THE CLOCK

Episode5: WHEN BLOOD FEELS HEAVY

*May it be so, my sister. We hand over everything to the able hand of God, the woman said resignedly.

"Goodbye my sister and good luck in your sales," Mgbafor said and left.

In Akamu society, every community member is a 'sister' if female, and a 'brother' if male. So, as Mgbafor went from store to store to take her money, she kept on addressing her female creditors as 'my sister'.

"Any news yet?" Another trader called Ngozi asked

Mgbafor as the latter approached the former's store.

"My sister, there is no news as of now, but Eze Nwagu has ordered

a fresh search for her if in a fortnight from now she fails to show disappearance from the villäge.

she replied, referring to Mama Nkwankwo and her people have made, finding her whereabouts proved abortive. We

"It is very strange, my sister, that after all the efforts our cannot, however, question God for any of our misfortunes, but l keep hoping like others that one day, the mystery shrouding her disappearance would be resolved," she said with hope.

"Ise-e-e-e!" Mgbafor and the nearby sellers chorused.

It was another experience of intense heat just as the sun stationed itself overhead. Spontaneously, the whole market thundered with an unimaginable roar of excitement. "Ye-e-e-eh!" The marketers shouted again, and the sound echoed and re-echoed, reverberating to the ends of Akamu and beyond.

It was another market day in Akamu, the fourth since Mama's disappearance. The market square, as usual, had been filed to capacity. Free movement was difficult because of the teeming crowd. True to human nature, the thought of Mama had begun to lose its sadness in the hearts of the villagers.

Nevertheless, friends and lovers of Mama still wondered at the strangeness of her unexplainable disappearance. So, when the sound of "Ye-e-e-eh!" rent the noisy atmosphere of the market square, people started asking, "Has Mama been found?"

Prophet Isaac was billed to visit Akamu a few days after Mama had asked him to convey her message to her friend, Mgbafor, and the others. But that could not be as he was invited by some clergymen to assist them in a one-week crusade that was organized in the neighbouring town. He had therefore postponed his journey indefinitely.

Mama and her children were very surprised that for about three market weeks since she passed across the message about her whereabouts through a reliable relation, none of her friends had thought it worth the while to pay her a visit in the hospital.

She had sent her children to the other patients in the same ward, *May it be so, my sister. We hand over everything to the able hand of God, the woman said resignedly.

"Goodbye my sister and good luck in your sales," Mgbafor said and left.

In Akamu society, every community member is a 'sister' if female, and a 'brother' if male. So, as Mgbafor went from store to store to take her money, she kept on addressing her female creditors as 'my sister'.

"Any news yet?" Another trader called Ngozi asked

Mgbafor as the latter approached the former's store.

"My sister, there is no news as of now, but Eze Nwagu has ordered

a fresh search for her if in a fortnight from now she fails to show disappearance from the villäge.

she replied, referring to Mama Nkwankwo and her people have made, finding her whereabouts proved abortive. We

"It is very strange, my sister, that after all the efforts our cannot, however, question God for any of our misfortunes, but l keep hoping like others that one day, the mystery shrouding her disappearance would be resolved," she said with hope.

"Ise-e-e-e!" Mgbafor and the nearby sellers chorused.

It was another experience of intense heat just as the sun stationed itself overhead. Spontaneously, the whole market thundered with an unimaginable roar of excitement. "Ye-e-e-eh!" The marketers shouted again, and the sound echoed and re-echoed, reverberating to the ends of Akamu and beyond.

It was another market day in Akamu, the fourth since Mama's disappearance. The market square, as usual, had been filed to capacity. Free movement was difficult because of the teeming crowd. True to human nature, the thought of Mama had begun to lose its sadness in the hearts of the villagers.

Nevertheless, friends and lovers of Mama still wondered at the strangeness of her unexplainable disappearance. So, when the sound of "Ye-e-e-eh!" rent the noisy atmosphere of the market square, people started asking, "Has Mama been found?"

Prophet Isaac was billed to visit Akamu a few days after Mama had asked him to convey her message to her friend, Mgbafor, and the others. But that could not be as he was invited by some clergymen to assist them in a one-week crusade that was organized in the neighbouring town. He had therefore postponed his journey indefinitely.

Mama and her children were very surprised that for about three market weeks since she passed across the message about her whereabouts through a reliable relation, none of her friends had thought it worth the while to pay her a visit in the hospital.

She had sent her children to the other patients in the same ward, *May it be so, my sister. We hand over everything to the able hand of God, the woman said resignedly.

"Goodbye my sister and good luck in your sales," Mgbafor said and left.

In Akamu society, every community member is a 'sister' if female, and a 'brother' if male. So, as Mgbafor went from store to store to take her money, she kept on addressing her female creditors as 'my sister'.

"Any news yet?" Another trader called Ngozi asked

Mgbafor as the latter approached the former's store.

"My sister, there is no news as of now, but Eze Nwagu has ordered

a fresh search for her if in a fortnight from now she fails to show disappearance from the villäge.

she replied, referring to Mama Nkwankwo and her people have made, finding her whereabouts proved abortive. We

"It is very strange, my sister, that after all the efforts our cannot, however, question God for any of our misfortunes, but l keep hoping like others that one day, the mystery shrouding her disappearance would be resolved," she said with hope.

"Ise-e-e-e!" Mgbafor and the nearby sellers chorused.

It was another experience of intense heat just as the sun stationed itself overhead. Spontaneously, the whole market thundered with an unimaginable roar of excitement. "Ye-e-e-eh!" The marketers shouted again, and the sound echoed and re-echoed, reverberating to the ends of Akamu and beyond.

It was another market day in Akamu, the fourth since Mama's disappearance. The market square, as usual, had been filed to capacity. Free movement was difficult because of the teeming crowd. True to human nature, the thought of Mama had begun to lose its sadness in the hearts of the villagers.

Nevertheless, friends and lovers of Mama still wondered at the strangeness of her unexplainable disappearance. So, when the sound of "Ye-e-e-eh!" rent the noisy atmosphere of the market square, people started asking, "Has Mama been found?"

Prophet Isaac was billed to visit Akamu a few days after Mama had asked him to convey her message to her friend, Mgbafor, and the others. But that could not be as he was invited by some clergymen to assist them in a one-week crusade that was organized in the neighbouring town. He had therefore postponed his journey indefinitely.

Mama and her children were very surprised that for about three market weeks since she passed across the message about her whereabouts through a reliable relation, none of her friends had thought it worth the while to pay her a visit in the hospital.

She had sent her children to the other patients in the same ward, to direct to her room any visitor that might ask to see one "Mama Nwankwo." Since that message many days ago, running into three market weeks, none of her relations had shown up. Mama began to review her life's activities in Akamu and came to the unfortunate conclusion that, after all, she might not be as popular as she thought she was. She also felt that those with whom she had intimate association were not friends in need after all, but the kinds that stick around when the going is good. She thought of Mgbafor, whom she took as her best friend, and wondered why, of all people, she could not sacrifice a day or two to ask after her in her moment of crisis. She tried to visualize her compound and wondered how untidy it would be in her many days of absence.

She ran her thoughts through the nooks and crannies of mind, but found no answer to any question.

"Ego," Mama called.

"Yes, ma," she answered. "What is it that you want me to

do?" Ego asked.

"Is there no news from Akamu? Has no one come to ask

how we're fairing?" Mama asked, bewildered.

"None, mama, no one has," Ego replied.

Then there was silence. Mama shut her eyes and wept.

Her closed eyelids were wet with tears, trying to gush out. She passed her right middle finger across her eyes and the tears flowed freely down her cheeks.

"Mama, you're crying again," Ego said concernedly.

"What is the matter again," Ogochukwu asked as she swung open the door to mama's room.

"She's talking about her friends and relations, sad that none of them has come to visit her even though she had passed information across about her iliness and where she could be located," Ego replied.

"Mama," Ogochukwu called, and without waiting for an answer went on, Remember the doctor's advice against your constant worries. So, take it easy now that you're recovering so as notto trigger off another rise of blood pressure," she advised.

"Thank you, my daughters. I appreciate your concern and love for me. Your own children will love and treat you well" Mama

prayed.

"Ise-e-eh!" Ogo and Ego answered simultaneously.

Prophet Isaac arrived in Akamu village on an Eke market day. Activities were already in full swing in the market. He had wanted to see Mgbafor at her stall but the market was jam-packed with sellers and buyers. Therefore he had decided to go straight to her house hoping to see any of her children. Luckily, his intuition paid off as he met one of Mgbafor's children called Nwakamma, popularly called Mma for short, who had come from the market to carry some sacks of garri with her wooden truck.

"Hello, Mma," Prophet Isaac, called.

Turning, surprised, Mma saw a figure that registered familiarity in her mind. She used her right middle finger to tap the right side of her forehead to probe her memory. She knew that she had seen him before, but could not place him then.

Feeling defeated, she asked, "Please, brother, remind me who you are. I just can't remember now, but l'm very sure we had met before," Mma pleaded

"Isaac," he announced, smiling.

"Oh yes, Prophet Isaac," she said excitedly. "Happy to see

you again after so many years," Mma said.

"I agree it's quite a long time but I've never lost memory of any of you," the prophet remarked

"I can understand that. Your memory is very sharp. I for one, I find it difficult to remember names and faces of people l knew before," she admitted, laughing. But I promise you, l'll never fail to recognize you in future," she said.

"That's all right, Mma, all people are not the same.

Everyone with his or her own weaknesses. There are aspects of life that you can also find me wanting," he admitted.

"That's true, brother, but your memory is remarkable,"

Mma insisted.

"Thanks a lot," the Prophet said. "By the way, where is your

mother?" Prophet Isaac asked.

"In the market, of course. Have you forgotten what market

day today is?" she asked, surprised.