GONE WITH THE FLAMS

  

When Oga Wilson paid Uduak’s salary on the 23^rd of December, he was very excited. He had thought because he was sick in the first two weeks of December he wouldn’t get paid until the following month which would have been next year.  But when Oga Wilson called him into his office and handed him his envelope he was so happy he didn’t know when he went on his knees and said “thank you”. He was even more excited when he rushed into the toilet and counted the money and found out he had a Christmas bonus.  He ran back into Oga Wilson’s office and thanked him again. He was happy.

      After work that day, he went to oyingbo market and personally bought foodstuff in the house, his wife Itoro was pregnant again with their 4^th child. She was 6 months gone and the doctor had warned that she shouldn’t be stressed.  So when she broke down with malaria a few days back he decided not to stress her at all. He bought a chicken, some pepper, rice, and all the ingredients he thought would do the magic so his family could have a good Christmas. Umoh his second son was still mad at him for not being paying for his end of the year party fiesta the school had organized.  He wanted to make sure he placate him with something better.  On his way back home he counted the money left on him, it was seven thousand. He shook his head. Life was becoming unbearable. He told himself he must go to the Ijaw midwife in his area and pay three thousand down payments for his wife’s delivery. It was ten thousand naira. He’ll pay five thousand the following month. She still had three months to go, by then he would have completed paying for her delivery bills in full and still be bale to buy some baby things.

      When he got home the kids were asleep already so they didn’t see the chicken until the 24th morning. He saw the smiles on their faces. Even his wife was happy with the things he bought.  The Rev Father had given him some new kid’s clothes a non governmental organization brought to the church some weeks back. So he didn’t need to buy any Christmas clothes for the kids. That had been sorted already.  That is why the Rev Father had advised that he must bring the family to church on Christmas as people from the non governmental organization will be in church that day to help families with scholarships for their kids and other things.  He hoped to make the list. If the scholarship can be given to Umoh who was very brilliant he would be happy. That would be one school fee off his neck and he could divert the funds to the up keep of the coming baby. He hadn’t plan for another baby. When his wife told him she was pregnant. He didn’t know how to take it. He didn’t want another baby. But there was nothing hew could do. It was the same thing that happened when she told him she was pregnant with Emem, he had screamed at her for allowing herself to be pregnant when she knew their condition. She had blamed herself for being pregnant and had tried to remove the pregnancy with some concoctions which almost killed her. Again, it was the Rev Father who rescued them by taking her to a standard hospital and paid all the bills. So when she told him about this pregnancy, he was careful about his reaction, though he didn’t want it, he was calm. He should her more affection and care.

       On the 24^th night before they went to church for the Passover service, he killed the chicken and she prepared some of the ingredients for the jollof rice and afang soup she would prepare on Christmas. At least they won’t feel less when their neighbors are marrying. They will also merry.  After the Passover service, he bought some fire works for the kids who were really crying for one.  His wife slept immediately they got home so she could wake up on time on Christmas to start preparing the little she can before they go to church. This year’s Christmas was indeed special it had fell on a Sunday.

Umoh was the first to wake. He screamed from his sleep. He had had bad dream. He woke up screaming “mommy mommy”. Uduak rushed to him and woke him up. He asked the 6 years old what was wrong and he could say was “church fire, Church fire, everything fire”.  He didn’t understand her so he parted his head some more and took him to the bathroom to bathe him as he did for the rest. He brought out the clothes Rev Father had given him and wore it for them one after the other. The time was 8.30 already. His wife was already done cooking the afang soup. She kept the soup in a cooler, the rice she served them some of it and kept the rest in another cooler.  They all got dressed and left for Church.

                               THE CHURCH SERVICE

When they got to the church round about they saw a herd of cow but their herdsman was not there, just the cows, roaming the junction. They were a little late for church though, it was hard finding keke napep. When they got in service was in full gear, everybody was dancing. The choir was singing a popular tune so they also danced in and sat on some of the empty seat available. Church was jam-packed. His eyes and the Rev Fathers’ met and they both smiled. His family was looking well kept and neat. The Rev Father was happy. After dancing, Rev Father preached a little about the essence of Christmas and why giving is important. Some minutes later the non- governmental organization mounted the podium and spoke a little about their mission and why they have decided to identify with the church despite all the churches around. They gave some families bags of rice, more clothes, medicines and lastly the scholarships. They had asked all parents to submit their kids school report card for the term and for the year.  Umoh had the best result so far with Chinyere Uwazurike closely behind him.  Both of them were given the scholarship.  The organization would pay for their school fee up to their secondary school level with the promise that they would keep good grades and be in their best behaviours.  Uduak was so happy. He danced out when the kids and their parents were asked to come out. His son had made him proud.    He danced his out well. This was his best Christmas since he got married. When he went back to their seat his wife was crying already. She smiled at him and parted Umoh’s head. Then Umoh said “I want to go to the toilet”. At first they didn’t hear him, until he repeated it for the third time. The music was too loud. The church toilet was another building apart from the church. It was like a boy’s quarter detached from the church’s building. He called an usher who took Umoh to the toilet. As they left, Rev Father asked everyone to be on their feet so he could pray for them. He said “Dear Lord, we your children have gathered today to celebrate the birth of your son, our savior who laid down his life so we can live…” He was still praying when the microphone started going hot in his hands. He threw it on the floor. He let out a painful “Jesus” and everyone was forced to open their eyes. Everybody was surprised to see the microphone on the floor. Smoke was coming out from the microphone. He moved close to it to see what could be the cause. The rest of the congregation was already chorusing “blood of Jesus, blood of Jesus”. As he kicked the microphone a little, it’s sparked then in the split of a second the whole church crashed. A loud bang was heard. The church was in smoke. Umoh and the usher fell to the ground. Bodies, half burnt, some completely burnt scattered everywhere.  Umoh kept crying, some building block of the toilet had crashed on him. His left arm was trapped. The usher with him who had waited for him outside carried some blocks off his hand and helped him out. Umoh kept crying “church fire, everything fire”.  His parents had been in the church. The soldiers came later and held him. Only five people had survived. And they were the people who were in the toilet. Everybody in the church was gone.  Gone with the flames.