A problem shared.

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Suzy had just relocated from the North to an oil rich State in the South to escape her ugly faith and possibly carve her path.

Despite the family's fortune, Suzy was starting life all over in a foreign land as a nobody.

“Money is not everything," she said within herself as she took in a deep breath and exhaled sharply.

“First time on a train?” Wilson, a tall dark beau, questioned, putting on a smile that exposed his diastema.

Not sure if he was referring to her, Suzy turned to check behind her to be certain Wilson was actually talking to her.

“What makes you feel it's my first time?” Suzy questioned back with a serious look.

“Apologies Miss, I thought you were developing cold feet as a first boarder, I know I did.” Wilson responded cheerfully, hoping to get Suzy to loosen up, but she just kept quiet as she looked away, glancing out the window.

“Would just sit by the lovely miss.” Wilson continued and sat next to Suzy.

“I am Wilson, by the way,” he introduced himself.

The journey started, and by now Suzy was engrossed in her phone. She kept sighing and hissing, which made Wilson to pry and take a look at what was eating her up.

On seeing that she was checking out hotels which seemed a bit pricey, Wilson called out a bit too loud “Hotels!.” In a bid to get Suzy's attention, but he was ignored and Suzy wasn't going to encourage him with a response.

Frustrated, Wilson decided to take the bull by the horn and get Suzy to engage him by being direct in his approach.

“Are you going for a Seminar or a retreat?” Wilson questioned but still got no response.

He continued, “You know, you really can't get a cheap hotel on the internet, you'd get a good deal going there in person…”

Wilson paused for a response, but still got none. Thus, to keep the little dignity he had left, he decided to let Suzy be and just dozed off in his seat.

As Suzy sat thinking and contemplating on her next move, she felt some grabbing on her left hand and as she turned to see who or what it was, She noticed Wilson's eye turn white as he held on tightly facing her.

Suzy was startled and as she was about to raise an alarm, Wilson called her authoritatively by her native name, “Hadiza!”

She became all the more frightened because she had never met Wilson before, so how did he come about her native name, which only people from home knew?

“Could he be my father's spy? Who is he really?” Suzy questioned.

She tried to free herself from his grip, but he was too strong, and she knew she had to call for help before he harmed her.

As she screamed for help, someone tapped on her shoulder and asked Madam, are you ok?

She opened her eyes and saw Wilson, which made her jolt. She looked around and noticed some other passengers and a security personnel around her.

“What's going on? Why are you all staring at me like that? Can't a girl get some sleep?” Suzy questioned as she tried to pull herself together to save herself from the embarrassment.

“You were talking in your sleep and then suddenly grabbed my hands violently, as it seemed you were having a seizure, so I called for help”. Wilson responded, trying to check for a fever by touching Suzy's forehead.

“Are you ok?” Wilson asked again in a calm, soothing voice.

“I am fine” Suzy responded aggressively as she waved Wilson's hand off her forehead.

The journey continued and Suzy cursed within her, “Coward! Using a stranger to frighten me.”

She knew the effect of leaving the family, but not to the extent it was coming to her. With the experience she just had, she now knew what to expect, and she was ready for a fight.

“I could help you” Wilson said to Suzy

“You could what?” Suzy questioned back in a hoarse voice.

“With the hotel accommodation…. I could help you with the hotel accommodation" Wilson muttered.

As Suzy heaved a deep sigh, collapsing her head on the head rest, the train came to a halt at their destination.

Wilson walked in front to alight, and Suzy followed behind, waiting patiently for her turn to be out of the train. She just could not wait to start life away from her family woes.

She finally accepted Wilson's help as she would need a guide in the new city and Wilson seemed to know his way around. At that point, she introduced herself to Wilson by telling him her name.

They both boarded a taxi and suddenly the sleepy feeling came again, Suzy tried to fight it, but she was knocked out cold on Wilson's shoulder.

This time around, she was back in her old room at her father's house and her younger self was calling out to her older self, “Come back home Hadiza, you can't escape your destiny.”

“No one leaves the family,” younger Suzy continued and attempted to grab her hands. Frustrated and angry, Suzy screamed, “No! I am not coming back, and if you keep taunting me, I will return to set you ablaze!.”

“Coming back to where?” Wilson questioned.

Suzy opened her eyes and was sweating plus burning with a fever, Wilson insisted on getting her treated. But Suzy proved stubborn, “I am fine! Just get me to my hotel room.”

“You need help Suzy, let's get you to the hospital”

As Suzy was about to give in to Wilson's demand, she caught a glimpse of the driver looking at them in the mirror. Next he said was, “She needs to go home, else she will die.”

In rage, Suzy screamed out loud, “No! You will die!.” Both the driver and Wilson were perplexed, as the ride has been calm until Suzy's outburst.

“Is there something you want to talk about?” Wilson questioned, hoping Suzy would let him in.

Presently, Suzy felt she had embarrassed herself well enough, and all Wilson has ever extended her was a hand of friendship.

If she is to win this fight, she needed all the moral support she can gather, so she opened up to Wilson.

Breathing in and out heavily, she turned to Wilson and said, "My father's deity is hunting me.”

“You mean like a spiritual attack?” Wilson questioned.

“Yeah” Suzy muttered.

“Any Backstory?” Wilson questioned again with interest.

“Well… I am his betrothed, all thanks to my father's quest for wealth.”

There was a brief silence and then Wilson said "let's get you treated you first, then we will face your Spirit Husband." They both chuckled and as their direction changed, towards the hospital, Suzy felt better.

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