.

“So you are to do this,”

Adaeze nodded.

“And not let anyone know… you hear me?”

Adaeze nodded again, lips sealed; watching him disappear into thin air.

Adaeze still rooted to the spot, wondered if she was dreaming or not. She was called back to consciousness by Adanne, who came to tell her that their Literature teacher was in class.

“Adaeze, are you okay?” Adanne asked, noticing her friend’s behaviour. “You’ve been standing there like someone who has just seen a ghost.” Adanne observed.

Adaeze walked past her like she was being controlled, shocking Adanne even more.

Did she not see me? Adanne thought to herself, hurrying after her. “Adaeze!”

Adaeze ignored the call, leaving Adanne stunned.

 

*****

Adaeze walked into the classroom, made for where Obiajulum was, and gave him a resounding slap, showing her five fingers on his face, shocking everyone.

“Are you mad?!” Obiajulum roared like a lion and got up with his face all red and hot.

“What is happening here?” The teacher questioned, fulling facing them with eyes rolling at the two.

“Ma, it’s Adaeze—” One of the students reported.

The teacher hollered, “Eliza!” making everyone laugh, as Adaeze made to push Obiajulum and Adanne intervened. “Adaeze!”

Adaeze not fully herself and having the demon in control, pushed her out of the way and aimed for Obiajulum.

Gasp!

Everyone was taken by surprise as Adaeze tripped, coming in contact with the edge of the desk.

“She’s dead!” yelled the students as the whole place was plunged into chaos.

Adanne called in a shaky tone, “A-Ada—” lowered herself to check if she had a pulse, as a loud cry overpowered her lips at the realization that her friend was really dead. “Ada!” Adanne wept bitterly, watching as her body got moved immediately.

 

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