In the quiet, late-night stillness of Ijora Badia, the slum felt like another world. Unlike Makoko, which was lively even at night with small lanterns and the occasional smell of smoked fish, Ijora seemed harsh and abandoned.
Smoke from burning trash lingered in the air, adding to the heavy smell of refuse. Every shadow seemed to hold something dark, and the streets lay empty under a faint moonlight.
Inside a small, cramped room, Juwon sat on the hard floor, meditating, trying to focus on locating his soul. He kept his breathing steady, eyes closed, and thoughts deep.
On the bed, Trinity lay sprawled out, not caring about the limited space, though her face twisted in discomfort.
"Ughh! This smells so bad, people need to stop dumping refuse anywhere,"
She mumbled, finally sitting up with a frown.
"This is worse than Makoko. At least there, you smell fish sometimes."
Juwon didn't respond, staying focused, so Trinity softened her tone and asked,
"Juwon… have you found your soul yet?"
Without opening his eyes, Juwon said,
"Hmm...I think so."
Trinity burst out laughing, her voice echoing in the tiny room. Juwon quickly held a finger to his lips.
"Shhh! Don't laugh so loud, it's the middle of the night."
"Oh, calm down jare!"
She waved him off, still grinning.
"Anyway, We've checked all the places Lamthe would go for his isolated training. The only place left to check is Snake Island."
Juwon's eyes opened in surprise.
"Snake Island? Isn't that place… full of venomous snakes? How can someone be training there?"
"That's how far my father's dedicated. So, we're going there next."
She watched him closely.
"The place is dangerous. Can you handle it?"
Juwon nodded. "I can."
"Good. The problem now is getting you to the island." Trinity grinned.
"I can run across water, but you'll need a boat. Or maybe I'll just carry you across"
Juwon's face fell, feeling like he was holding her back.
"Sorry," he mumbled.
Trinity shifted, sitting on the edge of the bed.
"Don't apologize. Just do better, that's all."
She looked around the room, then leaned closer.
"Listen. I'm detecting strange movements around the compound. Probably hoodlums. I laughed loud hoping to scare them off, but I guess it didn't work. We're like rats trapped in this small room."
Her gaze sharpened.
"So, do exactly what I say. And we will escape."
Outside, a group of hoodlums stood huddled, machetes in hand, discussing their plan.
"Alright, Oga Muri,"
One of them muttered,
"we go room by room. Move quick, no noise."
Muri nodded.
"What about that laugh we heard? Someone might be awake."
"Forget about it, they can't do us anything."
They began their raid, room by room, until they reached Trinity and Juwon's door. They pushed it open and saw the two wrapped together under a blanket, making lewd noises, pretending to be in the middle of something private.
The hoodlums paused, staring in confusion.
"Is this where all that noise came from?"
One muttered, scratching his head.
"They're knacking so hard they don't even realise we are here. Lol."
Another squinted suspiciously.
"Wait… Was it a laugh or moan that we heard?"
Before they could think, Trinity threw the blanket at them, blocking their vision, giving her the split-second she needed.
She was in front of them in an instant, placing her hands on three of them and initiating soul manipulation.
The three men suddenly froze, their faces going blank, as if they'd lost control of their own minds.
The other hoodlums closed in, but the three manipulated ones blocked their path.
"Leave her alone!"
One of them shouted, eyes empty.
"She is going to save us all!"
The rest of the hoodlums hesitated in confusion. Trinity turned to Juwon.
"Now! Follow me!"
She dashed out, and Juwon ran behind her, the controlled hoodlums shielding their escape.
As they reached the compound courtyard, more hoodlums closed in, blocking their way.
Trinity moved quickly, knocking each one aside with precise, fierce strikes, creating a path for Juwon to follow. They were nearly out when suddenly, Juwon felt a strong hand grab his shirt from behind.
"Where do you think you're going?"
The hoodlum growled, gripping him tight and raising a machete to strike. Juwon froze, panic washing over him.
Trinity rushed forward, intercepting the machete with her bare hand, redirecting the strike but taking a deep cut. She didn't flinch, only pulling Juwon free as they made their way out of the compound.
The hoodlums didn't chase them. As they ran, Juwon glanced at Trinity's bleeding arm, frustration burning in his chest. Gritting his teeth, he felt the weight of his helplessness. She had saved him, but the sight of her injury only reminded him how much of a dead weight he is.
To be continued...