Hacked Chapter 12 ----Code of Silence

           CHAPTER TWELVE

           CODE OF SILENCE

I returned to my room after spending half of my day with Kunle.

I couldn't say how many days he would spend in the psychiatric home because his recovery was really slow. He seemed to have been too attached to Tracy, his puppy that he couldn't get over her death.

What surprised me was the fact that Kunle wasn't mourning for the death of his Mother but for that of Tracy. 

Poor woman, she died of Breast Cancer.

He met his father for the first time in his life, thanks to his mother's death. 

Otunba Dibu Ayinla, one of the top politicians in the country came to meet him and introduced himself as his father after the interment of the dead one

Otunba insisted that he accompany him for his trip to Abuja. He said "that was meant to bridge the gap of the long term separation as well as to build Father to Son's relationship".

However, he persuaded Kunle leave his Pet behind, as he was not a fan of Pets.

Kunle did as his Father had instructed. He left Tracy in the company of other watchdogs, and to be taken care of by the local guards in one of his father's buildings in Ogun state.

Tracy, in the midst of dogs trained to be guards, found it difficult to blend and adapt to the wild treatments.

Her stay with those Nigerian watchdogs was not pleasant as they gave her a lot of trouble. 

She sustained a scratch after a clash with Jack, a boerboel breed. She contracted Rabies because of her open wound. And due to the poor treatment, she developed a very high fever which led to her death.

The news left Kunle in a very high state of sadness. Moving on was very difficult for him. He had found companionship in his pet. For so many years he had mindfully separated himself from the world. So it might take a while for him to start getting along with people intimately.

I layed on my bed trying to get Kunle's story out of my mind. And almost immediately, my mind went to Stephanie. I wondered how she could be. If she was feeding well.

That was the first time her thought came to my mind since we arrived at the Hospital. I wondered how I could forget her so soon. That was the last thing on my mind before i slept off. 

Upon waking up that evening, I noticed that Tinu and Ebere's bed were neatly laid and that means they had both gone out. However, I saw someone else sitting at the edge of my bed.

Behold, it was Stephanie!

"Stephanie !" I exclaimed with surprise. "Stephanie, what are you doing here? How did you get here? How did you know where to find me? Are you okay?" I asked her all these questions at once and didn't even wait to hear her response.

Stephanie on her part was silent. She didn't say a word, not to talk of replying. 

So I assumed her silence to be anger. "Maybe she was angry with me for forgetting her so soon. Maybe she was lonely or maybe she went back to her mother's house and then she got abused again". I thought and concluded in my heart and didn't bother again for her response. 

And again I presumed she must be hungry or thirsty. So I told her to give me some minutes to fix something for her. 

I got out of my bed and out of the room, leaving her behind as she sat on my bed.

I was so happy when I saw Ebere and Tinuade on their way back to the room. I rushed to meet them with excitement and I said to them. 

" Ladies, guess what! I have a visitor. She is my roommate on campus. I know I haven't told you guys about her. But i will today. Don't worry, you will get to know her better when you meet her. She is in the room currently. I would like to get her some refreshment from the buttery". 

"Wow, its okay, we will be glad to meet her". Tinuade replied as they made their way to the room

I returned to the room few minutes after, hoping to see an interactive atmosphere. I was so sure Tinuade would have started engaging Stephanie in a conversation. 

Contrary to my thought on getting to the room. I met my roommates going about their businesses, ignoring Stephanie as if she wasn't there. 

I stood close to the door, holding a bottle of Coke and biscuit, wondering how they could be so cold to my Poor Stephanie. 

I didn't know the time I uttered the statement out of  wonders. "Have you guys met? Have you introduced yourself to Stephanie?"

Their responses almost gave me an heart attack.