All of a sudden.

        It was supposed to be another plain old day for David. A visit to his best friend's house and then back home. He never could have anticipated what came next.
       David's friend, Elisha, lived just a couple of minutes away, roughly about 15mins from David's house. It was another routine visit. When David got to Elisha's house, Elisha seemed to be a little under the weather. Elisha hardly got sick and when he did fall ill, it turns out to be more serious than anticipated.
"How u dey guy" he greeted Elisha.
"My body jus dey do me one Kain" Elisha responded.
David couldn't help but notice he was already shivering, he was definitely not ok.
       Elisha's parents had already left for work before David got there, and he seemed fine to them this morning before they left, so they failed to take notice that he wasn't feeling ok. The only other person at home with Elisha was his elder sister Rebecca. But she seemed to be less bothered by her brothers condition, as she thought it wasn't that serious. She was sitting in the living room when David walked up to her.
"We need to buy Elisha some drugs. I think he might be coming down with malaria" David reported
"And how would you know, mister doctor" she retorted.
He could hear the sarcasm in her tone, but he was less bothered by her witty remark than usual.
       "I had the same symptoms when I was sick with malaria about a month ago, so I can tell" he explained.
But she seemed to be more interested in her phone than the conversation we were having. She pointed to the dining table where her parents left them money in case of any emergency, which was really smart on their part. David walked up to the dining table. There, sat two one thousand naira notes. He picked up one of the notes, and went back to Elisha's room.
"Guy I dey come make i quick go buy u medicine"
"Ok na, u do well" he responded.

*Bark* *bark* *bark*
Elisha's dog seemed to be on edge, as he was barking profusely. David walked up to the dog to try and  pet him, but he wouldn't have any of it.
"Is someone there!" David shouted.
Because Rhino's barking now seems somewhat unusual. He wasn't barking at David or someone trying to intrude, so what was he barking for, David wondered. Rhino was definitely startled by someone or something. But that mystery had to wait, David was on another mission.
       He opened the gate and walked out of the compound, he's body chemistry changed immediately. He glared at the sky thinking it was the sun, but the sun was overshadowed by a cloud. So why was everywhere so hot, he wondered again. He ignored the scorching heat and start walking. He was about to walk past the house after Elisha's, that was when he saw.
       There was a crack on their neighbors front lawn. It looked as if the ground had divided of some sort. There was no visible evidence of what was leaking out of the cracks, but David could feel the hot air emitting from the cracks. He walked closer to take a peek of what was beneath the cracks. Then, suddenly, he heard a big bang! like that of an explosive going off. Elisha's house was sinking into the ground. It looked as if the ground was swallowing the building whole.
"What the fuck!" David exclaimed.
David immediately ran back to Elisha's house trying to get in, but he couldn't. The heat had somehow melted the locks. Almost suddenly, another bang!. This one louder than the latter. Two more houses in Elisha's street started to sink as well. But this time the occupants were able to escape outside. David was finding it difficult to hear, as the loud bangs had left a ringing sensation in his ears. By the time David turned back his gaze at Elisha's house, it had completely sunk, with Elisha in it.
  David fell on his knees. It seemed as if his heart was going to explode, because he started feeling pains in his chest area. It could be because he had just lost some dear to him or the excess gas now spewing from the cracks. The cracks had already gotten to the end of the Street. What came next was different this time, instead of a bang the earth beneath David's feet started to crumble, like that of an earth quake. He stood up trying to regain his balance. More houses had started to come down. By the time David ran to the end of Elisha's street, all the houses had come down. David soon realised that his mission has changed and his new mission was to survive this ordeal and get back to safer grounds.
       Another loud bang!, but this time accompanied by a quake, making it very difficult to maintain balance and make important advances. Everyone was out of their homes and running towards safety. The earth beneath them were splitting, falling into the gorge that was forming on the street. This was definitely the day for the slow runners, as they soon succumbed to the falling earth. You could hear loud screams and burning flesh. David ran as fast as he could. He hoped he's family was safe and this disaster was far from his house, because that was where he set his sights on. He could see the main road from where he was running. Hope again, lit up in his heart. He sighted a bicycle at a short distance, the bicycle seems to be abandoned. He got to where the bicycle was and picked it up. At this point if the bicycle was no good, it would make his journey a lot harder. He got on the bicycle and started peddling. He was relieved to know that the bicycle was in good condition. Finally things were looking up for him.
       By the time he got to the main road, the street he had just exited has been completely decimated. On the main road, David's house was just a straight stretch. It usually took him about ten minutes to get home from there, but with this bicycle, it would be more faster.
       David sped up on the main road, ignoring all the traffic in front of him, and gliding past them like a young Jackie Chan. But his parade was soon put to a holt, as he sighted a huge gorge In front of him. The gorge had formed in the middle of the road making it impossible for any vehicle or pedestrian to get through. He had to find another route home, he was so close. He diverted to the street on his left side, all the houses on this side wree still intact. David's heart leaped for joy as his house was also on this side of the road. All the occupants of that particular street were already outside, holding a bemused look on their faces. If only they knew what was going on on the the other side. David was able to manoeuvre his way past various intersecting streets and was about a minute from his house.
David's mind kept wondering on the safety of his family and without noticing, he slammed the bicycle on a stone in front of his path. David flew off the bicycle because of the great speed he was riding with, the impact was severe. But luckily for him, he didn't land head first. He's hands were able to cushion his fall, but his hands didn't escape unscaved. He scrapped both hands and dislocated his left arm. Surprisingly he was able to pick himself up, he dusted off his clothes and jolted off again. The amount of adrenaline now pumping through his body made it impossible for him to feel the pain of such an impact. As David got to his street, he started screaming out for his mother.
"Mummy! Mummy! Mummy!" the next louder than the later.
        His mother rushed out their gate and grabbed hold of him, not noticing all the bruises and injuries on his body. She held on to him as tight as she could. She knew he might have been caught up in all the disastrous news that have been passing around and she feared the worst. So she prayed and hoped her son wasn't among the casualties. She let go of him and finally saw all the bruises and injuries on her son's body.
"Jesus!" She exclaimed. "Esther, go and bring me the iondine" she bellowed.
His father and other siblings stood next to him, with relief on their faces, for they have all feared the worst had happened. Esther ran back quickly, with the bottle of iondine and cotton wool in her hands, and she handed it over to her mother.
        "Honey, please go and bring the car around, so we can take him to the hospital"
"Yes you are right. Esther! Bring me my keys" her father directed.
Esther ran back again, not minding the number of errands she had to do. The situation didn't warrant for any form of retortion, which she would have given if it were a normal day at home.
"David, this is going to hurt, but you will be ok. And don't worry am right here" she said calmly.
        David started into his mothers eyes and he found solace. The iondine stung him, but not as much as the thought of not seeing Elisha again, forever.
       "He's gone" David whispered.
       Tears running down his eyes. His mother realised who he was talking about and she brought him in for another embrace. But that wasn't enough to stop the sobbing that came soon after. His father brought the car up front and David got into the back sit, tears still drizzling down his eyes. His father drove off with speed as there was no time to waste. David laid back on the sit, staring at the roof of the car, contemplating, all that has happened today. The events of today didn't only leave a scar on his body, it left several scars on his heart and soul, and it all happened 'all of a sudden'.