Chapter two

Mia

On my way to work after lunch, I drove a crowd of people who were shouting at the corner of the road at Ikoyi. Eager to know what the hell was on going, and with the reporter part of me which kicked in, I reversed the car back, stopped and alighted from the car to take a view.

I could hear murmuring and cursing from the people. I moved closer, and I coudn't see what was happening because a plump dark lady with a toddler on her back was obstructing my damn view.

Cursing no one in particular because I was pissed and irritated, I walked to the other side of where the crowd was thronging together.

A huge guy was holding a piece of wood on his right beasty paw, while his left was akimbo, and it was wide open since he was very bulky in size.

I had no option but to peer through his open under arm which my head could fit in.

I staggered and recoiled steps backwards, bumping into a kid with a dirty red hair, when a nasty smell hitted my nostrils.

The huge guy's armpit stank of decayed meat, and sweat dripped from his under arm since he was on a brow torn singlet. Which I greatly suspected had been white, but currently brown because of lack of washing. I could feel the food I had eaten earlier on, leaving the pit of my stomach to travels it's way up to my throat.

"I can't stand this." I muttered in disgust, releasing an hefty spittle and was about retreating when I hear someone screamed.

"Please, have mercy. Don't kill me. I beg of you. I don't want to die." It was a male's voice which sounded like he had plentiful of teeth in his mouth.

I rushed back to the huge guy's armpit, held my breath, peered through it. And finally my eyes registered a man, naked, lying helplessly on the ground dirt. He had been beaten thoroughly because he had bruises on his body. His eyes and cheeks were swollen, and blood was currently oozing out of his broken nose and wide mouth.

More people rushed to him, hitting him with whatever they had in their hands. The huge guy took unsteady lanky footsteps towards him and started hitting him with the piece of wood in his beast-like paw.

While the nude bruised decorated man was was screaming and pleading for mercy, the huge guy was occupied, hitting and cursing. Blinded by red rage, I assumed.

I released the inhale I had held captive earlier on, and huffed out when the fresh air hitted my nostrils. The atmosphere didn't have this malodor since the huge guy had left with his smelly armpit. But suddenly the air was filled with blood and sweat. I wrinkled my nose in disgust.

A teenage boy was standing next to me with football in his hands. I pushed my huge glasses up, adverted my attention him, and proceeded to inquire why the naked man was being beaten.

He raised his brows up as he assessed me with his eyes.

"He was caught raping an eleven year old in his house. According to the girl, he sent her on her errand. When she she returned with what he'd sent her, he held her close and started telling her all those..stuffs. Like how guys coquet a girl to sleep with her. You know." He informed me, raising his hand.

I nodded for him to go ahead.

"She told him she wasn't interested. So, him being a bully, got furious and gave her the beating of poor young eleven years old life. Ripe her clothes apart and started having sexual intercourse with her, without her consent. He used lubrication oil." The boy closed his eyes, placing his hand on his heart as he shivered.

"Oh my God." I exclaimed, my jaw touching the ground. "A heartless human is no difference from a monster." I huffed out, in annoyance as I directed my eyes to the evil  man. So wishing I could hit him with a piece of wood too.

"So, how was he caught in the act?"I turned to the teenage boy.

"She kicked him on where the sun doesn't shine, when he stood up and wanted to apply more lubrication oil on his penis. That was how she called for help since she couldn't get out because he had locked the door and thrown the key away, leaving her trapped with him. I and my friends were returning from the field where we went to play football. So we heard the screaming, broke into the man's house and rescued the girl." The boy concluded.

"That's very brave." I said slipping out my audiotape from my bag. Unknown to him, I had switched on my audiotape inside my bag and was recording our conversation.

When he saw the audio tape, his face squeezed into a frowned "You're a reporter?"

"Yep." I replied beaming.

"Urgh!" He groaned in frustration, face palm and then, started walking away.

"Hey! You angry you told me what happened? Oh, come on." I rolled my eyes.

He turned, scowled at me then resumed walking.

"Thanks for the info anyway!" I yelled after him and he shrugged in disapproval.

I returned my eyes to the naked man on the ground. He was lying face flat on ground, with his back facing the crowd. He fainted?

"Bloody swine." I cursed under my breath. Serves him right.

Just then, some cops drove into our midst.

And I knew at that moment, that I had to get going. I hurriedly slipped out my camera from my bag, took three shots of the naked man, and was rushing to the car when a cop yelled at me."Hey! You stop right there."

I turned, pointed at myself, although I knew I was the one. He nodded "Come." He beckoned me with his right hand.

I stuck out my tongue at him, quickly hopped into the car and drove away from the scene.

I laughed when I  heard him raining curses on me.

Stupid cop, he probably thought I was just taking pictures of the man, without being aware I was a reporter.

I was dressed in jeans and a loosed shirt, although reporters were always properly dressed, but I was a tomboy. Always clad in jeans and loosed shirt, or brow leather jacket.

Mr Derrick, my boss was angry at me when I first arrived at Daily Planet. He had told me I would hand in my resignation letter, if I quit dressing up like a man. But I ignored him, and carried on dressing the way I wanted. He didn't fire me, instead he left me alone. Which I was grateful for.

I wasn't comfortable in gowns, tops and skirt. Come rain, come sun, prefered my baggy trousers and loosed shirt.

I slipped out my camera to view the photos of the man I had captured while driving back to the office.

"Well done Mia, you've gotten another story." I smiled feeling pleased with myself.