Must Read: Paradox Of Abel - Season 1 - Episode 26

7 years ago

Must Read: Paradox Of Abel - Season 1 - Episode 26

It was 2a.m that Wednesday morning on Christmas Day; most people would still be sleeping at this time, only those who were awake would be expected to be busy boxing up their presents which they would be delivering to friends, neighbours and well-wishers. But this was not a day or time for the Maliks to be putting gifts in cartons or remain asleep. The only sleeping member of the family was the deceased’s grandson, Christopher.

The powerful halogen bulb that was off all through the scream and the time of beholding the corpse was now switched on. The brilliant light glared on the ground beneath where the spectators stood and the deceased lay.
“How do we tell mother about this?” Ruth spoke for the first time.
“I suggest we don’t tell her now, she wouldn’t take it like we all did.” David replied her.
“Speak for yourself, brother,” Ariel said, “You don’t know how I’m taking it.”
“Of course, I do. You’re not grieving; none of us is.”
“We all grieve in different ways.” Esther chipped in.
“Yet, none of us is breaking down in tears after seeing father lying dead here. Only one of us here is the murderer but we all look guilty.”
“When will the police arrive?” Tunde Johnson asked Daniel famous.
“I don’t know,” The latter replied, “I’m only a stranger here, remember? It’s not my place to call the police. One of the family members can do that.”
“And which policeman would be foolish enough to answer you at this ungodly hour?” David demanded.
“I know of one or two officers that you can call, they wouldn’t mind coming immediately if you asked them. They’re not foolish though.” Daniel replied.
David looked at him skeptically and asked, “Who are you exactly? A policeman?”
Daniel sighed, the past will always catch up with you. He answered, “I’m a footballer,” he paused, “But I was once a police officer.”
“I thought as much,” Daniel heard Ruth speak, “You had to be a policeman to be this dumb.”
“So, what do you suggest we do now?” David asked Daniel.

The footballer thought for a moment and said, “Let’s go and tell your mother what happened. Sooner or later, she’s going to know. We don’t want to regret keeping anything from her, do we?”
“Lady Macbeth won’t be pleased.” Tunde said under his breath. Fortunately for him, it was only Daniel who heard him.
“Are we just going to leave him here?” Anuli asked, evidently referring to the corpse.
“You heard the man, didn’t you?” David replied her harshly, “He is not to be touched. Besides, nobody will kill him again, the deed has been done already.”
“None of us is really safe,” said Anuli, “If there is a murderer among us, then nobody is safe. Our lives are in the hand of a killer among us. David, we must leave here as soon as possible.”
“No one is leaving,” said Ruth, “Not until the murderer has been fished out. Who knows, Anuli? The murderer could either be you or your husband.”
“How dare you?” Anuli spat back at her sister-in-law.
“No one should be accused of anything for now.” Daniel uttered, “Questions will be asked later and investigations will be made.”
“Can we please go inside? It’s cold out here, and I’m feeling sleepy already.” Ariel said.

As usual, David replied him with scorn, “You’re feeling sleepy? Your father is lying here dead and all you feel is drowsiness? Don’t you have a heart?”
“What do you expect me to do, brother?” Ariel questioned, “Join him in the netherworld just to show my grief? I know you were fond of him even after everything, but to me he wasn’t the best of fathers.”
“Let us all go in.” Daniel pleaded.

As they walked to the house, Daniel noticed that Remi was the only family member who hadn’t said anything since they came across the corpse. David led them all to Mother’s door. The raised white letters across the green background spelled out the name HANNAH as though the announcement should strike fear in the hearts of observers. It would help if the name was somewhat more threatening, Daniel thought. Nothing about the biblical nomenclature was remarkable, except that it could be spelled both forward and backward. Daniel didn’t for a moment imagine that he’d be entering the matriarch’s room in less than twenty-four hours after his arrival. This room was one of the sacred rooms in the house. And it would only take something as grave as murder before a crowd could gain entry into this apartment. The door was knocked and a woman’s voice commanded them to enter.

The room, Daniel reflected, was too grand for a blind woman. Neatness ruled here. The walls were painted cream and the ceiling white. There were two windows here; one viewed the front yard and the other showed the expanse of trees at the side of the building. There was a king-size bed with rumpled bed sheet; an evidence of being slept on. On a small table, a collection of antique perfume bottles sparkled. There were two single-seaters and one double-seater occupying the left side of the room. The right hand side of the room portrayed a giant television screen. It was turned off but the audio player under it was playing TY Bello’s Greenland. The volume was turned low so the music came smoothly but faintly, like a distant sound track behind a movie scene.

Behind the large bed were two closed doors.

Daniel presumed that one must lead to the restroom and the other the wardrobe. They could actually be leading to hallways too. The architect who drew the plan of this building must have been on something strong while working.

They found the old woman standing by her bed. It was hard to tell whether she had been standing there for long or she was just recently roused from sleep. Out of the few things Daniel knew was the fact that the human body was amazingly programmed. If any sensory organ lost its function, another or the rest worked twice as effective. Like the case of this sightless woman; if the sight was lost, the organ of hearing and of smell worked in increasingly effective ways. Most especially the ears, the cochlea responded to sound vibration with a faster rate. Sounds that would normally have escaped the hearing had the sight been intact would be sensed more distinctly when the eyes lost their functions.
With this theory, however, Daniel presumed that the woman would also have heard the scream of agony, particularly the sounds of footsteps along the corridors. The ambience of the room was cool, then he noticed that the air-conditioner was working; blowing steady oxygen.

The mistress was carefully dressed in pyjamas which revealed nothing prurient, and her face sported dark glasses. Daniel wondered if her eye sockets were just hollow spaces for her to have resorted to fostering spectacles all the time. Anuli excused herself to check on her infant.
“You’re awake, mother.” Ruth said, she moved towards the old lady and put her arm around her mother’s shoulders.
“What was that scream?” Hannah demanded immediately.

Everyone was silent. No one among them was prepared to be the bearer of bad news, since each one of them was not unaware of how kings kill the messengers of bad reports.
“Why are you all silent?” Hannah said, “It’s Jamal, isn’t it? He has been killed.”
“How did you know he was killed?” Tunde asked her, with a slight trace of accusation.
“Did that scream suggest merriment to you?” The blind woman shot back at him.
“We’re very sorry, Mrs. Malik. I-”
“keep your condolences to yourselves.” She replied immediately.

The messengers became silent again. They were all at loss about what to say next; no one could say anything meaning meaningful or helpful at the moment. Any word, no matter how sincerely put or meant, would have tasted as false as vinegar is bitter. Daniel searched everyone’s face, none of them appeared to be sorry, except Ruth who continued clinging to her mother. On Remi’s face he saw not pity but anger. The young woman was glaring at the old woman. He decided that there was really something suspicious about her now, even ever since the few discussions he had had with her in the room before the horrible scream.
“Can you all kindly leave my room now?” Hannah said, “I’d like to be left alone.”
Although she was not crying visibly, tears ran from beneath her glasses down her cheeks.

Daniel felt so sorry for her that he nearly walked up and hugged her. But he knew that it would be the silliest thing of the century, he therefore restrained from embarrassing himself publicly in the private room.
In obeisance to the mistress’s request, they all filed towards the door, except Ruth who still remained by her mother’s side.
“Including you, Ruth.” Hannah affirmed.
“I want to stay with you.” Remi’s mother protested.
“I said I’d like to be left alone,” Hannah’s voice was strong, “Which part of the statement did you not understand?”
Reluctantly, Ruth followed the others out of the room. As they walked down the corridor they heard the door of Hannah’s room bang shut.