Withered Flower - Episode 5

Deep in the bush in Agu Clan, four figures sat around a fire that looked like it had a mirror in its middle. Two of them had horns protruding from their chin, the third (a woman), had lumps all over her face, while the last figure looked like an innocent child.

Nobody knew how long they have been around for and where they came from but legend referred to them as the “First of Agu Clan”. However, some people said they were myths and non-existent. Their job was basically to ensure that traditions were preserved and curses, blessings etc. were preserved unless there was an intervention.

The fire changed colour and they all jerked like someone who had been rudely awoken from a deep slumber. The woman screeched and they all made a hissing sound. Then the child spoke up in a snake-like voice;

“ssssecerrrss”

They all hissed again and started making scratching sound at the fire.

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In Agu Clan, a woman sitting by the fire and cooking, screams, falls to the ground and starts convulsing. Her husband stood up from where he was sitting and ran to her side, whilst calling out for help.

He got to his wife and held her up, asking what was wrong. People had started gathering, someone had already been sent to call the Native doctor, Dibia Aguocha. The men carry her to the bench and they start fanning her.

Dibia Aguocha takes his time going to the house. He knew that was going to happen, he had warned them but nobody headed to his command. There was nothing he could do. By the time he got there, he saw people gathering in small groups. The woman had died, they only got married yesterday.

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“Emem, I can’t date him”

“Why? He is single with no baggage, handsome…scratch that, very handsome and stinking rich. What more could a girl ask for?”

Why? Oh I’m sleeping with his father and I’m pretty sure that is incest…was it? Iyeke thought to herself.

“I don’t know, I just feel it wont work. We are from two different worlds, not to talk of the disparity in class. He is high class and I am bottom of the pot class, not even low class”

Emem laughed.

Iyeke recognised Kene they moment they shook hands. He was Kenechukwu “the Play boy” Mezu. He was every girl’s dream, every guy wanted to be him and here he was shaking hands with her. If she wasn’t mistaken, she had seen a glint in his eyes, indicating that he liked her.

No no, she thought. Another circumstance and she will be all over him but not when she was with his father.

“Iyeke, I thought you were looking to settle down. Why is class an issue now? If I can remember, you once dated Mohammed Dan-Musa and his father was the president at the time. You also dated the son of the Speaker of the House of Representative and you had no issues doing that” Emem replied.

“I wasn’t looking to settle down at the time, so class didn’t really matter”.

“Iyekoetin, I have known you from when we were little. You practically grew up as my younger sister, so I know everything about you. What is the issue? I promise not to judge you” Emem said.

Iyeke wondered whether she should tell Emem her “dirty little secret”.

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Kene stood, naked in front of his mirror. As he stared at his perfect form, he couldn’t help but wonder why Iyeke had said no to his request for a date. It came as a shock to him, seeing that women always fell over themselves to be seen with him and be called “Kene’s Woman”.

I gotta have this girl, he thought. Her refusal made her even more irresistible. There was something about this girl and he was not going to give up. The problem now was that he has never had to work hard for a girl and he didn’t know how to begin. He picked up his phone dialled Nkem.

“Guy, you have to tell Emem to work on that babe oh” he said as soon as Nkem’s voice came on the other end of the call. “The babe said no to me, Kenechukwu Michael Mezu. In fact I was so stunned, I started stammering. Please ask Emem to speak to her. I have a feeling I have met the one” He said.

“Where have I heard that song? Is that not the song Flavour sang with that girl that sings through her nose?” Nkem retorted.

They both laughed.

“Bro’ I’m serious about that babe so get to work”.

As soon he dropped the call with Nkem, he thought about calling Iyeke (He was lucky to get her number the day they met) but decided against it. He will wait for Emem to work her magic.

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Iyeke was watching TV but her mind was not on the programme showing. She liked Kene and she really wanted to explore that relationship. He was very cute and had that kind of body that showed that he spent hours at the gym…so different from his father’s, which had “lumps everywhere”. She shuddered at the thought.

She was in a dilemma and wished Emem had never introduced her to Kene. As she sat on her couch, all she thought about was Kene’s body and how he will be in bed. She had just started day dreaming about what it would feel like being with Kene when the phone rang and she jerked and stood up.

“I’m home” she replied to the person on the other end of the phone. “Oh, I didn’t hear the knock. I am coming”. She dropped the phone and headed to the door to let her caller in. She took one look at her reflection in the mirror as she walked across the hallway. The guilt will have to wait, she was horny and there was a man at her door.

“Why did you take you so long? I sent the secret code at about 3pm and the time now is….” She looked at her wrist watch “6pm”.

“Sorry my dear, I had to take Emem to the Market. You know her car is still at the Mechanic’s” Nkem replied as he pulled Iyeke close to plant a kiss on her lips.