Chapter Thirty
JOURNEY TO HELL 2
The boy's face brightened as all the children including him in the neighborhood had been expecting him. They always get one or two cashes from the would-be husband of their sisters, and it was always a great day. Frank was smiling from ear to ear, happy to be the only kid around and the first to meet the in-law. With only him around, any tip from him goes directly to his pocket because he would not have to share with other kids. His response left the team in a daze and confusion.
"Mazi Iluno Okonkwo said you were coming tomorrow."
"What?"
Ken's relations became furious because this is the highest humiliation anybody would give to a would-be in-law.
"Is she the only lady that you know? Just forget about her and look for another lady."
One of Ken's relations that was in the team said.
"That is undoubtedly what her father wants. If I were you Ken, I will marry this girl over and over to make sure that her father's wish does not come to pass."
Said Obioha Ken's senior sister.
"Yes. Obioma had just said my mind. Let's go back home, and we will come back tomorrow."
Said another person. The four of them left. Ken was so ashamed of the kind of in-law he was going to have. Thank God, her senior sister Obioma was there. She would do anything to ensure that he was happy. He was also relieved that the number of people that came with him was just few and can easily be managed.
Before they drove off, Ken called out to Frank, his latest friend and future adopted son.
"Frank, come."
Frank, who had lost hope of any tips while, watching the bewildered team, walked to Ken who was already turning on his car ignition.
"Take. We will come back tomorrow."
He handed over two thousand notes to him and drove off. He was not aware that he had just sent the boy back to school with that amount.
Mama reminisced all the past events in her mind and hissed.
'Now, what does he want?'
She got up from the bed with one aim; to stop him before he stops her and the children.
"Grandma, where are you going?"
Asked Jewel, who was disturbed by Mama's movement?
"Oh! Sorry I disturbed your sleep. I just remembered the fish I bought from the market. I want to wash and put it into the freezer."
"Can I come and assist you?"
Volunteered Jewel.
"No. Don't bother yourself, my daughter. You can go back to sleep. I will be fine".
She advised her while covering her back with her blanket.
Mama left for the kitchen. She knew that the guest room lock was bad and would not be locked. Nobody had bothered to fix the lock that had gone bad for a while, as the need to lock it had never arisen. Mazi was already snoring that was an indication that he was fast asleep.
While in the kitchen, she lit the gas cooker and got the frying pan, emptied the three liters of ground nut oil container into it and allowed it to heat up. She watched the oil and muttered.
'I have endured enough. Mazi Iluno Okonkwo, it is time for you to endure too.'
Having ascertained that the oil was hot to her satisfaction, she carried it gently with a pad into the guest room. She pushed the door gently with her elbow and tiptoed into the room. The lights were off, but she could see the enemy on the bed with the rays of light from the security lights outside. She moved and moved. For the first time, she hated the size of the room. She needed to take a good number of steps before she could get to the bed. The heat from the oil was not helping matters. She was afraid the oil may get cold, or the heat reduced, thereby not allowing her to achieve her aim.
At this instance, Mazi Iluno Okonkwo stopped snoring. She also stopped in her track and observed her prey to know what he was up to. He opened his eyes as if sensing that someone was in the room, but it was already too late for him.
"Mazi Iluno Okonkwo, go to hell".
She said.
Ken ran to the guest room before Dora could gather herself together and ran after him as soon as they heard Mazi screaming. "anwuo m oh!" (I'm dead oh). She saw him running back to the room as though he had seen a ghost. He was so confused that he was trying to do many things at the same time – get his handset, get the car key, call the doctor, and raise Mazi from the floor where he was writhed in pain.
"What happened? Why was he screaming?"
Dora asked her husband, who was trying to get the doctor or take him to the hospital himself.
Rather than answer her question, he let out an exclamation of anguish.
"Oh my God! What kind of thing is this?"
When she could not get an answer from him, she decided to help herself by finding the answer. As she was heading for the room to see things for herself, she heard Mama's voice from the children's room while the children were crying too. She was torn between two opinions. To get to the children's room and pacify her children who were crying for what she was yet to know or find out why her mother was upset. Before she could decide the appropriate thing to do, she got the answer the hard way which interrupted Mama who was complaining aloud
"I have had enough. It is better I kill you before you kill me or any of my children again. I do not mind going to jail…"
"Nnem oh!" (My mother oh!)
Her scream interrupted Mama, who rushed to see what had happened to her daughter.
It happened that she ran out of her room without her footwear because her concentration was on finding out what was happening to Mazi. She ran into the room only to step on the oil infested tiles and landed on the floor, hitting her head hard on the wall, and she passed out on that instant. Everyone came to the room to find out what happened. Mama screamed.
"Hey! Is this how I'm going to lose my daughter again? How many times will I bury a child because of this man?"
Now, Mazi was already unconscious, had stopped screaming and was almost giving up. Ken almost cursed the day he became Mazi's in-law. He was weakened by my condition. How was he going to cope? He had no access anymore to the company's clinic. How will he take two people to the hospital?
His thought was interrupted by the 'ding-dong' sound from the doorbell, announcing the presence of a stranger. That must be Dr. Promise Dike, whom he placed a call to a few minutes ago.
Dr. Promise Dike was the only person that could be called upon at a time like this, and he will respond without asking questions. He was his friend and colleague. The Medical Director at the company's clinic.
He opened the door for him to come in, and the time was a few minutes past midnight.
The look on Ken Israel's face spoke volume, and the distressed call was enough. He quietly led the doctor to the guest room for him to see things for himself.
"What is going on here?"
Dr. Promise Dike asked with surprise and fear written all over his face. He looked at Ken for a clue, but none came.
He saw Mazi on the floor unconscious while Mama was cleaning Dora and making sure she does not move and causing more damage to her bones.
Dr. Promise Dike could not figure out what happened, but he saw enough to conclude that death could be knocking on someone's door.
"You take a seat Ken, I will handle it"
Dr. Promise Dike advised him. He knew the bond between Ken and his wife. Seeing her in that condition this week, after her husband lost his job last week, it was not a palatable incident. It was enough to make one lose his mind.