Chapter Twenty-Six

The New Year eve season approached. They all went for watch night service to celebrate the arrival of a new year and to thank God for bringing them into a brand New Year. They sat down next to one another, preparing and waiting for the service to commence. Eventually the pastor came on the pulpit and then kicked off the program with prayers; the next thing on the line was intercessory prayers. The way the pastor began was a surprise to everyone. He urged everybody to stand to their feet. He then started with the casting out of evil spirits, a deliverance prayer. Some church members began praying in tune with the pastor, while another group of members gossiped with one another. Perhaps the gossip would be if the pastor really knew that they were actually here for a celebration of the new year and not a deliverance session. The other sects just opened their eyes and concentrated on the screens of their phones, among which Mary was included. Bianca and her adoptive father just stood and watched the scenario that was ongoing. The pastor then moved from the deliverance session and entered another session, which was actually the spirit of death.

"My fellow brethren, we are almost on the brink of a new year and we are very sure that we will enter into it. Now let's pray that every form of death that has been designed for us, our relatives, and our loved ones shall be nullified," the pastor said with all fervency.

Together with her adopted father, Bianca closed her eyes and began to pray sincerely. Mary, on the other hand, showed less concern for the prayer as she continued pressing her phone, and then she took a seat. Mary wasn't bothered when the pastor started moving all over the place. When Bianca opened her eyes, Mary was seated. She wondered whether she ought to encourage her to pray or not. Finally, she chose the first option and instructed Mary to stand and pray. Mary grinned and got to her feet, but she found it difficult to close her eyes. Bianca kept on praising God. The pastor halted the prayers after thirty minutes and asked the congregation to sit while he left the pulpit for the upcoming activities. In order to see how long they had been praying, Mary turned her phone towards Bianca. 10:30 p.m. was the time.

"Wow!" Bianca said.

"Did you see the time the pastor used in praying?" Mary said annoyingly, "The time we would have used in dancing to God, we spent it on deliverance. A time we are supposed to give celebration to God."

Bianca thought of the answer to give but she was short of words. A smile was her response.

The chorus began with the choristers all dressed in beautiful garb as they danced to appeal to the congregation to follow them in dancing and praising God. It sparked the entire congregation back to life. Their voices hit the ceiling of the roofs, singing and dancing to God.

The New Year's holiday season was winding down. Organisations and institutions resumed their duties after going on a short vacation for the holiday season. Mary's dad went back to his workplace after blessing them. The university had commenced lectures. Mary had prepared all her belongings in readiness to kick off the brand-new year for her last year at university. She was glad that this would be the year that she would be finishing her course. She called Bianca to the sitting room for a conversation.

"Big sister, congrats to you, finally this will be your year," Bianca commenced.

"Thank you" she said enthusiastically, "I want to tell you the story that you have been waiting for."

"Oh, I would be glad." Bianca ululated.

"The mystery evolving around James Brin," she said.

Bianca smiled and readjusted her sitting position.

"I'd known James since we were both students at the same university," Mary commenced. "James Brin was the son of a notorious drug smuggler and baron, Mr. Brin. They had a large company with so many disguised branches across Nigeria where they perpetrated evil. Evil in the sense that they taught their employees how to smuggle hard drugs out of the country with so much bribery and good promises to the customs officers. We would learn the following day, or sometimes weeks later, that the customs officer had mysteriously passed away once they realised the customs officers weren't going to be bought off. We all knew that his father had planned to have them killed, but the media remained silent about it, saying there was no proof. The workers were much more at risk because the country they were sent to occasionally deported them from their own country; other countries either executed them right away or imprisoned them, which left the country they were from with a very negative reputation. Employees were drawn to work because of the handsome salary they expected to receive at the end of the month, but they were forced to sign their way to death if they disobeyed their commandment. This was their requirement before giving the job to any of them who were applicants to the company. James Brin caused a lot of trouble in school, threatening lecturers and fellow students. Rumour had it that he was involved in the killing of a lecturer who refused to give him an undeserved mark. The school administration summoned him to the disciplinary committee for questioning after hearing from numerous witnesses that he would have played a significant role in the lecturer's murder, but we overheard him threatening them with death letters. At that point, they called him again to the disciplinary committee. Multiple gunshots took over the campus as everybody rested on the bare floor. The gunshot became so intense to the extent that some of us repented of our sin and accepted God as the creator of the universe. The gunshot was so powerful that my room's windows shook and made a crackling sound. That day, my heart was beating fast. I imagined myself in heaven. I couldn't talk to my roommates. It was a day when I prayed that I would not have to live through another war."

"After two hours of consistent gunshots, it subsided very well, and eventually it stopped. I didn't dare to go outside that day. My roommates and I were indoors throughout."

"It took me approximately a week to learn that James Brin was the sole perpetrator of the gunshot. He likely started it to frighten everyone into running for cover and then disrupt the disciplinary committee's ability to continue meeting. In which he was successful, but police and military arrived to apprehend the offender. We even heard James shot dead officers once they found his hiding place. James was shot directly in the muscle by skilled military soldiers, who then forced him to surrender the gun he was holding before arresting him."

"The next thing we heard from the media was that he was kept in detention, and that was how his case died. That was why I shouted that day when you mentioned his name, because I thought he was still in prison, waiting for his trial," Mary revealed.

"What a scary tale!" Bianca spoke out, "How did he smuggle that type of gun into the university?"

"That is what we asked ourselves," said Mary, "I even forgot to tell you about his deadly father who almost got into prison."

"Please go ahead," she urged Mary.

"His father's company was single handedly sued by John Kemery, a popular warrior in court who had never lost a case. He decided to file a civil lawsuit against the company because the products they produced were harmful and illegal. He also filed a claim for damages for a female employee who was sexually harassed by one of the top managers of the company."

She continued, "we, the citizenry, were shocked when we learned of the action he took since no one dared challenge the firm, and even if you did, the government would inadvertently support them. So, there was no chance for you to succeed as a plaintiff as all of your efforts would be in vain. The renowned John Kemery filed some breaches against them in spite of this."

"The court would become congested whenever the case was up for hearing since everyone was anxious to find out the verdict. Will he triumph or fail? The people kept thinking about John Kemery's circumstance. Before we know it. The case would be adjourned and the next hearing would take place in up to five months. The story of the adjournment was now starting to feel a bit rigmarole-like. The now and then adjournment was ruining the beautiful momentum that was enjoyable to watch and hear even though we already knew John Kemery would win."

"Up until the moment we learned that John Kemery had died from food poisoning. The news almost caused a media explosion. Personally, I sobbed uncontrollably. Heartbreaking news arose unexpectedly and without warning. A man who was prepared to fight against the nation's evil practises has passed away. That was a tragic development. Several months passed before the burial of the famous John Kemery was to be done. A lot of people trooped in from all directions of the country to experience the burial activities. During the eulogy for John Kemery, his only child was mentioned. He broke down in tears after five minutes of crying. He picked up the microphone and began his speech. He started his speech by vowing that he would personally make the people involved in the food poisoning of his father useless in this life. He then commended his father for his bravery and courage and promised to imitate him. A dirge was sung after his speech. The pallbearers brought out his father's casket, which they then placed inside the grave. The burial's organiser immediately suggested that a moment of silence be observed, and everyone agreed. After the pause for one minute, the pastor emerged with the John Kemery family."

'Ashes to ashes,' the pastor began.

They dug a spadeful of sand and threw it into the coffin.

'Dust to dust.'

They dug another spadeful of sand and threw it into the coffin.

'We commit the body of barrister John K. Kemery in the hands of our personal saviour, let him find rest until we all see him again in eternal life.'

They all echoed 'Amen.' "When the coffin was completely covered, they all began to pour sand. Everyone sobbed and cried until the funeral was over. Following the burial, everyone dispersed to their various homes while feeling depressed and gloomy. That was how that chapter closed."

"I turned on my data as I was exiting the lecture hall so that I could at least see some incoming Facebook messages. I came across a post with recent news. I was interested to learn more about the breaking news. The initial claim read, "Mr. Brin, the creator of new drugs, was dead." My happiness was out of control. He eventually passed away. But they remained silent about what killed him. Three years had passed since John Kemery's passing at that time. I think that was the end."

"Didn't they organise a burial ceremony?" asked Bianca, curiously.

"Who would attend?" responded Mary.

"People would still attend," said Bianca, "There might be scanty, but they would turn up."

"Okay," answered Mary, "But we didn't hear of any burial. Maybe they might have conducted a private burial."

"What was James Brin's reaction?"

"Do I know?" she answered, warily. "I think he was in the prison during the demise of his father, but I am not quite sure."

"Wow..." Bianca uttered, feeling pleased, "I noticed that he didn't raise his left hand up, after I carefully examined his left hand. I observed that the hand wasn't in a good position. It was somehow slacking. Now, I know the problem."

Mary smiled.

Bianca continued, "No wonder he said he was going to give me a job in the accounting sector and promised me that I would be the head of the accounting department, and also going to sponsor me all through my stay in the university, if only I was going to marry him."

"What was your response to him?" asked Mary.

"I told him NO, and when he still laid the juicy offer, that was when I asked him, where he was going to get all the money to sponsor me. Just guess what he said?"

"You shouldn't bother?" she answered cautiously.

"No. The first question was 'do I know his father?'"

"What was your answer?"

"I replied with a negative response, and he laughed and then jumped to another frivolous talk which I can't recall for now."

"My dear, you went to the university to pursue your dream career, don't allow anything to push you out of your dream. Make sure you fight for it until the end. I too was in your shoes before. Boys came to me, asking me out, some bought precious items for me and some even wished to be a friend to me. I rejected all except for a guy that I knew that truly loves me, he was ready to fight for me without any motives attached to it. I accepted him because of how he was also dedicated to his study. He told me about his own precarious background and vowed to bring his family out of the situation when he comes out of the university, and presently he is the only one with first class upper in biochemistry faculty."

"Wow…" Bianca said admiringly.

"Then I would be graduating as medical doctor, this year."

"Oh, what a wonderful day it would be," echoed Bianca.

"My dear, this life is not a bed of roses. We have to suffer to know the value of life. If we don't, then we are going to become miserable. If you think I am lying, just take a look at the children that were brought up with silver spoons throughout the existence of their parents on earth. And check what happened to them after the demise of their parents."

Bianca nodded in agreement to what she said.

"My dear, I have to be going now to school. I have given an extra key to Dad to start the work while we are in school. I think I have to leave now."

Mary picked up her belongings with Bianca aiding her in carrying the bags to the garage.

"You said you would be leaving tomorrow, right?" she asked Bianca when she was entering the bus.

"Yeah."

"Take care of yourself, bye." she said, taking a seat on the bus.

Bianca waved back at her and left the garage.