UNTAMED

Part Fifty

{Restless in bed and sleepless through the night, I longed for my lover. I wanted him desperately. His absence was painful but then….}
    
     The circle house had turned out to be more than she expected. They had occupied her and helped a little with her boredom, her emptiness and loneliness. She would never allow Fast to drive her again. The helicopter scare was enough. He was crazy. What people called over speeding was Fast slowest.  Mark had taken her on a boat ride across the river and she had felt free. He was always immersed in computers and their big and deep swimming pool. She rarely saw Sabrina because Wild said she was on an undercover mission in Lagos which Mark always visited to taunt her. She had been put inside a machine that rolled her inside something. Sabrina had said she was checking her vitals, later she was told she was very healthy. Major Ahmed and Wild had helped establish her and she was able to choose fashion and designing. Major Ahmed’s wife was very welcoming and she sometimes paid Major and wife a visit. Ghost was a different case entirely. There was hardly a time she did not laugh when Ghost was around. He had given up on her after several failed attempts to teach her on how to open a door with a hairpin. She loved to cook for them and loved the way they consumed everything, and above all, she felt safe. She had so many brothers and two sisters. A mother and a father. Wild was always odd, she could not figure him out. She told him so many things but he hardly talked about himself. One day, she had asked him about his family.
“I just have a wife” he had responded.
That had shocked her.
“But how come I have never seen her? Where is she?”
“That’s the problem Halima, I don’t know where she is. I’m still looking for her” Wild had answered confusing her.
“But where is your ring?”
“Could only afford one then. I gave it to her but it was too big so I had to make it a necklace, it should fit her now” he had answered.
That was when she gave up. Wild was too complicated for her understanding.
    The media had carried on the story of her and Chief but only the one picture Chief had posted that was circulated but only on TV. Most times, she was forced to wear hijab to prevent being noticed. The IG was replaced. The fake landlady was convicted. The trial of Umaru and Abdul had been so fast. Umaru’s house was even attacked but the police were able to prevent the murder of his family. Umaru and Musa were sentenced to death while Abdul was sentenced to life imprisonment. She had learnt a lot. She had learnt how to operate an android phone. Mark had patiently taught her the basic things to know about a laptop and so many others. She even had her android wrist watch and most times, one of her free brothers escorted her to where she was going. She started going to a large Pentecostal church not too far from the Circle house but did not make herself known to the pastors, she was just a regular member. She was no longer afraid of the elevator that pulled her down or up the underground and four storey building. Her training was for six months. She was through with tailoring and was now learning how to make bags, hats and shoes. Everything had been okay except her heart. No matter how busy and happy they made her feel, she still felt empty especially at night. Most times, she could not sleep. Some days, she had to imagine Beast wrapping her in him before she could sleep. Some days, she just cried and prayed. Beast had said she would soon forget him but he was wrong, everyday became worse. The nightmare and traumas were no longer there, except on few occasions but it had been Chief who was shaking with fear. Even Jason had been to the house a few times. One of the days, Cindy had come with him. She was so happy to see her second sister. Her stomach was getting big.  But Beast never showed up, he never called even after Wild had sent her number to him. She talked to Cindy almost every day and always missed her.
   She could scale through the day but always feared the night and night was coming. It was already past seven. Wild, Ghost, Mark and Fast were currently around and she had prepared ewedu soup for them.  She had no idea where they were, she could guess for others but not Ghost. It did not take long for her to understand the meaning of his name. She needed some fresh air. She used the elevator to go up. Mark and Fast were playing shooting game in the big parlor. Her puppy which was a gift from Ghost to cement their brother-sister relationship was resting in-between them like it was enjoying their shouts and the noise from the game.
“Puppy come over” she said whistling to the dog.
Fast had said Puppy was a funny name but it was her choice.
“Where to?” Mark asked as she moved close to the door.
He was still focused on the game.
“The garden and the field. I need some fresh air.”
“Stay safe” Fast said but was very focused on his game.
There was money on the table. She shook her head, they always bet before any game. She carried Puppy and went outside. She dropped him as soon as they came outside. The night was a bit chilly and she rubbed her arms with her palms. There was an alley which they said led to their farm where they produced so many gadgets. Workers could only get there through the other side. She walked by it but after some seconds, she turned and saw Puppy running inside.
“Hey Puppy come here” she said but the puppy did not listen.
It was like it was chasing something. She followed Puppy down the alley and discovered it was a bird. Anytime puppy got close, the bird flew few distance and stopped. She pursued after Puppy and when she got to what they called T-junction which had three alleys, one at her front, the other two by her sides, she heard a voice she knew so well. The alley the voice came from, was dark and she had forgotten to carry her phone to light her path.
“Halima” the voice said.
She could not see anybody because it was too dark. He was not there, she was just imagining his voice and if she continued like that, Wild would soon take her to a psychiatrist hospital. She carried Puppy and turned to go back.
“Halima” the voice called again.
“This is not real, I’m imagining it. Halima stopped thinking too much” she said dropping Puppy and slapping her two ears.
“Stop hurting your ears. You know you just gave me a scare, please don’t do this in another place. Apart from the Circle house don’t ever go wondering on your own” he said.
He was at her back, she could feel the heat radiating from him but it still felt like it was not real. She tried turning to confirm her sanity but was held back by strong hands.
“My name is Obinna. I have done so many things that are even hard for me to believe. I came from a family of hunters. My dad died as a result of injuries he sustained from killing a tiger. My mum told me it was a bull to prevent me from hunting bulls but it did the opposite in me. I hunted bulls because of same reason. I wanted revenge and I had hoped to wipe out bulls from existence. When I got a little hint that my grandfather was a fisherman, I went fishing and did a lot of dangerous things that gave my mum a scare. But I became bored because I could not run or climb inside water. I could not descend on animals the way I landed on bulls from the tree with my injections ready. I fought both humans and animals and most times, it was for fun. It was to test my capabilities. The woman I brought a lot of joy to was the same woman I brought a lot of tears to. She always woke up each day with the thought of the trouble I would bring next. I have killed a lot of people and I have no remorse killing them, sometimes it made me excited. I met a girl called Abigail at a time I was totally out of control. I would provoke criminals I was not supposed to kill, just to make them take the first shot, then I would go on rampage and showed no mercy. Some call me Ogbuenhi, a reincarnation of my great grandfather, some call me Tamed because of what Abigail did on me. She was killed and I lost it, I lost my heart to her death, but I met a girl. She called me Beast and refused to change it. At first, I thought my feelings were due to the closeness, but now I know it’s real, now I know she is a precious and priceless gift. I have a new heart now and the only one I want to hold it is the girl I met. But I’m sacred to ask her, I’m worried she would not accept this Beast that I have become. I will try and change but I need her to keep my heart and make it Tamed again” Beast said.
He opened her left palm and placed something cold. She looked at it and gasped. It was a silver ring.
“Halima please marry me.”
“Are you for real?”
She could not think of anything else to ask. He pulled her closer as a response. The connection was instant.
“Can I turn now?”
He chuckled and it made her body tingle.
“Only if you say yes I will marry you” he answered.
“But that is not how they do it. You are doing it the wrong way.”
“Please correct me.”
“The man stands in front of the woman, then goes on one knee and he gives the woman flowers and a ring and ask will you marry me? That is it. You keep doing things like a beast” she complained.
He chuckled again. It was like he was not aware of the effect it had on her. He slowly turned her to face him. Thank God they were not in the dark alley. She could see him, he was looking so handsome and so big but she liked him big.
“Then we will need to look for flowers outside, we cave men are still learning. I’ve never proposed before you know. Abigail had asked me to choose our wedding day between two dates. That saved me from proposing. Hmm, flowers, kneeling down, oh the ring” he said opening the palm with the ring.
“What are you doing?” she protested folding her palm more tightly.
“You just lectured me on how to propose” he answered.
She held on to the ring, he might change his mind and disappear with the ring if she gave it to him.
“Don’t worry, I’m okay with the proposal. Leave the flowers. You know you did not actually meet me, you saved me.”
“Halima?”
“Yes?”
“I’m waiting.”
“Oh when is the wedding?” she asked.
His face lighted up and he pulled her for a breath choking embrace.
     The first person to know was Cindy, she had told him she would talk to Pastor Sam to join them together in their compound. They had planned everything that evening and Beast seemed surprise she wanted them to stay in Cindy’s compound. She could not believe he even thought she would follow him to his cave. Jason had sent him a message on the rent he would be paying. All her brothers apart from Wild had been so shocked that they had launched a search for Tamed. Later they accepted Tamed was gone, it was her beast that was now around. Beast told her everything that led him to God and her. It made her cry, it made her believe she was not an accident, her guardian was always with her. She was so happy for him but she tried to console him when he told her about the little girl he had left to wonder in the night.
A week later, they held their small wedding at the compound. Mark had said it was not going to rain. Mama Sunday had been invited and she had shouted very loud when she heard George was dead. They had to start consoling her. But Jason had wondered why she never saw it on the news. As Mama Sunday represented Beast’s mother, Ghost had acted as her father because Major and wife would only come for reception because of their religion which they respected. Pastor Sam was so easy to be with and he was funny and love radiated from him. The reception was held in the evening.
  The reception had a full house, it was bliss and it made tears of joy fall from her eyes. Mark and Cindy sang together then, differently. Mark just had to be good in everything. She had danced with all her brothers, including her daddy except Jason. But she understood.
“Take my hands, take all I have, cause I can’t stop, falling in love with you” Mark started singing as Beast finally took her back.
The song was so cool and sweet, and Beast spun her slowly to the rhythm of the song. Fast was playing the keyboard. Nature even came for her reception because there were so many stars and the moon was full. The music changed to something fast and she and Beast excused them to their house, to her new home. She was going to get sick from being too happy.
“Hey lady, did you just know what you got yourself involved in, you are bound to a beast for life” Beast said pulling her to him as soon as they got to their room.
He covered her mouth with his before she could respond. All thoughts disappeared from her brain as the sensation rushed through her, she gave as much as she took. Beast temporarily pulled away and looked at her.
“I promised to get better and….”
  “No no don’t say IT. I don’t ever want you tamed, I love you like this. Please remain the king of the beast, the beast that gives evil men like Chief sleepless nights, don’t ever be tamed” she said cutting him off.
He stared at her as if he was going to cry.
“I love you Halima.”
He had said so many things but she was sure this was the first time he said he loved her. He said it but her body felt it, her heart was painful, it would break because the feelings were too much for her small heart.
“I love you my beast” she said pulling him for another kiss, he left her mouth and kissed her ear, her nose, her neck.
“Tell me what you want from me” he said lifting her to him and placing her on the bed.
“I want everything. I want you to touch me, I want every part of me to be replaced by your touch. I want you to remove Chief completely from my skin, show me something different from what I’ve known for more than fourteen years” she said unbuttoning his shirt.
“Your wish is my command” Beast said.