LOVE'S VENOM

By: AMODU, ABIDEEN DAVID (ELIXIR)


"Love can be destructive when don't exercise patience"
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The sun stood gallantly, clinging its whole body to the invisible ropes of the sky. Indeed, it was a scorching noon. It's the second day in the first week of March. it hadn't rain for a while now in Lagos, expect for the reluctant cool droppings of the morning dew. The streets of Lagos are jampacked, filled with bright, sad, hungry and angry faces. a different atmosphere is the Victoria Island. It's cool and somewhat, an haven. Clara hadn't visit Nigeria for about half a decade. She had been living in London. Circumstances change, Clara had studied, grduated and married in the United Kingdom. Now, she visits Lagos because her husband has to do some businesses in Lagos. Wilson, her husband, was a civil constructor and was the contractor in charge of constructing a fourty-kilometre road in Ikorodu, a surbub of Lagos.
Clara goes to the kitchen, gets herself a chilly orange juice from the refridgerator and comes back to the sitting room. She then goes to bury her face and mind in her blog. She runs a fashion and lifestlye blog. Few moments had gone by, when she stands to the painted wall. A potrait was hanging there and it had a masculine figure buried in it. Of course, it was Wilson, a Briton, but a Nigerian by descent. Clara repetedly admired the potrait, it was as if she had never seen it before. She stared at it one more time as she reminised about how they've met on the train twice in Britain, in London and Coventry respectively. It was romantic. She reminsed about how he has been showering her with love and care. A day before, Wilson came home late as unusual, Clara was waiting for him at the gate. There was no one to talk to exept for the young man who was the gateman. Kofi, the gateman, would have been a good companion, if he understood English very well, not to talk of Clara's British accent.
She remembers how he comes in to land a romantic kiss on her face. It sent a signal down her spine. Her nerves recieved it. This turned her on. She reciprocated the kiss and the couple buried their pink lips in eachothers mouth. Wilson is a veteran at this and Clara too isn't a newbie. The romantic conglomeration of experts gave a sensual atmosphre. No room for questions. It was straigth to business! Clara threw her lilen blouse opened at a snap, clinging her succulent chest to Wilson's. He placed his hands on her backside giving the chance for a naughty rub and a sensual spank. Clara put her arms round his neck, worshiped his face, adoreed his muscular body and clinged to the 'chiminey'. There were no lapses and no gags. It was perfect. Who had the real mastery of the art? A bang on the street pulls her out of her sensual thoughts.

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Melisa had been Clara's friend in the United Kingdom. They had known eachother sice thier middle childhood days. Melisa had just been given an English name. She was Nigerian, in fact, from Ibadan. She had come to Nigeria few months before Clara and her lover visited the country. Clara contacted her friend to and they both agreed to meet the next weekend. The day came and Clara met her childhood friend in another continent. Melisa had come cisiting and was prepared to spend a couple of days with her friend. Wilson came back from his office, quite exhusted and unsuprised at the sight of Melisa. They had known eachother before and his wife had informed him that she was coming. They both exchanged pleasantries and Wilson went into his Italian furbished bedroom. What has transpired between them is unknown.
Melisa's first day and night at her friend's place were filled with fascinating thoughts borne out of the sight of admiration. She often lower her gaze to see the couple play games, kiss and help eachother. Wilson will retell every tale that he sees in his office from that day, without omiting any. This had helped Clara get through the stress of the day. Boredom is to be broken and lonliness was to be eliminated. Every now and then, the couple would always play romantically without being mindful of their guest.
Romance is intresting, it's pleasurable and the moment is magical. But, the climax is achieved when we are with the right person, for the right reason and at the right time. Melisa would always be left to think of her boyfriend, whom they had earlier broke up about six weeks ago and she had just gotten over the trauma, but not completely. Clara and her darling lover had just pierced the scar. She ran through the lanes of thoughts - thoughts that haunted her emotions.
Adam had been her favourite. They both claimed to love eachother and it went on and on for a while as weeks chameleons into months and months into years - two years and three months! How does it feel to love and not be loved? How painful is it when romance outlives love and the body is only configured for sexual satisfaction? What happens to the heart that has fallen in love? Does the eyes who witholds love goes blind as soon as it gets in love? Is there any pleasure in an unreciprocated love?
Adam and Melisa had known eachother for years before they actually began a relationship in London. Only two things Adam had the mastery, they were: sex and toying with his lover's emotions. Of course, Wilson and Adam were friends and Melisa was always coming to report Adam's inadequacies to the most matured guy in their peer - Wilson. Adam is the craggy looking guy. He's tough and less sympathetic. He knows his way to getting on thing he enjoyed doing - sex- and he does this with skill. His eloquency is a good facilitator for his games. All these thoughts filled Melisa's mind, consequently, she begins to wonder if she could get someone like Wilson, but not a Nigerian.
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Like every working day, residents of Lagos will get out of bed as early as they could and as their strengths permit. Failure to observe this ritutual will result to one ending up in the annoying traffic jams which could have formed a long and unbroken chain very early in the morning. Curses, insults and assults were essential components of these morning-long traffic jams. Wilson had gotten, up groomed himself and taken hot tea. Clara was sill in bed. The kiss that landed on her cheecks was the goodbye kiss as Wilsom set out t work in his black Toyota Avensis car.
Clara got up and begins her chores - a daily routine. This time was different because she had help from her friend. They both did the chores together and in less than an hour, they were done. Breakfast had been consumed. Clara took to her blog while Melisa took to the movies.
"Melisa, do you know what?" Clara asked.
"What's that, I hope it's no problem?"
"No qualms. I just feel garteful that I accepted Wilson's proposal, back then in college. He's the nicest person on earth - the last good man."
"Indeed, you're lucky! I am so happy for you"
"Lest I forget, you haven't said anything about him?"
'Who?"
"Adam, of course" Clara replied.
Thoughts of what to say flowed up and down her mind. She wouldn't want to reveal her sadness to her friend because, she had warn her not to opt in for Adam. But, she wouldn't listen, she hadn't heed to her friend's advice and now she's facing the consequences - too hot to handle.
"He's fine. In fact, we've been talking althrough the night. He has left for Sweden, he's got businesses to do there. After leaving Sweden, he'll be going to Cincinati and Oklahoma respectively. He'll also be attending a conference of gold merchants in Venice. He's a busy man".
"Yes, I know. He's indeed busy. When will he be back from his world tour?"
"Surely, he should be back nin four months time and then I can join him in Venice. You need to see the water channels and the sceneric beauty of Venice. Venice is in Italy, in case you don't know."
"I'm a blogger, maybe I'll have to post something like 'Holiday and Resorts in Italy"
"That's a great idea!, I'd love to read your articles on that blog". Melisa claimed.
The two friends were doing what they enjoyed doing. For all the times they were together, it was completely symbiotic in the sense that Clara's boredom had been broken, while Melisa's broken heart is healing gradually.
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Today's morning was different. Wilson was at home and Melisa had been feeling sick since last. Perhaps, the cause of her sickness is unknown. Clara had to go to the grocery shop alone. Her preferred shop was about a two kilometres away. She got into the blue Toyota Camry and zoomed off. Now, Clara is gone and Melisa's sickness is gone too! Wilson comes out to Melisa and they spoke of the past. Wilson and Melisa had once fallen in love with eachother in high school and before Clara met both Wilson and Melisa.The two had broken apart and flown separate ways due to unexplainable indiviual difrences. But, their love showed strong and strudiness was also an attrubute of it. Now it looks like things had begun to change.
Wilson and Melisa talked things out while Clara ahd been stucked in the Lagos traffic jam - a room for lengthy dicussion was opened through that channel. They had both been at fault. Immaturity had played on thier budding intellegence then but now could the worn out things still be amended?
"It's in the past, let's forget it. I was only a boy then' Wilson claimed.
"I'll admit that I too was wrong then. I was only being a girl"
Without hesitation, conversation had turn into a fussilade of kisses and showers of romance. It was sensational, it was sensual. Melisa clinged to Adams body like the Believers cling to the Cross. A soft moan of pleasure erupted speedily like the volcano, filled the atmosphere like the smoke of sweet incense. Wilson's hand caressed Melisa's behind endowment - she was pretty endowed. The sexy six-packs was something quite seductive - a part to be worshipped. Melisa isn't a novice too. She too had the mastery of seduction. Her feminine palms were moist, dappled by the brines of sensation. Her satisfactory rubs left their limbs to locomote like pulsating rips of the Atlantic Ocean. Baam! they landed on the soft sofa seat - the Italian-made couch. Kisses sent an electronic impulse round her head, down her chest and to the 'inferno'. The last moan aired with the fallling of clothings; from blaiser to brassier and from panties to boxers. The minutes of 'Adam and Eve' had gone by. Pleasure had been maximized; they've frociously enjoyed eachother's 'deep' company. A fresh shower was the next item on the list of romance - maybe, the last. But, the bang on the gate and the screeching of the wheels of vehicles changed the situation. Clara arrived!
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About a month had passed since the incident and Clara hadn't any knowledge of it. It was a Friday. Melisa had gone back to Ibadan, but was she really at Ibadan? Wilson was having his bath this Saturday when his phone beeped. It was a text message. Clara hovered to where the phone had been innocently placed like the Trojan Women. She tried unlocking it and went throught the message of an unknown sender. It read:
"I'm pretty sure that you'll not be enjoying her (your wife's) company any more. She worths you not. She doesn't deserve you. Concerning my whereabouts, I'm where you kept me. The man said our tickets are ready and we can fly next Friday by 16:00 hrs (Nigerian Time). I've not left my address to any one not even my friend- your wife. Be quick, for Quebec City awaits the latest couple"

Clara immeditely got enraged by the message. Who could have the guts of snatching the love of her life? But, her husband had been so attentive, so caring and more compassionate as he used to be. Somehow, it could have been a devised means of diverting her attention away from the venomous plans. She copied the sender's number and dailed it on her phone. The sender's identity left her flaggerbasted and enraged. She closes it and left no sign of intrusion.
"Why her?!" She screamed and fainted.
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Clara nursed the bitterness of what she has been feeling. It wasn't afeeling for a woman who seeks ahving another life growing staedily in her. After loosing two embryos consectively, and the third from what she had earlier experienced. She ahd just returnecd from the hospital the next day. For that week, she took her turn. Caring was at its peak as she ultimately cares for her husband, knots his tie and belts his trousers. The atmosphere of love had begin to emerge.
Friday came, clear and bright. It was the day to fly on Wright brothers' bird. Wilson had told his darling wife that he was going on a business trip and she gave her consent and some tea to sip. That morning, he zoomed off and Clara waved him goodbye. He drove to the hotel and picks up Melisa, who ahd been waitimg. While driving to the airport. He thought of his wife, the times of sweetness and bitterness abd decided to turn back and cancel the elopment. Melisa frowned at this idea, drags the streering and a gaint truck smashed their vehicle, Melisa shook hands with her ancestors instantly. Wilson was rushed to the hospitalm but died on the way- he couldn't make it.
The news came to his wife but nothing could be done. They were buried and the world waved them goodbye as they were laid for eternal rest. Five days had passed, when Clara picked up the recorder she had earlier placed in the travelling car. She listened to the argument and burst into tears. Her husband had repented but now, he's gone. She blammed herself. People thought Wilson died in the auto crash, unknowing that Clara had added some Strychine to the last tea Wilson drank. She weeps bitterly.
That night was filled with horror, mystery and fear. It was bizzare. Clara weeped endlessly but the deed has been done. The next morning, her dangling body was found in the sitting room. Her neck attached to the long rope that hanged her to death - it was suicide.