The afternoon should have felt calm.
It didn't.
Osaze walked through the streets, past shops and children playing, but none of it felt real. Not after spending the day talking to his father's killer. Smiling. Pretending. Playing the role of the grateful, broken student.
He made a mental note to visit Abu soon. It had been too long.
When he reached his apartment building, he realized something.
Ìgè hadn't spoken in hours.
*"You handled yourself well back there,"* the leopard said finally. His voice was quieter than usual. More serious. *"I thought you deserved some peace."*
Osaze pressed the button for the elevator. "He had the nerve to preach at me. To talk about forgiveness."
*"He's testing you. Seeing if you'll break."*
"I won't."
*"Good."* Ìgè paused. *"Though I have to admit—watching you hug him? That took restraint I didn't think you had."*
Osaze let out a bitter laugh. "Yeah, well. Now we know what he looks like. That's something."
*"'We'?"* Ìgè's tone shifted, teasing now. *"The problem is yours, not mine."*
The elevator dinged open. Osaze stepped inside.
The doors were about to close when a hand shot through, stopping them.
A man entered.
Mr. Chuks.
Mid-thirties. Designer bags in hand. Crisp, expensive-looking clothes that might have been fake. He smiled warmly.
"Osaze! Good to see you. How are you holding up?"
Osaze forced a smile. "I'm fine, sir. Thank you."
"Classes going well? And your father's family—are they helping out?"
The questions felt invasive, but Osaze kept his expression neutral. "Everything's fine."
Mr. Chuks nodded, seemingly satisfied. "Good, good. You know, if you ever need anything—"
He trailed off, adjusting the bags in his hands.
Osaze glanced at Ìgè.
The leopard was staring at Mr. Chuks.
Not just watching.
*Hunting.*
His body was low, muscles coiled, ready to strike.
Osaze's smile faltered.
Mr. Chuks noticed. "Something wrong?"
"No, I just—" Osaze caught himself. "I just remembered something I need to do."
"Ah, no worries." Mr. Chuks chuckled. "I thought maybe I had something on my shirt. These clothes cost a fortune, you know."
Osaze nodded absently.
*What are you doing?* he thought, directing the words at Ìgè. *He's just a neighbor.*
*"Did your father trust him?"*
*Of course. They were neighbors. They greeted each other every day.*
*"Look at him."*
*I am.*
*"No."* Ìgè's voice turned sharp. *"Look at him with your TRUE EYES, BOY ."*
Osaze hesitated.
Then he did.
The shift was immediate.
Pressure built behind his eyes—sharp, physical, like something pressing against the inside of his skull. The fluorescent lights flickered. Colors bled away, leaving everything gray and cold.
And Mr. Chuks—
He was drenched in blood.
Head to toe, dripping red. It pooled at his feet, spreading across the elevator floor.
The walls turned black. The metal dissolved into shadow.
And behind him—
*Something.*
It towered over Mr. Chuks, massive and grotesque. Multiple heads, all facing forward. Two long-fingered hands rested on his shoulders.
The heads leaned closer.
Osaze recognized the faces.
Women. Young. Terrified.
Mr. Chuks' ex-girlfriends. The ones who'd disappeared. The ones the police had come looking for—while Mr. Chuks played the concerned ex-boyfriend, filing missing person reports with tears in his eyes.
Osaze's breath caught.
The creature lunged—
The elevator dinged.
Mr. Chuks stepped out, oblivious.
The vision snapped like a broken mirror. The creature recoiled, unable to cross the threshold.
"See you around, Osaze!" Mr. Chuks called, waving.
Osaze lifted his hand in a weak wave, his heart hammering.
The doors closed.
He slumped against the wall, gasping.
"What the hell was that?"
*"A preywearing the skin of predator,"* Ìgè said quietly. *"Your neighbor has secrets, child. Dark ones."*
Osaze stumbled into Damian's apartment, still shaken.
Kemi looked up from the couch. "You're back. How'd it go?"
Damian was standing by the window. "You look terrible."
Osaze dropped his bag. "Yeah. It was... a day."
"Tell us," Kemi said.
Osaze sat down heavily. "I met him. Ezekiel. He showed up on campus."
Damian's expression darkened. "And?"
"I played the part. Grieving student. Lost kid looking for meaning." Osaze rubbed his face. "He bought it. I think."
"You think?"
"He was testing me. Asking questions. Trying to see if I'd crack." Osaze looked at them. "But I didn't. I hugged him. Thanked him. Sold the whole thing."
Kemi's eyes widened. "You *hugged* him?"
"Had to." Osaze's voice was flat. "It's what a grateful student would do."
Damian nodded slowly. "Good. You kept your head."
"There's more," Osaze said. "Something else happened. In the elevator."
"What?"
"Mr. Chuks. The guy down the hall." Osaze hesitated. "I saw something."
Kemi leaned forward. "What did you see?"
"A creature. Attached to him. Made from his victims." Osaze's voice was quiet. "His ex-girlfriends. The ones who disappeared. They're part of it. He killed them."
The room went silent.
Damian's jaw tightened. "We're not getting involved."
"What?" Osaze stared at him.
"We have bigger problems. Ezekiel. The Church. The killers. We can't afford distractions."
"But—"
"No." Damian's tone was final.
And then the air shifted.
A pressure filled the room, heavy and undeniable.
Kemi gasped.
Damian went still.
And Ìgè appeared.
Not in Osaze's mind this time.
*Here.*
Physical. Real.
The Blood-Stained Leopard stood in the center of the room, his white fur glowing faintly, red spots vivid against his coat. His golden eyes burned with divine light. He was majestic, otherworldly, untouchable.
Kemi's breath caught. "Is that—"
Damian took a step back. "The leopard."
Ìgè's voice filled the space, no longer confined to Osaze's thoughts.
*"You will act."*
Damian's expression hardened. "We don't have time—"
*"This building is STAINED."* Ìgè's voice was cold. *"That man's presence corrupts it. Taints it. And you WILL cleanse it."*
"Why?" Damian demanded. "Why does it matter?"
Ìgè's gaze was sharp. Unyielding.
*"Because I have said so."*
The leopard turned, his tail flicking once.
*"You will act. Soon."*
And then he was gone.
The pressure lifted.
Kemi exhaled shakily. "What just happened?"
Damian cursed under his breath. Then he pulled out his communicator.
"We're handling this. But we're doing it right."
He dialed. Waited.
"Detective Okafor."
"It's Damian. We need to meet."
A pause. "When?"
"Now."
"Where?"
"The usual spot. One hour."
"We'll be there."
Damian hung up and grabbed his jacket. He looked at Kemi. "You need rest. Go."
Kemi frowned. "But—"
"Go." His tone left no room for argument.
She huffed but stood, disappearing into the guest room.
Damian turned to Osaze. "Stay here. Don't do anything stupid."
"I won't."
Damian paused at the door. "And Osaze? Be careful."
Then he was gone.
Osaze sat alone in the quiet apartment, the TV flickering in the background.
His mind kept circling back to the elevator. To Mr. Chuks. To the creature.
A prey wearing the skin of predator.
He didn't know how long he sat there.
Then—
A knock at the door.
Osaze stood, walked over, looked through the peephole.
Mr. Chuks. Smiling.
Osaze opened the door. "Hey."
"Hey, Osaze. Sorry to bother you." Mr. Chuks looked sheepish. "My dog's acting weird. I think he's sick. I know you're studying medicine—could you take a look?"
Osaze hesitated.
Every instinct screamed at him to say no.
But he nodded. "Sure. Let me grab my bag."
"Thanks, man. Really appreciate it." Mr. Chuks smiled. "Oh, and if you don't mind, I'll grab us some drinks while we're there. We can catch up."
"Yeah. Sounds good."
They walked down the hall together.
Osaze kept his breathing steady. Tried to ignore the pounding of his heart.
"So," Osaze said casually, "I haven't seen your girlfriend around lately."
Mr. Chuks laughed. Smooth. Easy. "Yeah, we broke up. She moved for work."
"That's too bad."
"Yeah." He shrugged. "But people move on, you know?"
They reached the apartment.
Mr. Chuks unlocked the door. "Come on in."
Osaze stepped inside.
The apartment looked normal. Clean. A couch, a TV, a small kitchen.
"Where's the dog?"
"Back room. Give me a second—"
Something moved behind him.
Fast.
Pain exploded across the back of Osaze's head.
His vision went white, then black.
He hit the floor.
The last thing he heard was Mr. Chuks' voice.
Calm. Almost cheerful.
"Finally. Now we can begin."
And in the shadows, the creature smiled.