Tales of Julio

Chapter 1

PART ONE: WHERE IT ALL BEGAN
Warning: Sexual violence ahead

February 28, 1995, Osun State, Nigeria.

"The investigation of the murder of Miss. Chioma Chigozie, whose body was found last week at the junction of Yakubu Street, Aiyegbeni area, Osogbo, is still ongoing. The police investigation department reported that her body was mutilated badly, her neck was sliced, her stomach was cut open and her vagina was ripped out of her. A monetary reward will be given to whoever can serve as the bounty hunter and  find her killer."     -Reporter

Tunde, 13 years old, was in the living room when the report about the investigation came out. His parents, Mr and Mrs. Fashanu were in the living room also. They were really grieved about the sudden murder of their maid who happened to be Chioma Chigozie.

Nobody knows why the beautiful, smart and funny Chioma was murdered or who would have even done that. She was really hardworking and that was why she was employed by the Fashanus in the first place. 

There were rumours going around in the street where they lived that she insulted some guys that were wooing her, and that the guys had returned at night to rape and then mutilate her. No one really knew why she was murdered. Every mother has been over-protective of their child ever since the incident.

The police had visited their house the previous week to ask about some questions since Chioma used to live with them. Tunde's mother had cried and told them that she didn't even know that Chioma had gone out that night. Everyone thought she was in the house until the morning where some youths in the same street had knocked on their door to tell them that they had found Chioma's body in a pool of her own blood.

Tunde was asked a few questions too and he replied and that was it. The police left and came back a few days later to check Chioma's room but that was it. They never came back and Chioma's killer was never found. The killer had been careful to not leave any traces that might lead the police to him or her.

"Daddy, your food is ready." Tara, Tunde's elder sister said as she came to the living room. She had cooked instead of her mother this afternoon.
Everyone of them stood up and left for the dining room. Tunde, while eating, looked at everyone sitting on the table. His father, mother and sister. There was no Chioma at their table anymore. Everyone remained silent. It had been this way since they found Chioma's body.

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The next day, Tunde and her sister left for school. It was early in the morning and no one would be stupid enough to commit murder in broad daylight. At least, that was what everyone in the town thought.
Tunde was in his third year at the Junior Secondary School (JSS 3). They were in second term and he was glad that he will soon be done with Junior school so that he can finally leave the school that had given him bad memories.

'Just one more term and I will be out of here." he thought as he passed the school gates. He could feel the familiar gaze on him, and he also knew that whoever the person was will not call him unless he had the chance to. He walked faster till he got to the assembly and queued behind the last student on the third year students' line.

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As soon as the assembly was called off and the students were matching inside their various classes, Tunde knew he had to walk fast before the person could call him, but unfortunately for him, the person’s left hand was already on Tunde's right shoulder and Tunde fought the urge to punch the person in the face.

He knew that he could not actually do it. He was already sweating really hard out of fear, but he knew that no one could help him. They would not even understand.

"Not too fast, my dear. Follow me." The youth corps member ordered and left as Tunde followed him.

He led him to the usual place, a small building which was formerly used as library before the government built a new one. The building was on its own, though it was still on the school's compound but it is a little far away from the main school.

Tunde knew that he could not get away with this one. They both entered the building and the youth corper started almost immediately. His hands and lips were all over Tunde and before Tunde could protest, he had been pushed face down on the wooden table and his short knickers were about to be pulled off.

"Mr. Sam, please, please stop." he offered the little protest he could mutter as Mr Sam pushed inside him.

"Please, p-please s-stop." he sobbed as Mr. Sam continues to push himself harder into Tunde without mercy. Tunde thought that he would have been used to it by now, since it all started almost a year ago when Mr. Sam was posted to work in their school. Tunde's second nightmare had started since then. Who would have thought that homosexuals exist in this part of the world?

Mr Sam finished with a grunt and pulled his trousers up, buckled his belt and stepped out with his cane. Tunde remained there, crying and scared to stand straight since his bottom hurts badly. He slowly stood, trying to reduce the pain and pulled his knickers back on. He made sure that he wasn't looking bad by the time he left the building and went to his class where classes had already started.

"Where are you coming from?" the teacher teaching his class asked.

"Mr. Sam asked me to help him bring some books from the library." he replied, but there was pain in his voice.

When the teacher didn't say anything else, Tunde took that as a sign to go to his seat, and he did.

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During break, Tunde didn't go out, instead he stayed inside the class and picked up a novel and started reading. He could hear the whispers of his classmates, but when he got to know what they were talking about, he got angry. But he can't help but listen to what they were talking about.

"Did you hear that Peter Ojo was arrested yesterday evening?" Shade, one of his classmates asked.

"Our Senior?" the other one answered with a question.

"Yes, the one and only. I heard that it was regarding the murder of Chioma. They found out that she was seeing someone every night before her death. Turns out that Peter has been her secret boyfriend for a long time now."

"Oh my God! So he killed her?"

"Yes, of course. Who else would have done it? Why did he keep her secret all these while if he didn't have some ulterior motive? I bet he killed her because she threatened to let everyone know what has been going on between them."

"How did the police know this though?"

"Someone claimed to have seen Peter walk a little bit fast while he was going back home in the middle of the night. The person said he followed Peter and saw his climb into his room that night. The truth is finally out. Peter killed Chioma."

Tunde was so engrossed in the conversation that he didn't notice his best friend, Shola, sit opposite him.

"So you've heard about it too." Shola said, making Tunde snap back to him.

"What?" Tunde asked him.

"You must have heard that they arrested Peter."

"Yes, I just heard about it though."

"I can't help but think that he didn't do it though. I mean, if they have really been seeing each other for a long time, he could have killed her all those times and not now. Maybe he really did love her but didn't want to make their relationship public because she is a maid and she is also Igbo. I think someone else killed her." Shola said.

"Are you kidding me? Who else would have done it? A man that has a secret midnight relationship is not a responsible man, and must definitely have some ulterior motives. The fact that they have been meeting for a long time and he could have done it all those times does not count, because killers like that need time to plan out their evil deed." Tunde replied.

"Well, if you say so." Shola replied and returned his attention to the food he brought with him while Tunde just stared ahead.