Wormwood

Static Sounds 2

Few seconds after regaining herself, Mrs Ntekim ran to the children to hold them, the children didn't even know if the act was bravado or cowardice but at least an adult was holding them that was all mattered. Flanking on the left and right windows were Udeme and Vincent, ducking at intervals and gradually moving to the once window pane now covered with corrugated sheets.

'Do you see any movements?' Udeme asked

'Zero movement on my end.' Vincent replied

'Wait here, let me check the back quickly.' Udeme said walking towards the back but before he could get to the corridor the bang occurred again and this time with a raucous static sound. Everyone started screaming because it was deafening.

'Daddy what's going on?' Mmaette screamed blocking her ears with her fingers.

'Major wetin dey happen?' Vincent screamed

'I don't know!' I shouted struggling to get pillows to cover the ears of my children

Two minutes later, the raucous static sound quieted down to almost a whisper; neighbors began opening doors and stepping outside to see what happened. Out of 50 neighbors living on my street only 6 were left, the others either died or fled then the ones left began to expand their fences and encroach getting better vantage against attacks; I did akin. We stepped outside to see what caused the sound but we only met neighbors holding their fire arms. Mmaette sneaked out to meet us curious to see what happened.

'Mama what are you doing out here, go in and stay with your brother.'

'Dad it's scary inside, udoette has your strength oh as for me I can't stay inside that house without you.' She replied manic, with a ludicrous expression

'Okay then hold on to my belt and stay behind me.' I chuckled

We walked a couple of paces when Mmaette dragged my belt.

'Daddy sese mkpor (daddy look at that).' She pointed upwards

We looked up to observe what the child was fussing about. The sky looked uncanny, we could see space as night began to draw close. The earth had lost its covering, looking up was like looking through a Hubble telescope. The skies that remained were minute and scarcely spaced. Mmaette was so scared she ran inside; and for the first time I saw fear on the faces of my men--even the wars we fought didn't bring such expressions.

'Major where's our sky?' Vincent asked looking pale

'Let's get inside, tomorrow we have to go to the supermarket very early.' I said

'I don't understand you sah? We have supplies to last us a year.' Vincent said

'Vincent, no sky equals to no rain and no rain equals to...'

'No food.' Udeme added

'Exactly. Those clouds were regulating so many things and without them nature is out of balance.'

'Sah that means every water body will begin to dry up?' Udeme asked

'If science is right then that assumption is true. At least we still have rays from the sun so we can trap that and grow food.'

'We've got a lot of work cut out for us then.'

'Yes we do.'

'Sah please me and my wife will like to take the other house we've occupied so we can have space for ourselves?' Udeme stated

'Udeme so you and Ntekim still dey play at this critical hour eh, sharp guy!' Vincent teased, laughing really loud

'No problem you can don't mind Vincent.'

'Eyen eket ye akamba efit (men of eket like big buttocks). It's well with you oh.' Vincent laughed harder

'I would answer, but it's futile.' Udeme nodded in disappointment

That evening the static sound shook the core of the earth twice before we went to bed. Everyone bled from their ears because of the intensity of the sound, so I made earmuffs thickly padded to guard our ears just in case. But all that was happening wasn't enough to kill our fun, that evening we ate dinner and drank to our fill blasting fela kuti's suffering and smiling on the stereo. I left them thinking to myself 'humans were built to survive.'