Story: Somewhere On The Island (Episode 7)
Story: Somewhere On The Island (Episode 7)
Title: Somewhere On The Island
Author: Irene C.
Episode 7
SOMEWHERE ON THE ISLAND
EPISODE 7
EPISODE 7
The phone kept ringing and i kept switching it off, thinking it was an alarm just being a nuisance. Funny enough, the ring tone was nothing like my alarm tone. My alarm tone was one ancient East African song; i can't remember the clown that sent it to me. The idea was to hear something irritating to the ears and then get up to stop it from deafening your ears. The perfect alarm tone. It was the seventh time i realized it was actually a call. I finally picked it grudgingly, wondering who it was that wouldn't let me sleep at night. The number was rather not familiar, while the voice was close to anything i ever heard.
"Craig, are you there?"
Her voice sounded so calm like the gentle sound of the wind when it whistles some sweet nonsense into your ears. Aisha
"Hope there's no problem Aisha, I'm surprised you're calling me by this time...."
"Are you offended?"
Would i say yes or no?...was i really offended? Mehn, i was not offended. Just that i wasn't understanding, ahhh.
"Not at all, it's only normal that i should be surprised" She sighed from the other end. I tried not to imagine what she looked like at night; so i imagined her as a beautiful night wolf, her eyes glittering in the darkness of her room. I wasn't sure if that sounded romantic, i was not used to being romantic.
"I just needed someone to talk to...I'm scared."
Ewooo, since when? Do i look like Superman that will take you to the sky or Spiderman that'll take you to the roof top? Sister shed more light.
"Ohhh..." I said, as unromantic as I was. She cut in, seeming to understand my plight.
"I've been hearing gunshots everywhere for about an hour now...I've not been able to sleep since then. I'm so scared, I just need someone to talk to."
I laughed in my mind, not being sure of why I was laughing. Maybe it was the way she sounded like a scared fly.
"You know, gunshots can cause hypertension, some people even die before being hit by a bullet...my dear, be relaxed okay?... you'll be fine."
"Thanks so much Craig..." her voice came up now...I wasn't a failure after all. A strange silence followed afterwards. Was she still there? Have the bullets come rolling in? Of course NO, GOD FORBID! I couldn't imagine her in a pool of blood...her beautiful white face and smooth skin like banana.
"Aisha, are you still there" I wasn't sure of how my voice sounded.
"Yeah...I am, do you think they have ripped my head off? She giggled.
"Ah,the heavens won't watch that happen..."
She kept quiet again... sister how far na? She probably wanted a lullaby or a sweet RnB, maybe 'you are not alone' by Michael Jackson... my dear, we are both alone o. I simply had to break the silence, I was no longer comfortable.
"Alright then, take care of yourself, see you at work later" nothing more, nothing less... we both went back to sleep. If this was a movie, I could almost hear the soundtrack- " This na temptation, and it can lead to confusion..."
* * *
"Mr Craig Okotie"
The voice was unmistakable; our manager's. I couldn't read the expression on his face, he wore an expression as blank as a paper. The manager only called someone's name when there was a serious situation. Could it be that I did something wrong? I tried to remember if there was any customer I had offended....
"Please see me in my office right away" Segun looked in my direction, maybe thinking what I was thinking.
"O boy calm down, na better thing"
'Na better thing' I kept saying in my mind, until I came our of the office. It was indeed a 'better thing' I didn't know how to express my joy, I was dumbfounded. I was among the five people that recently got promoted. Not just that, it also implied that my salary was almost doubled.
"God win, na God win, na God win ooo" I chorused as I gave Segun a handshake. He was also promoted, but was transferred to Ogun state. He would be leaving next month. I was still carried away with the good news, when Aisha came from the blues, giving me a bear hug.
"Congratulations dear, we would have to celebrate this tonight... thank God you're single" she bit her lower lips as she left Segun and I. I could see seduction written all over her; her eyes, her lips, the way she moved...."
Just immediately, I remembered that age long Scripture my Sunday school teacher forced me to learn: "flee every appearance of evil". This evil was beautifully disguised.
"My guy, Aisha no dey see any man again for this bank o...see how I just entered ghost mode now!... you be baaaad guy!" Segun teased excitedly, seemingly enjoying himself.
"Forget that thing, do I look like I'm interested?" I replied dryly.
"My friend, e no dey show for face, e be like HIV"
"You are nuts Segun!"
"And you are onions" we laughed hysterically as we went back to work. Today was a lazy day, customers were somewhere chilling I guess. I decided to call Onome finally this evening after the day i miraculously got her number. Wait sef, what would I call this one? Love at first sight? Love at second sight or divine love? I can imagine Ramsey Noah and Genevieve acting the play right in front of me!...no be small thing.
So, I dialled the number... it rang.
"Craig, are you there?"
Her voice sounded so calm like the gentle sound of the wind when it whistles some sweet nonsense into your ears. Aisha
"Hope there's no problem Aisha, I'm surprised you're calling me by this time...."
"Are you offended?"
Would i say yes or no?...was i really offended? Mehn, i was not offended. Just that i wasn't understanding, ahhh.
"Not at all, it's only normal that i should be surprised" She sighed from the other end. I tried not to imagine what she looked like at night; so i imagined her as a beautiful night wolf, her eyes glittering in the darkness of her room. I wasn't sure if that sounded romantic, i was not used to being romantic.
"I just needed someone to talk to...I'm scared."
Ewooo, since when? Do i look like Superman that will take you to the sky or Spiderman that'll take you to the roof top? Sister shed more light.
"Ohhh..." I said, as unromantic as I was. She cut in, seeming to understand my plight.
"I've been hearing gunshots everywhere for about an hour now...I've not been able to sleep since then. I'm so scared, I just need someone to talk to."
I laughed in my mind, not being sure of why I was laughing. Maybe it was the way she sounded like a scared fly.
"You know, gunshots can cause hypertension, some people even die before being hit by a bullet...my dear, be relaxed okay?... you'll be fine."
"Thanks so much Craig..." her voice came up now...I wasn't a failure after all. A strange silence followed afterwards. Was she still there? Have the bullets come rolling in? Of course NO, GOD FORBID! I couldn't imagine her in a pool of blood...her beautiful white face and smooth skin like banana.
"Aisha, are you still there" I wasn't sure of how my voice sounded.
"Yeah...I am, do you think they have ripped my head off? She giggled.
"Ah,the heavens won't watch that happen..."
She kept quiet again... sister how far na? She probably wanted a lullaby or a sweet RnB, maybe 'you are not alone' by Michael Jackson... my dear, we are both alone o. I simply had to break the silence, I was no longer comfortable.
"Alright then, take care of yourself, see you at work later" nothing more, nothing less... we both went back to sleep. If this was a movie, I could almost hear the soundtrack- " This na temptation, and it can lead to confusion..."
* * *
"Mr Craig Okotie"
The voice was unmistakable; our manager's. I couldn't read the expression on his face, he wore an expression as blank as a paper. The manager only called someone's name when there was a serious situation. Could it be that I did something wrong? I tried to remember if there was any customer I had offended....
"Please see me in my office right away" Segun looked in my direction, maybe thinking what I was thinking.
"O boy calm down, na better thing"
'Na better thing' I kept saying in my mind, until I came our of the office. It was indeed a 'better thing' I didn't know how to express my joy, I was dumbfounded. I was among the five people that recently got promoted. Not just that, it also implied that my salary was almost doubled.
"God win, na God win, na God win ooo" I chorused as I gave Segun a handshake. He was also promoted, but was transferred to Ogun state. He would be leaving next month. I was still carried away with the good news, when Aisha came from the blues, giving me a bear hug.
"Congratulations dear, we would have to celebrate this tonight... thank God you're single" she bit her lower lips as she left Segun and I. I could see seduction written all over her; her eyes, her lips, the way she moved...."
Just immediately, I remembered that age long Scripture my Sunday school teacher forced me to learn: "flee every appearance of evil". This evil was beautifully disguised.
"My guy, Aisha no dey see any man again for this bank o...see how I just entered ghost mode now!... you be baaaad guy!" Segun teased excitedly, seemingly enjoying himself.
"Forget that thing, do I look like I'm interested?" I replied dryly.
"My friend, e no dey show for face, e be like HIV"
"You are nuts Segun!"
"And you are onions" we laughed hysterically as we went back to work. Today was a lazy day, customers were somewhere chilling I guess. I decided to call Onome finally this evening after the day i miraculously got her number. Wait sef, what would I call this one? Love at first sight? Love at second sight or divine love? I can imagine Ramsey Noah and Genevieve acting the play right in front of me!...no be small thing.
So, I dialled the number... it rang.
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