Who Killed Mabel?

By Brown Danso

This is a thirteen-chapter eBook of about 26,050 words

At their graduation party staged on the campus of university of Ghana, Damon is glad to meet his girlfriend, Mabel.

When the stage was set for the party to begin, Marcus, the Disc jockey for the night's function all of a sudden calls out his friend Marcus name. He is to open the floor with his girlfriend from Accra polytechnic. Damon curses himself for coming to the dance hall early. He mustered up courage, went to the girl and led her to the dance floor.

The couple exchanged pleasantries as they danced. When the track being played, FAST LOVE ended, the crowd cheered. At this juncture, Marcus, the funny long-bearded DJ jumped down from the dais. With his long goatee beard, he wriggled his waste to and fro even though the music had long ended.

Damon visit his in-laws at Aburi, a town which is on a mountain eminence to see about officially setting a date for their wedding, but he is not well received by Mabel's father Mr. Adarkwa.The latter gives Damon no breathing space at all. For example he uses euphemism to criticize Damon's Morris Minor, which Damon had bought without even consulting his girlfriend... 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Brown Danso
• Release date: Sep 10, 2018
• ISBN: 9781386058014

Book preview

CHAPTER ONE: The graduation party

Damon stretched himself and yawned as he lay on the bed. Looking at the clock on the wall, he smiled. It was just coming to 6.00 Am. He had a feeling that the day was going to be a great day. Slowly, he shifted away from the sunlight, which now poured into the room with its blinding rays. Just at that instant, Marcus, his roommate stirred in his bed. Shortly, he opened his eyes and pulled lazily at his rather overgrown beard. The former was now beaming with a broad smile. He broke the silence.

I say, old pal, one would have thought that we would never have made it through all these years; these years of hard work, even though the school authorities keep saying we don’t work hard enough and have never worked hard enough.

Well, chirped Marcus I am relieved to think that this great day has finally come; is your girlfriend, Mabel coming to the graduation dance?

Old pal, you bet, she is; I met her friend Adelaide in town yesterday and she confirmed that they are coming by hook or crook.

Well, that sounds great; I always think that you guys should count yourselves lucky for catching the butterflies in that school, because for all I know, Accra Polytechnic happens to be one of the few institutions in the country that can boast of nice and beautiful girls. observed Marcus.

Oh yeah? Marcus, Marcus, Mr. Marcus, there you go again, wrong as usual. Have you been to Aburi girls, where the girls walk rather circumspectly as if they fear to tread the ground. Or, let’s say Saint Roses, where they say that each girl looks like a rose flower on a dewy morning. Or, Holy child, where the girls actually walk with angelic grace?

Well, thanks for telling me, but I must say that you must have done a lot of research to know just what is obtaining in every school in the country. observed Marcus.

Marcus had been put in charge of their school’s graduation dance, because during their school’s silver jubilee celebrations, he had handled things perfectly to the admiration of all.

Everything has been arranged in readiness for this evening’s occasion: the lighting effect was well checked, the sound systems and acoustic loud speakers together with the dance floor were also taken care of. In fact, everything was just in perfect order and ready.

By 7.00 Pm, that evening, people started pouring into the auditorium at the University of Ghana, Legon. Most of them were students from other higher institutions scattered across the city and beyond. Mabel, Damon’s girlfriend was also in attendance with her friend, Adelaide. Everyone had now taken their seats. The crowd cheered and whistled as Marcus entered the dance hall. Obviously, everyone was waiting for him to arrive and get the show started. Some shouted. Mr. M.C. while others wailed, Mr. M.C. goatee.

Marcus raised his hands in acknowledgement and faced the crowd, like a boxer who had just won a title fight. Shortly, he spoke into the microphone when the ovation had died down.

"Ladies and jelly men, please lend me your listening systems. Yeah, this is Opeemu Marcus, speaking to you on the purpose of gathering here this evening. As you all know too well that it is about the graduation dance, we don’t want any pandemonium; we wanna have a hitch-free kinda celebration."

Damon was shocked to hear that he was to open the floor with his girlfriend from Accra Polytechnic.  Bombastic bastard, he cursed himself for coming into the dancehall so early. But as he could not turn down the request without denouncing his friend Marcus, he stepped forward, walked to the girl and led her to the dance floor. As the music blasted through the acoustic loud speakers, he exchanged a few words with the girl. When the track being played, ‘FAST LOVE’ by George Michael ended, the crowd cheered and applauded. Nice music, nice couple The applause rose to a frenzied heat when Marcus himself jumped down from the dais. With his long, goatee beard showing conspicuously, he wriggled his waist to and fro, even though the track being played had long ended.

By 12.00 midnight, the crowd had thinned down to a hundred odd. Outside the auditorium, lovers could be heard whispering, yearning and moaning. Under every three on the school’s campus could be seen the dark silhouettes of couples embracing each other in wild romance. Meanwhile, the dance continued till daybreak.  

CHAPTER TWO: A visit to the in-laws

Ajoa, can you spare me a moment, please? Damon called Mabel. Whenever he wanted to sound affectionate, he dropped the name ‘Mabel’

Yes, darling boy Damon, what’s on your mind this time?  she asked. You are always coming up with ideas; what is it this time? she went on.

Do you realize that it’s been one year since that memorable explosive evening at the University campus? he reflected. I think the time has come for me to go and see your parents for us to get married.

That’s well spoken; so when do you suggest we go and see them? I suggest we go this week-end. Mabel opined.

No, this week is not ideal for me; my work schedule will not permit me to embark on a trip to Aburi this week. Let’s make it next week, on Friday, after work.

Yes, I think I like that; we can spend the week-end with my parents and return on Sunday evening, the girl suggested.

Hey, wait a minute, what about church; I have to be in church on Sunday morning; it just occurred to me that...

Of course, you will be in church, who said you will not be in church, my dear Damon; if your church will be needing you on Sunday morning, you can just call one of your friends to stand in for you, for we are going to attend the church service together with my parents; we can worship God anywhere, you know.

Damon looked at Mabel quizzically and wondered if he could find another reason to outwit the girl. Searching his mind and not finding any, he shrugged his shoulders in obvious defeat. ‘Women and their wits’ he thought.

On the appointed day, the couple left Accra for Aburi. Damon’s car was not a fast one; it was a second-hand Morris minor, which he had bought without consulting the girlfriend. The girl had insisted that Damon should at least buy a fashionable car. For Damon, he opted for this car, because it was cheap and its small size made it easy for him to wind his way through traffic and above all, he was a university graduate; it was simply a unthinkable for him to finish university and not ride in a car.

The journey to Aburi was not a smooth one. It was made more difficult in view of the hills and pot-holes here and there. There were of course the valleys to contend with. He was particularly afraid since he had had a break failure a couple of weeks before, on a similar terrain, while he was going downhill. But today, it looked like the old automobile was trying to please its owner and master. Whenever he was going uphill, he feared the engine might cough out and give up.

A little before 5.00 pm, the car stopped in front of a house, the roof of which was rather decrepit with age and almost ripping off, after Mabel had indicated that it was her father’s house. Mabel’s parents ran to meet them.It was the first time Damon had seen his in-laws and vice-versa. He guessed the old man’s age to be between sixty and seventy. Even at that age, he looked very fit