<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:14.0pt;line-height:115%;
mso-ansi-language:EN-US">EP 1 - <em>ONE MAN'S MISTAKE, ANOTHER MAN'S LUCK .</em></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:14.0pt;line-height:115%;
mso-ansi-language:EN-US"><br/></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:14.0pt;line-height:115%;
mso-ansi-language:EN-US">On a fateful rise to evening, in a room dimly lit. Dirt
stained yellow walls lined up in a square shape on all sides.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:14.0pt;line-height:115%;
mso-ansi-language:EN-US"><br/></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:14.0pt;line-height:115%;
mso-ansi-language:EN-US">Chrysantus and Nonso, two best friends are pouncing on
a cold garri, embellished with just a small size of <em>kuli kuli</em>, little sugar, seated on their bed now threadbare, sinking at the centre. A half bag
of cold pure water lie against a wall. Their spoons clank against the steel dish, making jarring noises.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:14.0pt;line-height:115%;
mso-ansi-language:EN-US"><br/></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:14.0pt;line-height:115%;
mso-ansi-language:EN-US">“Guy, Garri na life saver o” Chrysantus breaks in,
taking a time out from consistent slurping.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:14.0pt;line-height:115%;
mso-ansi-language:EN-US"><br/></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:14.0pt;line-height:115%;
mso-ansi-language:EN-US">“So na why you land two spoons inside your mouth in
three seconds abi? I never even chop reach 5.” Nonso discloses, almost yelling.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:14.0pt;line-height:115%;
mso-ansi-language:EN-US"><br/></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:14.0pt;line-height:115%;
mso-ansi-language:EN-US">“Na me say make you de drink garri like salad? Where
you think say you de?” Chrysantus split his sides in laughter, lunging his big
spoon for a last swoop into the bowl. He throws into his mouth immediately. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:14.0pt;line-height:115%;
mso-ansi-language:EN-US"><br/></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:14.0pt;line-height:115%;
mso-ansi-language:EN-US">“You be greedy fool, na why you still broke.” Nonso
says, scraping the remnants, hissing. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:14.0pt;line-height:115%;
mso-ansi-language:EN-US"><br/></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:14.0pt;line-height:115%;
mso-ansi-language:EN-US">Chrysantus keeps laughing, stands up and stretches, visibly delighted at teasing him. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:14.0pt;line-height:115%;
mso-ansi-language:EN-US"><br/></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:14.0pt;line-height:115%;
mso-ansi-language:EN-US">“Pot calling kettle black. Dem talk say anybody wey de
scrape plate the way you de do now no fit make am for this life.” Chrysantus
teases, in between laughter.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:14.0pt;line-height:115%;
mso-ansi-language:EN-US"><br/></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:14.0pt;line-height:115%;
mso-ansi-language:EN-US">“God go punish you, you de mad.” Nonso retorts,
finally getting up.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:14.0pt;line-height:115%;
mso-ansi-language:EN-US"><br/></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:14.0pt;line-height:115%;
mso-ansi-language:EN-US">He continues jeering at Nonso, just the same time his
phone buzzes and he opens to see a notification - the shock of his life,
“Jesusssssss!” His mouth rolls in an unblinking ‘O’. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:14.0pt;line-height:115%;
mso-ansi-language:EN-US"><br/></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:14.0pt;line-height:115%;
mso-ansi-language:EN-US">“Wetin be that?” Nonso looks at him. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:14.0pt;line-height:115%;
mso-ansi-language:EN-US"><br/></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:14.0pt;line-height:115%;
mso-ansi-language:EN-US">“Guy, you no go believe wetin I just see. Make person
pour me water.” <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:14.0pt;line-height:115%;
mso-ansi-language:EN-US"><br/></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:14.0pt;line-height:115%;
mso-ansi-language:EN-US">Nonso can’t take in the suspense, he stands to go
check his phone. He sees an alert of 15 million on Chrysantus's phone. “Guy,
what… the… fuck?!” <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:14.0pt;line-height:115%;
mso-ansi-language:EN-US"><br/></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:14.0pt;line-height:115%;
mso-ansi-language:EN-US">Chrysantus begins singing “The Lord has done it
finally, finally, finally. The Lord has done it finally…” <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:14.0pt;line-height:115%;
mso-ansi-language:EN-US"><br/></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:14.0pt;line-height:115%;
mso-ansi-language:EN-US">“Guy, who you kidnap or better still which person
glory you use?” Nonso asks, arms folded, his eyes struggling to be fixed at the
ecstatic dancing Chrysantus. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:14.0pt;line-height:115%;
mso-ansi-language:EN-US"><br/></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:14.0pt;line-height:115%;
mso-ansi-language:EN-US">“Guy, I no sabi wetin you de talk about. Last I checked, nobody I sabi fit dash me that kind money”.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:14.0pt;line-height:115%;
mso-ansi-language:EN-US"><br/></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:14.0pt;line-height:115%;
mso-ansi-language:EN-US">“And you no get job”. Nonso added.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:14.0pt;line-height:115%;
mso-ansi-language:EN-US"><br/></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:14.0pt;line-height:115%;
mso-ansi-language:EN-US">“And God forbid I no fit do ritual.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:14.0pt;line-height:115%;
mso-ansi-language:EN-US"><br/></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:14.0pt;line-height:115%;
mso-ansi-language:EN-US">“So wait… it means, you are a recipient of a wrong
transfer?” Nonso ponders.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:14.0pt;line-height:115%;
mso-ansi-language:EN-US"><br/></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:14.0pt;line-height:115%;
mso-ansi-language:EN-US">“Na the person wahala be that. Because this money is
not returning to anybody.”<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Chrysantus
can’t stop dancing. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:14.0pt;line-height:115%;
mso-ansi-language:EN-US"><br/></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:14.0pt;line-height:115%;
mso-ansi-language:EN-US">“But wait guy, even though this seems surreal and
temptingly exciting, no be your money and you can be traced.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:14.0pt;line-height:115%;
mso-ansi-language:EN-US"><br/></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:14.0pt;line-height:115%;
mso-ansi-language:EN-US">Chrysantus chuckles “Na you sabi that one. I de my de,
alert enter my phone, wetin be my fault? Bro, na God put am.
Shebi you de laugh me when I de pray yesterday and only today, you call me broke.
Now check am now, who broke now?” He laughs aloud, jumping about, taking off his
shirt, <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>running out of dance steps to
express his happiness.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:14.0pt;line-height:115%;
mso-ansi-language:EN-US"><br/></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;line-height:115%">Nonso
doesn’t know when he begins to smile. This could be answered prayers, he thought. “Okay, see wetin we go do. You gats transfer the money out of your bank now
before dem freeze am.”</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;line-height:115%"><br/></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;line-height:115%">“Na now you
de talk. I go transfer am to you.” <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;line-height:115%"><br/></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;line-height:115%">“No. Dem fit
still track am, we go bury the cash. But what if the person call...” <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;line-height:115%"><br/></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;line-height:115%">Just
then<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Chrysantus’s phone trills and he
picks up “Hello, who be this?” <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;line-height:115%"><br/></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;line-height:115%">“Hello, good
evening. Please it seems I mistakenly sent a huge sum of money by mistake to
your account.” The voice admits in low tone, almost begging.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;line-height:115%"><br/></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;line-height:115%">“Ehyaa. You
sef why you go make that kain mistake na? Anyways, how dem de talk am. Wetin go
be your own, go de with you, e no go leave you. Omo, e be like say this one no
be your own o”. Chrysantus and Nonso hoots in laughter. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;line-height:115%"><br/></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;line-height:115%">“See, young
man, I am not joking here. That money isn’t a pure money. If you keep holding
onto that money, I can’t guarantee what might happen to you.” <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;line-height:115%"><br/></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;line-height:115%">Chrysantus
mimics, jeering and vocalising. “Next time you go de careful. See the kind
money wey you wan make I send back to you. Shea I de mad? You no even beg me
say make I consider you, dash you something, you de change am for me.”</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;line-height:115%"><br/></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;line-height:115%">“Don’t say I
never warned you. See you tonight. Make sure you don’t <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>sleep.” The man disconnects.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;line-height:115%"><br/></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;line-height:115%">“See this
one o. I go oversleep sef. Nonso, make we go withdraw like 1 million splurge
first. I wan chop, drink and sleep for like two days.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;line-height:115%"><br/></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;line-height:115%">Nonso is
pensive, his index resting over his lips. “Guy, aren’t you suspicious? I mean,
you said it. This guy didn’t beg or show humility. He threatened you. Guy, what
if this thing na trap?” <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;line-height:115%"><br/></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;line-height:115%">“Why you de
sound like poor man? Poor people like you, una go just de fear anyhow. Bro, we
are now rich, start getting used to it. Comot body, make we go chop life. Ah, I
go show Angela pepper today.” Chrysantus puts his shirt back on, ready to go
out.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><!--StartFragment-->
<!--EndFragment--></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><strong>TBC... (What happens to Chrysantus later at night)</strong></p>
Comments