1

ONE

The air was rich and too thick that the trees who stood danced in rythm to it's song. The weather was chilly if not freezing yet it didn't affect the uneasiness in the air. It all happened too soon that a running figure was seen in haste to get somewhere.

His legs carried him fast like a hawk chasing it's prey. Bewildered that he can ever run like this in his life but it was too urgent to compliment his running abilities. He came to think he was the wind because at that stage, he was unlimited by the harshness of the chilly weather.

No, he must get to reach there unless his friend is totally doomed. Even when it was evident this wad the dumbest solution to think of, but at least he hoped that his friend will be lucky. Finally, insight of the house he ran in its imaginations, he swiftly dived his directions to the house in picture.

Knocking hastily on the door, he calmed raspy breath down while waiting for the door to open. The door swung open to reveal an impatient drowsy face scowling at him that he decided for a second thought he was wrong in coming here.

"Yes Ikenna, I hope you have good explanation for interrupting my sleep", said mama Obinna.

"Nne, obinna your son is in deep problem and you have to come with me immediately", he said starring deep into her eyes so she gets the message it's not a joke which of course, she waould gave scoffed out loud not taking it likely with him but when she saw the indent look on his face, she gulped finally getting the message.

Calming down, she asked, "What do you mean Ikenna?"

"Mama, your son Obinna was dragged to the market square by the village youths", he emphasized not knowing how to continue when he saw panic in her eyes. This was the woman, he saw as his second mother and he don't want to trouble the old woman but at this stage, she was the only one he knew that can stop this madness that is coming.

Before he could even think more, she dashed away like a fiery wind in search for its soul to his supposed-son room only to find it empty.

"No! No! No!", she cried out in a loud voice. In the chilly harmattan and vast number of trees, noises especially in the morning are easily heard. It happened so that when she cried out, everyone heard it and people slowly began coming out of their houses.

"Mama, this isn't the time to cry. You have obinna to save. It's only you can save him from this doom now", Ikenna urged dragging her away from the slowly gathering crowd or spectators like he would term them.

"What did he do to them again, that they dragged him out of his bed this early morning?", She cried out.

"I don't know mama but I think it's definitely related to Ifunaya", he said cleaning her running tears with the thumb of his finger.

"Ehe ewooyo obinna nwa m ooo!", she cried more but Ikenna dragged her with him with only the direction of the market square in mind.

On getting to the market square after 30 mins walk, Ikenna was stumped on what he saw. Reacting quickly, he backed the woman with him but it was too late because she knew it immediately, she saw the state of her son.

Lying palely on the cold rough ground and was surrounded by at least eleven men of his size who were giving him the beating of his life. His face was death-paled with bruises on each side of the face. His mouth flowed blood constantly yet he never made a move to stop them or defend himself.

Though he was a sorry of himself yet he couldn't care when his attention was far. Not actually far in reality but close. Close to the point he thought it was a dream. His gaze far sketch only bored deep into her illusion.

Without realizing he was being beaten, without feeling any pain physically yet he felt wounded. A deep piercing was made in his heart watching her playing I don't care in her lover's arm who standing beside his Ferrari watching them do a good job on him. A job he paid them for to punish him for chasing after his queen, he termed before the beating started.

Yes, he had loved her, still love her and will continue to love her but why was she cruel to this point. He won't have cared if only she wasn't there's in his arms showing him she didn't care. Why couldn't she pretend for one day she love me? Even for just thirty minutes, his heart sang.

He started chasing her in their community secondary School yet the only thing he Managed to achieve was to get a few words of thank you when he gifts her something. He would be so happy that day that he could feel he's in heaven. Yet, next day, that favor had expired and he won't have that grace again of common "thank you" from her again.

This wasn't the first she really acted she don't care yet he never learned and won't learn until heaven knows when. His love for her was with patience and too deep which can't stop.

"He had tried, hadn't he to stop loving her in order to survive yet time again and again, he is at it, his heart ached again.

Looking at that wicked smile on her face, looking at that bewitching woman, looking at the woman who held his entire heart in one strong grip, he felt bitter to the stomach.

Just how did my fate go like this", he queried himself only to hear a shriek coming from a familiar voice.

Turning his head to face the woman he knew like no other, he was forced to face those storms in her eyes as she drew near to him. She was now struggling in the arms of his best friend Ike as they were stopped from coming close to the scene. It was too messy to look at, he realized as he got a glimpse of the pool of blood he laided on.

Shocked, he was beaten this merciseless because he didn't feel pain. Only then he knew the result of her panic as she struggled to stop them from beating him.

Reaziling this procedure won't work, she diverted her wails to the grinning smartly dressed young man standing beside his car.

"Please my son, stop them. Am a mother and can't stand seeing my son beaten to dumb", she pleaded with her flowing tears.

Seeing he wasn't moved, she proceeded to touching his hands "please take it am your mother and forgive my son of everything he did", finally she got his attention but he did the opposite of what she meant. He made an arrogant gesture of shooking her hands off in a manner of cleaning his hand like he touched a dirt.

Turning to face her, "Don't Tell me madness runs in your family that you can't recognize your own son. That is the imbelice son of yours. Am not your son and you aren't my mother.", He rudely said and walked away leaving the two women alone.

Seeing he left, Elizabeth mama obinna felt happy thinking he wants to stop them only to be the worst. He single-handly gave his jaws punches while obinna was held my two men on each arm to stop him from fighting back. Seeing it didn't get any better, Elizabeth ran to Ifunaya appealing her. At first, she acted ignorantly but when she couldn't take any of her drama anymore, she gave Elizabeth a piece of her own thoughts.

"Nne, you don't need to worry, he's just a bit angry he will cool-off in a matter of minutes", she said sweetly like a innocent baby but with glints of happiness in her large berry like eyes showing it was sarcasm.

"Please my daughter, this old woman is begging you to save her son", gripping her hands so tight that She was forced to look into her pleading eyes she continued, "Remember he would do more than this for you. How could you be so cold-hearted?. He's even in this situation is because of you. Tell me why are you treating my son this way when all he has done to you is goodness upon goodness", She fiercely raised her chin. Because Ifunaya was struggling, she didn't notice her own eyes has been leaking tears untill Emeka spoked.

"Will you leave her be you mad woman unless you want a taste of your own medicine now", he threatened leaving Obinna he was previously beating to come towards her. Ikenna standing all alone noted the old woman was in trobule and ran towards her in defense manner blocking her view.

"What did she do to you?", Emeka asked his lover but she wasn't planning on saying anything because it was humiliating to her so she shut up. Seeing, he was not getting the answer he wants, he walked towards Elizabeth who was blocked by the now furious Ikenna.

The two men stood glaring at each other but none made a move to confront each other first. So, they stood there doing eye battle but the truth no one knew was that Emeka was afraid, he was going to be beaten by Ikenna. He knew he wasn't strong enough to defeat either of the friends in a fight, so he was waiting standing on his ground because he couldn't back down now not when many are watching him.

Even the village youths were forced to stop their beating when they saw Emeka wanted to beat the old woman. No right sensed youth would dare beat an old woman or man. It's an abomination they would never commit. Many began having negative feeling on following Emeka's order to beat the innocent young man but then on the second thought, he was fitty rich so nobody would care he had beaten a young man because it's a society unwritten rule but to beat an old woman, hell no! He will pay for the consequences. At worst! He might even be banished for two years and none wants to be an accomplise in crime so they stopped their beating.

At this stage, the both parties were stuck. Even obinna who was beaten beyond recognition is seen struggling to get up to protect his old mother but had no strength so he stopped to see if really if they dared beat his mother but nothing happened.

"Babe calm down, let's go. You can't do this or else the consequences will be tremendous", sweetly said by Ifunaya who appeared scared and fragile but behind that innocent facade was a ruthless thought. "At least, they don't dare look down on me again", her malicious thought said and with that gave a smart smirk but quickly replaced it with an angel pity face.

Seemed to be what he wanted to hear, a plea of being stopped, Emeka pulled away and took her hands walking towards his car with only one thought in his mind "They now know who they're dealing with so they won't dare look for my trobules again. They are afraid of me now", the same evil thought rang in the couples mind each with his ambition but none knew it going to be the other way round. Nobody knew that fate is going to play tricks on them because if they knew, none would have done what they did that day.

Seeing them driving away in his car, all let out a breath that neither knew they withheld. Quickly, Elizabeth ran to her son who was in a sorry state and held him to stand up but he couldn't stand in his own. Ikenna ran to support him in his other arm while his mother held his other arm.

Some of the village youths felt bad for what they did that they dared not look him in his eyes. This was their friend, their brother whom they formed childhood bond with, yet because of money broke him. Obinna who was the most strongest youth in their flocks, their pride in athlete and wrestling when boasting to other communities, the one who always got their back when the village youths were being snatched their rights outside their village. The list was endless of what he did for them, yet they betrayed him this much just for N5,000 each.

It was too disheartening to watch so many left in the shallow of guilt. Even those who did it out of jealousy were eaten by guilt when they saw the depthness of his pale eyes as he took them in full view one after the one, engraving them in his heart. Obinna never uttered a word yet he felt sad not angry. Sad that people he called brothers were never his brothers.

Giving each a long emotional look to know he is disappointed in them and will remember what they did to him, he left never to return to their flock again but did he learn enough, time will judge.

Turning his head to face the woman he knew like no other, he was forced to face those storms in her eyes as she drew near to him. She was now struggling in the arms of his best friend Ike as they were stopped from coming close to the scene. It was too messy to look at, he reaziled as he got a glimpse of the pool of blood he laided on.

Shocked, he was beaten this merciseless because he didn't feel pain. Only then he knew the result of her panic as she struggled to stop them from beating him.

Reaziling this procedure won't work, she diverted her wails to the grinning smartly dressed young man standing beside his car.

"Please my son, stop them. Am a mother and can't stand seeing my son beaten to dumb", she pleaded with her flowing tears.

Seeing he wasn't moved, she proceeded to touching his hands "please take it am your mother and forgive my son of everything he did", finally she got his attention but he did the opposite of what she meant. He made an arrogant gesture of shooking her hands off in a manner of cleaning his hand like he touched a dirt.

Turning to face her, "Don't Tell me madness runs in your family that you can't recognize your own son. That is the imbelice son of yours. Am not your son and you aren't my mother.", He rudely said and walked away leaving the two women alone.

Seeing he left, Elizabeth mama obinna felt ecasty thinking he wants to stop them only to be the worst. He single-handly gave his jaws punchs while obinna was held my two men on each arm to stop him from fighting back. Seeing it didn't get any better, Elizabeth ran to Ifunaya appealing her. At first, she acted ignorantly but when she couldn't take any of her drama anymore, she gave Elizabeth a piece of her own thoughts.

"Nne, you don't need to worry, he's just a bit angry he will cool-off in a matter of minutes", she said sweetly like a innocent baby but with glints of happiness in her large berry like eyes showing it was sarcasm.

"Please my daughter, this old woman is begging you to save her son", gripping her hands so tight that She was forced to look into her pleading eyes she continued, "Remember he would do more than this for you. How could you be so cold-hearted?. He's even in this situation is because of you. Tell me why are you treating my son this way when all he has done to you is goodness upon goodness", She fiercely raised her chin. Because Ifunaya was struggling, she didn't notice her own eyes has been leaking tears untill Emeka spoked.

"Will you leave her be you mad woman unless you want a taste of your own medicine now", he threatened leaving Obinna he was previously beating to come towards her. Ikenna standing all alone noted the old woman was in trobule and ran towards her in defense manner blocking her view.

"What did she do to you?", Emeka asked his lover but she wasn't planning on saying anything because it was humiliating to her so she shut up. Seeing, he was not getting the answer he wants, he walked towards Elizabeth who was blocked by the now furious Ikenna.

The two men stood glaring at each other but none made a move to confront each other first. So, they stood there doing eye battle but the truth no one knew was that Emeka was afraid, he was going to be beaten by Ikenna. He knew he wasn't strong enough to defeat either of the friends in a fight, so he was waiting standing on his ground because he couldn't back down now not when many are watching him.

Even the village youths were forced to stop their beating when they saw Emeka wanted to beat the old woman. No right sensed youth would dare beat an old woman or man. It's an abomination they would never commit. Many began having negative feeling on following Emeka's order to beat the innocent young man but then on the second thought, he was fitty rich so nobody would care he had beaten a young man because it's a society unwritten rule but to beat an old woman, hell no! He will pay for the consequences. At worst! He might even be banished for two years and none wants to be an accomplise in crime so they stopped their beating.

At this stage, the both parties were stuck. Even obinna who was beaten beyond recognition is seen struggling to get up to protect his old mother but had no strength so he stopped to see if really if they dared beat his mother but nothing happened.

"Babe calm down, let's go. You can't do this or else the consequences will be tremendous", sweetly said by Ifunaya who appeared scared and fragile but behind that innocent facade was a ruthless thought. "At least, they don't dare look down on me again", her malicious thought said and with that gave a smart smirk but quickly replaced it with an angel pity face.

Seemed to be what he wanted to hear, a plea of being stopped, Emeka pulled away and took her hands walking towards his car with only one thought in his mind "They now know who they're dealing with so they won't dare look for my trobules again. They are afraid of me now", the same evil thought rang in the couples mind each with his ambition but none knew it going to be the other way round. Nobody knew that fate is going to play tricks on them because if they knew, none would have done what they did that day.

Seeing them driving away in his car, all let out a breath that neither knew they withheld. Quickly, Elizabeth ran to her son who was in a sorry state and held him to stand up but he couldn't stand in his own. Ikenna ran to support him in his other arm while his mother held his other arm.

Some of the village youths felt bad for what they did that they dared not look him in his eyes. This was their friend, their brother whom they formed childhood bond with, yet because of money broke him. Obinna who was the most strongest youth in their flocks, their pride in athlete and wrestling when boasting to other communities, the one who always got their back when the village youths were being snatched their rights outside their village. The list was endless of what he did for them, yet they betrayed him this much just for N5,000 each.

It was too disheartening to watch so many left in the shallow of guilt. Even those who did it out of jealousy were eaten by guilt when they saw the depthness of his pale eyes as he took them in full view one after the one, engraving them in his heart. Obinna never uttered a word yet he felt sad not angry. Sad that people he called brothers were never his brothers.

Giving each a long emotional look to know he is disappointed in them and will remember what they did to him, he left never to return to their flock again but did he learn enough, time will be the judge.