THE BURNING DESIRE (CONCLUDING PART 5)
THE BURNING DESIRE (CONCLUDING PART 5)
(PART 5 - THE REVENGE) Revenge is not born in a single night—it grows like a tree, watered by grief, betrayal, and hunger, until its roots choke out every trace of reason. By the time the rains returned to the village, Adeolu’s heart had become nothing but a furnace of vengeance. For weeks, he followed Tunde’s every step. He knew when Tunde left for the market, when he sat at the palm wine bar, when he returned home with Ayinke. He watched him boast, drink, laugh, and spend money as though life belonged only to him. And every time Tunde laughed, Adeolu felt the sound pierce his bones like a blade.
THE BURNING DESIRE (CONCLUDING PART 5)
He no longer saw Tunde as family. No, Tunde was the fire that had burned his father’s shop, the disease that had withered his mother, the thief that had stolen Ayinke’s love. Tunde was not a cousin anymore—he was the enemy. One night, Adeolu made his decision.
THE BURNING DESIRE (CONCLUDING PART 5)
It was a night heavy with silence, the air thick as though the world itself held its breath. The moon hid behind clouds, and the streets were dark, save for the weak glow of lanterns from a few houses. Adeolu sat in his room, staring at a piece of broken bottle he had found days earlier. Its sharp edge glittered faintly in the dark. He picked it up and gripped it tightly, feeling its bite on his palm. “This is the end,” he whispered to himself. “For him, or for me.”
THE BURNING DESIRE (CONCLUDING PART 5)
His mother stirred on her mat, coughing weakly. She called his name, her voice thin, almost fading. “Adeolu… my son… do not let hatred destroy you.” But hatred had already destroyed him. He kissed her forehead softly, though tears stung his eyes. Then he stepped into the night, carrying nothing but his rage.
THE BURNING DESIRE (CONCLUDING PART 5)
He found Tunde easily. As always, Tunde was at the palm wine bar, surrounded by his friends. Laughter filled the air as they drank and boasted about women and money. Adeolu stayed in the shadows, his breathing steady, his eyes fixed. Hours passed, and one by one, Tunde’s friends staggered away, leaving him behind. At last, Tunde rose to leave, swaying slightly, humming a tune. It was the perfect moment.
THE BURNING DESIRE (CONCLUDING PART 5)
Adeolu followed silently, his bare feet making no sound. Tunde took the narrow path that led home, his steps careless, his pride unguarded. That was when Adeolu struck. He leapt from the shadows, grabbing Tunde by the collar. Tunde’s eyes widened in shock as Adeolu’s face appeared, twisted with fury, eyes burning like coals. “Adeolu?!” Tunde gasped, struggling. “What are you—”
THE BURNING DESIRE (CONCLUDING PART 5)
The words never finished. Adeolu drove the shard of glass into his cousin’s side, again and again, years of pain exploding in every thrust. Tunde screamed, fought, begged—but Adeolu’s ears were deaf to mercy. He remembered the fire, his father’s death, his mother’s tears, Ayinke’s betrayal. Each memory became another blow. By the time it was over, Tunde lay on the ground, his blood soaking into the earth, his body trembling in its final moments. His once proud voice was reduced to gasps. He tried to speak, but only blood came from his lips.
THE BURNING DESIRE (CONCLUDING PART 5)
Adeolu stood over him, chest heaving, the shard falling from his hand. He looked at what he had done, and for a moment, silence filled his soul. He thought he would feel relief. He thought the pain would vanish. But as he stared at Tunde’s lifeless eyes, he felt only emptiness. Then came the screams.
THE BURNING DESIRE (CONCLUDING PART 5)
Villagers who had heard the struggle rushed with lanterns. Faces lit with shock, fear, and anger. Someone shouted, “Adeolu has killed Tunde!” The cry spread like wildfire. In minutes, the quiet path filled with people, their eyes blazing with judgment. Adeolu did not run. He did not beg. He simply stood there, blood on his hands, his face calm yet broken. For the first time in months, the voices in his head were silent. The silence he had long carried inside him had finally spilled out into the world.
THE BURNING DESIRE (CONCLUDING PART 5)
They seized him, tied his hands, and dragged him away. Some spat on him, others cursed him. But Adeolu did not resist. His eyes searched the crowd only once, and there he saw Ayinke—her face pale with horror, her hands covering her mouth. She looked at him not with love, not with pity, but with fear. In that moment, Adeolu realized the truth: hatred had not saved him. It had not healed him. It had only destroyed him completely.
THE BURNING DESIRE (CONCLUDING PART 5)
That night, his mother died, her frail body finally giving in to sickness and sorrow. She never knew her son had taken revenge. She never saw him chained, broken, hated by all. And Adeolu, locked away in darkness, whispered to himself:
THE BURNING DESIRE (CONCLUDING PART 5)
“Blood has been spilled… but silence remains.” The story ended not with victory, but with emptiness. Adeolu’s life, once full of dreams, was reduced to ashes. His revenge had cost him everything—his freedom, his love, his peace, and even his soul. In the end, hatred had won. {THE END}