THE ROAD AHEAD 13

CHAPTER 13


(Meanwhile, Abike is trying to clear up gradually, not waiting till when the party will be over, since she intends going home as early as possible. She clears some of the leftover and the empty the trash cans, putting them in a polythene bag.

Jide is busy eating after much stress while Abike  washes those household utensils used by the caterer. Seeing Jide is through with the food, she gives him the polythene bag to dispose.

Meanwhile, Andrew is still brooding over Carol. Himself and Ken walk out of the room standing at the entrance of the room...)


ANDREW : (crying)...what am I going to do?
KEN : but...(Confused)..how did you do it, Andrew?
ANDREW : I don't even know...she caused it. She was trying to stab me with her shoe...look at my shoulder...(Showing him his shoulder which was bleeding...)
KEN : you now stabbed her?...(Looking at his shoulder)
ANDREW : seriously, I didn't mean to.
KEN : why did you even bring a knife?
ANDREW : I just wanted to threaten her with the knife that's all.
KEN : now see what you've done...(Hisses)
ANDREW : I don't want to go to jail Ken. what do we do?
KEN : we have to think of something...(Thinking)..her driver will soon come for her and will be looking for her...
ANDREW : we have to do something fast! Every fast....(He cleans his eyes with the back of his hands, trying to think of what to do)...
KEN : I'm sure she's dead already...(Pacing)...think, Ken think....

(As he was pacing, he saw Jide coming out of the house, holding the garbage in his hands, he hides away, moving close to Andrew...)
KEN : ...hey..I think I know what we can do...
ANDREW : what is it?
KEN : we need someone to be held for Carol's death...and we got that person already.
ANDREW : how? Who?...(Looking around)
KEN : look at Jide...he's there...
ANDREW : (he peeps and sees Jide walking towards the back of the compound)...how do we do it?
KEN : we need to get him here somehow...(Thinking)...okay...pretend to be in pains, I'll tell him to come and help you out....just lie down on the floor, writhing in pains....then.....em....let's see..... when he gets here, I'll...(He looks around and sees one of the planks used for the construction of the building on the ground)...I'll hit the back of his neck with this...(Picking up the plank and putting it closer to them)
ANDREW : but he may pass out?
KEN : yes that's what we want. Once he passes out, we'll pull him inside the room, put the knife in his hand and lock the door.
ANDREW : (thinking about the suggestion)...that's a good idea.
KEN : (looks at Jide who's now putting the bag of garbage in the garbage can)...now start before he goes back to the house.
ANDREW : okay...(He does what Ken said, lying on the ground)....arrrggh...arrrgghh...(pretending to be writhing in pains, meanwhile, Ken looks at Jide who is now covering the garbage can and was about to go back into the kitchen...)
KEN : sorry....(Looking at Jide, he shouts)...somebody help!...hey!...Jide please help us! Jide! Jide!
(Amidst the music coming from the house, Jide could hear his name. He turns around to see who is calling out for him. Then he sees Ken pointing at something behind the building. At first he wanted to ignore him and leave, but then, he changes his mind and decides to come and see what he's talking about...)
JIDE : what is it? (Walking towards them)
KEN : its Andrew...he got himself injured somehow...please let's take him inside he may need to go to the hospital...
JIDE : (hearing the word hospital, he hurries up)...what happened?...(He comes towards the entrance of the room and sees Andrew writhing in pain, with his hand on his belle...he sees the blood on his hands...) Oh my God, what happened? What did you do to yourself?...(He bends down towards him)...sorry! Where did you hurt yourself? Is it your tommy?...(holding Andrew)
(Meanwhile, seeing Jide is paying Andrew some attention, Ken quickly gets the plank and hits it on Jide from behind, exactly at the back of his neck)
JIDE : ....arrrgh!...(He collapses on Andrew)
KEN : now, stand up quickly and let's pull him inside...
ANDREW : (pushing Jide's body away, he standing up and cleaning his bloody hand a little on his trouser)...okay!

(They both stand up and pull Jide inside the room, beside Carol's body, ensuring they don't step on Carol's blood...)

KEN : good...now put the knife in his hand quickly before someone meets us here.
ANDREW : okay...(He places the knife on Jide's left hand)...what else?
KEN : nothing...let's go...(Leaving the room)
ANDREW : okay...(Leaving behind Ken, he cleans his hand very well on his trouser and then closes the door)...we can go now...
KEN : wait, you're suppose to lock the door....what if he wakes up and runs away before her body is found?
ANDREW : that's true...(He goes back inside removes the key from behind, then he comes out and locks the door)
KEN : throw the key back in, through the window...
ANDREW : I can't. The window is netted.
KEN : then throw it somewhere there...(pointing at a side of the building)...(Andrew does as he had said)...now go into your room and bathe. No one must see the blood on you.
ANDREW : yes I'll use the back door...
KEN : where's your suit?
ANDREW : I left it on my seat at the party.
KEN : okay, pull your shirt...
ANDREW (surprised).... Why?
KEN : look at blood stain on your shirt...what if someone sees you like this?
ANDREW : that's true... (He obeys)...
KE. Just go inside the house, I'll follow you so I can shield you...
(Fortunately for the both of them, Abike was not in the kitchen when they both entered into the house through the back door. She was busy putting some things in the store. They head for Andrew's room...)
KEN : quickly, go and remove everything and wash it in the bathtub. Then take a bath and don't go out again. Just go to bed immediately...(Walking behind Andrew who's going inside his room)
ANDREW : (surprised)...I should go to bed?...(Removing his shirt)
KEN : yes. If you come out, people will wonder why Carol didn't come back with you...
ANDREW : so then what will happen if they ask of me?...(Pulling his trouser)
KEN : I'll tell them I saw you going inside the house of course. And then when they get here they'll see you've slept off.
ANDREW : wait a minute...how do I wash this? I don't know how to wash...(Holding his Pants)...
KEN : it doesn't matter...just add some detergent inside water and put in the cloth, the blood stain should come out...(Pushing him inside the bathroom)...


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(Its almost 9pm at Mr Jacob's residence, his driver puts a call through to him telling him that his daughter is not picking up her calls...)

JACOBS : what do you mean she's not picking up her calls?
CALLER : yes sir. I've being calling her for over 15 minutes now and she's not picking up.
JACOBS : then go into the house and look for her! Tell her I said she should follow you home right away.
CALLER : yes sir.
JACOBS : (hangs up and turns to his wife)...is this how your daughter has been going for parties, coming back this late?
SANDRA : (turns to look at him)....no! I don't allow her go out anyhow except I know where she's going and she doesn't come back this late.
JACOBS : Sunday just told me she's not picking her calls.
SANDRA : may be they are still in the party. The sound of the music may not allow her hear her phone ringing.
JACOBS : look at the time now...(Looking at the wall clock)..its past nine.
SANDRA : he should have gone inside the house to call her.
JACOBS : I've told him to do that.


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(At the Silva's residence, Sunday goes inside the compound of the house, asking the guests for Carol and they all told him they don't know where she is. He calls Jacobs back to inform him...)

JACOBS : what do you mean they can't find her?
CALLER : yes sir.
JACOBS : did they check inside the house? May be she went to use the bathroom or something.
CALLER : sir, if she had gone to the bathroom, she would have been back by now its twenty-five minute before 10pm.
JACOBS : haha....hold on, I'll call you back...(He hangs up and turns to his wife)...where the hell is your daughter?
SANDRA : what is it again?
JACOBS : Sunday couldn't find her.
SANDRA : (sits up) what does he mean by that?...(Picking up her phone)...
JACOBS : who are you trying to call now?
SANDRA : the Minister's wife....(Dialing her phone)...she'll know where her son and Carol should be...(The phone rang for a long time before it was picked up)....hello!
RECEIVER : hello?
SANDRA : this is Sandra Carol's mother.
RECEIVER : good evening.
SANDRA : good evening, please they can't seem to find my daughter in your house, where could...
RECEIVER : (cuts in)...oh, I'm not home. I'm in Abuja. But I'll call and ask my son to call her for you.
SANDRA : okay...thanks..(She hangs up and looks at her husband)...she said she's not at home. She's in Abuja but...
JACOBS : (cuts in)...what! She's not at home and she allowed a bunch of adolescents to organize a party! And you allowed my daughter go to that kind of party?
SANDRA : haha! How am I supposed to know she won't be there with the kids?
JACOBS : shouldn't you find out or something?
SANDRA : for God's sake listen to yourself! I should start asking, "please minister's wife, will you be at the party"?...what a foolish question to ask.
JACOB : why can't you? They are youths, always adventurous, they can try anything when adults are not around!
SANDRA : oh well, I didn't remember.
JACOB : What a careless thing to do!.... They'll sure mess around! I'm going there to look for my daughter....(Standing up, he picks up his keys, while dialing Sunday's number back....)...Sunday, have you found her?
RECEIVER : no sir.
JACOBS : start searching everywhere in that house right now!
RECEIVER : em...okay (reluctantly)....sir
JACOBS : (walking out of the house)...what nonsense!


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(Meanwhile, Silvia had called the house somehow to speak to Abike since Andrew wasn't picking up his calls. She also calls the security men at the house to look for Carol. The Security head walks to the party scene and asks the DJ to stop playing the music. He picks up the mic to announce the search...)

SEC 1 : please as anyone seen a Carol Archibong?...(Confirming if he was right from the lady standing with Abike. She gives him a nod. The guests started murmuring but he could not understand what they were saying)... please let's all look for her.
(Then someone shouts from within the guests...)
NATE : she went somewhere with Andrew!
SEC 1 : Andrew?
NATE : yes he took her away about an hour ago now...(looking at his wrist watch)... or so...
(Seeing that someone had seen them, Ken who had come back into the party about thirty minutes ago also shouted...)
KEN : but Andrew is in his room sleeping. He had too much to drink so he went to sleep...(Some of the guests look at each other)...you can go and check his room, because I just left him there some minutes ago and I didn't see Carol with him.
SEC 1 : okay...please we have to search for her before the party continues if not, the party is over...(They all murmur again)

(The search started. They search the main building, some others started searching the compound.

While they were searching, Mr Jacobs got there and calls his driver who told him the situation of things.

When Sunday saw Jacobs, he gave him Carol's bag. Jacobs checks his daughter's bag only to find her phone first....)

JACOBS : why the hell didn't she take her phone for crying out loud....(Looking at the phone)...I don't know why its called a mobile phone....(Checking the bag again, he finds the dress)...what's going on, did she bring another dress or what?(Looks at Sunday)
SUNDAY : (looking at the dress)...I guess so, because this one looks like the one she wore when coming here.
JACOBS : Haha, was she coming to cook with them? Why bringing another dress....(Hisses) anyway let's go, she'll explain to me...I just hope she's not at a corner with some boy, because I'll nearly kill her!...(They join in the search.)

(While the Security personnel was doing the announcement, Abike looked around for Jide and couldn't find him. She wonders where he could be.

As they were searching for Carol, she was searching for Jide...)

ABIKE : haha...where could this boy have gone? Is it possible he went home without telling me?....(Thinks for a while)...I can remember he didn't come back after I told him to throw the garbage away and i was thinking he was talking with some of his friends....

(She looks at where the garbage can is from the kitchen back door and sees no one there. She decides to walk towards the place, she looks around and didn't find him so she returns.

Some of the security men decides to check the building at the back to see if Carol is there.

They got to the entrance and saw a little blood stain on the ground. Andrew had stepped on Carol's blood while trying to wake her up and while dragging Jide beside her. They tried opening the door but it was locked.

Gradually some of the guests notice what's going on and walk towards the door. They got a crow bar and open the door with it.

They were amazed at what they saw on the ground.

Carol was lying on the ground with blood all over her on the floor. Her tube gown was pulled down to her stomach, exposing her breasts. Her legs were scattered in such a way that anyone would know that she had been raped.

Jide was lying beside Carol, almost naked body, with a pen knife in his hands still unconscious.

Immediately, one of the security men, checked Carol's pulse and sees she is dead. He looks at the others and shakes his head.

By now Jacobs and Sunday's attention was drawn to the boys quarters and they rush to the place. Jacobs was dumbfounded at the sight he saw that he could not utter a word at first, he just went towards his daughter's body lifting her up and calling out her name.

As he was doing that, the security man checked Jide's pulse and sees he's alive they tried waking him up. One of the security men enter into the bathroom, got water and poured it on his head, he wakes up....

To be continued...