Kayode thrashed about the bed in a restless fit. The bunk creaked from his weight as he finally settled facing the ceiling; it was baffling how the younger inmate below slept undisturbed despite the incessant creaks. He sure slept like a log.
Perhaps he should change positions with the kid as the medical officer had advised because, in truth, his bones were getting weary from the every day climb on the bunk, but his paranoia, wouldn’t let him. Several years ago, a sleeping ninety kg man had fallen on him from the top bunk, and since then, he’d vowed never to take the bottom bed.
Kayode slapped at the buzz of mosquitoes close to his ear. He knew he had missed the insect when the incessant buzz continued upon the loud crack of his palm against his cheeks only to return minutes later. In this heat, he desperately wanted to lay naked, but he dare not. It was either getting bit by mosquitoes or bathed in heat. He chose the latter and snuggled deeper underneath the now damp covers drenched in his sweat.
For long hours, Kayode laid uncomfortably, more troubled by the occurrence of the day than his present state. After replaying it a thousand times, he indeed felt stupid to have thought nature would be kind to him and award him more time with Pelumi before her memory returned.
‘Murderer!’ he closed his eyes as her voice reechoed ceaselessly in his thoughts. At some point, he thought he would go insane from it.
He should free himself from this trouble, from this pain, but how? Kayode thought, succumbing to the avalanche of emotions, he broke into tears, the strains of old age wearing on him like never before.
