Just a Dream (II)

JUST A DREAM (II)

     “Just a dream?” Madam Ade pondered, pop-eyed as she sat lonely on a plastic seat at her matrimonial home’s balcony.

     It was barely one week after the burial of her late husband’s remains, at 8:00am on Saturday precisely. She was yet to get the picture of that very dream clearly. To her, Chief R.O. Ade’s abrupt murder was a true manifestation of that nightmare experienced by her last child, Tunji. But she needed a clearer interpretation in order not to go astray. The question remained: who would do the long awaited interpretation? A prophet, chief priest, soothsayer, or a native doctor? Nevertheless, all she knew was that she needed an interpreter, but how to go about it was what the poor widow was yet to come about.

    “What type of dream was that?” She continued in her mourning attire – white silk wrappers and top coupled with white hair scarf and earrings.

     “Mum,” said the 23-year-old Lola who happened to be the firstborn of the couple as she walked to the balcony. “So, you are all alone here.”

     Lola was a three hundred level (300L) undergraduate. She alongside her immediate younger brother named Tunde was the only one who had gotten to a tertiary institution among four of them.

     “My dear,” Madam Ade responded. “Don’t mind your mother.”

      Lola sat closely to her. “Mummy,” she called. “You have to stop thinking about this.” She advised, paused. “Only God knows why dad left at the time we needed him most.”

     Lola and her other two siblings were yet to be briefed on the much-think-about dream. It was still a matter between Tunji and his mum.

     “Where is Tunji?” Madam Ade verified.

     “He’s in his room.” replied Lola

     “Please, go and call him.”

     “Okay mum.” She said, stood up and walked away.

     “Yes mum.” Tunji said the moment he joined his mother in a jiffy as requested in the company of Lola.

     “Please, sit down.” Madam Ade urged him.

    Tunji quickly sat on a separate plastic seat situated very close to his mum’s. On her part, Lola resumed hers. Both siblings were seated opposite each other, facing their mother who was flanked by them.

     “Tunji,” madam Ade called calmly. “Please, tell me more about that dream.”

     “The dream?” quoth Tunji.

      Madam Ade nodded continuously.

     “Which dream?” Lola interrupted.

     “Your kid brother here,” quoth Madam Ade, gesticulating. “Had a very terrible dream prior to your daddy’s death.” She cleared the air hesitantly.

     “A terrible dream?” wondered Lola, looking at both parties.

      Madam Ade nodded. “I am still pondering on it.” She confessed.

     “Tunji,” Lola called. “What’s the dream all about?” She inquired, became perturbed.

     “Daddy was shot in the dream.” Tunji disclosed.

     “Shot…?”

     “Ya,” said Tunji. “He was shot dead.”

     “You mean,” quoth Lola. “daddy was shot dead in the dream?”

      The pale-looking Tunji nodded.

      “Oh my God!” Lola exclaimed, occupied with burning sensation. “Who shot him dead?” she added.

      “Uncle Alagbo.” responded Tunji.

      “Uncle Dada Alagbo?” She enquired, agitated. “His closest colleague in the office?”

      Tunji replied via a nod.

      “No, it can’t be true.” Lola disagreed. “Uncle Dada was daddy’s best friend nah.”

      “That is exactly where I am deeply confused.” Madam Ade interrupted.

      Intriguingly, the man in question, Mr. Alagbo played a very major role, both financially and otherwise, during Chief Ade’s burial rites. And, he was as well greatly touched by the incident.

      “Tunji,” Madam Ade proceeded. “Where was your dad shot in the dream?”

      “In the head.”

      “I didn’t mean the part of his body,” said Madam Ade. “I meant, at which area?”

     “In his car,” replied Tunji. “When he was returning from office.”

     “Were you in the car?” quoth Madam Ade.

     “Yes mum,” said Tunji. “I was seated at the front with dad.”

     “And, you were not shot, right?”

     “Yes mum.”

     “How many persons were involved in the assassination?”

     “Three.”

      Lola shook her head. “Same number of persons that came to the house.” She thought .

     “And, they weren’t masked?” Madam Ade inquired.

     “Yes, mum.” Tunji said. “Their faces were left widely open.”

     “So, one of them happened to be Mr. Alagbo?”

      Tunji nodded frantically. “He was the one that pulled the trigger,” he notified. “Thrice.”

     “Thrice…?” Lola interrupted, bemused. “Exactly the number of times I was told daddy was shot.”

      Madam Ade shook her head. “This is getting more confusing.”

     “Tunji,” Lola called. “What time was that in the dream?”

     “In the afternoon, about 4pm” responded Tunji. “The time daddy usually returned from office.”

     There was absolute unsolicited tranquility.

      In a few seconds time, Late Chief R.O. Ade’s younger and only brother, Mr. Dele Ade who lived closely joined them, hurriedly sat on one of the plastic seats situated a bit farther from the gathering, looked very rejected and tattered.

     “Good morning Uncle Dele!” Lola and Tunji chorused.

     “Good morning, Dele.” Madam Ade followed suit.

     “There is nothing good about the morning ooh…” Mr. Dele exclaimed, scratching all over his body.

    “Such is life.” Madam Ade said, thinking he was still much disturbed by his brother’s departure.

     “I killed him.” Mr. Dele hinted immediately. “I killed him ooh…”

     “What a hell are you talking about?” Madam Ade quarreled apprehensively. “You killed who?”

      Others looked at him in silent awe.

     “I killed Brother Remi ooh.”

      Remi was the first name of his late elder brother, Chief R.O. Ade.

     “You killed who?” Madam Ade shouted, stood up.

     “Yes, I killed him.” He said repeatedly.

      Lola and Tunji couldn’t fathom the unforeseen scenario; they were both trapped in their respective seats. In the process, their other siblings rushed to the balcony having overheard the unwonted noise coming from their mother, only to encounter the mind-boggling disclosure.

     “You mean,” Madam Ade ranted. “You killed your only brother?”

      Mr. Dele Ade had been looking for a means to eliminate the deceased owing to greed. He wanted to own all the plots of land they inherited from their late father all alone. He was of the view that once he succeeded in eliminating Chief R.O. Ade, his two male children wouldn’t be a serious case or a troublesome issue afterwards.

     It might equally interest you to acknowledge that during the burial, while the deceased corpse was dressed in a coffin, according to their custom, it was accompanied with a blunt cutlass to enable his spirit haunt anyone responsible for his demise; though Mr. Dele made a futile effort to oppose the arrangement, stating that it was fetish thus against their family’s faith.

     The uncontrollable uproar raised by Madam Ade immediately after the confession, attracted everyone far and within to Late Chief Remi Ade’s compound. They couldn’t believe their ears as soon as they were briefed on what was going on.

     Therein, Mr. Dele took to the street in an insane mood, leaving his clothes except pants behind.

     Arguably, the evil that men do lives with them, contrary to the famous presumption that it lives after them. Or, what’s your opinion? Think about it!

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