Eighteen O' Five {ONGOING}🇳🇬

•~~Chapter Fifteen~~•

Knock knock.

No response at first. But after more consistent knocks, the door opened and a female figure stepped out with a bright kerosene lamp. Titi.

“H–ey,” she greeted, raising the lamp above shoulder level to identify our faces.

“Good evening, Titi. Sorry to bother you but we are here because of what you told me this afternoon, ” I spoke. “Your grandma, is she in?”

She remained quiet for a bit, looked behind me to see my dad and Olamipo. Her facial expression was rather discouraging. Like she didn't want us around, which was weird because she offered to help earlier.

“I–I... D–on’t...W–want... An–y... P–pro–blem...” She took a quick step back into the house in an attempt to slam the door shut. I resisted her effort with arms.

“Hold on, Titi. Please, open the door.”

As we dragged at the door, a voice spoke from inside. An old, brittle but loud voice. “Titi, who is there? Let him in.”

“No one... Grr–randma...” she said, quickly.

“Let him in,” the voice creaked again.

Reluctantly, she allowed us into the house. Few steps into the house, my nose was welcomed by the sharp smell of methylated ointment, and other smells that are peculiar about old people. The dull, sweet stink only reminded me of my late grandma's house.

Titi led us into the sitting room, the kerosene lamp filled it with little light. The old woman, her grandma, was sitting on one of the old brown cushion chairs in the room, her legs crossed on a stool and her back rested on the cushion.

“Good evening,” she said, her voice creaked.

“Good evening, mama,” we chorused, before sitting on a

My eyes went up to the picture frames that hung on the faded walls. Old pictures, mostly of a man and a woman, with a little girl in their midst. I scanned the room further and I saw no signs of television or any appliances.

“Please, have your seats, ” her fragile voice restored my attention. Her ‘seat’ sounded like ‘sheats’, which could have been a result of tooth loss.

‘Have your seats?’

But we were already seated. How could she not know that? I looked closely at her and I noticed her grey eyes were only looking in our direction, they could not see us.

“We are already seated, ma. Thank you,” dad spoke. “Mama, we are very sorry to bother you this night. We know it's late already but we'd really appreciate your help.”

“No problem, my shon. I'll be happy to help,” she replied, taking her legs off the stool with Titi's help. “Sho, what can I help you with?”

“Emm. Nothing much, we just want to inquire about the number ‘1805’. We learned you might know a few things about it.”

“Did you say 1805?” from her tone and expression, she was shocked. “What trouble have you gotten yourshelves, my shon?”

“Emm. No...trouble, mama... No trouble. We just want to know what the number signifies... Research purpose,” dad stuttered, giving off a fake smile.

“Hmm. Alright.” she took a deep breath, requested a glass of water from Titi, gulped it down her throat before she began.

“1805. A number that may indicate that you are nearing the end of a chycle or phase in your life and the angels want you to realize that positive new opportunities will appear for you in due course. Do not fear lack or loss as the end of a situation or chycle denotes the beginning of another.”