Chapter 3

B enny and Folake could not trace the address Michael gave them. They called him from a phone booth, and he promptly answered. They told him their predicament and where they were. He drove to the place and picked them up. He took them to his apartment and ushered them into his cute sitting room.

"Welcome to my humble abode," he told them, "Do feel at home," he said.

"Thanks," the girls answered in unison and sat down. "Your house is beautiful," Benny

complimented as she stood up to look at the

art work on the wall. "Really? I am happy to hear that. Thanks," Michael replied feeling a little bit pompous.

"You are welcome. Can you get me a glass of water please? I am thirsty?" Benny requested.'

"Me too. The sun is not friendly at all" Folake added.

"Okay dear, I will be right back" Michael said and left and within a short while, he returned with two glasses of water. The girls gratefully drank it and heaved a sigh of relief. Michael gave them his photo album to glance through, and went into his kitchen.

He called Larry again to know what was delaying him and Larry told him that he was on his way. He cut the call and brought out a pack of juice drink from his fridge and poured some quantity into two glass cups. He peeped through the door to check on the girls and saw them still busy looking at the photos in his album. Folake looked at one of the picture and saw Michael's hand again pouring a substance into a glass cup of juice. She nodded her head and smiled.

"So, this is actually true," she said to herself. "Okay let me see how it goes." She excused herself from Benny.

"Where are you going to?" Benny asked her.

"Just wait. I am coming," Folake replied, and went to Michael's kitchen.

Benny wondered where Folake was going

to in that unfamiliar environment.

Michael had already placed the glasses of juice on a tray to serve his august visitors. He brought out something in powdered form and began to pour it into the glass cups. The substance was meant to make the girls to sleep off so that Michael and his friend could use them as they pleased. But unfortunately for him, Folake had seen that before in her now famous dream. So, Folake walked inside the kitchen and caught Michael red-handed pouring the substance into the glass cup. Michael trembled and knocked down the glasses in the process. Folake smiled and shook her head. to sno in betool islomudia

"So, this is why you invited my friend to your house? Anyway, we knew what you had in mind. We just came to warn you against such evil plots against innocent girls because it will certainly ruin you. Even if you had succeeded in applying it, we would have drunk it and nothing would have happened. Nonsense!" she fumed and stormed out of the

kitchen to join her friend. Benny could hear Folake's voice as she tongue-lashed Michael, but she did not understand what was going on. So, when Folake returned, she threw the question at her. "What were you discussing with him?"

Benny asked her with a straight face. "I will explain later," Folake responded.

"What do you mean by that? I brought you here and you are acting as if you have been here before. What are you even up to?" Benny asked suspecting foul play.

"It is not what you are thinking. Just calm down! I will explain everything to you later....." she was still talking when Michael walked up to them and knelt down before them and began to apologize. Benny was as confused as she was surprised. She could not understand the drama that was going on.

"Please, do forgive me. It is the handiwork of the devil," he apologized.

Benny looked at Folake inquiringly, but Folake looked away.

"What is happening here?" Benny asked, but nobody answered her. Instead, Michael continued asking for their forgiveness. Benny stood up and raised her voice.

"Someone should tell me what is going on here for crying out loud!"

Larry dashed in at this point and on seeing his friend on his knee, he turned and ran out of the house faster than a rocket.

Benny became very furious and perplexed. Her eyes blazed with anger, and she angrily stormed out of the house. Michael tried to stop her but she pushed him away and made straight for the road. Folake followed her and they made their way back to school.

Michael felt really bad for what had happened and wondered how Folake got to know about his plans. He sat down and thought deep and long about it.

"How did she know that I wanted to drug them?" he asked himself, "this is unbelievable! She could be a mysterious girl," he concluded firmly.

He stood up and went to clear the mess in the kitchen. He regretted what he and his friend had been doing to innocent unsuspecting girls. He knelt down and asked God to forgive him. He promised God that he would not go back to such evil acts again for as long as he lives.

Benny and Folake did not exchange words on their way back to the. dormitory. It was after their evening prep that Benny called Folake to a quiet place to closely interrogate her on what happened at Michael's house.

"Folake," Benny began. "If not that I love and respect you so much, what happened at Michael's house today would have caused serious problem between the two of us. The most embarrassing thing was that you refused to let me know what was going on and made me look like a fool before you conspirators. What was the meaning of that?" she asked Folake in an angry voice.

"I am really sorry for what happened, but honestly it is not what you think, and it was all to save you what could have amounted to a serious embarrassment and possible scandal," Folake told her friend. a

"What am I to think? And what am I not supposed to think?" Benny shot back unimpressed.

"It is a long story, but I will try to make it short. Michael wanted to drug us and rape us," Folake told her without mincing words. "How do you mean? How did you know

this?" Benny asked incredulously. "I saw it and that was why I went to confront him in the kitchen when he was getting it ready," Folake explained further.

"And who do you expect to believe that cock and bull story? Tell me what happened and stop this incredible yarn," Benny said with unhidden disbelief.

"I knew you would not believe me, but I do not blame you because I would have felt the same way if I were in your shoes," she conceded and Benny became more confused

than ever. and she stared straight into Folake's eyes for a brief moment and the look in Folake's eyes told her that Folake was simply telling her the truth. But she still wondered how Folake found out about Michael's plans. If what you are saying is true, how did you find out?" Benny asked her.

"I said I saw it before we went to his house and that was why I went with you in the first place. That time that I went to meet him in the kitchen was to confront him in the act," she !narrated and Benny stood up alarmed.

"You caught him doing what?" she asked again wide-eyed.

"Why do you think he was kneeling down begging for our forgiveness? I caught him while he was adding the drug in our drinks and I told him we knew his plan," she said and Benny retreated into herself like snail.

She could not comprehend how Folake got to know about Michael's plan and Folake could not explain it very well to her either. So, she decided to find out from Michael what actrally happened.

She later called Michael on the phone and immediately Michael recognized her voice, he began to apologize again.

"So, what Folake said is true?" Benny asked. "Why did you want to drug us?" she asked in an aggrieved voice.

"I am sorry. It's the handiwork of the devil. Please, forgive me," he pleaded with remorse.

"Only God knows how many innocent girls that have fallen victim to your devilish and lascivious act. But how did my friend find out what you wanted to do?" she asked him.

"Honestly, I do not know. I have been thinking of how she got to know about it, but I have not been able to figure it out," he replied and Benny cut the phone immediately.

"I must unravel this mystery," she told herself and went away.