Elvis

Episode 25

02:00 AM

The ride to ‘work’ was a disparaging one, he almost ran into a truck, he knocked over dustbins lying on the sidewalks in a bid to avoid onrushing cars after turning to the wrong side of the lane, he disobeyed all traffic laws and ran all red lights leaving colliding cars and strings of accidents in his wake. Curses and abuses- a normal vocal interacting medium in Lagos- flew after him after been thrown by incredulous and angry drivers and pedestrians.
He kept on rummaging about how dumb and blind he had been, his stomach churning in fury impregnated with anger. He slammed on the brake as he turned into the compound housing ‘work’. He slammed his door in anger as he walked furiously towards the lounge and towards the elevator. He tapped his foot in anger as he waited endlessly for the elevator to ding and stop at the 19th floor. It did and he stormed furiously towards his office.
Ellie’s not at her table, he walked into his office and saw her coming from his restroom, he slammed the door shut before rushing towards her, he gripped the neck of her flowing gown and dragged her to his table throwing away everything on it, he raised his fisted right hand to strike her face, but his hands stopped in its tracks when he saw the pair of swollen blood-shot eyes looking meekly at him.
He couldn’t do it. All his anger dissappeared, her eyes are well swollen, she must have been crying for long, the swollen eyes reached into the recesses of his inner self, he saw love and pleading behind the pair of bulging eyes. He felt himself going numb and falling back. He hit the floor weakly with his butt0ckz and felt himself crying. He now knows how much he loved her.
“I’m sorry” he heard, he raised his head to discover that Ellie had raised herself off the table, she’s now sitting at the foot of the table, he gown dishevelled but she heed not to that. her make-up is ruined, he cheeks paler and she looks forlorn.
“I learnt about it yesterday’ She managed to say.
“What?, learn about what?, you’ve been leaking everything about us, did you do all those yesterday?” Elvis asked getting worked up.

She was silent.

Elvis walked up furiously, and went to her bag, rummaging all through it, spilling and knocking out some items, he found her phone and marched towards her angrily. He had selected the picture and showed her.

“Who is this?” Elvis asked.

No answer.

“I said who is this?, did you just meet him?” Elvis asked again getting angrier.
Yet no answer.

“I said who is this?” he said shaking her furiously
“He was my fiance.” she replied shaken.
“was……your…..fiance?, so you met all those YESTERDAY?, he’s a key member of MSN’s gang” Elvis said screaming.

Knocks could be heard from the door, with Timi requesting what’s going on. Elvis entreated him to leave, saying all is fine.

Ellie was all the while silent, sU-Cking underneath the furious Elvis. She kept on sulking, which wetted the remorse appetite of Elvis. He felt hurt but still reeling in anger.
“After my graduation from Hallmark, my parents died in a ghastly motor accident with my siblings, I was the only one left, jobless and felt abandoned. I was a stranger even to my extended families and relatives, no friends, I was alone in the world. I was so sad so much that I was closing in on committing suicide, then I met Andrew.” Ellie started.
“Andrew gave me everything most importantly happiness, he made my happiness his sole responsibility, gave me a reason to live. He was handsome and I was attracted to him, but wasn’t in love with him. I felt indebted to him and felt the least I could do is give in to his proposal for all he has done for me, and we started dating before he got me this job” she poured out
“How he did it, I don’t know but he said he wants me to put my brain into work after a long time of none, I oblidge and was glad I could do something myself and not burden him too much, more glad because I could go a long way in fighting the insecurity of this nation. It changed when I met you, a hero from my past, you captured my heart but I can’t hurt Andrew, so I decided to bottle up my feelings.”
“It all started when I got a call from someone telling me they need me to do something for them, that is to release information about the ICO to them, I declined but they sent me a video of Andrew tied to a chair with scars all over him, he had been beaten to stupor and they are threatening to kill him if I decline their request, I owe him my life, now is my turn to save his. I complied and give out the information in exchange for Andrew, but they never released him.”
“I was crying over the issue when you saw me crying on my desk that day, I saw the hurt in your eyes, too timid to be betrayed especially by someone you love, I’ve been wanting to tell you but you always turn me down, or wasn’t available, I did it all to save my own good Samaritan”
“I learnt I was been used yesterday and also learnt of their impending attack on your house, that’s why I tried to warn you, but you have gone.” Ellie said.

Elvis was dumbfounded when he learnt all that, he couldn’t say anything, its true he had been turning her down, also he had been coming to the office less often, due to him not wanting to see her and also to him been busy.
The shrill from the phone with him broke the silence, Ellie’s phone. The caller is Andrew. He handed it to Ellie to pick it, she did grudgingly and put it on speakers.
“Hello” Ellie said into the phone.
“Why did he give you the phone?, give it to him” Andrew said curtly. Ellie handed it to Elvis.
“If you dare talk to her like that again, I’ll kill…….” Elvis ranted but was cut short.
“Shhhssss……she’s mine remember, but seems I’ve lost her, but I guess you have other things to worry about” Andrew replied coolly.
“What will I worry about from a stload like you” Elvis replied shaking furiously. “Someone wants to speak with you” Andrew replied. “Elvis….please…..who are these people……..came to your house and met……..pls dnt let them take me…” Jane’s voice rang out from the other end. His head went numb again. “Jane….Jane..Don’t you dare hurt her……I’ll kill you b—–d……sone of a b*h……” Elvis screamed into the phone after Jane’s voice ended.
“Shsssh….you like shouting, bad for your health, if you want her, meet us under the Erinpa bridge by 10:00pm today, come alone and no foul play…..if you do, she’s a goner.” Andrew replied sternly…”Say hi to my sweetheart for me” He added sacarstically before dropping the call.
“Wait….wait….don’t hurt her please…. hello…. please……” Elvis pleaded into the dead connection.