[STORY] THE NIGHT BUS (Episode 05)

Episode 05.

My wife slowly entered the room as I lay on the bed and she touched my back.
“Love you shouldn’t have raised your voice on mama, you made her cry” My wife calmly said but I didn’t say anything for a few minutes then I sat up.
“What if you fell?” I asked.

“But I didn’t right? And it’s not her fault if I fell or not” I replied.
“Stop covering for her, I know you love and respect mama but in this one she’s wrong,” I said.

“You know this twice-a-child syndrome, she meant no harm but only wanted her wrapper. You should understand them and you know I stayed with my grandparents before they died so I know how they behave. Calm down okay” my wife said touching me and I breathe out and cleaned my face.
“I was so scared out there” I weakly said.

“I know,” my wife said smiling and I shook my head.
“It’s not funny,” I said as she tried getting me up from the bed.

“Let’s go apologize to mama so we can go shopping, don’t think I’ve forgotten ’cause you promised,” she said.
“Why can’t you forget things?” I asked as she held my hand out of the room.

I got to my mother’s room and met her sat on the bed very quiet and I heaved and sat beside her,
‘Mama, how are you?” I asked.
“Clement, you are asking me that? You shouted at your mother in front of everybody and you’re asking me how are you huh?” She asked.

“Mama who is everybody? And it was not intentional you should know that. My wife almost slipped and fell in her condition, what would you have done?” I asked back.
“I pushed her na, no I was the one who poured the water on the tiles for her to fall since I’m a witch” she replied and I rolled my eyes.

“Who called you one? Okay mama I’m sorry, I’m sorry” I apologized while she looked away keeping a straight face and I crossed my hands on her shoulders.
“Clement leave me abeg, thank God am leaving tomorrow,” she said and I smiled.

“Do you have your transport?” I asked.
‘I don’t want your money” she replied.

“Madam cash! Loan me money na, just 2 million” I said and she burst out laughing.
“No vex again oh! I didn’t mean to shout at you” I calmly said.

“It’s okay,” she said.
“Thank you, have you eaten?” I asked getting up.

“I’ll eat don’t worry” she replied.
“Okay, Priscilla is still in the house, if you want help you can call her. I want to go shopping with my wife for the baby things” I said.

“No problem,” she said and I touched her on the shoulder before I left the room.
I got to my room and saw my wife ready to leave,
“Is this how you look beautiful when you go out? Where’s the big nose I saw a few minutes ago?” I asked and she frowned.

‘Who has a big nose?” She asked.
‘Sorry na I was only asking because makeup has covered it” I replied laughing but she ignored me and concentrated on the mirror while I dressed up and we left.

We got to the shopping mall and purchased so many things that I wondered where we got the money from.
“What’s wrong?” My wife asked as we came out of the mall but I was feeling weird.
“Where did we get the money to buy all of this?” I asked her and she looked at the bags and laughed.

“You worry too much let’s go, my legs hurts” she replied and I chattered an empty cab to take us home. My head began to swell up and I lay in bed down with a headache,
“Love are you okay?” My wife asked taking my shirt off.

“I’m fine, just a headache” I replied.
“Don’t go back then, why not call your boss and give an excuse?” my wife asked and I smiled.

“Don’t worry I’ll be fine” I said and turned my back to rest.

I felt a touch on my back and I saw everywhere dark,
“Love come eat so you can take your bath for your journey,” my wife said and I rubbed my eyes.
“But I just slept off,” I said sitting up.

“For a few hours, the food is on the dining,” my wife said and left the room and I decided to shower first. I came out and checked the time and saw it was past 8 pm.
With the towel on my neck, I stepped outside to look around but I noticed the environment was changed. The gate was no more there rather there were bushes everywhere. Fear gripped me as I stood looking around wondering why everywhere should change within minutes, then I felt someone hold my hand. I turned and saw my wife and breathed out,

“Why are you tensed?” She asked.
“Look at the bushes, how come?” I asked and she scoffed.

“But it has always been there” she replied.
‘What do you mean? We just came back from the mall and it was not here” I said.

‘Relax love, looks like you’ve hit your head somewhere or something” she said.
‘You know that’s an insult, I know what I’ve been seeing and this is not my house” I shouted going inside.

“Now why are you shouting?” My wife asked throwing her hands up.
“Because something is wrong!” I replied and got into my room.

‘You won’t eat?” My wife asked as she saw me put on my shoes after I had dressed up and that piercing pain came on my leg and I winced in pain. I thought the pain stopped but I managed to put on my shoes and stood up but leaped as I kept the affected foot on the ground.
‘Are you sure you are okay?” My wife asked looking at me but I ignored her and took my school bag.

“I’m leaving,” I said to her but then, I thought I saw another face reflecting on my wife but I shook my head and left the room. The headache was increasing as I touched my forehead and kept trekking to get a cab but all I saw were bushes and darkness. There was not even a bike nor a house and I fell tired with the headache and the pain in my leg.
“Where am I? I kept asking as I used my eyes around trying to understand the environment, it was just like the dream I had before I arrived the city.
But how????

I saw my wife coming and got scared because I didn’t want her to be there,
” love what are you doing here go back it’s not safe here!” I held her.
“What’s wrong with you? You left the house without money so I came to look for you” she said.

“Do you feel anything odd? Why are there bushes everywhere?” I asked.
“Bushes? Wake up you’re on the road behaving like a frightened rat and it’s so embarrassing” she replied tapping my cheeks and I angrily held her hand.

‘Stop making me look like a fool! Where am I!” I shouted and suddenly left her going backward as my wife suddenly turned into a beast before me.
“Nowhere!” She replied with a thunderous voice and I quickly took my bag to run but I noticed I could not move. I was still and when I looked down I noticed I was hanging over a tree and I turned to see people I can’t recognize hanged also. I began shaking the tree and shouting when I saw a faceless creature standing under the tree,

“Are you done waking up from your fantasies? Welcome to reality” the creature said and gave a mockery laugh as I closed my eyes and opened them again to be sure I was not dreaming.
“I don’t get it, didn’t I get back home? Didn’t I meet my family in good health? Was all of this a dream all along?” I asked myself as I breathed hard.

To Be Continued… . . .