A CALL … PART 3

But that was not the only bad news that evening. While the family mourned the death of one of their own, a call came in to inform Ijeoma that their supermarket had been set ablaze by cultists. They later discovered that the café equipment have all been destroyed by the cultists too. They came in, shot OluChukwu at close range, dispersed the customers with continuous shooting into the air, and then destroyed all the computers and other assets they could lay their hands on; after which they left before the police arrived. Witnesses could tell they were cultists because of their uniform and continuous hailing of their slogan – Black Wolves! Black Blood! – It was a day that brought their world crashing down on them in a way they never imagined nor thought when they had woken up that morning.

At the gathering of condolences after OluChukwu had been buried, Carol, standing by the window, heard a couple of people discussing their misfortune just outside that window. “How sad for the family; who could have imagined such great misfortunes in one day?” said one woman. “Very sad, my sister. One would think that with their religious life they would never fall so dismally” said another. “It was like God turned His face away from them for only a moment and their ship capsized in one sweep of the wave” this time a man. “You are right, it takes only a second” the first speaker said again. “God knows what they did to deserve this” she concluded. “Indeed, my sister, who knows what they did to get rich in the first place. After all, when God gives, it is permanent. But see their case, everything, gone!” the second speaker supplied again. “Well,” the man added, “it could also be what they did not do”.

Carol did not expect to hear praises from eaves dropping, although she had not intended to eavesdrop. But she was glad to know the thoughts of so-called friends in your sad moments.

That evening, after all had gone to their homes, the family gathered in a meeting. Carol had to convince Jeff to leave too because of the need for this quiet reflection by the family. In order not to be considered a pest, as Carol’s insistence that he left began to make him feel, he left feeling sidelined from the family membership… continues in INTROSPECTIONS