Dirty

13 | Revelation

‭Genesis 50:20
You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people.

WIND RATTLED THE curtains, shook the doors on its hinges, carried the sand with it like an unlucky companion and howled loudly like a warning for what is to come. Already dark clouds have settled, ready to squeeze and pour the perspiration in them out. It sent chills down Akin's skin but he didn't mind. Sitting opposite Ogechi with a selection of cards as they played a game of whot which she found somewhere in the house, Akin felt like he'd done something similar before.

As if he'd sat opposite another person, with a warm feeling, playing a game of cards. It took wits to outmatch Ogechi who seemed to be a pro at the game. She had already beaten him four times in a row and their current fifth match promised to produce the same result. She placed a card with the number two and square on it down.

"Pick two." That's what it meant. So begrudgingly he picked two cards from the general stack by the side.

"Pick two." She said again. This time it was a different shape. A circle. Akin looked at the remaining two cards in her hands and then at the random numbers on his. There was nothing he could use to best her. Ogechi dropped a card and said, "I need a star."

He grinned, fishing out a star with the number fourteen. That card meant general market. She had to pick one card from the stack. He continued with another star card with a number three. Ogechi wasn't deterred though. She placed the number two card with a star she picked from the general market and then ended the game with the same shaped card with a number six.

"Check up." Ogechi cackled in his face. The rain set the mood to be playful. After resting better in the morning Ogechi woke up from a nap feeling rejuvenated. "I won. Again. It's just so easy beating you." Akin took the cards and started shuffling them.

"It's because I don't really remember how to play it and your explanation was terrible. I'm shuffling this time." Some of the cards fell out in this attempt to be swift.

"I'm bored of this game now."

"What's the other activity?" He abandoned the cards, all too quick to save himself from more defeat. Akin leaned back into the couch, inhaled the sweet scent of rain and reveled in the pitter patter noise it made when it touched the window.

"Something about focusing on another person. What does that even mean? Sounds stupid to me."

"She didn't explain further?"

"It just says that you have to identify four things about the person and be able to recollect them later during the day. Let's start."

The sky rumbled, making Ogechi shake a bit. She rested her hand on her chest.

"Scared of rain?" Akin taunted her. There was mischief in his eyes. It felt like it was right, like it was something he would do. Try to goad people, make trouble, create a reaction. It didn't line up with his young personality though.

Ogechi frowned but said nothing. That look on his face made him look wicked. "Focus on me now," she held his gaze. "Four things. Four things you notice about me. Let's get this over with."

"Your skin is brown..." Akin's eyes scanned her body with a peculiar look. "But not just any brown. It's a mixed shade. As if coffee, chocolate and honey were combined. It's so smooth, as though it would slip off my fingers if I touched it."

Ogechi shivered. She wasn't sure it was from the cold. "That's one."

"Your hair is free and natural. It's thick, different from the current trend of perming hair but I don't doubt it's soft like clouds." Something came over Akin. He felt daring, wanted to push his boundaries, wanted to uncover her and get under her skin. He wanted to have a certain sense of control. "And maybe if I could run my hands through them..." He leaned towards her, close enough to smell her body lotion and when she closed her eyes he pulled back. "It's also really black."