Jaded

Faded

I am sitting by my friend Lisa in church. The teacher is talking about obedience and humility. I am with a jotter and pen, but I don't write. Instead, I turn to Lisa and ask her what she plans to do after church. After an hour, the service is over and I walk back home.

The house is surprisingly quiet today. No reporter is speaking from the television. I can't hear Melissa's loud cartoons. I can't also hear Mary's loud music from the stereo. On instinct, my heart starts beating fast and I walk cautiously to the sitting room. No one's here and they left the door open. Red flashes in my eyes and I start calling their names. Getting no response, I turn back and dash towards the gate.

I go to the sweaty red faced woman who sells pastries on the other side of the road and ask her if she has seen my family. In her uncultured manner of speaking, she tells me that Oga drove his blue moto fast fast to Ejere road, which was towards the left.

Not getting much information, I call my parents and get no answer. Feeling panicked, I decide to call Henry, the cute 18-yr old who lived 2 blocks away. Five minutes later, I enter his blue Mazda and we're driving up to Jordan City Hospital where I have tracked my family to be. The annoying phone tracker Father installed in our phones was actually coming to use. I take deep breaths and try to stay calm.
* * *

Jordan City Hospital is what the huge purple sign reads. The name runs chills down my spine and I rub my arms to stop the goosebumps. I go to the nurse and ask her to look up a Mr and Mrs Odetola. She tells me to go to the third floor, Room 312. I rush to the elevator the feeling of panic creeping, creeping, going higher and higher. It's going up my arms now. Soon it'll get to my heart, then my head and I'll go crazy. Dread is itching at the back of my throat. The elevator doors open and I rush into the hallway.

I make out Father's shape, then Melissa, then Mary. Father is bent over, his head in his hands. Melissa's loud sobs could be heard. Mary is on the floor looking so detached from herself. The world is upside down. Soon everyone will fall. Father never bends or has his head in his hands. He always sits up straight no matter what. Melissa never cries out loud,because it's only unreserved people who cry so loud.

Mary can never think of sitting on the floor. Even her feet don't meet our clean and shiny marble floor. She always wore footwear. Now everyone is breaking their rules. The world will soon come crashing. I'm sure.

"Rissa is gone. Mother's dead.", Father says as he notices my presence. I try to understand what he is saying. Mother is dead. It sounds like those tragic novels and those movies I watch where I cry and laugh relieved that the actors don't actually die.

I tilt my head back and laugh, really loud. I laugh and laugh. Maybe I'm trying to tell myself that this is a movie and Mother is the character that unfortunately dies. Then I stop laughing. I look up at the white ceiling. I know I should cry like others but tears won't come. I feel cold. I can't remember the last time I shed a tear. The tears never come. I think about Mother. The very young beautiful lady I was very proud of. I was always happy to tell my friends about my mother who was like my sister, an older sister. She is gone.

The thought is like an axe bearing into a tree. A sound like a loud bell rings in my ears. It's telling me that my normal life is over. I bid farewell to my laughter. I feel like I'm fading out of existence. I hear a loud thud and there is a lot of noise. I was right. The world is crashing. My world has crashed.

Hey readers. Who likes the story? It's just a short story. I'm considering making it a full story, hence the suspense. Should it be a long story? Comment and don't forget to vote😁😘😘