THE VEIL OF SHADOWS

Part 3

"Who's there?" I asked, my curiosity piqued by the knock on my door.

"My dear, let's go out, I want to take you out, let's go eat out, go to the park, anything. I just want you to leave this room" my mum pleaded when she came in.

"Mummy, I really have stuffs to finish up, besides it's afternoon already, can we go tomorrow?" I fibbed, trying to avoid her request.

"Oh please Erin, Ahnahn, you've been home for two weeks, barely venturing beyond these four walls. You haven't even set foot outside the building! See my child, I understand you, I really understand your pain, Erin, but please give me a chance to at least put a smile on your beautiful face. Ehn Erinayo. Look at you, are you not eating? You look pale, tired, you're not looking your best self at all" my mum insisted.

To be completely honest, I didn't feel like my best self at all. The fear of exposing my vampire nature kept me paralyzed, afraid to step out into the world. And the hunger... oh, the insatiable thirst for blood. I was starving, but I couldn't bring myself to feed. I foolishly hoped that this unquenchable thirst would simply fade away, and I would return to my normal self. Although Otis would call from time to time, reminding me of the importance of nourishing myself as a young vampire. Each call, though filled with care, only intensified my guilt for Licia's death. If only I hadn't taken her with me to Devon's place, she wouldn't have provoked him, and he wouldn't have ended her life. I was drowning in suffering, a reality I never anticipated upon returning to Nigeria.

Reluctantly, I caved under the persistent persuasion of my dear mother. Succumbing to her insistence, I adorned myself in a casual yet chic ensemble. Slipping into a comfortable pair of boyfriend jeans and a stylish crop shirt, I topped it off with some cool shades and slipped into a simple pair of Nike sneakers. As I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror, a mix of nervousness and excitement surged through me. It felt like I was stepping onto a grand stage.

"I'm done oo" I shouted when I got to the living room of our house. My mum came down, elated that I'd finally given stepping out a chance.

"Listen, my friend is hosting this book launch event and she invited me to join her. So, we're planning to make an appearance there first, and afterwards, we can do whatever you'd like to do today," my mom informed me. I just shrugged, to be honest, I didn't really have a strong opinion about it. I felt like I would just be like a handbag, accompanying Mrs. George for the day.

We attended the book launch, only to discover that it was actually the daughter of the woman who was hosting the event, not the mother as I had initially assumed.

"I mean, I haven't read the book in its entirety, but I've had a chance to glance through it, and I must say, I absolutely love it! I would be thrilled to have a copy of my own as well." I spoke to Rita, the author, who I later found to be such a delightful person. Considering that I'm also in the process of starting my own company here and might need to extend my stay in Nigeria, knowing a few more people would be wonderful.

It was already evening, after a few more pleasantries, small talks with the author and some other people that my mother finally decided it was time to leave.

Which brings me to her next question - what do I want to do tonight?

"What do you want to do tonight Erin?" My mum asked as soon as we got in the car. After pondering long and hard, I realized there wasn't much I had planned to do before besides sorting out some paperwork for my new company and heading to the blood bank for some blood. In the end, I made the decision to treat my mum to a delightful meal at a renowned restaurant in Ikeja.

After eating, just as we were about to set off, mummy received an important phone call that demanded her attention. The minutes ticked by slowly, and boredom began to creep in. The restaurant buzzed with the arrival of diverse individuals, spanning generations from Gen-Zs to millennials, all drawn to the restaurant's captivating ambiance. Observing them go about their night became tiresome, so I decided to take a leisurely stroll outside. I signaled to my mum to give me a call when she was ready to leave.