"Stop there" a husky deep voice she heard from afar, shivering and shaking in fear, all alone in the dark alley, except the mystery man. She stops, still shaking, she felt the mouth of a gun, pointed at her back. "Bring your bag or I'll splatter your brains with my gun" said the man with the husky voice. Now pointing the gun to her head,she surrenders her bag. Slowly, the man departs into the thick darkness of the night with the bag.
Shocked and still shaking in fear , all she could remember was her legs running as fast as it could.
"Knock, knock, knock"someone knocks at the door, "who's there" mr Alias asks. It's me darling, please open the door" she answered. As soon as mr Alias opens the door, in she comes as fast as lightning. " What happened and why are you panting and coming home by this time. You know very well that the streets are now unsafe this days" asked mr Alias. Still panting, she replied " darling I went to visit a friend of mine, who stays far away. She was celebrating her birthday. She threw a huge party which ended late. So on my way home I was robbed by a man with a gun. He said if I didn't give him my bag, he'll splatter my brains with his gun. I was very scared darling, so I gave it to him. My phone,my money, my credit card, everything, was in that bag. Darling we have to find that man, please" she pleaded. Now sobbing, her husband replied "look at you, so useless you've been to me. Oh, how I wish your brains were splattered. You better find a way to get back that credit card, or else, your account would be frozen" "Rubbish " he exclaimed.
Susan Jones, her name was. Lived in a small town in Lagos, Nigeria. Born into a family of six, four children and their parents. Being the last born, she was loved by all. Susan studied Mass communication and became a journalist. She was the famous susi, nicknamed by her fellow colleagues, of NAT(National African Television).A television station which provides necessary information, deliberate and provide possible solutions for all African countries.
She got married at age twenty four, to her husband Alias Jones. An half cast he was. His father was a britain, who came to oversee things, for the queen, in Nigeria. He met Stella, Alias mother, stranded by the road side on his way home. He offered assistance to her, to help, and she accepted. Along the line, she fell in love with him. And one thing led to the other, she became pregnant. This infuriated him. And that was how he confessed to being married with three kids in Britain. Stella from that moment, became a shadow of herself. An orphan she was in a not so nice world, now has to raise a child all alone, since the father rejected the child.
Alias never new love. His mother maltreated him all his life. Sometimes, he would wish he died before birth. A graduate he was. He was able to see himself through school with the menial jobs he did, and was also supported through several scholarships he won. He was unable to get a job for years, till he got one as a cleaner in the NAT studio where Susan worked. And that was how they knew one another. And one thing led to the other, they started courting. A year during their courting, Susan, with her influence, got Alias a job as a director in a banking industry, since that was what he studied. Months later, they got married. And From that single word said by Susan on her wedding day "Yes I do" , marked the beginning of her sufferings.
At every given opportunity, Alias would beat, insult and suffer Susan for little or no reason. Two years of marriage, Susan had experienced seven miscarriages which has ruined her womb entirely. She could no longer conceive. Her family, friends and relatives had asked her to leave the marriage, and each time she would try to, Alias would beg, cry and say he didn't do it in his right senses. And, he would promise never to do it again. But he never did. Infact, it became worse. Susan became fed up, and decided to seek for a solution. A friend of hers, Evelyn, introduced her to a native doctor, who she said, would solve all her problems. That very day, she went to see the native doctor, who gave her a ring that'll solve all her problems. "My daughter, this ring I give to you, must be kept in a safe and secret place. No one except you, must see, touch or wear the ring, or else, a great calamity shall befall the person including you and the entire household. And anything you want, just take the ring, wear it, and anything you demand for, shall be granted. And it will cost you a hundred thousand naira" he said. Susan was prepared. Money wasn't the problem. She gave him the money, took the ring, put it in her purse inside her bag, thanked him and headed home. It was on her way home, that her bag was stolen, which contained the ring.
Still sobbing as she remembered what the native doctor told her would happen if anyone took the ring. She then concluded, to go seeing the native doctor the following day. Susan just couldn't sleep the whole night. The thought of what would happen, kept playing in her head all through the night.
As early as five am, the following day, Susan rushed to the native doctor's place. " Baba the ring you gave me, was stolen last night, and I don't know the man who stole it. Baba please help me. I don't want anything to happen to me and my household. Please baba" she pleased in tears. " I can only help, if the man, who stole the ring, and the ring, is present here with you" the native doctor replied. " But baba I don't know who stole it, maybe you can use your powers to help me find the person, so that I can get the ring, please" Susan pleaded. " I am sorry my daughter, I cannot help you. You see, I'm getting old , and my powers are becoming weak and if you do not do what you have to do on time, it would be too late" he replied. " Oh my goodness, I'm finished, Alias has ruined me entirely, I'm finished" Susan lamented.
Three years later, mr Alias died of an unknown illness, and few months later, Susan fell really ill . She was diagnosed of an unknown illness, which kept her doctor bemused. Susan knew the source of her illness, but she could do nothing. Thirty three years of age she was, and everyday, she would wish the cold hands of death would take her. Two years later, her illness became worse. Her family members, worried, employed someone to take care of her, since she was too weak and down to do anything. Cynthia, her house help, was in the kitchen cooking, when she heard a knock at the door. "Who's there" she asked. "Madam please open the door, it's urgent" replied the knocker. As cynthia opens the door, she sees a man, with a dark glass on, wearing a blue shirt on a blue jeans, and holding his hand, was a lady in a pink dress, holding a pink purse, who happens to be the man's wife, and at their back was a man, holding a bible, and wearing a we'll ironed suit, who happens to be a pastor. She welcomes them in, and offered a glass of juice, which they declined. Susan was in the living room, laying on the couch, when they came in. "Please are you Mrs Susan Jones" asked the pastor. "Yes I am" Susan replied. "Do you in any way remember an incident that happened, precisely, five years ago. The incident of the stolen bag". " Yes, yes I do" she said sobbing. " Ma I'm the one that stole the bag that very night" said the man with the dark glass on. You see when I got home that day, I searched the bag, I saw a credit card, and when I opened the purse inside, I saw some money and this beautiful ring. I used the ring to propose my fiance, and spent the money on partying. Few months later, we got married, and then I quit robbery. our lives became a living hell. I couldn't get a decent job, my wife had four miscarriages, and the doctor said if it continued, she would lose her womb. Two years later, our lives became more miserable. We couldn't feed, we had to beg for food. We had no roof over our heads, until we met pastor John, this man seated here. He helped us, feed us, and provided shelter for us. Few months later, he called me to his room and that was how he told everything to me, and about the ring. He said God revealed it to him when he was praying and that we had to find you. It took us two years to find and locate you ma. Please ma we need your help" he said. Susan was in tears the whole time, because she had gone through hell because of the single act, of that day. "I can't help you. The native doctor who gave me that ring, passed away, a year later after the ring was stolen. So there's absolutely nothing I can do. All I just pray for now, is to sleep and never wake again" Susan lamented. "please ma, don't talk like that. Remember, God has the final say. Let us pray" said the pastor. After twenty minutes of prayers, the pastor, the man who stole the bag and his wife, all left.
Five years later, Susan died. But before she died, she gave her life to God and lived a life of evangelism, preaching the word of God and sharing her story to save millions from making the same mistakes. As for the man who stole the bag containing the ring, his life, and that of his wife became bearable. His wife gave birth to twins. They were conjoined twins at first, but with a successful operation, and God's grace, they were separated. And the man got a good paying job, and so did his wife. This incident thought him a great lesson. He also shared his story to save millions.
© agwunobi Sophia