THE BEGINING OF THE END (short story)
With little or no control over either and while the choir sings the regular “We shall meet by the river’s side...”, I stared at the brown wooden coffin being lowered into the perfectly dug six-foot rectangular grave while the fountain of tears from her eyes and several bereaved relatives flowed uncontrollably.
“Dust for dust, ashes for ashes...” the priest read on from his hand book while receiving response from quivering voice of all mourners. At that point, it was time to give the last respect to the dead by pouring a handful of sand onto the grounded coffin.
“Whoever killed my husband will never go unpunished...they have broken my front tooth... they have burnt me with the fire of life...,” Her voice echoed as she paid her last respect, while she struggled to follow him into the grave, but she was securely held by one of the comforters.
I adjust my dark spectacle and I started looking around to outlying to see if the traditional myth of a ghost attending his own funeral is true and perhaps, I may have the undiscovered gift to see him. All these exploration ended in futility.
Within the next few minutes, the interment was over, mourners turned their back heading for their homes and the grave was covered up to the brim with the dug-out sand leaving the dead to enjoy its personal palace till the end of time.
############
Two years ago:
John, Rita and I were course mates in the University. We do our things together, share the same materials often and we are regular user of the library. These earned us an immense envy from other colleagues. Our dream to start the world’s biggest ship constructing company together was our drive. Our bond was so cohesive that we started sharing similar traits.
John and Rita got closer and what people often refer to as LOVE was written boldly in their eyes that they couldn’t afford to live without each other.
But unfortunately, they had never realised that they were in love; none proposed to the other and as a third ally, they never expressed their feeling to me verbally so I remained mum on the subject matter. But that turned out to be their life error as it shifted their destiny other way round.
Rita was young and beautiful. It will be hard to get your eyes off her figure-eight once stuck on her.
She was a delight and a sort after which was evident in the high number of phone calls she received from varied men in a day. Sometimes, I often wondered whether she works as a covert customer-care representative for her mobile network carrier.
One afternoon, after writing our final exams in the morning, John took Rita and I out for a dinner in one of the popular eatery in the school environment.
At her first bite of the pie, Rita felt a metallic substance in her mouth and she quickly spit it out into her hands to see what it was. We are good friends, so doing such in our presence is not considered a dirty act.
Her hand received our glare. I was anxious to see what was there as I chew my pie carefully.
She was surprised to see the diamond ring mixed up with her saliva and mashed pie; it raised my eyebrow. How could this be?
As I lifted my head, john was chuckling. The moment he was waiting for had come.
He sprang up in enthusiasm, wearing a suiting smile accompanied by a romantic eye and knelt before her.
“I have waited for like eternity and I believe the right moment has come.” He had said in a rather low and tender voice. “Please, Rita will you marry me?”
At that point, we became a feast for the eyes of all customers. Those coming in newly couldn’t proceed to order for their snacks. They stood aloof, waiting for the reciprocating move by dear Rita.
It was just like one of the romantic movie we have seen in the past.
“Will you marry me my baby, be my one and only. Birds of a feather...” A popular love song by Faze, a renowned hip-hop artist in the country was played concurrently as the whole events unfold.
I sat there also expecting her to hold his hands, stand with him and give him a warm cuddle so I can finally pop my first bottle of champagne to serve the three of us.
#######
Four hours earlier, John had met with the manager of the eatery to discuss his plan with him.
“Please sir, I will be proposing here today to a beautiful young lady. I will be graduating soon and with her I want to start a new life” he had said. “I know this is coming within a short time frame, but we just wrote our final exams in the morning and I want this to compliment the fresh euphoria.”
“Sure, we can make the experience a colourful one for you and her” the manager had said “and I will suggest the ‘ring in the pie or wine’ surprise for her. I am sure it would light up awe in her. We have done several of such here in which I solely arranged and it yielded positively.”
“Oh that would be great sir. Although she is not a lover of wine, but I think the pie-surprise would do.”
He had him pay Three thousand naira for the service and with a gladsome heart, he had left with positive anticipations.
#############
At first, Rita put on smiley look. Everyone including me thought of it as a good omen; I already put a pat on my friend’s back from my heart, but the momentary events was short-lived when a sullen look got etched on Rita’s face.
“John...” she called his name, lifting his hands up, stylishly ignoring the ring and trying to get him back on his feet, “I am so sorry, but this cannot work. I am in love with another and he proposed yesterday evening and I gave him a nod.”
John’s countenance changed immediately. His merry eyes turned cloudy red expecting a downpour of tears. He walked out in shame, earning everyone’s sympathy. What a waste! What a disappointment!
#############
Two months ago:
John’s trauma had deepened and was no longer yielding despite all effort to rehabilitate his mental instability. His uncle had advised a traditional means since much has been spent without results, so we came up with a plan to move him out of the mental facility.
One afternoon, I was preparing for lunch when the intercom rang from my secretary.
“Sir, you have visitors.” She said.
“Who are they?”
“A lady and another man; they gave their names as Rita and James.”
“Oh! I have been expecting them. Let them in.”
“Okay sir.”
I quickly adjusted my chair and arranged the files on my table. As the opened the door, I stood to welcome them leaving my swivel chair and I ushered them to the big leather sofa on the other side of the office.
James was the guy that ‘stole’ Rita away from the circle, which had left John in a mentally unstable state ever since.
We talked at length about the university days and life generally. But one thing i noticed was that she never mentioned John. Could she have forgotten him so soon?
At a point, she opened her bag and brought out an envelope. It was an invitation to their wedding ceremony scheduled for the following month. I agreed to be present and they were pleased by all of my response.
Two weeks after their marriage, James was announced dead. He was killed in a cold blood by an unsuspected assassin leaving no trace to anyone.
The present day:
“Serves her right; after all, she still have John to fall back to after her period of grief are over and they can live happily ever after.” I said under my breath as I puff out a heavy smoke of cigarette from my mouth while readjusting my dark spectacle.
I entered into my car and zoomed off while the radio plays from Majek Fashek’s song “Little little patient...”
I am putting every form of regrets behind me as I patiently await what karma has for me for being a friend indeed.
_END_
Akinsehinwa Damilola.
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