Wild West of the Heart
SEVENTY EIGHT

The glistening black coffin was opened to show his head, resting blissfully against the pillows, head turned to the blue skies. It's funny how Ayo seemed most peaceful when he was dead- but that only applied to a few people. The sides were decorated with red and white roses, which he would have hated, a fact that made Obi chuckle beneath his breath. He was better than the person he was three weeks ago and it meant alot to Ola, seeing a smile on him. Same as Abdul.

"You know i replace it weird that he's just dead" Ab whispered to Ola who had to unplug his earphones. "Like i feel he can just open his eyes and point at us, say something as stupid as it was a prank or something. It's something he can do" Ola scoffed. "No, Abdul. He's dead for real" Someone sobbed into a tissue next to them as they looked to each other. The responsible thing with him was that he never let Ola's friendship with Obi come between them. And it was vice versa- honestly everyone was pretty mature about it.

Obi especially, hell bent on giving him the space he so wanted. Unbeknownst to him, Abdul hated that most of his time was spent with Nathaniel now. Not that they were together or seeing each other-though he couldn't tell, he hoped not. But they just seemed to heal as two friends.

"Is it weird i feel bad for him?"

"I think someone we know died, and even if he was the devil's reincarnate, i don't think he deserves death. I don't think anyone deserves death" Ola replied him.

Abdul let out a chuckle and Ola looked to him. "Pretty serious huh?" He joked but Ab shook his head. "No, it's actually not that. I mean, i liked him-Ayo. I liked him for a very short period of time when we actually kissed once"

Ola's jaw dropped. "What?" He held in his laughter and Ab rolled his eyes. "I swear to God" They both shared a chuckle as Obi caught a glimpse of their cackling. Deep down, he wanted to say screw the space. Screw whatever distance he was giving him- but each time, he had to remind himself of the things Abdul said.

It felt like self-harm because it was a way of re-hurting himself, like stabbing himself in the same wound over and over again so he could hate Abdul. But nothing worked. Nothing could make him hate his first love.

Nathaniel caught his eyes go moist as he darted away, it was then he slipped his palms between his. He was the real ally because Obi didn't even think he was gay or queer. He was barely even existing, recovering his brain back from the shackles of drug addiction. But he was cute and sweet.

Especially when he was sober-a side of him Obi only saw recently. He nodded, squeezing his hands. "It's okay"

"Eternal rest, grant unto him" The microphone screeched, only to be adjusted later. The officiant walked towards the seats and into the very first tent. He closed his eyes and so did a few others. "Let perpetual light shine upon your dear son, Ayomide Damilola. And may the soul of the departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace" He opened his eyes. "Amen" He muttered later on and everyone chorused. "Amen-"

"Now, we would take a poem from the Hillway High school choir before we hear the eulogy from our dearly beloved's mother who would mount the podium next" He turned off the mic as Anna rushed forward, heading the single queue of the choir members. Now one thing about Fi and Ola and Obi was that you would never see them there.

They just sat and watched, Deborah and Nathaniel making their way to the front as well. Abdul just stayed back, though he was part but he didn't feel the need to drag that much attention. The piano started subtle before the guitar started playing. "It's not that bad" Ola whispered to him.

And Obi sat there, folding his arms with a permanent stain of disgust across his face. It was natural-what he didn't understand was for someone like Ayo to still get celebrated and loved, after everything he had done.

He didn't want to know if he was dead, unlike Ola. The thought of sitting through the song just made his skin crawl. But he had to-And Nathaniel wasn't here for him.

"You can shed tears that he is gone

Or you can smile because he has lived-"

Bade started off, reading from a scrunched up paper she had in her hands. She blew raspberry before continuing.

"You can close your eyes and pray that he will come back

Or you can open your eyes and see all that he has left" "You can turn your back on tomorrow and live yesterday

Or you can be happy for tomorrow because of yesterday"

"You can remember him and only that he is gone

Or you can cherish his memory and let it live on-" It went on, and on. Obi hated the memories he had of him. And he was pretty sure everyone here felt the same. As usual, someone died so they were being fake with the condolence cards and this godforsaken poem. The flowers they'd planted by his coffin-and even the bible verses.

Ayo was unlike all of these things. He was a menace, he was a bully without a redemption arc. And he was the most awful human being Obi had gotten to meet, the one reason he couldn't enjoy his last few months of high school. Ayo had taken away his privacy and his sense of control the moment he spilled all of his secrets out that day. And as if that wasn't enough, he also had to sit through all of this. All of these speeches and poems as if Ayo was a saint.

He could walk up the stage and yell at him to rot in hell, he wanted to. But then that would make him selfish, or perhaps to people like Collins, it will make him the bully.

He just sat through it, already dead inside-up until the very moment his mother made it up the podium with tears already in her eyes. "How was i?" Nathaniel sat back in his chair and Obi just froze, without hearing his question. He watched her every move, her every step as she halted..

She seemed to be the direct opposite of what she'd produced. She quivered, looking before her at the turnout of people which were mostly just grade elevens and some of the teachers, the rest were his family and maybe a row for the people from his church. Obi zoned in on every bit, as if swallowing him to an alternate universe.

He didn't know when tears welled in his eyes as well.

"Obi-"

"Obi" His hand gripped him back to consciousness and when he blinked, the tears fell. Nathaniel arched his brows as the applause came to an end. "I don't think i can do this" She cleared her throat, scoffing into the microphone as she brought it towards her lips. "Never-" She halted, sniffling through her eyes. "Never would i have guessed of this day"

"Never would i have guessed that i would bury my own son but here we are" She looked at him below and she pocketed the paper that was in her hands. "Oh Ayomide" "Where do i even begin?"

"And what is the use of an eulogy if i don't want to say goodbye yet-" Marissa hastily walked towards the row that he and Ola were. She leaned towards them. "Collins said a few of you would be giving speeches after this. He said especially those who weren't on the stage earlier" She delivered the message like she was his puppet. Abdul scrunched his face. "What?" She straightened her back.

"It's just for support" She whispered. "Their family has been through alot" "This isn't a school event" Fiyin pitched, knowing that meant she go on stage as well which no one here actually wanted to do. Marissa raised her arms.

"You want to fight someone. Fight Collins" She replied before storming away. Fi looked to Ola, her lips slightly opened and her eyes went to Obi at very edge of the row.

-

"How has been the last few weeks?"

"Days" He reiterated, crossing his legs across from her. Mary sat forward, uncomfortable with this leather couch and opening up to a complete stranger whom Titi had recommended as a therapist. She didn't have all the time, but she was able to bargain just an hour with him.

Phil was in an office space but the center in which he talked to his clients or patients was wide. He was very plump man, with full beards across his face and a glasses on the table. She didn't think he used it- Perhaps it was just there for the nerdy doctory aesthetics.

Her eyes had full on scanned the entire place for the past five minutes she'd been here. "Mary" He waved his hands in her face and she forced a smile, fashionably shifting her focus back. "Don't worry i won't kidnap you" He joked and Mary let out a pretty loud laughter, resting her back.

"I'm not worried about that, trust me" They'd bonded already but she didn't know. And slowly, her tension began to ease. She looked to him, letting the smile diffuse from her lips. "The last few weeks have been surreal" She said. "It has...been alot"

Speaking of which, Akin was already home and she had to spread her schedule between taking care of herself and her son, and his father. He'd improved significantly over the past week, especially his motor skills. He could walk, and he could move a bit but he didn't dare bring up the conversation from the hospital. "Can you expantiate "

Mary looked to Phil. "What?" She asked.

"I said, can you please explain what your definition of alot is" He rephrased and stared blankly at him. "I've just been trying to replace the balance between where i'm at, what i want and what i'm doing and with other things. The past week has been alot of me i think stress-wise" She replied.

"Why is that?"

"Well, my husband and my kid and i don't even live in the same place anymore and it's like i'm all he has presently so i still have to show up, until you know it gets finalized."

"Divorce?" Phil said the d-word and Mary looked to him, giving a sly nod. "Why do you think your relationship has come to the final destination of the d-word?" He asked and she rolled her eyes. "Is this actually couple's therapy" He shook his head. "I don't really see it as therapy" He closed his clipboard. "I'm your friend, see" He stretched his arms out. "Or no, i'm the market seller you gossip you" Mary arched her brows till there was a smile on her lips. "What?"

"You heard me" He placed his knuckles beneath his chin. "Titi doesn't pay me for this. I'm listening-Tell me. Tell me all about everything" Phil leaned forward to her and she measured to his gaze. "I should tell you about e—" "Everything" He flatly said.

-

"It's been three weeks and nothing" Silva said as Mira sat into his chair. She'd barely said any word over that time, and the only time she spoke, she was either mad or hurt.

Hurt whenever she remembered Reginald, and angry when she recalled nothing had even done. She hadn't seen his body, no one has and the hospital had refrained both of them from coming as far as that ward. Not just because she'd thrown a tantrum the moment she heard of Reginald.

But because Tosin had leaked to them something of a second wave of this virus which could only mean it was more deadly-deadlier than the hundreds of people it was already killing per day.

Dare walked through his doors and around his seat. He placed the files in his hands to the table. "I'm sorry" He muttered to Silva. These days, Mira was the passive one, unlike before. Almost as if she was losing hope. But who could blame her nothing seemed to work for them.

"What have you come up with?" Silva leaned against the table. "The police department have reached out to the ministry of health regarding your friend and the ongoing epidemic. An issue on your discoveries were sent to them as well in the form of that article" He sat into his chair.

"But i'm yet to receive a response"

He exhaled, pinching the bridge of his nose. "So what about Reginald? It means we won't ever see him again?"

"We won't ever give him a funeral or make-What about our friend?" There was a crack in Silva's voice. "We're trying our very best to-"

"Bullshit" Silva interrupted and Dare shut his eyes as he looked to Mira who didn't utter a word. "How about Jazzlyn huh?" Silva looked to him. They'd told him of David's replaceings but even he found it hard to believe

that someone was out there killing people that had a particular disease. Truth was, it sounded absurd. That was why he was abit hesitant and Silva heaved a deep breath.

"I can't believe you"

"Silva. I'm not the enemy" Dare turned to Mira. "Please tell him i'm not the enemy" She didn't do as much as move as Silva lifted his bags off the chair. "Silva" Dare stood.

"This is fucked up. The whole system is" He looked to Mira who stood behind him. "I've been such a fool to ever trust this, to ever trust you" He hooked his hands on the door. "What are you going to do, Silva?" He whispered.

And he paused. "I'm going to do whatever it takes. I'm sick and tired of waiting for justice that's never going to come. Each day, is a new victim. I'm done, Dare" He said.

"I'm done following the rules" He looked to Mira. "And i feel you of all people deserve to know that first. Because if it means me climbing to the top of the senate building to yell it to the entire world, if it means me rioting and burning down buildings just to show the sign, i swear to the heavens that i would. I would do everything. Anything"

"Because i'm angry"

"Everybody is angry" Dare replied and Silva chuckled. "Yeah right, because it affects you in some way" He said.

"Mira" She tossed her head over her shoulders to him. "I really tried this time" He added and all she did was nod her head. Silva was fuming as he ripped the Anonymous article he'd written in two before walking through the doors. He tossed it into the trash, making his way out of the station.

He was done.

Done being the nice guy, and done playing by the rules. His eyes darted around the posters on the walls and trees once he'd stepped out and he looked to the shreds of paper he still had his hands. Mira halted beside him as he exhaled. "What are you thinking?" She finally spoke. "Can paper glue to trees?" He turned to her and she shrugged her arms.

Silva dug his hands into his bag, pulling out the hundred articles he'd had with him. "There's only one way to replace out " Because if people didn't want to buy Anonymous, they'd still get see it either way. He marched his converse. "We're going round town" He hefted his bags as if it were a tote bag and he hung it over his shoulders. A mischievous smirk found it's way to the corner of his lips. "Anything-"

To be continued...