Your Honor

30

ENIOLA'S POV

I screamed as loud as I could. My throat had began to itch , my saliva was running out due to dehydration and my hands felt stiff and weak. The air in the coffin was thin and unappealing to my nostrils. I began to cry in apprehension. I still felt an uncertainty on Ayo burying me alive.

I reminisced on my dead sister, Arinola and I bit my lip in anguish. Her death was a permanent scar in my life that could never be erased.

"Why is this happening to me?" I muttered, as my body shook in tears.

"Why me?" I yelled, as my voice shook tremendously.

I remembered my dead parents and I yelled out in pain once more.Thinking about those I lost to the clutches of death made it harder for the tears to stop flowing. It was getting too much for me to handle, the agony and discomfort adjoined to my present predicament. My clothes were muddy and bits of blood were splattered on it giving me a horrific look. My face was smoldered with mud and bruises.

"Ayo, please let me out." I screamed, banging the wooden surface harshly.

"Please!" I begged continuously.

I knew in my heart that no one was coming to rescue me,  but I did not want to let go. I took huge breaths as the first wave of panic attack began to set in. I began to think of the happy memories I had with Arinola, but the tears still kept flowing down my cheeks like an endless ocean without direction. I remembered how nervous and jittery Arinola felt towards men before she died. I remembered her infectious laughter and ever bubbling personality.

I recalled the first day I met James and I smiled broadly. I was completely smitten by his demanour. The conception that I was never going to see him again pierced my soul. I remembered all the good memories we had and the bad ones included. I remembered the night he proposed. The ring was stuck on my right finger as a reminder. I recollected an image of John and I grinned. Even though he lied and deceived me, he was already forgiven in my heart.

The conviction of missing James made me sob louder and painfully. I wanted to see him again. I screamed incoherent words that kept flowing endlessly from my lips.I wailed continually, panicking at the thought of death. I didn't even feel the inspiration to pray. I was completely tormented and troubled.

Hours later, my breathing became irregular as I felt a sudden discomfort in my lungs. My muscles were clenched in agony and my eyes were soaked with tears. I felt my eye lids begging to be closed but I shooked them open instantly. My body weight filled the length and breath of the coffin which made it harder for me to breathe. I struggled to move my body and ended up hitting my forehead on the wooden surface of the coffin. I whimpered at the sharp pain I felt.

Is this what dying feels like?

The air became thicker and suffocating. I groaned continuously and banged my hands against my chest to keep myself alive. My chest began to constrict because oxygen was in short supply. I started gasping heavily for air but it felt forced as there were short pauses in between. My body felt numb to existence therefore my movement was restricted. My eyes began to twitch in dizziness but I fought back.

Soon enough, the dizziness began to kick in again and this time it came back stronger. The air revolving around the air tight coffin became smaller. The terrifying thought of death brought the second wave of panic attack booming into my soul. My eye lids burned with the passion of shutting down and I was slowly giving in. I struggled to place my hands on my chest, my eyes blinded by incoming tears. I felt oxygen being replaced by carbon dioxide as my sense organs began to shut down permanently. I felt a sharp decrease in my heartbeat. I began to breathe heavily and rapidly.

My mouth remained unmoved as I saw no use of my voice. My eyes closed slowly and I succumbed to the torturous darkness that awaited me.

                                ********

JAMES'S POV

I wanted to drop on the ground and sleep but survival instinct kicked into my legs. I struggled to pick a race and ended up running in a tree. I collapsed on the ground and panted heavily. I felt my body begging for rest but my mind kept pushing me into reality. The poison was slowing affecting every part of my body system and it felt harder to fight back.

I remained on the ground, staring at the magnificent view of the moon. I was tired and restless at the same time. I smiled at the recollection of Eniola. I was going to get married and I needed to be alive to do so.Her beautiful face kept popping up in my mind and it gave me the willingness to live. I gnashed my teeth in sadness as I remembered the event that replayed few hours ago. I protected myself and hurt Tolani as well. But I guessed it was a small price to pay to live happily.

I reminisced at the thought of my twin brother, John and grinned. There were so many things that I refused to take note of during our childhood and I was ready to adore and love him. I knew that everything that happened was my fault completely. I sentenced a man unjustly and karma kept knocking into my life.

All I wanted now was a chance to love John without criticism on his ex-convict years. I wanted to give him new memories to replace the bad ones I placed in his childhood. I wanted to be a brother and a friend to him. I recalled my mother's predicament and grunted. I had to survive to see those I cared about so much. I struggled to lift my body from the ground and failed. My head wasn't only throbbing in pain, it was conflicted with different comprehensions.

I shifted my body against a tree and groaned aloud. The tree barks were sharp and it bruised my naked back. The air that blew was comforting but the situation I was in was in the opposite. I struggled once more to get on my feet and I succeeded. I leaned on the tree and rubbed my eyelids begging them to stay awake. I wiped the sweat that was engraved on my forehead and wiped it on the tree.

I journeyed, staggering like a drunkard. The narrow road was empty and dry. Crickets flew around my ears making annoying noises and I slapped myself in trying to terminate them. Mosquitoes bit my bare skin and I was forced to ignore. My stomach grumbled and I shoved it off as hunger, I held my stomach, trying to pacify it to stay put. But then nausea began to creep into my throat and I felt a drastic urge to vomit. I opened my mouth and warm slimy fluid began to evaporate without stopping. It went on for several minutes and the thought of getting ill was grounded at the back of my head.

I sat on the floor drained and weak. I was already uncertain of the path I was going . My mouth felt bitter and I fought the urge to wail. The road looked endless. I began to worry for my health. I decided to give myself a pint of hope as I got up on my feet, ready to journey once more. My vision was fuzzy as I staggered from the left to right. I couldn't get a perfect stance as my body posture was diminished completely.

The narrow road gave way to another broad and empty road. I stood firm, hoping for a motorist to drive by. It felt like minutes went by as my legs began to ache. I was about to walk back into the narrow road when my ears caught the screeching of a car. I yelled continuously to get the attention of the car from a distance. I staggered to the centre of the road and raised up my hands to earn attention.

The car stopped in front of me and the driver came out slowly. I suddenly felt the urge to faint as my eyes started drooping slowly but I refused to give in. I wanted the driver to whiske me away and give me the satisfaction that I was safe. The huge frame of the driver struck me as familiar but the throbbing in my head refused to let me recollect. As soon as our eyes met, I froze like a statue.

"Now where do you think you are going, Your Honor." David grinned as he advanced hastily towards me.

I stumbled on the ground in fear and hit my head on the tarred road which sent me into unconsciousness.