Dial - Season 1 - Episode 99

4 years ago

Dial - Season 1 - Episode 99

The relief was so great that I almost jumped to my feet and danced a crazy jig.

The words exploded in my head…

I forgave you a long time ago…

I was freeeeee!
She got to her feet and smiled down at me.
“I hope you get your freedom from this…this curse thing, Yao,” she said gently. “But really, you need true repentance to overcome all these ills. Anyway, I wish you well, but I don’t really ever want to see you again. Goodbye, Yao.”

I got to my feet immediately.

“Look, Aku, I’m so sorry,” I said, trying hard to stop the elation from showing on my face. “Let’s go to my car. I’ll take you home. I’ll write a cheque for you!”
She looked at me with a sudden flash of anger in her eyes.

“A cheque?” she asked tightly. “Did you say a cheque? Did you even hear one thing that I said? You’re pathetic, Yao! I don’t need your money!”

And then she turned and began to walk quickly away from me.

I watched her go, and although I felt a twinge of pity for her, the overwhelming emotion I felt was the fact that I had managed to get her to forgive me!

“I’m free!” I whispered with profound relief. “I am so free!”
“Not so fast, Mr. Biko,” said Nana b0s0mba.
I screamed and fell down instantly, causing some people around to giggle. A young man came to help me up, but I brushed his hand aside and stood up with horror all over my face, looking around desperately.

Surely…no, no, that couldn’t have been Nana b0s0mba!

But it was!

There he was, sitting on a bench three spaces away, wearing his white batakari over black slacks, his linked arms resting on top of a walking-stick with a curved handle in front of him.

I walked toward him, my expression dazed, looking into his dark unfathomable eyes. I stopped in front of him and spoke in a dry voice.

“What are you doing here?”
“I came to see you, Mr. Biko, for a final time,” he said gently.

I licked my dry lips and looked at him with angry eyes.

“I got it, Nana b0s0mba,” I said tightly. “She forgave me.”
He shook his head sadly.

“No, she didn’t, Mr. Biko,” he said with a smile. “She said she forgave you a long time ago. She never needed you to ask her for forgiveness. Indeed she held nothing against you.”

“You stop that bullsh*t!” I screamed with sudden horror, almost reaching out to hit him. “Stop that crap! She forgave me, do you hear? Your d--n curse is broken, you stupid bastard!”

“Keep your voice down, Mr. Biko,” Nana b0s0mba said, unperturbed. “You’re causing a scene. Relax, Mr. Biko. Take a seat. There’s something I want to tell you.”
I saw that people were staring at me, and so I sat down gingerly beside him, seething with rage all the time.