Must Read: To Love And To Leave

Episode 7 years ago

Must Read: To Love And To Leave

Solo: Hahahahahahaha…. Oga police see your faces right now….i get you die…

Cop1: You think this is a joke right? All these is funny to you abi? I will deal with you.
Cop2: Look boy! We want to help you out here, you don’t need to protect whoever asked you to hurt that boy anymore, just give us the name and that’s all. You’ll escape with just a pat on the back.


Solo looks down at his feet. This is a case of priority, he has alot to lose if he mentioned “the name”. He can’t, he just can’t. He looked up at the cops smiled and shook his head, the beating continues.


****************************

I sat on the couch facing the door, with my headphones on and a song playing on the highest volume. This has been my getaway for the past few days, listening to music, every lyrics speaks about what i feel in one way or the other. I had finally got in contact with Michael, he told me everything, reminded me of the wayward brother we always talked about, the one expelled from school two months after he got admitted and in those two months, he had beaten up 3 security men, 2 lecturers and 7 of his course mates. He is a very dangerous guy and the fact that he hasn’t successfully murdered me yet is still a mystery even to me.


I didn’t hear the knock but saw him open the door and got in. Femi had a smile on his while staring at me and i can’t help but to wonder how we went from being enemies to step-brothers in two weeks.


Femi: Mr. Target! How you doing today bro?
Me: Mr. Target?? What’s that?
Femi: You’re a target now. People hire assassin to target you now.
Me: You are not serious. Let me remind you that you are still a suspect
Femi: The police can’t suspect me. We all know if I’m trying to kill you, you’ll be dead already.
Me: Hahaha! Idiot! Have you seen Bidemi around??

Femi:Really? Are you seriously asking me that? How could possibly know that, She’s your girlfriend remember?
Me: uhmmm… i kinda asked that we should stay away from each other for the mean time.
Femi: Wow! You broke up with her! That’s bad of you man!
Me: Stop acting like you’re not happy about it.
Femi: No not really! I decided to let her go when i realised she loves you more. By the way, i have lots of girls queuing to date me right now, we both know I’m more handsome than you are
Me: hahahaha. But I’m taller and darker. You know girls like us tall, dark and good looking.
Femi: What would they need height for? Employ you to pluck fruits from the tree or use ur height to clean cobwebs in the house. Abeg go jare
Me: He pain u say you no tall abi.

Femi: It’s ok jor. So… What’s up how bout we go out and see some of my friends? Cruise around town in my ride?
Me: emmmmm….. Are you not supposed to be home praying to God so you can pass your UTME exam?

Femi: Abegi! If i pass i will get admitted, if i don’t, i will get admitted still. It’s a private university I’m going to, as long as we money to pay, exams don’t matter ! And We both know you’re doing nothing at home here.

Me: Okay then. Let me change my clothes.
I got into the room and saw Wale fuming on the bed, he must have heard all of our conversation and It’s sure to get him pissed, he still dislike Femi alot.


Me: We going out. Would you like to come with us?
Wale: No thanks! I’m fun!


He said that and turned his face around, he obviously doesn’t want to talk anymore. He too wrote his UTME exam last week and i can only pray to God so he pass, the troubles we’ve had over the week didn’t allow him study much.



Bidemi wrote too, i have been tempted to call her and ask out it was but i didn’t. I changed my shirt into a polo top and wore my footies. Went out to meet Femi, who was already in the car waiting.


**************************


Solo sat silently in his cell, he’s so weak right now, he hasn’t been fed or given water to drink. When he asked to be allowed to go to the gent, the police didn’t let him, now his trouser is soaked in his urine. The door flung open, he saw who it was and he raised his eyebrows. How dare the police, why do they have to involve his brother in this. The love he has for his brother can never be quantified, since their parents died Michael became his sole responsibility. No one else mattered, he would kill any soul just so his brother could have a meal to eat. He never involved him in his wayward ways, never let his gang get any close to his brother cause that’s the only thing that remind him of the kind of person he could have been, the kind of life he wished to live. He couldn’t have such a life but he’ll do everything so his brother would.


Michael: What have you done now, Solo? Why did you try to kill my friend twice?


Solo looked up, a little am ashamed, he feels embarrassed Michael is seeing him this way. He hates what was going on but he has no choice.
Solo: I’m sorry brother, i didn’t realise he was your friend.
Michael: If you are sorry, you’ll tell the police what they want to know. You don’t have to go down alone, tell them whoever hired you to hurt Dolapo. Please brother, do this for me..
Solo: I did all this and other things just so i can take care of you, send you to school……
Michael: i am not your responsibility. I’m a man also, I’m supposed to fend for myself, we could have both worked together doing something legitimate but you forbade me from doing anything. I keep asking where you’re making money from but you won’t tell me.
Solo: I’m sorry brother
Michael: If you are truly sorry, you will tell me who hired you, Solomon!
Solo: I’m sorry i can’t! There’re too many things at stake here.
Michael: Okay then. They gave me five minutes, i have to leave now.
Solo: Remember what happened to dad??
Michael: Yes! But what does that have to do with anything.
Solo: It’s happening to me right now. I have Leukemia, cancer of the blood. I’m in the last stage. I have no money for a bone marrow transplant so I’ve been given a year left to live at the maximum. I can’t get out of these, i have nothing to lose.
Micheal: (crying ) why didn’t you tell me anything brother, why?
Solo: i couldn’t have. I can’t tell the police who hired me, your life is at stake, doesn’t matter what i say, I’ll go to jail, my sentence wouldn’t mean anything because I’ll be dead in few months. I can die in peace, knowing you’ll be fine but if i say anything to implicate the one who hired me, I’ll be dead and they’ll kill you too and i don’t want that for you Michael. They are so powerful. You see that second cop over there?


He’s bad, after beating me, he said he had a message for me, reminding to keep my mouth shut.
Michael: Please brother, don’t die!

Solo: everything will be alright! I’ve got you covered, the bank will contact you after I’m gone. I have savings and also an insurance money….I’m prepared for this but you must do one last thing for me Michael.
Michael: I’ll do anything
Solo: Okay! Come and give me a hug.
Michael: (moved closer and hug his brother, solo whispered something in his ear and he nods his head in agreement, understanding everything he has been told) Okay brother! I love you!
Solo: I love you! Go now! Goodbye! See you in the next life.
Michael: (wiping tears off his cheeks as the kept streaming down.) Goodbye!!
Solo: Emmm…by the way, do you still sleep like a dead man??
They both laughed.


Michael left. Solo sat in his cell breathing hard. He decided in his next life, he’ll make better choices, no gang, no guns, no smoking and drinking. He’ll go to school, become a lawyer, have kids with an amazing woman. He smiled.


The door opened and a policeman stepped in, looked around and shut the door behind him.


Nothing was heard outside the door, only a body, heavily falling to the ground with a thud!.