Spilled Blood

by A. Achaka

  Emmanuella and I were up early the next day, becuse it was hard to sleep in fright, in the middle of it we regretted stepping foot into that hotel, it was like a nightmare, We sat up thinking throught out our breakfast about the much trouble we could get, moving around with the bag. The country was not smiling when it comes to crime and kidnapped and the funny thing is the neighbourhood was a bad one, we hardly slept the previous night.

  Dead in the middle of the night, the noises we heard were more than we bagan for, Emmanuella was up before me, she held me tight i couldn’t breath only to wake up to the sound of what seems like crisis, more than five times gun sound set off. I thought oh this is like the jos crisis that happened years back, because it just happened, no one can really say how but people were killed, we were both scared until the sirens approaching and the voices disappeared and we finally felt asleep.

  We were eating both tired, the night wasn’t pleasant and the sleep was just in the eyes but our body wouldn’t give the rest. We ate slowly discouraging the appetite, ‘how can one eat, when his or eyes are drowsy’ i no longer enjoy it, then a thought came and i paused

  “You Know, last night was terrible, i mean if we had any idea it will be such, we would gone to a better one” She was finding it hard to digest the food as well

  “I wonder what went wrong” she finally raised her head

  “Eventually, we have to go back to Jos, because the whole world would be looking for you and think of the consequences, when we are found together”

  “What do you mean?” She was curious to my statement.

  “I think we have to get rid of this money, before it gets us into trouble”

  “What do you mean by if we are found together?” She wouldn’t dismissed that

  “Relax, i will explain later but, we need to get this money out of our hands, before we leave, or what do you think?” She wasn’t ready to let it go but i refused to talk about it either.

  I emptied the money on the bed and started counting it, “Won’t you help me out” She slogishly came unto the bed and joined. It wasn’t that hard because it was in large bills and in bundles neatly arranged, the amount counted was about the sum of one million three hundred and fifty five thousand naira. Calculating the money, brought a fresh contenance on her, she was excited when the amount was mentioned, well both of us were.

  “How are we going to dispose of it now” she asked me, I sat quietly for a minute looking through the window and up further across the road, i saw a sign post of a bank, and it quickly came to my mind

  “We can deposit it in the bank, it will be eaiser to handle it from there, and we will have our travelling and feeding money with us” She bought the idea “So we are going to split it, do you have an account?” she eyed me

  “Yes i do” i smiled

  “Ok, You will take your share to your account and i will take mine too, that will be a good plan” I saw her mood changed almost immediately, “Whats wrong?” i asked her

  “It’s nothing but this money is yours, you don’t have to include me in it, beside you need it more than i do”

  “What? Common how much will I possibly use, it will not be fare” I thought she was running away from it, that i might take the fall when it comes.

  “I mean, You have a lot to accomplish your music, your books, your script and, your designs, it need a lot of money, so here’s an opportunity” then i understood what she meant, indeed that was a point but that will be greedy of me and on a second thought i need it but at the same time there was a problem, I quickly remembered the bank policy, making a huge deposit will really raised an eye brow, i have never for once deposited more than Eight Hundred thousand in my account.

  “Look here is whats going to happen, my account have never held anything more than eight hundred thousand, anjd that was for my tuition, so we are going to split it any way, you will keep some for me in your account, to avoid the eye brow, is that ok?” She nodded in agreement and we went ahead to split the money.

  We split the money Eight Hundred thousand to Four Hundred, and the Fifty five thousand was for Miscellenious, we got dressed and in no time we out of the hotel.

  We took a cab and told him we are going to the bank road, it easier in any state, most of the banks were in the same environment and we highlighted. In no time we were there, Emmanuella banked with Guarantee Trust while I bank with Zenith, they were actually adjacent each other, and we head out to make our deposits.

  The que weren’t much probably because it was the week days, on like Fridays, the bank use to be very hectic. I made my payment in the bulk room nbo question asked and no answer given, i came out with an alert tha reads Eight hundred and thirty five thousand naira, fifty kobo, I was virtually having nothing in it.

  I was out just in time as Emmanuella and we take a tour around a little in the city and when it was past noon, we were back to the hotel tired and exhausted. The ladies at the reception were seriously in gossip, when we came in, it was either about us or they must be serious about what happened last night but either way they were looking at us until we vanished through the stairs.

  “Did you see the way those ladies were looking at us?” Emmanuella asked me the moment we got inside the room

  “Don’t mind them, we will be out of here as soon as possible or before their gossips will be able to boil a hot plate” She couldn’t help but laugh

  “Are you hungry my lady?” she nodded and smile, I cross over to the side of the bed and place an order.

  By the time i kept the receiver and turned she was getting undressed to take a shower, she seems so comfortable with me, well so do I, I reach for my belt and pull it out from the trouser and open the button too

  “What are you doing?” she asked

  “Getting ready to shower” her eyes narrowed to me

  “But I am going in there first” she said with her hands by her waist

  “No, we are going in there first” she was a bit shocked, or maybe i said a different thing altogether “Yea, i said we are going in there first”

  “There is no way, am going in there with you” she quickly rush into the bathroom and turned the key, she seems happy about it and shortly I heard the water running

  “Open this door” she started singing pretending she wasn’t listening to what I was saying, I was naked already in the room, and there came a knock on the door followed by “Room Service” I hurriedly put on my boxers and went to the door, there a lady standing with the food we ordred

  “Wow, you guys are fast” she came in and dropped it on the table, i paid and the lady left the room and I was back naked again and went to the door and tried one more time to my surprise the door flung open.

  Emmanuella throw in to panic using her hand to cover herself, i was standing there naked she was trying to hid her face from seeing me

  “Its too late you have seen it already and am coming in to have that shower together” she was seriously not looking at me, she turned and face the other side, revealing her behind to me “Nice ass” I said, she felt like jumping out of the tub, but I was already in, she buried her face in her palms and the next thing I heard was sobs, I felt cold about it, i thought we were that cool but kept on wishing I wouldn’t have not done that

  “Hay am sorry i don’t know it will make you feel like that, am sorry” I reached my hand to her shoulder, she friked out and almost fell trying to get out. I reached out both my hand and supported her, pressing my knees at the edge, i felt the pain moving down to my shine, i struggled and brought her back up and we were back in th tub together, she was crying in my embrace, our bodies were in contact with each other, my loins were kicking hard but we stood there for a while and watched her calmed down but still sobbing, then she embraced me too.

  I turned on the shower and allow the water to fall on us, still holding each other, I break away and pick up the soap and started from her shoulder going down to her feet, she held her hands against her breast until I got up, we smile at each o
ther when we caught each other’s gaze, I was rinsing her when she starched her hand for the soap and she started on me too she got to my erected self and look up to me and smiled then continued down and up again, we rinsed ourselves and dried with the towel, and out to the room and and got dressed.

  We ate the food in silence, it was almost getting cold, once in a while we steal and look at each other and smile, I was in my own thought, most of which was guilt, i never thought she would panic the way she did, it made me resent and tought of nothing less although i was a bit relaxed since nothing happened and again i was concerned as to why she would cry, still in my thought I heard “Thank you” I raised my head and look to her

  “What for?” I asked

  “For being a gentleman” my eyes widened “And sorry i panicked, i was scared”

  “I understand am sorry too, I shouldn’t have...”

  “Oh no I enjoy the bath, you help me over come my fear” my eyes narrowed to her, Just thinking of what she meant by that “I always have a wrong perspective of guys, since the last time I almost raped in school, He started out, as a nice guy, i never knew his intention, if not for some ladies in the compound, he would have done it, so when you came in, i swear i could just imagine that time, am sorry, but you really are different” I smiled

  “Well thank God you overcame that fear, I wasn’t going to hurt you, i guess i just wanted us to be more comfortable with each other”

  “I guess it worked, with your man standing at attention” We both laugh and finished the food.

  Now on the bed watching television after the meal, she was resting on my chest and playing with my belly button, and i was playing with her hair, that moment was a sane feeling, i guess to both of us, but since the way she acted earlier, I was really mindful of the words and action to display, ‘Oh how i long to kiss her’ its not that we have not done it before, but i second guess the moment.

  Emmanuella Hot breath was giving my stomach the moist feeling, just in time she looked up and traced my face looking down to her hand in my belly button, she made sure she caught my eyes and seeked the approval she needed and she adjusted and kissed me, again and again.

  She was looking in my eyes, i clould see her pupils dilating, and was a bit agitated, i had a reason to ask what was going but she shut me up with the biggest word I myself was afraid of “I love you” I felt like tap of water running round my stomach, I wanted to scream but i couldn’t, i was dumbfounded and confused, not that she was not beautiful or nice but i never thought it will have to come to this sooner.

  My whole life and dreams flashes in my face, i am a potential artist and every one knows that musicians are players, even I my self don’t trust myself but here we are, she had the strongest word in the mouth, how girls get a feeling over an adventure we never bargained for. Being with one girl would really mean commitment but without hesitation I responded back “I love you too” The excitement in her face could turn a night into a day in seconds, she jump on me and we started kissing and touching and finally clothes off.

  I was the first to wake up from the rump of pleasure making with Emmanuella, it’s been a long time had sex and it actually felt good with her. The sun was already setting, when i got out of the bed, i was smiling to my naked body and i turned to her, she was still asleep but turned abit, i realise a stain on the bed, i quickl reach for my boxers and put on, i adjusted the cover and it was blood stained on the bed.

  The annoyance of what it seems, came flooding in my head, i have been so afraid of something like this. It felt like i was dreaming, Emmanuella will be in her mid twenties probably and she is a virgin? I kept on denaying it and it means i just deflowered her. The anger was more hurting, I know and heard stories about this thing beside, it’s a huge sin to have premarital sex and worse with a girl preserving her virginity. On a second thought who am i kidding, i wanted it to happen from the set go, i was trying to make my mind comfortable.

  All my life i have avoided having sex with girl who were untouched, i find it very difficult to do it, beside i wasn’t ready to commit to any one, i was thinking about my carrier, the crowd and the idolizing, i wouldn’t give it up for not love or any thing.

  “What’s wrong” She asked, i was realy devastated throwing my fist in the air, She tried to move, i noticed how she closed her eyes in pain just to adjust

  “Why didn’t you tell me you are a virgin?” She could feel the anger in my voice, she cringe a little lloking scared “No i don’t mean it like that, but it’s a virtue that you ...” I wasn’t able to finish the sentence, when she came down and met me

  “I love you and I wanted you to, please don’t be angry please” I let out heavy breath and turned to her whose eyes was filled with tears, she was fighting it back

  “Alright am not angry, I love you too, but i would prefer you keeping it” I pulled her closer and hugged her, she couldn’t let go, and in my mind I was asking myself ‘What have I gotten myself into’

  “This sheet needs to be washed” she disengaged and pull out the sheet and went into the bathroom and in less than two minute, she had washed the stined part in the tub and we spread it by the door and we took our shower. In no time we were all dressed and i proposed we take a strole before its too late and we head out.

  We came back in, when the night had taking in and spend an hour strategising a plan for the journey and what would happen, when we get to Jos before we retire for the night in each others arms.

  Deep in the night i had a nightmare, I saw myself walking along a street in Jos and suddenly a police pick up car, came in a speed and covered the path i was walking and the police men pounced on me without explaination, i was struggling to stay on my feet but they were too many, they kept on flooding out of the vehicle adding more and more until i could not hold my self any longer and fell down, i was arrested thrown into the prison. I never got any trial or visited the court, but i was taken to the prision, very disturbing and alarming place, then later came Emmanuella fighting a giant, at a point he would seem to get ahead of her but she never gave up, and eventually i got released and we left together.

  I sprang up immediately, my body was aching, “It was just a dream” i was telling my self, i switched the bes side lamp and saw the alarm clock reading 3:01 am, Emmanuella was very much asleep, i just wish i could be like her that moment sleep and not feel anything bad, i kept up for an hour brainstorming about the dream, ‘what must have probably meant?’ i kept asking myself and at some point fell asleep.

  Emmanuella was up first, i had no idea what time it was but early, she had her birth and woke me up when it was almost getting to seven.

  “Good morning Love” she was smiling, she had dressed already looking all refreshed and beautiful.

  “Morning, How did you sleep?”

  “Well beside the trouble you had in your sleep, i managed” she laughed “ I guess you had a nightmare right?” she was looking at my face

  “I can’t remember, let me take my birth” i went into the bathroom and ran the shower and stepped in the tub and wash my body.

  We were finally ready Fifteen minute after seven, and we head out to the lubby just in time to meet the two ladies at the receptionist gossiping, i don’t seems to understand them, i don’t think the management have any idea, how they behave behind the small counter.

  Without hesitation we submitted the key and head out of the hotel. Once outside we hauled a cab and told him to take us to the park.

  We got to the park about 7:34am, the vehicle was having only a passenger, he took the front seat and we sat up behind, it was normally three at the back and one in front with the driver. Our breakfast was at the park while waiting on the next passenger to complete in the vehicle, we ate donuts and a can orange juice, some one said vitemins A good for the body in the morning.

  At 7:45am a man came and boarded the vehicle, it was now full and the payment was made, we paid four thousand Naira for the both of use and fill out a bookelets they gave us incase of em
ergencies.

  The road wasn’t as busy as usual but the breeze along the way was strong enough to push a child, we had her at our centre but she was leaning on my shoulder throught the journey. We had luck through out, we passed through the check points without disturbance or the routine check they normally do.

  The last check point was the funniest of all, we passed through and saw some able men going on frog jump all them were on their boxers, one of them was large, his stomach was an upstruption to him, he couldn’t go down properly and he couldn’t stand back up, he was seriously crying and begging the military man. We finally came to the sing post welcome to Jos, it was like the best news that has never been written, but expressed.

  The whole journey which lasted about four hours thirty minutes because of the gas que at the filling station. Eventually we were in Jos, ‘Home sweet House’ I had that in mind from a movie ‘the princess and I’. God know how long we have been out for but it was jsut as i left it, I was thinking about last night and the stupid commitment i made, I can’t help passing through the check point of life, it made me reasoned as much.

  The car came to an hault, i looked up and there in the park we are, the voises of people were troubling, people boarding, people arriving and others hawking, it was a very disturbing scenario especially when a fight started between a tout and a union personal, it really got personal and they fisted on each other until being sperated. “This Is our que” i said to Emmanuella, she turned and smiled to me “Where too?” i looked around for a minute, thinking heavily, No where to go except my father’s house.

  It was past noon, when we boarded a vehicle to that part of the city named Farin Gada, “Have you been here before?” i asked her, she was looking around and nodded “Cool, this is called Farin Gada” No changes as well, the usual busy life of people, the vehicle had to drop us at the normal round about, and we took a tricycle, in ECWA Staff the Negibouhood where my dad’s house was built.

  There are two section of the Nehibourhood, the ECWa staff itself, is a boarding school that has been there for quite a while before the area could have been developed into this GRA it was now and Nabor area, exactly where we leave.