The Midnight Heist (Ep 2) -
Malik's blood turned icy as he recognized the voice that echoed through the darkness. It was the same voice that had plagued his dreams since he was a child – the voice of Baba Iyabo, the notorious witch doctor who was said to reside in the abandoned cemetery on the outskirts of Ajegunle. Legend had it that Baba Iyabo was a master of dark magic, with the power to command the spirits of the dead. His first encounter with Baba Iyabo was at a young age, at the cemetery when he followed his mum and some elders to bury his father who had died due to a strange sickness. The unpleasant encounter has led to series of unfortunate events in his life – one of which turned him into a legendary thief.
As Malik stared into the shadowed face, he could see the glow of an unnatural red light in the witch doctor's eyes. Fear clawed at his throat, and he struggled to force out the words, "Why, Baba Iyabo? What do you want with me?"
A chilling smile stretched across the witch doctor's face, revealing rows of sharpened teeth. "The crown, my boy, the crown" he rasped, his voice like dry leaves rustling in the harmattan wind. "It holds more power than you can imagine. The power I require."
Malik realized then that this was no ordinary heist. The crown was not just a collection of precious jewels; it was a key to something much more sinister – beyond what he can comprehend. The thought of what Baba Iyabo might do with such power sent shivers down Malik's spine.
Despite the fear, Malik could not let Baba Iyabo claim the crown. With a surge of adrenaline, he lunged forward and snatched the crown from its stand, feeling the cold metal bite into his skin. The air in the room grew thick and heavy, pulsing with an unnatural energy. Baba Iyabo let out a blood-curdling scream, a sound that seemed to tear at the fabric of reality. The shadows wriggled and twisted, taking on weird forms that clawed at Malik with skeletal fingers.
Bathed in the pool of fear and confusion, Malik smashed the display case, sending shards of glass flying. The distraction allowed him to bolt towards the exit of the museum, the crown clutched tightly in his hand. Behind him, he heard Baba Iyabo's enraged rumbles and the pounding of unseen footsteps echoing through the hollow halls.
As he burst through the museum doors, the cool night air burnt his lungs. But his escape was short-lived. A thick fog rolled in, obscuring the familiar streets of Ajegunle. The flickering neon signs of the night market twisted and contorted, casting weird and horrible-looking shadows that danced around him.
Suddenly, a deep growl pierced the silence. A monstrous figure emerged from the fog, its eyes glowing like coals…
To be continued…
