Episode 12

A clock may be broken and considered unuseful but it tells the correct time twice in a day, therefore, there is a certain hour, a certain minute, a certain second that even truth will reign.

Richard Offei

Abiola's father had been worried sick about his son's whereabouts. He had called everyone he knew that could know where Abiola had absconded to but all to no avail.

He decided to go to the police station, "perhaps the police could help find my son." He said

At the police station, he filed a report saying his son had been missing for a week now.

"Mr Alesinloye we cannot file your son as a missing person unless there are evidences that proves otherwise."

"Mr. Police I cannot leave my house and come here to joke with the fact that my son is missing unless I have reasons to believe so." Mr. Alesinloye replied

" calm down sir, your son is an adult, he could be with one of his friends or something, but you tell us from the beginning what happened and why you think your son is missing."

"About a week and two days ago, he came to me saying he wanted to travel with his friend. I supposed they were going to find a job or something so I let him go. Since then I have called his cell phone but it's not reachable."

"Mr. Alesinloye, it's been only a week, he's probably with a friend."

"That's the reason why I am scared, because the friend he was to travel with came back about two days after he left the house and his friend said he hadn't seen him."

"Okay Mr. Alesinloye, give us the name of this friend and his address and we shall try looking for him, if in two days time we do not find him then we can declare him missing and follow the necessary steps."

"His friends name is Cyril Adebola, they've been friends since they were young."

"Wait a minute sir, I think we have such a name here under the same case of a missing person. Wait here let me call the detective on the case."

The officer went to the detectives office and told him about the recent developments involving the Veronica case.

He came over to the counter to meet Mr. Alesinloye.

"Hello Sir, I am Counsellor Michael; the detective on the missing person case. Would you please go over your statement once more while I take notes."

The detective listened carefully as Mr. Alesinloye explained the situation. He asked of Cyril's address and immediately he and a team of police men went over to Cyril's residence.

Luckily for Cyril he had gone on a journey to perform his second task.

{Earlier that day}

Cyril was pondering over his new task, he had to have sexual intercourse with seven girls between the ages of nineteen to twenty-five, he had to collect their underwear and use a red kerchief to wipe their genitalia after every coitus.

It would be a bit tough but not as difficult as murdering his lover.

He thought about how this was to happen, he decided to go to a different city were he wouldn't be recognised.

"I will go to Akwa Ibom...." he said to himself "...apart from Nonso's friends no one knows me there and besides they could help me get the girls I would need."

He prepared himself and started of for Akwa Ibom.

While in Akwa Ibom a neighbour called to tell him that Abiola's father and some police officers had come looking for him.

Immediately he heard that he knew there was 'fire on the mountain' and so he decided not to go back home until his quest was over.

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Abiola had taken a keen interest in Alice, she treated him better than anyone had ever done. She had not known him prior to being brought to her door but still she cared for him with all she had. She would take him to the clinic for a regular check-up so he could get better. She had informed her pastor in church, who regularly comes over to the house to share the word and say a prayer with him. Abiola's case remained the same nonetheless but Alice and her pastor would not give up.

Abiola was deeply grieved of his present state and how he had become a burden to Alice. Sometimes she noticed the regret and shame on his face and would console him. Often he found solace in thinking of her, it had been many years since he was involved with any lady and Alice was one to sweep any man off his feet. She was beautiful, intelligent, smart, caring and her smile was enchanting. What he loved most about her was the way she handles herself when under pressure. Even when she was tired and angry, she would still manage a smile and say "all will be well."

He had never met a lady such as her. How can one who has experienced the lose of a loved one so tragically, left with a son to take care of alone and now him, have so much hope in her.

He had heard the saying 'manners maketh man.' surely then "character maketh a woman, for she is an angel." he thought to himself.

The future is filled with twists and turns, spins and runs but the most uncanny is fate, for fate has a mind of its own and in the unlikely of places a jewel can be found.

What does fate have in store? only the future will tell.