THE EXETA

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Matthias Morison, had been a visionary. A pioneer and one who did not like procrastination. He was born into a family of seven and he had also been disgusted about the fact that his siblings did not like school and all that they we into was living a normal mediocre life. The only sibling, he was found of was his senior sister Cynthia. He was headstrong and wanted to rise above the echelon of his s Father a menial building a contractor and her mother a peasant trader. As the fourth son and the intelligent one he had been an avid reader and had a lot of dream he hoped to achieve. Through school, he did not spend all his time studying but attended a lot conference, seminars and symposium hoping to meet people and to augment his network. As is if he knew, he had met a man’s one day at a symposium who had directed him to apply for a scholarship to do his undergraduate studies and Masters at the University of Cape Town in South Africa. In south Africa he had proved to be a good student taking the chance to learn from the people and excelling in his studies and even got the chance to learn the native Zulu language. It was after he graduated with a distinction the foundation that gave him the scholarship had agreed he continued his Masters in Chemical Engineering. That year students who were enrolled in the master program under the scholarship came from different nations. Matthias was still focused as he had a lot of ideas and plans to execute in his home country after he completed his Master’s programme.

In Cape town he had also had the chance to join a Pan Africa Society since he was Black. But things shook a little when one day bumped into an American born South African. She was a colleague of his also doing her Masters in Biomedical Engineering. Matthias has quickly like her from the first time he had seen her. She was Elona Duran more American than South African. Matthias was so more interested in her when he got to knot she was the daughter of the head of the Foundation that had given the scholarship. Surprisingly, Matthias had fallen in love with Elona she had gotten pregnant. As the rules of the Foundation proscribed the union, Elona was expected to abort the baby. So, she travelled to Ghana with the bay and gave birth. Matthias told her he will eliminate the baby but secretly kept it. After Elona returned to the United States where she was made to forget and end all contacts with Mattais forever. And the baby Matthias had saved had grown up into become her one and only daughter – Marlon Morrison.

 It was another bright day in the Morrison house. Matthias was having breakfast. Cassie had come to serve him. Matthias sipped his hot thick coffee and read the news from his ipad. He was a workaholic that did a lot when he was in Ghana. His colleagues have discussed with him the possibility of taking it slow but he had not listened to what they said at all. He was so passionate about the thermonuclear reactor he was building that, he would stop at anything to have it completed as soon as possible. He continued to enjoy his coffee until Marlon came in neatly dressed for another day.

            “Good morning Dad.” Marlon greeted as she took a seat facing his father. She then started to help herself. Unlike her father she preferred tea. So, she served herself.

            “How are you doing today?” Matthias asked his daughter. Marlon was still serving herself.

            “Am okay… anything you wanted to know?” Marlon shot back. Matthias was still eating his food.

            “No nothing, anything that happened yesterday you like to tell me?” Matthais inquired his face not transfixed on her daughter. Marlon kept mixing her beverage. Behaving as if she had not heard what her father had said.

            “Yesterday…?” Marlon paused and thought. “Nothing really happened.” Marlon added.

            “I see, I heard young Simon was around and you two have now settle your differences.” Matthias said.

            Marlon quickly turns her head to the direction of Cassie. But she was not available. Marlon was certain it was Cassie that had informed her father Simon came to the house yesterday.

            “Yes he came around and as you said we have been able to resolve out differences now. I guess you are now happy.” Marlon shot back sternly.

            “Come on Marlon, I just wanted to know the aftermath after you took the house contact. I knew one way or the other Simon will come round.” Matthias shot apologetically.

            “Anything else you want to ask me about yesterday?” Marlon as she sipped her coffe. Matthias shook his head to denote he was okay. Marlon then chipped in,

            “So when do I go on another expedition again with you. The science facility was great. I like to visit other places at least, deserve it don’t I?” Marlon murmured.

            “Yes, you do…but your safety is what really matter now. As it stands, there is a lot of things I have to do, that is making me very busy. But when am less busy we shall have a great tour of Accra trust me.” Matthias coaxed her daughter.

            “This is not an issue of trust Dad, I am always indoors and do not allow to go out, and it’s starting to get very boring.” Marlon lamented.

            “No no no don’t say that. Boring is in your mind. You have the laptop and your iPhone you can surf the internet. Science have made life very fun now so just go on the internet. And also, you can be talking to your friends in Johannesburg.” Matthias explained. But that was still not enough for Marlon.

            “Still it gets boring Dad…I do not know whether I will be able to be indoor forever. At least you brought me here into to lock me up in the house like auntie Cynthia does with me in Johannesburg.” Marlon said that. The words pierced the heart of Matthias and he replied solemn,

            “You do not talk about your auntie like that, she has been the mother you have never had so give her some respect.”  Matthias bellowed. Marlon was offended.

            “Auntie Cynthia is not my mother as sure she will never be. No matter what she tries to do? You have no idea how it’s like to grow up knowing you have no mother.” Marlon shot back and quickly dashed to her room sobbing.

            Matthias had been hurt with those words. The last thing he was expecting from her daughter was to relegate herself into the pain that she had no mother. When it came to the maternity of Marlon it was different. It was better she knew what she knew. Matthias have always kept that. But that was a lot she was not ready to know and he was not going to risk telling her that. So if she will have to endure a transient pain of the fact that she had no mother then so be it. Because for Matthias, he thought that was the best he could offer her at the moment. Still deep in thoughts, Cassie came to clear the table. Cassie looked on perturbed having listened to all that and happened.

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The field was more like dessert and the people were running and screaming for their lives.  Something so dark like an axe moved in a circular fashion cutting of the heads of the people running. They continued to run and scream as the axe was after then. The only way one survived was when you could dodge or swerve the axe when is come towards you. The men have all been killed remaining three now started to work together moving in a coordinated fashion making it difficult for the axe to locate a person.  They continued to run but the axe succeeds in taking one of them down. Now it also became clear the one of the men was wielding bright emerald lantern – something like -- The Exeta. The two men continued to run as the circulating axe kept on following them. Surprisingly, they had gotten to the finish line and one of the men had pushed the other away – sacrificing his life for the other. The axe slashed his head again and the last man standing ended up jumping into a very long vertical ditch. As he moved down, all that could that could be seen was an emerald radiance shooting up vertically to the skies.

 Simon staggered from bed, having slept for a long time. He had had another surreal dream. He checked his clock and it was 10:05 am. Surprised, he quickly moved to the washroom. After some few minutes, he had washed down and emerged from the room. It was early morning and it was obvious his Dad, Mom and sister where already gone to their daily work and school. Simon after scouting the house and not sensing the presence of any one, knew that there was only one person who was always around. Simon then starts to bellow,

            “Auntie Margret!... Auntie Margret!” Simon kept on bellowing as he moved to the kitchen. To his surprise auntie Margaret’s was not in the kitchen. Where could she be? he thought? Simon then begun to move towards auntie Margaret’s room. And there, she was coming. Simon was relieved to see her.

            “Simon…you over slept today…anything the matter?” Margaret’s inquired as she moved towards Simon. Simon then stopped walking and allowed Auntie Margaret to get to him.

            “Yes auntie Maggie, I over slept. And I also had a very bad dream.” Simon replied.

            “Really! How bad was this dream?” Margaret inquired. They then started to move towards the living room.

            “Very dark with a lot of bloodshed and finally, something green that was so nice shot up like a knockout to the skies.” Simon explained tentative.

            “I see, with your description I think your dream qualifies as strange dream rather than a bad dream.” Margaret replied. “Come on let go so you can have your breakfast.” Margaret coaxed and then all moved and settle at the dining table. Simon was famished and did not relent when the oats was swerved. Margaret sat watched him eat. At age 16 Simon had not care so much about his physique all he was engrossed in was knowledge acquisition. Something his family had always been proud of him. Simon stopped eating and then asked

            “Did my mom, Dad and Lily ask on me in the morning?”

            “Yes, they did, but they wanted you to sleep so they did not bother you that much.” Margaret’s replied.

            “Okay…can I ask you a question Auntie Maggie?” Simon asked.

            “Yes …”

            “What do you do when you have a dream?” Simon inquired. Margaret was not really expecting that. The young boy had been overwhelmed by his dream and wanted some to talk to. Definitely, she was not the best person. But with the current circumstance, she had to try and give Simon a plausible answer to his question.

            “Okay…so with bad dreams I pray to God to take the images away and also pray he should let me have nice dreams the next time.” Margaret replied.

            Simon was excited nodding his head up and own. “Wow that is good. I guess that is what I will do then next time I have another bad dream. With that the telephone receiver started to ring again. Margaret quickly moved to picked it up. She then placed it to her ears.

            “Hello this Frimpong Manso residence how may I help you?”  The voice came rather calm and lighter, but familiar to Margaret. Margaret had recognized her. It was Marlon and she was demanding to speak to Simon. Margaret then beckoned Simon who has been looking in her direction for a long time. Simon quickly bolted to the telephone and took the receiver.

            “Hi..” Simon said.

            “Hello Simon…this is Marlon”

            “Yes I know Marlon…is everything alright with you. Your voice seems mild” Simon complemented.

            “How have you been?” Marlon inquired. Simon was astounded she was the one that had just asked about how he was doing.

            “I am…I am good and you?”

            “Same here, so not to waste too much time, can you come over I like toy show you something. I am trying to solve this math question and I think could your help. My Dad kind of will not let me to go out so I was thinking you could do me a favour by coming to our house. And for the record yesterday was very fun, and I learnt a lot from you.”

            Simon was silent for some time. He was not expecting this at all. And now he had to respond. And that was the big question for him at the moment.

            “Oh okay…that sound like a great idea.”

            “So you will come. Okay so I will be waiting for you…bye” Marlon then ended the call before Simon could say any, more words. Simon was still tentative if that the right choice to make. His face was ashen now.

            “Okay, so can you tell what this is all about? She had called twice in two days. Who is she to you Simon?” Margaret inquired.

            “She…she is just a friend, not like a friend we are still getting to know each other. So I could say she is a friend technically. She is the daughter of Dad friends so, that is how I got to know her.” Simon explained moving to finish his food.

            “So does mom and Dad know about this?”

            “No …am not sure, they know about or first encounter that was and, but the subsequent one like the visit I paid her yesterday no one knows excerpt you Auntie Maggie. And if you are thinking what I go to do there, I go there to study. She is also in high school not sure but I will ask. So we basically study together. So that’s all…”

            “I see, I guess you are going there again today?”

            “Yes, that is the reason she called.”  Simon replied. “So I kind of have to go and pick some books.” Simon then quickly dashed out of the living room. But then he quickly returned again.

            “And one last thing auntie Margaret, can you keep this between us only?” Simon asked.

            Margaret looked a bit solemn and answered. “Okay, I will, if you only promise to stay out of trouble.”

            “Sure. I will, and thanks a lot Auntie Maggie…you are the best.” Simon cajoled as he moved away to this room to pick up his bag and some books.

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It was late afternoon, and three medical students scurried along the hallway of the Korle - Bu Teaching hospital to present an assignment. The office of Dr. Frimpong Manso was closed. Getting there the three-students knocked, awaiting the conventional response from their anatomy lecturer. But that response did not come. Instead it was a quiet murmur that responded to them. This was a bit surreal and unusual they thought. They knocked again, and the same response was heard. The three students then stood there anxious and nerved. The only male among them then decide to break the mold by budge into the office. He opened the office and to his utter surprise Dr. Frimpong Manso was not in. In her seat was young Lily doing her town stuffs on her mother’s apple laptop. Carl Golightly, was the male medical student who had taken the bold step to open the door. He was tall, dark and had an oval face with and wore glistering spectacles. And now, he stood there astounded. His other colleagues also entered. They looked to the seat of their lecturer but surprisingly, it was not her. What could they say? They were lucky. They then started looking at each other’s faces. It was overt they did not know who the young girl was. Lily then stopped what she was doing and moved her head up high.

            “Hi…how can I help you? My mom is not around now.” Lily broke the silence. Relived by hearing that, the three students quickly took out her anatomy assignments ready to cajole Lily, so they can add it to the already submitted ones that were on the table. The three-students beamed with elated faces on hearing that.

            “Hi…my name is Pearl and your mother’s student, and we need a little favour from you. Can you help us?” The fair skin girl with nice black spectacles among the three spoke. She was Pearl Nyarko, a fifth-year medical student like her colleagues. She was a bit short and fair with verticals holes in her teeth that made her voice like a quiver and unique. The other dark student looked at the face of Pearl wondering if that was going to work. Lilian looked on obstinate. She had no idea why Pearl needed her help.

            “And why do you need my help Pearl?” Lilian inquired.

            “We should have presented this assignment….” Pearl said, buy then, she was interrupted by the other dark medical student girl.

            “Wait!” The dark medical girl made Pearl stop talking. She was Stephanie Yeboah also a fifth-year medical student.  She was dark and a bit taller than Pearl. She radiated a set of white teeth when she smiled. Stephanie then moved closer to Lilian. Lilian was still trying hard to decipher what was happening. Carl looked on looking at his watch. It was getting to time. Time was fleeting.

            “What is your name beautiful?” Stephanie, asked Lilian.       

“Lilian Frimpong Manso.” Lily replied coyly.

            “Wow. That is a nice name. So, you are the daughter of Dr. Frimpong Manso. Wow! That is cool I presume you will also want to become a doctor in the future?”

            Lilian looked on and shook her head. The three students were surprised.

            “No? Why not?” Pearl inquired.

            “I do not know yet. My mom tells me a not ready to decide what I want to so. She says I should wait and complete Senior High school after I can choose what will want to do in the future.” Lily explained.

            “Wow. That is great, but all we want to say is that, we like you to be a doctor like us. We will be doctors soon thought we are not now. And when you are sick you may come to us and we have to treat you. So, for us not to treat you badly someday, you also need to treat us good today.” Stephanie explained infallible. Lily then looked on trying still to get what they were trying to say.

            “Okay so all we are saying is that, we have to give your mother this…” Pearl interrupted, and showed her assignment to Lily, and collected that of from Carl and Stephanie. She then moved closer and placed it on the table of Dr. Frimpong Manso. Lily looked on now certain, having understood all that they were trying to imply.

            “When she comes, you just give it to her. Is that okay?” Pearl said and beamed with an endearing smile.

            “Are those your home works?” Lily shot back.

            “No is not home works…it called a project report like a home work, but you do not do this at home. We did it in school. We just finish doing it.” Carl explained. Lily was now cool, on hearing that.

            “Okay…if you say so. I will tell her when she comes back.” Lily replied unperturbed.

            “Thank you” Pearl said. “And what are your names you and you, I know of you Peral.” Lily pointed to Carl and Stephanie.

            “Am Stephanie. I mentioned my name earlier” Stephanie said.

            “I am Carl and its very nice to meet you Lilian. You mom is a great teacher. No doctor or both.”

            “Really!” Lily was surprised to hear that.

            “Yes she is, so maybe you want to one day follow her footsteps and become a doctor like her.” Pearl shot back.

            “Me…is being a doctor cool?” Lilian asked. The three friends looked at their faces again.

            “Yes…medicine is very cool. You get to save a lot of lives. Don’t you want to save people lives?” Stephanie added.

            Lily was silent a little with that question then replied, “I have always wanted to be a Pilot, so I can fly people in the air. That is something I have always liked.” Lily replied.

            “Wow that is cool too, my Dad is a pilot.” Carl replied. 

            “Okay Lilian nice meeting you, we have to go for another class. We hope we meet again sometime.” Pearl added. Lily smiled to that.

            “Bye Lily…” Stephanie said. “Bye bye Stephanie, Pearl and Carl, I will tell my mom when she comes back. With that, the three students quickly moved out of Dr. Frimpong Manso office excited that they had been able to submit their assignment.

Some few minute later, Theresa entered her office, apparently exhausted from a lot of work. Lilian quickly moved from the main sit and took the visitors sit. Theresa looked tired from her countenance. Lily had noticed it. Theresa then took her seat.

            “Lily…sorry I took long. This is yours.” Theresa said and took out a cup of juice and some doo-nots and gave them to Lily. Lily was excited and famished. Theresa sat and leaned at her back. Lily took the cup of drink and started unwrap the doo-not.

            “You look tired mom…!” Lily commented.

            “Yes I am…I have been working a lot from morning.” Theresa said. Still layed at her bag she starched herself from left then to the right. Lily was busy into the the food she was eating. She was enjoying it.

            “Mom…” Lily cried.

            “Yes…Lily.” Theresa replied.

            “Some of your students just came in.” Lily said. Theresa was still not bothered by that. To the amazement of Lily.

            “Really, how many were they?”

            “That were three, one boy and two girls. The boy was called Carl and the girls were Pearl and Stephanie.” Lily replied.

            “I see…I guess they added their work to the others.” Theresa said and moved herself took the three books and looked at them. Shen then placed them down.

            “Was it a home work they had to do?” Lily asked. Theresa returned to her initial position.

            “No…it was a project assignment something like a class work.” Theresa explained.

            “Oh okay…I like all of them. They were very nice.” Lily complemented. Theresa smiled. “Yes they are some of the brightest students I have.” Theresa said, with that a fantastic sounded exuded from the Theresa’s apple laptop.  Theresa sat upright and unlocked her laptop. She instantly became excited. Something good had just happened.

            “What is it mom…?” Lily inquired curious.

            “It’s your auntie Monica, she wants to talk to skype with us. The connecting is setting up.” Theresa said. Lily was so excited she quickly moved from her seat and took a stand behind her mother.         

            “Okay I think it’s okay now…hello Monica” Theresa bellowed.

The image and in the laptop replied more adept in a British accent. “Hi Theresa…I guess that is Lily with you, hi Lily?

            “Hello Auntie Monica” Lily replied. Monica Agyemang Prempeh was the younger sister of Theresa. Unlike her sister she had loved journalism from high school and she entered Ghana institute of Journalism after her high school education to pursue her dream course. Luckily for her after she graduated, she got a scholarship to do her Masters in the University of Portsmouth, England where she was currently. She had been close friend to the Frimpong Manso family until she transited to England to continue her education. She had been there for the past year and things were good as she had kept a close knit with her big sister. They love each other a lot. And at the moment she was so excited to see her niece once again. It had been long time.

            “Nice to see you again Lilian I miss you all so much. I cannot wait to finish my studies here and come back to Ghana.” Monica said.

            “We have also missed you a lot. And how are studies?” Theresa asked.

            “Studies is good here, and we are doing great by God’s grace.” Monica replied. “How is Simon and Clarence?”

            “They are all doing great. I went to pick up Lily today from school, so that is why she is here with me.” Theresa said.

            “How is England Auntie Monica?” Lily asked.

            “England is okay there and also have fun a lot. I hope school is good for you. Always learning hard I hope you remember that.” Monica added.

            “Yes she is and Simon too…” Theresa. The connection then fluctuated a little.

            “Okay…Tess my time is almost up. Nice seeing again Lily, but I hope to see you in flesh soon as soon as am done with my studies. My regards to Clarence and Simon and have a lovely day…Yeah” Monica said.

            “Sure, I will tell them. Bye…” Theresa added.

            “Bye bye auntie Monica.” Lily also added. Monica waved a little and the laptop screen dissolved into darkness. Lily then moved back to her seat. Theresa was so excited. At least her sister had just spiced up her tedious day.

            “Oh we thank God…Monica. Lily finish up and let’s get going.” Theresa coaxed.