HOUSE OF MADNESS

Chapter 4

Even on the soft car seat, sitting had numbed my butt. I was bored, tired, and most importantly, hungry.

Aunty Toyin had not tried to even make a conversation since our last one at home. All she did was sing along and hum to the songs her car speaker was blasting. Sadly, I, couldn't do the same because she had since stopped playing my favorite song and, no favorite song simply meant no energy and vibes!

The only thing she had at least thought to tell me was that she would stop at Ore, a place that must be passed in the course of the journey, for food.

Well, it was now hours past but she still had not stopped anywhere. Or even talked about stopping. Was she not hungry??

I blamed my hunger on the fact I hadn't eaten before leaving or even the night before. Not because I didn't want to but for obvious reasons that involved a lack of food in the house. My last meal had been a day before, in the Afternoon. A tiring meal of soaked Garri with groundnut.

As if understanding the need to complain, my stomach rumbled,  making loud embarrassing noises.

" Ahh, Grace is that your tummy that is fighting Kungfu?" Aunty Toyin asked, stopping her humming, smiling, still concentrating on the road, giving me a glance from her side mirror.

Given the awkward moment, I smiled, trying to relieve myself of the embarrassment. I couldn't even try to get angry at her comment, because she was definitely not lying.  The sounds from my stomach were according to her very similar to a Chinese fight scene.

"Anyways, open this armrest and take one drink and chips." She continued, this time, close to laughing, finding my stomach sounds funny.  When was hunger ever funny ??

I looked at her from the back, where I sat, staring daggers at her. How, did she have snacks the whole time and not give me any?

I felt so angry knowing that she waited to hear my stomach show its hunger before giving me something to eat. Did wanting to knock her head right now make me a bad person? After all, a hungry man was equivalent to an angry man. Was it not?

" Oh, thanks so much". I replied, instead, eagerly opening the armrest to take the supposed snacks.

Opening the armrest, I saw a lot of snacks and some drinks. Picking what looked like plantain chips, and a drink, I muttered a quick, happy thank you, to which she immediately replied with a nod. I was finally going to satisfy my taste buds!

Opening my snacks, picking a handful, throwing it in my mouth, now eating, I caught a glimpse of a police officer waving at our car from afar to stop. I was certainly not surprised. I was even surprised we had gotten this far and not been stopped by them.

They were so good at pretending. With their mock dedication that was only a big font to what they truly wanted. Money!

They had fixed prices for cars, bikes, buses, trailers, and every form of transportation. Pass them without your complete papers, and you were as good as dead!

No matter how big the amount of money you give them was, there was always an assurance for change to give you back in return. And if you refused to pay? Trust me, you rather not.

" Is like these police people are mad abi?" Aunty Toyin complained, angry about the sudden disturbance of the police.

Still eating my chips, and now opening the drink, I didn't care about anything but me enjoying myself in peace. I hadn't eaten something this good in forever!

"They want to stop Toyin! Dem dey craze? I'll show them who the boss is!" She yelled, getting angrier at the passing moment of seeing their ugly faces and disgusting potbellies stop other cars.

"They saw my fine car and they want to quickly stop me. It is like they have run mad Abi ?"She continued, still angry, now suddenly smiling out of the blue, her smile looking very similar to an evil smirk. What was she thinking?

We were a little far away from the checkpoint for cars and I , still enjoying my snacks thought of new ways to eat them slowly so that I could savour the taste. Wondering if sucking or chewing would make the taste last longer, I noticed a policeman  jump in the middle of the road , putting his hands out to say as if to say 'stop'.

I stared, at Aunty Toyin, wondering why she didn't look like she was going to halt.

Suddenly looking like she was about to stop, she increased her speed making every policeman around run. Except one of them. The man standing with his hands out in the middle of the road. He didn't even bulge as his other colleagues ran for their safety.

Aunty Toyin had a crazed look in her eyes, as she added to the already crazy speed she was on. I had a free show with free snacks. Could this day get any better?

Now at a speed of what seemed like the highest speed for cars, moving so fast, I became scared, knowing I couldn't die at the point of my sudden breakthrough, and started to feel sorry for the officer, knowing that even if she suddenly slowed down, it was bound to end in one way only. Pain.

He stood, with one of his legs put forward, almost like he was about to use it as a reminder to stop.

Turning my head away from the scene to take a sip from my drink, I heard the sound of something hitting the car bonnet. Knowing exactly what could have caused it, I opened my mouth in shock. Why did Aunty Toyin hit the policeman with that speed on purpose?

Aunty Toyin giving a wide, happy grin, continued driving, not stopping for even one minute. The other police officers now noticing what had just transpired ran to the rescue of the man she had oh so happily crushed. They dragged him to the side of the road like a bag of rice. Making him groan and cry in pain.
How was it possible for a grown man to cry and still sound like a howling dog while at it?

The man, continued, still crying and wailing loudly. His loud ugly voice, made me feel sudden satisfaction at his pain. I was sure that The witches and wizards of the night had certainly done a special sacrifice for him to die.

If I were him, I would make sure to attend church on Sunday. It was definitely not easy to have witches and wizards ruining your life!!

I turned my neck to the back, squinting my eyes at the glass, trying to get a clear view, watching as more people gathered around him trying to help out. Not everybody though, because some cars like us continued, just driving by. Probably happy that he was off the road for them to pass.

"This is how I crush all my enemies. Nonsense! Stupid people! They don't know me o! Come and catch me now na! From now onwards ehhnnnn, Dem go dey look face, who dey wan whine? Dem dey ment?" Aunty Toyin, yelled, mockingly, bursting into loud sudden laughter, sounding completely evil, as she checked her side mirror to confirm she wasn't being followed.

Now confirming that she wasn't followed, she burst into another uncontrollable fit of laughter.

I stared at her, shaking my head. I definitely had nothing to say but to finish my snacks.

Author's note
👋 Hi guys, I hope you are enjoying the story. I'm so happy with the feedback I'm getting from this book.

So what would y'all have done if you were the one in the car while your Aunty or anyone crushed the leg of a policeman 😂😂??

Put a finger up if you have always imagined that happening in your head. Put it up and run! ☝️😸

Please do not forget to VOTE, follow and comment. I love y'all. Bye!❤️❤️💖