The next morning after Nnenne said the morning prayer with her parents she went about her morning duties and her mom offered to cook.
"Mom am done with the other chores go and shower while I set the table for breakfast.
" Okay dear wait for another five minutes before setting the table your father went out for something but would be back soon"
" Yes ma" her mother left the kitchen for her bedroom.
Few minutes later Nnenne was setting the table for breakfast when her father came in from outside.
"Hey dad you are back" she said on seeing him.
"Yes oh is breakfast already ready?"
"Yes daddy we were waiting for you to come back"
"Oh am so sorry I went out for something. You can go call your mom now so we can eat".
She nodded and went to call her mom down for breakfast.
After eating and clearing the table Uju gave Nnenne some money to go to the market and get herself foodstuffs and other things she would be needing since she would be returning to school the upper week.
Nnenne set out to the market at noon. She went to the cooking oil square and got some groundnut oil and palm oil before she went to the provisions square to shop for her provisions.
She wanted to go to the rice mill when she found out that carrying her bags of things their and back would be inconvenient for she asked the lady she got her provisions from her shop to help her look over her bag that she would come and carry it later.
The lady took the bags from her and kept it inside her shop, she thanked her and made her way to the rice mill.
She was about to take a corner when she was stopped by a young man that seems to be in his middle twenties.
"Hello can I talk to you for some minutes please?" The young man asked with a polite but sunny smile.
"Okay sure come to the side"
They shift to the side under a shade.
" So how can I help you sir " Nnenne asked the young man.
"My name is Nemias and you are?"
"Nene my name is Nnenne"
"Okay I wanted to talk to you but since both of us seems to be in a hurry can I get your contact so we can talk later on the phone"
Nnenne thought for a while and said sure.
They exchanged contacts Nemias thanked her and they both went their separate ways.
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"Nnenne if you are done packing your things let me know so we are drop you at the park!"
Jude shouted from the sitting room.
"Ok dad I will be done in a while!"
"Ok we are waiting!"
Ring ring. ring
The sound of a phone broke the atmosphere in the sitting room.
"Honey your phone is ringing" Jude turned to his wife .
"Oh it's my phone" she turned to take the call still with her eyes glued to the show she was watching on the television.
"Hello"
"Hello is this Jude?" the caller asked.
"No this Jude's wife Uju"
"Please can I speak to Jude?" the caller asked in a low and cracky voice.
" Ok wait a minute let me put him on the phone "
Uju handed the phone to Jude who was already looking at her curiously.
" Here someone said I should hand you the phone "
Jude took the phone" hello this is Jude on the line"
" Hello my son it's mama Eyinna "
" Oh mama it's you good afternoon mama"
Jude greeted with a cheeky smile.
" Hmm good afternoon my son" she responded in a very weak voice .
" Mama what's wrong this one your tone is like this" he asked worried.
"Jude your mother collapsed this morning with blood coming out of her four senses.
" M.. m..my mother collapsed? " He asked in a shaky voice.
" Yes my son she gave up the ghost on our way to the hospital " mama Eyinna said now crying on the phone.
The phone slipped from Jude's hands . He stared into space with his hands on his head.
Uju touched her husband on the shoulder gently " honey what's the problem? "
Jude looked at her with red eyes and slowly said" mama is dead ".
" What! What do you mean by mama is dead? "Uju asked with disbelief written all over her face.
" Mama Eyinna just called to inform me"
Jude replied like a robot that only speaks when asked a question.
Nnenne stood by the door starring at the couple with cold eyes with a small smirk by the corner of her lips.
Uju shivered and turned to look around because she felt a malicious intent towards her.
Nnenne masqueraded the cold look with a worried expression when she saw her mom looking around.
She moved to her and asked in a worried tone "mom what's wrong with dad?".
" He just received the news that your grandma died this morning"
" Oh my God she was perfectly fine when I left some days back" she said looking shocked.
Jude suddenly stood up and said to his wife" honey pack us some of our basic things we will be needing we are going to the village now. Nene you too your going back to school would be postponed for the time being "
They packed some of their things and left for the village. When they get there it's was already some minutes past noon. The whole compound was filled with people grieving.
They madee their way inside the house to the sitting room area where Elizabeth's corpse lay cold on top of the marble table covered with white cloth.
Jude uncovered his mom's corpse with trembling hands. There she lay with eyelids shut tight, lips dry without it's usually rosiness, her complexion as dark as charcoal.
Uju finally couldn't hold her tears and broke down crying her lungs out.
Nnenne stood at the other side of Elizabeth's corpse looking at the cold body with a dead look in her eyes without making a sound.
An elder come out of the crowd and signaled to Jude that it is time they lay Elizabeth's body to rest as their tradition demands.
He embraced his wife and step back while the youths carried his mother to the burial site which was at the end of the compound besides his late father's grave.
A tear finally slipped from his eyes because at this moment it finally dawned on him that his mother has really left to meet his father.
Ma Eyinna patted his shoulder "my son take heart your mother just went home,"
Jude looked up to the sky "I pray she is happy there with dad"
The family of three along with the other people present watched the youth cover Elizabeth's grave before they dispersed to their different homes.
Before mama Eyinna left she turned to Jude"I have to go meet the women leader to finalize your mother's burial arrangements. Meanwhile this is Andrew my last son Incase you need anything you can talk to him"
"Ok mama thank you" Jude said looking grateful for the help.
She left for the meeting leaving Andrew behind.
The burial arrangements was finalized in two days with the burial following subsequently a week after the finalization.
On the night after the burial a figure was seen on Elizabeth's grave "old lady did you ever imagined you would end u dying in this manner? hahaha" th figure laughed.
"But here you are dead . Murdered in the most cruel way ever. Your poor stupid son didn't even do you the courtesy of performing an autopsy" he continued laughing manically.
"Guess you are enjoying your masterpiece" Another figure said from behind the first figure.
The first figure turned around "what do you think? I gave her a befitting death right?" He grinned.
"Yes Andrew you did . I know that by now the others would start to suspect that this is no longer an accident since we made sure we used the same format we used on assembly man Polou".
" Of course they are. I saw some of those old fools at the burial fear written all over their face " Andrew chuckled.
" Am sure they must have wanted the police to do an autopsy and investigate but they are too scared to say anything afraid that the past would come haunting them"
" Enough of the talk Andrew you should return to the city before Jude and his family does, we have to plan carefully from this point going " the second figure said in a chilly voice.
" Yes sir on it". He turned and left.
He figure looked at Elizabeth's grave and turned to Silas Elizabeth husband's grave and muttered " you two should watch me closely as I destroy everything you hold dear , built and cherished "
He turned his back from the grave and walked away saying " The game starts now " whistling.