BELINA (Tender Beauty) SEASON 1
*****EPISODE 28*****
Mr. Badmus looked like he had been starved for the past one month. He still could not believe that he had been set free to go.
He was brought out of prison and was given a good meal of fried rice and chicken which he
ate like a mad man. He had been beside himself with fright thinking of the trial which was Wednesday and how he had no hope of escaping undeserved punishments which was certain to be either death by hanging or
firing squad. He looked at the inspector who had so badly disgraced him a week ago and wanted to put a gun to his heart and pull the trigger. He devoured his food and when he was through, he looked at the inspector and said,
“Now, my name is shattered, what are you going to do about it? I could sue you, you know?
The inspector laughed at the threat,
“You want to sue me? Do you think I don’t know about how you sent people to kidnap your daughter for your selfish interests? You could spend years in prison for doing that, the murderer told us everything in confession”, he said.
The blood drained from Mr Badmus’ eyes and he looked older than his actual age.
He started pleading with inspector sule who said that he would behave as if he did not hear anything if he left that place in peace.
Mr. Badmus left the police station with just one purpose, to finish Belina. He had been given
one thousand Naira by the inspector in order for him to get around, after taking the keys of
his apartment he set out. He got to his street in no time and everyone’s eyes were on him.
He quickened his steps but even children were whispering then all of a sudden, he heard a road prophet call him, “young man”.
He quickened his steps but the voice came harder and frightening,
“Don’t you dare walk out on a prophet young man, it is dangerous”. He had heard of the power behind prophets and was
scared of them actually. He stopped for his dear life and faced the prophet. He was an old man and was having problem standing upright.
“Yes, baba”, he said
“Hmmm, listen to the voice of God my son so that you would not regret your actions. You have it in mind to do something evil and God has asked me to warn you against it. Things would still
go well for you and your former glory would be restored, if you obey my words. That child you
blame for your misfortunes is not to blame but you are to blame.
You maltreated that child when she was young not knowing that little children have guardian angels who are just there to fight
on their behalf. It is what you sow that you reap my son. If you try to carry out what is in your
heart, you would not succeed and might not live to tell the tale.
Obey God and you would be honored”, the old man said in a shaky voice and was gone immediately leaving Mr Badmus dumbstruck.
Mr Badmus stood poised and too stunned to move a muscle. He could not fathom how that old man had been able to read his mind.
He would have thought that the old man was hired if he had told a single soul about his
escapade but no, he hadn’t even said it aloud with his mouth and here was a prophet telling him everything to his face.
He was finally able to leave that spot five minutes after the prophet’s departure and before he knew it, he was face to face
with his entrance door.
He battled with the door for some seconds and when he finally opened the door, a very big rat
ran out of the door.
He jumped out of the way, his heart palpitating wildly. He stayed there for some seconds to recover himself and after that, he went in, and just as he was about to sit down tiredly on his couch, he sited a dead cockroach right on
the chair and he flew away again.
He left the cockroach on the chair cos he was too tired and went to seat on another couch. Every little thing just seemed to frighten
him and he felt that the words of the prophet were taking toll.
He looked back at his life again, how he had been a ladies man, and how he had lost his dad and his ability to reproduce to a car crash.
He thought about how he met his late wife Linda and how she had given birth to Belina and became more beautiful afterwards.
He thought about how Belina had been exceedingly beautiful that even the nurses
could not take their eyes off her then they had praised him for being the father.
He remembered his maltreatments then which
grew worse immediately the finances dropped. He had to admit that the downturn in his
finances started immediately he started maltreating Belina.
He negotiated his options; if he decides to forgo the words of the prophet by going after Belina’s life, he might be caught by the police and be hanged but if he would not be caught, he would have to go out of Lagos or
even out of Nigeria. Following the prophet’s warnings to him would be the best thing, he
thought finally because there was still a guarantee of having
cash again and no matter what had happened, he was not tired of life yet.
He sighed repentantly and went to his bedroom mirror and saw a sight that looked so unlike him and he decided to go to the chemist nearby for medical care before he set out to look for Belina.
Click 3 below to read episode 29