ONIZE's PLAGUE

Chapter 1

CHAPTER 1
Reflection (The Journey)

A lie may take care of the present, but it has no future - 'Anonymous'

***
The giant clock hanging magnificently on the wall made slight audible click – click sound continuously as the 'seconds hand' try to cover an unending amount of lapses on the clock in the well furnished attorney’s office.

The office which feels like a freezer because of the level of the AC rather than a workplace for humans didn’t bother Onize who hated so much cold, because she was in a trance like state and the only thing that could possibly end her trance is going to be the legal separation between she and her husband, who has been dragging the procession of ending their five years marriage.

The well spacious office which has different good looking paintings on the wall, from the traditional pencil drawing of three ladies working on the farm, to the giant replica of the Monalisa, look very alive and attractive for the three dull people it is currently inhabiting.

The clock made a sudden elevated click sound just once and the attorney raised his head.  It is 2 o’clock already, three hours in and he’s getting bored of the whole procession, but the client’s husband have made an impression on him ever since the day he invited him to his office and his respect for the man is hindering him from rushing the divorce.

Onize, his client made a hissing sound again and fumed at her husband. “Just sign the damn papers Amir” and Amir, her husband knelt down once again grabbing her foot in between sobs.

This woman must be crazy, the attorney thought as mucus dripped from Amir's perfect pointed nose, how can a woman be so unmindful to the gift in front of her. He thought of his own sister at home, Amina, how she'd kill to be with an intelligent and good looking man like Amir even without his wealth and he shrugged. This life can never be fair he concluded in his mind.

“Please don’t do this to me” Amir pleaded for the umpteenth time.

“I don’t love you anymore and there’s nothing I can do about it. For God’s sake, you can’t even give me a kid.” She hissed once again and dragged her foot away from his hands.

Amir’s cry intensified and he looked just like a baby as mucus dripped from his nostrils into his mouth, the attorney stood up and handed him a roll of tissue.

“I don’t even know why and how I’ve put up with you all these years.” she added.

Amir shrugged and blew catarrh from his nostril into the tissue before speaking.
“I’m sorry,” he said, “I caused all this and we’ll both live to regret this decision for the rest of our lives.”

“I won’t regret anything, you impotent man. I won't.”

The sting that accompanied her last words was so unbearable that he said nothing more, he winced and picked up the pen to sign the divorce papers. The attorney felt for him and as much as he loved the huge bonus check that always accompanies a divorce settlement, he hated this part of the law profession as he watched Amir drag his signature along the space on the paper.

As he signed the divorce papers, the thought of a life without Onize filled his mind and tears dropped from his eyes onto the paper he is signing.

***

Jigawa

About seven years ago, Amir had freshly completed his youth service at Jigawa and had travelled by land back to Abuja as opposed to his mother's instruction to travel by air.

"It is going to be an amazing experience," Chukwudi, the closest friend he had in camp kept saying to him for most part of the previous week leading to their pop from the camp and it was not until the third day before they left that Amir finally agreed to go via land.