" he is my grandmother's best friend, since I moved in here with my grandmother, I've seen him come by some times and he still does" Lucy said opening the sweet bag.
Thaddeus looked relived, his frosty expression instantly melted and was replaced with a smile which left Victory speechless, she shook her head and did not know whether to laugh or cry, he was actually jealous of an old man
"Eat less sweet!" Thaddeus said collecting the bag of sweet from her hand,Lucy pouted but reluctantly let go of the sweet bag
Richard who was suddenly attacked with his son sweet side "..." what the heck? He cleared his throat dragging their attention back " most people here don't know your birth story making things a little hard our only hope now is your family doctor, he will lead us to the answers as for your nightmares…." He sighed "I have no idea what is going on!"
"Thank you sir for everything, truly I don't seem to understand the dreams either but if I really have a twin sister then I have to rely on the dress for answers" Lucy said
"But they cause you physical harm tithe extent that it makes you unconscious we will have to think if another way" Victory said
"I think it will be better if you stay with the old man than staying here alone who knows what might happen" Thaddeus said
"You are right " his father supported
Lucy hesitated for a while before giving the old man a call, explaining the whole situation to him he instantly agreed and lamented on how he hated why she was just telling him now
"It's decided then ,It's already getting late we will talk about the rest tomorrow" Richard said picking up his bag signaling it was time to go.
"We will see tomorrow then" Thaddeus said patting her on her head then walked out
Mr Richard "...."
Victory coughed lightly " would you mind if I tag along?" She asked
"I'll drop you home" Mr Richard said
"Thank you sir, bye Lucy" she waved walking out with Mr Richard
"Bye!!!" Lucy said
In the car, it remained silent only the sound of the roaring engine could be heard, Thaddeus shut his eyes close resting his head on the window the air around him felt cold and impenetrable
Victory shook her head helplessly, he was completely different from seconds ago and this aura of his isn't too much for a high scholar like him, sometimes he scares her
"Thank you sir, see you tomorrow" victory said as soon as the car packed in front of her house
"Thanks for helping earlier" Thaddeus said without any warmth in his eyes but he sounded grateful
Victory smiled "who knows I may just be paying my debt " she said and highlighted from the car.
Standing in front of her house, Victory felt her heart tightened in pain but a sad smile rose on her lip
Richard looked at his sim from time to time, he couldn't help but ask "what's on your mind?"
Thaddeus said nothing and looked at his father back as the car stopped in front of traffic pole that was showing red light
The gaze between the father and son intensified none willing to give in to the other
"Five second left" Thaddeus said expressionlessly
"Fine I'll go to Mr Agbebi place tomorrow but you'll go to school tomorrow" Richard mumbled as he started the car engine
Agreeing silently, Thaddeus closed his eyes and rested through out the remaining journey
***************
The next day, both father and son went separate ways, getting to his station, Richard attended to some documents before preparing for his afternoon trip. Lucy also arrived at the old man house, living in one of the luxurious houses in surulere with a pool and a courtyard in his compound, he had invited Lucy several times when her grandmother was still alive but she rejected it gracefully all the time now that he had an opportunity to repay his dept to his old friend, he was more eager than the person coming.
Time flew and it was already two in the afternoon, Richard already made his way to Mr Agbebi place
Knock knock
Seeing the uninvited guest at the door Mr Agbebi frowned "you must be Thaddeus father?" He asked suspiciously
"I believe this is the first time we are meeting, you seem well informed for a businessman who has no relationship with the police…. Or maybe not!" Richard said
"Just as you've said I have no business with the police if I may ask what brings you here?" He asked
"Hmmm teaching you some courtesy" Richards said
Mr Agbebi sneered "come in!"
"Please go straight to the point" he said taking his seat in front of Richard
"You were seen in front of Lucy house by some of her classmate and you were in an argument,please I hope you cooperate as this will aid our investigation, what your relationship with her?"
"Lucy!!" Mr Agbebi laughed " which one of them?"
Richard furrows his brows but he did not interrupt
"It's happening sooner than expected, she must be complaining of pain all over her body and random scenes popping up in her head"
"Mr Agbebi your words now could cost you a night in the police station"
"Why? Because I'm right" Mr Agbebi said as he let out a mockery laugh "do you still think things going on around that girl is normal if I were you I would not have gotten involved with her"
" if you ever want to see her celebrate her eighteenth birthday you better not stay far from her….. not too close if not you will only have your self to blame"
"If that's all I'll get going now" Mr Agbebi said leaving Richard in confusion, for a moment he was dazed and frightened, truly he was begging to think things were not normal but what exactly could have happen not only that Mr Agbebi guessed Lucy's current situation correctly if then…..
Without wasting anymore seconds he picked out his phone and dialed a number
"Hello dad, I was just about to call you now Lucy just called some minutes ago" Thaddeus said
"Where is she?"
"With the old man?" Thaddeus said suspiciously
"Alone?"
Finding his father question weird,Thaddeus took the initiative to ask "what's wrong?"
Sighing, Richard explain his meeting with Mr Agbebi "I don't know if what he said is true but we can't let our guard"
"Understood I'll head their now" Thaddeus ended the call
"What's wrong?" Victory asked, she just walked over when the call ended
"I'll head over to Lucy place if something happens I'll call you" he said and left in a haste
***************
At the old man house, dressed on a short free plain black gown, although she had just woken up from her sleep she still looked sick and pale. Walking around the back yard, the hair on her skin stood to its end as the cold breeze teased her skin, she shivered and a light sneeze escaped her nostrils.
It was best to go back now, she thought, turning around she couldn't find any house only a long line of tall palm trees and bushes
" where am I ?" She mumble as confusion rose on her brows but she soon relaxed, it was not the first time she saw herself in an unfamiliar place and none of them ever went well, she shivered at the thought of the pain she would go through again.
She had walked a few miles away from the spot she was earlier, in the middle of the forest a small hit with no window and only a wooden door, her first instinct was not to enter it and just walk away which she did but no matter where she went to she would see the house
Giving in she took a big stone and placed it by the door.
The room was dark like a cave giving a very mysterious, scary and dangerous vibe her only source of light was s weak reflection of the sun escaping through the holes of the mud house
Bam!!!
The door got shut, banging the door in vain, she could only give up and accept her fate cause no matter how hard she tried no one would hear her, she did not even know where she was
Just then an unpleasant smell brushed through her nose. Carbon(iv)oxide she mumbled, tilting her head a little she saw a coal pot filled to it brim with lit charcoal, although it is not a poisonous gas but it is not still advisable to breathe it in
Helpless, she tried banging the door to break it down, the entire room was already filled with the smell and she could find it hard to breathe and to worsen the case she was dizzy and felt dehydrated, she could hear her heart beat so fast as if it was about to jump out of her chest and her lungs was burning hot, her legs gave way and she fell to the ground, just then she noticed a small figure lying on the floor
"Why is there a child here?" She asked, dragging her body on the floor she stretched out her hand ti check if the girl was still breathing but before she could embrace her, she fell
Swoosh !!!
Lucy subconsciously he'd her breath, her environment had change, it felt much cooler and less drying infact it felt more watery, opening her eyes she saw herself surrounded with water, she was in the pool, she was back to the house , back to reality.
A tinge of hope instantly sparked in her heart, she swung her legs and arms to swim although she had never tried it before but it was a good effort just as she was about to reaching the surface something grabbed her legs making it difficult for her to move them in her own will the her two arms, pulling her down she then felt great pressure on her neck as if she was being strangled another choking session
She gulped in water desperate for air but it was all in vain, the pressure on her body increased faintly she could hear her bones begin to crack, she winced in pain but ended up gulping a mouthful of water
Was this the end….? She thought, would she really die like this without even knowing the reason why she had to suffer all of this? It's not fair but wouldn't it be better to just die than to live a life full of endless suffering
She soon reached the bottom of the pool, her eyes were getting blurry and she was almost out of breath. Using her last strength she looked up and saw a figure coming towards her, she smiled weakly, she must really be dying to hallucinate this much
Lucy coughed violently, trying to catch her breath, who would have thought one could miss air of all things, she weakly opened her eyes and dragged herself to sit, looking up her eye met a very angry gaze
"Ppfffttt" she let out a sad laugh
" you think this is funny?" Thaddeus asked coldly
"Of course not" Lucy said
" Lucy you've never seen before why did you jump so blinding into the pool? Dot you know how dangerous it is?" He yelled angrily
So that was what he saw, how would he know that that was not what what had had happened! If he hadn't come would use really had died? It was really scary experiencing things that you don't even know the cause and it could really take your life after inflicting unbearable pain on you
Lucy hadn't noticed that a drop of tears already rolled down her cheek slowly turning to heavy falls, covering her face as she weep silently her shoulder trembling
Thaddeus calmed his rage, he sighed and hugged her patting her back, some minutes later she stopped crying and wiped her tears
"I'm sorry!" He said still patting her shoulder " let go inside"
Lucy nodded, she wiped off the last drop of her tears and assisted herself up with her arm which she instantly crashed back to the floor
"Are you alright?" He skied worriedly he gaze landing on her wrist which made him furrow his brows, he could see some marks on it and her other wrist then her legs and lastly her neck
"It happened again" he said with a worried expression
"It was really scary you know, if someone were to really pass through all that I'm telling you they won't even last for long, if you hadn't come I would have drown..." she paused
"What's wrong?"
"There….. there was a child there, she's probably five or six, I tried helping her up but before I could even touch I saw myself in the pool, we need to go back to the forest if we waste any more time she would die, Thaddeus I'm telling you the forest was really scary she will not make it, she will die….she will die!!!" Lucy said with tears rolling down her cheeks.
Thaddeus hugged her again, her head buried in his neck, he patted her back "let's get you inside first!"
In the living room, everyone sat quietly none willing to interrupt instead they were lost deep in their own thought as they listened to Lucy's narration
"So much has happened just within a few days and it is getting worse and worse but why?" Clara asked
"Probably it's because it close to her eighteenth birthday" Richard said replying his wife
"Our only source of info is Mr Agbebi, things are not only spiritual but physical but my only question is why he is not doing anything to help, she's his best friend only daughter!" Victory said pissed off
"People will not get involved in other people pain only because of one, they don't want to be involved, two…."the old man paused
"Their pain is beneficial to them!" Thaddeus completed it for him
"If it's that way, Lucy must not come in contact with him!" Clara said
"I…"
Ding dong!
Ding dong!
Richard was about to say something when the door bell rang, he looked at the old man
"I'm not expecting anyone this late" he said
"I'll get it!" Thaddeus said
Richard gaze fell on his son if it wasn't for him they would never have gotten this deep in the matter but what exactly was he thinking, he just couldn't understand his son.
Thaddeus opened the door almost instantly he frowned.
A man dressed in black suit, holding a white bouquet "you must be Mr Richard son" he said with a smile
"Nice to meet you, I'm Mr Agbebi!"