Kelechi barely slept a wink.
His eyes were rooted to the ceiling as he laid on the thin mattress. Zara had offered him to stay in one of the guest rooms she had; something he was grateful for.
The guest room was small but clean, sunlight bleeding through the window. Kelechi was well aware of when dawn crept up. His mind had been running non-stop.
Halima was alive.
Halima had run.
Halima remembered him based on the sketchbook.
The sketchbook which rested on his chest like a heartbeat, each drawing a whisper to his soul.
He got up and freshened himself. He stepped out, the cool air hitting him with force.
Zara was outside and smiled. “Good morning. How was your night?”
“It was alright,” he replied. “Thank you for the room. For everything.”
Zara nodded. “You looked like someone carrying a ghost on his back.”
He didn’t reply.
“I.B came by a few minutes ago. Said he’s asking around about the preacher in the video. He’s smarter than he looks.”
Kelechi chuckled. “He’s a walking rumor mill.”
“True.” Zara paused. “There’s something I found in Maryam’s room.”
“What is it?”
Zara took out a receipt and handed it to Kelechi. It was a folded receipt from a hotel- Olive Whites Hotel, Room 406- dated three weeks ago.
“I found it in her room and kept it. I decided to give it to you because…you seem sincere.”
“Thank you so much.”
“I hope you find something and her real soon.”
Kelechi wasted no time. Luckily, the hotel wasn’t hard to find. A quick google search, reply from a random stranger and one Keke ride later, he was in front of said hotel.
He entered and met the receptionist. The young man looked like he was on the verge of falling asleep. But for cover’s sake, Kelechi flashed his I.D, pretending to be an investigator as he asked about the room.
“Room 406? Last registered guest checked out almost a month ago. Name was… Maryam Usman.”
Kelechi mentally cheered. It clicked. “Can I see the room?”
The man hesitated, then shrugged. “You have ten minutes,” he said, before looking
away.
Room 406 smelled faintly of perfume and camphor. The curtains were drawn, but light leaked in from a crack. Dust floated in the air like secrets.
As Kelechi searched the room, all hopes of finding something tangible slowly died.
But then, near the dresser, he noticed something. A square-shaped outline on the floor, slightly cleaner than the rest.
A missing carpet tile.
He pulled at the tile beside it, and beneath it, he found a taped envelope. He opened it in a haste and his eyes widened at the content.
A photo of Halima standing beside a man in sunglasses and a tailored agbada, both of them smiling. Yet something in her eyes was not right.
But the strange part was that there were marks on the man’s face, as if someone was trying to erase him with a pen.
Kelechi checked the back and saw a date: April 17, 2021. Halima was in her final year at this time.
His eyes picked on a paper that was peeking out of the envelope. He pulled it out and discovered it was a note.
It read: “If he finds me, I’m as good as dead. For real this time.”
Kelechi felt goosebumps creep up his skin. What was she implying?
He looked at the picture again. Did this man have something to do with the fire?
Kelechi was in a keke heading back to Zara’s place. He called Fatima, hoping she’d know something.
“Do you know if Halima was involved with a man back in
school?”
“So, I’m not worth getting a greeting now?”
“Just answer me, Fatima.”
She sighed. “None that I know of.”
“Are you sure?” Kelechi stared at the photo in his hand. “I found a picture of her with a man and the year was 2021.”
“2021? That’s our final year.”
So, I was correct, he thought.
“Yes. That’s why I’m asking.”
“I really don’t know of anyone.” She paused. “However, …”
“What is it?”
“It was just a rumor, okay? There were whispers, here and there. About Halima following an older man. Some said he was her sponsor, some said he was family. One time I asked and she just laughed it off, shaking her head like they were all being delusional and it never came up again.”
Kelechi sighed after being quiet for a few seconds. “Fatima, I think Halima faked her death.”
The keke stopped and Kelechi walked the short distance to Zara’s place. But on the way, he saw her leaving.
“Oh, you’re back already? How did it go?”
“Yes. Uhm…I found something.” He brought out the picture. “I don’t know but do you have any idea who this might be?”
“I can’t see the face so no. But even if I could, I wouldn’t know him. I haven’t seen any man connected to Halima. Except you of course.”
Kelechi lowered his head.
“But maybe…the call she had the day before she disappeared was from a man?”
“What do you mean?”
“I didn’t hear anything from it. I only saw when she hung up and was crying, saying something. I can’t be found again.”
Kelechi sighed. Can’t be found again? Was he right in thinking that this man was responsible for the fire and she faked her death?
If he was, he needed to find her. ASAP. And the clues he had were not helping.
“I suppose my best bet now is the preacher.”
“I think so too.”
A ping distracted Zara. “Oh my God. I need to leave now.”
“Alright. Take care.”
As Zara left, Kelechi’s mind wandered again. That was until he heard a deep voice.
“Kelechi.”
He stopped in his tracks. There was no one in this area who actually knew his name. So, what was going on?
The voice came from the stall by his side. He turned and saw a few people sitting by the benches.
But he knew who had called him.
The tall man in a dark kaftan, sitting alone, lips curved into a lazy smile as soon as Kelechi found him.
“How do you know my name?”
“I’m here to advise you to stop this nonsense chase you’re on,” he said, ignoring Kelechi’s question.
He stood up and reached into his pocket. Kelechi tensed up but calmed down when the man revealed a card, which he placed on the table.
He scowled at the man’s words. “You can’t tell me what to do.”
The man smiled. “I can’t. But you must know that some things are buried for a reason, never to come to the surface.”
He paused, his smile taking a wicked meaning.
“Same can be said for people.”
Then he laughed, low and amused, like he knew the ending already, before walking away.
Kelechi approached the table and picked up the card.
No number.
No logo.
Just a name in gold foil: ALHAJI NURADEEN.
A sudden memory came to him. As the man placed the card, there was a ring on his finger. Silver, thick, a black stone in the middle.
The same ring as the man in the photo which he checked again.
He didn’t need confirmation.
It was him.
The man in the photo.
The man he just met.
The man Halima had run away from.
And now he knew Kelechi’s name.
NEWLY ADDED CHARACTERS
1. Alhaji Nuradeen
✨ Why This Chapter Won!
- Strong emotional depth – Kelechi’s internal struggles were portrayed with clarity and subtlety.
- Logical story progression – The hotel receipt led to a compelling discovery that moved the plot forward.
- Chilling plot twist – The introduction of Alhaji Nuradeen added suspense and raised the stakes.
- Well-paced writing – The chapter balanced introspection with action smoothly.
- Natural dialogue – Conversations felt real and consistent with character personalities.
- Consistent tone – The chapter stayed true to the mystery and tension of previous chapters.