12 Grassed
When Nosa heard Shayla's words, he felt like running mad. She was the one. He should have known. She had all the help she needed to carry out such feat. He should have suspected that she was involved. The problem he had there was to know how deeply involved she was in all these. He sped off in his car and called Moriah. When he lied to Joana the other time that he knew the place she was, he only stalled her. Immediately he dropped the call, he had called his computer guys but they were yet to give him a reply.
'You're calling me'.
'Moriah. Not now'.
'I will block your line from reaching me till Friday'.
'Not now. I need your help'.
'Johnson would soon be here'.
'I will be brief. I need you to help me search for anywhere in Fortunecity that has mountain'.
'Why? And have you tried our mountain?'
'Oh, God! Our mountain. You're right...Damn right'
'Where are you?'
'I'm looking for her. The person I'm looking for... The woman I was supposed to protect'.
'And she's at our mountain?'
'- our mountain'
'She's at our mountain? How did she…?'
'I don't know. I'll call you back', he said and hoped he wouldn't break the rule of never disconnecting the call whenever Moriah was talking.
'It's Raphael. Raphael did this. I'll kill...'
Nosa disconnected the call and focused on the road. Someone drove in front of him stupidly. He hissed and gritted. No matter how angry he was, he shouldn't let his anger take control of his words towards other road users.
The driver, who was wrong, shouted, 'your father!' But Nosa held his calm and was sure he would pounce on Shayla the moment he saw her.
He wondered what he would do as he bit his lower lip, and placed a call to the number Shayla used in calling him again, but the phone wasn't connecting. He decided to call Shayla's line, and luckily, the number went through.
'Shayla', he shouted the moment the call got connected. 'If anything happens to that woman. I'll destroy you'.
'Hey. Calm down. I should be the one ranting. What woman?'
'Shut up. Shut that thing you call a mouth. I'll hunt you down'.
'Nosa'.
He disconnected the call and sped off. His mind wasn't at peace even twenty minutes after he sighted the top of the mountain. He just wished he was headed to the right place because the mountain was just at the end of the city, near Black Town. He would have to take another 180-degree turn to go to the next mountain. He was so much in a haste that he didn't reduce his speed when he got to some dangerous bends, even if cars rarely took that route.
Moreover, when he and the others always came there, they barely encountered cars except for occasional trucks. However, that was when the three of them still always had a good time, when Moriah always wanted them to escape the clingy nature of Chloe since she always refused to go with them to the mountain because of some evil occurrences that surrounded it.
So, when he saw a car parked at the side of the road, he tried to avoid it. Then, it occurred to him that no car should be parked on the mountain. There wasn't ever any reason for anybody to park there. The church nearer to the mountain had moved away to a farther distant.
He stopped the car and jumped as he removed his gun from its holster. With the way he was angry, it would take a great deal of control not to shoot Shayla when he saw. She betrayed his trust and played him for a fool. She had just used his bald head to play drums, and he would make her smell the disgusting scent of animal skin.
Despite the receding daylight, he was still able to see a pathway and deep footprints in the marshy floor, leading away into the forest. The wind around the mountain howled like the rage in his stomach, and he gripped his gun harder.
He looked around for a while. There wasn't anyone around to answer his questions if he asked any. So, he ran into the forest and would have turned back had he not noticed a fresh slide through the slope on the ground. When he, Moriah and Raphael used to come there, they had a day fixed for playing hide and seek in the forest. One of the ways to know if any of them had passed that side was to check the slope. Then, only he knew about a secret thick root that stretched to the base of the slope, and that infuriated the others who always wanted to know about the root.
Quickly, he grabbed the root, which he was too happy to still find, and climbed down the slope. He wasn't clear about what to do when he got down.
'Shayla', he shouted. 'I'm here for you'.
He shouted again and ran off into the woods. If for no other reason, for the sake and the fact he really wanted to get the name of the person involved, he must catch her. The only thing that might stop his hand from killing her would be to know the whereabouts of the missing ladies. Would he really need it?
'Shayla', he shouted again and brushed the bushes aside.
Suddenly, a gunshot rang in the wood and made birds fly into the dark sky. They scattered in the air and chirped terribly. Immediately, someone screamed from the far end of the forest. Nosa's adrenaline pumped faster and his speed increased as he climbed the path of the forest. The bushes around the path were becoming too overgrown for him, but he still knew how to maneuver through it. This time, he was no longer careful of being heard.
'Shayla, you're so dead', he yelled and charged into the woods. The dead of Green City would increase in the number that day.
The woman that screamed kept screaming her head off. By this time, other people had joined the wailing woman in her scream. He ran towards the place with the hope he wasn't heading into another trap.
When he got to the place the scream came from, he saw a man lying on the ground writhing in pain. A young woman was crying over the man that seemed to have been shot. The woman wore the same cloth as one of his preaching disturbers. By this time, a number of the others there had used their phone as torchlight. Nosa was angry at the way the whole event was changing directions. The people around the woman were mostly teenagers. She cried and pleaded for his help.
'Please help'.
'Who shot him?'
'A woman'
'Where is she?'
'She ran towards the top'.
He wanted to stay back to help the dying man, but if he left Shayla, many people would still die. Like his mother used to say, the pollution was from him. Nosa clambered up the hill just as four gunshots rang in the highway. Despite being one of their regular route in their plays, the road was harder to clamber through because of the darkness. By the time he climbed up, he saw a car driving off.
'I'll kill you', he shouted as he ran after the car. He stopped in his track and returned to his car in an effort race after them. However, when he tried to chase Shayla with his car, he discovered that the front tires, as well as the headlamps, had been shot. He tried to drive the car like that, but the only thing he could do was to struggle with it.
Nosa screamed into the darkness, and he punched the wheel thrice. There was no way he could move. The only place of solace was their tree-house. He ran into the road with the hope of finding someone to help him. There was no one to call. He might have called Chloe but she didn't know the place because every time they asked her to follow them, she always refused. Also, he couldn't call Shayla because she was the culprit. So, he dialed Moriah's phone number.
'Don't tell me you need another thing. Just tell me you just want to hear my voice'.
Nosa sighed into the phone, and with a weary voice, he said, 'please, can you come to our tree house?'
'Why? I don't want to have memories right now'.
'Come on. I'm stuck here'.
'How?'
'My mistress, Shayla- she is behind all the trouble'.
'That's impossible'.
'It is… I'm here because she shot my tires and headlamps. I can't find any car here'.
'Oh, that's a bad way to crash. I'll come for you. This event is turning into a bottle of urine. Now, you see what would have happened if we kept our bicycles there'.
'I'll be inside the house'.
'They would have been useful. I'll be there soon'.
He disconnected the phone, and picked some vital things from his car, and dragged himself into their tree-house. At that moment, he was happy that Raphael was a fan of hiding things in the oddest of place, and that he never gave up on people, even when they were fighting him. Last year, when he came to renovate the place, he called Nosa and told him he had kept a key for them in a small hole around the door. Then, Nosa rebuffed his effort and told him to never bring up the issue of the house because it revived memories.
Nosa walked through the path and climbed into the room. The moment he entered the house, he knew how much he missed the serenity of the place. Angry at the whole events that had happened that day, he slumped into one of the chairs. Raphael had really renovated the place.
They got the house when they were in their 100 level in the university. They had made a plan to go tour Fortunecity after they've written their final exam paper. The plan was that the four of them would take a ride through the road of the forest with Chloe's car, which they agreed to use after a long deliberation about using their bicycles which they changed because Chloe couldn't ride a bicycle. But unfortunately, Chloe fell sick on the D-day. Since none of them could drive a car because of their strict fathers, they agreed to go without Chloe on their bicycle.
Upon getting to that side of the mountain, they met an old man who had just tumbled down the mountains and was terribly injured. When they asked him for his place of abode, he directed them to the house.
At that time, the house was in a terrible state. Raphael took up the task of arranging the house while Moriah and Nosa took up the task of taking care of the old man. The old man, whom they later called 'Mountain Papa' explained to them that his children had left him for long, and the only thing he could call his own was the house, which he tried to take care like his own son. He was off into the forest to gather some woods when he slipped and injured himself.
From that time, they all decided to always visit him, and that was how he began to call them his children. And true to his word, they acted like his children.
Since Chloe's father had taken her on a holiday, she couldn't be a part of their holiday project, which was to take care of the Mountain Papa. They spent a lot of money, which, luckily, Chloe was too happy to supply because of her absence.
Despite their effort, Mountain Papa died some days to their resumption. They all cried because they had lost a great friend. On his dying bed, Mountain Papa willed the house to them. And they too began to care for it to preserve the memory of something they've all done; taking care of Mountain Papa. Every year they all contributed money to take care of Mountain Papa's house. Although Chloe refused to see the house because she believed something didn't want her to see the house, hence the death of Mountain Papa before her arrival, she was still part of the project. So, she didn't know the place.
He glanced through the pictures on the wall - of him and Raphael. He wished Moriah was ready to talk to Raphael, maybe he would have her pictures there. He also wished they had the picture of mountain Papa. They would have included Chloe's picture also, but she refused to have her picture hanged on the wall. The only thing she wanted to have associated with the house was her money.
Nosa, fuming at how he would have caught up with Shayla and would have rescued Joana, if he wasn't indeed reckless, turned from the pictures. He knew he shouldn't have shouted, but he couldn't let Shayla go without seeing the trouble she had caused.
Seeing that he would be idle for the next twenty-five minutes Moriah was expected to come for him, he brought out his phone to watch the movie on it. Since the TV series he was watching was on his laptop, he decided to focus on the movies on his phone. One shouldn't miss two things at a time. Their foolish trouble had really made things worse for him. They all should die and rot with their cry about heaven.
Their tree-house was always a place they all found solace when they were deep trouble. It was his own turn to find solace.
Just as the film got to its climax, Moriah knocked on the door. He rushed off the couch to meet her as she opened the door. They had to leave immediately. But she pushed past him and shouted in amazement at the change in the house.
'Yes, he has really tried', Nosa said from the door.
She nodded and looked around the house. The moment she saw their pictures hanged on the wall, she burst into tears. Nosa was perplexed and he ran to meet her. She raised her hands to show she was fine, and tried to smile but burst into tears again. Nosa pulled her nearer. The world be damned. If Moriah was crying, there was no way he would leave her, and attend to anything wrong with them, and the missing women.
'I'm sorry', she said as she wiped tears from her face. 'I just remembered everything. The memory flooded back. Oh! I miss this place'.
'Me too'.
'Let's go', she muttered as she brushed his hands away, and didn't look at his face again as she rushed outside as if she would burst into tears again.
He smiled. It took him a great effort too not to burst into tears at the sight of their picture. He had missed every one of them being together. 'You know what? After this whole ordeal, we should all hang out here'.
She nodded. 'Chloe?'
'We would do as we always did. We would bring her here through Skype'.
Moriah nodded as she pointed out the path they used to race through. Despite the darkness, the funny memory of the place rushed back. She owned the idea of the game.
'Why haven't you written any game yet?' He asked as he went downhill.
She held on to the bushes around. 'Many reasons, but I'm working on one already'.
'Good. I hope it features all our games'.
'Of course. It features us, and many stages'.
'That's good. Any name?'
'None, yet. I would have called it ‘Fortunecity Three Musketeers’ but Chloe wouldn't be too happy to be exempted'.
'I trust you. Talk to Chloe about it. She's good with names', he said with the deliberate effort not to rush as she was holding his cloth now.
For some unexplainable reasons, she dropped his cloth, and he turned to look at her. Only to be met by her hand, trying to smack his head. Since he had changed position, she fell into him and they fell through the remaining part of the mountain. Within a few seconds, they stumbled to the ground, with her lying on him. He touched his head and saw that he wasn't injured. She chuckled. Memories of the times they've all fallen in that same manner rushed back.
'I should name this side: the fall of death', she said.
He roared with laughter. And she joined him. Even if he had the mind of catching the thief that night, it wasn’t possible now.
'Are you sure it is good to let her know I'm back?'
'Chloe? Yes. She would be super-excited'.
Moriah sighed and was silent for seconds. 'I just hope'.
They entered the car, and she played their favorite songs of the year before their separation- ‘Four years’ by Stylplus of Nigeria.
Memories of the old times flooded back; the memories of how they climbed the mountains together, the bicycle races, the hide-and-seek games for money, and the times they've all vacated home to have picnics, the times they all spent in secondary school. All these came flooding back, and tears formed in his eyes as Moriah drove off. She brought her hands to touch him, and he let it remain there. There were many desires that he longed for.
He wanted to be that good boy, whose only goal was to have Moriah as a wife; he wanted to be like Raphael, whose main goal was to be on top of every situation; he wanted to have Chloe only as a crush, nothing more; he wanted to have Moriah, whose daily dream was to write the best games in the world. The games Moriah wrote and made them all participate in. He wanted all those things that propelled and brought them together. He sighed as the car drove off.
She drove him off to his house.
***
When she got to his house, the fear that made her stay away all those years returned. She saw her secret expanding in front of Nosa, and his world of love crashing down.
'Your hive', she mumbled as she got down.
'The bee is inside'.
'Seriously?'
Nosa nodded. They used the concept of the hive for their fathers' houses. They believed the old men's statements were always dedicated to sting them.
'How come you didn't tell me?'
'I met him asleep. He's yet to see me too since yesterday'.
Moriah shook her head. 'I'm not sure I'll enter the house'.
Although she was sure he would control his desire to lavish them with copious insults, she was sure his father reaction would still be the same around her.
'Seriously. Will you now leave without hitting your target? Let me get Chloe here', he said.
'Okay, but how will you cope in this hive?'
'I'm not sleeping here tonight. I must find somewhere else to sleep tonight'.
'Will you crash at my place till tomorrow?'
'Seriously? Seriously? That's smooth like a clean shot'.
Nosa excitedly hugged her and rushed to the house to get Chloe. In her joy that things were edging towards perfection, she didn't notice a car drive into the street. It was until it came near her that she realized that it was coming towards her. When the car stopped in front of her, Chloe stepped down from the car. Upon seeing her, Moriah had mixed feelings. She didn't know if she should be excited about seeing her or afraid.
'Moriah?' Chloe said with her pretentious smile.
'Chloe', she said, and turned towards the gate, and shouted. 'Nosa'.
At least, if Nosa was there with her, Chloe wouldn't be threatening her with her secret. Chloe laughed wickedly as she edged forward, and hugged her. She didn't need anyone to tell her she became stiff at the contact with Chloe because she didn't even reciprocate Chloe's hug.
Chloe whispered into her ears. 'I'm very sure this is a courtesy visit or have you told Nosa what happened at the Tree-house?'
Moriah gritted. 'He doesn't know you know the place'.
'Then, let's leave it like that. Remember our contract. Don't open the bottle of urine'.
'It's still firmly closed'.
'Good girl. And you didn't call me yesterday'.
'Free me. I'm tired of this your regular check-up that you can't involve Nosa'.
'Will you rather I call you regularly or tell Nosa about our ticking bomb'.
Nosa stumbled out of the gate towards them and beamed with joy. Chloe turned to him and hugged him.
'Oh! I'm sorry, baby, that I left Papa at home'.
Nosa frowned. 'What's my own with Papa? You know me now, one bullet to the chest and to the head. A quick death. This one that you're going out. I'm happy'.
'I've haven't become gregarious over the night. I and Mummy Church quickly went to a prayer meeting, and I didn't know it would be intense and would take time'.
'C'mon. Take your time', Nosa said and turned to Moriah. 'I see you too have met. We found the lost girl'.
Chloe laughed. Moriah inhaled and tried to fake her smile.
'Yes, the lost girl'.
'I'm not a girl. I'm a lady', she said and hoped it would break the ice that was building up in her already. At that moment, Moriah knew she would cry if she didn't leave him soon.
'My car… The person I was chasing shot the tire and rendered it useless for pursuit, but I've got my people on her. They would find her'.
Chloe nodded. 'Pick another one tomorrow'.
'I'll do that this evening. I have to return to the place I slept yesterday'.
'By this time?' Chloe asked and glanced at Moriah. She understood the meaning and bit her lower lip.
'I have to be there earlier. At least, I came home for the Christmas'.
'You know you and Papa have not even discussed since he arrived'.
'And allow him to buzz on me? No. I'm not talking to him. Leave him in his bed. He should be sleeping by now'.
'I'm sure you won't have any excuse when you finish the case'.
'I'm very sure I'll have an excuse to never be around that man'.
'Your father', Chloe corrected and glared at Moriah.
'Yes, your father', Moriah said correcting him also. Nosa looked perplexed.
'What's with the two of you? Why are you acting as if you're my mother? I know my mother. I'll call her if I need advice', he said and marched into the house.
Chloe edged towards her. 'Remember Patoranking's song. No kissing. No touching. No hugging, and no nothing. If I should smell anything, then the world would help him know that you're a…'
'I will heed your word', Moriah said. 'At least, it was his men that found me'.
A car revved within the compound.
'They found you? Or you found them. No one can find you if you don't want to', Chloe said with clenched teeth and fists. 'So, that means it was you he saw yesterday morning when he ran out. No wonder you didn't check up on me'.
'You're evil'.
'I have all of your interests at heart'.
Nosa drove to the gate and opened it. Chloe brushed Moriah's dress at the chest while Nosa returned to his car.
'You might be the mother of computers. I am the mother of info. I'll know. I know he is following you home. He must not enter your compound today or forever. How you'll do that is up to you', Chloe said and gave her plastic smile again as she returned to her own car, and reversed for Nosa to drive out.
'When all this is over, we want to have a get-together at our Tree-house. I promised him I will tell you. After the get-together, I will go'.
'Why are you telling me? I told you the place is cursed for me. The last time I came, my eyes saw the evil in man. No, the evil in women'.
'Then, Skype'.
'I'll Skype'.
'Promise?'
'Promise. No matter where I am'.
Moriah nodded, entered her car and drove out of the way. Their farewell greeting was totally animated, and Moriah couldn't stay any longer in front of the devil Nosa referred to as a wife.
Upon getting to her compound, Nosa was still far behind with the car. She hurriedly got down and locked the gate. That surprised him that he parked, jumped out of the car, and banged at the gate. She crashed into the gate.
'I'm sorry for raising your hopes. I saw Chloe and remembered everything. You're married'.
'No. Don't do this tonight'.
'I'm sorry Nosa'.
'Don't do this'.
'I'm dead sorry'.
'No, you're not. If you're, you will open this door'.
'I'm sorry'.
'Damn', Nosa screamed and hit the gate.
He slid down the gate and refused to believe her. She burst into tears again, and this time, she didn't want him to hear her. If he heard her he might want to know why she was crying. So, she rushed into the house and cried her eyes. She had allowed a little desire make her lose the person she loved most in the world and made her lose her freedom as well as a good friend. It had made her a servant to the green snake called Chloe.
She knew Nosa wouldn't return home, so she filled two baskets with wraps of cookies, gala, chin-chin, and two cartons of juices each. Then, she returned outside.
'Nosa, take from the top of the gate', she called and raised the basket. If he took the basket, then they would be doing the same thing they always do at the beginning of the year, a tradition they've stopped for close to ten years now.
'New year's night', Nosa said and collected the basket. Raphael started the tradition.
'To the womanizer'.
'Yeah, to the womanizer', Nosa replied. In a few minutes, the door of his car opened and closed. She returned to her own car and knew they would both sit there and wait for the morning. She burst into tears again.