Idara, a cheerful girl, was struggling to muster a smile as she walked home from a grueling lecture. The pressure of upcoming exams weighed heavily on her mind, and she needed to focus on her studies. But also she needed some groceries, turning to her left was a mini market, a place where you could get almost everything you needed instead of going to the main market which is some distance away, she decided to buy some essentials, including garri (a popular West African food made from cassava tubers).
"Mr Sani, how much is the garri?" Idara asked the vendor.
"Madam, garri price has increased , a mudu now is 2,000, gaskia!" Mr Sani replied.
"How come?, I bought it for 1,800 last time," Idara negotiated.
"Madam, I can't lie to you, everything has gone up in the market, walahi! Even rice and beans are dragging price," Mr Sani explained.
"Okay, just give me two mudus, please," Idara requested.
Just then, an intrusive voice spoke up behind her, "Give her five I'll pay."
Idara turned around in shock, and her eyes met those of a familiar stranger. " Do I know you?" she exclaimed, trying to place him.
"Yes, I'm the one who kept bugging you some weeks back," he said with a smile.
"Ok but where do I know you from?" Idara asked, her curiosity piqued.
"Let's see... from your friend's father's burial," he replied.
"Oh, it's you!" Idara remembered, with her eyes wide.
"Yeah, I'm Ozare," he confirmed. "So, I came to see your friend Vode, but it seems he's not reachable. Do you have any idea where he is?"
"No, I haven't seen him for some days now, and we haven't really talked," Idara replied.
"Oh, are you guys having a fight?" he asked, his eyes sparkling with interest.
"Nah, I just need to focus on my exams," Idara explained. "And I think he needed some time to himself".
"Yeah, that's nice. Well, I wish you the best in your exams. And I'm still paying for the garri," Ozare said, handing Mr Sani the money. "My offer still stands to take you out for lunch sometime. What do you think?"
"I would have to think about it," Idara replied, her voice hesitant.
"Okay, then. When you're done thinking, call me on this number," he said, handing her a piece of paper with his number.
With that, he walked away, leaving Idara feeling both relieved and uneasy. She turned to Mr Sani and collected her garri, then peacefully walked home.
The rest of the evening unfolded with Idara immersed in music and cooking, preparing a delicious white soup that filled the air with a pleasant aroma. Her study group friends had just arrived and they were spending the evening studying together. While they were about wrapping up a knock on the door surprised them.
Idara asked "who is it?" A voice replied "Idara it's me, we need to talk".
Her friend Ada, one of the girls in the study group decided to go to the kitchen to make the swallow for the soup, tho suffering from cold and catarrh she was the best to a chef.
Unknown to her the gas cylinder had been leaking, the cylinder had mysteriously been punctured by the side unknown to them and it started to fill the kitchen. Meanwhile Idara opened the door and was stunned by the visitor but before she could say a word to the person by the door or welcome the guest her friend lit the gas and........BOOM!!!
A little distance away metal materials returned to the masked man who was standing on the roof of a nearby building, the corner his eyes glowed in the light of the flames that engulfed Idara's house. He smiled calmly and walked away, for he wanted not only Vode but all those close to him with any knowledge of their mysterious powers out of the way.