THE CURES

CHAPTER THREE

Ugomma began laughing and mocking her father as he fell down from the bed. "Look at this one, what did you think you are doing? Are you acting movie? Stand up! Fj you think you can act all those Nigeria drama that one could fall and pretend to be dead? You better stand up or else I'll keep designing your body! ". She kept on mocking him till she became tired and moved towards Nzekwe finding out that he was no longer breathing. She found out that what she took to be play was no longer a play, but a serious and dangerous matter if care was not taking. She became speechless and began wondering what to do. She went kneeling beside him and shaking him furiously if he could walk up, but it all dawned on her that Nzekwe's soul had gone beyond coming back to life.

"Father! Father! Don't do this to me, father! I'm begging you, father. Don't do this to me". She cried out.

Nzekwe was immediately taken to a nearby hospital where it took only the miracle of God to bring him back to life. He was later brought back to life after the doctor had given him an injection, and was thanking Ugomma for bringing him on time. The doctor asked Ugomma what was the reason behind Nzekwe falling from the bed after Ugomma had lied to him, but she was too ashamed to tell him that she was only whipping her father for messing up the room she had earlier cleaned. She knew by she telling the doctor the truth about the whole thing that it would unfold to another thing. So she thought the best and only way the secret could be hidden was to seal her mouth.

Days later, Nzekwe was tory discharged from the hospital and was taken home by Ugomma. That was how Nzekwe survived from joining his forefathers

"Help me, my daughter! Help me..."

Nzekwe continued pleading with Ugomma to take him to the rest room, but Ugomma stood adamantly not even making any move of helping him. Ugomma wiped her tears and attempted to leave but an idea came to her mind. She walked back to where her father laid and brought out a walking stick under his bed,l. She stood, dusting out dirties from her body and handed the walking stick to her father.

" Take this, old man. Whenever you feel like going to the rest room use it and walk on your own. Today will mark the last day I shall take you to the rest room... because you are a wicked devil. " She said tj her father and went and sat on a chair around the corner of the room. She sat looking at him and uttering some bad words out of her mouth.

Nzekwe sluggishly attempted tj stood up but he couldn't. He tried and tried using all his energy but still he couldn't. Ugomma watched at him as he was doing that but never helped him. He tried again this time and held onto something to enable him stand on his feet, but fortunately God helped him and he stood up. Tj the very greatest surprise of Ugomma he stood and was walking slowly with the help of the stick. But the walking never lasted too long because something blocked his way and he fell on the ground yelling. As he was crying and wailing, Ugomma was busy making jest of him. She had no remorse to help her father neither did she pitied him. She felt no guilty of any remorse over what happened to Nzekwe. Infact, she was the reason behind the falling of her father, because she saw that her father could now walk on his own, she went and blocked his way by placing a chair which made him to fell down.

A footstep was heard as Nzekwe kept on screaming for help them Ugomma pretentiously stood up and walked to her father. She thought the footstep could be one of her siblings or their neighbors, but the footstep turned out to be her child, Chiboy. She pretentiously helped him but when the footstep turned out to be Chiboy, she disengaged her hands from Nzekwe's, which made him to fall the second time. Chiboy on seeing what had happened to his grandfather rushed in immediately tk help him.

"What do you think you are doing?!". Ugomma roared at her child as he tried to help her father. This sent a cold fear into Chiboy's body as he watched his mother asking a stupid question.

"I'm helping him, mother". Chiboy answered innocently.

"And who sent you, eh? who sent you?". She asked again with her eyes filled with flame of fire. This time around, Chiboy ignored the question pretending not to hear what Ugomma asked. " Come on, leave him!!!". She barked at him. When seeing that Chiboy was not cooporating with her she made an attempt to beat him but he was too fast to escape from her.

A moment later, Chiboy returned back after Ugomma had left the room. He walked silently in order not to make any noise that would attract his mother's. presence. " I'm sorry, grandpa. I'm sorry for leaving you like this". Chiboy pleaded as he held his hand to help him stand in his feet.

"Thank you, my child. God in heaven shall bless you and reward you. All the days of your life shall be filled with happiness. No man born if a woman will hurt you. As you've helped me today, sk shall your helper locate you.... ". Nzekwe prayed for him as he also as well blessed him.

"Amen!". Chiboy chorused and led him to the rest room.