Chapter 91: A Trip of Rediscovery
1857words
They gave it some thought and decided to go different ways. Eki, who is very interested in the hidden history of Nigeria, chose Nok settlements as her favorite place for exploration. On the other hand, Dapo, who likes colors and textures, chose vibrant Kano.
Eki began to travel with long drives in the middle of this country. Scenery shifted from busy roads in Lagos city to mountainous regions and wide savannahs. As she walked deeper into the countryside, everything felt much calmer. The loud sounds of the city were replaced by soft noises from nature.
When Eki came to Nok Valley, she felt very surprised by the beauty of its nature. The ancient terracotta statues showed how clever and imaginative people were a long time ago—a society from many hundreds of years past. She spent some days walking around archaeological sites, her mind full of many thoughts.
When Eki walked through the broken city, she felt a link with the people who once lived there. It was like she could nearly see their lives, sensing both their joyful and sorrowful times. It felt like old spirits were showing her secret mysteries, encouraging her to create something real and special.
As time went on, Eki began to see she was having more time alone, walking in the peaceful valley. This break allowed her to rediscover herself and recall how much she loved art. As days passed, the barrier in her creative process began disappearing.
Kano, Dapo's changes were also very different. The city had many colours and cultures; it felt quite far from the quiet calm that Eki knew well. Markets full of activity showed a variety of fabrics and handmade things (Eki).
Dapo made many studies about the special patterns and dyeing methods of craftsmen living in that area. He felt very surprised by how these local people changed simple materials into lovely artworks. The vivid colours and striking patterns made him feel like trying different combinations of colors and textures.
As Dapo continued to learn about the textiles of Kano, he began to feel more at home. The city embraced him with its deep history and friendly residents. He felt interested in local people, wanting to understand their traditions and lifestyle.
Days passed, and Dapo slowly became more engaged in this new environment. He discovered many things about himself, such as his talent for creating fabrics. Kano City was not just giving him ideas, but it also began shaping who he was.
Eki and Dapo kept sending emails and making calls, sharing their stories and offering help. They discovered that by taking different paths, they could heal and develop on their own.
But, as time went by and they spent longer times apart, a strong sense of missing each other grew. They started to miss the joy that comes from being together - not just the friendship ties but also the memories created during happy moments and doing creative projects together.
One night, we sit by the fire and look at the stars in the sky when Eki starts to feel very lonely. She misses Dapo's lively spirit and a special talent for seeing beauty in simple things; this bond becomes important not only for her feelings but also for doing well in work.
Dapo also has the same wish. Energy in Kano was lively and exciting, but the feeling of emptiness stayed inside. He wanted to have Eki's great power - her ability to see deeply into all things. He noticed how much she helped him become better in his art by collaborating with him.
As every day goes by and Lagos comes closer, Eki and Dapo see their separate travels as important moves for self-improvement and a boost in creativity. They feel happy when they think about meeting again, talking about how these trips have changed them. But when they think about what will happen after this meeting, a worry starts to grow inside them. They have changed now, and they feel unsure if their partnership can still go on.
Eki and Dapo, they come to Lagos. It is regular city life with many people doing their busy things and large cars making big honking noises. After many weeks alone with my thoughts at night, the noise does not surprise me anymore—almost like it's a comforting rhythm for me now.
When they arrived at Eki's apartment, it felt very much known. It was like returning to a place they had only visited in their dreams before.
"Home sweet home," Dapo said, a hint of a smile playing on his lips.
Eki nodded to show she agreed, feeling both excited and nervous at the same time. Meeting again felt like a dance trying to mix memories from the old days with what is happening now.
Inside the apartment, everything looks familiar but also a bit different. The things I know so well appear to have new meanings—like meeting old friends with fresh perspectives.
"I forget this," Dapo says, his hand on the bookshelf. "It feels like coming back to life."
Eki smiled. "Me too."
The next days were for seeing each other again and telling stories about what happened to everyone. Eki talked with much excitement about the Nok civilization, her eyes shining brightly. Dapo shared intriguing stories with her concerning the busy Kano textile market.
"I almost didn't see this," Eki says, touching the fabric Dapo brought. "It is very impressive."
Dapo smiled happily. "I knew it, and I am already thinking about what we can do next time."
A spark ignited in Eki's eyes. "Really? Like what?"
"Okay, I have much to learn from my practice in indigo dyeing. Maybe we can mix that with the geometric patterns you are working on."
Eki's heart raced. This was it. This was the creative spark they'd been missing.
While they continued thinking, an eager feeling grew. It looked like the time apart had brought a new inspiration; spending many hours making drawings to experiment with different tones and touches.
But, even at this imaginative peak, worry remained. Everyone had their journey and they were unsure how they could come together as a group again.
"I feel very scared," Eki admitted one night while watching the city lights from their balcony.
Dapo took her hand. "Scared of what?"
"Of losing this," she said, gesturing to the city. "Of losing us."
Her hand identified a firmer grip from Dapo. "We do not separate, Eki. "We stay together to see many things and experience them as well. We will find a way."
Eki said yes, but inside she felt not completely sure. She knew it was going to take much effort and hard work to fix their partnership and make it strong again. Yet, she also appreciated the importance of trying to achieve this.
With time, Eki and Dapo found a middle ground. Both wished to collaborate but remained worried about maintaining their independence.
In the evening, when they were busy making new designs and putting all their focus on it, there was a knock on the door. They felt uneasy because of this interruption from work, so Eki went to open that knocking door with her heart beating quickly - she had a strange worry about what could be behind this disturbance. One evening, when they were making a new design and were very focused on it, suddenly someone knocked on the door. This sound made them lose concentration. Eki walked to open the door with their heart beating fast—she felt strange worry about who or what might be behind this door.
She turned the handle, and what she saw made her heart jump. A man was standing at the door, someone she had not seen for many months - this person who changed everything in their lives was now here again.
When the man stood at their door, Eki looked at him with her heart beating quickly. It was Kunle, but his face had a strange look of determination and boldness.
"Kunle?" she managed to stammer.
Dapo, sensing the tension, joined her at the door. His eyes widened in surprise.
"What are you doing here?" Dapo asked, his voice laced with suspicion.
Kunle's eyes were not looking at him; they stayed on Eki. "We need to talk," he said in a soft voice but with much emotion.
Eki paused for a moment, not knowing what Kunle might say because their last meeting had caused many problems in their lives.
"Can't it wait?" Dapo interjected, trying to protect Eki.
Kunle shook his head. "No, it can't. It's important."
Eki glanced at Dapo, but soon her eyes returned to Kunle. She cannot simply overlook that he is there. Certainly, something is wrong.
"Let him in," she said to Dapo.
Dapo moved backwards, with an unhappy look on his face. Kunle came inside the flat and glanced around with his eyes.
"What's going on?" Dapo demanded.
Kunle, not looking at him, kept his focus on Eki. "I found something," he said in a quiet voice. "It is important."
Eki's heart raced. She had a bad feeling about this.
"What is it?" she asked, her voice trembling.
Kunle hesitated as if weighing his options. Finally, he spoke.
"Remember the people who attacked us?" he asked. "The ones who wanted our app?"
Eki nodded, her mind racing.
"Also, I heard some news about their boss," Kunle said. "This community looks like it is bigger than we think." They have another purpose, not only our application."
Dapo's eyes widened. "What do you mean?"
Kunle took a deep breath and said, "They want something very important. Something that can change everything in the world."
Eki and Dapo exchange alarmed glances, showing they are not comprehending Kunle's statement.
"What are you talking about?" Eki asked, her voice barely a whisper.
Kunle stopped for a moment, and it seemed like talking was difficult for him. After taking a brief pause, he finally said: "I think they want to take the Nok artifacts."
Eki's blood ran cold. The Nok artifacts. The very thing she had been studying.
"What makes you think that?" Dapo asked scepticism in his voice.
Kunle takes out a small, old notebook from his pocket. Inside the notebook are many writings and pictures.
"I have investigated," he shared. "And discovered a thread that links everything."
Eki and Dapo came closer, showing they were becoming more curious. They wanted to see what Kunle had found out.
Eki and Dapo's fear increased as Kunle began talking about his plan. They understood now that they were part of something much larger than they had imagined earlier, and it was happening very close to them.
When Kunle was near to revealing his most amazing find, the lights began blinking. Immediately following that, everything turned completely dark in the apartment. Eki and Dapo became frightened because they understood what this signified.
They were not alone.
