Cold Grip of Gray Pastures

It was a sunny Friday afternoon; lagos streets busy as usual, people everywhere going about their business most stuck in the annoying traffic which is always complained about but can’t be avoided. Finally after hours stuck in traffic Odera a 23 years old young tall dark skinned boy car-sick and weary in the cab with his beautiful young friend of about 25 years, chioma; chatting out and laughing. At least the chit chat made the long traffic worth the while. Odera was telling Chioma how hectic his importing job is, yet quite rewarding as well, chioma at some point of the whole couldn’t help but start assuming her talkative friend likes bragging. The cab driver as instructed drove into the hotel where odera had initially booked a room and stopped the hotel wasn’t so busy like most of the hotels in Lagos. It was a low key hotel with few people coming in and out of the building. Odera paid off the taxi driver after he alighted from the vehicle with chioma with quite a few luggages, probably chioma’s. They walked into the hotel slowly hugging, chatting and laughing, to the hotel receptionist who handed him the key to his room; into the passage way. Moments later they were in the room; odera was in the bathroom’ taking his bath while chioma was on the bed drinking the orange juice she found in the small refrigerator in the room while chatting aloud with odera who was in the bathroom.
Chioma was telling odera how her trip from Port Harcourt to Lagos was. While she still narrating her trip and the talkative who sat beside her aboard her flight, still narrating the events of her trip she got dizzy and complained to odera who adviced she should sleep, suggesting she must be tired from the journey. chioma objected insisting that she has to do the transaction she came for first before resting since she has all the cash needed with her, Odera didn’t argue any further, agreeing to her suggestion, he asked her to give him time to freshen up. Odera came out of the bathroom few minutes later and saw she already dozed off. Quickly he made a call to a friend after making sure Chioma was asleep, asking the friend to come over. Within two minutes, Eche, an older-looking friend of Odera came in a hurry looking all edgy and suspicious carrying a back-pack. They quickly took all the money in Chioma’s bag and threw in the bag he was carrying, stripped her and took few shots of her lying naked on the bed. Echezona asked Odera to leave with all the cash and Chioma’s belongings that he was going to join him soon. As Odera left, Echezona pulled off his clothes and started making love to Chioma who was still unconscious. After getting enough satisfaction, Echezona wore back his clothes and left.

        Hours later, Chioma woke up to find herself naked, she called on odera a couple of times but didn’t get any answer, knowing she had been tampered with she turned blue and started dripping tears in devastation she checked the bathroom but didn’t find anyone. She quickly checked her bag only to notice her money and belongings were missing, she was totally shocked wearing a jaw drop look in her face, eyes covered in tears pained heart that she couldn’t even scream although she felt like it. She never saw that coming, this was the worst of her days doing business with strangers. She sat down on the bed slowly pulling her hair as if she wants them to rip from their roots. She was confused, she couldn’t figure how long she has been out and whether she should run out to find odera or to stay put. Soaked in tears, she dressed up as fast as she could and quickly ran to the hotel receptionist to ask inquire of odera’s whereabouts.  It was a different receptionist from the initial person she saw coming in, but after lots of explanations, the receptionist checked her logs to see if there was any name that checked into the hotel as Odera, but there was none. Still soaked in tears sobbing and confused she described Odera’s physique to the receptionist who at that time recalled told her he left hours ago. Chioma still confused and crying mentioning that she had about two million with her that was supposed to be used in purchasing some goods Odera was to supply her. Of course she sounded stupid to the hotel staffs that already gathered around her to know what was happening. Seeing the disbelief on there faces, she figure there was no use explaining to Thomas how Jesus resurrected so She stormed out of the hotel premises hoping to find Odera on her own and maybe also alert the police of her predicament.

Cold Grip of Gray Pastures
by Nnagoziem The Vyrus Udensi
(inspired by real events)
....to be continued