2 2 Cutting the Last Hope

Jerry glanced about in the room again to be sure he was seeing well. How sure was he that his name was even Jerry? He sat on the edge of the bed, dejected, with his head between his hands as he stared at the ground. What did he do yesterday? No idea. Where was he?

Gently, he stood, and opened the door to avoid surprising himself. The street was dusty. His eyes roamed the street to savor it. He watched the little children running about in the street, the bicycle moving in haste, the jeep that was cruising the street rather slowly as if it was a very fat woman who had been asked to run a 100-meter race, but couldn't help being the last.

His eyes roamed to the poles, the wires connected to them, and birds that rested on them, singing happily as if the whole world was in their care. He looked farther into the sky, the sky was white; birds were scanty in it, maybe because the sun was very hot or because everything was dry or because they were migrating out of that part of the world. He looked at the street and knew he didn't know this place, there's nothing that could change that fact.

He returned to the room and checked everything in the room, leaving no tiny stone unturned. That was when he saw five diaries that belonged to him. When he had savored the information in them, he knew who he was.

His name was Jeremiah Olusola Olumide, and was born on June 25th, 1991. He looked at his calendar and saw that he celebrated his birthday the previous day. Could it be hangover? There was no logical explanation for what had happened to him.

At first, he didn't believe the diaries were his until he wrote a few words on one of them and saw a semblance in the writings. His girlfriend's name was Olivia, the lady that called. His parent died last five years, and his best friend and only friend, Martins died of HIV four months ago.

Olivia knew everything about him because he told her everything. He had cheated on Olivia five times. Him? The last time he asked for her forgiveness, she promised that time would be his last. In fact, she said any day she smelt any form of cheating she would leave him for good. That meant he would soon know all about himself. He must see her.

He had been given a job at an international school, where he would be paid 150,000 thousand naira per month. Good for him.

'Can I teach?'

He got an Hp laptop some days ago and was still pondering on the password to use, and gave himself the ultimatum of the day he woke.

Although he felt compelled to seat still with the hope that he would recollect all that had happened to him, he knew he needed to act to get more information. He picked his phone to call Olivia. Her phone rang at the other end and was disconnected immediately. He looked at the phone, frowned, and redialed the number.

'You are a cheat', someone shouted, opening the door with a bang.

He was short of words by what he saw, and would have drooled like a dog if not for the fact that he knew he had to beg her. The air was filled with mixture of dryness from the season and mountain flower perfume- her perfume.

She was very fair, and busty. Her round face was well-dressed with make-up. Even, as her long eyelashes went up and down, showing perfect white eyes, his blood rate increased.

'Are... Are you Olivia?' he said, still staring at her. Her demeanor showed someone that should be worshiped. Her leggings showed the perfect curves of her legs. He didn't know what happened, but he went on his knee.

'Please, don't leave me. I need you to help me know myself'.

'Shut up!' She shouted, 'so, you think, you can make me cry over you again. God forbid'.

'Please', he cried and held her hand. The hand was smooth and as soft as butter, and its nails, neat.

'Leave my hand', she snapped.

She withdrew and pulled her hand as if his hands were filled with maggots.

'You are useless', she muttered as she tried opening the back cover of her phone. Her breathe rushed out in faster progressions, and her hands vibrated rigorously as she removed the battery of her phone, then the sim card. She raised the sim card up for him to see it clearly, and broke it.

'You will never ever see me or call me again and for your information', she said as she eyed him vigorously, and smiled wickedly. 'I'm leaving Fortune City'.

Jerry felt an invisible bell ring in his head.