Chapter One

DEDICATION 

I dedicate this book to my LORD and KING, JESUS CHRIST, my beautiful family, and to all environmental activists.

 DREAM PARADISE

 BY NIGHTENGALE BEN-ONYEUKWU

Chapter One

 Abinla got up early in the morning, stretched her aching body before heading for her mother's room. Yawning, she pushed the door open and walked inside. Seeing her mother shivering in the cold, she felt tears stealing into her eyes. Crossing her arms across her chest, she muttered, 'Mum, I know you will get through this.' Then, she reached for her mother's bed, pulled back the covers and wrapped her arms around her mother, feeling her temperature and speaking hope into her life. 

 'You will be fine. You just need some rest,'Abinla said when her mother opened her eyes. 'Mum, you've to be strong for Ayibaemi and I.' 

 'I will, baby,' Boma muttered, stroking Abinla's hair gently. 

Abinla was about to rise from the bed when she caught Ayibaemi watching them from the doorway.

 'We don't have to disturb, mum,' said Abinla as she covered her mother, and started for the door, heading for the kitchen. Ayibaemi trailed behind her.

When Abinla put on the kettle to boil water for their bath, Ayibaemi said, 'Sister, get breakfast ready. Leave the water to me. I can do that.' 

 'Okay, thanks,' Abinla said as she reached for the pot which had last night's dish. Opening the lid, she said, 'Ayibaemi, let me warm this for mum so she could eat her medicine.' 

 Ayibaemi brought down the kettle from the stove and placed the pot of Kekefia. He took it down when it was warm, and then placed back the kettle on the stove. 

Abinla ladled the dish into a small chipped bowl and took a spoon from the rickety rack close to the window. She took the food into her mother's room and carefully spooned the food into her mother's mouth. Boma ate until she was full. Then, Abinla went to the kitchen and quickly poured a cup of warm water. She put the medicine and water on a chair, and then reached out her hands to hold her mother, trying to help her sit up.

Boma had been sick for almost a month now, and only had the chance to take medicine when her children got money from the empty plastic bottles they picked, littered on the road or thrown in the bush. 

 When Boma started to sit up, she then felt a slight pain on her head. 'My head hurts,' she murmured.

 'You'll be fine, mum,' Abinla said gently, trying her best to reassure her mother that she would get back on her feet.

'I know. Someday you will build us a paradise world,' Boma smiled, teasing Abinla. 'The towns and villages will be magnificently wrapped in beautiful beaches, ocean views and breathtaking landscapes like you have always imagined. In that paradise, I will be the queen mother. I will always wear long gowns, starry crowns and high heels.' 

Grinning, Abinla said hopefully, 'Mum, I am going to do that. I have already imagined what my dream world would be like...before 2200 I will actualise that.' 

 'We will all die before then,' Boma said, laughing gently.

 'We don't need to wait till then...As long as there is life; there is hope for a new paradise.'

Boma nodded with a smile. She laid a hand on Abinla's head. 'I trust you would someday live in the paradise you have always dreamed of.'