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.

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