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EARLY MORNING
Prince gently parted the curtain, just enough to peek through without drawing attention. Outside looked like a wasteland—hardly anyone dared to walk around casually anymore. Things had gone downhill fast, and the supplies in the house were running dangerously low. It was only a matter of time before they'd need more.
Luckily, the Igbo man across the street remained daring and resilient.
"Ahhhhhhh!" Etiosa's scream pierced the air, adding to the thick tension already choking the room.
Prince jumped back from the curtain, fists clenched at his sides. He turned sharply, his body trembling, red-rimmed eyes locking onto the figure that had just rushed down the stairs.
"Why did you scream?" he asked through clenched teeth, barely holding his anger in check.
"Look!" Etiosa said, oblivious to the storm brewing in him.
He glanced at the phone she held, eyebrows knitting in confusion as he saw Efe's face—along with some girl's—on the most wanted list.
He snatched the phone from her, his hand shaking as he scratched the back of his head. His mind raced.
Five million naira. The reward stared back at him, bold and undeniable.
"What did you do, Efe?" he thought, ignoring the panicked girl beside him.
Just then, Jerry burst out of the kitchen, terror written across his face. He clutched his own phone tightly.
"Prince!" he called, but got no answer. He rushed over, grabbing Prince's shoulders and shaking him.
"Prince!"
On the third call, Prince finally snapped out of it, eyes landing on two anxious faces.
"What?!" he snapped.
"I'm guessing you've seen the trending topic," Jerry said quickly. "At this rate, we can't sit still anymore.".
Looking down at the expectant faces in front of him prince couldn't help but take in a deep breath as he felt an overwhelming burden on himself.
"Okay! But it won't be easy to pass through the authorities. They are going to be everywhere".
"That means we have to keep a low profile!"Jerry affirmed.
Prince nodded indicating his affirmation to this fact.
"That won't still do. Don't forget about the monsters out there? "Etiosa's panicked voice called out.
"They are not that much of a problem. Our main obstacle is the authorities. They are not easy to deal with. The monsters can be tamed, right Jerry?...." Prince asked but noticed Jerry's attention was no longer on their conversation. Jerry seemed lost looking through the curtain as screams and shouts, with gun shots filling the air as the atmosphere seems tense.
"We can't stay anymore! This is no longer a choice ". In panic Etiosa walked over to the window her eyes widen in terror as she gasp and a tear drop fell from her eyes.
Outside, the clear sky's began to darknened as the people from the neighborhood firmly gripped their belongings running with faces distorted in fear. Arm men aimed menacing weapons at the people taking them unexpected.
Bodies fell to the ground and blood flooded the streets. Tears and mourns filled the air. It was a terrible site.
In panic the gang quietly withdrew from the seen.
"What do we do now?" Jerry whispered, his eyes darting from the window to the door from time to time as the gun shots got more louder.
"We need to hide first and make sure they are out of sight before we can make a....".
" Boom! ,boom!" A heavy knock on the door got their attention. The room fell deadly silent all frozen in place afraid to make a move. "Bang! Bang! Bang!" The heavy thuds kept on coming, weakening the doors from it's hinges. " Bang!" The door took a heavy blow as one of the hinges fell to the ground. The clinging sound echoes through the empty room , a sound serving as a reminder that time is running out fast. Etiosa and Jerry both turned to Prince, in expectations. Their eyes moist with tears as the shadow of fear lingered in the atmosphere.
Prince resolute figure stood fixed in place, his determined eyes darted to the almost broken door. At some point it seemed like he was determined and ready to fight whatever comes through the door but his Adam apple wobble in the throat gave away his anxiety.
"Bang!"The last hit echoes, time seems to slow down as the weight of the atmosphere crashed in on them.
The door fell with a thud, followed by the stinging smell of blood mixed with flames. A creepy figure stood by the door wearing the camouflage overalls. His red eyes being the only visible part of his body as his face wrapped tightly in a black mask.
His armed firmly gripped to the trigger of his gun as he pointed it directly to Prince. "Well, well look what we have here". His deep voice,clear and sharp
Uninterrupted through the material wrapped around his face.
"Hmmmm!" He hummed to himself, his eyes closing followed by a deep breath before he pulled the trigger.
" Pow!"The sound of the shot rang in the air. the bullet hit Prince by his side then he fell. At the same time the creepy man coughed violently as he slowly fell to the ground. His red rimmed eyes still fixed on prince till death. Given way to a bold young man standing tall at the distance. His pose unfazed by the atmosphere. His well built arm holding the gun, slowly retract back to his side. His face sealed by a black helmet, then he looked at Prince and the gang.
" It's no longer safe. Leave or you will die". With that he walked back to his motorcycle and climbed it. The sound of his engine roared across the chaos before he drove away towards the sound of gun shots.
Etiosa, with the help of Jerry aid prince and moved him to the van. Prince resolute eyes remained fixed to the lifeless body on the ground or what seemed to be.
After They got Prince in , Jerry headed to the wheels. With the roar of the engine, the car zoomed off out of sight leaving the body behind.
Hiding in the shadows, the creature watched all that happened before taking a form of a lizard and crawling to the body laying on the ground.
"You saw everything!" The bleeding man said without opening his eyes, his voice amids the hoarseness laced with Malice.
The lizard did nothing but nod. Studying the man that lay before.
"What are you waiting for?" He screamed in frustration.
"I want his life ,I want him to suffer I want him to pay for everything!" He said as he stretched out his hands towards the creature and the creature went further and like a melting ice block melted into the man's body. Merging itself with him. The blood stop flowing as the wounds began to rapidly close up.
He stood up holding his side, his gaze firmly fixed on the direction the van went. A foreign energy flowing through his body as a burst of determination surge through him
"Am going to get you Prince you can't hide forever one of us must go."
**************
THE ABANDONED APARTMENT.
Ire sat tied to a wooden chair in the dusty old room. Efe also in the same predicament with only a blinking light bulb hanging above their heads. Sweat bids falling from Ire's head, her tightly wrapped eyes trying to scan her environment as her loud Breathing echoes through the room. Unlike Efe who remained calmed and relaxed. A creaking sound echoes through the empty room followed by sounds of several heavy boots against the floor.
" It seems like we've hit jackpot brothers!" A deep menacing voice filled the air.
" Like Guy! We don blow" . Another voice came in form of a mere whisper.
" If person tell me I go blow like this, I no go believe am". Another voice laced with excitement.
"Well brothers! This is another bigger opportunity. Another bigger game has just opened up, if we are wise we can win but if we are not careful we may get caught up in this dangerous crossfire. So Brothers? What are we saying, Are you ready to play with me?" The first menacing voice spoke again .
" Am in I will follow you to the end". One of the men answered.
"Guy I dey your back ". Another seconded.
" Count me and my boys in". Owiwi seconded
Then the room fell in silence. Only Ire's anxious breathing could be heard.
"Kunle! Don't leave us hanging brother". The dark menacing voice called out.
"Pah!" The sound of the lighter flicking on followed by the dense smell of weed Burning Ire's noise. She couldn't deal with it, the smell filled the air and clogged her lungs. She shook tears streaming down the blind folds as she coughed violently, but Efe still remained calm.
" I hope you guys know what you are doing cause either side are people we shouldn't mess with". His voice calm but still carried power.
"Relax Guy! No spoil our racket with your bad mouth". Owiwi spoke up after kunle.
After that silence as all eyes decended on Efe.
" See as he calm. He no de fear!" One of them made the remark as he walked over to Efe.
" Pahs!" A hot slap landed across his face. As expected Efe didn't flinch..
"Please! ,Please! ,Please! ...Have mercy ....".
"Shut up!" One of the men screamed and Ire's lips sealed up, but Efe still remained calm and unfazed by the slap.
"Hmmm! A true descendant of the tiger". One of the men remarked.
"Yeah! A wanted tiger ". After this remark the whole room bloomed with mocking laughter. Only Ire and Efe remained silent.