­By the time Joyce was resuscitated again, they took her in, to continue from where she stopped.

” Young lady, it seems you are a drama queen but let me warn you don’t waste my time again,” Mr. Smith told Joyce. He later signaled the native doctor to start administering the oath. The native doctor walked up to Joyce and told her to stretch out her hand. She quickly obeyed. She was afraid and also too weak to argue. He brought out small knife and Joyce started shaking.

“Don’t be afraid. I will not hurt you. I want to take just a blood sample for an oath, “the native doctor informed her.

He used the tiny knife to make a whole in Joyce palm. She screamed out in pain.

“Lower your voice, you are disturbing the neighborhood,” Mr. Smith cautioned her.

Blood gushed out from the wound, the native doctor collected it with a small calabash. He proceeded to bring out a live chicken from his bag and made incantations on it. Thereafter, he forcefully disengaged the chicken’s head from the body and blood splashed everywhere. He collected the blood that was gushing out with a calabash.

“You see the way this chicken died, that is the way you will suddenly fall and die any day you attempt to reveal the secret of this family to any one that is not aware of it. Immediately you open your mouth, before the word drop, you have already dropped dead.”

” What have I gotten myself into?” Joyce cried silently in her heart.

The native doctor used his hand to dismember the chicken. He cut a small portion and offered Joyce to eat.
She shook her head and started weeping.

“Tiger and Lion, why are you standing here watching? Help her out,” Mr. Smith instructed them.

They held Joyce and force the life chicken down her throat. They also forced her to drink some of the blood. Almost immediately she attempted to throw up.

Take her out quickly we are done with her for today,” Mr. Smith told his body guards.

In the evening of the next day, Mr. Smith brought her again to the sitting room.

“Young lady, you are officially resuming your work today. It is not a hard job. After all Nnenna has been doing it for 3 years. Your work is to take care of my son. He has a wound so you will be treating the wound and feeding him too”

Joyce slightly raised a finger.

“Yes. What do you want to say?” Mr. Smith asked.

“But sir, I am not a nurse. I don’t know how to treat a wound”

” That is not a problem. Nnenna will teach you. Rise, let’s go and meet him.”

As they were going, Joyce was wondering why she was employed to come and treat a wound when she was not a nurse.
Mr. Smith opened a door that leads to the back of the building. When they stepped out, she sighted a small building that is a bit far from the main building. Though it was still in the same compound, Joyce never knew that such existed there.
As they got close to the building, a foul smell filled the air.

“It’s like something is smelling here.” Joyce said.

Mr. Smith gave her a kind of look that made her shut her mouth. When they finally got the destination as he was about opening the door Joyce started vomiting. The smell that exuded from the building was more than she could bear.

“What is wrong with this girl? I have not even opened the door and you are misbehaving. Clean up this mess quickly let’s proceed. Don’t ever think that you will perform your fainting prank today. If you try it, I will make sure that you don’t wake up,” Mr. Smith threatened.

When Mr. Smith finally opened the door, he stood at the entrance and pushed Joyce inside.

Bob, Mr. Smith’s 23 years old son was sitting on the bed. One of his legs was rotten and maggots were swimming in it. Joyce tried to cover her nose with her palms but that did not help matters.

“Bob how are you?” Mr. Smith reached out to his son.
Bob ignored him and closed his eyes.

“I hope your mum delivered the phone I got for you. If you need other things still let me know.”

Bob sighed and looked away.

“I brought a new friend for you. Her name is Joyce. Hope you like her.”

“I am not interested in any new friend. Undo what you have done to me. Wicked man!” Bob barked.

“Bob, be careful of the nonsense you spout from your mouth. A visitor is standing before you,” Mr. Smith warned.

Bob took his walking sick and was attempting to get up.

“Bob, what are you trying to do? You better sit down. Don’t try the rubbish you did last time. If you do, I will make sure that your wound is not treated for a week. You will languish in pain.”

“You are threatening me. Alright stand there and wait for me.”

Bob dashed forward with one of his leg and help of the walking stick. Mr. Smith quickly closed the door and ran away.

“Please don’t leave me here,” Joyce shouted and banged on the door.

She turned and faced Bob. “Please allow him to come and open door for me. The smell is choking me to death.”

Bob looked at her and felt pity for her.

“He didn’t leave you here because I pursued him. He purposely left you.”

“Okay just beg him to come and open the door for me,” Joyce pleaded.

“Beg who? My dad? He does not listen to begging. Someone that can put his only son in this condition because of wealth. What can’t he do? Let me be sincere with you, He will leave you here till tomorrow morning.”

“What is my offence?” Joy cried.

“You don’t need to commit an offence for my dad to deal with you. He is under an influence of an occult power and he obeys whatever they tell him to do.”

“Ha! I’m finished. I was warned but I didn’t listen,” Joyce continued wailing.

“But what are you doing here? What of Nnenna?” Bob asked.

Joyce did not mind him rather, she continued weeping.
At a point, Bob could not bear the cry any more so he attempted to go and console Joyce.

” Don’t come close to me , ” Joyce shouted at him.

“It’s okay.” Bob told her raising his hands.

********************

Mr. Smith ran all the way from Bob’s room to the main building. He met his wife eating food.

“So you are here eating the kind of food that your wretched parents would never be able to afford.” He carried the food and threw it away.

“Smith, what is my offence,” his wife asked.

“As far as you decided to turn my son against me, you have murdered peace. Bob wanted to tear me into pieces.
All thanks to you; your advice is working. But let me warn you. I will kill you before he kills me. We are all in this together.”