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- EVENING. RING ROAD, LAGOS
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ChetachiBenji... What are you not telling me?
- The couple are alone in their 2015 Toyota Camry.
- They are returning from a small get-together at a lounge.
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BenjiWhat do you mean?
- The car reaches a bad portion of the road and rocks gently.
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ChetachiBack at the party. I saw everything.
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BenjiSaw what?
- Chetachi swallows hard and fixes him a harsh glare. The silence is curdled.
- Benji honks to alert the driver ahead of his impending maneuver.
- He overtakes successfully and meets his wife's gaze briefly.
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BenjiBabe? What did you see?
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ChetachiWhy did you let Percy touch you like that?
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BenjiPercy? 😳 Touch me like how?
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ChetachiAmorously.
- Benji eases the pressure on the gas. The car loses speed.
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BenjiWhaaaaat? What do you mean by that?
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ChetachiI saw his hand.
- Benji adjusts in his seat.
- He clears his throat and watches her from a corner of his eyes.
- His voice fails him when he speaks.
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BenjiS… saw his hand d… doing what?
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ChetachiYou still have to ask that?
- Her voice is irritated, her nostrils flared.
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ChetachiOK. I saw him squeeze your butt when he thought no one was looking.
- Even in the air-conditioning, beads of sweat break out on Benji's forehead.
- He steps on the gas. The car picks up speed.
- An awkward silence sits with them.
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ChetachiAren't you going to say anything?
- Benji stutters.
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BenjiWh... what... what do you want me to... to say?
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ChetachiSo you're not going to defend yourself?
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ChetachiYou won't tell me how it's not what it looked like?
- Silence.
- Benji swallows hard.
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ChetachiTell me the truth. ARE YOU GAY!!!
- She pulls off her lace front wig and throws it to the back seat. Her cornrows are neat.
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ChetachiBenji! Did I marry a faggot? ðŸ˜
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ChetachiDo you penetrate other men with the same dick you put in me at night?
- Her voice rises.
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ChetachiAnswer me, Benji!
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ChetachiOr is it you who bends over like a harlot? Are you someone's bitch, Benji?
- Benji wipes his forehead with his palm. He blinks too many times in one minute.
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BenjiPlease, Chetachi. Stop.
- She points furiously in his face, nearly convulsing with rage as she speaks.
- Benji keeps his eyes to the road.
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ChetachiHow does it feel to f**k your own kind?
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ChetachiTell me!
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ChetachiWith the wealth of vaginas in town, you choose a shithole.
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ChetachiWhat is the attraction? Answer me Benji!
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ChetachiWhat do you find attractive on Percy's body? The beards?
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ChetachiIs it his gangly arms? Or do you just like hairy anuses?
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ChetachiDon't think I've not noticed how you pay special attention to mine.
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ChetachiSo all those times, this was the reason?
- Benji turns to face her now.
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BenjiYou know that's not true.
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BenjiYou're my wife and I would never dream of...
- She spits in his face. The thick white blob lands squarely across his left eye and nose.
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ChetachiYou're a bastard!
- Benji raises the hem of his vintage shirt to his face and begins to wipe.
- And then it happens.
- Chetachi screams.
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ChetachiJESUS!!!
- Benji is jolted back to reality.
- He grips the steering with both arms, turns it sharply and steps hard on the brakes.
- The tyres screech. But it's too late.
- The bang comes first. Then the crack. Then another bang over their head.
- And then all goes quiet.
- They wait a moment to allow their brain process the incident.
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Benji...
- Did they just kill someone? No way anyone would survive that.
- Not when the car sent the person somersaulting over them like that.
- Benji peers into Chetachi's face. She doesn't see him.
- She is mouthing something and snapping her fingers repeatedly.
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ChetachiJesus! Have mercy! Jesus! Have mercy!
- Benji looks around in the partial darkness. For now, the road is deserted.
- He studies the sprawled-out form in his rear view mirror, his gaze lingering.
- Finally, his eyes light up; there is movement.
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BenjiLet's help him. I saw his hand move.
- He unclasps his seat belt and shirks himself free of it.
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ChetachiWhat are you doing?
- The door opens and Benji disappears.
- He reappears by the passenger side and beckons on Chetachi to come with him.
- She is reluctant but, eventually, she unlocks the door and follows behind him.
- Benji lowers himself and sits on his haunches.
- Chetachi leans over the wounded man.
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ChetachiAre you alright, sir?
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Man(wheezing) Get... me... to... a... hospital.
- FIVE MINUTES LATER
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ChetachiThat building looks like a hospital?
- Benji looks through the cracked windshield.
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BenjiI don't think so?
- The car is going 60MPH, honking too many times and slowing down occasionally.
- Chetachi points again.
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ChetachiWhat of that one?
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BenjiIt's not.
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ChetachiOh, God.
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BenjiCheck if he's still bleeding.
- Chetachi contorts her face and turns around to the backseat.
- The gash on the man's forehead and arm are still pouring with blood.
- The rise and fall of his chest is faint, almost imperceptible.
- Nauseous from seeing so much blood, Chetachi turns to Benji.
- She stutters and fumbles with her words.
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ChetachiBut... But you t... take this route sometimes nooow, Benji.
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ChetachiYou've never seen a hospital around?
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BenjiI don't know. I'm not thinking straight right now.
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ChetachiGod help us.
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BenjiCheck him again. Just... Just continue to keep an eye on him.
- SEVEN MINUTES LATER
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ChetachiBenji!
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BenjiWhat is it?
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ChetachiBenji, he's not breathing.
- The car stops abruptly so that all three occupants jerk forward momentarily.
- The man is still splayed across the back seat.
- Outside, a signboard advertising a beverage displays an address that ends in '...Oworonshoki, Lagos.'
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BenjiWhat do you mean 'He's not breathing?'
- She speaks even more quietly now, almost enunciating.
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ChetachiHe's not breathing.
- The car begins to crawl, gently, until Benji pulls over by the side of the road.
- He pushes the CENTRAL LOCK button. The locks click softly.
- When he's sure they're secure, he turns around to see for himself.
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BenjiI think...
- He raises the man's arm.
- It falls back down, limp as a stick.
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BenjiI think you're right.
- THREE MINUTES LATER
- The car is crawling again.
- Chetachi is struggling to breath.
- Benji's forehead and neck are glistening with sweat.
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ChetachiOh my G… God. Wh… What have we gotten ourselves into?
- They are moving but their destination is no longer the hospital.
- The confusion is evident in the way Benji handles the steering.
- Chetachi's exhales are unusually loud and shaky. Her fingers tremble.
- Her panic slowly heightens so that Benji fears it will soon result in an attack.
- Without looking away from the road, Benji speaks.
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BenjiCalm down, Chi.
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BenjiYou need to stay calm.
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BenjiI know it doesn't make sense but now's not the time to panic.
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BenjiTake a deep breath and forget what's in the back seat.
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BenjiCan you do that for me?
- She nods.
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BenjiWe need to find a quiet place.
- He looks at her briefly.
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BenjiIt's either that or... or prison.
- Despite the air conditioning, Chetachi begins to fan her face with her hands.
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ChetachiBenji... what... what if we get caught.
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BenjiThat's why I need you t... to stay calm.
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BenjiTake my suit from that hanger. Remove the nylon and throw the jacket over him.
- Chetachi does this.
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BenjiI'm not too sure but there might be police checkpoints around.
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ChetachiOh, God. Let's just drop him here.
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BenjiThere are people around. We need complete darkness.
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BenjiOr someplace with no people. Maybe a bush.
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ChetachiYes... Yes... a bush.
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BenjiThe problem is, I don't think there are bushes around.
- Chetachi wipes her face with her palm. Her lips begin to quiver.
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BenjiD... Don't worry, I'll think of something.
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ChetachiWhat of the Bridge.
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BenjiThird Mainland Bridge?
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ChetachiY... Yes... We're headed that way, so we can... maybe... maybe throw it into the... water.
- Benji slows the car to a halt and scratches his head.
- He turns to her.
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BenjiThat might work.
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BenjiWe look for a spot with faint lighting, then... then wait until the traffic thins.
- She nods.
- FIVE MINUTES LATER
- Armed with a workable plan, the car has picked up speed.
- But as they turn the corner, the Volkswagen ahead starts to slow down.
- Benji sees it first—A police checkpoint.
- Chetachi sees it too and begins to hyperventilate, her chest rising like yeast in bread and then deflating.
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BenjiBe cool. Just... just be cool.
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BenjiYou can pretend to sleep if it's too much for you.
- Chetachi brings a hand to her mouth to stifle the whimper threatening to escape.
- Her eyes glisten with scalding tears.
- Benji knows that the jig is up. Chetachi's theatrics will give them away.
- He resigns to fate, watches a lanky policeman approach the driver side of the Volkswagen.
- Their car will be next.
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BenjiGod…
- He begins to pray silently, his eyes still on the policeman.
- Chetachi prays too.
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ChetachiGod help us. God help us.
- The man appears to be speaking rapidly now, like one who has lost his patience.
- He knocks against the car window with the butt of his rifle.
- Benji hears him now. He is shouting.
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PoliceManOpen this door!
- The door stays locked.
- Benji does not expect what happens next.
- The Volkswagen zooms off, brushing hard against the waist of one policeman.
- The lanky one beckons on his colleagues.
- They hop into their pickup truck and speed off after the Volkswagen.
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BenjiPhew!
- Benji breathes at last. Chetachi breathes too.
- THIRD MAINLAND BRIDGE
- For the umpteenth time, they drive over an expansion joint and the tyres complain.
- It is 11:35pm now and there are scarcely any cars on the bridge.
- The road is free; so free that vehicles are zipping past at lightning speed.
- They drive along the outer edge, at average speed.
- Chetachi's neck turns around every few seconds to check for cars coming from behind.
- She taps Benji's arm now, a sense of urgency in her voice.
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ChetachiIt's free now. No cars.
- Benji peers in the rear view mirror.
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BenjiNo. Not here. I see headlights far back.
- Her voice is gentle when she speaks, almost pleading.
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ChetachiSlow down at least. We need to get rid of it. PLEASE!
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ChetachiI can't stay another ten minutes in this car with a corpse.
- The headlights reach them and zoom past.
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BenjiOK. There.
- He points forward, to the dim spot just after an overhead signpost.
- They stop there. The signpost has pointers to VICTORIA ISLAND, IKOYI and IDUMAGBO AVE.
- They wait. One or two cars speed past.
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ChetachiWhat if someone assumes our car has broken down and offers to help?
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BenjiThat's why we need to be quick.
- He taps the CENTRAL LOCK button again to ease the lock on all four doors.
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BenjiGet in the back seat. As soon as the road is empty again, I'll come down.
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BenjiWe have to be quick when we do it. No mistakes.
- Chetachi's heartbeat accelerates.
- Benji's heart pounds against his chest.
- He looks in Chetachi's eyes.
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BenjiNo mistakes, Chi. We remove him and throw him over.
- Chetachi nods quietly and squeezes between the front seats to get to the back.
- They wait.
- Three cars zoom past. Then the fourth. And fifth.
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BenjiNOW!!!
- He hops out of the vehicle. Chetachi grabs the man's bare feet.
- Benji opens the back door and seizes the man's arms.
- They manage to remove it, with Chetachi struggling to stay level with Benji.
- Just before another headlight appears in the distance, they lift and balance it on the railing.
- Their breathing intensifies so that it becomes panting.
- Then with a silent prayer in their hearts, they let the corpse freefall into the water.
- But just as they loosen their grip, Chetachi gasps.
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ChetachiEiiiiiiiii!
- She'd seen something. Benji had seen it too.
- This thing that they saw, they know without a doubt that it will haunt them.
- Benji knows it just as much as Chetachi does.
- If ever they get charged now, it will no longer be for manslaughter.
- It will be for murder.
- Because right as they hurled him over the railing, the man's eyes had blinked open.
- And his good hand had attempted to latch on to Chetachi.
- Benji rests a hand on the small of her back.
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BenjiLet's go.
- As they drive home, Benji continues to reassure her, and perhaps himself too.
- He mumbles something repeatedly.
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BenjiHe was dead… He was dead…
- And then he mumbles it some more.
- When their marriage hits the rocks in four months, neither of them will be certain why.
- Benji's sexuality perhaps…
- or the murder and daring cover-up that they'd both orchestrated.
- THE END
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