Chapter 43: A Renewed Friendship and a Secret Network
3058words
Calmness was everywhere in the hallway, only broken by their trembling breaths. The important choice made Eki feel unsure and confused about what action to take next. What secrets did the box hide within? Was it a gift or perhaps a trap, offering hope of escape or bringing a path to gloom and sadness?
"Eki," Dapo finally said in a gentle and hesitant voice, "we cannot just keep staring at it. We have to decide on what to do."
Eki nodded slowly, her mind racing. A sudden pang of guilt struck her. She was paying much attention to the box and trying to make sense of the contract, and because of this, she did not see where Ayo went. Can you tell me where is Ayo now? Was she alright?
It looked like they knew what she was feeling when a soft cry sounded from the room behind them. Eki and Dapo exchanged worried glances and hurried back to the chamber.
In the corner, Ayo was sitting. Her face looks very pale and has many tears on it. Eki became very happy when she looked at her friend. She hurriedly ran to be near Ayo and knelt beside her.
"Ayo! Are you okay?" she exclaimed, concerned about lacing her voice. "What happened?"
Ayo lifted her eyes to see Eki, the corners of her eyes red but now showing a strong new feeling. "Eki," she said with a small shake in her voice, "I... I need to say sorry."
Eki blinked, taken aback. "Apologize? For what?"
Ayo took a deep breath. "For doubting you. For believing Yemi's lies. Now I see it, clear as day. She's been manipulating all of us."
Eki's heart felt squeezed with both anger and comprehension. Ayo was innocent; Yemi had much skill in deceiving others, making them act like his puppets. Yemi's assured smile during Eki's discussion about Kunle's family history caused her to feel a lot of anger.
"No worry, Ayo," Eki said softly while placing a gentle hand on her friend's shoulder. "Everyone gets fooled." But what matters now is that we're awake. We're onto her."
Ayo nodded, a spark of defiance returning to her eyes. "We are. And you know what? I think I can help."
Intrigue sparked in Eki's chest. "How?"
Ayo came closer, her voice becoming quiet and conspiratorial. "There is something more Yemi did not tell about the Moonlight Leases." They're not just about draining creativity. They're also about control. There's a network, a secret society of artists who've been forced to sign."
Eki's eyebrows shot up. A secret society? This was getting more complex by the minute.
"How do you know about this?" Dapo asked, his voice laced with suspicion.
Ayo blushed slightly. "Okay, maybe there's something else I haven't told you guys. My grandmother… well, let's just say she wasn't exactly your typical artist."
Eki felt very surprised when Ayo began to tell a story about her grandmother, who seemed quite different from what everyone believed. This woman silently used her art skills to assist fairness in society. Ayo tells a story about a secret group of artists called "The Brushstrokes." This team joins together, using skill in art to fight against injustice and oppression.
When Ayo spoke, Eki's heart started feeling hope. Maybe they were not facing this problem all by themselves after all. Maybe some people knew about the bad parts of leases and tried to oppose them.
"My grandmother, she always put secret messages in her paintings," Ayo said with a voice now strong and full of confidence. "She talked about hidden rooms, secret tunnels, and ways to finish the control."
Eki's thoughts quickly returned to the room they were in, the secret tunnel, and now this strange box. Could it be that this is what Ayo's grandmother talked about as "the way to break the control"?
All of a sudden, a loud screech noise comes into the room. It sounds like metal scraping on stone. Eki and Dapo turn their heads fast, hearts beating very quickly.
A metal door, very weighty and once hidden in shadows on the far side of the room, now slowly makes a creaking sound while it opens. Old air came in quickly, bringing a powerful fear that filled the whole room.
Eki's hand instinctively grasped the box tighter. Panic choked Eki's throat. The room, which before felt like a safe place, noseeums to close in. Dapo stands next to her; his muscles are tight and his hand is near his belt buckle. Ayo's eyes widened in terror, mirroring Eki's rising fear.
The metal door made a loud, hurting sound when it moved slowly and its noise echoed in the quiet. On the other side of the room, a torch began to flicker, sending out a weak orange light that felt very spooky. The moving shadows grew long and twisted, changing into strange shapes as if they were making fun of their troubles.
At last, the door made a squeaky noise as it opened just slightly, showing a slim corridor full of darkness. Someone came out from inside, wearing a dark cloak with a hood that hid their face in shadows. An oppressive silence descended, broken only by the ragged gasps of their breaths.
"Eki," said the figure in a rough, robotic voice. "We know you will come."
Eki's heart hammered against her ribs. Who was this? Were they friends or foes? Many questions spun in her thoughts, but before she could ask anything, the figure kept talking.
"The box… a curious choice. A chance for power, or a path to chaos?"
Eki held the box very tight, her eyes fixed on the shadowy face of the figure. She did not know what was inside this box, but she felt it must be something very important. Maybe it was a key, a very important piece of the puzzle which might help them to escape.
"We... we come to learn the truth," Dapo finally says, his voice rough but strong. "About the Leases, about entities, about all things."
The person tilted his head, appearing almost like a hunter in the dim light. "The truth," it said again, voice dripping with sarcasm. "There are many truths, Eki. One man's freedom fighter is another's rebel. One city's prosperity is another's stagnation."
Eki frowned. The person's words confused her, but they hinted at something deeper, a reality more complex than just the easy tale of good versus bad that she originally believed to be true.
"We want to understand," Ayo cut in, her voice firm even though her hands trembled. "We want to learn how we can use this... power... for doing good things, not bad ones."
A small glimmer of what might be amusement showed on the figure's shadowed face. "Noble intentions," it spoke, with a voice that had a slight hint of teasing. "But good intentions pave the way to hell, do they not?"
Eki gritted her teeth. This figure wasn't offering answers, only riddles and doubt. But they couldn't back down now. They had come too far.
"Then show us," she said, her voice now strong with new resolve. "Show us the truth, even if it is difficult." We're ready to face it."
The figure was silent for what seemed a very long time. Then, with a heavy sigh that felt like it came from the past, it pointed to the dark hallway.
"Very well," it rasped. "Follow me. But you must know, the road to learning often has many dangers. Are you prepared?"
Eki looked at Dapo and Ayo. They all exchanged glances. They felt fear in their hearts but still had strong determination. They stayed united, with a new purpose and the mysterious box. Maybe this box is key to opening their future.
"We are," Eki said, her voice firm, speaking for them all.
Taking a deep breath, she walks forward, gripping the pulsating box very tightly in her hand. She follows the cloaked figure into the dark and unknown place. The big metal door shut with a loud noise behind them, making everything more dark. Now just the flickering torch's light was there to guide their way through the winding and tight corridor.
As they went deeper inside, the air became thick and stale. The smell of decay and forgotten times clung to the damp stone walls. They could hear water dripping from somewhere further inside the tunnel, adding more to the creepy feeling.
Eki's mind raced with a mix of excitement and apprehension. Where were they going? Who is this person guiding them, and what do they find at the end of the shadowy way?
Suddenly, Ayo breathed in sharply and held her arm with a painful cry. Eki turned quickly, feeling her heart beating very fast.
"Ayo! What's wrong?" she exclaimed, rushing to her friend's side.
Ayo's face looked very white, like a ghost. She put her hand on a sign that was carved into the wall near them. This sign, before hidden in darkness, now shone gently under the flickering torch light. It was an eye with a unique design, an unsettlingly familiar eye that made Eki suddenly feel a jolt of recognition.
"It is the same symbol," Ayo whispered, her voice trembling. "The one on contract, the one on the walls in the hidden room…"
Eki's stomach felt strange. This message was not just by chance; it had a connection to the being, to the dark power that gives energy to the Leases. Had they just made a terrible mistake by following this figure?
"What does it mean?" Dapo demanded, his voice laced with suspicion.
The person wearing the cloak stayed silent, but the feeling of waiting was very strong in the air. Suddenly, with big and dramatic action, the person pulled back the hood to show his face, making Eki feel cold inside.
It was not a face they did not know, but it was Yemi. Her usually calm look now has a wild shine in her eyes, an odd mix of happiness and obsession.
"Welcome," she said, her voice making a big effort to sound joyful, "to the true heart of Lagos' power. Here, you will see what is real and the main reason behind all the Leases."
Eki looked at Yemi with big, surprised eyes, her thoughts racing. They always believed Yemi was just a friend, but now it seemed like Yemi knew about the Leases and might even be leading their actions.
But before Eki could say her surprise, Yemi continued speaking and pointed at the glowing mark on the wall.
"This," she said loudly, her voice echoing off the walls of the narrow path, "is what ties everything together. It's where Lagos finds its artistic spirit! The Leases bring all the creative energy here and put it into this symbol. Because of that, our city moves ahead!"
Eki frowned. Progress? Yemi says he must exploit artists because it is good for the city's benefit. This idea seems so wrong, like an upside-down way of thinking where they take creativity from others. It feels not fair to use someone's talent like this and call it helpful for everyone. Feels more like stealing their hard work than truly helping the community.
"But... but what about the darkness we saw?" Dapo said with his voice shaking, sounding very puzzled. "The entity, the whispers…"
Yemi had a slight smile that made Eki feel very uncomfortable. "It's just something necessary," she replied in an indifferent tone. "The entity is only energy, a chaos that must be managed. When controlled properly, it changes into power for making new things!"
Eki's mind was very confused. What Yemi said gave her unusual thoughts, finding reasons for the Leases that made her feel many different emotions. Some part of her understands the need for progress, but another part feels very uneasy about making creativity forced and sacrificing individuals so that many people can benefit.
As Eki wrestled with these conflicting thoughts, Ayo spoke up, her voice surprisingly steady.
"But what about the artists?" she challenged, her gaze fixed on Yemi. "They're drained, their dreams and aspirations stolen. Is that the price of progress?"
Yemi's smile disappeared for a moment, and she looked like she felt sad. But very quickly after that, her face showed much determination.
"Sacrifices must be made," she said with a very cold voice. "Some people will lose their hope, but the city keeps getting stronger." Is that not a worthy trade?"
Eki looked around in the wet, heavy tunnel. The mark on the wall was shining with a strange light. Is this the only way to go forward? Was there no other method for promoting creativity without using a system so unbalanced?
While she was thinking about these questions, a gentle rumble echoed down the hallway from somewhere deeper inside. The floor vibrated beneath their feet and dust dropped from the cracking ceiling above them.
Yemi's eyes widened in alarm. "What… what was that?" she stammered, her composure finally cracking.
The person beside her, who pointed the way into the passage, made a loud and harsh growling sound. This noise caused Eki to feel very frightened throughout her entire body. All of a sudden, with movements that were very quick and not human-like at all, this figure removed its cloak. Underneath was something dark and frightening, kind of similar to a terrifying creature they had seen before.
"The conduit is weak," the creature said in a voice rough like many whispers mixing. "More... energy... needed!"
Yemi shouted and stepped back scared. The creature leapt toward her, its dark form wrapping around her like a shadowy hug. Yemi's screams were cut short, replaced by an unsettling silence.
Eki, Dapo, and Ayo looked with big eyes at what they saw. Some time back, Yemi was behaving like a smart trickster who fooled people around him. But now she has become a person who gives herself to something very important. The big monster is full of new energy, its form getting more clear in the low light.
"You…" Dapo stammered, struggling for words. "You used us? Lead us here to feed the creature?!"
The entity let out a chilling chuckle, its voice a warped chorus. "Indeed. You brought the offering. Now, witness the true power!"
Before they can answer, a dark creature attacks with a shadowy tentacle. Ayo shouted as darkness caught her ankle and dragged her toward a bright mark on the wall.
Eki moved fast, her body full of adrenaline. She reached out to grab the pulsing box she was holding tight before, and suddenly a new idea came into her mind.
"Dapo!" she shouted, throwing the box towards him. "Open it!"
Dapo, looking surprised for a moment, quickly grabbed the box before it could touch the wet wall. With a confused expression, he looked at Eki who was struggling to reach Ayo.
"There's no time!" Eki screamed, her voice hoarse. "Please trust me!" she said, grabbing the shadow tendril of the entity. She held it very tight, even when a hot pain started to spread in her hand and almost made her stop.
Dapo, feeling very stressed from Eki's urgent request, hurried to open the box. A bright light suddenly shone out and illuminated the entire hallway briefly. The entity shrieked, its form recoiling from the light as if in pain.
The tendril that was gripping Ayo started to become loose, and Eki quickly dragged her friend back toward Dapo. The light grew even stronger, driving the creature deeper into the tunnel until it vanished with a scream. The pulsating symbol on the wall flickered and died, plunging them back into darkness.
Eki coughed, and her sight was becoming unclear. Her hand hurt where the shadow of that being had touched it. Feeling confused, she looked everywhere. Dapo was beside her, with Ayo gripping his arm firmly; both were staring at the empty spot where the creature had been before.
The box is on the ground close to their feet, open. Inside there isn't a weapon or contract; only one shining paintbrush is there. Eki felt a big wave of relief wash over him—like a mix of winning and also a little bit sad.
"What… what happened?" Dapo whispered, his voice hoarse.
Eki moved head from side to side, thoughts came fast. The box, the light, and the being – seem just like a dream. But one thing was clear to all. They were still breathing, and for the moment, the darkness was kept at bay.
As Eki thought deeply about the meaning of the paintbrush, a soft moan came from the passage behind them. Turning around, Eki saw Yemi there; her face was pale and bruised but she was still alive.
"You... you tricked me," Yemi said, voice not steady, anger and fear all mixed. "What... What did you do to me?"
Eki looked at her, gripping the paintbrush very tightly. The recent hours have changed everything so much. They understand lease costs and how much the company desires creative energy.
"We find a different way," Eki says, voice filled with new strong determination. "A method to use creativity and not sacrifice anything." A way to be free."
Yemi looked at her for many long seconds with tension, then rested his back on the wall, seeming very tired. Eki knew their argument was not over yet. There will be results, many questions that need answers, and a city that must come back to life. But right now, they have to choose what steps come next. Will they make Lagos again by using thoughts from different places, or will they build a new future led by independence and their special creativity?
When morning arrives, and a gentle light covers the hallway, Eki looks at Dapo and Ayo. They exchange silent glances that tell they know each other's mind without speaking. They have the power to influence what happens next, giving them hope and a new reason to live. The road ahead will be difficult, but they will move forward together, holding the brush to create a lovely picture of their future.
