Little Lucy - S02 E05

Story 2 years ago

Little Lucy - S02 E05

Read Story: SEASON 2 EPISODE 5

The week ran slowly. For the first time since I began schooling in Q.A, time strangely slowed down. It was the longest week in my life. I had this superstitious feeling in my guts it’s probably because of Efua’s death.

An assembly was held where we had some minutes silence for Efua. A lot was said about suicide and the bad effect of depression.

This was Mrs Coker speaking. ” Never knew Efua was suicidal. She’s always been one of our most brilliant students. Still, I’m certain some circumstances led to it. Her parents death really traumatized her. It’s bad we lost two parents and a daughter as well. I feel sorry for Efua. Her depression was something she was supposed to share with me or the school’s guidance and counseling. But she didn’t do that and that sadly led her to her unfortunate death.”

She paused, watching us as we stared up at her from our seats in the assembly hall. She brought out a handkerchief and whipped her eyes.

” I was heartbroken when the news came to me. Losing Efua was the worse thing that’s ever happened before in my school. It’s the second time we’ve lost our students. It’s very sad. So I’m pleading with each and everyone of you girls seated here before me. Don’t see suicide as an option. If you’re going through a lot, speak to someone. Taking your life is out of the option. You have no right to do so. In my culture, such people are seen as an abomination on the face of the Earth. We don’t touch them. They aren’t even buried in our land. They’re taken to some evil forest and buried because they took their life and are seen as unclean. Remember girls, suicide is never an option. Talk to someone if you’re hurt. We love you all that’s why we wouldn’t want you girls having any funny ideas. Efua’s relatives from her father’s side flew down to the country last night. They’re here to take her body back to be buried but because she was an outstanding student of ours, we asked to organize a farewell funeral for her,” she paused, drumming her fingers on the desk. Her lips moved against the microphone. ” So come Sunday afternoon, we’ll be giving our last farewell speech to our late vice president, Efua!”

Put in that way, everyone agreed it was the best decision she made.

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Sunday.

Sunday afternoon!

At exactly 12:00.pm, we were all gathered around a brown coffin. I had no idea how Mrs Coker had convinced Efua’s uncles and aunts to agree on this little funeral but she did it.

Efua’s relatives stink of money. I began to realize how rich Efua must’ve been. The coffin wasn’t cheap. It was the sort you buy for a wealthy traditional ruler.

We all wore black. The school had provided black polo and darj leggings for everyone. It was a small ceremony with just the school principal, the students and the teaching staff and also Efua’s relatives.

Everyone was given the opportunity to see Efua for the last time and say their farewell message.

We stood in a single file, moving slowly and heavy hearted. We’d stare at the lifeless body inside the opened coffin, whisper our message to her and leave.

Collette and the student council stood around Efua’s coffin, face forward, eyes set and blank, But their faces were pale and sad. They were to given the tasted of ensuring no student lasted more than sixty seconds before the corpse inside the coffin.

I wondered how they were able to keep a straight face with a dead body before them.

Especially Collette.

She wore her deadpan expression but her eyes were red. Temi was biting her lips, trying to stop herself from crying.

When I stood before Efua’s coffin, I looked down and stared at her—for the very last time.

She laid still and white and stiff. It was the second time I was seeing a corpse. The first corpse I’ve ever seen was my dad’s. Just looking at Efua brought back that painful memory.

I still find it difficult to believe Efua was gone. I had to whisper under my breath. ” Wake up, Efua. Please…prove to me this is nothing but just some crazy dream!”

But she didn’t wake up. She was as lifeless as a log of wood. It wasn’t a dream. I was living this real.

I glanced up at Collette. She looked down and stared at me.

I was supposed not to last more than sixty seconds before the coffin but I lasted a minute and ten seconds. None of the council ordered me to leave as they did to others.

” Good bye, Efua,” I whispered softly and covered my face with my handkerchief as I cried my way away from the corpse.”

Peter was at the funeral. Church was crowded today. Every member of the school staff was present in church. After Mass, we did some prayers for Efua. Peter didn’t leave until the ceremony was over. It was the longest hours he’d ever spent in the school.

At long last, Efua’s coffin was carried away with her relatives waving us goodbye as they zoomed away into the highway, never to return.

Soon they’d be taking the flight to Ghana where she’d be properly buried. ,

Adieu Efua. Goodbye my Ghanaian black witch.

I cried like someone who’s just cut ten onions. It was the most saddest day in Q.A.

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Back at the hostel, Collette locked herself in the bathroom. I could hear her sobbing loud and clear.

I had to sit with my back against the door of the bathroom with the keys to the bathroom in case I sensed she was having any funny thoughts.

We remained like that for the rest of the day, Collette in the bathroom, I outside with my legs spread before me on the ground, my eyes Misty and staring at my toes.

We didn’t go for lunch nor dinner. It wasn’t until 6:43.pm that I decided to check on her. I opened the bathroom and stepped in.

Collette was lying inside the bathtub, her face upward, staring at the ceiling, her eyes red and swollen from crying.

She was still in her black mourning clothes. Thet bathtub was filled up with water that it spilled to the floor. Collette’s body was immersed in the cold water and for a moment, I realized she’s been in that water for the past four hours after the farewell funeral of Efua.

Collette didn’t look at me but that didn’t mean she wasn’t aware I had stepped inside the bathroom. She continued to stare unblinkingly at the ceiling like a dead woman.

I knew words wouldn’t do any good to her at this moment.

Removing my wrist watch, I stepped into the bathtub as well, my mourning clothes still on.

The water felt cold and creepy against my skin. My clothes soaked up as I laid down on Collette’s chest.

We were now both in the bathtub, wet and cold, our minds centred on Efua.

We remained like that till the next day.

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Exam week came but it lacked the mood in everyone. We had studied hard though but it wasn’t as if we studied. No one was happy but we tried our best to push through with our exams.

I sat before my laptop and stared at it. We had maths and chemistry. We were given 45 minutes to get our papers for the day done and dusted.

When the laptop screen came to life with my first paper, I took in a deep breath and began pounding on the laptop keys.

I had no idea where the hell I got my anger from but I wrote that day’s exam with a determined angry spirit inside me.

I finished on time although I didn’t answer two questions.

It was the same the next day and the day after and after and after until finally, we were having our last papers.

To be honest, I felt like a zombie. I didn’t know what I was doing. It was as if some powerful force had taken over me that when I see any questions, I just go ahead and answer it without bathing an eyelid.

To my amazement, every question looked very much familiar and easy. I realized I wrote my exams without my usual exam fever.

In a week, exam was over, everyone was relieved and I was tired.

” I wrote well,” I said, soaking a bowl of cereal on my table. Collette was reading a novel. This was days after exams. We barely had time to speak to each other during exam week.

Collette didn’t actually study. She just played chess and helped me study whenever I had challenges every night before I wrote a paper the next morning.

I guess that’s the life you live when you’re the school’s smartest student.

” I wrote well,” I repeated. ” I don’t know what I could’ve done without you, Collette. Thank you.”

She nodded, not looking at me. ” I’ll be anticipating to see your result.”

I knew she didn’t want to make much of a conversation. I’ve been patient with her over the weeks. I feel by now, she’d give herself time to feel open after Efua’s death by now.

Unfortunately, she was as cold as ice and hard as nails. I haven’t seen her smile for weeks now.

We had agreed not to have any discussion about Efua. I wasn’t even allowed to mention her name.

Sipping from my cereal, I had a deflating thought it was going to be like this until we leave for home.

I thought about home, I also thought about my new dad and mom’s remarriage. For the first time since I began schooling here, going back home sickened me. I didn’t feel excited as everyone else were about going home for the Xmas holiday.

” Collette?”

” What is it?”

I stared silently at my cereal for a while. ” Can I…can I spend the holidays at your house?”

She brought down her novel and stared at me. ” Why?”

” I’m scared of going back home.”

Collette sighed. ” Don’t tell me this is about your new dad.”

I met her eyes. ” That’s right. I don’t want to go home. I want to be with you.”

Collette eyes ran over me. ” That’s not possible, Lucy and you know that.”

” I’m serious.”

” And so am I,” Collette went on. ” Look Lucy, I don’t see why you should get cold feet about meeting your new father.”

” I don’t want to.”

” Well, you’re not coming home with me,” she returned back to her book. ” I have a lot on my mind right now. I’ll be d--n to add you to my problems.”

I watched her closely. ” Is Efua one of those problems?”

She dropped her novel down and yelled at me. ” Don’t ever mention that name again!”

I took in a deep breath and let it out. Yeah, that’s what happens when you call that name.

” I’m Sorry, Collette,” I apologized.

She must’ve realized yelling at me was uncalled for. She stood up and left the room.

I stared after her. It’s going to take a very long time for Collette to get over Efua’s death. I prayed she doesn’t get too depressed about it.

That night as I slept, I dreamt of Efua.

She was calling out to me and so was Collette. I stood in the middle in between them, Confused on whom to go to.

Finally, I decided on Collette and held her hand. From behind me, Efua was crying but I didn’t even turn around. I eventually left with Collette, realizing a creeping sense of darkness behind me.

When I woke up, I was in sweats. Collette was asleep. I had an idea what that dream meant.

For a very long time, I hadn’t prayed. I got down on my knees and did a prayer for Efua….

Wherever she may be at the moment…I prayed she be in paradise.

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Result day.

Taking in a deep breath, I approached the scoreboard and searched for my name.

What I saw made me scream.

7.9 points.

My eyes grew with intensed excitement as I gaped at the score board.

I went above average. Oh my fvcking tree! I went above average. I passed my exams.

Yippee!!!! Oshey!!!

It was just as Sharon had told me, no one ever went above 9.6 points. Collette was the only student who’d broken that record. Her name remained at the top.

9.6 points.

Efua was the second student with the highest points which was over 9.2 points but Efua was dead so her name wasn’t on the score board.

The second highest point was at 9.0 points. Collette was six points higher.

I glanced at my class record. The smartest girl in class was a girl called Gerry. She was over 8.4 points. I realized I was just as smart as her if only I can study more harder. I felt proud of myself.

Collette! Where is Collette?!

This was good news. I ran over to the assembly hall where Collette was having a brief meeting with members of the council. I learnt Collette hardly ever checks her name on the score board. She rarely did.

Forgetting I was going to interrupt the meeting, I raced into the assembly hall, spreading my arms wide opened.

Everyone stood up in their seats when I dashed towards Collette and hugged her Soo hard she nearly fell.

” I passed! Oh my God, Collette thank you, thank you Soo Soo much. You’re the best in the world!” I exclaimed. ” Love you Soo much!”

Collette stared at me, her face white from shock. ” Lucy what are you doing?”

I looked up lovingly at her, my eyes shinning. ” I passed my exams. I got 7.9 points. I went above average. Can you believe it!”

Collette tried to struggled out of my tight hug but I held her tighter. ” Is that…is that why you’re acting Soo crazy?”

” Why not,” I laughed. ” Without your help, I would’ve failed.”

” Lucy,” Collette’s voice had suddenly turned uneasy and urgent. ” I’m at a meeting.”

It was then I remembered myself. I glanced over my shoulder at the student’s council.

They were staring at the two of us, their eyes showing their surprise and uneasiness.

” Oh….” I let go of Collette and waved at them. ” Sorry about that, seniors.”

No one answered me. They returned back to their seats looking at Collette then at me.

” You and I will have a talk later, Lucy,” Collette said, adjusting her tie. She was slightly embarrassed. ” Please leave the hall.”

” Okay,” I laughed uneasily. Then I grabbed her collar and drew her to me.

I lightly kissed her on the cheeks.

Collette turned to stone. Before she could look at me, I was running towards the exit, laughing and smiling to myself.

I was happy. I was soo fvcking Happy. I had a feeling the student council were staring after me but I didn’t care.

I passed my exams. And that’s all that matters.

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