behind the mask

In the past few years, the Ojularis have experienced strange events. A psychic neighbour foretells that it is not unrelated to the silver bracelet worn by their father, who visibly displayed some eccentric behaviour. She intimates that so long as he still has it around his wrist, dead or alive, the oddities shall continue. Alabi was a wealthy stark illiterate married to an accountant, Fadekemi, and their union brought forth Bolaji and his younger sister, Kofo. He died after tasting from a meal he gave his children, who insisted he had to taste from it before they could be comfortable to eat it. Bolaji sneaks into the night to take out the bracelet from his father’s grave. In his quest, he encounters Baba, a weird-looking old man who promises to help him achieve his target in exchange for arranging his scattered farm. According to him, the seedlings in his nursery have a misconception of the rain and the sun; while the rain seems to favour them in the interim, it plans to destroy them in the long run. Bolaji is afraid he may not be able to fulfil Baba’s promise, but Baba explains that arranging his scattered farm will only be a reflex action after he must have helped him get the bracelet. He makes a comparison with a parable of Man, Nature, and Sleep; he explains how Nature gives Man the strength to toil endlessly during the day, and the latter succumbs to slumber at night, subconsciously paying Nature’s price—sleep. Bolaji agrees to the proposal. However, things take a different turn as more mystery is unravelled. What triggers the effects of the bracelet, and who are the faces behind the mask?

• No of Pages: 101
• Category: Thriller
• Year Published: 2020