The Rejected Stone - S01 E10

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4 months ago

The Rejected Stone - S01 E10

Read Story: SEASON 1 EPISODE 10

The Rejected Stone, Episode Ten

"This is the thickest forest I have ever seen. You

mean my dear husband has been here for many

days without food? Oh my God, my heart is

pained over what my husband and his mother

must have gone through in this evil forest.

Thank you so much Egu for helping me. I will

never forget this favour. But please, can we

hurry up? I can't wait to see my husband. I have

missed him so much." Titi said as she and Egu

navigated the narrow bush path that led to the

kidnappers' hideout. She reached for her

handbag and produced dark spectacles which

she quickly wore on her eyes to protect them

from flies and dangling grasses that serenaded

the narrow road. Although she had the words of

Egu who promised her no one would harm her,

she was still afraid of what would happen when

they get there.

"I know your heart is beating fast out of fear, but don't be afraid. The place is our zone and no one would harm you so far as I'm with you." Egu said to Titi as they turned left. They just entered the last lap of the journey and the hideout was within eyesight. When they got very close to the hideout, Titi could dimly see her husband, Madu. He looked highly emaciated like a starving lion. Her heart was shattered in tiny pieces like a mirror hit on a stone.

"Hold it there. Where do you think you are going?" Betty asked after suddenly appearing before Tit and Egu. She jumped out of the bush with a gun in her hand. Titi and Egu were not expecting this development because already, the kidnappers had been settled the previous day.

"You are surprised right? Of course, you should be surprised. You probably don't know who you are dealing with. You are dealing with me, Betty and I have my eyes in many places. You honestly thought you would come into my hideout and I would not find out? One of the boys betrayed your plans last night. He told me everything you did. And now, I have the two of you in my hands. Titi my co-wife, you made a terrible mistake by leaving the city and coming to the village to look for your husband. This is exactly what I wanted. I set a trap for you and you stupidly fell into it. Now, I have you, your mother-in-law and your husband in my nest. I will now keep you here and starve you to death. Mission accomplished." Betty said.

"You will do no such thing." Titi said courageously. She moved closer to Betty despite the fact that she was pointing a gun at her.

"I don't want to kill you now. I want you and your husband to die beside each other." Betty said.

"I'm not dying and will leave this forest with my husband alive. I promise you by the time we are done, you will be the dead one. Don't dare me because I'm capable of killing you." Titi responded. She was not giving up or letting Betty threaten her and get away with it. She was scared of the gun but she knew she had to fight if she was going to successfully rescue her family from Betty's grip.

"As Betty was approaching them with the gun, Titi and Egu kept moving backwards with their two hands in the air. When they got to the hideout's entrance, Betty ordered them to stop and they did. One of the kidnappers who served as the informant to Betty and betrayed Egu was called out and told to bring out Madu and his mother. When Titi saw the two of them fully, she broke down in tears.

"Oh my goodness. My darling! Look at my husband! Look at my mother-in-law. They both look very terrible. You are a monster! What did you do to them?" Titi said as she rushed to hold Madu who could barely stand on his own without support. Since they were brought to the kidnappers' den, they have not been given food. Even the water that touched their throats was given to them by some of the sympathetic ones among the kidnappers.

"You have not seen anything yet. I'm going to kill the three of you. Yes! That is my ultimate plan because I know the three of you planned together and agreed to humiliate me before the whole village, but now, I'm having the last laugh." Betty said. She was the only one with a gun, so she could afford to order them around. Madu and his mother could barely talk and they just looked on absentmindedly as if they were watching a boring movie. Betty ordered Titi and Egu to move closer to where Madu and his mother were 'dropped' like pieces of rag. He told the four of them to hold hands and say their last prayers.

She was getting ready to shoot when the remaining kidnappers jumped out of the bush and released several gunshots. One of the bullets hit Betty and she died instantly.

It happened that Egu had expected that at least, one of them could betray his plans, so he split the group into two. The group loyal to him arrived just in time to save him and Titi from the hands of Betty. It was a timely intervention.

"Thanks to God we are all safe." Egu said when he stood up and saw that Betty had been disarmed after she died.

"I have you to thank for helping me rescue my family. I don't how much to thank you." Titi said to Egu. The rest of the kidnappers helped her to take her husband back to the village. When they arrived, she lied to everyone that her husband was found by a search party.

That very day, she drove her husband and mother-in-law to the city where the received treatment in the hospital.

"I must have to apologize to you. It was very wrong for me to have brought another woman into your house. I'm not God that gives children. I'm really sorry. The mistake I made nearly cost me my life and that of my son." Titi's mother-in- law said after she recovered and started to talk.

"I'm also sorry my dear wife. I have treated you wrongly because of my desperation to have children. Like my mother said, it is God that gives children. I promise never to put you under pressure again. I know one day, God will bless us with children." Madu said. He too had recovered and returned to the house.

"Well, speaking of babies, I'm glad to announce that I'm pregnant." Titi said. Both Madu and his mother were amazed and they opened their mouths in surprise.

"Yes, it's true. I'm pregnant. I realized it when we returned from the village. I have not seen my monthly visitor. I tested myself this evening and I can confirm there is a baby in my womb." Titi said with a joyous smile. It was the first time she was ever missing her monthly visitor.

"So, you have become the rejected stone that is now the cornerstone of the building?" Titi's mother-in-law asked.

"Yes mama! God has answered my prayers." Titi said as the three of them hugged in celebration.