Must Read: The Claw, The Tail, And The Cross. - Season 1 - Episode 25

7 years ago

Must Read: The Claw, The Tail, And The Cross. - Season 1 - Episode 25

I decided to go and see Chioma immediately.

Its not as if I had any outstanding work waiting for me. I wanted to find out how much she actually knew…did she have the gift of looking beyond the veil as well? Why hadn’t she said anything since? Is that why it seemed Jenny had stylishly kept her away from me all this while?

I walked across the corridor for the second time that day. As I passed by Kelvin’s office he looked up inquisitively. I ignored him and approached Chioma’s office. I entered without knocking and… Saw her kneeling on the floor in front of her desk, her hands clasped in prayer. She reminded me of those old christian portraits that were in vogue a long time ago, a young lady on her knees praying to God.

Apparently she hadn’t noticed I was around and remained on her knees. I decided to leave and come back later.
“Hey? Where are you going? Please come in Mr. Chuks”
I heard her soft voice just as I was about shutting the door. I came back inside as she stood up from the floor.

“I was saying my 12 o’clock prayers, I hope o didn’t keep you waiting too long.” She said apologetically although I still detected a hint of a glare from her framed eyes.

“Nah,” I said, shutting the door behind me. “I just came in a while ago. So you kneel while praying? That’s good Not many Christians do that nowadays.”
“You must think I’m a fanatic.” She said smiling shyly.
“It shows you respect whom you are talking to. I don’t judge those who stand to pray, as they say, they do as their spirit moves them, but its nice once in a while to see someone who would still inconvenience herself for her Creator.”

Chioma looked at me in a funny manner.

I said. “Whatever you want to say, say it. You may never have the chance again.”

She swallowed, hard. Then, “You…you behave…different.”
“Go on,” I said after she hesitated again.

“You look like someone who wouldn’t judge people, no matter how weird they are. You don’t behave like anything would surprise you.”

You’d be surprised, I thought to myself but kept quiet to avoid interrupting her.
“I…see things sometimes.”
“Like Jenny being a mermaid?” I said, forgetting my earlier resolve not to interrupt her.

She frowned immediately. “I’m not jealous! I’ll be the first person to admit that Jenny is a beautiful lady…too beautiful for her own good if you ask me…and like I said the other day, I see beyond her beauty. She is intelligent and talented. But I’m telling you-” and she walked towards me her hands gesticulating her every word “keep-away-from-her!”
“Why?” I asked, folding my arms. She paused, her hands in mid-gesticulation. Her eyes opened wider. “There it is again!” She said.

“Not disbelief but curiosity! Didn’t you hear me say she is a mermaid?”
“Is that why I should keep away from her?”
“Isn’t that reason enough?” She exclaimed.
“Like you said, I’m not big on judging people.” I replied. “If that was all you wanted to say, thanks and noted. I’ll leave you to your work…” I said and went to the door.
“She’s lying.” Chioma said.
“About what? Come on, Chioma. This discussion has been way too awkward. Just let me know what you are thinking. I won’t think you are crazy okay?”
“I was the one that called you the first time, me not her!” She blurted out. “I saw your linked in profile and suggested you’d be good for the job even though our people thought you were too much of a junior and your bosses would be better to suit the position. I told them I had a good feeling about you and I did. Jenny decided to check you out personally to see the kind of person you were. As soon as she heard your voice I saw her for what she really was!

She talked to you for a while and fainted and later when we revived her she said sue had not eaten that morning but I knew it was a lie! I saw her having tea that morning! And when she collapsed I saw her as a mermaid with fish swimming around her and with a scaly tail!

I didn’t say anything because it didn’t seem to be any of my business and besides, who would believe me,right? However from that day onward she wouldn’t let me near you. She took over all the calls, all the negotiations and even insisted on welcoming you personally. Its just not fair! And now, and now…”

Tears were actually streaming down her eyes!

Forget not being easily surprised, I was stunned! I hate seeing grown ladies cry, it does something to me. Before I knew what I was doing I had her in my arms and was speaking softly even as the tears came more forcefully.

‘She wants to do something to you…I had a dream last night and she was taking something out of you…I tried to call out to you but you didn’t hear me…I’m sorry. This is so embarrassing…”
“It’s okay Chioma. Take it easy.” I said comfortingly although I was still paying attention to her every word. As far as I was concerned she was just someone with the gift of visions. These were people who every once in a while saw through the veil. Their sight was not absolute but at times it gave them the ability to see extraordinary things. And being a prayerful person that Chioma apparently was, she was honing her gift quite well.
“Tell me more about this dream, Chioma.” I said. We were still locked in embrace and although her air-conditioning was on and she was wearing a suit, I could feel her warmth permeating through. It wasn’t Sekxy like Jenny’s had been. It was more …s£nsu@l. The feeling I was getting was of a deeper kind and I had the sudden flash that she would be more of a threat to my love for Nina than Jenny ever was. I gently pushed her away and she smiled and wipes her tears.

“I’m sorry.” She said again.
“Honestly I don’t know what came over me…”
“Its alright Chioma.” I said. Now, tell me about the dream.”
“Well, its like I said. Jenny was trying to take something from you to use by herself. She was saying things I couldn’t understand but she kept using the words “The Stronger”. She wanted ‘The Stronger” and I yelled for you to listen but you didn’t. In the end it didn’t matter because what she wanted to use to get the thing from you was too small.”

I sat down on her desk and she followed suit.
“So that’s it.” I said.
“That’s what?” She asked, putting her hand on my shoulder.
“How come you aren’t more surprised by all this?”

I grinned at her stupidly. “I see things too.” I said.
“You do? Like dreams and when you are praying?”
“Erm…it might be a little more complicated than that.” I said, not wanting to explain to much to her. She was very excited and jumped to her feet.
“You are serious!” She said. “Ha! So now you’ll keep away from Jenny?”
“No I won’t. Our relationship is kind of complicated. But in the way you think!” I said hastily, seeing the accusing look on her face.
“I already have a fiancée.” Her face fell. “Oh.” She said. “That’s…er…nice.”
For the first time in our encounter it was my turn to feel awkward.
“Her name is Nina and I love her very much…” I began.

“Then if you do, you’ll keep away from Jenny.” Chioma said, recovering quickly.
“Nothing is happening between us, really.” I said defensively. “We have an understanding.”
“Can a man gather fire in his b0s0m and not be burned?” she asked, putting her hands on her hips.
“What? Are you quoting bible verses at me now?” I suddenly became angry. “Look,

I don’t mean to be rude but it’s really none of your business what Jenny and I get up to. Why are you so concerned anyway?”

She looked hurt for a moment. She opened her mouth to say something then shut it.
“Not again!” I said, exasperated now.
“Okay, okay.” She said. “I was asked to take care of you in a dream.”
“By who?” I asked. She hesitated a little, then “An angel. A female angel with huge wings.”
Nina.

She saw the expression on my face. “Well, at least you believe everything I tell you without question. So why don’t you stay away from her. Why is that so difficult for you?”
Nina’s alter ego had contacted this lady in a dream. Who the hell was she? I looked into her and saw what I had seen before; The Wooden Cross. Nothing more.
“Did uh, did the angel say anything else?” I asked quietly.

“Just to take care of you. She said she was leaving you in my capable hands. I guess I must have misinterpreted what she meant.” She said and smiled shyly.
“When did you have this dream?” I asked.
“The day you arrived at the airport. I wanted to come and welcome you too but Jenny insisted on going alone.”
I was looking at her. Suddenly I had an idea.
“Give me your hand.” I said. She raised her eyebrows at the suggestion but obeyed.
I took her hands and placed them on my eyes.
“What are you doing?” she asked, giggling a little.
I said nothing but kept her hands there. Then I removed them.
I saw Chioma, her past, and present. I saw her struggle as a little girl in a poor background with poor parents. Her only succor had been the Bible in which she had whole heartedly believed in. She took the stories in them literally at an early age and never let go of what she learned, never let the bitterness and logic of this world erode her faith. She was like a child in my eyes, one who would believe anything the Creator said without batting an eye. I saw her go through the university where she entered the dark times of her life, when she experimented with things that distracted her,

got into emotional relationships that were bad for her, was exposed to all the shiny things money could buy that so easily blind the eyes of men to that which has a higher, more eternal value, but still she held strong, still she remained a child in faith. Finally she had prevailed and landed a job in a small firm. She worked with diligence and had risen to the position she was in now. She would have been in a higher position but had refused to play ball, had refused to sully herself or her faith.
And now…the Cross. I couldn’t see her future.
“Why are you staring at me like that?” she asked, looking a little worried.

“I…nothing. Thanks very much for your advice, I’ll take it to heart.” I said and she smiled.
“Finally. I knew I could talk some sense into you if I persisted.” She said.
“I’ll like to talk to you more but maybe not today.” I said. “There’s too much going on around me already. Can we see later?”
She smiled shyly and nodded. I walked to the door and paused.
“Thanks for opening my eyes, Chioma.” I said.
“You are very welcome Mr. Chuks.” She replied, clasping her hands together and grinning.
I left her office and went to see Jenny. As I passed through the corridor again I saw Kelvin’s door was still ajar. He was pacing about in his office, holding some papers. He looked up at me and nodded. I walked up to him.
“You experimented twice in secondary school, that doesn’t make you gay, Kelvin, just curious. And your wife would very much like to hear from you. Call her and stop burying yourself in your work.”

His eyes widened in shock but I quickly shut the door in his face and kept walking. I didn’t bother mentioning that I knew he had made his wife abort three pregnancies thus the blood on his hands I saw earlier. And his box of secrets were now all opened for me to see. I didn’t need any magic ring…my eyes were fully opened…he definitely wasn’t the beast.