Daniel "the Mr. Lecturer", as he was popularly known by the students, pressed his teeth against his lower lips staring at Esther. He was a man in his mid-40s, 4.7ft tall with a big tummy and always tucked in every cloth he wears then fasten a tie that matches the color of his shoes. He moved around her with his left hand tucked in his pocket
"You failed my exam," he said as he dropped his head.
" I had put in my best, I just did not understand your course"
"I'm disappointed in you, I had always endorsed you before your colleagues". Mr. Daniel walked back to his seat with a grim face. " you can amend this, just a night with me".
" I can't sir," Esther said standing up to leave
" Then get ready to come back next year, it's two years now and all I get is a No from you"
Esther got to her lounge disturbed. It had been difficult raising tuition fees and gape how much difficult it will be if a year was extended. She knew she can't pass that course even if she was to seat for it again but this worried her less compare to the curse that was on her.
The next morning she went to the hotel, with a grim face, moving away each time the lecturer came closer to touch her, stiffening her body to every of his touch.
"Please, can I tell you something before you proceed?" Esther demanded.
Mr. Daniel ignored her pulling off her dress. " Please Sir, allow me to tell you this"
Again he ignored her, pressing his finger on her lips "let's just do this" he said.
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After he had made love to her he plopped his hands on her shoulder " What was it you wanted to tell me?"
" There is no need for that now," Esther said.
" Why?"
" Because there is no second option"
" How do you mean?"
" Every man who makes love to me die after seven days, I wanted to tell you that".
The lecturer started to sweat profusely, his eyes widened. " Please tell me it's a lie"
"I don't lie on crucial matters as this"
He put his hands on his head, unable to shout, his hands became cold. "What can I do to snatch this curse off me," he asked.
"Nothing, but you could make restitution while you await your day of doom".
Daniel visited diverse prayer houses conscious of each passing day. "The curse cannot be staved off, except on her husband to whom she is rightly married," one of the spiritualists told him. Daniel made plans to marry Esther to wreck the curse on him, "It's late, the act is done already" the elders of the village told him. The ticking of the clock was faster to daniel who wished dusk wouldn't come, time became his enemy. He again visited a spiritualist who subjected him to sleep in a dark room for three days "the curse has been snatched away" he said. Daniel wasn't sure about this but yearn it passes over him.
It was two hours to noon to make it the 7th day, he sat watching the clock tick, his heart beating faster than normal. "In case I die, which I am afraid to, tell my story to the world". His relatives busted into tears, his mother hugged him tightly and not letting him go, "let death take us both". Daniel started to cry, at about 5 Minutes to noon, he wished the clock will be reset to zero.
"Daniel, Daniel, Daniel please talk to me" his mum held his body shaking him busily. His heartbeat and pulse seized. Having noticed this, his mum rolled herself on the floor crying for help as neighbors comforted her.
A week after, the relative honored Daniel's last wish, publishing his story at every given opportunity.