JUDAS...Part 9.

The cold blast from the car's air-conditioning unit quickly dried the sweat gathering on my brow. I peered into Mama Cynthia's face again to be certain for the upteenth time and gave an exasperated sigh. The face and the voice were unmistakable. She was the woman in the dream. I was seated to her left, occasionally bearing the weight of her protruding abdomen as she writhed from side to side in the back seat, whimpering endlessly. This good woman? To die? I shook my head in agony as I suppressed the urge to scream.

"Monica die ya, inugo? Bear the pain," Mum said from the steering wheel.

"Madam, it has been long nau. I have forgotten how painful it used to be." She hit Cynthia on the arm. "Na you put me for this wahala. Every time 'I need a sibling' 'Mummy, born baby'. As if to say e dey easy."

Cynthia smiled, tapping me. "At least, I don't get to be an only child again."

Tessy chuckled in the front seat.

I looked away and fought back the tears that had gathered in my eyes. The bright street lights provided little comfort.

"Why aren't we taking her to Dad's hospital, her hospital?" Tessy asked.

"Dad was an Orthopaedic Surgeon. She needs an Obstetrician," Mum said, slowing down at a traffic light.

The Land Cruiser took a right turn and slowed as we approached the hospital gate. Mum honked twice. A security man in blue uniform appeared and opened the gate. We drove in. A nurse approached us.

"She is in labour," Mum told her, pointing at Mama Cynthia.

The nurse went in and returned with a wheelchair. We helped Mama Cynthia into it.

I sat at the reception with Tessy while Mama Cynthia, Mum and Cynthia entered the doctor's office.

"Women dey try o!" Tessy said, looking at me. "Later, una go come de claim superior." She playfully slapped the back of my head. I shook my head and looked away.

"Jude, you've been silent. What's the matter?"

I wanted to tell her about Mama Cynthia, but could not find the words.

"Is it about the dream?"

I nodded.

"You said you saw a woman?"

I nodded again. "The woman..."

Just then, Cynthia stormed out of the doctor's office. I stood up, alarmed. She was crying

"What is wrong?" I asked.

She shook her head. I held her and we led her outside.

"I just found out my Mum had three earlier miscarriages. She told the doctor inside," she said, amidst sobs. 

"I remember one incident clearly. She came back very happy and told me we were going to have another baby. I was mad with joy and proceeded to split my toys in half. I waited and waited. There was no baby. Instead, she became very, very sad. She and my dad quarelled often over it but I never understood."

I placed my arms around her shoulders and wiped off her tears with my hands. "You should be glad that in some hours, you will have a sibling. Brother or sister? Choose one."

She tried to force a smile. "Brother, any time."

"Jude had another dream."

I shot Tessy a reprimanding look, but it was already late.

"When?" Cynthia asked, removing my arm from her shoulders. "I thought they had stopped."

"They stopped. Until this evening."

"This evening?" Cynthia asked. "Tell me about it."

I paused for a moment unsure of how to start. "I saw a woman in an ocean of blood. She called on me to save her. I tried. The blood was slippery. She drowned."

Cynthia stared at me in horror. "A woman? Did you hear her name? Or maybe recognize her face?"

I nodded.

"You recognized her?" Tessy asked, surprised.

I nodded again, my lips quivering.

"Who?" they asked, fear and curiosity etched on their faces.

I looked to the ground, inwardly cursing myself for drifting to sleep that evening.

Cynthia held my hand. "Jude. Tell me who you saw. Maybe we could still prevent this."

"Your mum...I saw your mum."

The rustling of the leaves of a nearby tree punctuated the awkward silence that followed.

"What?" Cynthia asked in disbelief. "How could you be so sure?"

Tears flowed freely from her eyes. I blinked hard.

Just then, Mum appeared at the doorway.

"I was looking for you and Tessy." She looked at Cynthia and then at me. "What is wrong?"

"Mama Cynthia was the woman Jude saw in the dream this evening," Tessy said.

"The devil is a liar!" Mum shouted. "Mba nu!" She turned to me, the burning question in her eyes. I nodded.

She stomped her feet on the ground. "Enough is enough! We must do something. Anything!"

We rushed inside. A young, bespectacled doctor met us.

"Doctor," Mum began, "That patient we brought...Her life may be in danger."

The doctor looked at us, bewildered. "How exactly, Madam?"

"She may be in danger of death, Sir," Mum said, looking at me.

The doctor smiled. He selected a folder from the pile he was holding.

"Her vital signs are good,"he said, flipping through it. "The baby is fine as well. Labour is progressing normally and should likely be over in six hours. I don't understand the panic."

Cynthia looked at me, teary-eyed. I looked at Mum. Mum shrugged.

"If you say so, Doctor. But just keep an eye on her."

He adjusted his spectacles. "That's what I do best, Madam."

He led us to the waiting room and left to attend to another patient.

The night wore on, uneventfully. Cynthia, however, was restless. I paced the corridors with her. Mum and Tessy were praying at one end.

"Tell me the dream again. Don't miss any details..."

"Ahn ahn Cynth! I have told you ten times already."

Just then, her phone rang. "Hello, Daddy... Eh, she is fine...The labour is going well...Jude, his mother and sister are here. They have been very helpful...Okay. Let me take the phone to her..."

She entered the labour room to give her mother the phone.

She came out after some time and tucked the phone away in her denim's pocket. She grabbed my hand.

"Promise me nothing would happen to my mother."

I took her in my arms and patted her back. "I pray nothing happens."

We strolled into the waiting room and sat down watching the hands of the clock move.

"Judas. Bring me the foal."

Thomas touched me. "The Master is talking to you."

It was days to the Passover and we had just returned from Bethany and were about to go up into Jerusalem.

I looked at the Messias. He beckoned on me, his right hand outstretched. I went to unfasten the unridden donkey from the tree and led it by the halter to the Master.

I removed my robe and placed it on the donkey's bare back and handed the halter to the Master. He mounted it.

"Hossana to the Son of David!" I shouted and the other apostles followed suit.

Just then, the donkey brayed. The bray turned into piercing cries.

"Jude!" I opened my eyes, startled. Cynthia was standing, nudging me. "Wake up! My mother has delivered! A baby boy!"

I stood up quickly and ran with her towards the labour room. I could hear the cries of the baby.

The nurse rushed out of labour room and ran towards the doctor's office. She ran back with a packet of some drugs.

Cynthia and I exchanged surprised glances. Mum and Tessy ran towards the door of the labour room.

The doctor came out and called us to a corner.

"Doctor, what is wrong?" Mum asked, her brow furrowed.

"She is bleeding heavily. She has lost a lot of blood already. Her blood group is O-negative and unfortunately, we don't have O-negative blood in our blood bank."

"So, what do we do? Can't she receive from O-positive?" Mum asked, her arms on her head.

"No. O-negative can only receive O-negative blood. You have to search the hospitals around to see if they have."

"Chei! At this time of the night? It is 3 am, Doctor."

"Mr. Udom!" the doctor called out to the lab scientist. "Please, collect their blood samples for grouping and cross-matching." He pointed at us. "We need to work fast!" 

He hurried into the labour room.

We followed Mr. Udom to the lab. I winced as the needle entered my skin, red fluid gradually filling the syringe. In an instant, he was done. He also gave us directions to some hospitals with functioning blood banks.

"Cynthia, stay with your mum. We are going in search of blood. Jude will keep in touch with you on the phone," Mum said as we made for the exit.

We ran to the car and sped off. The first two hospitals had no O-negative blood. 

I dialed Cynthia. From her voice, I knew she was crying.

"They said she is going into shock...still bleeding...the doctor said something about uterine atony...Please, hurry!" Her voice disappeared in trail of sobs.

We rushed to the third hospital.

The nurse walked us to the lab, knocking repeatedly on the door.

A bald, middle-aged man answered, a frown on his face.

"They need O-negative blood," the nurse said.

"Ahn ahn! Nurse Ngozi took the only one we have to the ward about fifteen minutes ago.

We raced to the ward. The blood bag was hanging, its content dripping slowly into the forearm of an emaciated patient. I shook my head in despair.

"You may have to go to UNTH, Ituku-Ozalla. But it will take more than an hour to go and come back. That road is also lonely."

We rushed to the car. Just then the phone rang. Cynthia.

"How is she?" I asked, my voice breaking.

"Still bleeding," she said. "The doctor said you should come back."

"Why? We haven't gotten the blood. We are on our way to UNTH..."

"Jude. You are O-negative. Your blood matched hers."

The screeching tyres brought the Land Cruiser to a standstill. We jumped down, slamming the doors behind us. I ran straight to the lab. Mr. Udom gave me a ball to press and inserted a big needle just above my forearm. Blood flowed through a connecting transparent pipe into a bag. The thumping in my heart outweighed the dizziness in my head.

I closed my eyes. Time seemed to crawl. I felt drained.

"We are done here," Mr. Udom said, after what seemed like a lifetime. He put a ball of cotton wool on the puncture point and told me to press on it. He ran with the blood towards the labour room.

"Jude."

I opened my eyes. The blinding rays of sunshine filtering through the windows greeted me.

"You are still lying here," Cynthia said. She was rocking the baby.

"I must have slept off."

"Oh! You have woken. I didn't want to disturb your sleep,"Mr. Udom said, smiling. "Oya, leave my office!"

Just then, I remembered. "How is your mother?"

Cynthia smiled. "The Lord is the ruler of the entire universe. Life and death are in His hands."

I muttered a silent prayer of gratitude.

"After the transfusion, the bleeding stopped. The doctor said she would still need at least two more pints of blood. But for now, she is out of the woods. I don't know how to thank you."

I smiled weakly.

As we walked out of the lab, Cynthia turned to face me.

"There is something else." She was holding the baby to her chest.

I looked at her, swallowing hard. "What?"

"She named the baby Jude."

I tried to fight back the tears. I could not.

©Kelvin Alaneme, 2015.

Follow on Twitter @dr_alams.

JUDAS...Part 8.

I watched them lower the coffin into the ground. Mum broke down in tears.

"Di m oma anaa!" she screamed. "My lovely husband is gone!"

Uncle Obi held her shoulders. I shook my head where I stood, a mixture of emotions coursing through me.

You should have done something, Jude. You failed your Dad. 

"I didn't know," I muttered inaudibly. "I didn't know he would die."

Liar! You saw it. Why didn't you tell him about the dream?

I held my head to shut out the voices. Guilt was eating me alive.

I was called upon to pour sand into his grave, after Mum. My hands trembled as I held the shovel. I felt dizzy as I looked into the grave. The golden casket glistened in the midday sun, few clods of earth scattered on the surface. I angled the shovel and let go. The sound of the lumps of earth landing on the casket rang in my ears. I handed the shovel over to Tessy. She avoided my eyes.

Wailing erupted as two young men started covering the grave with earth. I wondered about Dad. Is he seeing all this? The crowd gathered in his honour? Is he feeling the weight of the six foot of earth being showered upon his casket? Is he aware that his death has torn us all apart? I felt a tap on my shoulder. I turned. Cynthia was standing with her heavily pregnant mum. 

"I am sorry for your loss," Mama Cynthia said, wiping her eyes. They were red from crying. "Oga was a great man." 

I nodded in agreement. My eyes shifted to Cynthia. She was dressed in a black gown, her hair rolled into a bun. She was looking at me intently. She shifted her gaze towards the house and then back at me. I understood.

We walked up the stairs to my room in silence. Tessy met us at the passage and glared at me. Her loud hiss trailed us. Cynthia shut the door as we entered.

"The Governor's death is all over the news,"she said.

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

"Jude, you saw these things before they happened. It is no more a coincidence."

"Cynth, do you know how terrible I feel right now? That I saw my father's death but couldn't prevent it?"

I sat down on the chair, wiping the moisture in my nose with the back of my hand. "Maybe God is torturing me for attempting to kill myself."

"God does no such thing!"

"Really? Then explain it for me. Explain the dreams. And the deaths."

She sat on the bed and stared into space.

I felt better as the days passed. For three weeks, there had been no nightmares. The morbid fear I felt before falling asleep was finally overcome. The morning before he left for the States, Uncle Obi entered my room.

"Still reading the Scriptures, huh?" he said, smiling.

"It is the world I feel familiar with. The culture,the  manner of speech, the writings. I always feel drawn to it," I said, rubbing my palm on the leathery back of the book.

Just then, Mum and Tessy entered. I sensed trouble.

"Jude, tell your Mum about your dreams," Uncle Obi said. "I think she deserves to know."

I felt ambushed. Reluctantly, I began narrating the nightmares and the corresponding deaths.

By the time I was done, the room was silent. Mum and Tessy looked at me, stunned. Then, Mum broke into sobs and hugged me.

"Is this the burden you have been carrying?" she said.

Tessy sat unfazed. "You should have said something, done something, anything! If you did, Dad may have still been alive."

I shot her an angry look. "I didn't know, ok? Dad was the first."

Uncle Obi stepped in. "Stop it! You two! What Jude just told us ends in this room." He turned to me. "Have you had any dreams recently?"

I shook my head.

"Ok. Keep taking the drugs. And make sure you tell your mum and I any time you have such dreams."

I nodded. "When does your flight leave?"

"9 pm. In Lagos. My flight from Enugu to Lagos leaves by 4 pm."

I hugged him. "I will miss you. Thanks for everything."

He patted me on the back. "Be strong, boy. You are the man of the house now."

That evening, after we returned from the airport, I felt the strange urge to travel. Somewhere distant, preferably Jerusalem. I laid down on my bed and smiled at the thought.

It suddenly grew dark and cold. I could feel my skin thicken in goose flesh as I looked around. The sounds of roaring waves surrounded me. Lightning flashed across the dark sky followed by resonant claps of thunder. I felt my leg wobble and looked down. I gasped in horror. I was standing on a sea of crimson liquid stretching as far as I could see. The heaven burst their banks and it showered. As the drops hit my face, the warmth and characteristic smell confirmed my fears. Blood.

My whole body shook in fear. I saw the form of a boat close by being tossed by the waves. The shreiks of the panicked men was replied by more claps of thunder.

"Judas, save us!"

I recognized the voice instantly. Peter.

"Where is the Messias?" I shouted over the waves.

"He is sleeping!" Peter shouted back. "Do something fast!"

"Wake him!" I screamed. "Or we would all perish." I made a few steps towards the boat. My feet held.

Just then, I heard a female cry behind me. "Judas, save me!"

The voice sounded familiar. I turned. She was disappearing under the wave. I struggled to grab her hand. It was slippery. I watched in horror as the waves submerged her, her screams, silenced.

"No!" I screamed. But she was gone.

"Jude! Dinner is ready." Tessy was standing at my door. "Why are you sweating like this?"

I could not speak. I ran down the stairs to the living room. Mum was seated at the dining table. She looked at me and stood up quickly.

"Jude, what is wrong?"

"I had another dream. This time, a woman."

"A woman?" Tessy said, coming down the stairs.

"Did you hear her name?" Mum asked, fidgeting.

I shook my head. "But I saw her face. She looked familiar." I scratched my head. "I need to call Uncle Obi."

I rushed upstairs to fetch my phone. I dialled my uncle's number. It was not reachable. I checked the time. 9.15pm. His flight must have left. Just then, my phone rang. It was Cynthia.

"Jude, my mum's water just broke. I think she is in labour. We need to get her to a hospital." She was talking fast.

"Ok. Cynth. Calm down. I am coming to your house with Mum."

I put on some clothes and ran down the stairs to inform Mum. She fetched her car keys and with Tessy in tow, we left the house.

Cynthia met us at the door. "Aunty, thanks for coming. My dad travelled to the village but will be back by tomorrow."

"No problems, darling,"Mum said, entering the room.

Mama Cynthia was lying on the sofa, groaning.

"Jude, oya come let's help her to the car,"Mum said.

I held her right arm to help her up. She looked at me, forcing a smile.

In that instant, it clicked. My jaw dropped. Mama Cynthia was the woman in the dream.

©Kelvin Alaneme, 2015.

Follow on Twitter @dr_alams.

JUDAS...Part 7.

"So, Jude, tell me about those dreams."

I was in the car with Uncle Obi, on our way to make arrangements for the Service of Songs that evening. He had been in the country for a week and assisted Mum in making the burial plans. He slowed the car as we approached a traffic light.

I scratched my head. "Uncle, they are nightmares. More like. And they come true."

"How?" His face tightened. The traffic light turned green. We made a right turn into Ogui road and sped down.

"First, I saw Dad fall off a cliff. He died the next day. Two weeks ago, I saw a rabbi die by crucifixion. The next day, the Pastor that came to pray for us, had an accident on his way back and died. The same man I saw in the dream."

His brow narrowed in confusion. "Don't you think they were mere coincidences, these dreams and the happenings?"

"I would love to think so. But something within tell me they are not. There is this very bad feeling I have during those nightmares. A terrible feeling I can't put into words."

He shook his head slowly, looking straight at the road. "In all my years  as a Psychiatrist, I have never come across a case like yours. There is actually no empirical evidence linking these dreams to these deaths."

I was silent. The events of the previous two weeks had shook me. Tessy had launched a full-scale war on me and called me all sorts of names. She kept noticeable distance from me. I entered the living room one morning. Mum was drawing up a list with her sisters, Aunty Nneka and Oby. Tessy was sitting on the sofa, reading a magazine. She stood up abruptly, as I entered, and made to leave.

"Tessy! Come back here! What is wrong with you? Eh?" Mum hollered.

"I don't want this boy to come near me. I don't want to die yet."

I glared at her. She had been acting that way since Pastor Kola's death. Mum had forbade her to mention my name in connection with the deaths. She resorted to another tactics.

"You know you are being very unreasonable," I said, trying to sound calm.

"Eh! Evil boy!" she said, clapping her hands. "Just dey your lane, i nugo?"

"Mum! I hope you all saw her abuse me, calling me names. I will slap her o!" I shook my hand in anger.

Mum held me where I stood. "Don't mind her, you hear? We will find a way to sort this out. Dad's death hit her so hard..."

I was still furious. "She should get a handle on herself. If she tries that nonsense again! Hmmm..." I turned and stomped up the stairs.

Uncle Obi came in from the States that evening and quickly noticed the tension. I had told him about the dreams on the phone and he brought me a copy of Sigmund Freud's 'Interpretation of Dreams'.

That night, he called Tessy and I into his room.

"You know, I don't understand this fight between you two. I know my brother raised responsible kids. That's why I don't understand this."

His gaze shifted from me to Tessy and back to me. I looked at Tessy. She was looking at the floor. I looked at the ceiling.

"Whatever it is, just drop it. Let this be the last of it. The Isikaro family is passing through a hard time. Don't make it harder."

We nodded and left the room. That was a week ago. Tessy is yet to talk to me.

The car pulled up at a compound. A white duplex stood adjacent to the parking space and the entrance said boldly 'Grace Events.' We sat at the air-conditioned reception. The receptionist dialed the manager, who came down to receive us.

"I got your payment. Dr. Obi Isikaro?" He looked up from his tablet.

"Yes. The Service of Songs is this evening. The burial is tomorrow and continues the next day. You got the address?"

"Sure. We will be there. I heard the State Governor will be coming," the manager said with a smile.

"Yes. He was my late brother's classmate. I was classmates with his younger brother so the families are kinda close."

We got some items from the market before heading home.

"Did Freud's book help?"

I shook my head. "My dreams are different from the ones he described. My dreams feel very real."

The Service of Songs went on smoothly. Tessy and I were clad in white, flanking Mum. During the service, I learnt a lot about the man who I came to call Dad.

"We are all witnesses to the number of lives he touched and his innumerable achievements at the young age of forty-five," the Priest said. "We should all learn to confront our mortality. And live each day like it is our last."

Suddenly, the voice sounded distant. I heard the sound of clinking coins and looked around. I was lying in a courtyard, surrounded by countless pieces of silver. More coins fell. I followed the stream of coins up. Apparently, someone was pouring them from the balcony. I struggled to my feet and made for one of the rooms. I saw a maid carrying a jar of water. I followed her. She was walking fast. I caught hold of her linen cloth. She turned, visibly angry.

"Shlamlek," I greeted. "Please, where is this place?"

"The Governor's court. Are you a Galilean?"

"No. I am from Judea."

"And you don't know the court of the Governor, Pontius Dike?" She shook her head and left.

I stood at the passage confused. Then, I heard footsteps. I ran into the adjacent room. It was dimly lit and had a table and some barrels at one end. I hid behind one of the barrels. A man entered, carrying a tray. He set the tray on a table and rushed to bolt the door. My heart pounded where I crouched. I watched him. On the tray, was a beautiful golden chalice. He fetched wine from a gourd and poured into the cup. He looked around and produced a small bottle from inside his clothes. He poured a little into the chalice and shook it gently. 

The sound of a coin hitting the ground startled me. He stopped abruptly and looked around. My heart skipped a beat. A stupid coin had stuck to my skin and chosen the wrong time to fall off. I watched him with trepidation as he approached the barrels.

"Joses! Where is the wine?" a voice called, from a distance.

He turned quickly, carried the tray and left.

I heaved a sigh of relief and stood up. I kicked the accursed coin angrily and emerged at the hallway, hiding in the shadows. I saw Joses at the end, passing a door, guarded by two Roman soldiers.

I knew I could go no further. It was the Roman Governor's palace and strangers were not allowed. 

The door was open. I saw Joses hand the chalice to the Governor.

"No!" I screamed inwardly. The Governor, raised the cup to his lips and drank. Joses hurriedly left the room. Minutes later, the Governor jerked forward, vomitting blood. The soldiers rushed into the room. Within  a short while, he was still, his head thrown aback in a grotesque fashion. I screamed.

"Jude!" I felt a hand hit me on the thigh. It was Mum. "Stop!"

Everyone was looking at me, including the Priest. Apparently, I had screamed aloud. I hung my head in shame. After the service, Uncle Obi came to where I sat and asked me to come with  him. I followed him into the house. There were people in the living room. I avoided their eyes as we walked up to my room.

"Why were you screaming? Another dream?"

I nodded. "You said the Governor would be coming tomorrow. What is his name?"

"Dr. Emeka Dike. What's the problem?"

"I dreamt about him. We have to call and warn him."

Uncle Obi laughed and placed a hand on my shoulder. "Jude, it was just a dream." His phone rang. He stepped out to answer the call.

Just then, Cynthia entered the room.

"I heard you scream out there. Are you alright?" she asked.

I shook my head. "Another nightmare. We need to warn the Governor."

She looked amused. Then, she realized I was dead serious.

"That's worrying. How are we going to warn him? How are we even going to get close to him? No one will ever believe a dream!" She was pacing the room. I watched her in silence.

Uncle Obi entered the room, his face pale. I knew something was wrong.

"It's too late." His voice harbored a deep sadness.

"What?" I asked, surprised.

"The Governor. I just got off the phone with his younger brother. He died of leukamia an hour ago, in India."

I slumped to the ground, distraught. Cynthia ran to where I sat, holding me. Tears welled up in my eyes. A terrible sense of loss and despair enveloped me. Laying my head on her shoulder, I cried.

©Kelvin Alaneme, 2015.

Follow on Twitter @dr_alams.

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.

Follow on Twitter @dr_alams.

JUDAS...Part 5.

I stood at the edge of the cliff preparing to jump. An endless chasm lay below, littered with pointed rocks and sparse vegetation. The mere sight sent shudders down my spine. But I had to do this. I could no longer bear their eyes. Those judgemental eyes. The scoofs and 

snide remarks that follow each time I passed. I heard their voices. The other apostles speaking in hushed tones. They seemed to be plotting something. Elsewhere, some young male voices were singing in Latin. I held my head in my hands, screaming for the voices to stop.

"Jude."

I turned. It was Dad, Dr. Isikaro. He was dressed in a white linen cloth, just like the Messias. He was approaching me.

"Come back," he said.

I shook my head, stepping forward. I staggered, struggling to regain balance. The chasm beckoned.

"He who the gods want to kill, they first make mad." His voice was solemn. He was almost at the edge of the cliff, his arms outstretched.

I studied his features closely as he approached. He had a kind face. His hair had strands of white ones. But his eyes harbored pain. 

He reached where I stood, smiled at me and patted me on the back.

"Go home," he said.

I turned from the edge and made to walk away.

"Jude!" It was a shriek. I whirled round to see his head disappearing below. I rushed to the edge but he was gone, a white linen cloth in the distance, receding in the chasm. I screamed in horror.

"Jude!"

I woke up with a start, soaked in my own sweat. Dad was at the door, staring at me.

"Another nightmare?" he asked, looking concerned.

I nodded.

"Did you take your drugs before bed?"

"Yes, I did."

"Ok. Go back to bed. Remember we are going to your seminary tomorrow to see the Rector. Catch some sleep."

I laid down and waited to hear the sound of the door close before sitting up. I knew sleep would not come till morning. I paced the room thinking of what to do. Just then, my phone rang. Cynthia.

"What are you doing awake?" I asked, trying to keep my voice down.

"Studying, of course." She sounded very alert.

"At 2 am?"

"Yeah. It is the period I find very convenient. Everyone is asleep. No disturbance. What aren't you asleep?"

"I had a nightmare which woke me."

"Again?" There was a hint of concern in her voice. "What was it about?"

"Some weird stuff," I said. "We are going to the seminary today."

There was some silence at her end. "How are you taking the expulsion?"

I laughed. "I can't even recall being in that school. So to me, it is pure drama."

She laughed. "So, since you can no longer be a priest, have you decided on what to do with your life?"

"You mean besides marrying you?" Her laughter could be heard from my end of the line. I smiled. "Well, my dad wants me to consider studying Medicine to take over his hospital in the future but I am not interested."

"Well, na you sabi. You can go back to Galilee and be a fisherman."

I rocked back and forth in laughter. "That won't be a bad idea at all."

We chatted briefly about other things. Her parents and siblings. My hospital visits.

"You know, my case keeps baffling the doctors."

"How?" she asked.

"On one hand, they don't want to believe I am Judas. Yet, on the other hand, they cannot explain how I know the things I know like Aramaic, the entire geography of Jerusalem and Judea, the Torah."

"Maybe you are an alien, from Mars." She chuckled.

"I hope one day, when you become a great doctor, you will be able to uncover what really happened to me. Why do you study so hard by the way?"

"You just said it."

"What?"

"To become a great doctor."

I shook my head and wished her luck. Her ambitions amaze me.

A knock on the door woke me up. I had slept off on the seat after Cynthia's call. It was Mum. I greeted her. She looked at me in surprise.

"You are not even dressed yet! Don't you know that we are running late?"

I looked at the clock. 9 am. I showered quickly and dressed up.

Dad was waiting downstairs. We got into his black Landcruiser jeep and headed for the seminary.

The seminary was situated in serene part of the town away from the hustle and bustle of the city. Trees graced the large expanse of land, with the classrooms blocks lined in a row. The office block was behind the classrooms and as we passed, students looked out of their windows and whispers of 'Jude, SP' got to my ears. I figured SP was short for Senior Prefect. We met the Rector in his office. He smiled as he saw us and motioned us to seat. He handed me a letter.

"This is the most painful expulsion letter I have written in my twenty years as Rector. Jude, we wish you well in life."

"Thank you, Sir,"I said, standing to leave. I was indifferent. The drama was over. We left the office as quietly as we came in.

We rode silently to Mum's court. We dropped her off and headed for Dad's hospital. I scrutinized his face as he drove.

"Are you alright?" I asked.

"Yes. Just a little headache," he said, forcing a smile.

We soon reached the hospital and as he swerved into the parking lot, I knew something was amiss. The jeep overshot and hit the flagstone.

I looked at Dad and froze. He was slouched on the seat, eyes rolled up, motionless.

"Dad!" I shouted, but got no response.

I screamed for help. The nurses ran to the car with a wheelchair. We unfastened the seatbelt and took him inside the hospital.

There was a flurry of activities in the reception. A doctor was listening for his heartbeat and flashing a small torch into his eyes. I ran outside in panic and dialled Mum. Minutes later, she arrived and ran into the room. 

"What happened?"she asked the doctor. "I was with him not quite long ago."

The doctor was compressing Dad's chest with his interlocked hands.

"He just slumped in the car. We are thinking he had a form of stroke. Was he hypertensive?"

"Yes, but I think he is on antihypertensive drugs."

Dad was still motionless. Minutes later, the doctor stopped. He felt Dad's wrist again.

"No pulse."

He listened to the heart again. "No heartbeat."

He turned to the nurse. "Pupils are already fixed and dilated. Time of death, 11.00 am."

As I stared disbelievingly at the lifeless man before me, the distant chimes of the clock as it struck for the eleventh hour broke my heart.

©Kelvin Alaneme, 2015.

Follow on Twitter @dr_alams.