WHISPERS IN THE DARK
CHAPTER 10
“Elvis!!” I said as I moved towards him. “My old friend, Elvis. Is this you or are my eyes being cheated by some spell?”
“Eyong, you are alive and well.” He replied.
“Yes, I am alive and well. I am happy to see you. What have you been up to?”
“Nothing much, just raising kids and living life.” He answered philosophically. “How about you? Heard you are a rich man now in the city?”
“Well, you might say that but being rich is relative. Thank God for life. How’s your family?”
“We are good and how’s yours? How’s your beautiful wife, Addie?” He finally asked the Addie question.
“She’s fine, everyone is okay. Now that you have asked, I just wish to say that I didn’t mean for things to happen the way they did. You are my childhood friend, and we were supposed to grow old together. However, we have spent many years being enemies, all because of a woman. Let us allow bygones to be bygones.”
“Eyong, my good friend. All that is in the past now. I am a changed man now. I have a beautiful wife and children. So, I no longer bear any grudge towards you.”
“Are you sure?”
“Very sure.”
“Alright, thank you.”
“You are welcome. So, what brought you to the village?” Elvis asked.
“The festival, of course. Nfon invited me himself. So, I couldn’t miss.”
“That’s great. Would you like to take a chieftaincy title?” He asked.
“Well, I would be delighted if I am given one. However, I have never really considered taking one.”
“I could arrange for it. I am now a big member of the village council. We could confer on you the title of Sissiku, that is if you want.” He proposed.
“Is it connected to anything fetish?” I asked.
“No, there is nothing fetish attached to it. You would love it.
I was impressed by the attitude of Elvis. Finally, he had repented, and he was back to the Elvis I used to know back in our primary school days. I was happy to have my friend back, though I was much wary of him now. I had to be careful because for all I know, he might just be making up appearances. I decided that I would call my wife and tell her about the new developments.
Elvis and I walked all around our compound, checking to make sure everything was okay and also reminiscing about old times. While we walked in the compound, I made sure he wasn’t behind me. I couldn’t trust him. He could stab me in the back quite literally. I knew it was risky staying all alone with him. I was just taking chances. If my wife knew that I was with Elvis all alone in that compound, she would kill me.
We left the compound and I drove Elvis and I to Nfon’s palace. The chief was very happy to see me. He was also a former classmate and had ascended the throne when his father, the late Nfon died. Elvis discussed with him about the Sissiku title, and the chief readily agreed.
When I got back home, I called my wife.
“Hi darling.”
“Hi honey. Ahh!! I am so happy you called. I feel so relieved now. I had been worried. I had been trying your number all day without success.” Addie was very excited.
“It’s alright, darling. I am fine. I just want to tell you that I miss you and the children.”
“I miss you, too. Very much. When are you coming back?” She asked.
“I might add a few days. My program has been slightly altered. I am going to be conferred the Sissiku title.”
“Really? Oh my gosh!! That’s great. So, you will now be called Sissiku Eyong Agbor Besong.”
“That is very correct, my love. However, there is a small problem.”
“What is it, honey?”
“One of the requirements for conferring the title on someone is that the man’s wife has to be present.”
“So, you are saying I should come to the village?” She asked, skeptically.
“Yes, babe. You have to. You have to stand by me during the process.”
“I don’t feel comfortable coming. Can’t they do it without me?”
“No, I asked Elvis, but he said your presence was highly required.” I answered and regretted immediately. I shouldn’t have called Elvis’ name.
“Elvis!! You met Elvis? I thought I told you to stay away from him?” She was infuriated.
“I am sorry, I couldn’t avoid him. But don’t worry, he is now a changed man. You need to see him. He has really changed.”
“In your dreams. What makes you think that Elvis can ever change? One thing with you is that you are too gullible. You easily, very easily trust people. I now think the whole title thing is a bad idea.”
“Why? Just because my friend, Elvis is involved?”
“Yes.”
“Please, babe. Don’t say that. Alright, I will be very careful. Just come for my sake, please.”
“Of course, I will come. Not because I am interested in the title but because I want to make sure that you stay away from Elvis.”
Two days later, Addie arrived the village. I felt relieved that she had come. The festival was already ongoing, and the title was going to be conferred on me in two days. The next day, we went to see the chief. Nfon was very happy to meet my wife. Addie was not known by many people in the village because even as a child, she rarely ever came to the village.
Our meeting with Nfon was over now. We were about to go back home to begin preparing for the big day tomorrow when Elvis showed up at the palace. I looked into his face, and I saw deep jealousy when he saw my wife, Addie. He walked up to us and greeted.
“I am happy to make your acquaintance, Madam.” He spoke.
“Thank you, Mr. Tabot Elvis. It’s been a while.”
“Yes, I can see you and your husband are looking good.” That came out like a threat.
“God has been good to us, Mr. Elvis.”
“So, are you saying God has not been good to me?” Elvis asked.
I realized that things were getting out of hand. So, I moved in-between them and interrupted the conversation.
“If you will excuse us, Elvis, my wife and I would like to leave now.” I spoke.
“Of course, of course.” He replied. There was an evil glitter in his eyes.
It looked like Elvis had been ready to let go of our past grievances and make up with me. That could be the reason he had even proposed and recommended that I take the Sissiku title. However, the arrival of my wife, and their meeting had brought back old memories. It was obvious Elvis’ hatred for me, and my wife had returned. I took my wife and we got into the car and drove off to meet her mother who had prepared a delicious meal for us.
The next day, immediately after the conferring of the title on me, I took my wife, and we went back to the city. I figured it was dangerous to stay another night in the village. All through the ceremony, I kept looking at Elvis’ face and all I could see was jealousy and hatred. I didn’t want to become a victim of his malice. So, I had to hurriedly leave the village.
Our trip back to the city was safe. We were happy and thankful to God that we left the village with almost no incident. We were also grateful to God that our children whom we left back in the city were also doing good. We promised ourselves that that would be the last time we would both go to the village at the same time. In fact, we decided that Addie would never go to the village again except in great need. I would be the only one to go and I had to be extra careful. My trips would always be unannounced. We didn’t want to have anything to do with our mortal enemy, Elvis, ever again. But we were too late.
The next morning, I was in the living room watching the news when I heard a blood curdling scream coming from my bedroom. I rushed to the room only to find my wife lying on the floor. She was bleeding seriously. My twin children, Bechem and Manyor were sitting by her, confused. As quick as lightning, I carried her outside and into the car and rushed her to the hospital. When we arrived the hospital, she was immediately taken to the intensive care unit.
I was confused. Just yesterday, in fact, just this morning, my wife had been okay? What could possibly have gone wrong? I was confused as I sat on a bench in front of the ICU. Every now and then, I would get up and pace from one end of the wall to the other before sitting down again. Soon, the doctor arrived, and he told me that she had been stabilized but had gone into unconsciousness. I prayed and hoped that by the time she became conscious again, she would be okay.
“Can I see her now, Doctor?” I asked, shaking.
“Yes, you can. But be careful not to disturb her. She is in a delicate situation now. Tomorrow, we might have to do a blood transfusion on her. She has lost too much blood.”
I went into her ward and saw her looking serene and beautiful even in sickness. I knelt beside her bed and prayed like I had never prayed before. I prayed and begged God to heal my wife and to bring her back to consciousness so that we could go home together. I heard a knock on the door. I checked and it was Akem, my eldest daughter. I asked her to stay by her mum until I got back. I needed to go home and get some stuffs for her.
I went back to the car and when I opened the car door, that was when I realized how intensive the situation had been. The car was soaked with her blood. There was blood everywhere. I got into the car and drove home, praying all the way. I had a strong faith in God, and I knew that come rain or shine, God was going to see me through. I loved my wife with everything in me. I couldn’t bear to see anything happen to her.
It had been one week now, and Addie’s situation had not changed. She was still unconscious. I was tired of waiting for the doctor to perform a miracle. Nothing was working. My children and I were deeply distressed and feared for the worst. I decided that I was going to take her to another hospital if nothing happened by the end of that day. Soon, the doctor walked in.
“Doctor, what is happening? Why is she not up yet?” I asked.
“Mr. Eyong, we have tried our best. This is the best hospital in this city. Nothing seems to be working and I don’t know why.”
“Alright, in that case, I will fly her abroad. I am sure that she will get a better treatment there.”
“That would be a bright idea, Sir, but I think it would be a waste of money.”
“Waste of money? What do you mean by that, Doctor?”
“I think your wife’s problem is more of spiritual than medical. I would advise you to get a spiritualist or a good and strong man of God to intervene. Your wife needs God’s intervention.”
TO BE CONTINUED…
