Sacred Oaths

EPISODE 27: BAD NEWS.

SACRED_OATHS

Author: Samuel Frederick

Episode 27: BAD NEWS.

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I cried my eyes out that night; I could remember vividly.

In only a matter of days, within a very short period of time, in the twinkling of an eye, my whole life was in shambles. I had lost almost everything, almost everyone.

A week passed by, but the incident of that day kept on repeating itself in my head from time to time, even in my dreams. Her memories clouded my mind over and over again, haunting me like I had a hand in her death, making me so restless. I cried and cried till I couldn’t cry anymore. I had to move on.

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In just a matter of time, I had gotten used to the people I lived with in the new place I called ‘home’. Contrary to my first assumption about them, they were all nice, welcoming people with good hearts and simple lifestyles. In fact, I confirmed it by the way they shared in my period of mourning and their endless efforts to console me with words of encouragement.

The ladies especially, Nancy and Rita, were like sisters to me. Even though they smoked all sort of cigarettes, drank all sort of alcohol and spoke all sort of vernaculars and hardcore slangs, a part of them still had human feelings. I felt like an actual family member with them.

However, I was restricted from contacting my family, due to ‘security reasons’ as Boma had put it. I was warned to steer clear of making and receiving calls from anyone throughout that period. Although I had lost my phone when I got kidnapped, I still retained my father’s numbers in my head. I had the urge to call him, at least to know about his welfare and about how he was coping without me, but I couldn’t. I couldn’t take the risk!

On a certain Tuesday afternoon, I was summoned to meet the rest of the house for a meeting downstairs. I had wasted some time to freshen up, so I wasn’t surprised to see that the living room was crowded with people and that almost all the seats had been taken when I eventually went down. I apologized for the delay and took a seat too.

“Ladies and gentlemen, you are all welcome.” Simon began as he looked around the room, clearing his throat.

“As we all know,” he continued, “we have someone new among us. I won’t refer to her as a guest, nor as a stranger, but rather as a reliable sister from another mother, because she is one of us. I must confess that I am delighted by the hospitality you have all shown her so far, and I hope it goes on that way. I wouldn’t want to see us fighting over unnecessary issues with each other, or quarreling, or keeping enmity and holding grudges either. I would like us to act like a big lovely family that we all are, and by doing so, I believe we would live in peace and flourish together,” he finalized.

“I have a question.” A guy among us spoke up, raising his hand.

“Yes?” Simon answered.

“It’s about these ladies and their obsession over the Telemundo channel. I just don’t understand anymore. I mean, I’m fed up! Every time we come to the sitting room to watch a football match, we would meet about three or four of them already here. I can’t take it any longer. Please, help us look into this matter on time. I’m literally on my knees right now, begging you big time!” He pleaded jokingly, sending an uproar of laughter across the room.

“I even think sey na better thing the fool wan talk oh.” Bauchi chipped in, still laughing. “Such a mad fellow.”

“He has a point, though. I’m fed up too!” Eagle said in agreement, keeping a straight face. “And I’m very serious about this.”