The Living and the Dead

"Money can't buy happiness because happiness is way too expensive, but money can provide happiness because money can take you around the world and buy you lots of chocolates. I hope someday I'll leave the shores of this community and witness the beauty of the outer space." Ayo hallucinating while sleeping.

"Wake up Ayo, Wake up.

Who are you talking to in your dream?

I wish I had the means to record all you said but anyway I pray all your wishes come true someday", Sade emphasized..

"Ohhhh!!!!

Ohhhh!!!!

You shouldn't have woken me up, I was having a conversation with Layo, I saw her in my dream."

"Really?

Are you still dreaming?

Do you know what you saying?

You saw Layo?" Sade rhetorically asked.

Ayo continues;

"Yes, I did. I know what I'm saying. She asked me of my greatest dreams in life, I was saying it all to her and was about to hug her before you stirred an interlude and got me disconnected with her.

My heart is broken right now."

"Mommy!

Daddy!! (Oh, Daddy has went to work)

Mommy!!!

Please come.

Ayo said he saw Layo in his dream. I thought they said the dead and the living don't communicate nor relate, this is surreal to me, I'm finding it impossible to believe but if this is true then I'm jealous.

Why didn't she appear in my dream too but appeared only in that of Ayo."

Sade couldn't contain her emotions as she begins to cry because she would have framed the moment of she getting the privilege to see Layo again in her heart.

"My daughter stop crying, I quite understand where your emotions are watering from.

It is true they said the dead and the living don't communicate but that applies only in real life.

Sometimes, the dead and the living communicate in the dream, when we are deadly alive.

Most especially when you lose someone you love, someone close to your heart, they visit you in your dream to either wave goodbye, to share some information with you or just see your face.

And please remember; Layo is not dead. She might not be with us but she lives right in our heart.

A good way to know she is with us is the confession from the King. Does anyone of you asked what instigated the confession? He might have been threatened in his dream by the innocent lives he has maimed and traded for riches." Mrs Biobaku calmly emphasized.

She continues;

"Time up for narratives, school resumes today.

Sade, go wake your sister and get her set for school.

Ayo, as school resumes today, you know your sister (Sade) won't be resuming with you cause her FEC exam is in 2 weeks and she needs to make adequate preparation by staying at home to study as advised by the school.

Aduke is your responsibility now, please do all you can in ensuring that she is safe and progressive in her academics.

You know you have always been her second dad, please don't stop being that to her cause your father is always at work and I'm always doing all I can to go to the market, to hawk and make some savings all for you to be comfortable.

Also, please don't get carried away by your academical progress so far, you've done well but you can still do better. I'm proud of you, I love you son (They hugged). And please, kindly meet with the Secretary of your school and request for our financial status so as for us to pay for your school fees now that the angelic demon (The King) is dead.

"Okay mommy, I promise never to disappoint you." Ayo replied.

With a chuckle on the face of Ayo, he continues.

"Sister, sister, you're enjoying now. I hope someday I'll always be a Senior in school, register for FEC exam and also stay at home and enjoy."

"Ayo!

My best friend, my brother, my first husband, my guardian, my second dad.

Don't be in a hurry, someday soon you'll achieve the same feat. For now, just keep making us proud.

But to know, I heard dad and Ogbeni Alakija having a conversation about them registering you and Soyinka for FEC exams next year." Sade said.

"That will be a great idea but will the school allow us to take such risk? More so, FEC exam isn't a child's play." Ayo swiftly replied.

"I can't categorically confirm but I think I overheard them having such discussion, stating that there is only a condition in between. What the condition is or what it will be, I don't know."

Sade emphasized.

"Aduke, there are some biscuits in your bag, you can have them during your half hour time," Sade said.

"Thank you sister," Aduke replied.

"Goodbye" Ayo and Aduke chorused as they waved..

Its the usual practice for Ayo and his siblings at all times to always trek to school. But this time, Ayo who is just 14 years of age takes the responsibility of fathering his sister - Aduke by the wheel.

Despite the school being some hundreds of kilometers away from home, Ayo places his sister on his back so as to give her adequate comfort and save her feet from being heavy at the afterwards of trekking.

"You both are early to school today, you don't want to taste from my unrelenting sweetened pendulum that strikes the butts of late comers and place a reminder on their butts that; 'Dear late comer, never come late to school again.'" Mr Ben said with smiles gracing his face.

He continues;

"By the way, where is Sade?"

"She is at home preparing for her exams." Ayo replied

"Oh, that's true." Mr Ben replied in acknowledgement.

He continues;

"Go inside and ready for today's study."

Ayeni, who has spotted Ayo and his sister from afar ran towards them to exchange pleasantries with Ayo and to convey the message he was sent by his mom to Ayo.

"Good Morning Ayo, you are a bit early to school." Ayeni said.

"Good Morning Ayeni, but why is everyone saying 'I am early to school today?' Am i a perpetual late comer?" Ayo replied.

"Not really my friend, you're just an unusual early comer", they all bursted out in laughter including Aduke who had enjoyed a hitch free movement to school.

"Take, my mom told me to give you these chocolates." Ayeni said.

Oh!

"All these for me?" Ayo asked in a gesture of surprise.

"Yes, my friend." Ayeni replied.

"Thank you

Thank you.

I'll come visit her after school." Ayo professed.

"No, she requested you not to do that because she knows you'll want to." Ayeni proclaimed.

"Oh, that's generous of her. Please kindly extend my heartwarming appreciation to her.

I love chocolate, its just so sad that its been years I last had one.

Thank you once again." Ayo commented.

They all dispersed as they; Ayeni and Ayo went to their class while Aduke joyously went to her class with her happily jumping to the rhythm in her head knowing to her that she has biscuits in her bag and will also have a share in the chocolates that was gifted to Ayo by Ayeni's mother.