The Last Survivors - Episode 3

 

Obiorah stood to his feet and asked to be given some water; which Austin gave to him. Obiorah drank the water so greedily that everyone in the living room could hear him as he gulped down each cup he poured out for himself.  It was as if everyone in he living room was waiting for him to finish. He must have read the cue,  so he spoke up “Michael is dead, and there is no debating it; however, whosoever brought him back to life, also took Angelique”. “I don’t understand what you meant by that . Tell me what happened in Malta?” Queried Melinda. “Something we all never took serious happened on that Island nation six years ago. Perhaps it was what killed Michael. We can’t be sure that it was, but it is the only explanation we have for what is happening right now”, explained Obiorah, “But you haven’t told me what happened in Malta” remarked Melinda. “Melinda it was called ‘The Riches of the Grave’. It is no business of yours, just stay out of it. Let those of us who made the choice to wish for ‘The Riches of the Grave’ face the consequences”, said Simon

Obiorah, Verah and Simon stood up to leave “Wait! Let me call him”, said Melinda and rang up Michael’s number, she made sure her phone was on loud speaker. “Hi Melinda how is the get-together going? Are you guys missing me?” Asked Michael

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. They all stared at each other in disbelieve. “You shouldn’t have missed it”, said Melinda “Can you put the guys on the phone let me speak with them?” “Speak on; the phone is on loud speaker” “Hi guys, it feels like forever! Did you guys miss me?”. “Miss you? I don’t get it Michael. We buried you in your home town, Eku-Obhiosa, in Edo state six years ago, how come you are alive?” Asked Obiorah
Verah shouted “Oh my God!” pointing at Obiorah. A bloody fluid, with silvery mix was coming out of Obiorah’s nose.

Obiorah tried to wipe out whatever it was with his hand; but it seemed his effort unlocked a tap in his nostrils and the odd fluid began to flow out much more. In that moment, Obiorah slumped into an arm chair next to him gasping for breath. Austin and Simon picked up Obiorah and moved him into Simon’s car parked outside and drove him off to a hospital.

The next day, Melinda and her friend huddled up in a restaurant, talking in hushed voices as they tried very hard to figure out what was happening to them. While they explored every possible explanation put forward as to why they were dying in strange manners

Verah suddenly flung away her phone in her hand, swinging her head insanely and violently pulling at her hair. Her voice rent the air as she ran into the streets screaming. “AAAH! AAAH!”

Simon went after her and swiftly wrestled her to the ground.

In a moment of time passers-by gathered around Simon and Verah “Austin! Melinda! Someone help me! She is becoming too strong for me!”
On-lookers didn’t need any other invitation. They lent their help and pin Verah on the ground.

Trust Nigerians, they always want to help; “Remove her shoes!” “No! Give her salt!” “No! She will run into the market! Give her red oil!” “Water! Water! Pour water on her!” A fat woman came out with a bucket of water and emptied it on Verah and the young men holding her to the ground. “Make way! Baba Oloye is here! He will cure her!”

At this point Melinda, kicked into action. “No! No! We don’t need native doctors to help her! Can anybody pray for her?” A sudden hush swept through the crowd. A few people in the slient crowd stared at her angrily. “Please someone pray for my friend”, said Melinda amid tears. “Madam if you no want make your friend die, allow Baba Oloye cure am”, said a man in the crowd. “No! I will pray for your friend madam”, said a man in the crowd. Every one turned to see a lanky, haggard looking young man, clutching a gigantic bible in his right hand, he made his way to Verah, Melinda was confused;  she couldn’t tell who needed prayer more,  whether the young man or Verah. The young man stooped close to Verah’s head and commanded in a low voice. “Thus foul spirit of insanity I adjure you by the name of Jesus, the Holy One come out of this woman and enter her no more!” in that very intance, Verah raised her head and spewed thick, slimy, mucus into his face and the crowd broke into a scornful laughter at the young man.

Melinda stood looking nonplussed and wishing she had allowed Baba Oloye to cure her friend. “Okay Baba I am sorry. Please help my friend”. “Can you see the problem with little children,you don’t know anything and yet you carry yourselves about with choking arrogance; I would have helped your friend since but you wouldn’t let me. Shebi dey pray for am?Wetin kon happen..?” While Baba Oloye spoke, Verah cried “Get off me! You are breaking my hand! Simon what is it?” The crowd turned their attention to the woman on the ground. Simon and the volunteers got off her as she stood to her feet.

Stealltily Baba Oloye took a walk and disappeared into the crowd. Melinda went over to the young man and tendered her apology for losing her faith in God. They exchanged numbers and he left Verah and her friends got in their cars and left the scene.

At Melinda’s house, they reconvened. “Lanre has completely lost his mind. Obiorah and Angelique are dead and Verah momentarily lost her mind. Can any of you please tell me what happened in Malta six years ago?  What is ‘The Riches of the Grave’ which Obiorah mentioned before he died?” Asked Melinda. “Melinda you were in London then. The rest of us where in Malta holidaying. One day we all except Michael went to the beach to relax. It all began when Angelique ran into an Iranian astrologer and palm reader on the beach. The Iranian astrologer was able to convince Angelique that he had the power to make her become weathier by transferring people’s stars and destinies to her for just fiffy dollars. The only rule was that Angelique must wish for the destiny of the person close to her. Angelique was eager to try it out and paid the man fifty dollars. The Iranian astrologer performed a simple ritual”, explained Verah.

“Her wish was to have Michael’s destiny. After the ritual she called all of us to try it out.  We all did then paid the man fifty dollars each and somehow everyone one of us wished to have Michael’s destiny.  He was the star among us,  the Richest and the most successful. It was after the rituals that we learnt it was called ‘The Riches of the Grave”. “And what does that mean?” Asked Melinda. “It means that the person whose destiny you have wished for will die to release his or her destiny to you”, explained Simon. “Oh God why didn’t the man undo the rituals after you all learnt the truth?” Asked Melinda. “We tried all we could but he said there was now way to undo it”, replied Verah. “Three hours after the rituals, Michael’s plane to London crashed and Michael was the only person who died”, said simon. “We killed him! We deserve what is happening to us now! Since that day, I have watched everyone one of us prosper tremendously. It is as if a force, a being, has since that day been throwing good stuffs at me and everyone of us”, said Verah.

Melinda’s phone rang and startled her. It was Michael. “It is Michael”
She put the phone on loud speaker and they all listened. “Melinda, are Verah & Simon there with you?” “Yes they are here”, replied Melinda “Can I speak with them?” “Go on they can hear you”, replied Melinda “Okay friends I know you must be wondering how Is it that I am alive. Now here is the truth, all of you were decieved that day on that beach in Malta. You were not told the whole truth about ‘The Riches of the Grave’ I am aware you know the part where you wish for a certain person’s destiny blah blah. There is also the part where the dead gets to make a wish before he/she dies. I was napping on that plane to London. I felt a strong urge to sleep. In my short trance, a being visited me and told me I was going to die. He asked me to make a wish before my death. I made my wish and my wish was to come back someday and take every one of you back to my grave. I have taken Angelique, Obiorah and Lanre; soon you will hear of his death. Only the two of you, Verah and Simon are left. Right now I have three hours left to return to my grave. I want the two of you to know that I am coming for you”. They heard the call being dropped and the line went dead.

The Riches of the Grave was an ancient persian ritual which originated in northern persia that involves with dark magic.Their lord was Ahura.They could shift, delay and transfer destinies as they so wished. It was a follower of this dark magic Verah and the rest all ran into in Malta.

“Oh God! What shall we do? I am a dead man walking”, exclaimed Simon. “Michael has to understand that none of us would have gone ahead with the ritual if we had known how evil it was. I don’t want to died now”. Cried Verah “Wait! Could it have been death that came for you Verah at the restaurant today?” “Why did you ask Melinda?” Austin queried.

Read " The Quest " by the same author ( Ifeoma Isabella Okeke )

. “If it was death from Michael, that means we have already beaten him once today! All we have to do is go back to the young man who prayed for Verah and all of this will be over”, said Melinda with excitement. Simon jacked his head up and asked. “Do you have the guy’s number?” “He gave me his number; I save it as STRONG PASTOR”, replied Melinda. Melinda began to search through her phonebook to find the guys number; for no clear reason she could not find the name in her phone book and told them so.

“What do we do next?” Asked Simon “Lets go back to that restaurant and look for the pastor. There must be someone there who knows him”, announced Austin. They all ran out and got into Austin’s car and drove off to the restaurant. Surprisingly none of the people knew the young man. “Can’t we find another person to pray for them? We are running out of time?” said Austin “Who do you suggest we go to right now?” Asked Melinda “Anybody who can pray”. They all went outside and stood by the sidewalk. “I am feeling giddy!” Shouted Verah
“I feel Michael is here! I feel him!” shouted Simon. Suddenly Verah shouted.
TBC