That night seemed longer than all other nights, and Raimi could not fathom what had happened to her. Although, she knew her husband's fidelity could be questioned, and she knew he goes to the bar with his friends to have some bottles of beer after work. But, what she didn't know was that her husband could raise his hand to beat her. As she tried to sleep, she could hear her husband snoring heavily already. He had slept off not long after apologizing to her. Raimi could not help but look back at when she was courting Akin. Although, Akin was not drinking then, but he had always believed that there was nothing wrong with drinking, and regarding his infidelity, even in a-year-old marriage, Raimi knew for sure that it would come to that. But, she just simply didn't want to loose him. "Men are not out there any more." Her mother would always remind her. "But, does that mean I should settle down for someone with questionable attitudes? " She had asked her mother during one of their discussions. "Do you love him?" Her mother replied her. "I love him. But mummy... " She tried to explain. "Raimi !" Her mother called her, moving close to her. "You are even lucky to know the man you want to marry." She said, convincingly. "When I married your father, I didn't even know him. My parents only took me to his house, and that was it." She said. Trying to make Raimi feel lucky. Although Raimi was not fully convinced about what her mother said, but, she agreed with her line of thought all the same. As if Akin knew Raimi's mind, it was the following week he proposed to her, and she answered him in the affirmative. Before sleep eventually visited her, her mind went to the day one of her friends came to report Akin to her. "Tell your husband to stop disturbing my life." Oluchi, her friend, had told her during one of their conversations. Raimi was shocked that very day, the third day after their marriage clocked 5 months. "He has been sending me series of nasty messages, and I would have embarrassed him if not for your sake." She added. As a Yoruba adage says, "How does one console a person who a madman killed his mother." In the same vein, Raimi didn't know what to say. She was totally lost. Her mind dangled between shock and dis-believe. She knew her husband could flirt, but for him to ask her own friend out, she didn't know what to say about that. Politely, she asked Akin later that night, but Akin skillfully invented a lie which knocked Raimi off her feet.
Later in her sleep, she saw herself walking along the road with her husband when all of a sudden, her friend, Oluchi ran towards them. She was holding a kitchen knife as she moved towards Akin to stab him. Raimi was able to hold her hand before she could stab Akin. "Oluchi ! What are you trying to do? " Raimi asked, standing between Akin and Oluchi. Akin was quiet, and did not say a single word. He carefully hid behind Raimi just like a child would hide behind his mother. "Oluchi, why did you want to kill my husband." She asked again. This time, Oluchi replied her. "This is not a man. He is an animal, and he deserves to die." Raimi looked suprised. "Animal? Deserves to die? " She asked rhetorically. Oluchi did not say much after then. She was only saying "Yes" to every question Raimi asked. "Oluchi, I don't know what Akin might have done, but please, forgive him for my sake. " Raimi said, as she went on her kneels to beg Oluchi. As if Oluchi was waiting for Raimi to leave her way, she moved towards Akin, who had already started running. Oluchi followed Akin closely with the knife. Raimi got up from her kneels, and tried to run after them. But, she realized that her legs were not moving. She couldn't leave where she was. She shouted and shouted. But, before her very eyes, Oluchi caught up with Akin, and she stabbed him to death. Silence engulfed the whole place, as Raimi could not believe her eyes. Tears rushed down her eyes like that of a little child, and she struggled to move from her spot but she still could not. Something seemed to hold her down. From a distance, she could see Oluchi walking away like a fulfilled soldier, while Akin was on the floor soaked in his own blood. She struggled and struggled to move towards Akin, but with no effort. It was in the middle of the struggle that she woke up. When she woke up, she was so scared. Sweat was all over her, and she discovered tears on her cheek. She tried to turn to see if her dream was not real. Then, she discovered Akin had pinned her down on the bed with his big and hefty legs. She pushed his legs away as he gave a disapproving groan before resuming to his snoring sound. The groan was enough for Raimi to know it was all a dream.
© 2015. Austus Ofmat Nwanne
Many people believe that dreams are not just mere images that arise as a result of one's thought. They believe dreams are warnings and signs of things to come which one should not take lightly. What then do we say? Do we say Raimi's dream is as a result of her thoughts or as an evidence of things to come? Well, the answer would definately be found in the next episode. So, join me tomorrow as we continue the story titled HIGHWAY TO HELL.
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AUSTUS OFMAT NWANNE (Mr. Tackle)
Inspirational Speaker and Business Consultant,
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