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DOES THIS BEFALL A MAN?

 



Asudo  was left in agony and the  pains was too unbearable. He walked up and down in his hut, shaking his head in disbelief of the misfortune that has strucked him the second time in barely three months. The painful memory of having his daughter died in his arms the other night, with all efforts to bring her back to life was still very fresh in his mind and now the only son who Asudo has lived all his life for was no more.


 Like a nightmare where one fought against unseen forces, his son passing 

send sweats thru his chin. 


He walked into the room where the lifeless son was stretch out on a mat, with a lantern 🏮 to light the room for the night till morning when the poor boy was to be committed to mother earth.


He dropped the lantern on a wooden table, sat down on the mud floor and cried bitterly within his heart. Though he was known for being a brave man, but this particular pain broked him into pieces as he searched for answers to this predicament that has befallen him.


He thought of what to do especially with the way things were going.  He wondered what was going to happen next as it is often said that A FLAME THAT CONSUME THE BEARDS OF A GOAT IS LOOKING FOR THE FACE.


He recalled being adviced by a friend after the passing of his daughter to seek means to stop the impending doom that was about to befall his family but he took it for a joke then, and now the thunder had struck his right hand,  his only son.


When the friend asked him to seek means, Asudo never wanted soiling his hands especially seeking debolic ways to find out what was wrong with his family but now it seems that was what life wanted and the only option left, perhaps. 


He gave it a thought and looking at the lifeless body of his 18 years old son, Idong, Asudo nodded his head as if in agreement with his last thought.


He rose,  laid the lantern 🏮 close the lifeless son, and walked out of the room.


The next morning, sympathisers trooped into Asudo's compound with cries raining heavily.  Every corner of the hut was with people in pairs consoling  each other while others were crying. Asudo stood motionless, watching as his two kids cry their heart out. The mother died during the delivery  of his last daughter, Enoabasi.


Idong, the lifeless boy was wrapped in a clothe as there was no money for such emergency coffin. Asudo took him with the help of some youths and laid him to rest.


That night, after the burial of Asudo's only son, Asudo seek for his friend who once advised him to seek forVbBLAGGED VGack goat while it was still daylight. 


The next morning, Asudo and the friend Awajiekong left the house at the crow of the cock in search of the black goat who has brought sorrows to his house.


TO BE CONTINUED...


******


✍🏽 Patrick Ekong

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