David could never forget the first girl he'd taken away to live with him. The girl could not identify a cow. It intrigued him so much but also deposited feelings of sorrow deep within his soul. He could never forget all the peculiar memories he'd had with her, shared with her and created for her. Her name was Zipporah.

David was just new to the idea of kidnapping girls who looked like his sister. He wasn't sure how fruitful or safe the idea was going to be. His friend, Ken whom he'd met while he worked at the Competition Planning Organization years ago was the one who'd brought up such a concept to his knowledge.

Ken was an excellent friend. He didn't only try to be a shoulder for David to cry on or make him feel less guilty about everything. He also actively looked for ways to help David feel better. The things he offered were beyond soothing words. He proffered prospective solutions even if they were selfish, evil and fell way below the expected moral and legal standards.

Ken taught David that it was okay to be desperate for a way out and that it was perfectly fine to be every shade of human in all ramifications. And one of those shades of humanness that Ken expected David to exhibit was the desperate wickedness of the human heart.

When Ken presented the idea to David for the first time, David was astonished for many reasons. The most important reason was because David had had a nudging to do such a thing before and the first time he'd felt that nudge was when he set his eyes on Clara, that petite girl from the secondary school he attended for a short time.

When he met her that afternoon, he felt an instant need to take her away with him — to a lovely paradise, the ninth circle of hell, or some dark underground world. The location was immaterial. He just wanted to be able to worship her, to give her the chance to punish him and vent out all of her anger on him for trying to kill her. And most importantly, he yearned for the chance to be able to take better care of her.

Even though things ended rather tragically with Clara's older brother beating the living daylights out of him, he left with the hope that another day would come when he would be able to feel what he'd felt when he first laid his eyes on Clara. He yearned for a reoccurrence so he wouldn't feel so miserable anymore. So David was shocked that Ken had a similar idea and he liked how alike their minds were.

David wasn't sure how the idea was going to work though. Ken told him to give it some time and then when he gets very rich, it would be easier for him to implement the idea. The rich and the powerful have the world as their footstool after all.

Little did David know that the starting point of his plan was just so nearby. One day, a week after the committee had released new fliers of an upcoming math competition, a girl of a petite build walked into the reception of the building with dreams and aspirations so vivid, they shone in her black orbs and even tainted the tears that ran down her cheeks.

David could never forget the look in her eyes as he watched her beg the receptionist and the head of the planning committee.

"Please sir," tears lingered in her small eyes as she clasped her fingers together and raised them to her chin, demonstrating a plea. "I really like to be in this competition sir. No money for register but—"

"How do you intend on getting registered then?" The leader asked, chewing even harder on the toothpick hinged between his teeth as he looked at the little girl with skepticism. "And how can I be sure that you will do well in the competition when you can't even speak proper English?"

"Sir, I can go errands sir. I do anything to compensate for the money I can not pay. I know I no sabi good English sir but I know book very well. I like to read very well but my parent don't want me to go school. I stay in village but I run away from home because I can't stay there anymore. I know they will come to look for me but I no go back. They no pay my school fee? No. So I always to read anything I see at home so I can learn how to read and write. I just need chance sir so I can to go school. This competition can help me sir."

David sighed. This little girl looked nothing like his dead sister. In contrast, she was so light skinned and pale. Still, there was a willpower and strength about her that strongly reminded him of Sindara. And these little girls shared a somewhat similar story.

On days that Sindara couldn't go to school because mum and dad couldn't pay her fees, she tried to make up for it in one way or the other. At times even when they had the money to pay her fees, they prioritized Alex's or David's education over hers. David always wished he could stop his parents from paying his fees when Sindara was still sitting at home aimlessly. But whenever he found out about what they'd done, it was always too late.

It's all good now though, since both he and Sindara were out of their parents' lives.

In substitution for her absence from school, Sindara played games that improved her thinking capacity, she joined David in his studying activities and asked him a lot of questions. She made up for her lost time at school as though it was her fault that she couldn't have access to proper education. And here was this little girl too, fighting so hard for her own life, in a life she would have been better off being absent from.

David clutched the collar of his shirt firmly against his chest and sunk to the ground. He couldn't bear to watch the girl anymore.

"What's your name?" The leader asked the girl after a while of loud staring. His mind was a siren of unguided thoughts.

"Zipporah, sir."

"Okay. Here's what going to happen. You have to go to school first before you can be eligible for this competition. You could be a part time student at this place but you also have to do some work at the institution to raise your tuition fees. If you're able to prove your intelligence to a convincing level, we'll sponsor your education till the very end."

"Sir..." tears poured out as Zipporah gazed at her new messiah in adoration. "Thank you so much sir. I work hard sir. Thank you sir. I work really hard from today, sir!" She repeated the words like a chant as she bowed down.

David was glad for Zipporah and for the opportunity which had been given to her. He didn't know what he was going to do if the coordinator rejected her. It wasn't as if he could go out there, threaten or emotionally blackmail the coordinator into accepting her. David had no money of his own to take the girl away and take care of her.

He was a young boy and most importantly, he was a subordinate to the coordinator. He could easily get kicked out and soon, he'd be out on the streets again. His mother or his big sister would find him and then they'd drag him home. And then he'd meet the monster that is his father. Shivers ran down his back as he thought of it. He was just glad that Zippa was going to stay. Zippa? Or what was her name again?

***

One interesting thing about Zipporah asides from her willingness, strength and fast learning capacity was her name. Simply that. David has a hard time learning how to mention and pronounce her name correctly. So every time he tried to call her name, Zipporah would ball her left hand into a tiny fist. David adored her anger too. It was hilarious, child-like and unrelenting. It reminded him of Sindara.

David was very intentional about getting closer to Zipporah and she saw through it. Zipporah loosened up around him and became fond of him. Soon, they began to clean the louvres together every evening before she retired to the quarters. If she was tired out, she'd just sit and watch him clean the shutters with the soapy foam cleanser.

While he cleaned, they'd chat. It was crazy that they always had something to talk about. A lot of things. How fat the coordinator's paunch was, food, traditional myths, her family, her hometown and even his family. He'd never thought he could find such a friend in a girl that was a lot younger than he was.

They studied together during lunch time and David was always pleased to help her with her homework with the little knowledge he had. Zipporah was always very sensitive about her hair but didn't mind at all whenever David washed her golden hair.

One day, while David was weaving Zipporah's hair into medium sized cornrows, a bubble of fear settled into his mind, rapidly polluting his thoughts. What if he doesn't get to wash and weave Zipporah's hair forever? What if something happens and they get separated? And the truth was that that was exactly what would happen. Except, of course, he takes quick action to change the fate that he could already foresee.

Zipporah was learning her academic work pretty fast. Soon, she'd be eligible to participate in a competition which would then qualify her for proper schooling. That meant that he had to work harder too, so he could have what it takes to take good care of her and to keep her with him forever. He couldn't bear to let her go. That would be loosing his sister the second time.

Ken came to his rescue. He was not only a friend in deed but was also a jack of many trades and a master of sixty five percent of those trades at such a young age. David wondered why Ken wasn't even living a more flamboyant lifestyle that he was truly capable of but Ken often said he loved to "sit down, smell the roses and test more waters." David didn't know what the hell that meant.

Ken introduced David into the art of investment. David thought the idea to be too risky but he gave it a try with the little money he had on him. He invested in a poultry farm that was located in the east. About five weeks later, the returns from the investment was triple fold the amount he'd put in. It shook David like a dream. The next time, David invested more money and opted for a longer harvesting period.

It was a nine-month plan, meaning that after nine months, he was going to get his returns. David was seventeen years old now. Zipporah was learning well and soon, she'd be able to participate in a competition. By the expiration of the nine month period, his returns came and they were seven times the amount he'd invested with added interest. The poultry business was truly a lucrative one in Nigeria. People would always purchase roosters and its offsprings. It was a huge shock to David that things could go so well for him for the first time since Sindara's death. God was really giving him a second chance.

By the time David was nineteen, he'd become a decent millionaire. Zipporah became eligible to participate in one of the organizations' competition. She was about twelve years old now. She and David had drifted apart over the years because he was always busy trying to make more money and she was always studying.

But when Zipporah participated in the competition and won the price for first place and David snuck in, the distance between then dissipated instantly. It no longer mattered. When she saw him and learned that she was going to be living with him, she happily let him take her away to anywhere that he pleased. And that was how it started. David owed Ken a whole lot.

During that time, he was yet to own a house. So he kept his money in a savings account. The estate managers wouldn't sell a building to him yet because they thought he was too young to own a home. Lying about his age didn't convince the managers enough. They thought he was a yahoo boy or was into some form of fraudulent practice. So he was going to have to wait for a while to either be of the right age or get some proof of authentication that would validate him. He chose the former. The only thing he was happy about was that his car was going to get shipped in very soon.

Thankfully, Ken had a place of his own so he accommodated David and Zipporah. The three of them lived together for a while. Often, Ken reminded David of his younger brother, Alexander. The occasional remembrance made David realize just how much he missed his brother and hadn't seen him in years.

On their way to Ken's house one afternoon, they passed a route that had a lot of green land on both sides of the road. Ken rode the bicycle while David and Zipporah sat in the back seat. David noticed Zipporah's eyes go wide from time to time as she stared at the meadows and trees that lay beyond. It was as if she was staring at a totally different world. Which to think about, it actually was... for her.

"Aah!" Zipporah let out a startled gasp. "What's that?"

David followed the direction of her outstretched finger with his eyes — only for his gaze to land on some of the most random animals that the Lagos green land had to offer.

"That," David said in disbelief, "is a squirrel."

"Is it dangerous?" Her English had greatly improved over time.

"Definitely," Ken said solemnly. "Don't provoke them. You will not survive the encounter."

Zipporah's grip on the hem of David's shirt tightened. Unconsciously, David shuffled Zipporah closer to Ken's back, seeming safety in numbers and shooting glances at the squirrel. Suddenly, David began to feel guilty for not being able to calm Zipporah down and that he himself was scared.

He felt bad for not being a good brother to her. Also, he found it funny that Zipporah didn't know what a squirrel was. Wasn't she taught in her few years of schooling at the organization? Or was she only taught the complicated things? Perhaps. He was feeling both guilty and amused.

And the feeling lasted for a while.

Until from behind a couple of bushes, something far larger and more horrendous emerged.

"Mooh!"

"W-what is that?""

"That..." David scratched the back of his head in horror, trying desperately to think of a way to explain it. It was a tragedy that he even had to explain this to her. "That, um... is what beef looks like before you roast it and eat it."

"Why did they stick so much hair in it? I used to see a lot of these in the village and I used to wonder why?" She demanded, horrified and puzzled. "And why did someone attach legs anyway? How are we supposed to eat it if it runs away?"

Ken's back rose up and down in laughter. But David didn't find it very funny. Instead, he stared at Zipporah as though she'd grown two heads. He was confused. Then when he realized what was going on, he became sad and worried.

"Ken, Zipporah does not know what a cow is."

Kenneth blinked and stopped laughing.

"What?"

"I said," David repeated. "She can not identify a cow."

"I heard every word. I just wanted to be sure I understood correctly. How is it that she doesn't know what a cow is? It's a cow for God's sake! They're everywhere!"

"Of course they are. She already said that."

"I've never been to a proper school before," Zipporah interjected. "Even when I see these animals and ask my parents what the names of the animals are, they never answer my questions. They don't like to talk to me. They believe I'm a mistake child and should never have been born. They only wanted to have boys. No girl. Girls were a waste of time and effort to them.

I've never been to school. I couldn't even speak good English. When I got to the organization, the tutors started teaching me based on the level of knowledge they thought I would have had by now. So I had to pretend and try to prove myself somehow. Many of these things that people think I should know, I don't know them." Zipporah said.

It made no sense to David that the tutors couldn't see past Zipporah's pretense and deem it appropriate to lecture her from the basic level of things. How could they follow her false presentations so blindly?

David felt a strange tumult of... something rise inside him. Something he'd never felt before. It was weakness, anger and...and... was this helplessness? Was this what it felt like to be in such a horrible situation, and have absolutely no idea how to fix it?

For a long moment, David stared into nothingness. Then his eyes strayed towards Zipporah who right now had spotted a walking mutton roast with its big soulful eyes and fluffy woolen coat. David stared at the lambs. He could not for the life of him determine what was so supposed to be so special about those tiny balls of fluff. But then again, this wasn't about him. It had never been.

Then, David made a decision in that moment. Softly, he grabbed her shoulders.

"Would you like to see more animals that are similarly adorable? I bet there are more animals to look at. Don't you agree, Ken?"

Ken struggled to give a response for a long moment. Eventually, he gave in. "There's a farm three miles north of here that breeds small, long-eared furry animals."

"Yay!" Zipporah laughed.

***

In the farm, there was chaos. The poor farm owners were frozen in the face of the little invader who clambered over the edges, pulled the doors open and snuggled the helpless bunnies in all forms and sizes. The most helpless of all the farmers was a certain diminutive man with a red-stained apron and two butcher knives in hand.

David saw him throw one glance at Zipporah hugging and snuggling the bunnies before he decided that retreating would be the best thing to do. David waved at him as he sped up as if his ass was on fire which if Zipporah got a hold on him, it most definitely would be.

"Aww... look at this one!" David's attention drifted back to Zipporah. "It' got one blue eye and one black!"

"Just look at those fluffy ears! And that cute little nose!"

As David looked at Zipporah and smiled, he decided to go over to her in the farm for some quality bunny tickling. It was strange how a while ago, Zipporah was terrified of the animals she saw on the road but was so friendly with these lambs. How could she tell that sheep weren't dangerous animals? Time passed by. The sun rose into sky as David played with the little girl in the open meadow and David... had fun.

Fun.

But in the middle of that euphoric feeling, guilt set in again. Why was he having fun after the great evil he'd done some years ago? If he hadn't given her poisoned food to eat, she, instead of Zipporah would be the person to play with. So he stood up abruptly and left the meadows.

"I need to get some water," he'd lied to Zipporah.

Ken was searching all over the farm for David. It was time to go. Later, he saw him at the haystack stand, seated on the ground with his head buried between his knees. His shoulders were shaking hysterically. Ken swallowed a thick lump of saliva and then sighed.

"Feeling guilty again?" Ken asked David as he stooped to the ground to be on the same level with him.

"It all feels too good to be true," David's voice was shaky and loaded with more tears.

"But it's good anyway and you have to accept it. It's your second chance. Sindara is gone forever and there's nothing you can do to change that. Just treat Zipporah and the other girls you will be taking in the future like your little sister and you'll be okay. You have to move on, my brother. You are lucky that Zipporah is very fond of you. You should be thankful for that, man."

Sindara is gone forever and there's nothing you can do to change that. David repeated the words in his head. What if that was exactly what he hated so much? He didn't want to hear that. It sounded like a lazy excuse to move on. How could he discard her death in such a way after what he'd done to her? And what if he wished so desperately to be able to return things to the way they were?

David's sadness soon morphed into fury upon the second thought of Ken's ignorant words.

But something else occurred to him.

This was the life he ought to spend forever living – forever, he would atone for his sins by abducting young girls that reminded him of his sister. He would gather as many of them as he could till he felt less miserable and less of a murderer. He would continue to do that even if it involved bloodshed. If he could give many little girls the life he's able to give Zipporah, then he wouldn't mind if some people are at a disadvantage.

He'd sacrifice everything to atone for the mistake he made years ago.