I've Thought A Stranger To Be Nice

Perhaps my father was right when he said stay away from strangers and not to accept gifts from them. Perhaps my mother was right when she said to be careful of friends, because from the last I could remember, I exchanged numbers with a stranger last year and got myself a viper for a best friend. And now, I’ve thought a stranger to be nice, accepted his gift, and left with no choice but to be what he wants me to be.

I stared blankly into the screen of the Samsung galaxy S10 he bought me. It looked pretty, as beautiful as it looks, so is the ugliness of my situation. I was alone in the apartment, locked in from outside. Michael has gone out to work. Apparently, when he is out for business, he makes use of the car he had driven on the day we first met. And when he is not all work, he gets to drive his flashy car. And honestly, I doubt this apartment is where Michael actually lives. Everything seem new, like the wallpaper, the light, even the paint looked new. It seemed he used those three days I never heard from him to get this place and do whatever it is he has done.

“What if you run? Kill him when next he comes and run away,” a voice in my head said. I shook the thought away knowing fully well that murder was not an option for me, even if I should carry a weapon with me, I would not be able to execute such a plan.

“Just be his woman then. After all, the guy is rich, you would not have to work all your life. Get pregnant and live like a queen in her castle,” another voice said. I was used to it already, used to having several different thoughts on a particular issue, but I was also used to knowing what I wanted, or did not want to do. No matter how confused on what to do I would be, I would never be confused on what not to do. So I shook my head once again pushing all the thoughts aside. Michael had left me here for the past two days. And in these two days, I have not seen the sun from outside. No, I have been indoors, the door locked from outside by Michael. And even though everything I needed to keep me from going outside was in the apartment, I still needed fresh air. I needed to breathe so I could think properly. So I was bracing myself up for when he comes. He already texted that he would be coming.

For someone who already retrieved her lines and has also restored all documents and contacts through my Google backup, I should be able to call for help, right? But how could I? Shame would not let me, neither will the fear of what could happen if I try to involve anyone into this issue. Perhaps it would not have been difficult for me to call for help if I had not signed that paper. That’s where the thought came in from, having his child and living like a queen. But that’s not how it was written in the paper. No, it was a contract that says I had to stay with him until I bear him a child, specifically male. He would pay me at the end of the day, but if I chose after everything to stay, thereby extending the contract, I would have to stay by his side with no will of my own, that is till death. Only death can set me free. Well, it did not state anything relating to marriage. Perhaps he was just looking for a child, probably one of those who do not believe in marriage or something.

But I thought things like these only happens in movies or novels? No! I’m now a victim and my life a movie that will never get to be seen. I wish I could scream away the present and find myself in the future where I’m free, or perhaps the past before I met Gina, or even while I was still with Gina. To be honest, even though Gina was not much of a good influence, she was not all that bad. Nobody is!

I heard the door opening and immediately ran into the bathroom and locked myself in. It sounds funny, right? But that was what I did, my actions surprising me as well. Perhaps, I did not want to see him. He took advantage of the fact that I told him so much about myself and why I had come to Lagos, telling him I had no close friend or family was enough reason for him to believe he could go ahead and hatch his plans because there’s no one to stop him or fight him for it.

“Laye?” he called, exactly what Gina used to call me. Laye for short, way shorter than Layefa for Tamaralayefa. I hated it, that he calls me the same as someone who betrayed my trust. Well, I guess all betrayers has a way of giving you enticing names, or calling you in an enticing way.

I did not answer to his call. I kept quiet in the bathroom. Michael soon starts to hit the door to the bathroom asking for me to come out. But I did not answer him.

“I brought you something,” he said. But that was not going to faze me. I was not going out no matter what.

“You don’t want to know what I would do to you if I end up opening this door myself!” he said. I was scared, perhaps scared because I didn’t know what someone who deceived me could do to me. But I doubt I would be dying anytime soon.

“It’s not what you think… I…I..” I began to stammer not knowing what to say.

“You what?” he asked.

“I…” I bit my lips not knowing what to say yet. I felt frustration cloud my mind.

“I need to take a shit!” I said to him. From the way he laughed, I knew he did not believe me.

“Open the door!” his husky voice sounded so authoritative, and somewhat hypnotising. I was forced to open the door, he stood there giving me an angry gaze, no? He’s eyes looked angry, but his face wore a smirk and I could not tell which is which.

“Undress!” he said.