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  • EVENING. RING ROAD, LAGOS
  • 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.
  • BenjiWhat do you mean?
  • The car reaches a bad portion of the road and rocks gently.
  • ChetachiBack at the party. I saw everything.
  • 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.
  • BenjiBabe? What did you see?
  • ChetachiWhy did you let Percy touch you like that?
  • BenjiPercy? 😳 Touch me like how?
  • ChetachiAmorously.
  • Benji eases the pressure on the gas. The car loses speed.
  • BenjiWhaaaaat? What do you mean by that?
  • 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.
  • BenjiS… saw his hand d… doing what?
  • ChetachiYou still have to ask that?
  • Her voice is irritated, her nostrils flared.
  • 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.
  • ChetachiAren't you going to say anything?
  • Benji stutters.
  • BenjiWh... what... what do you want me to... to say?
  • ChetachiSo you're not going to defend yourself?
  • ChetachiYou won't tell me how it's not what it looked like?
  • Silence.
  • Benji swallows hard.
  • 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.
  • ChetachiBenji! Did I marry a faggot? 😠
  • ChetachiDo you penetrate other men with the same dick you put in me at night?
  • Her voice rises.
  • ChetachiAnswer me, Benji!
  • 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.
  • BenjiPlease, Chetachi. Stop.
  • She points furiously in his face, nearly convulsing with rage as she speaks.
  • Benji keeps his eyes to the road.
  • ChetachiHow does it feel to f**k your own kind?
  • ChetachiTell me!
  • ChetachiWith the wealth of vaginas in town, you choose a shithole.
  • ChetachiWhat is the attraction? Answer me Benji!
  • ChetachiWhat do you find attractive on Percy's body? The beards?
  • ChetachiIs it his gangly arms? Or do you just like hairy anuses?
  • ChetachiDon't think I've not noticed how you pay special attention to mine.
  • ChetachiSo all those times, this was the reason?
  • Benji turns to face her now.
  • BenjiYou know that's not true.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • BenjiLet's help him. I saw his hand move.
  • He unclasps his seat belt and shirks himself free of it.
  • 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.
  • ChetachiAre you alright, sir?
  • Man(wheezing) Get... me... to... a... hospital.
  • FIVE MINUTES LATER
  • ChetachiThat building looks like a hospital?
  • Benji looks through the cracked windshield.
  • BenjiI don't think so?
  • The car is going 60MPH, honking too many times and slowing down occasionally.
  • Chetachi points again.
  • ChetachiWhat of that one?
  • BenjiIt's not.
  • ChetachiOh, God.
  • 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.
  • ChetachiBut... But you t... take this route sometimes nooow, Benji.
  • ChetachiYou've never seen a hospital around?
  • BenjiI don't know. I'm not thinking straight right now.
  • ChetachiGod help us.
  • BenjiCheck him again. Just... Just continue to keep an eye on him.
  • SEVEN MINUTES LATER
  • ChetachiBenji!
  • BenjiWhat is it?
  • 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.'
  • BenjiWhat do you mean 'He's not breathing?'
  • She speaks even more quietly now, almost enunciating.
  • 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.
  • BenjiI think...
  • He raises the man's arm.
  • It falls back down, limp as a stick.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • BenjiCalm down, Chi.
  • BenjiYou need to stay calm.
  • BenjiI know it doesn't make sense but now's not the time to panic.
  • BenjiTake a deep breath and forget what's in the back seat.
  • BenjiCan you do that for me?
  • She nods.
  • BenjiWe need to find a quiet place.
  • He looks at her briefly.
  • BenjiIt's either that or... or prison.
  • Despite the air conditioning, Chetachi begins to fan her face with her hands.
  • ChetachiBenji... what... what if we get caught.
  • BenjiThat's why I need you t... to stay calm.
  • BenjiTake my suit from that hanger. Remove the nylon and throw the jacket over him.
  • Chetachi does this.
  • BenjiI'm not too sure but there might be police checkpoints around.
  • ChetachiOh, God. Let's just drop him here.
  • BenjiThere are people around. We need complete darkness.
  • BenjiOr someplace with no people. Maybe a bush.
  • ChetachiYes... Yes... a bush.
  • BenjiThe problem is, I don't think there are bushes around.
  • Chetachi wipes her face with her palm. Her lips begin to quiver.
  • BenjiD... Don't worry, I'll think of something.
  • ChetachiWhat of the Bridge.
  • BenjiThird Mainland Bridge?
  • 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.
  • BenjiThat might work.
  • 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.
  • BenjiBe cool. Just... just be cool.
  • 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.
  • BenjiGod…
  • He begins to pray silently, his eyes still on the policeman.
  • Chetachi prays too.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • ChetachiIt's free now. No cars.
  • Benji peers in the rear view mirror.
  • BenjiNo. Not here. I see headlights far back.
  • Her voice is gentle when she speaks, almost pleading.
  • ChetachiSlow down at least. We need to get rid of it. PLEASE!
  • ChetachiI can't stay another ten minutes in this car with a corpse.
  • The headlights reach them and zoom past.
  • 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.
  • ChetachiWhat if someone assumes our car has broken down and offers to help?
  • BenjiThat's why we need to be quick.
  • He taps the CENTRAL LOCK button again to ease the lock on all four doors.
  • BenjiGet in the back seat. As soon as the road is empty again, I'll come down.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • BenjiLet's go.
  • As they drive home, Benji continues to reassure her, and perhaps himself too.
  • He mumbles something repeatedly.
  • 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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