The Establishment; Retold (Completed)

Finale

As the time for the panel inched closer, Moe knew if another escape could happen, it would be now.

"Hubris is every man's downfall." He thought to himself.

He just heard her divulge important information regarding her fatal weakness and as providence would have it...he, himself, was the weapon. This was because he knew who she was and what she looked like courtesy of the old man. He met her as Halima's mother the first time that day. However, how he would function as the weapon remained unknown to him. Just then the volume of the chants by the members of the establishment in preparation for the death panel grew louder through the office door.

"You hear that? It means your time's up. Goodbye and say hello to Mallam Iliya while at it."
She said taking on a serious tone.

Weaving both hands at Moe's trapped spirit...as if to crush his heart, she made a fist and tried to squeeze...Just then, a blinding white light exploded in the room with a deafening sound louder than he had ever heard in his life. Then the ground quaked...cracked open separating Moe and Hajia Dijeh. The jagged line in the floor passed through the door into the chamber room where the members were trying to escape the reckoning. But for the first time since they joined, their powers failed and they were left at the mercy of the quake. The chamber room was split asunder in different in directions. The quake spread to other parts of slaughterhouse, caving the whole building in on itself. The members and guards were running helter-skelter. Pandemonium had broken loose. As the building was collapsing over on itself killing them so was the ground swallowing what was left. As if in retribution to the amount of blood, it had been forced to drink over the years.

The foundation of the slaughterhouse became quick-sand swallowing everything like a hungry whirlpool. While all this was going on, she could hear over the loud noise, in her head, the voice of the One.

"Our bargain has come to an end. I'll have to extract my price."

Then she knew the taboo had been triggered. Moe must have seen her somehow and yet again she had lost to Mallam Iliya's ingenuity. The noise grew louder rendering her deaf, her eye-sight began to fail her....she could barely see the carnage going on in front of her. She could feel hands gripping at the heart and squeezing. Members were trying, but ultimately failing to survive the onslaught of the quake above and quicksand below. The establishment was falling apart. With eyes full of defiance, she used the last of her waning powers to open a portal to her bedroom. Bruised, bleeding and battered by the product of her failure in taking Moe's life, she stumbled into the portal falling on her bedroom floor leaving his spirit behind. Her powers were spent along with her life. She died deaf and blind knowing fully what awaited her in the next life.

Concurrently, as Hajia Dijeh breathed her last, the grip on Moe's spirit loosened. All the destruction didn't affect him because he wasn't there in physical form. Seeing all what was happened around him filled him joy and fear at the same time. There was justice in this life after all. This was the great purpose his father had talked about definitely. He only wished Mallam Iliya and Isiya were here to see what they hard started, end well. Despite their dark past, they were able to see the light and earn redemption in the end. Moe watched as the last brick of the slaughterhouse was swallowed up by sand like it had never existed. Then the white light that had initiated the chain reactions engulfed him...

The azhan for subhi prayers woke Moe from sleep....he must have been dreaming he thought to himself. However this dream was so vivid. He remembered all the details clearly....then he knew it wasn't a dream.

"Alhamdulilah...I am free at last."

Putting on his jallabiya, he made ablution and went to check on his family in the other rooms. They seemed to be doing just fine, sleeping soundly. Unlocking the latch on the door of his house, he walked into the early chilly winds of harmattan to the mosque to thank his Creator, the only way he knew how.

A month later, he travelled to where Halima lived to see how she was holding up. Only he, knew the truth behind her mother's death. Moe could never tell her and it would be the one secret, he'd be taking to his grave. They met up for lunch at one of the fancy restaurants in town. Halima was coming out of the house for the first time since Hajia Dijeh died. Her appetite was poor but he was able to cajole her into eating enough of the food. They talked about the usual; movies, books and their upcoming wedding. He was able to lift her mood and above all the lunch was a success.

On their way back, Moe couldn't help but notice how much she reminded him of Hajia Dijeh physically. He quashed the thought from his mind. This was his Halima, the girl that stood by him through the good and bad. All he wanted was to return the favour. He turned and looked into her emerald eyes;.

"Halima....I know the past weeks has been difficult for you. But I want you to know I'm here for you....for the good days... And the bad ones like this one you are currently having. Just stand with me and InShaAllah we'll be fine."

"I know Moe, I don't doubt you one bit. Ever since the first day I saw you...I knew you were the one. I pray the rest of our days together are
the best of our lives if Allah wills it."

To which they both replied

"Amin."

As they continued walking...an old man dressed in dull grey tazarce
with a cap and slippers close to the sidewalk accosted the both of them abruptly.

"Assalamu alaikum, my children". He said.

"Wa alaikum salam" They both replied.

And without waiting for the old man to talk, Moe smiled, produced a one-thousand naira note from his wallet and gave it to the old man. Then, he hugged the old man
tightly.

Leaving the old man behind, they could hear him praying for them on top of his voice as they continued their walk. Halima was visibly puzzled;

"That was intense. What was that all about?!" She asked making a confused face.

"It's a long story; maybe I'll get to tell you someday". Moe said grinning sheepishly.

"That's your cover for I'm never going to tell you. You still owe me like fifty stories since our sophomore year." She said looking smug.

"I didn't know you were keeping score. You know me so well."
He said pretending to look gloom.

"Mister, you look like smeagol whenever you make that face. Please bring back the face I fell in love with." She fired back.

"Fine. Fine." He retorted. Before bursting into laughter. Adding;

"Of all creatures, you had to pick smeagol? Haba Haba...You must really love me to have decided to be my precious!!!"

They both shared a good laugh as they walked into the sunset......

The End