THE STRANGERS IN MY HOME (PART 2)

DAY OF ARRIVAL....

“Chief Okafor?” He asked the tall man standing next to his wife and kids.

“Yes, who are you?”

“Badmus,” He stretched out his hand to shake him, “the driver.”

“Ohh, it’s you.”

“Yes, sir-” Chief Okafor pushed the trolley towards the man’s open hand, ignoring his handshake.

With that, Chief He Okafor and his family left for the parking lot, leaving the driver behind.

The driver stared down at the trolley in disgust at the disrespect he just received. But he didn’t take it personal because he knew this was not going to last too long. Not long at all.

Soon, they left the Anambra International Airport as they all settled inside the car. As they drove home, everyone was sound asleep except for Madam Okafor and the driver. This made the driver unsettled and Madam Okafor could sense something was off.

“Badmus,” She stared at him through the rear-view mirror, “So, you’re the new driver?”

No.

“Ye- yes, ma.”

He stammered. Why did he stammer? Was it because of her American accent?

She nodded her head slowly, “And how long have you been a driver for?”

He called out the first number in his head, “10. 10 years.”

She remained quiet for a second before adjusting her glasses on her nose. There was a little awkward silence before she spoke up again.

“So uhm, Badmus. How are your wife and kids?”

He glanced at her through the rear-view mirror. She stared straight back at him.

“They are good, ma.” The driver smiled nervously and looked away.

“Badmus.”

“Yes, ma?”

“You have no wife and kids.”

How-

“We never hire drivers with wife and kids.” She added.

The car came to a full stop, frantically waking everybody up.

“What happened?” Chief Okafor asked from the passenger seat.

Before Madam Okafor could say something, the driver slammed the accelerator, causing the car to move in a violent speed. He stepped on it harder, driving past 180 kilometers per hour.

“Slow down!” Madam Okafor shouted.

He refused. He had been busted. This was the only way out.

“Are you mad?! Slow down!” Chief Okafor shouted too.

The faster the car sped, the darker the driver’s eyes became.

He stepped on the accelerator harder and harder, not letting a single soul stop him. He was almost there, almost where he needed to be.

“Badmus!”

Almost.

“Stop the car!” Madam Okafor shouted while holding onto her three children in the backseat.

Very very-

“Badmus!!!”

Close.

He turned the steering wheel into the wide forest next to the road and zoomed right into the middle of the forest, causing the Okafors to scream. Madam Okafor could no longer hold her children anymore as the car moved violently along the grass.

In less than a minute, the driver slammed the brake and the car came to a full violent stop.

“What the hell is wrong with you?!” Chief Okafor shouted at him, “You dey craze, Badmus?! You dey craze ni?!”

The driver turned off the engine and rested his back on the driver’s seat.

“My name is not Badmus.” He confessed, breathing heavily. “I am Josiah Umeh.”

Confusion spreads across the couple’s face as they stared at him.

“And yes sir,” The driver turned his head to the side to look at Chief Okafor, “I dey craze.”

*****