Every one suddenly had blue eyes. From the littlest to the oldest passerby, from the fairest to the darkest skin and though a part of his mind told him it was all facade, his eyes spoke differently. His earlier run had slowed to a walk and his breathing had evened as he passed shops his mind failed to register. Occasionally, he looked back to be double sure he was not pursued which was weird since no one knew what he had done. Well, no one except him. He would have dismissed this feeling if the hairs at the back of his neck did not stand. Someone was following him. Maco, his boss has always talked about these hairs, calling them man’s second pair of eyes. Right now, they were the only eyes he had because his front pairs can not stop seeing the blue eyes of his first victim.
Adjusting the ropes of his cardigan to wade off the evening cold, he tried to remember Maco*s words, if any, about haunted eyes. Strange as it may sound, his boss always had wise words to back up his actions or warnings. If Maco killed, he had wise words to justify himself and if he stole, words applauded his feat. The gang soon got used to this and sometimes completed his famous words for him. Too bad he could not remember any at the moment. His mind was still in shambles. He had not slept for two days, avoiding the close walls of his house and running from his thoughts. His dreams were full of her last moments in his arms and his walls turned blue at nights. If he did not get a solution quickly, he might join her soon.
Reaching his usual destination for two days in a row, he picked a stone and threw it into the river. He found solace in its calmness. As he watched the ripples, he wondered if the payment for killing “Blue Eyes” was worth it. In his defense, she was destined to die anyways. He recounted how he had sneaked into her house while she was asleep. He would have executed his mission on her bed if she had not woken up and fought with him. He marvelled at how such a little lady exerted strength in self defense. She was a fighter, one that left the prints of her eyes in his mind. She escaped the room to his astonishment only to meet her end at the bottom of her staircase. He was torn between saving her and allowing her die but not of his bullet. He found himself kneeling before her while she stared at him with the purest blue eyes he had ever seen. She must have gone to a beautiful place because she smiled her way out of the world.
The shout of the policeman heading his way shook him out of his reverie. He did not wait for questioning but ran making the officer follow him in a chase. He should have known someone would find out. He should have known he would he would be caught soon. Blue Eyes had come back for revenge. He looked back once to see the officer gaining on him. His hands searched through his pockets and came out empty. Maco’s number 1 rule was to carry weapons only when necessary. He looked back one more time and the officer was nowhere to be found. He stopped to take his breath. His first assignment would be the death of him if he was not careful. The police officer must have taken a short route because he suddenly appeared before him
With his hands raised up already, he began saying he did not do it. The puzzled look of the police officer’s stopped his stride of words that would be capable of sentencing him for life. The officer asked why he was running so hard and he smiled and answered. He was taking an evening exercise, unaware of the chase. The officer nodded at his words while he brought out a piece of paper. He had noticed it fell off while he took a walk past the shops. He almost burst out laughing. The paper had the number of the contractor he was supposed to call once again before tearing it up. He thanked the police officer and walked away. Maco’s words finally came to his mind as he walked home. Something about the first attempt and its permanent scar. Blue Eyes were already seared into his heart. Maco said it would get better at the next attempt and the one after. He would get over this, he knew he will.
Osanyinro Oluwaseun, a graduate of Microbiology and currently a master student of Public Health at the University of Ibadan runs a blog on WordPress deejemima.wordpress.com
