Must Read: The Claw, The Tail, And The Cross. - Season 1 - Episode 19

Episode 7 years ago

Must Read: The Claw, The Tail, And The Cross. - Season 1 - Episode 19

The mob remained outside the gate, not that it would have been difficult for them to force their way through our paltry four-man security guards, but probably because they were still hesitant to committing themselves to attack a firm owned by a foreigner. The security guards, on sighting the oncoming mob, had chained the gate shut and were now receiving barrages of insults and threats from the crowd. They tried to be as professional as possible, refusing to answer back, and making sure no one breached the thin wire fence that surrounded the compound.


The rest of the staff were inside the building with us, some of them upstairs, but most of us remaining on the ground floor. I stood in the reception area, looking out the window.



Mr. Kelvin and Mr. Obi peeked through the opening of the front door until a guard shouted at them to shut it, which they promptly did.

“But, Kai, of all the days to come to work in my private car!” Mr. Daniel swore under his breath. His greed demon fluttered about anxiously on his head, making him grimace and rub his temple in an effort to soothe the headache that was beginning to develop. I hid a smile, but knew his fears were warranted.


If things got bad, this mob would definitely go for the cars in the park and destroy them, among other things.

“How can you be thinking of your car at a time like this?” Obi retorted angrily.”That crowd is out for blood! Look at what they have done to our co-workers! We should be lucky to get out of this without any bodily harm…”

“Did you not hear me say ‘personal car?!’

Mr. Daniel replied, eyeing Obi viciously. “Do you think I bought tokunbo? And who are you calling co-workers, those hired laborers on the field? They can’t rough-handle me like that, they cannot try it! Worse come to worse I’ll tell them where to find Mr. Bells and his precious pet. They are the cause of all of this anyway. How can a normal person keep such a wild animal as a pet?”

“Do you know where they are?” I asked, and he turned his glare from Obi towards me. “In the storeroom upstairs. I know he said he was going to his office but one of the staff I sent to him just reported that he is not there and I have seen him frequent that store on many occasions when he wants to have some alone time. It’s the one place nobody will look if things get out of hand. The door is inconspicuously hidden behind a file cabinet.

He would have locked himself in there with the leopard.”

He went back to looking outside at his precious car.

“I hope they catch and kill that thing jo.”

Jenny was standing at the window beside me. She tapped me gently on the shoulder.
“I’ll need to go out and talk to them. I’m the P.R.O, after all.”
“Hell no.” I said.
“The situation is too dangerous. Wait for the police to arrive.”
“They would have gone out of control before then, Chuks.” She said.
“Besides, it might calm them down a bit if they felt we were showing some concern, listening to their story. Also I do have some ‘negotiating skills’.
“This is not four or five drunken men in the middle of the night Jenny.” I said under hushed tones. “This is a mob! There must be up to a hundred out there!”
“Well I’ve never tried it on a crowd before- but there is a first time for everything, yes?”
I still shook my head vehemently. I didn’t like the idea one bit. Jenny smiled at me and took my chin in her right hand.

“You see? You do care. Don’t worry, I’m a big girl. I can take care of myself.” And so saying, she walked briskly to the entrance and was out the door.

“Where is she going?” Kelvin gasped, suddenly aware that Jenny was approaching the crowd. Mr. Daniel hissed but said nothing. Obi was sitting on the sofa and took another sip from his wine. He was muttering something to himself but I couldn’t figure out what it was.



The crowd became quiet as Jenny approached them. She walked down the tarred pavement leading to the main gate like she was in a fashion show and the crowd were her audience. By the time she had reached the gate itself, most of the men in the crowd were smiling and there were no raised weapons in sight. However, the few women in the crowd were not impressed.


Jenny started to talk to them, we couldn’t hear what she was saying but apparently she was asking what the problem was. After a while I saw the young girl step forward and begin to recount her ordeal. As she spoke, gasps of shock and horror escaped from the crowd, even though they had probably already heard the story. She gestured with her hands how the old man had shot the beast and then she pointed don to her left leg. She still wore the outfit she was wearing during the attack and everybody, including the security guards exclaimed in sympathy as they saw where the creature had bitten her and ripped off a piece of her jeans.


The mob started to chant again and one of the security men got hold of a gramophone and handed it to Jenny so she could make herself heard above the uproar. She said she sympathized with her and it was horrible the way the old man had died but the way they were going about seeking justice was not proper. Would they kindly pick a few out of their number who would represent them, the girl being inclusive and then come inside to discuss with the MD while the rest of the crowd dispersed? She promised that the matter would be looked into urgently. There was murmuring in the crowd as they discussed among themselves. Most of the men were in agreement that the P.R.O had given a sensible option, but others were of the opinion that the MD wouldn’t give up the beast especially when the police came to support him.

“The Leopard must die!” some shouted.

One middle aged woman spoke up, “We cannot allow it to live and continue to endanger our children!” she said. “Today it is one old man, tomorrow a child will go missing, and all for what? For one oyinbo pet? It would have eaten this girl if she hadn’t been saved by baba!”

“Sidney didn’t do this madam,” Jenny said politely. “He is well trained and wouldn’t hurt-“
“Who be Sidney?” the woman responded.


The crowd started to grow angry again.
“They don give the animal name sef!”
“Na human being?”
“Maybe na ritual nah in dem dey do sef o!”
And suddenly the crowd went violent. Jenny tried to calm them down but the women pelted her with stones.

“Go back to your Oga, Ashaw0!” they shouted and some of the men started hitting the fragile gate with heavy logs of wood and in a flash the gate gave way.

I said, “Shtt!” and was out the door followed by Kelvin and Obi. Mr. Daniel promptly locked the door behind us. The security men tried to protect Jenny by forming a circle around her but some of the women were able to get a hold of her hair and clothes. I and the other two men jumped into the melee and covered Jenny while the crowd pushed forward; screaming at us and one of the men started hitting us with his fist, and trying to tear off Jenny’s jewelry.


Suddenly a larger man came forward and punched the man that had used his hands on Jenny and he fell to the floor, unconscious.

Another guy raised his machete threateningly at the women and they fell back in their bid to avoid being cut. I looked at the machete wielder and recognized Emeka, one of the vigilantes from the night before who gave me a quick wink before turning a vicious face toward the crowd again.

“UNA DEY CRAZE?!” NA THEM KILL BABA? COME’ON STEP BACK!” the larger man shouted. His voice thundered even louder than the gramophone Jenny had been using and the crowd retreated. He turned blood shot eyes towards us and saw me.

“Come carry your babe go inside, but tell your oga say anybody wey try come talk anyhow again we go deal with am!”
“Thanks Big Paddy.” I said under my breath.

He grunted and turned back to the crowd.

“Oya shift back, shift back, make them bring the lion outside!”
“Actually, na leopard dem talk-“Emeka began but Big Paddy gave him a resounding slap on the back of his head and he shut up.

We helped Jenny back into the reception and sat her down on the sofa. Apart from a few scratches and a torn neckline she was fine.

Her body trembled a little and Obi poured a glass of wine for her to calm her nerves. She drank and smiled up at us.
“Well, that was silly of me.” She said.
“You did your best.” Obi said, sitting beside her. Kelvin frowned but said nothing. “Leave her, she thinks it is everybody she can charm with that her beauty,” Mr. Daniel said. He was leaning against the window, still looking out at his car and the crowd that were now sitting and standing around it. He looked as if he wanted to cry.


I stood up straight. “Come Daniel, she was almost manhandled out there. If you don’t have anything useful to say I suggest you shut up.”

Mr. Daniel looked at me with scorn. “So says the hired help!” he took another sip from his glass. “Do you know why you are here sef? Is there anything you are doing that we wouldn’t have done by ourselves?


Oga just wanted to spite me, if not this contract was already mine! I made a bid for it; I talked to the company first!”

“And they refused your offer when they found out what a greedy bastard you were!” Obi said, suddenly coming to life for the first time today. “You almost cost us the contract and it was only Chukwudi’s negotiations that got things back in our plate. You should be ashamed of yourself!”


Mr. Daniel laughed and took a long drink, emptying his glass. “Yeah, I should be ashamed. The hired help comes in, sits at meetings, makes suggestions that are immediately carried while nobody thinks to ask me my opinion! The moment he steps on the firm grounds Jenny goes after him like a hawk.


Opportunist! Kelvin is there, abandoning his family to pursue money, I don’t know why he can’t send some back to them, after all he makes enough here. And you Obi, don’t let me enter your matter here! You think I don’t know? All of you are hypocrites! You are just as bad as you paint me just that you try to hide it!”


There was silence in the room for a while and the only noise that could be heard was that of the crowd outside.


Jenny was looking at Mr. Daniel intently. “Wait, since when did who I go out with become your problem?” she said.
“Was I dating any of you guys before?”
“I know, I know, I’m not good enough for you, abi?” He giggled and went on, “Or you think this small boy here will remain permanently? He can’t give you what you need babe. I’ve been toasting you since, you no gree…”

“You’re drunk Mr. Daniel,” Kelvin said. “Sit down and shut up.”

“It’s you that should shut up, Kelvin. I’ve been watching you. I know what you and Obi have been up to when you think nobody is look-“

Kelvin took two strides and was upon Mr. Daniel. In a flash he had knocked him out. Jenny gasped and looked at me. I was stunned!
“Was that really necessary, Kelvin?” Obi said.
“Yes it was,” Mr. Kelvin said, rubbing his knuckles. “He is talking rubbish. And besides, how can somebody be drunk with all that is happening around us? Oga should really fire him.” then he caught the look on my face and nodded. “I’ll apologize to him when he wakes up.”

“He’ll apologize to us first,” Jenny said.

“But now that we are ‘alone’, what have you two been up to?”

Kelvin looked at us and then at Obi who shrugged.

“What do you know?” Kelvin asked Jenny in a matter- of- fact tone.

“Everything.” Jenny said, partially lying.

Kelvin looked at me and I nodded in agreement. “And how can you know everything?”Kelvin said smiling.


“We followed you guys last night.” I said.
“You came to pick up Obi and you guys drove back to your place.”
Kelvin looked shocked for a while then regained his composure. Obi suddenly gave a gentle laugh.
“Its okay, Kelvin. We might as well tell the truth. I don’t know how you guys found out it was us but…”
“I had to help him,” Kelvin said.

“He seemed so lost and out of control. It’s not really his fault.”
“How can you say it like that?” Jenny asked incredulously. “How can you make an issue like this sound so trivial?”
“She’s right, Kelvin,” Obi said and stood up.
The yellow flame on his head had died down and I could now see the pain its ember lights had been hiding.
“I’m to blame. I’m guilty. It’s all my fault. If I had more self control none of this would have happened. I’m disgusted in myself.”
Kelvin rushed over to him and grabbed him by the shoulders.


“Snap out of it, man! You’ve been like this since yesterday, what happened to you?”
“What we are doing is wrong, Kelvin. I no longer have the heart for it. We need to stop, I need to stop.”



Obi said, his voice shaky as if he were about to cry. The pain was intense, so intense it engulfed his entire body. I felt a little of it and physically took a step back.

“Don’t worry, I’ll be there for you,” Kelvin said, his voice shaky as well. “You are more than a brother to me and we’ll see this through together! I love you, man!” And then he kissed him full on the lips.