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The effect of not being at work for three weeks was
beginning to tell on Nnamdi's finances, he had lost three contracts and was on the
verge of losing another, his partners were worried and were threatening to end
their business relationship if he did not turn things around, Nnamdi was short
tempered, grumpy and at a loss on what to do .
Unlike his ancestor , Odibo’s family did not have any
secluded store house where the other half could be found , they were clueless
on the next step to take. His sister Mary had advised him to go see her parish
priest with the gold found, she believed that if they prayed and poured holy
water on the discovered golden egg their problems might go away.
Nnamdi was not
in the mood to take chances, it was clear that this egg was stolen and had to
be returned, there was no other way out. Staring at his early family pictures
another emotion began to creep at Nnamdi’s skin, Grief and misery had arrived.
Odibo barged into Nnamdi’s flat two weeks after they had
returned from the village bursting with energy, “Guy because you have a key to
my flat doesn’t mean you can come in here any time” .
Nnamdi had rushed out of
the shower with an iron thinking a thief or intruder had burst into his
flat.
”ND first of all put some clothes on, I don’t want to see your ass first
thing this morning" Odibo Chastised with a grin, " Second thing if I be thief na iron you for use attack
me,,mehnnn anyway I have thought about the way out?”
Covering his privates with
his hands Nnamdi went to put on his boxers whilst Odibo laid down his idea,
“My
company is sending me to port Harcourt to go and do some research on some
minerals discovered near there, I figure I would use that opportunity and get
to my village I have an idea where my namesake would have hid his own egg”
“where??”
“where else the shrine, I asked my aunt if that shrine the dickhead
built for that woman is still there and she said yes, its right there in my
family compound”.
This was the best news Nnamdi had heard so far, “of course the
shrine I am coming with you.”
“no mehn you know you are having money problems
you need to stay here , Irabor is taking advantage of you not being
around to scheme you out of a lot of things, there is even talk of your major
partner being approached by Irabor, you need to stay here and keep your eye on
the ball.”
Odibo was right, that snake Irabor whom he had mentored straight from school a couple of years back had been making many moves
against him, He had abrubtly resigned from his company and was now scheming away his customers one by one. He had already lost two contracts to him and with this rumor
going round he could not lose his major partner, he was grateful he had a
friend like Odibo to keep him in check.
“I don’t know how to ever repay you Odibo, you have been a
great friend.” Nnamdi blurted out , sitting down on his sofa with relief.
“yeah I know " Odibo responded excitedly, "you could give me that fine girl’s nos that
lawyer that looks like an Ethiopian model, mehn that babe is hot .......you guys are
no longer dating right..” shaking his head Nnamdi reached out for his phone
book.
Nnamdi was bored, he wondered why he had allowed his friends
drag him to the club after work, he was tired , worried that he had not heard
from Odibo and grumpy from lack of sleep, his dreams had taken on a more
dramatic turn these days , most times he was scared to sleep at night.
It had
been four days since Odibo traveled to Port Harcourt , and excluding the phone
call he had gotten from him from the Air port his best friend had not called him to give him
an update on his search for the other egg, he was beginning to think he was gradually losing his
mind. Refilling his glass with another shot of vodka he wondered how long he
would stay here before he escaped, just then a a finger tapped him familiarly on the
shoulder.
”ND kai its been a while , I haven’t seen you since..since you know
the funeral” it was Tunde his late brother’s colleague and close friend.
‘Tuneee how now, you know how it is. Work is crazy”
“yeah how are you holding
up, you don’t look too good my friend.”
Nnamdi shrugged, his looks were the
last thing on his mind these days.
“listen something has been bothering me
about your brother’s death” Nnamdi’s ears picked up,
“really what?”
“there was
this girl he had been seeing, he was infatuated with her almost obsessed but I
didn’t see her at the funeral.”
“that’s not surprising maybe she couldn’t stand
it, too painful”
“ no that’s the thing, Chudi met her in school, she was a fresher, a
medical student , extremely beautiful, not a face or body one could ever forget
but she seems to have vanished into thin air, nobody knows where she is.”
Nnamdi’s body tensed up. “This lady did she have long black hair?” Nnamdi queried , remembering the woman he had been seeing in his dreams.
“you know
these women and their fake hair you don’t know which one is real or fake" Tunde shrugged, "
but she
always had beautiful hair, and those eyes....look she was the most beautiful woman I
have ever seen in my life, I am just surprised chudi never mentioned her to
you".
Nnamdi remembered the woman in his dreams and the old man’s words in the
cave
“do you lust for her like your brother and everybody else who died did?’
He immediately thought of Odibo. It was obvious who she was, Death's mistress, he rushed out of the club leaving Tunde confused,He had to find his best friend fast before she
did.
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