Arrested by love

Darkness covered everywhere in the

land of Obioha. Not even a single star

could be seen in the sky talk more of the

moon. The screeching of bats from a

nearby bush could be heard at this very

late hour-12:00am. Daria, the only

daughter of Mr and Mrs Alfred stretched

awake on her bed to the noise coming

from a distant. Due to the darkness of

the room, she located where the electric

switch is and put it on. Light shone all

over the room. One could see a typical

local girl’s room; clothes hung on a rope

while some on hanger. At another

corner was a locker full of books and

papers. Her bed was nothing to write

home about. Obviously, the room

indicated the poor background of her

parents.

Daria quietly moved towards the door,

she wore a gown without a bra. She

plate her hair in a local fashion but that

didn’t remove an atom of her beauty

rather it improved it to molecule added

to the attractive fair body complexion.

She could hear the noise and shout of a

familiar voice then she held her chest.

“Austine?” she soliloquized as she went

back to her bed. Sooner did she hear the

voice again loud and clear, “Please, don’t

kill me!”

“Austine!” Daria stood up with a speed.

She quietly opened the door to avoid

waking her parents up. When she got

outside, she couldn’t believe the

darkness of the atmosphere.

Nevertheless, she hurried up into the

darkness. Dogs barked, crickets chirp,

frogs croaked and most of all, cats

purred but Daria kept going. She

hastened up and began to run because

she couldn’t bear the cry of Austin. As

she ran like a blind woman, she

stumbled and fell seriously. “My God!”

she exclaimed…

**

On the other hand at the very resident of

Austin, he laid flat on the floor wearing

only a boxer and singlet. Before him was

a man on mask and black. On his feet

were Timber-land boots and on his

palms were thick black hand-gloves. He

had a sharp sward which he had used

on Austin already. One could see blood

gushing out from Austin’s arms.

“They call me Red” Ebube, the man on

mask began. “I guess you must have

heard about me coz my fame bread like

a bedshirt. Your stubbornness let you

into this. You should have cooperated

with me peacefully. Now, look at what

you’ve done to yourself” he shuffled the

sward into it’s shelf and turned. He had

a power motorcycle which he climbed

heroically and put the key in the ignition.

The tyres of the motorcycle is as big as

that of vehicles but had wider area.

“Crooom, croom” it set on motion and

blasted out.

**

Daria struggled up without minding the

injuries she sustained, so she began to

run again. As she ran, she heard the

hoot of Owls and croak of toads but

these sounds suddenly overcame by the

sound of Ebube’s power motorcycle.

Hearing that, she hid beside a nearby

bush. She could see the ray of light

coming from the opposite direction. It

drew closer and closer until it passed,

then she began to run again.

At the resident of Austin, as Austin

staggered inside with his hands full of

blood, Daria arrived. “Austin?” she called

in a low voice standing few meters

away.

“Daria, what are you doing here?”

Austin asked holding his arm.

“I heard you shouting that’s why i

came” Daria sighted the blood then

rushed him. “Oh my God! You are

bleeding! What happened?”

“I was attacked but Red”

“Red? Who’s Red?”

“A criminal i guess”

“Thank God he didn’t take your life. Let

me clean you up” Daria sighted a bucket

of water. Austin stared at her as she

came back with the bucket and told him

to sit down but he refused.

“Austin, why? Let me clean you up” Daria

stared into his eyes with a clean cloth in

her hand.

“No, Daria” Austin replied.

“But why?”

“I’m worried why you came all the way

from your house to this place. Have you

thought of what your parents will say if

they get to know you left your house to

my house at this hour of the night?”

“But i came to save a life, especially for

the person i love. I couldn’t bear hearing

your shout then keep quiet. Please, allow

me to clean the blood. You’re bleeding

furiously” Daria concluded then both

stared at each other silently…

**

Mr Alfred, Daria’s father woke up to the

sound of the motorcycle. He stood up

toward the parlour door and found it

open. With the same gesture, he

checked on Daria but couldn’t find her.

“Elizabeth!” he shouted his wife’s name.

“Mama Daria!” he added before the wife

came out adjusting her wrapper.

“My husband, what is it?”

“Where is your daughter?”

“You mean Daria?”

“Do we have another one?”

“Hehy..” the wife entered Daria’s room

but couldn’t find her. “My husband,

where is she?”

“I’m asking you and you are asking me

back. Ihia anyi biara o gwam gwam

gwam?” the husband spoke in igbo

language.

“I don’t know where she is”

“If i don’t kill that girl with my hands,

she won’t disappear by this time of the

night!”

“Heh! Chim oh!” the wife adjusted her

wrapper again. Just then, Daria came

back with blood stain on her gown..

To be continued……………..