As they were moving closer to the uncompleted building, Mekus perceived the odour in great amount.
He then rubbed his nose and said: “Its like she is right here, the smell can be perceived strongly from this side, let’s check” Mekus suggested
“OK let’s check” Nduka agreed
And they went closer to the corner, but couldn’t find anybody there.
“There is nobody here, but where is the smell coming from?” Mekus wondered
“Are you serious? But I am not perceiving anything” Nduka said
And the statement struck Mekus in the ear, boom!
“Nduka, wait a minute, let me sniff you” Mekus said, moving closer to him.
“Sniff me, why?” Nduka asked, looking confused, and then, it got to his mind that maybe, Rose had finally taken a bath.
“No….no……no….don’t tell me Beauty has finally taken a bath. Please don’t tell me”
Nduka, screamed in his heart.
And Mekus checked, lo and behold, the outrageous odour had been transfered to Nduka.
“Oh shit! Nooooooo!! Nduka, you are ruined. Nduka, you are doomed, why this?” Mekus yelled in sheer despondent.
Nduka’s heart flipped, as he slumped on the ground and started picturing himself being carried in a coffin. He pictured his mother crying. He then screamed out in pain in a deep loud voice
“Nduka shii!, why screaming out loud? Can’t you see, people are looking at us” Mekus demanded him not to attract attention.
“Mekus, it is over. Mekus, I said I am finished. My mother, how would she take the news? Mekus, please save me, save me I don’t want to die”
“Nduka, some days are like this. Making money in this devious manner sometimes come with grave consequences, its either you make it or you loose your life in the process. So I guess, you are not so lucky” Mekus said.
“Do you mean I will die?” Nduka asked
“I am afraid, that’s what it looks like. So its better you prepare your mind for whatever follows”
And the response irked Nduka, he became furious, holding Mekus at the collar of his shirt.
“Mekus, if you know what’s best for you, save me from dying, save me from this shit you put me, otherwise you will not have peace after my demise. I will make sure my spirit hunt you down”
“Nduka, what are you saying? Why talking to me like that?” Mekus wondered
In a deep coarse aggressive voice, he replied: “Because, at the initial stage, you did not mention anything about me dying. You only said that, it will be easy. Had it been you had warned me that some unfavourable consequences might arise, I would have given it a thorough thought before venturing into it. Now Mekus, you better save me, save me now, save my life, stop me from dying, otherwise my spirit will destroy you”
And Mekus lost his temper, and pushed Nduka hard away from his body.
“Nduka, are you mad? Look at you! You are threatening me? Nduka, you are threatening me? You think I am scared of spirits? If not that you are my friend, I would have destroyed you here”
And Nduka remained quiet, sitting on the bare ground, with tears tripling down his cheeks.
He looked up to Mekus who was standing akimbo, looking at him.
“Mekus, I don’t want to be rich again, can I have my life back?”
Mekus looked at how frail he suddenly became, and pitied him.
“Nduka, we should be talking about finding Beauty. Having her in our clutches might still create some benefit for us.
They were still talking when the sachet water boy was running out from the uncompleted building, panting, shaking in fear.
And Mekus stood, watching
him as he ran towards them.
“Brother….brother… Please help me, there is one Aunty inside that place, she fell on the floor motionless. I don’t know if she is dead. Please brother, take her to the hospital. You have a car, please put her in your car and take her to the hospital, please make her to be awake so that she will pay me the pure water money she bought from me, otherwise my mother will kill me. She will not give me food this……”
The boy had not yet finished his statement when Nduka and Mekus ran towards that direction to know if Rose was the lady he was talking about.
When they ran off to the uncompleted building, the boy perceived the same odour again.
“What is wrong with everybody, this brother fell into the toilet pit too” the boy said, running after them
“Mekus, that’s Beauty, She is the one”
Nduka rushed and touched her
“She is still breathing, but why is she like this? She is not moving at all.” Nduka worried
Mekus was confused himself, he couldn’t understand what was happening.
Rose fell unconscious immediately, after she finished washing herself.
When the boy got the soap, he saw Nduka and Mekus standing at the main entrance to the building, he walked pass them, and entered.
“Anty, you have to be fast, there are two men standing at that road that leads to here. So be fast, I will keep watch for you. Do, so that you will stop smelling, because you are smelling so badly, I even feel like vomiting.” The boy said, rubbing his stomach.
“OK, that’s what am about doing now. Just stand outside and keep watch for me, if anybody tries to enter, you let me know on time, OK?”
And the boy nodded.
And Rose began washing herself. She first washed her private part.
When she first cleaned her Vag, she dragged out cobwebs.
“Cobwebs? Oh Lord of mercy, what is this?” She rhetorics, and then continued.
The next one, she started washing out some black particles, which were beyond her comprehension.
She continued the process, until the area became clean.
The water was not enough to wash her whole body. She used the remaining sachets to wash her armpit, face and legs.
“Yes, I know I won’t be smelling that much now, when I reach hostel, I will have a warm bath. But that cobwebs, this is strange. Something is definitely wrong with me” Rose became worried as she grabbed her clothes.
After wearing them, on picking her bag, she fell on the floor.
“Let’s take her to the hospital” Nduka suggests
“No, we shouldn’t take her there. Whatever that is happening to her definitely has something to do with the bath. Let’s take her back to the house, then we visit Oshimiri and reveal what has happened.” Mekus suggests
“Yes, you are right” Nduka agrees.
And he carried her to the car.
The boy was busy following them, his only concern was his money.
“Hey you! Where do you think you are going?” Mekus asked
“She has not paid me, she is owing me N100, I want her to pay me” the boy said.
“You better zoom off from here, do you want to be given blood money? Come on get out from here” Nduka snapped harshly at the boy.
And the boy became scared of his face and ran away.
“Nduka, are you stupid? What is the meaning of that?” Mekus flared
“Mekus, is it not blood money? Its blood money. I should have listened to my mother when she was advising me to stay away from you, that your money is not real, that you are evil. But now, see what I have gotten myself into.” Nduka said, with tears gushing down.
Mekus became pained, driving the car.
“Nduka, don’t make me disregard our friendship, you know what might happen if that occurs? So mind your language. Just pray there will be a solution. So I request you not to give up hope yet, until we meet Oshimiri”
And the duo remained silent.
When they got home, they laid Rose on the bed and took off immediately to Oshimiri’s place.
On their arrival, Oshimiri already knew what was on ground.
“Mekus, I asked you, but you told me that, you trust your friend so much. Becoming rich is not for everybody. Its for the strong hearted men, and not for weaklings”
“The great Oshimiri, I am sorry, we have made the mistake already. We came here to know if there is any solution to the already existing problem. Is there a way to save my friend from dying?”
Oshimiri who was furious in anger remained still, chanting incantations.
He then turned to them, and remained still, staring at Nduka.
“There is only one condition, but its very dangerous, can you do it?”
“The great Oshimiri, I am ready to do anything just to remain alive, I don’t want to die.” Nduka determines
To be continued..
Warning: No part of this work should be copied, used, reproduce, redistribute either electronically or manually without prior permission from the author.
The author of Dirty Sleep: Ngozi Lovelyn O.
Copyrights: ©2017
Contact: Xperiawithngozilove@gmail.com
