Hushed Echoes

Marco woke up with a dissolute feeling in his eyes, he could not sleep but kept tossing on his bed all through the night, his bulging eyes seems to emanate an excruciating pain as though they were about to decamp from their sockets.

The foul smelling gnash on his legs and arms ached intensely making him feel miserable, he glanced awkwardly at the brass clock, it was 6:30am at the clock of dawn.

He made an attempt to rise but the persistent pain which had diffused all over his body, rendered him incapacitated, the occasional twinges of his headache also aggrevated his wretchedness.

“Fred! Fred?” He called out, but there was no response.

“Where could he have gone to?” Marco asked rhetorically.

He tried again to get up from the bed, it was rather too difficult fr him, as a result, he decided to rest for some few hours, this he felt would help in regaining his strength, waking up In the morning as early as possible was usual to him, he had been accustomed to rising early, right from childhood.

The thought of his mother pounded his troubled mind, he vividly remember his mother’s popular saying whenever he overslept, how she would be by his bed side, lean over to tap him on the shoulder and whispeo, ” Marco wake up, for an early riser is an aftermath toilet”

Marco eyes were filled with tears as they began to roll down his cheeks, ” Oh mother, what have I done to deserve this?” He asked, anticipating no reply.

He paused for a moment and stared squarely at the ceiling for a moment, ” I will make it mother, I must be rich, I must struggle and survive” Marco snapped and patted his chest tenderly, ” Yes, my mother must enjoy the fruit of her labor, I shall not stop until I get to the top, no matter how long the ladder of life is, I shall not rest until I get to the Pinnacle” Marco muttered as he wriggled under the coverlet.

His mother Maria had always been the most important person in his life and his life over the years had been tied monumentally to her apron strings, she was what could be described as the best mother in the whole world.

A tremendous quintessence of hospitality, always loving, Caring and whimsical, her indulgence had always enormous to him despite the face that they were wallowing in abject poverty, she would struggle and strive relentlessly to ensure that her son was happy and contented.

Marco father died twenty five years ago on the even of his son’s birthday from a ghastly motor accident, on that fateful day, Maria as she was fondly called over the neighborhood was making preparations to celebrate her son’s second birthday anniversary, obviously she was waiting for her husband who had gone out to attend his younger brother’s wedding.

Maria sat on a wooden stool that morning doing a thorough washing of the clothes her son was going to wear the following day and at the same time she was humming the tune of one of the most prolific highly singer in the country, such humming was a characteristics of her whenever she engaged in her domestic chores.

Having wash and rewash for the third time, she was about to cross the threshold to get some water when a young girl, her neighbor’s daughter ran swiftly towards her, howling and clinging to the edge of her dress.

“It is Marco’s father” she said dejectedly trying to catch her breath, using the edge of her top, she wiped her tears, ” accident! accident!” She shouted, ” your husband had been involved in a motor accident” salu bellowed ruefully, putting her hand on her head, the tears rushing out of her eyes again.

Immediately Maria slumped on the ground and let out a blood curdling scream, ” How? how did it happen? where did it happen?” She yelled out in pain and anguish, using both her hands to pull the strands of her hair, gyrating round the ground with such poignancy as if she were beckoning on the ground to open up and swallow her.

Her shrill voice consequently attracted the attention of her neighbors and within a short while, pandemonium broke out as every body became curious to know what exactly was amiss.

However none of them could openly relate the unfortunate news to the anticipated crowd of sympathizers that had gathered there with a growing sense of anxiety. It took the effort of Jamal, one of Marco father’s closest friend to bring the uncontrollable weeping to a halt.

“For goodness sake, what is going on?” He screamed out with terror, ” how can you both be crying as if you have been stabbed with a hot sword” he snarled.

“It is an accident and Marco father is a victim” Salu said with fear gnawing at her heart.

“Accident? How? Where?” Jamal retorted with fear and trepidation written all over his face.Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive © material.

“It occurred this morning at Maryland extension, at about 7:30 am” Salu replied with a trembling voice, still crying.

“Then we have to get there as fast as possible to see what exactly has happened” Jamal ordered Marco’s mother to get ready.

He then ran briskly to get his car key, prepare and few minutes later he returned, he turned on the old car which responded quickly, Maria emerged from her doorway and beckon on Salu to take care of her son while she was away.

The journey to Maryland road extension was to her like one driving through the valley of the shadow of death, as she sat nervously at the back seat of the car, her heart beat wildly in her chest, beads of swear formed on her forehead, her hands were visibly shaking.

Maria perceived the accident to be an event that was capable of causing a severe injury, permanent disability and even death.

Her mind flashed back to the terrible dream she had the night before, how a hawk descended into her room from no where and took away her most valuable dress, while she watched without being able to utter a word.