Blood Money

"Oga, can we search the boot of your vehicle?" Eze heard the fat and bald officer with an enormous head and a big potbelly, that could easily pass for pregnancy, say to the man in the car before him.

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The officer looked rather bored of the routine checking of each car that passed by. Eze's car had also been stopped at the police checkpoint and he was now next in line to be searched. Deep in his heart, he knew that he had come to the end of the road.

---

Earlier that day

Eze parked his car, a flashy black Rav 4 which he had recently purchased, opposite a rundown uncompleted building that was barely standing. The building was old and dilapidated, surrounded by overgrown grasses, excess shrubs and gigantic trees. He navigated his way into a section of the building. Getting bruised by some twigs in the process.

A voice in his head kept nagging him that it was pretty much an unwise idea coming to this place with his 'new baby' (the car) but he needed his fix and this was where his dealer had stipulated that they should meet to carry out the transaction. The car was one of his many cars and now his favourite. He would probably buy another one next month and forget all about this one. Yes, he had lots of money and he wasn't afraid to spend it lavishly.

He had been waiting for thirty minutes already and was yet to see any sign of his dealer who was yet to arrive. He sighed and rubbed his palms together. The atmosphere was becoming chilly. It was December, and harmattan was already in full force, with its winds blowing from the Northern savannahs down to the East where he resided. The cold was becoming so fierce, and he was clad in a dark blue, short-sleeved Ralph Lauren polo, a wrong choice of outfit. He should have worn a hoodie or something long and covering. He looked around still rubbing his palms together. The tall trees were swaying tirelessly, tune with the wind.

"How did I allow myself to get hooked in the first place? " He thought to himself, becoming restless already.

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Eze could not really place how and when he got into this. He has never really been able to open up to anyone on this issue. Not even to Rita, his girlfriend of 8 years. How would he explain to her that he had gotten his money through other means and now this was the cost? Checking his time once more, he had made up his mind to leave. It was 7:47 pm already. As he was getting into his car to drive off, he sighted a vehicle coming. He knew that vehicle. It belonged to sly. His longtime dealer.

---

"It's always a pleasure doing business with you. It's a fresh one, have fun" Sly said after counting the money to make sure it was the complete eighty thousand naira.

The parcel loaded in the trunk of the car, and him seated at the driver's seat, Obinna let out a wolfish smile, thinking of how much fun he would have tonight and the coming nights. His last parcel had become expired three weeks ago, and he had gone really long days without this. His blood was pumping really quick, his pulse racing. The scent of the chemically preserved body was clouding his senses. All he could think of was him going home, dumping the body on his bed and having his sick way with her.

He knew he was crazy, but he couldn't help himself. It had all started with his crazy search for money. The shaman had instructed him to constantly sleep with dead bodies. At first, it had irritated him and he had done it for the money. But now it was an addiction he couldn't live without. He was hardly interested in living women anymore. To him, Rita could never compete with a dead corpse. She just wasn't good enough. But he couldn't tell her that, could he?

---

"Oga, your boot!" The police officer said, jolting Eze out of his deep thoughts.

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Eze smiled and opened the trunk. He knew that this wouldn't end well. He would probably end up in jail or probably a psych ward. But all he could think was "I did not even get a chance to enjoy my money's worth"

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_{Where there is darkness, I'll shine the light.}