Dusk fell upon a building in Ariya Street
somewhere in Lagos.
Inside a room in the building, a lady
slipped out of bed to brew evening
coffee. After coffee, she walked to her 2-
storied balcony looking onto the street.
Not many stalls were still opened for
business.
Ahead, a ray of light appeared. She
watched it glow, then diminish. She was
never used to this high-profile locale she
lived in. It was probably a new movie
been shot. She peered closely, sighting a
band of people surrounded by tripods,
boom poles and camcoders. Definitely, a
new movie.
She knew her unfamiliarity was
worsened by her husband’s six-month
old death.
She caressed her light-skinned face,
cursing the sudden memory.
Seun had been a lawyer, like her. Tall
and dark, he’d attracted her when they’d
first met at UNIBEN. Inevitably, they’d
married. Through the seven months their
union lasted, she loved nothing more
than the way he’d say ”Linda, i’m home”
everyday he returned from work.
One evening, she hadn’t heard those
words. They’d found his body the next
day, bullets in his head. A witness said
he was used for cover by a robber
running from cops.
She waved off the memory, but not
before she heard her mother-in-law’s
last words: ”As my son died, so will you.”
She didn’t think about it. Instead, she
went inside to dress.
She’d to visit Shade, her fellow widow,
before the night came alive with night
robbers.
* * *
Linda locked her door, headed
downstairs. She heard nearing footfalls
behind her the moment she entered the
now-empty street.
She turned. An arm grabbed her neck,
spinning her to face a yelling cop. Hard
metal pressed to the side of her head.
Her resolve fell.
A gun!
”Drop your weapon!” the cop yelled past
her.
”I’ma blow her brains if you move,” the
man said, pressing the gun harder.
The distance was easy to cover, but
bullets moved faster. The cop didn’t
consider that as he charged forward.
Idiot, she thought.
The cop approached. One step. Two.
The gun clicked beside her ear. She
shivered, lips unmoving. She only
remembered her mother-in-law’s words,
then shut her eyes in resignation.
It sounded like nothing she had ever
heard.
”Cut!!!”
It was another voice. She opened her
eyes to see a man approaching the
scene, and another holding a black-and-
yellow board behind cheering folks.
The robber released his grip and walked
to the cop. Pocketing their weapons,
they both approached her, too.
Nothing had ever shocked Linda so. She
switched confused gazes from one man
to another. The other man stopped
before her.
”Sorry. Shooting a new movie. Had this
scene we needed real emotions of fear
for,” he paused. His tag boasted
‘Director’. ”Who fits better than a real
passer-by?” he asked, smiling.
Linda couldn’t believe her ears. All this,
a scene for a movie?
Feeling colour return to her face, she
gave the director a soft smile and a hard
slap to his face.
.........................................
and I say a big
THE END
finish the story ursef o
