Ding-dong!

Daniel who had been washing dishes in the kitchen turned off the faucet and cleaned his hands on his grey tracksuit bottoms. His chiseled torso was shimmering with sweat.

"Who is that?" Daniel asked as he got closer to the brown door. The clock on the wall was reading 8:59pm.

"It's me, Dupe!"

Daniel wondered why she had returned by that time.

"What's up girl?" Daniel asked as he opened the door slightly, peering at her.

"Won't you let me in?" Dupe asked Daniel with a condescending look.

"Yo mama, I can't help wondering what you are doing in my house by this time. Did something happen?" Daniel asked. He noticed the pink and black box she had kept beside the ixora bush in front of his apartment.

"Really, is that how you'll treat your friend? I came all the way here and you won't even let me in, instead you choose to herald me with stupid questions and …"

"Babe, what's keeping you?" A voice called from inside the house.

Daniel turned around and saw his babe walking towards him. He scratched his scalp before turning to look at Dupe apologetically then returned his gaze to the dreadlock lady with an hourglass body standing in the middle of his living room in a black night-dress that made her chocolate skin pop. Daniel let the door open fully.

"Who is she?" Dupe asked rudely.

The other girl simply ignored the question as she placed a passionate kiss on Daniel's lips and his hands snaked around her back. A mischievous smile tugged at the corner of her lips.

"Dupe meet Darasimi, my Dara," Daniel said as he introduced his babe to Dupe whose face was masked in disbelief, he turned to Dara and placed a kiss on her forehead, "Sugar, meet Dupe, my friend from school."

Dupe looked confused. She composed herself and managed a coy smile. Dara didn't bother pretending, she just nodded.

"So why are you here, Dupe?" Daniel asked her and his chick hung around him like a cheerleader.

"Well, I was hoping you'd be home alone so we could actually talk. There's something I need to get off my chest," Dupe said looking at him as she spoke. A dog was barking somewhere in the distance.

"I suggest you both should bring the conversation inside. There are a lot of mosquitoes here and I'm not looking to get malaria. Babe, let's go in," Dara said, softly tugging his arm.

Dupe followed and closed the door behind her.

Daniel sat on the sofa opposite the television. A girl with a long, braided ponytail was breaking her back in a jean bombshot in Davido's song video that was airing on Mtv.

"So, what's up?" Daniel asked, fixing his gaze on Dupe who sat with fidgety hands on her lap covered in ankara shorts.

"Can we talk alone?" Dupe asked.

Dara looked at Daniel with an unbothered expression. She stood up and left the living room.

"What is it?"

Dupe kept silent as she listened for footsteps. She was sweating even though the AC was on.

"Do you think she left?"

"My girlfriend is respectable. What is your problem?"

"I'm pregnant!"

Daniel looked at Dupe like he had misheard. He blinked a couple of times and cleared his throat.

"What?" He whisper-shouted.

"It's, the thing is that… the last time we had sex, I forgot to take pills. You know you said you pulled out, but I still took in!" Dupe said as she tried to steady her cold hands.

"You smoke? Oti ya werey ni?" Daniel asked trying not to shout.

"I figured you had to know and you've been avoiding my calls… I didn't know what to do or say or anything," tears rolled down her eyes as she sniffled, "My mom found out and she's saying I have to keep the child. It's yours, you know me, I don't sleep around."

Daniel looked at her with displeasure and hissed. He stood up from the chair, pacing around the living room.

"How come you are telling me now? It's been two months since you left this place in anger because I refused to date you. What's this? Now? When my Dara is in the house?"

Dupe rolled her eyes when she heard Dara's name. She stood up and tried to hug Daniel but he pushed her back to the chair, sucking his teeth in anger. She held her stomach but he totally ignored her.

"You can't keep this baby. You don't friend zone me, get pregnant after sleeping with Alhajis and expect me to father your baby. Baby girl, I won't do that!"

"You must be joking with me fam. Which Alhaji? I quit Alhaji three months back. I always use protection with the man. It's yours and I know it like I know my name," Dupe shouted.

Daniel scratched his head before grabbing her hands as he dragged her out of his house.

Dara who had been eavesdropping came out of the bedroom just before the bathroom.

"Are you telling the truth Dupe?" Dara asked with teary eyes.

Daniel released his grip on Dupe, a chilling cold sipped into his spine as his eyes fell on Dara's teary ones.

Dupe observed Dara's face, "Yes, this guy got me pregnant. He's my boyfriend…" she said, a sense of satisfaction fueled her voice.

"This girl is a psycho, babe! She can say anything to get her way," Daniel said, his eyes were pleading with Dara.

"I'm pregnant too. I found out yesterday evening, that… that's why…," Dara said quietly and she began to cry, she could barely control her hiccups.

Daniel rushed to her side and tried to hold her but she shrugged him off. She sat on the white linoleum floor with her slender hands holding her head.

"We've been dating for a year and you are sleeping with your friend, was I not enough?" Dara asked looking at Daniel whose face was downcast, "After everything we've been through in this one year? I had my suspicions but I didn't want to believe, Daniel how could you? How could you? How?" Dara screamed, a chilling voice Daniel had never before heard in his life.

Dupe hissed as she positioned herself beside the door. She liked the fact that Dara was miserable.

"You," Dara said, standing up from her spot on the floor," since you don't want me to have my own, it will not be well with you oloriburuku. I am the daughter of Ifà, a daughter that has her origins from the water; If you know my identity you would ask for a saving grace… (incantations) you just met your Waterloo. Your hands are not pure and so you will reap your reward in a thousand folds. Your eyes will weep blood."

Dara turned to Daniel, who was shaking with fear, "Since your brotha cannot stay in one place, it is better you lose it. How dare you lie to me, you miniscule project? You don't even have stamina. I'm managing you because of the calling on your life and you are swinging my possession to everybody? It will not be well with you oh!"

A chilling sound erupted from Dara's throat as she bent herself in heartache. The electricity went off in the room, mirrors shattered as a strong wind blew and thunder clapped, shaking the foundation of the house.

Dara's dada fell on her shoulders adorned by cowries. Her eyes turned white as she howled in pain but her voice was gone and in its place was a masculine voice.

Dupe felt pain as her stomach churned. Her head was throbbing with a headache and she was bleeding. Daniel looked at her but he couldn't help her. Dara was still in her trance-like state when there was a knock on the door.

"Una sha dey make noise. Baba, no light, we need go check the phase for Mama Trinity flat," Austin, a neighbor who lived beside Daniel called.

Another knock.

"I heard screams here before…" a female voice said.

"Me too but as e be, be like them dey settle. He gats pump her with enough man power. You be babe, you nor go understand!" Austin said

"But…" the voice was saying.

"Rest!" another person said.

Daniel slid his hand into his track bottoms, retrieving his phone from his pocket when Dara raised her head. The light of the moon from the open window fell across the mirror-like pouch of Daniel's iphone and Dara - who happened to look at that moment- vanished.

Dupe who had witnessed what occurred fainted and Daniel was left processing his thoughts.

©Iyere Perpetual