An Enemy Within

FLASH BACK

Children played on a beach, adults romantically cornered for a lovely moment as the sun radiated the recreational environment. One could see, mostly, females on pant and bra, swimming happily on the tides and amusingly splashing water to one another.

A young man on sun-glasses stood by the seashore with a bottle of soft drink in his hand. His flat stomach could be seen above his boxers. Just as he gazed, unwittingly, Erika startled him from behind. He turned immediately.

"You waisted time, Erika" Obi, the young man, said.

"I'm sorry" She apologized, staring upward into his eyes.

Obi admired her on a t-shirt she wore over a jean trouser. "You look beautiful" he complimented.

Erika averted her eyes from him in a way she faced the people swimming then crossed her hands. Obi maintained the same posture.

"How about Ada?" Erika asked without a glance at him. "I hope you both aren't together anymore." she added.

"We were never together." Obi neither glanced at her too.

They remained quiet, feeding their eyes with the aquatic entertainment and filling their ears with chattering of children.

"I want to tell you something." Erika began. "When i left the island i had a deal with death." she finally looked at him to see him surprisingly staring at her. "It was never my intention especially now I see you guys as my family."

"What are you talking about" Obi questioned.

"Soon death will take over the city and I must send Murphy to the Jungle of Agura where he must perish. I don't want to do it knowing how good Murphy is to me and that's why I'm telling you"

Obi chuckled. "Stop kidding around" he said.

"No!" Erika held his hands seriously. "This is no joke! Now I've told you this, I must die, but I want to die beside you and let Murphy live." she stood on her toes and kissed him. "I love you so much" she concluded.

Obi smiled, thinking she was joking."You've always been my joy. I fell in love with you the very first time I saw you" he added, taking her wet lips on his. "Come, follow me." he began to drag her out of the beach. One could see them running romantically like newly couple. They barged into a wooden building meant for VIPs alone, entered into a private room where they continued kissing gently until Erika gradually laid on the bed, breathing hastily. Even Obi could hear her heartbeat.

"What? You seem scared" he whispered.

"Every girl in my position would." she replied. "I think I'm still young for this"

"So am I" Obi started kissing her again, tactically pleasuring through the nipples. He pulled her shirt off along with her trouser to behold the irresistible sight of a half naked girl. His d*ck had begun to dance accordingly to the beat in his mind derived by the eyes. He laid beside her in a way they made use of their sense of sight than mouths. Yet, Erika's breath never dwindled.

"My heart is beating faster for you, my love" she whispered.

Obi began to cares her cheek. "You own my heart too. I love you so much."

Erika resumed the kiss while Obi covered themselves with a blanket. Sooner did their underwears thrown on the floor and Erika's moan filled the room. When the blanket opened halfway, one coul see her holding him tightly across his back with her eyes close and mouth open for a pleasurable moan...

Minutes later an owl perched at the window when Erika and Obi had fast fallen asleep. Like a death call, Erika opened her eyes to see the owl unabashedly staring at her. She glanced at Obi before leaving the bed to the window naked. Suddenly, the owl flew away only for Erika to hear Obi' s voice.

"Who are you!!" he had screamed, jumping out of the bed naked too.

Erika turned to see who the young man shouted at; papa Joe! The man-owl looked horrible in a black garment with a blur face. Erika didn't seem surprise in the eyes of her boyfriend which triggered Obi to ask her, "Do you know him? How did he come inside here?"

"He's papa Joe." She whispered.

"I am death!" the man shrieked to the startling of the two. "We had a deal and you've broken it. For that, you must die!"

Erika became mute as tears began to fall down from her eyes. Meanwhile, Obi had gone into the state of confusion. Now, he smartly realized the words of the girl at the beach. Therefore, he pleaded with a weak voice saying, "Do to me whatever you want and spare her life. Do not take her from me for she is the one i love so much."

"I'll spare her life in one condition; A time will come when you'll be in charge of the white house after Murphy is sent to his doom. You must not let him come out from the Jungle of Agura alive." The man conditioned.

"No!" Erika shouted with tears. "I cannot be the one that will make him take the life of his brother and friend. Just take my life and leave them alone!"

"No, I'll do it! don't kill her!" Obi objected immediately.

The man disappeared. They noticed his departure by the flapping wings of an owl through the window. Erika fell on his chest crying bitterly...

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CONTINUITY

In Kali city, no single soul could be found outside. It was deserted like a grave yard. One could see abandoned vehicles, shops and other materials. Birds of the sky exercised their wings from street to street and from one electrical pole to another. A tornado swept across a lonely road, lifting nylons and causing not only air pollution but also soil erosion. All citizens were advised to stay indoors, protecting one another from the suicidal death. Hence, waiting for their clever president to come back from 4 4 3.

Mr. Cliff mourned the death of his daughter, Cynthia, inside his house with his wife. It was a thing of surprise and heartbreak. On the other hand, Obi and the remaining orphans waited endlessly for the return of their brothers. They could be seen seated on the large table, occasionally checking the time on their wristwatches. Twenty-four hours Murphy stipulated as the time to put an end to the tragedy that had fallen the city. Now, only eighteen hours remain. However, Vivain and Obi gazed at each other from opposite end of the long table like suspected criminals. It suddenly metamorphosed to a glare like an aggressive staring contest. That shows that the two had something in mind. The quietness observed there could bring the sound of a fallen pin to the ears. But a ringing telephone disrupted the atmosphere. Before Vivian stood up to pick the call, Obi had already rushed it.

"I got it" he whispered at her, while Judith and Ada watched both of them, wondering what had come over them. Vivian slowly sat down to listen like every other persons.

"Please, I'll be there in a second." Obi said through the phone then hung up instantly. He turned to the girls. "Is about Erika. I need to go to the hospital." he said.

None of them said a word. Notwithstanding, Obi surged forward with two guards. By clutching the doorknob, Ada called him. "Obi" He turned to hear from her. "Please, be careful" she said.

He nodded before finally leaving.

"He's acting weird" Judith observed.

"Ada," Vivian called. "How's your relationship with Obi?"

Ada hesitated before answering. "Normal but.. you know..." She swallowed hard. "There have been no intimacy because we aren't dating. Why asking?" She spread her hands.

Vivian stood up to the window on a fairy milky gown while others watched her from the table. She turned to them saying, "Why do I have the feelings that Obi is hiding something from us?"

Hearing that, Ada and Judith glanced at each other.

"When I look into his eyes, i see a different person. Things are falling apart" she added boldly.

"Obi is harmless. I don't know what you're saying." Ada sarcastically adjusted from her seat and folded her arms.

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Back to the mysterious Jungle of Agura, Dave and Murphy began to journey into the deep part of the jungle through the road they created. Like two brothers, both wore a longsleeve shirt over a trouser. on their feet were canvases like sport masters.

"Dave" Murphy called on him as their footsteps filled their ears. "The sun and the moon; which of these two would you like to become?" he asked without looking at him, but Dave glanced at him.

"The moon seems harmless." he replied.

Murphy didn't say any other thing thereby putting Dave on suspense and generating silence.

"Teacher?" Dave called his attention as they took a sharp corner.

Murphy looked at him. "Which harmless animal survive in the hands of its enemy?" He asked rhetorically. "The sun gives light just like the moon. Sunlight is hot unlike the moonlight. Humans complain of a hot sunny day, yet get excited at night when they see the moonlight forgetting that without the hotness of the sun during the day, the moon will never shine because it is the sun that charges the moon. Therefore, without the sun, the moon doesn't exist. It will be dead and forgotten. Now I ask you again, which would you become; the sun or the moon?"

Dave hesitated for a while. "You already know the answer now." he replied as an afterthought.

"A leader is like the sun that shines continuously!" Murphy continued. "Yes, it's hot but the hotness is for a better purpose; to charge the moon, to keep it alive never to die. The moon are your subjects. Without you, the leader, they are dead and gone. That's why you should be cleverly consistent in your work like the continuous burning fire of the sun."

"Why are you teaching me this?" Dave asked.

Murphy didn't replied rather continued. "The hotness of the sun simply means you shouldn't be sentimental as a leader. Scold people regardless of who they are." he stopped, sat down under a tree, breathing hastily.

Dave did the same.

"Dave?" Murphy kept staring at the sky.

"Yes, teacher." the boy answered.

"Now I understand who brighter star could be. Teacher Nwachukwu said the brighter star is separated from us" he looked at him. "That is to say that he or she is one of us but will be against us, hence separated from us"

"But who could that be?"

"One of us, and you must defeat him or her because you'll be the leader when the time comes. That's why I teach you what i teach you." he smiled at him.

Just then, gunmen surrounded the entrance of the Jungle with guns to make sure none of the boys came out alive. They could be seen taking cover with a green camouflage like soldiers. Obviously, they were sent and instructed by Obi...