JUDAS...Part 6.

We waited till evening to take him to the morgue. His death was catastrophic, to say the least. There he was, lying lifeless on the couch, eyes closed. Mum cried inconsolably. The nurses wailed. I sat in a corner, shaking, the nightmare of the previous night replaying in my head. Was I shown his death? Why could I not stop it? 

The news spread like wildfire. People began trooping into the hospital. His patients. Friends. Fellow church members. A group was praying around the couch commanding him to rise. Loud 'Amens' escaped our lips. We waited. He did not stir. Tessy came in three hours later. I had called to tell her an hour after it happened. She rushed to the couch and grabbed Dad's body by the scruff of his collar.

"Daddy nkem! Nwoke oma! Doctor m! I know you are just sleeping. Just wake up, please! It is me, your beloved daughter. Please. Wake up. Wake up..."

Her voice trailed off as she broke down in sobs, hugging the body tightly. It took the combined strength of the doctor and I to pull her away.

"Jude. I am so sorry for your loss."

I turned. It was Cynthia. I felt hot tears escape from my eyes. She hugged me.

"My mum called as soon as it happened," she continued. "His death is a big blow to the whole Enugu. He was well known and well loved."

I pulled her aside. "Did you remember last night when you called? I told you I had a nightmare?"

"Yes?" There was a curious look in her eyes.

"I dreamt that he died. Fell from a cliff, actually."

"What?" She stared at me disbelievingly and looked around to make sure we were out of earshots. "Really?"

I nodded helplessly. "I feel very terrible..."

"Just stay strong, ok?" She held my hands. "It may just be a coincidence."

We returned to the room. She went to sit with Mum and tried consoling her.

By evening, crude reality began to sink in. Dr. Isikaro was gone. He would never wake up. On the way to the morgue, Tessy's voice could still be heard beckoning on Dad to answer her. We entered the compound and pulled up at the drive way. An attendant came to meet us. His face contorted in anguish as soon as he saw the body.

"Dr. Isikaro? I know him! He treated my daughter when she broke her leg. Chai! A very nice man." He shook his head sorrowfully. The doctor supplied him the remaining details he needed. 

I helped them carry the body inside the morgue. The body was heavy. Tessy had latched on. Mum had to pull her hand away.

"He is gone. Let go." The sadness in her voice was heart-wringing.

As we entered the morgue, my heart stopped. In an instant, I was overwhelmed with the strange smell of the place and the sight of so many dead bodies. I felt dizzy.

"What's that smell?" I asked.

"Formalin," the attendant said, guiding us to where to lay the body. "It is used to preserve the dead."

We dropped him on a slab. The room was filled with corpses. Young. Old. Male. Female. All lying stiff. Motionless. Naked.

I quickly excused myself and ran out of the room, in search of fresh air. Once outside, I breathed in lungfuls. The irony of life stared me in the face. At death, we are all equal.

The doctor came out after some time. We entered the ambulance and drove home. A group of persons were waiting at the gate to pay their condolences. A condolence register was opened with Dad's portrait on the table, surrounded with flowers. Two of Mum's sisters came around to stay with us. We attended to the mourners till midnight. I wearily walked up the stairs, opened the door to my room and collapsed into the bed, totally exhausted.

I saw myself in a synagogue. A rabbi was at the bimah reading the Torah scroll. He was different, dark-skinned with grey hairs and white beard. I turned around. Sure, everyone was here. The Messias and the other eleven. I turned to James, the brother of John.

"Who is he?" I pointed at the Rabbi.

"Rabbi Kola," he said, in hushed tones. "A well-respected Rabbi from the West."

The Rabbi finished reading and the Messias was called on. He turned to me.

"Judas, follow me."

I looked at Him, confused.

Suddenly, the atmosphere changed. I was on a mountain. Three men were being nailed to the cross amidst taunts from the Chief Priests and Pharisees.

"Blasphemers! Renegades!" one Chief Priest, fumed.

The hammering of the nails and their cries were heart-wrenching.

 I looked at the three men closely. I could not recognise the first. The loving eyes of the Messias met mine. He was the second man. The third man was dark-skinned and had grey hairs and white beard. My eyes lit up in recognition. Rabbi Kola!

The crosses were raised. I stood at the foot of the cross watching the Messias breath and His blood drop. After some time, some soldiers came with a big mallet and smashed Rabbi Kola's knees. I winced. His scream pierced the mid-afternoon air.

"Jude!" 

I opened my eyes. It was Tessy.

"You were screaming. Are you alright?" She entered my room and sat down.

I was sweating profusely. "Sorry. Just a horrible dream.  What time is it?"

"8.30 am. Mum said you should come down. One of Dad's friend, a Pastor, came to pray for us."

I washed my face hurriedly and went to the living room. I froze as I entered. Seated on the sofa, holding a big bible was the dark-skinned man with grey hairs and white beard.

"Pastor Kolawole, meet my son, Jude," Mum said as I entered.

I greeted him. He smiled.

"I came to pray for you when you were in coma. I am glad my God rescued you."

Mum's sisters joined in the prayers. Midway into the prayers, Pastor Kolawole began speaking in another familiar language. Aramaic! I opened my eyes to make sure it was not another dream. He was standing there, bible in hand, praising God in a language I happened to understand. A smile broke out on my face. He stopped abruptly and opened his eyes.

"There is evil in this room." His tone was commanding.

Everyone opened their eyes and looked around in fear.

"Brethren," he continued. "There is war! The spirit of death still hovers around this room."

I looked at Mum. There was fear in her eyes.

"Jude, come forth!" 

Every eye in the room rested on me. I stepped forward, slowly.

The Pastor continued. "It was revealed to me that Dr. Isikaro's death was a ransom for yours. And death is not finished."

I felt uneasy and perplexed. Tessy was glaring at me angrily. Mum was looking confused.

"Jude, you need a serious deliverance session. I will go and prepare for it. I will be back next week."

I looked at him, shook my head and went back into my room. How could he say all those things about me? I dialed Cynthia and narrated the incident to her.

"Jude, you shouldn't have stormed out of the prayer like that."

"He was almost accusing me of killing Dad."

"Hmmm. Well, he sounds like a genuine man of God. You said you heard the strange tongue he spoke in during the prayers?"

"Yes. Aramaic. The language we spoke in Judea. I also dreamt about him last night."

"What?" There was shock in her voice. "You mean you saw..." The line went dead. I had ran out if airtime and was in no mood to leave the room.

I stayed in the room all day, reading the Psalms. Around 4pm, a loud bang on my door startled me. I could hear Tessy's angry voice outside.

"You evil boy! Open this door!"

I opened the door only to be greeted with a flurry of slaps. I held my pained cheeks in confusion, wondering what had come over my sister. She attacked me again. Mum drew her away.

"What is wrong with you?" I fumed. "Have gone mad?"

"You killed him!" She was boiling in rage.

"Who?" I asked, surprised.

"Pastor Kolawole. He died in a car accident at Asaba as soon as he left here. You killed him! Evil boy!"

I raised my hands to my head, my mouth gaping. I made to speak. No words came out. Tessy's rants faded into the distance as I sat at the edge of the bed. I was at a complete loss.

©Kelvin Alaneme, 2015.

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