Loose Ends(Melody Kuku) Kenny and Joe sat on the lush rug around Grandpa and looked at his face in earnest.

He smiled again at them and settled himself comfortably on the sofa where he sat.

''Grandpa tell us a story'', Kenny said.

"Something horror", seventeen years old Joe said.

Grandpa's eyes danced with amusement.

"In my days children your age don't ask for stories. They'll be sleeping earlier in order to wake up on time for farming the next day".

Joe and Kenny laughed.

Grandpa's had grown up in a rural village where he lived most all the years of his life. He had lived in the city for a few years but never talked about his life in the city.

The children had often wondered. When they asked he would evade their questions and change the subject. Their parents had often scolded them when they tried to push through with the questions.

Now Grandpa was home alone with them while their parents travelled for a few days vacation.

"Grandpa, how about you tell us about your time in the city", Joe said mischievously.

"Yeah, tell us", Kenny said.

Grandpa sighed.

"The years I spent in the city was not anything special. I worked as a gateman for years but something happened at a point and I left back to the village".

"What happened?" The children asked, excitedly.

Grandpa sighed.

"It's a story I would rather not tell. But time has washed away the guilt. I tell you".

The children wanted to ask, which guilt? But they were silent and waited for him to begin.

I worked as the gate man for a renowed public school in Portharcourt.

It was late at night and I went for my usual walk around the school compound. I did that often because I was lonely.

Some students would look at me through their hostel windows giggling and mocking me.

I stopped by the school garden which was surrounded by tall thick trees. Something caught my eyes so I beamed my torch towards the corner.

There was a girl. She lay on the floor with her pinafore gown pulled up exposing her lap. I wondered what she was doing there by that time and in such a compromised position.

It was an all girls boarding school so the thought of her frolicking with a male student was out of the question.

Also, the teachers quarters were a good distance away from this particular female hostel which was closer to the main gate.

"Who is there?" I called out.

She didn't move. So I moved closer with my torch. She was still. I thought she was sleeping till the light shone on her head. Her head was oddly bent.

I moved closer to touch her hands. It was cold. She was dead. I shouted and ran to the hostel.

The hostel mistress was yet to sleep so she came out speedily to meet me. I told her of the dead girl and the announcement was made over a loud speaker to all the girls to stay in.

We waited for the police to come. After several hours, the body was taken away.

Then the questioning began. She was one of the popular girls in school and was missed by her friends that night when they all went to the chapel for evening prayers.

They wondered why she hadn't returned to the room even though she had told them that she wanted to use the restroom and wouldn't be in the chapel. They had expected to meet her in the room at least.

I told the police detective that I didn't notice anything strange. I had been by the gate post all day and night.

They told the authorities that the girl had been choked then raped. But the rapist had used a condom so it was hard to get the culprit".

Grandpa stopped, embarrassed.

Joe laughed.

" It's okay Grandpa, we are not kids. I am seventeen and Kenny is sixteen years old. We are not really kids".

Kenny nodded and Grandpa continued.

For a while, more bodies began to show up at different part of the school. The murder often took place during the period when every student went to the chapel for compulsory prayer service.

I was on a shift with another man so we were mostly at the gate and wouldn't have noticed anything terrible going on. We only got to know when another body was discovered.

They were all killed in the same way. They were choked and raped.

"Was forensics...,"

" You're funny Joe. We don't really do that in this country except the death is a national issue or the dead person is from a rich family"

"That's true. So backward. The person would have been caught. I mean our criminals are so careless so it would be pretty easy", Joe replied.

"Was the murderer caught?" Kenny asked.

"No. The school covered the case up because they were scared of mass withdrawal of pupils. Students were forced to sign documents that ensured they never told their parents".

"And they signed? " Kenny and Joe said in disbelief.

"The school authorities forced them to sign".

"Wow, what of the parents of the dead girls? And the police?"

"I really don't know why none of them reported the case to the media. Then I left back to the village where I got married to your late grandma and I had your dad. I don't know what happened after that".

Kenny was silent for a while then she spoke.

"How do you know Grandpa?"

"What do you mean?" He said, flustered.

"I mean you were just a gate man then. How come you kept tab on the Police investigations and parents' reactions?"

"That's a stupid question Kenny. Grandpa worked there and anybody would be curious to find out what is being done about the murder and culprit'.

"I would have tried to solve the mystery myself it I were there. But I guess Grandpa wasn't that adventurous", Joe said.

Grandpa stood up.

"What is there to solve? There are some things that should be left alone. It will only bring about more bloodshed", he said frowning.

"Oh...okay", Joe said, surprised.

"It's the past. Don't try to dig into the past", Grandpa added and stormed into his room.

Kenny and Joe sat in silence and shock then Kenny spoke.

"Grandpa just acted weird".

"Maybe the memories are too much to handle. Not many people like horror especially when it happens around them".

"No, that's not it. He took it personal. He walked out on us angrily for asking questions. I find that odd".

"Are you trying to say..." Joe's eyes were wide now.

"Yes. I'm trying to say that could it be possible that Grandpa is the murderer?"

Joe shuddered at the thought.

"Grandpa can't be. Look at him, he's so gently and nice".

"Yet he was mad at us because of this story. Did you see his eyes Joe?"

"It doesn't matter besides I... em..."

"Did you see his eyes? Yes or No?" Kenny asked again, sharply.

"Yes but then...". Joe's voice trailed off.

He too had noticed the murderous look in Grandpa's eyes before he stormed off. He didn't want to say what he saw.

He would rather call it anger than to call it by the actual word that describes the expression in those eyes.

"What would we do if we find out Grandpa is the murderer?"

"I don't want to think about it Kenny. We may be wrong you know? Besides, it happened years before dad was born, it's not like we can find out now".

Kenny sighed.

"Some things are better left alone".

"Maybe, but it would be hard to live knowing that the loose ends of those murder cases may not be so loose after all".

"Let's get some sleep Kenny".

They got up and headed for the door that opened up to the rooms in the house. Behind the door was Grandpa.

"Loose ends eh?" He said.

They startled and would have taken note of how sinister his eyes looked till their gaze fell on his hands.

The thing in his hands was the answer to the loose ends. They screamed.

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