JOHN'S POV
Ring! Ring! Ring! Ring!
I stretched my arms still in sleeping mode and smashed the alarm clock sitting on the bedroom lamp stand on the tiled ground. That would do the trick , I sat up on the white king-sized bed which was now in disarray. I rubbed my eyes and got up from the bed. James never came back. He probably didn't want to see me, or Mama had notified him that I was coming to meet him.
I hissed , he can go wherever he wants to. I went to the bathroom, it was another sight I couldn't stop feeding my eyes on. James was really rich, but I thought judges are just supposed to be comfortable. My eyes caught a clean shaving stick and I knew my moustache was begging to be shaved. It didn't take five minutes before bits of hair was sprawled all over the sink. I went to the bath tub and scrubbed my body clean. The soap was scented with pineapple and strawberries. I reached to scrub my shoulders as I came face to face with a tattoo I got before the law caught up with me. It was a lion head. Mama hated it a lot, she said it was demonic and tried to clean it when I was fast asleep. It was not a pretty situation when she found out it was permanent. I chuckled.
I wrapped a towel round my waist after and went back to the room. I combed my bushy hair till it was presentable. I looked in the mirror and I was scared of my own reflection. It didn't look like mine, but it looked a lot like James. I made for the closet and grabbed a black jacket and black trousers to match. I laughed. I didn't expect my twin to be so fashionable. I expected him to be nerdy just the way I remember him to be. I went to the large living room and then to the kitchen to get a morning meal. I hadn't taken my time the previous day to feast on the scenery of his house.
The living room was filled with portraits of James. I groaned internally. But a portrait stole my mind. It was a brown-haired lady, eyes so blue and lips were so full and she was smoking hot. I smiled.
She's pretty
She's probably his girlfriend.
I let the portrait down from the wall and used my fingers to explore the picture. But I was disturbed by a sharp door knock and I dropped the portrait accidentally. I tiptoed to the door and stopped to listen. After a few overbearing knocks, it stopped. I sighed and tiptoed back to start my breakfast but was startled when the door unlocked by itself and I came face to face with the lady that I had been admiring in the portrait not so long. It seemed like portraits do come true. We looked at each other in silence.
It was over! She knows. I watched as her beautiful mouth opened.
"Hey, I thought you would be mature since our breakup a month ago but I didn't expect you to be this childish. Have you forgotten I have the extra keys to your house?"
I was dumbfounded. She really thinks I'm James. She can't tell the difference. I kept looking at her as she continued talking. Her big mouth kept opening and closing in an admirable and funny way.
"If you have forgotten, I am Eniola, your ex-girlfriend and your new trainee as a judge. I can't believe I was assigned to you. The court has been calling you non stop. You have a freaking case today and you are being late. You can't even talk to me. You are just so silly. I called you repeatedly and you didn't answer the phone at all. You don't care about me at all, how do you expect us to get back together. You are such a jerk."
And she dropped the keys on the dining table and made to storm out of the house and I found my voice.
"Didn't you know James was a jerk, didn't you know he likes to look down on people? Didn't you know his pride is so fat and curvaceous. Didn't you know he was egoistic? Didn't you know he was so immature?"
Eniola smiled out of the blues, moved close to me and scanned up close.
"It's odd seeing you reflect on yourself James, it's kind of good seeing you admit it. But you have a case this morning and I suggest you change from that jacket to a dashing suit and let's go to the court, J.J"
I smiled too, and I watched as she fiddled with her watch, she stepped out of the house waiting on the porch and moving briskly back and forth. I found a suit in the closet and wore it. It fit me like a second skin and it made me more attractive. I found a phone lying on the dining table and I guessed it was James's. I clicked it open, but it had no password, pin or even a fingerprint. James was really silly and I stuffed the phone into my suit trouser pocket. I ran out of the house and I saw Eniola had hailed a cab and I allowed her to enter first before I did.
The cab driver was playing 97.9F.M, a radio station that I hated a lot. I focused my attention on getting to know the woman sitting beside me.
"So Eniola, what does J.J mean?" I said opening the buttons of my suit.
"It means Judge James, it's a nickname. Do you want me to erase it just like the way you erased our relationship?" Eniola muttered, typing rapidly on her phone without looking up.
"I guess not." I replied, looking at my window for any distraction rather than my supposed crazy and angry ex-girlfriend.
After 30 minutes, Eniola told the cab driver to stop and I wondered why until I realized we were at the court premises. Time to start acting as a judge. I took large deep breaths and got down from the cab. What have I gotten myself into?
Eniola screamed.
"James, it's almost time. Let's get going now." Eniola said as we walked briskly into the court.
I wished she could call me John but I knew I had to endure this, probably for a day till James comes back from his hiding place. Eniola dragged me towards an office, she opened a closet and grabbed a judge’s outfit and pushed it into my hands
"Wear it now!" Eniola said, biting her fingernails.
I wore it in a flash. Before I could speak, we were walking again. In a short while, I was dragged into a room. It was all brown. I was first confused until I realized it was a court. Eniola had found a seat at the front and she had a notebook and a pen in her hands.
There were people, not so much in number. But the court was packed with an audience ready to listen. The clerks looked pointedly at me and gestured to the biggest seat in the court. I sat down , my limbs were starting to betray me as it shook in fear. One of the clerks passed a spiral bound book to me and I looked at it curiously and it was the court hearing of the day. I opened it and I noticed that the only sounds in the court were the sounds of the pages I was flipping, in a stuttering voice I said.
"Let.... the...... trial....... begin"!
MONTHS LATERJOHN'S POVI staggered into the office, holding a bottle of whiskey in my hands. I slurred incoherent words from my lips as I struggled to find my way towards my seat. Drinking became my escape from depression and anxiety. Mama was still in a coma, James was still missing and Eniola was well gone for good.I sat down groggily and picked up a newspaper. I dropped it flatly on the tilted floor as soon as I read the newspaper headlines.The door snapped open and Kemi strode in wearing a faint smile."Good morning sir." Kemi greeted, dropping her handbag on her desk."Get me another bottle of whiskey, this one is almost finished." I replied, shaking the whiskey bottle."Sir, I don't think I can do that." Kemi replied, adjusting her shirt collar."What did you just say?" I inquired, shattering the unfinished whiskey on the floor.
JOHN'S POVI kicked bottles that were littered on the floor till I reached my office door. I opened it and noticed Eniola's desk was still empty. I sighed deeply and removed my jacket. I hadn't seen or heard from James in two days and it was getting worrisome. I almost failed to notice Kemi typing swiftly on the computer sitting on her rowdy desk."Good morning Kemi, you are quite early this morning." I said, checking my watch."Well, I have to be punctual to keep my job sir." Kemi remarked, standing up."Have you eaten sir?" Kemi added, tilting her head."No, I haven't, I'll probably head to the court lounge to get something to eat." I concluded, rolling up my sleeves.
AYO'S POVI took a drag of cocaine and moaned in delight. The white powder stuck to the tip of my nose and I inhaled it sharply. I wiped the substance off my black shirt, adjusting the creases that branded it. I squinted my eyes to look at the watch adorning my right hand and gasped, I shrieked on remembering Eniola."How did time fly so fast?" I mumbled, as I stood up from the couch.I staggered in movement because I felt dizziness lurching and the intense pleasure that ran through my veins. I walked towards the stairs that led to my bedroom, taking dangerous steps.I stopped abruptly at the foot of the stairs and groaned.
ENIOLA'S POVI screamed as loud as I could. My throat had began to itch , my saliva was running out due to dehydration and my hands felt stiff and weak. The air in the coffin was thin and unappealing to my nostrils. I began to cry in apprehension. I still felt an uncertainty on Ayo burying me alive.I reminisced on my dead sister, Arinola and I bit my lip in anguish. Her death was a permanent scar in my life that could never be erased."Why is this happening to me?" I muttered, as my body shook in tears."Why me?" I yelled, as my voice shook tremendously.I remembered my dead parents and I yelled out in pain once more.Thinking about those I lost to the clutches of death made it harder for the tears to stop flowing. It was getting too much for me to handle, the agony and discomfort adjoined to my present predicament. My clothes were muddy and bits of blood were splattered on it giving
ENIOLA'S POVFlashback I walked into my favorite restaurant after my lectures and my stomach grumbled in excitement at the smell of the exotic dishes that filled the cold air. I rushed to the counter to order a meal but my heels didn't fit right with the ground and I fell on a person who was holding his tray of food. I gasped in embarrassment as the food particles was smeared on my white shirt and the contents in the tray were scattered on the ground . I stood up from the floor and raised up my head to apologize. "I am very sorry. I didn't mean to ruin your meal ." I stuttered, taking huge breaths. "It's alright. I think I have seen you before." He stated, pointing his thick long finger at me. "I don't remember you at all." I replied, casting a quizzing look at him."You are Eniola Gbadamosi ,the sharp tongued woma
JOHN'S POVI looked at the scenery before me, from the large glass windows. I saw cars filling the roads and the unpleasant noises that came with it. Children crossing the road in a frenzy and bus conductors calling out for passengers. The endless wails of food sellers calling out to customers on the street causing an enormous noise pollution wasn't left out."Where did James go? He said he was coming home yesterday. Something feels completely wrong." I muttered, placing my palm on my forehead."Maybe he slept at Eniola's house." I finalized, nodding my head.The office doors opened to receive a beaming Kemi in a red fitting gown. I forced my cheeks to produce a smile but it ended in vain.
JAMES'S POVThe night was still very young and the strength in my limbs were failing gradually. I flagged a cab at the front of the hospital and entered calmly. I relished the warmth in the vehicle. The taxi driver was wearing a black cap but it didn't bother me. I thought about John and wondered what would have transpired between him and Danjuma. I closed my eyes and smiled at the shimmer of thought of Eniola. I felt a discomfort in my belly and noticed the taxi driver driving well over the speed limit."Please stop overspeeding, where are you rushing to?" I inquired, placing a trembling hand on the headrest.I got no response from the driver but he didn't slow down either. He continued with his uncontrollable driving which made me wonder if he was drunk. A harsh movement made my head hit the headrest harshly which made me spit out words of venom."Are you out of your mind? How do
JOHN'S POV"That was a great meal, don't you agree?" I asked, smiling at James."It was spoilt but you are a glutton, maybe that's why you didn't notice." James replied, chuckling with a toothpick in his mouth."Let's go and sue that restaurant." I yelled, kicking a stone in my path."The food is already in your belly, be grateful that you are still alive." James replied, laughing loudly.I was basking in the glory of getting my brother back when the phone in my pocket vibrated with immediate attention. I sighed heavily, casting a weak smile at James and picked the call."Hello, How can I help you?" I asked, licking my lips."Good evening, it's Aisha. I don't want to file for the case against Danjuma anymore. I probably got it mixed up." Aisha said, her voice breaking in a fearful way."What kind of excuse is that?
JOHN'S POV"I warned you both to stop talking, can you see what you both have caused?" The doctor said, pointing to the monitor."What's wrong with her?" I asked, eyeing James."Her heart beat is rapid, that means she can hear everything you are saying." The doctor started, watching the monitor closely."Nurse Titi, please come here." The doctor added, flaring his hands.A petite nurse in a white gown ran into the room holding a couple of files."Please escort these two men outside." The doctor deadpanned, pointing his finger."And you also want to drag me out. You aren't even pitying your small frame." I said, shooting daggers at the nurse trying to grab me by the arm."What's your problem? Just get out of here." James yelled, pushing me out of the room and he followed suit."I really don't underst