“Veron!!!!” Tell me it’s not what I am thinking?"

“What are you talking about baby?” I asked, feigning innocence, though I knew it was already too late.

“How did you know about Mr. Agbor. Tell me and don’t lie to me.” She was sweating now.

“Oh!! I think you once spoke about him in passing.” I lied.

“Stop lying, Veron. You have betrayed me. How did he get to know about the money I gave to you, until he is asking you to keep it?” 

I stayed silent. I had been caught off guard. There was nothing I could say.

“Veron!!!” So, you are behind all these. Now, it makes sense. It all makes sense. You are the one who deleted the tapes. You are the one who hacked into my Google drive. You are working for Mr. Agbor, Veron. You have been working for Mr. Agbor. Jesus Christ!! I let a devil into my life.” She was now sitting on the floor.

“I am sorry, babe. It’s not exactly the way you think.” I tried to pacify her.

“Shut up!” She shouted and shot at me with one of my sofa cushions. “You snake, you traitor. Now it makes sense why you insisted to sleep in my house that day. You took me to club, got me drunk, made harsh love to me just to make me tired enough to sleep. Jesus!! It’s all coming back to me now. I have been such a big fool. I got carried away by your sweet words and fake love. Oh my God!! I am doomed.

“I am sorry, baby. Please forgive me.”

“Forgive you? Forgive you?!” She got up from the floor and grabbed me by the neck, tearing my T shirt in the process. “Do you know what you have caused me? Those tapes were my gateway to a bright future. You didn’t just delete Mr.’ Agbor’s tapes. In the process, you deleted other important pictures and videos.”

“Sorry, babe. I am so sorry. Don’t worry, I will give you the four million back. Please, try to calm down.”

“What nonsense four million. You have just cut off my steady source of finance that amounted to many millions yearly, and you are here talking about four million. What is four million compared to what you have made me lose?”

“Alright, I promise to take care of you until you get on your feet. I promise, please trust me.”

“Take care of me? With how much? How much do you have, you fool?”

“I don’t have much, but I am beginning to make money. Leave that blackmailing life of yours and work with me. Remember you told me that you are into showbiz. We could work and make money together. We could live a good life all on our own. Please, babe.” I tried to reason with her. 

“If I had a gun now, Veron, I would have killed you. I would have killed you for spitting that rubbish you just spat. You had all these plans for me, and you began by betraying me? You think I will forgive you so easily? I was there for you when you had nothing. Look at how you chose to pay me back.”

“Listen Faith, blackmailing is very dangerous. Mr. Agbor is a very powerful man. You could have been killed. At least, you should be grateful that I saved your life. What you are doing is illegal. You were committing a crime that could have gotten you killed or better still go to jail. I love you, Faith. I really do. Let’s forget about the past and move on.” I spoke at length. 

“You are stark raving mad. You betrayed me and I don’t ever want to see you again. You see this thing we called a relationship, it’s over now. From now onwards, you are on your own.” She declared.

“What is your problem now, Faith. Don’t forget that you built this relation on lies. When I met you, you lied to me that you weren’t dating anyone at that time. You kept your life with Mr. Agbor completely hidden from me. That was a risky thing to do? I would have gotten killed. Do you know under what circumstances I accepted to do what he asked me to do? If you had been truthful to me, things might just have been different.”

“You are a fool. I owed you no explanation. You were asking money from me to go to South Africa. How did you think I was able to have that kind of money in a few days? Don’t act like I am a devil. I know I am not. Three quarters of all girls out there do some kind of runs. I am not the only one.” She fired back.

“But keeping me in the dark was dangerous. I had been having unprotected sex with you when you were dating another man and having unprotected sex with that man. Look at your life? You were putting my life in great peril. However, I admit I am wrong. Please, let’s talk about this and work things out.”

“I am working nothing out with you. I don’t work things out with traitors. Goodbye, Veron, goodbye. Enjoy your millions while it lasts because you haven’t heard the last of me. I will teach you that we own this town. You have let Mr. Agbor off the hook. You are my next target. Be on your guard, Veron. Be one your guard because I won’t forget you. I won’t forget you, ever.” She said, walked out of my house and slammed the door behind her. 

I sat in my living room looking blankly in front of me, deep in thoughts. I looked at my torn dress and removed it. I decided that I won’t take Faith’s threats with kid gloves. I saw it in her eyes that she was very serious. Women are creatures that could do anything to anyone when they were angry, especially if that anger was mixed with desperation. 

I considered going to the police to lay a complaint about threat of life. However, I decided against it. Faith looked so mild and innocent. The police would have a hard time believing me, especially if they found out that we had been dating. The system had a way of favouring women over men. I decided that I would tell Mr. Agbor and Ashley about the recent developments. I wanted Ashley to make Faith to see some reason in what I had said.

Two days later, I was sitting in my living room at night, watch CNN. Except for the light of the TV, the living room was almost dark. My verandah security light was on, however. I could see whoever was outside, but no one could see me inside. That was why I was able to see two ladies I hadn’t met before standing about twenty meters from my house. They all wore black T shirts and black pair of jeans. They were talking and pointing to my house. I suspected they were the remaining members of Faith’s gang. Of all her female friends, I had met just Ashley. I hadn’t met Sandy and Claire and all the others. 

I was very convinced that they had been sent by Faith to come and survey the grounds before they struck. I was all alone in that town. I had no family and no real friends. I had no one to back me up. I was lost as to what to do. A cold shiver went down my spine as I thought of what they could do to me. I decided that it was time for me to get a gun. I needed to be able to protect myself. 

Late evening the following day, I was coming back from home, driving at top speed. I was coming back from seeing someone who said he could get me a gun. That man had the most extensive underground contacts you could ever imagine. However, he had disappointed me. He told me his last pistol had just been sold and that he was expecting a brand-new delivery next month. That was too late for me. I needed a gun like yesterday. Since it was very urgent and I could be killed before I was able to get my gun, I decided that I would escape to Douala very early the next day. There I would stay until I was able to get protection for myself.

That was not to be because as I drove home, I saw a car parked directly in front of my lane, blocking me. I almost crashed into it because I was driving at a breakneck speed. I screeched to a halt, got off the car, ready to shout at whoever, was foolish enough to park their car like that. As soon as I stepped on the tar, two bulky ladies jumped from the bushes and pointed their AK 47s at me. I raised my hands up as a sign of surrender. I was whisked away in their car and taken to an undisclosed location. My car was abandoned there.

As I was being taken away, I did all I could to engage them in a discussion. But they remained silent. We drove for about an hour until we got to the outskirts of the city. They didn’t stop until we got to Bokova, which was a village on the outskirts of Buea. At the end of the village, they drove into a two-story building. They parked in the garage and pulled me out roughly. I was taken into dark room and thrown on the floor. I stayed there shivering, afraid for my life. I knew they were sent by Faith. Based on our last conversation, I knew there was no way I could get out of there alive. 

The light was suddenly turned on. The introduction of the bright light hurt my eyes and I used my palms to cover my face. When I opened my eyes, I realized that I was in a well-furnished bedroom with a large family size bed. I thought I was alone, and I had already started looking for a means to escape when I heard a voice behind me that I recognized immediately. It was Faith’s.

“Welcome home, Veron. It’s time to pay for your sins.”

“Please, Faith. Let me go. I have money, ten million. I will give it to you.”

“Of course, you will give me the money. But not after I have thought you a lesson.”

“What do you want?” I asked, exasperated. 

“You will find out soon.”

At that moment, the door opened and in came Faith and four other girls among whom I am sure was Sandy and Ashley. Faith ordered them to strip me to my underwear and tie me up. I was laid spread-eagled on the bed with my legs and hands tied to the bed posts. Faith brought a camera out and one by one, the girls started taking off their clothes. They were all naked now and all four of them took turns on me. I was helpless and there was nothing I could do. Faith recorded the whole thing while she laughed. 

“That is the first part of your punishment.” Faith said after they were done ravishing me. “The next part is that you will call Mr. Agbor to come here. Until he shows up these girls will continue having sex with you until you die.”

“But you know Mr. Agbor will be suspicious, and he won’t come. Even if he does come, he will be here with his boys, and you know what that means for you all.” I explained to Faith as the girls put on their clothes.

“That is not my business. If you want to live here alive, it all depends on you. It is on you to make sure he comes here alone. If you don’t you will most certainly die.”

  They all left the room and only Ashley was asked to remain and stand guard. As soon as I heard the sound of their car leaving, I took my chances. Ashley had always loved me. I had seen it in her eyes. She was the one who had even told me about Faith’s affair with Mr. Agbor. So, I decided to appeal to her conscience. 

“Ashley, please, set me free.” I begged.

“Veron, I pity you. I would have loved to help you. But I am afraid for my life. You see those girls, they are dangerous. They are all cult members, me inclusive. We belong to a dangerous cult called Black Maria. If I let you go, they will get my neck.”

“So, you want me to die, I thought you cared about me? Please, Ashley. If you let me go, you and I can move away from this town and start life afresh somewhere. Just the two of us.”

“I love you Veron, but I can’t betray my sisters. It’s against our code. The truth is that, you are going to be killed. After they have gotten Mr. Agbor to come here, he will be kidnapped, and a huge ransom will be paid by his family. After that, both of you will be shot and your bodies thrown into River Afelele. That is your fate Veron. That is the fate Faith has prepared for you. No pun intended.”

“Please, I am begging you, Ashley. If you let me go. We could leave the country you and me. I have my contacts and connections. We could leave within a week. We could get married, have children and live happily ever after.”

Ashley was the oldest among all the girls. She was around thirty-two and was not yet married. So, the mentioning of the word “marriage” struck a chord, and she became interested. 

“Alright, Veron. But in that case, we have to take care of the girls. If we live them alive, they will follow us to the end of the world. I can’t harm my sisters by my own hands. So, you will do it. I will untie you and give you a gun. You have to do the rest by yourself. Please, be effective and efficient. If you don’t both of us are doomed. I have always wanted to leave the cult anyway, but I was afraid for my life.”

Ashley untied me but made me lie on the bed like I was still tied up. She had placed a fully loaded gun under one of the pillows. Around, 3:00 AM, the girls returned, all four of them. They were from club and sounded happy. They also reeked of alcohol. They walked into the room and started taking off their dresses, ready to make love to me all four of them. Ashley stood at the far end of the room, fear in her eyes. Her eyes were begging me to make sure I succeeded. 

As soon as they were all naked, Faith climbed on the bed and was about to get on me when in lightning speed, I freed my hand, pulled the gun from under the pillow and put a bullet in her head. She died instantly. The rest of the girls took about five seconds to register what had just happened. But I had not time. Three times I fanned the hammer and the remaining three of them dropped dead. 

I got up from the bed and looked around the room. All I saw were four naked female corpses and Ashley standing by the wall, relief in her eyes. She ran towards me and gave me a tight hug as she wept and shivered. 

To cut a long story short, Ashley and I now live in Nigeria. We have three children, and I am now a famous Nollywood actor. Ashley is into real estate and we are doing well in life. We had since put our pasts behind us and promised never to have anything to do with the crime world again for as long as we live. 

THE END