The Choice

My finger rested on the trigger.

Tight. Unsteady.

My heart was beating so loud I could hear it in my ears.

Tobi stood in front of me, breathing fast, eyes wide.

“Guy… wetin be that?”

His voice was shaking.

Confused.

Scared.

Behind him, the man stepped forward.

Slow. Calm.

Like nothing here could surprise him.

“Drop it,” he said.

Not loud.

But heavy.

The kind of voice that doesn’t beg twice.

“Don’t come closer,” I replied.

My voice wasn’t strong, but it came out.

That alone surprised me.

The man didn’t stop.

One step.

Then another.

Measured. Controlled.

Tobi turned, looking between us.

“Guy, I no understand again… wetin dey happen?”

That tone…

That was the real Tobi.

No acting.

No setup.

Just confusion.

And that hit me hard.

Because it meant one thing—

He was innocent.

My chest tightened instantly.

“Omo…”

The man spoke again.

“Last warning.”

Still calm.

But closer now.

Too close.

My hands tightened on the gun.

My mind racing.

Because everything was crashing together:

The money.

The calls.

The system.

The message:

“Use the gun.”

My phone buzzed in my hand.

I didn’t even need to check.

I knew they were watching.

Waiting.

Testing.

Tobi slowly raised his hands.

“Guy… abeg relax… no be like that…”

His voice softer now.

Trying to calm me.

Trying to make sense of nonsense.

Another step from the man.

Closer.

Closer.

My breathing became uneven.

Because now…

There was no space left.

No time to think.

Then suddenly—

The man moved.

Fast.

His hand went inside his jacket.

My body reacted instantly.

My finger tightened—

But I froze.

Just for a second.

One small second.

But that second changed everything.

Because at that exact moment—

“WAIT!”

Tobi shouted and jumped forward.

Straight between us.

My eyes widened.

“Omo—!”

Too late.

The man shoved him hard.

Tobi slammed into the wall and dropped.

A loud thud.

“TOBI!”

My chest tightened.

That one distraction…

Was all the man needed.

He stepped in.

Close now.

Too close.

I could see his face clearly.

Cold.

Empty.

Like he had already decided how this would end.

My hand shook badly.

The gun unsteady.

My breathing out of control.

Then—

My phone buzzed again.

This time, I glanced at it.

And what I saw…

Locked everything inside me.

“If you don’t act now… you’re finished.”

My throat went dry.

Because now…

It wasn’t just fear anymore.

It was survival.

My survival.

My mum.

Everything.

Everything was tied to this moment.

The man took another step.

Slow.

Confident.

Like he didn’t believe I would do it.

Like I didn’t have the guts.

Maybe he was right.

Maybe I didn’t.

But at that moment…

Something inside me shifted.

Not courage.

Not anger.

Just…

Desperation.

My finger moved.

Slowly.

Dangerously.

The man paused.

Just slightly.

But I saw it.

He saw it.

He knew.

I might actually pull the trigger.

Silence filled the room.

Heavy.

Thick.

Unforgiving.

Three people.

One gun.

One decision.

And no second chances.

---

To be continued…