[STORY] HIS GIFT, YOUR LIFE (Final Episode 07)

Episode 07 (Last Episode).

His mother-in-law grabbed his hand outside as she equally left the room and sternly looked at him.
“Your neighbors said you’ve always been coming home late in the night, and I can remember I called your wife one night to hear my grandchildren’s voice before going to bed and I noticed you were not home. What did you do!” She shouted.
“What are you thinking? That I killed them?” Simeon asked.

“Then where are my grandchildren? Give me my grandchildren I beg you!” She cried out letting herself down and Simeon began to cough. He noticed his throat burning up and heard loud voices ringing in his head and he briefly saw a trance of how he swallowed an egg and drank a substance from a calabash. He gasped shaking his head and tearfully looked at his mother-in-law crying on the floor and he slowly squatted before her.
“You’re right, it’s my fault,” he said and she looked at him.

“He said my family won’t be touched and he lured me into it” Simeon continued.
“Into what?” She asked.

“I don’t even know what it’s called, I was so foolish not to know it but all I wanted was to give my family a better life” he replied.
“What are you talking about? Who lured Into what!” She shouted and Simeon coughed out blood and her eyes bulged out.

“Huh! Doctor!” She shouted and stood up to call the doctor but Simeon held her hands.
“There’s no need, I’m already initiated and probably I’ve broken the rule but I hope he dies with me,” Simeon said.

“Eh, what are you saying? How do you want your wife to take in all of this if she wakes up?” She asked and he closed his eyes.
“2 weeks ago she told me she was a month pregnant. We planned to abort it, but if the baby still survives this, please tell them to forgive me. I failed them but I can’t survive this either knowing I sold my family out to the hands of the devil in greed” Simeon said struggling to breathe as he held his throat and the nurses arrived to carry him.

“Please wait… His… His name is Joe” he managed to say and gave an address and brought out an envelop from his pocket and gave it to her.
“I cou.. not do much, but tell Kemi I’m sorry. Please check… Che…. He gave up the ghost and his mother-in-law screamed out shaking him violently.

“Simeon it’s a lie! wake up and bring my children to me! Hey Simeon you cannot die like this, this money does not worth their lives!” She kept shouting hitting him as everyone tried taking her away from his body.
His mother-in-law and The people around who saw the scene quickly rushed down to the address he gave and they saw there was a fire outbreak. They saw as a body was taken into an ambulance in a hurry,

“I don’t think he will survive it, he was badly burnt and before they could break in, the fire was burning him like meat” a guy among the people outside spoke out.
“Sorry, who is he?” His mother in law asked.

“He a rich businessman like that, though he’s not always steady here. I don’t know who locked and tied him up in his house and set the room on fire” the guy replied and the people she came with slowly took her away.
“Did Simeon do that?” She asked them.

“Looks like he took revenge for what he did to his family” one replied.
“Oh, my grandchildren!” His mother in law said trying to control her tears.

When his mother-in-law returned to the hospital, the doctor asked to see her,
“How is my daughter doctor?” She anxiously asked.

“She’s fighting hard, it’s just that she took in lots of smoke apart from the burns she had on her body” the doctor replied and she breathed out.
“She can’t die please, help me doctor” she pleaded.

“We will do our best, and sorry for your loss also. I heard what happened, I know it will not be easy for you” the doctor said and she heaved.
“I am thinking about my daughter most because she’s fighting there for her children thinking they are alive. If she knows they are gone, there won’t be a reason for her to live. As a grandmother I feel like going crazy, I don’t want to imagine her pain if she knows she lost 3 wonderful children in a night within a twinkle of an eye” she said and the doctor bowed his head.

“I faced the same 10 years ago. I mean I saw my family in an accident and I could not do anything about it. They say time heals all wounds but it can’t stop the pain, and I’m sure Simeon wouldn’t have faced that guilt because I tried committing suicide when I could not take it anymore. But I pray she gets through this storm” the doctor said.
“Amen but Doctor, Simeon said something before he died. He mentioned that his wife was pregnant” she said.

“She is?” The doctor asked.
“Yes even though they were planning to abort it” she replied.

“I don’t think the baby can survive it in her condition,” the doctor said.
“Please doctor, just help me check. This baby can bring my daughter some kind of hope that she’s not alone” she pleaded and he nodded.

“If you insist but please get ready for anything, what is most important now is that your daughter survives,” the doctor said getting up.
“Thank you,” she said and they left the office together.

A scan was done, and to their surprise, the baby was still alive even though the condition was not safe. Her mother’s joy knew no bounds, she rolled herself on the hospital floor crying thanking God.
“Even though I can’t blame you for what happened because you will remain God, I will thank you for the replacement. Please keep the baby and the mother alive God” she cried out and the doctor promised to do all he can to keep the baby.

A week later, Simeon’s wife woke up and asked about her children,
“Dear take your rest you just woke up and your body is not strong” her mother pleaded as she attempted to go look for her children.
“But mama are they well? Have they eaten? You know Annabel does not eat except I feed her, let me see her please” She insisted but her mother hugged her instead while she looked confused.

“Mama, what happened? Is Simeon with them? Besides where is he? He has to explain to…. A piercing pain came to her head and her mother tearfully touched her forehead.
” take your rest, my dear, yes Simeon is taking care of them and they are in another hospital,” her mother said.

“Did the fire touch their skin? Mama, I tried covering them, I was ready to take the flames on me, I hope they are okay?” She asked with tears streaming down her face and her mother gave a weak smile.
“You didn’t only protect them, you also protected the one you’re carrying” her mother replied and she slowly touched her stomach.

“It survived?” She surprisedly asked and she nodded.
“You wanted to commit such sin to abort her? Are you crazy?” Her mother asked and she painfully closed her eyes while her mother hugged her and made her sleep off.

“You were able to hide it from her for now but it won’t be long for her to know what happened”, the doctor said when they met outside.

“I just want her to be out of harm, I don’t want her to go into shock” her mother sadly replied.
2 days later they could not stop Simeon’s wife from seeing her children.
“Why has Simeon not visited me? Why can’t I hear their voice on phone either? What happened to my children?” She screamed out and her mother held her.

“Listen to me, no matter what I will tell you now, remember there’s a baby you’re carrying” her mother replied.
“I’m aware of that, can I see or hear my children’s voice? Why should you keep them away from me?” She asked.

“Kemi they are gone, I’m so sorry” her mother replied.
“Gone?? Gone how? Is it for vacation or something I don’t understand. Who took them?” She asked her mother tearfully looked at the doctor who walked in.

“Doctor, doctor help me please, Annabel does not eat without me feeding her please understand. Let me go see them” Kemi quickly pleaded with the doctor.
“Kemi listen to me, you have to be strong for the baby inside of you. She’s fighting alongside with you, I’m sure you don’t want to lose this too. Can you do this for your children lying cold?” The doctor calmly asked and Kemi gasped and looked at her mother who bowed her head crying.

“My babies are gone?” She asked breathing hard.
“Kemi please I’m begging you in the name of God, be strong” her mother cried out as Kemi’s mouth was opened with tears streaming down.

“No, no no no God!” Kemi screamed out struggling hard to come down and fainted in the process.

Kemi was revived and they calmly told her everything that happened and how Simeon equally died after setting Joe ablaze and Kemi sniffed when they were done.
“Joe kept visiting but I thought he was a friend. He looked so harmless and I thought he wanted to help his friend out financially. I remembered telling Simeon to ask for help from him since his rich, but I never knew that help will cost my children’s life” Kemi said.
“It’s not your fault please, we should be careful of offers from now on. It may come flattering and enticing but the intention may be your head as the price. His gift will always take your life, that’s why we need God more so we can always discern when the devil comes presenting enticing offers” the doctor said and Kemi painfully closed her eyes.

“I want to see my children,” she said.
“Dear you’re not strong to go out and you’ll be on wheels, but don’t worry you’re going to see them I promise,” her mother said.

Two weeks later Kemi watched her babies and Simeon buried. She tried to cry but she was exhausted already and her mother firmly held her hand,
“They have taken my life” Kemi whispered.
“No you’re still living and there’s another one growing inside of you” her mother strongly said and Kemi breathed out.

“Let’s go,” her mother said and wheeled her away.

Do not be deceived, for the devil can never give you a gift without taking something very painful from you. Every shortcut to success has a price and at the end thereof is vanity.

– THE END