An Awful Past _ _ ♯shortstory

Alade took his eyes off the journal just as two fierce-looking men barged into his room. He squirmed in his seat under their piercing gazes. He didn’t need a soothsayer to tell him something was wrong. He opened his mouth to speak, but his lips only quivered.

One of the men yanked him to his feet. The journal slipped from his grasp and hit the floor. Alade winced as the man’s fingernail dug into his flesh. The grip was too tight. He struggled to break free.

“Let me go! Who are you?!” he screamed in fright.

The other man silenced him with a hard slap. “If that won’t shut you up, maybe this will,” he said, revealing a pistol.

Alade froze in fear. In that instant, he resolved to stop resisting. He let them drag him out and bundle him into the taxi they came with. The driver started the car, and they drove off.

The reckless driver pulled up in front of an uncompleted building on the outskirts of a light forest. The two men in the backseat got down, yanked Alade out, and led him inside. The cabby stayed behind in the vehicle.

Inside one of the dusty rooms, Alade’s eyes settled on a good-looking man with an athletic build. He was certain he’d never seen the man before. The two men let go of him.

“On your knees,” the man commanded. Alade obeyed instantly.

“Do you know who I am?” the man asked, a mischievous smile playing on his lips.

Alade shook his head. “No, sir. I... I don’t know you,” he stuttered.

“Do you by any chance know a girl named Evelyn?”

Alade opened his mouth but only hiccupped.

“That shocked you?” the man said. “Don’t be surprised, Alade. My name is Yemi. I’m Evelyn’s only surviving sibling.”

Alade’s eyes widened in disbelief. “Sib... sib...”

“Yes, sibling,” Yemi snapped. “I accepted that my sister cheapened herself by giving herself to you while you were only dating. You got her pregnant—and still killed her!” he yelled, veins popping along his neck.

“No, no, I didn’t kill her! She just took pills!”

“Pills, yes. But she died.”

“I didn’t know she would—she would die—”

“You killed her! And to top it all, you dumped her body at a refuse site. You thought your secret was safe. You thought Evelyn hadn’t told me about your relationship?!”

“I didn’t want to do that to her! I loved her. Even in death, I do! It was my brother... he advised me to...”

“And do you know who killed that brother of yours?” Yemi asked.

Alade shook his head slowly, tears welling in his eyes.

“I did.”

The words hit Alade like a brick wall. The tears now rolled freely.

“You’re next,” Yemi declared coldly.

“No, no, please, Yemi! I’m sorry!”

Yemi pulled a gun from behind his trousers and aimed it at Alade. “You thought you could do that and go scot-free? My mother had four of us. Two died from illness. Evelyn’s death shattered her—and she died running to the dumpsite when she heard where Evelyn’s body was found!”

“I’m sorry, Yemi. My brother and I are the only children of our parents. They’re aged. I’m the only one left... Please, pity them,” Alade pleaded, voice heavy with regret.

“Did you pity mine?”

“I loved Evelyn! It was a mistake!”

“Even if it’s with my last breath, I’ve sworn on my mother’s grave to avenge them all.”

“Please...” Alade begged, almost whispering.

Yemi wiped the sweat and tears from his face. “You turned me into a murderer!”

“I’m sorry...”

“Guy, there's no time for delay,” one of the men said impatiently.

Yemi placed his finger on the trigger. “Goodbye.”

Gunshot!

A bullet struck Yemi’s arm from the entrance.

“Aaargh!” he groaned in pain, collapsing onto the floor.

Police officers stormed in and immediately apprehended the two men. But before they could reach Yemi, he grabbed the gun with his other hand and fired at Alade. The bullet tore into Alade’s neck. He clutched his throat and slumped to the floor—silent.

One of the officers fired again, hitting Yemi’s other arm. The gun dropped from his hand.

The officers hauled Yemi to his feet. He and his accomplices were handcuffed and dragged out of the building.

Outside, they met a chilling sight—the cabby lay dead inside the taxi, blood splattered across the windows. The front doors hung open.

Thanks for reading. What are your thoughts about this piece?