The Birthday Message - Short Story

Message on the private line Sir. Unknown number”

“Read it to me jare”

“The day a man is born, he becomes old enough to die. Happy birthday.”

Senator Doyin Owoepo snatched the phone from his aide and reread the message.

Jesu!

It wasn’t his birthday, and he had no idea why someone, anyone, would send him such a message.

Except… he did.

In his undergraduate days, he had been Otunba Badmus’ hitman. He had used that quote to defend himself gleefully after bombing a political opponent’s car, killing his wife and young son. As elections approached, alliances shifted constantly, people leaving and joining parties, looking for how to enter power or hold on to it. He recalled rumors that Badmus, his political godfather, was defecting. That was Badmus’ business, as Owoepo was only concerned with the next budgetary allocation.

The phone beeped again, and he opened the whatsapp video message. The video showed a car’s underside, and a timer counting down.

“Stop the car!”

He ran and jumped over the bridge, landing with a splash.

His agbada seriously hampered his swimming efforts…

Inside his aide’s pocket, the unlisted phone beeped.

“Timed message delivered”

Owoepo struggled to breathe…

Fishermen recovered his corpse.