Lineage

Bankole Ajayi Part 9

Bankole ran home to his mother, he had to save her. It didn't matter if he remained a life member of the group, at least his Mama would be free. She had left him a note stating that she had gone to the hospital. She wrote she loved him so much and he must always remember that. Reading those words hurt him physically and emotionally. He was full of regrets for what he had done to his mother. She did not deserve all this just because she flogged him or did not believe him. Then suddenly he could feel the rage rising as he remembers the event, but he suppressed it and looked at the paper, reading his mother's words again. Bankole needed to focus on these words, on the good times they have had. He rushed out of the house then goes back in to get a bible and rushed to the hospital. The hospital was not too far away from their home, just a bus ride.

As Mama laid on the bed, he touched her forehead she had a burning fever. She opened her eyes when she felt someone touch her and smiled seeing him. He opened the bible to the 23rd Psalm and showed it to her; the bible laid open on her chest. She looked at it, smiled, and started praying the words.

Bankole looked at her and cried, "Mama, I am so sorry, it is all my fault."

"No!" she replied, shaking her head.

She kept saying the prayers. Bankole was already in pain. He took her hand, holding it tight.

"Mama, I love you," he said.

The pain was so excruciating that he fell on her.

"Bankole, what is it? Are you alright?" asked his mother.

He wanted to stop, but he had to save Mama. He summoned the strength to say it again.

"Mama, I love you."

This time he screamed, falling to the floor in pain. His mother was too weak she  could barely lift herself. Bankole was sprawling on the floor in pain. He tasted his blood in his mouth. He knew he was dying. Bankole could no longer see when he tried to talk he coughed out blood. His mother, looking down at her son, could not get out of bed. It was like a nightmare and with all of her strength; she called out for a nurse or doctor.

"NURSE, ANYONE!!!" she yelled as loudly as she could

No one heard her, no one was coming and her son is dying.

"Mama, I love you!" It was but a whisper.

Suddenly he was convulsing uncontrollably. Mama felt a surge of strength and dropped to  the floor, grabbed her son trying to keep him from hurting himself as he had the episode. She held him close and kept saying the 23rd Psalm.

* * * * * * * * *

Bankole regained consciousness, lying on the ground but not in the hospital. He is at the meeting spot with no one else was around. He felt exhausted, he could barely stand. He craved the flesh, for it would give him strength. There is no turning back now, he thought to himself.  With what he has done, Bankole could never leave the group. He could never love his mother again, but his mother would no longer be his weakness. They would never use her against him. He was going to become a bad boy and give his mother a lot of heartache, at least she would be alive and well. All that did not matter now, he was hungry. Bankole guessed it's because, in the real world, he was dying. He suddenly realized that he was not alone, Lydia was sitting at a corner. How long had she been watching him? He wondered.

"Bankole congratulation, you released your mother. I was right about you, you have a powerful spirit, but right now you are dying. I am wondering if I should let you live or die. You cannot survive this without the flesh. I can give you the flesh, but you must be ready to be my slave for a very very very long time," she said.

* * * * * * * * *

At the hospital, Bankole had stopped convulsing but was still unconscious. His mother tried CPR, no response, and his pulse was weak. She called his name, then she remembered he had been telling her he loved her.

She cried out, "Bankole, my son, I love you, my boy, I love you more than anything in this world. Dear God, save my son. Bankole, please come back to me. I love you too, baby."

Suddenly he started shaking again.

* * * * * * * * *

On the other side, Lydia standing over him and giving a piece of flesh which he was about to take when he heard Bankole, my son, I love you. Everyone was at the meeting and they all heard it. It was his Mama. Lydia was furious and confused she sat on his chest and yelled that they should hold him down. They grabbed his arms and legs while Lydia tried forcing the flesh into his mouth, but she could not. She tried strangling him, knowing that death in this realm will be death for real. He was too weak to put up any more resistance. It's better to die, he thought as he slowly was losing consciousness again. At that instance, he felt and another sharp pain in his chest and then he disappeared. Lydia found herself sitting on the ground with her fingers interlocked. The other members were still in the positions they were while holding Bankole down. They were aghast at what just happened. No one said a word. There were astonished that someone left the group, it's simply unheard of. Lydia stood up and screamed in anger. She and her comrade flew to the hospital where Bankole was. They were outside his window watching. When they saw he was alive they flew away.  

* * * * * * * * *

Bankole opened his eyes but saw darkness. Mama seeing him open his eyes knew he was back. She kissed him on the face and told him she loved him one more time. A nurse had finally come and picked him up from the floor and took him away. Bankole's doctor came in immediately after the nurse to attend to him but at the stage, Mama was half-conscious and could barely respond to the doctor.