By Malomo Oluwatosin
At midnight when everywhere was silent and filled with nothing but doubt, Chief Akpo, was lying comatose on a sick bed in the corner of a room. His unpleasant groaning was mixed with the ticking of the clock. And after some hours of futile redemption efforts, the breeze of death finally penetrated through the windows, blew the curtains apart and did its work. Everything stopped and surrendered its power immediately. Dr. Mike too hung his stethoscope helplessly and mopped away the lines of sweat on his face.
“See me in the office,” he said sighing and patted Mr. John who followed obediently. The wife, Mrs Akpo, and Mr. John’s siblings had
known what the consolation would be all about. So, they only waited for a confirmation from the doctor.
“Father is dead!” John declared officially to his half-sorrowful family when he returned to the room.
But to their ignorance, chief Akpo was there with them smilling and clapping hands in surprise.
“Won’t they just look here?” He questioned worriedly as he continued to watch their unending groaning and wailing. Especially his lovely young daughter who broke down and flung her whole mass against the floor, rolling about.
At this point, He couldn’t hold it any longer. In a speed of light, he nimbled through the rowdy crowd, touching the air and attracting nothing to himself.
“What’s happening?”
He saw a body identical to himself laid stiffly on the bed. They all clustered around it, shaking and addressing the body as if it should rise and talk to them. They became drenched with their tears and highly sheepish as babes. Chief Akpo’s mystery was aggravated by this.
He obviously needed an explanation. He circled several times round the room and shouted all along.
“Can’t anyone see me?” He continued to ask at the peak of his voice.
However, after hours of continuous attention-seeking, he retired to a corner of the room. The motionless load of clay was driven out with the procession of wailers accompanying it.
“Why are they leaving me?” He questioned, and as if the last person heard him, he looked back and shrugged saying, “That’s the end of life.”
It was at this point that chief Akpo realized the unpleasant reality of death. The journey from gestation, toddling, infanthood, and the rest has ended in the twinkling of an eye. He had argued the authenticity of the ecclesiastical cardinals and questioned the celestial philosophy of life after death. He thought more of his life and regretted his actions.
“I didn’t make a good decision in life. No more grace for correction. The journey is over!” He surmised.
Now daunted by the strangeness of his solitude, Chief Akpo became thirsty for a helper. And fortunately, an entity came as an accomplice and drove him away with speed through the golden river.
“Sshhh!…we don’t allow humans talking here,” his shadow, the accomplice, cautioned as he made an attempt to talk when they
descended on an island.
“On earth, you autocratically decided your route and enjoyed the ephemeralities of life (your journey). But you forgot to gather for home, and here are you with nothing to shelter you, but sins and blood.”
After his speech, he directed him into a burning cave where others were tied and lashed. Though his mouth was sealed that he couldn’t make a comment, he had just wanted to tell others,
“See me in the office,” he said sighing and patted Mr. John who followed obediently. The wife, Mrs Akpo, and Mr. John’s siblings had
known what the consolation would be all about. So, they only waited for a confirmation from the doctor.
“Father is dead!” John declared officially to his half-sorrowful family when he returned to the room.
But to their ignorance, chief Akpo was there with them smilling and clapping hands in surprise.
“Won’t they just look here?” He questioned worriedly as he continued to watch their unending groaning and wailing. Especially his lovely young daughter who broke down and flung her whole mass against the floor, rolling about.
At this point, He couldn’t hold it any longer. In a speed of light, he nimbled through the rowdy crowd, touching the air and attracting nothing to himself.
“What’s happening?”
He saw a body identical to himself laid stiffly on the bed. They all clustered around it, shaking and addressing the body as if it should rise and talk to them. They became drenched with their tears and highly sheepish as babes. Chief Akpo’s mystery was aggravated by this.
He obviously needed an explanation. He circled several times round the room and shouted all along.
“Can’t anyone see me?” He continued to ask at the peak of his voice.
However, after hours of continuous attention-seeking, he retired to a corner of the room. The motionless load of clay was driven out with the procession of wailers accompanying it.
“Why are they leaving me?” He questioned, and as if the last person heard him, he looked back and shrugged saying, “That’s the end of life.”
It was at this point that chief Akpo realized the unpleasant reality of death. The journey from gestation, toddling, infanthood, and the rest has ended in the twinkling of an eye. He had argued the authenticity of the ecclesiastical cardinals and questioned the celestial philosophy of life after death. He thought more of his life and regretted his actions.
“I didn’t make a good decision in life. No more grace for correction. The journey is over!” He surmised.
Now daunted by the strangeness of his solitude, Chief Akpo became thirsty for a helper. And fortunately, an entity came as an accomplice and drove him away with speed through the golden river.
“Sshhh!…we don’t allow humans talking here,” his shadow, the accomplice, cautioned as he made an attempt to talk when they
descended on an island.
“On earth, you autocratically decided your route and enjoyed the ephemeralities of life (your journey). But you forgot to gather for home, and here are you with nothing to shelter you, but sins and blood.”
After his speech, he directed him into a burning cave where others were tied and lashed. Though his mouth was sealed that he couldn’t make a comment, he had just wanted to tell others,
“Life is only the journey to our destinations! Be careful and never fall into my shoes.”
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