When he stared at me with fire burning in his eyes, with his lips partly apart, all ten fingers tapping his jean trousers with a rhythm, In that moment I just knew it, I knew I was going to die tonight.
Jack has been my day1, ride or die since forever. I remember meeting Jack in a bus headed to Umuahia Tower Deep in the eastern part of the kingdom. It was my first time visiting the east, I didn't know how to speak their dialect either. After walking around aimlessly for a while, Jack was the first person I met when the great elephant ship arrived at the sea port.
He walked up to me like he was certain I wasn't from the east. Dressed in nothing but a yellow wrapper tied across his waist with a bare chest built with albs and muscles. His English sounded strange.
"Madam, what brings you to the east?"
"First off, I'm not a madam. I'm just a student carrying out a research. Actually I have been trying to locate the right canoe to take me to the city."
"I'm headed there myself, come with me, I'll give you a ride."
We didn't walk towards the canoes sticking their noses out of the water, we headed in the opposite direction. This was a clear sign to stay away from this eastern stranger.
"Are we not crossing over with canoes?" I asked curiously.
Just then,I heard a loud neighing as a horse walked out of nowhere.
"Great, you are going to ride on the sea with your fancy white horse."
He smiled, then replied.
"It's either this or you go back to trying your luck with the canoe men. I'm sure you will end up on a canoe headed north."
This is how it all started 150 years ago. He mounted the horse and helped me up. In a moment we were flying over the sea into the city. The sight was beautiful, never seen anything like it. The sea glowed as the sun rays hit it's glassy surface.
"Where are ####"
"I can't hear you!" I replied to Jack who seemed lo be talking to me, but I couldn't make out his word amidst the whirling wind and the rumbling sea below.
"Don't worry with time you will learn to communicate while in transit." He replied with a loud thundering voice.
The next time we met, few weeks after the jolly ride, I could hardly recognize him. He was all suited up, with polished shoes.
"I thought you only dress in native." I asked after he explained himself to me.
"When I'm on the other side, Yeah. On this side, I have a job that requires I dress this way."*
The writing was boldly written on the wall, but I couldn't read them. If he could have double personality, what stops him from having three. But then on the other hand, I owe Jack a whole lot because without him communication would have been a great hindrance on my research. Jack was calm, gentle and very friendly. During the course of my research, I fell in love with umuahia. After my studies, I decided to relocate to the east.
Everything changed on the day of the New moon festival. It takes approximately 200 years to form a new moon. During that period, he distanced himself from me. We weren't lovers, but I really enjoyed his company. He always had something interesting to say, and taking a ride on his flying horse was fun as well. I finally got a chance to see him, four days after the festival.
"Jake are you OK. I've been worried."
"You have to leave Umuahia , it's not safe for you out here."
"Yeah right, Jack I've been here long enough. I'm sure I can take care of myself."
"This is not a Joke. Unlike your clan that live forever with ease, it is different for us, Every new moon, we are expected to renew our life span. This can be done only with the blood of your clan. With each passing day after the new moon, it becomes harder to resist the urge for blood."
I thought Jack was trying to be funny as usual, but then the smile that was always present on his face was gone.
"I know where you live, if the urges persist, I'll have to come for you. Leave umuahia now!"
Those were his last words before he disappeared. Despite the seriousness in his voice, I didn't believe his story. I concluded that he might be sick. I decided to do a little background check on what he said nothing came up, until two weeks after the festival. A report of two missing tourists from my clan popped up on the Internet.
I decided to leave Umuahia that night, the same night Jack barged into my room with burning eyeballs.
"I told you I'd come for you, it was only a matter of time."
He made his way towards me, I was sweating profusely, with every part of my body shaking. He stopped halfway, it seemed like he was forcing himself to stop moving. He looked up at me and said.
"Run!"
I grabbed my bag which was on the bed, I couldn't summon courage to walk pass him to get to the door, I crept out through the window, to the balcony and jumped down into the streets. It's a good thing I always take the first floor in any motel I stay. I ran as fast as my legs could carry me, boarded a train and bode farewell to Umuahia.