Chapter 3 - The Midnight Inspection“Chisom! Open the door!”
Aunt Ifeoma’s shrill, impatient voice pierced through the wood.
My heart skipped a beat. I gently eased Obinna’s hand back onto the crisp white sheet, tucked the blanket over his chest, and smoothed my hair. I walked over and twisted the heavy brass lock just as Ifeoma slammed her hand against the panel again.
I pulled the door open.
Aunt Ifeoma stood in the hallway, draped in a silk robe, holding a silver tray with a steaming cup of herbal tea. Behind her stood Dr. Eze, adjusting his wire-rimmed glasses with a nervous twitch.
“Why was the door locked?” Ifeoma hissed, pushing past me into the room without waiting for an invitation. Her cold eyes swept over the bed. “Is he still breathing?”
“Yes, Auntie,” I replied, keeping my eyes cast downward in mock submissiveness. “He had a mild muscle spasm from the storm, so I was adjusting his posture.”
Dr. Eze stepped up to the bedside, shining a small penlight into Obinna’s eyes. Obinna’s eyelids remained heavy, his breathing shallow and even—a masterclass in deception that he managed to pull off with zero preparation.
Dr. Eze grunted, satisfied. “His vitals are stable. Just the usual post-coma neurological twitching. Give him his nightly sedative injection, and let him sleep.”
Dr. Eze pulled a pre-loaded syringe from his medical case and handed it to me.
My stomach churned. This was the slow poison they used to suppress his nervous system.
“I… I’ll administer it,” I murmured, taking the syringe.
“Make sure you use the full dose,” Ifeoma snapped, eyeing me with lingering suspicion. “Amara, don't forget whose charity keeps your grandmother’s house standing. If you mess up, you and your family are back on the streets begging.”
“I understand,” I whispered.
They turned and walked out, leaving the door slightly ajar.
The moment their footsteps faded down the marble hallway, I walked over to the bathroom sink, emptied the syringe down the drain, and refilled it with harmless saline water.
May you like
I walked back to the bed, gently pressing the empty needle into his IV port.
Obinna’s eyes opened a fraction of an inch. He didn't speak, but he gave a microscopic nod.
