Countrygirl:
seconded

Countrygirl:
seconded

thirded

meneski:
;Dthirded

They should post stories, I can't wait to read interesting and emotional stories.

Hi guys. I'll begin posting the stories later this evening till tomorrow. Please be patient. Thanks.

kinwayne:
Hi guys. I'll begin posting the stories later this evening till tomorrow. Please be patient. Thanks.

divepen1 can you partner with him??

He should open the thread in diary section and post all stories then you move to literature section to avoid comments from disrupting the stories

BTW why are the judges of the competition still waiting to read when all the contestants have submitted??

Isn't there a group where you all chat up, go through the stories and give judgements or is it till the stories are pasted here??

TEARS FALL BY HAZKEL

I was cold. I felt numb. My red rimmed eyes flitted around the open space but I saw nothing. The arm around my shoulder rubbed me gently but that did nothing. I still felt lifeless and cold within. The inaudible voice of the priest droned on while my mind traveled away, far away to the day that led me to where I stood at the moment, in front of the open grave of my fiancé.

One Week Earlier


The beeping of the monitor continued in a steady rhythm as I put in the last stitches and closed up the wound, reassuring us that it was a success. There was laughter and pats on the back as we congratulated each other.

I hurried out of the operating room to give the news to the patient’s family. It was one of my best parts of the job, telling the family that their loved one would be okay. The joy on the faces of my patient’s wife and child was enough satisfaction for me. Grinning from ear to ear, I strolled down the hallway, heading to the lounge. I had to call Henry and remind him about the appointment with the cake designer later in the afternoon.

“Good job on that valve replacement,” Dr. Nosa, the chief cardio surgeon and my superior said as I stepped into the lounge.

“Thanks, doc.” I pulled out my phone from my locker and dialed Henry.

“You seem cheerful.”

“Henry and I are picking out the cake this afternoon,” I explained to him. He was best friends with Henry and I actually met Henry during an end of year hospital party that Nosa invited him to.

“That explains it.” He teased.

“Cardio emergency!” a voice called through the speakers.

Nosa and I exchanged looks and grinned,

“Duty calls,” I said as we hurried out of the lounge. As we moved quickly, I could not help but wonder why Henry’s number was unavailable. It was probably poor network, I decided.

We rounded the corner and saw a gurney being rolled towards us. The smile on my face seemed to dissipate as I felt my world crashing down around me.

“Henry?” I squeaked. My hand flew up to my open mouth.

Nosa who had been trailing behind caught up with me.

“Henry? Where’s…?” Then, he saw him.

I ran towards the gurney but was held back.

“We need to get him into the OR now, Sophia. He needs an aortic repair, he has pelvic hematoma and excessive blood loss,” Ferdinand, a fellow cardio surgeon told me as I followed them.

“I’m coming, I’ll be the one to perform the surgery. I’m gonna go scrub in. You can assist, Ferdinand.”

“You can’t go in, Sophia. Given the fact that Henry’s your fiancé, you just can’t perform the surgery,” Nosa said from behind me.

I turned around and looked at him, surprised. He nodded that they go ahead.

“That’s crazy! How do you expect me to stay out here and do nothing? Henry’s fighting for his life! Don’t you care about him?” I screamed at Nosa. I ran towards the OR doors but he pulled me back.

“Pull yourself together, Sophia. You are his fiancée. It is ill-advised and unacceptable to perform the surgery. You know that it’s against the rules. Due to personal connections, we both can’t be in there,” Nosa held me but I fought him.

“So what?! We are leaving him in the hands of Ferdinand?”

“Who is more than capable of handling the situation.”

“But… please, let me do the surgery,” I cried.

“No, Sophia. You are not stable enough. Look at you, you are already a bunch of nerves. Come on, you can watch the procedure from the monitor.”

As Nosa led me to the room which adjoined the OR, I had a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach. My eyes were glued to the screen as I watched the chest of the man I loved being cut open. The tears fell uncontrollably as I wrung my hands.

The flurry of activity going on on the screen was not foreign to me but at that moment, it felt so. I watched how a vessel opened up and the blood pooled around, blocking the vision of the doctor. I felt useless. I wished I was in there. I could save him. Without knowing it, my feet went up and I began pacing the room. Nosa's voice felt very far away and I could not make out his words. As I moved, my eyes never left the screen, my ears were attuned to all that was happening. With the loud, flurried beeping of the monitor came an outburst from my lips. I tried to run out of the room but Nosa held me back.

I fell to the ground weeping as I watched as they charged the defibrillator and hit him. Nothing, no response. Pain, hurt, regret, hate cut through me in that one instant as Ferdinand called the time of death.

I ran out of the room and into the hands of my mother. Her being around was a surprise but then, Nosa could have very well called her. I looked up and saw Henry’s mother, eyes moist and fear filled. A slight shake of my head was all she needed and I rushed to her. We stood there, holding on to one another as our bodies shook with soul wracking sobs.

Through my tears, I saw Ferdinand approach us but I was already gone, locked in a dark space. He’s gone, Henry’s gone, the words resounded in my head until I slipped into unconsciousness.

Today

I felt a tug on my sleeve. I looked up. It was mother. The funeral was over and I was kneeling over the freshly dug grave.

“Let’s go home, child. It will be okay.”

As mother pulled me away, I looked back and knew she was wrong. I just lost the man I love. It would never be okay.

STORY BY KRISSCONNECT

I was flipping over the graduation picture book she sent me and was engrossed in it when a blaring knock on the door roused me from my lost state. Hastily, I pulled out the drawer and sneaked the picture book inside. I hated to be caught in the act and out of the blue.

"Yes, come in" I said reluctantly.

The door pulled open and Nurse Ann walked in. She was looking rather ruffled and gasping for breathe. I steadied my eyes on her expectantly as she threw the words out.

"An emergency sir, this time a victim of a head on collision in which the head was affected. We fear a severe damage to the brain, sir". Her eyes rolled on around the office like the solution to the incident was hidden in a corner.

" Summon the team immediately, call me Dr. Grel, get Nurse Nuella set up the apparatus in the room 35".

The siren sound became very loud and I continued, "Make sure the neighboring rooms are void of distractions else we move to the 81".

I rustled through a host of files on my table and picked up the document aiding in a head hemorrhage surgery. The head on collision must have resulted to a serious bleeding in the head and that was the worst that could happen, I thought to myself. I rambled hurriedly with the document in my hand and headed towards the hallway.

"She has been taken to the 81, doc, we fear a severe damage to her brain and the speculation it is a traumatic brain injury has sent the team standing on a cold ground", Doctor Grel whispered as we walked down the siren beeping hallway towards the 81.

"You already done a CT scan on her?" I said allowing the siren sound swallow my voice.

"No doc, only a speculation and given that she totally lost consciousness, we might not be too far from a true assumption. She has seizure too"

"This is well complicated", I breathed in heavily.

I have gotten myself involved in different surgical operations but an incident in which the victim lost consciousness, developed instant seizure and a possible trauma brain injury is quite complicated.
" Yes doc, well complicated.
**************************************

It had been a long frightening years as a neurosurgeon, years encumbered with hasty conclusions and risked attempts. Staying back in the room 81, holding hands in prayer, wishing the terrible seizure would stop, running along the hallway, meeting a pale parents and either saying "she's gone or she made it alive". That has been my case as a five years practical surgeon. My most recent patient was a septuagenarian who missed his steps on the stairs and had his head hit on the edge of the stairs. It was a terrible damage to the brain and he bled profusely internally. It was a long night as I performed an unconvincing hemispherectomy on him.

" He might at least have a good chance of survival, we pray, and he might as well die in the course", I said to Mr and Mrs Johnson and avoided stressing the pessimism in my voice. "But you have to understand the operation is his only chance of survival". They only nodded in agreement with worry boldly written on their worn out faces.

Grandpa Johnson survived the operation but he could hardly remember a thing.

" Good thing he is alive", I heard Mrs Johnson say as she left my office the afternoon.

************†*************†***********

"This is the result of the CT scan we had on her, doc" Nuella approached me as I walked briskly to the theatre room, "She has an internal head bleeding which resulted to hametoma. The membranes are thoroughly damaged, there is an increased pressure on nearby the brain tissue and that has reduced vital blood flow which has her brain cells damaged. A further scan, she continued, revealed a punctured skull, damaged lobes and the cerebral hemispheres of the brain extremely bruised"

"This is intensely critical", I peeped at the CT scan paper and shook my head.

" In this situation doc, we don't know whether a corpus callosotomy or a hemispherectomy will be best suitable", Dr Grel said searching my face in expectation. "In either case doc, you're in the best position for the procedure"

A hemispherectomy or corpus callosotomy has been the most delicate and difficult procedure to undertake amongst the medical team in St. Johns Hospital. Having the knowledge of performing either of these operations labelled me the most designated medical staff in Johns Hospital. Such procedure required a high level of intelligence in the medical sphere which prompted most surgeons to evade risking an attempt. The first successful hemispherectomy we had in Johns Hospital was put through by I and Doctor Adams, but unfortunately, Adams left St Johns for Craig's Medics in Switzerland to help the team in performing the hemispherectomy on cases where it was necessary, hence I was the only experienced surgeon who could perform on the lady.

"Is everything ready for the operation?" I asked no one in particular. The team was ready, Dr Grel, Nurse Nuella, Dr Pat, Steve and the supporting staffs. The room was dead, it was always dead with silence when such situation stood before us, you could hardly hear a hush, barring the siren sound beeping outside the hospital environs.

I had by no means looked at the casualty probably because I was focused on achieving a successful operation on her or because the CT scan was already carried out so I thought it would be inessential to check on her. We had barely opened our minds to say a little prayer before starting the operation when the door peeped open. It was a supporting staff.

"We have her identity doc" She said extending a leaflet containing some information about the victim. I guardedly took the leaflet and my eyes could only grasp her first name, 'Samantha...

A Samantha?', I let out a soft breathe and kept the leaflet in my file. We had a silent prayer and subsequently I went over the victim. A little step closer and something abstruse hit me. It was like a cosmic radiation hitting the earth inducing an instant Cimmerian shade. I was hit by an emotional cosmic radiation when I realised the lady who had a head on collision, the victim of hemorrhage, the lady whose only chance of survival rested on my hands - was my fiancée. The ronjeurs and dissectors fell from my hand and made a perceptible sound. My eyes shut instantly, my heart followed, my hands became terribly cold and I developed paralysed feet. Hot streams of tears flowed freely from my dusk eyes as the rest of the team walked up to me.

"What is wrong doc", Dr Grel whispered as he helped me to a sofa. " He is slightly losing consciousness, help with the first aid kit, nurse"

"Grel, I started in a low tone, she is my fiancée, Samantha Davids"

"Doc?" Dr Grel jumped up surprisingly.

"Yes, She is the Samantha Davids I seldom talked about"

"Oh heavens" Grel looked instantaneously worn out. He still couldn't believe the misfortune that befell me. His voice was shaky now. "What happens now doc?, he continued, you know the policy"

"Can I trust you Grel?"

"Doc...?" he stressed it

"I know Grel, but that's her only chance of survival, a trial is better than nothing Grel" I said allowing the tears roll down freely from my eyes. "Grel", I held his hand convincingly, we planned on getting married next month.." my voice trailed off.

"I'll do my best doc"

I watched from the sofa as tears continued flowing uncontrollably from my eyes, the room was dead except my heartbeat which never stopped pounding, I could almost hear its rhythm. I watched on as Grel started operating on Samantha. The visual views, hands moving unsteadily, low whispers, suggesting signals, cold feet, vague nods, quiet staffs, an inexperienced Dr. Grel and an emotionally unstable me - worried over my fiancée.

This went on for some minutes when Grel stopped abruptly, the rest of the staff drew back and hung their heads low. I was a bit terrified by the sudden halt. Grel walked up to me with his hands guided behind his back, he forced a vague smile and reached out for the edge of the sofa. He looked at me but his eyes were dead. He went on silent for some ticks. Was it what I thought? Why did he stop operating on Samantha? Was there something I needed to know?. I could read the news on his face now, it was obvious.

"Don't say it Grel" I sniffed closing my eyes.

"I'm so sorry doc, I'm so sorry" He said soberly.

STORY BY LAURELYN

Sitting in my office after another successful surgery that put my name on everybody’s lips, my mind went to Sam, my fiancé. He has not called me or sent a message to apologize for what he did yesterday. How could he accuse me of having a God complex? I’m the best neurosurgeon in the state and one of the best in the country. I worked really hard to become what I am today, it’s perfectly okay for me to be proud of myself.
I went to the restroom and when I got back, I ran to my desk to check my phone. Nothing, no calls, no text. I decided to text him myself.

Sarah: You know, you’ve not apologized to me for what you did yesterday.

His reply came few seconds later.

Sam: You’re expecting me to apologize? After you called me a sexist pig?

Sarah: You were being condescending and discriminatory. You accused me of being too proud just because I’m a successful female surgeon.

Sam: Sarah, I said you should stop thinking and behaving like a god. You expect everyone to bow to you and worship you. You have a special gift, Sarah but that does not make you a messiah. Does that sound discriminatory or condescending to you?

Sarah: Of course, I’m a messiah. Do you know how many people I’ve saved? Do you know the number of people that had being written off as dead but I brought back to life? I’m special, Sam, you can’t expect me to behave like a mere mortal.

Sam: You know what? You are special, in fact too special for a mere mortal like me. I think you need to find someone as special as you are because it’s very obvious that you think I’m below your status.

Sarah: What are you trying to say?

Sam: I’m breaking up with you!

Sarah: What?! You dare not.

Sam: Oh, really? I’m not allowed to break up with Her Royal Highness?

Sarah: Stop saying rubbish! You can not break up with me.

Sam: Goodbye, Sarah. Have a nice life.

Sarah: Go to hell, Sam. You’ll never find someone better than me. I’m the best there is and you just lost me. Good riddance to bad rubbish!

I slammed the phone on my desk. How dare him! He had the nerve to break up with me. He’ll come back begging, I’m sure of it.

The anger soon gave way to hurt. Oh my God! Sam broke up with me. The wedding is cancelled, what do I do now? How do I tell my parents? I started sobbing hysterically. I love him, I love him so much. I couldn’t control the tears, they just kept gushing out.

I don’t know how much time passed with me crying on the floor, I was lost in my thoughts. My landline rang then, jolting me out of my reverie.

“This is Doctor Jacobs,” I said as I wiped my face with tissue paper.

“Doctor Jacobs, your attention is needed urgently at the accident and emergency unit.” The nurse’s voice was frantic.

“I’m on my way,” I said and hung up. I grabbed my stethoscope and ran out of my office at the top floor of the 5 storey building. Inside the elevator, I pushed my personal worries aside and assumed my professional facade.

I got out at the last floor and rushed to the A&E unit. The victim’s body was being wheeled to the operating room when I got there.

“What happened?” I asked Frank, a fellow surgeon and my closest friend in the hospital, who had gotten there before me.

“According to eyewitnesses, he ran a red light and a tanker collided with his car. His companion was not critically injured, however as the tanker collided with the driver’s side.”

Frank filled me in as we both prepared for surgery. According to the scan that had been carried out, the patient has head injury and he has to be operated on immediately.

“You’re in charge of the operation. His chances of survival is very low, I don’t think he’ll make it,” said Frank.

“Don’t worry, he will,” I replied with confidence.

We entered the operating room and it was then I got a good look at the victim. I felt like I had been sucker punched, I was hyperventilating and sweating profusely.

“Sam!” I screamed and collapsed to the floor as my knees grew weak.

“Sarah, what’s wrong?” Frank asked frantically as he picked me up and put me on the gurney.

“It’s Sam. Oh my God! It’s Sam,” I managed to say through the sobs wracking my body.

“Oh no,” said Frank as he took a good look at the victim.

“Sarah, you can’t do this surgery. I’ll take over,” he said as he tried to lead me out of the operating room.

“What?! No! I’ll perform the surgery. I’m the only one that can save him. I’m the best surgeon in this state, if there’s anyone who can save him, it’s me.” I was near hysterics at this point.

“Sarah, I know you can save him but you are not emotionally balanced right now and you know the rules, you can’t perform a surgery on your family and people you’re emotionally connected to,” Frank reasoned with me.

I’m aware of the fact that I can’t perform the surgery, I just find it hard to accept.

“Okay, Frank but promise me you’ll do everything you can to save him.”

“I promise, Sarah,” he said solemnly.

I went out into the hallway, anxious and scared. Sam must not die, he must make it. I don’t know what I’ll do to myself if I lose him.

I was wandering down the hallway when I saw a familiar face in one of the wards. It was Tolu, Sam’s best friend. He had bruises on his face and arms but other than that, he looked fine.

“Tolu, what happened? Why are you here? I asked him.

“Sarah, how are you? Have you seen Sam? Will he survive?” he asked in rapid succession.

“You were with Sam when the accident happened, right? How did it happen?” I fired back.

“He was texting someone and swearing angrily. I was perplexed, you and I know how much Sam hates texting and driving. I tried to snatch the phone from him but he wouldn’t let it go. We were struggling for the phone so we didn’t see the tanker until it was too late. This is all my fault, I shouldn’t have struggled with him.” He was close to tears by now.

Oh no! Sam was driving while he was texting me, this is all my fault. My pride and stubbornness caused this. I wasn’t ready to let him have the last word, I was trying to show him that I was strong and powerful. Oh God, what have I done? I started sobbing uncontrollably.

Tolu came to my side and tried to console me but it didn’t work as he was crying too. We were trying to console each other when I saw Frank passing through the corridor.

I ran after him with Tolu on my heels.

“Frank, where are you going? How is Sam? Did he make it?” I called after him.

He turned to face me and the expression on his face told me all I needed to know. Sam is gone.

“No! No! No!” I screamed.

“I’m sorry, Sarah. I’m so sorry,” he said dejectedly.

I looked at him and said in a low voice, “I’ve always thought of myself as a messiah, a special person, a god among mortals. I thought I could do and undo, I thought I could bring anyone back from the brink of death. Look at me now, Frank, I couldn’t save the one person that mattered the most to me. My eyes are clear now, I can see the truth. I AM NO MESSIAH.”

Frank’s bewildered expression was the last thing I saw before I lost consciousness.

THE GIFTED FINGERS BY GSTEVE001

TIFE DAMIJO FROWNED; He had one day hoped that Doctor Dan would treat a fly without requesting his presence, but that day doesn’t seem foreseeable. He stole a glance at an open envelope on his desk and smiled. Even if he wanted to stop and keep a straight face, his lips simply parted willingly to let out bits of joy fluttering about in his belly. If any day was going to be better in his life, it has to be today- excepting the emergencies he’ll have to deal with.

“Okay…fine.” He grumbled and slipped into his overall, grabbing his stethoscope on his way out in one sweep. He was awaiting his lunch, now what he got served was another emergency. Perfect.

“How bad is it?” he asked the female Nurse as they covered the distance to the emergency room.

“Terrible, sir: Three broken ribs, possible spinal injury…internal bleeding and-” she coughed and swallowed hard.

“It’s okay. Terrible is my specialty.” Tife interrupted. He wasn’t bragging, he’d undertaken one of the most complex procedures in the state and had even been invited outside once. He slowed his pace and turned to the nurse, trying to make sense of her attitude.

“You look so tense, Peju.” He observed. “Are you related to the patient”?

“No…no. she’s Flora.” Peju whispered.

“Flora? It’s good you know the name. You can try calling her relatives.” he stopped before the emergency room and opened the door. The room’s putrid air filled his lungs immediately. Over the years, he’d learn to take it as inspiration to help his patients. His fiancée once joked that he was a genius only when in the medical environment. That was undeniable.

A short man knelt beside a patient and shouted ‘fire!’ ‘Die!’ in the left corner of the room. It was difficult to know the recipient of his prayers: the patient or the demon? Two nurses whisked him away as he struggled on, quoting scriptures repeatedly.

Peju led the doctor to another patient surrounded by nurses straight ahead. Tife couldn’t make out the face due to obstructions, but the fragrance on her was awkwardly familiar. He bought something similar for his fiancée, Laura last February.

“What happened?” he turned to the nurses.

“An accident not far away from here,” A nurse quipped and crossed over to the other side of the bed. “She has been stabilised and would be ready for operation soon.”

“Laura?” a wave of nausea hit him as he stepped closer. His heart skipped and he could almost feel his knees give way.

“Ah…yes laura, not flora. I was trying to tell you that earlier.” Peju said.

Tife nodded and dragged himself closer to the wounded lady. Her eyes were barely open and he could feel her trying hard to keep them from closing forever. He took her free hand and rubbed it gently. Her pulse wasn’t great, but hopeful.

“Baby, you’ll be fine. Okay?”

“I wanted to surprise you with lunch and I-”

“hush. It’s okay. You’ll be fine.” He tried to assure himself. “Just hold unto us.”

Laura tried a weak smile and sniffed. He caught the tear from her eye with his thumb and cleaned it.

“Hey, the last time you said that, I left. Remember?”

“Yes…yes but you came back, and here we are.” Tife removed his sweaty hands from her bed and placed it on his laps. He couldn’t believe how nervous he was.

“What if I don’t come back this time?” she asked, still smiling. “It’s a privilege carrying your baby, Mr Damijo.”

“Shut up, dear. I was going to surprise you with that news. We can celebrate when you are okay. Right?”

“Love you too.” Her shaky breath calmed and her eyes closed into a deep sleep.

Tife was angry for two reasons: the operation had commenced by the time he joined them in the operation room, and more annoying was the fact that Doctor Dan was carrying out the procedure. The case was complicated and he wasn’t ready to gamble with his fiancée’s life. He walked up to the table and shook at the sight of his love's bare stomach.

“I’m sorry. Peju told me she’s a relative. You can’t do this, man.” Dan regarded him pitifully.

That was unfair. He had been the best hands to operate on other patients he knew only from Adam. But now that he needed to help someone so dear to him with those hands, he would be side-lined.

“But, Dan. it’s complicated. You’ve never handled something like this by yourself.” Tife said. He wished he could make him understand that it’s not just complicated but personal and He couldn’t trust anyone else with such. He couldn’t trust any other surgeon with his fiancée, and very much his unborn child.

“Tife, you’ve done this on others. You’ve granted hope to many through your fingers. Please, do me this honour. Besides, the MD would have my head if I allow you operate in this state.” He was right. Tife moved aside and checked his palms again. He was so afraid and disoriented, yet he knew he had to be the one with the scalpel. He stole glances at the heart monitor every now and then, and sighed. He urged Dan on as he cut through his fiancée, and sometimes had to refrain himself from slapping him when he handled her too carelessly for his comfort.

The beep from the monitor became rapid mid-way into the procedure and his heartbeat followed. He stood transfixed as the monitor toned down to zero. He knew life was fast draining out of her, but he was too afraid to move. Her heartbeat went flat, his visions doubled and Dan’s hands were still red. He removed his mask slowly.

“Dan, what happened? That’s an Asystole! A flat-line.” he quivered and his knees buckled. He bowed over her limp form and cupped her head in his hands as a drop of tear escaped Laura’s closed eye. Was it a final goodbye?

STORY BY COLLINS10

It was a Thursday morning. I had just arrived at the Hospital and entered my office. There was this funny feeling I was having this morning. I had called Miriam last night about a proposed dinner party, and what started as a lovey-dovey chat ended in an argument, with Miriam slamming the phone. I was unperturbed. I was going to see her after work today anyways.

As soon as I entered my office, my phone rang. I looked at it. It was Miriam's Mum. Had Miriam told her about our small wahala? Mildly surprised, I picked it.

Hello Mummy. Good morning Ma."

She did not reply. I listened carefully. She was certainly crying. She told me that Miriam was involved in a ghastly motor accident at Park Lane. She said someone called her with Miriam's phone at the scene of the accident and that they were bringing her to the hospital immediately. I didn't hear the rest of the words. My phone fell off from my hands, which immediately became sweaty.

Miriam! Accident! God!

I raced out of my office and hurried towards the Reception. I got there and stood with shaky legs, my mind racing through all sorts of possibilities. In a short while, the ambulance drove into the compound. Miriam was placed on a stretcher and wheeled towards where I stood. I hurried along with the stretcher and looked down at the face of the love of my life. It must be a serious head injury because her head was bloodied all over. Her mother was wailing hysterically so I instructed one of the Nurses to calm her down. Miriam was wheeled into an emergency ward.

Dr. Chikere, a senior colleague of mine was at the hospital with me that morning and we both entered Miriam's ward, together with two nurses. I was in total distraught. Dr. Chikere discovered how nervous I was.

"Collins, you can wait outside. I will let you know what's up when we are done with the clean-up. You look bad!" He exclaimed.

"No.... No..... Please I am not leaving here. Miriam is my life. She has to be okay." I swallowed. I tried to concentrate as they finished, but my vision was clouded. I couldn't see anything. Thoughts kept running through my mind and Dr. Chikere 's tap on my shoulder jerked me back to reality.

"She received a terrible hit on her head from something really hard. She suffered a Traumatic Brain Injury." He sighed. I put my hands on my head and rushed to Miriam 's bed. Why should this happen to Miriam? Why should this happen to us?

"Collins, you have to be a man. You have to be strong for Miriam. She needs you now. Listen, I know this is tough for you but you need to be stable and sane. We have to prepare her for the Craniotomy immediately. "

Craniotomy. That was the brain surgery Miriam needed. It was a delicate surgery. I did it on a patient last year. The man survived though, but complications resulted to seizure and he suffered Bacterial Meningitis for some months before the recovery process started. I have developed a reputation as a seasoned surgeon over the years, but my heart failed me this morning. I went back to Dr. Chikere and just stood there looking at him, the bubbles in my throat kept words from coming out.

"My God! Collins, don't worry about the Craniotomy. I will handle that. You are a nervous wreck right now!" He exclaimed and went outside. Miriam was dressed up in the lemon-green attire and pushed to the Theatre. I followed them numbly. At the door, I pleaded with Dr. Chikere to allow me be a part of the team. He hissed.

"Nonsense! You know very well that there's a rule against treating relations. Even if there was none, you can't possibly handle Craniotomy in this mood. You'll do more harm than good. Let's not waste time anymore, Collins. We've got a life to save." He said with a tone of finality. Then he entered the room and closed the door. I was still shaky and I felt my legs couldn't support my body any longer. However, I staggered to the rest-room and looked at the mirror. I couldn't recognise my face. I poured water over my head and returned to the Reception to meet Miriam's mother.

She was no longer wailing, but was walking around muttering to herself. I guessed she was praying. I walked up to her and clasped my arms around her in an embrace. She resumed crying silently this time around. We remained like that for a while before I returned to the Theatre Reception. I looked at the door, my heart beating wildly. Miriam was there now with her skull open. I froze at the thought.
Craniotomy usually took between three to five hours or even more depending on the complication. I must have fallen into an uneasy sleep but I soon woke up. In a fit of curiosity, I went to the door of the theatre and pushed it open. It was in chaos! I could tell that something was wrong. I looked at the screen beside Miriam and saw her pulse reading. It was almost non-existent! I gasped. The doctors were all working feverishly in an attempt to save her. I didn't want to believe it, but her pulse suddenly stopped reading. Surely she cannot die now. Dr. Chikere removed his mask and held me tightly.

"I am very sorry Collins." I looked up at him. What was he saying? I stumbled up to Miriam's bed and looked at her beautiful face. I touched her and recoiled instantly.

"Chikere, how is she?! When is she waking up?!" I asked madly.

"Collins, please. There were major complications. We lost her." I felt my life end with those words. How was I supposed to live without Miriam? I looked at her lifeless body on the bed and fell on it.

A WREATH FOR ADAMA BY SHALOMDEE

A Wreath for Adama

Mrs Ogah’s hands, aged by time held unto mine for a long moment not letting go. Her sad eyes were distant and lost and her veil fluttered in the gentle breeze, half closing her mouth and nose. I gazed into her eyes for a fleeting moment, no words were said but she knew it was time to let me go. Her hands fell away from mine gently, her chocolate skin, wrinkled, glowed like a green orange fruit.

I adjusted my black velvet gown that fit my body perfectly like a second skin. The dress pricked my body and I shuddered. Diezani had assured me the gown was perfect for this day, I was not in the right frame of mind to make any selection when she had dragged me to the clothe store in Terminus on Monday that week and insisted I pick two black mourning attires. I had wanted to wear white to signify the purity of the love Adama and I once felt for each other, but Diezani frowned at the thought of it, her round dark face furrowing in disagreement. Black was traditional, black it would be.

I walked slowly with an unbalanced gait, Hildah, who had been Adama’s bosom friend tried to stop me from proceeding, there was fear in his eyes, the kind of fear that had been in the eyes of Mrs Ogah, Adama’s mother, the day that he had passed on to the other world. I brushed him, determined to pay my final rites to my fiance. I was surprised that I had a little strength in me, for the past two months now I had emaciated and gotten feeble so that those who knew me thought I was going to die as well. He watched in silence as I steadied myself and made my way through the throng of mourners by the graveside of Adama Ogah..

I could feel the mourners’ intent stares penetrating like a viper’s bite, some touched me calmly and uttered soothing words that I cared not to digest, I had to fulfil my last duty. I did not care who these people thought they meant to my dead sweetheart, it was all about me now and no other. I could hear the silent hum of the choristers of First Baptist Church, Dogon Karfe and the loud wailing of the Women’s Fellowship, Matan Zumunta. My ears were quick enough to hear the Reverend’s repetition of the line: Ashes to ashes, dust to dust, his melodic tenor reverberating through the air and echoing through the cemetery crammed with bodies draped in black dresses.

He noticed me now, the reverend with the black cassock flowing down regally and reminding me of Principal Zhumbes of Saint John’s Academy who we all called Cassocks. Our school mates were here now, but I was not sure they were being reminded at all about Cassocks and his stern ways or his long majestic gown that made us hide behind our classes at its sight from afar off.

Adama and I had been friends from school and as we grew we discovered we wanted to spend the rest of our lives together. He was the artist who drew my portraits and I was the doctor who gave him prescriptions whenever he got sick. But things took a bad turn when Adama had a ghastly accident on his way to his work station in July.

Picture a cold, wet and stormy Wednesday in July 2016 in Our Lady of Apostle’s Hospital in Jos. Gloomy clouds are gliding over the sky and a stretcher is being pushed into the operating theatre where I have just concluded a successful operation.

I am frantic with grief as I make demanding enquiries as to what caused the accident and who was there with him.

“Calm down Doctor Grace.” Doctor Akinjola is telling me, “He will be alright; you just need to calm down.”

I try to struggle to reach to my dear Adama and tell him I will take care of him. I am the best surgeon in OLA and everyone knows that when it comes to surgeries, I never lose a patient.

“Please stay with me Adama, I am here, please stay with me.” I reach his side and take his hands. His eyes are closed and his face looks hard. “Adama,” I try to jerk him awake.

Doctor Akinjola holds me away now and Doctor Jerry leads Adama away to the bed. “You have to allow us take care of the situation. Get his family here as quick as you can.” Doctor Akinjola orders me.

What, this is insane, I think. “I am the best person to operate him, Akinjola.” I say trying seriously to be calm but my nerves are crushed.
“You are not in the right state to do this, Miss.” He says, his eyes transfixed on mine. “Besides, hospital policy does not permit you to operate a close relative.”

Nurse Bola tries to lead me away but I struggle on, “I can do this, just let me do this.” It is of no use.

After five torturing hours of waiting with Mrs Ogah crying over my shoulder, the surgeons come out, their hands in their pockets and their eyes looking more faraway than ever. “We lost him, so sorry.” Doctor Jerry breaks out the terrible news in his most pitiful voice.
I pass out in front of the three of them.

Reverend Davou is now singing a song with a raised neck. I hold the white lilies in front of me, “Till we meet to part no more.” The song says. I throw the lilies into the grave that has been freshly dug. I join the chorus, “Where in heaven our robes shall be adorned... like the pure white lilies of the earth.”

The wailing rises, the choristers get frenzied, the undertakers in black vests raise the sand in their big shovels and cover the wreath. The last sign of Adama vanishes.

STORY BY CHIZIDGREAT

The bird that crowed throughout the night sounded like a cuckoo bird but Mummy said it was an owl.

She had been of recent having this premonition of danger. So she easily related with anything that connotes danger and fear. Mummy has a way of convincing one whenever she wants to drive home a point . So, I had no choice than to agree with her insistence on the crowing of the owl and the possible suggestion of an impending danger. That was the price I had to pay for coming back to live in the family house even as after getting the certificate as a qualified surgeon and securing a job with a notable hospital. Mummy went further to tell me of her dream where I died and went ahead to pray for me.

That morning, I walked into the hospital afraid and sure of an unknown danger. Even though I tried my best to shove the feelings away, it never went away even after no danger came.

It finally came after lunch when I was almost getting over it. The danger was a strong one accompanied by a strong alarm from the entrance. The alarm first rang in my head, causing a sudden tingling that momentarily got my hands and legs folded and my brain seized. Towards the Accident and Emergency room, a young girl was whisked on a stretcher throwing her two legs and arms lifelessly like a day old corpse. She was generously letting out blood from several places. I recognized the face, the familiarity and even the clothes but instead of thinking of them, I thought about the ugly nurse that carried her on the stretcher, how her guava shaped mouth looked like something that was going bite the patient at any moment.

How could she be carrying Tonia like that on a stretcher? Was that not Tonia, my fiancée? And at the thought of this, it seemed as though my brain suddenly came back to life. Yes, that was Tonia, my fiancée. She was the one lying down like a corpse there.

“What was wrong with Tonia” I asked and rushed forward and grabbed the ugly nurse by her collar. “ What is wrong with her?” She looked at me horribly and hissed.

The look irritated me, just as the way she shoved me off gently and kept moving without saying a word. I stood there, helpless and as my feet became heavy, my mind blank and head burning like coal, I saw myself in the distance passing out. The ugly nurse came back in a moment and tapped me and said That lady is almost going. She had lost a lot of blood. I don’t know whether it was her car that ran into the lorry or the other way round. Doctor Charles said she needs an urgent surgery. Are you not going to sign in for it?”

I was an expert surgeon. I had seen Tonia going too like the ugly nurse said but I cannot sign in for it. I cannot behold Tonia in the theater with my tools on her. I cannot sign in for Tonia’s surgery, not with all the emotional trauma the sight of Tonia had given me. I refused to think about Tonia for the moment. I refused to imagine her in that condition. Instead, I thought about Mummy’s dream and fresh fear seized me.

I remembered Tonia telling me some days back that she had started driving herself to work but I never imagined that she could have an accident. I could only imagine such a thing on others, not on someone as close as Tonia. A sudden feeling of responsibility overwhelmed me, responsibility over Tonia’s condition, a feeling stronger than my emotional trauma, the feeling that Tonia was in trouble and I was more familiar to her than others and I was a surgeon qualified for this.

I jumped to my feet and rushed to Dr. Charles, the most senior surgeon. “ I want to sign in for that lady’s surgery. I am familiar with her body systems. I can easily tell her blood type and the kind of assistance she would need more than others . I am the best person for this surgery” .

Dr. Charles looked at me with emptiness. “You are familiar with her systems, how?”

“Tonia is my fiancée. I already know a lot about her and how her body works”

“Your fiancée?”

“Yes”

“No”

“No what?”

Dr. Charles gave me another look, this time, a look of sympathy and tapped my head. “You cannot sign in for Tonia’s surgery if she is your fiancée. You know the rule: you cannot handle the case of a close person. Sorry about that”

That news stung me like a bee. “Charles, is that rule useful at this moment?”

“Sorry, Doctor Chika. Dr. Lanre and me and others will perform this surgery. Just go and pray for the success”

“What nonsense”

In the theater as the surgery went on, I looked on in pains, imagining that all the tools going into Tonia’s body was going into mine and as I began praying later as Charles had advised, I prayed not just for Tonia but also for Dr. Charles and others, not for their safety but that anything could happen that would make them hand over the job to me.

I do not care even if it was a sudden outbreak of disease on them all. Something told me that God will not answer any of the prayers and I felt my eyes dripping with tears. I thought of Mummy and her prayers and I just wished she could come and pray again. I needed those prayers now.
Tonia died the following day, eighteen hours after the surgery and that moment too, the darkness fell even though it was just 9am. And again, I prayed another silent prayer: that the darkness should continue forever since Tonia, the light of my life was no more.

THE AGONY OF A SURGEON BY MREGGHEAD

Chapter 1

The 24th of June 2010 was the D-day.I was inducted into the medical profession amid cheers and exhortations from family and friends who were present.I had always coveted being a Medical Doctor and the Day has come.The event proved to be a nostalgic and emotional scene to me.After all,a few years back,My dream of becoming a Doctor was thwarted after my first UTME attempt;I was downtrodden and bemused.

At the end of the induction ceremony,I was adjudged the best graduating student owing to my brilliant and outstanding academic performances while in Medical school; I was indeed greatful to God.

I finally got admitted for a compulsory one- year housemanship training at a reputable teaching hospital in Lagos state:It's a training prescribed by the medical council as a prerequisite to be fully licensed as a medical practitioner.So I was not even a Medical Doctor yet,I thought.

These period of training happened to be the most demanding moments of my life.I toiled day and night.I suffered abuses and intimidations from a few teachers.Few said I wouldn't become a competent Doctor.Despite all these travails,I earned a peanut.But It was among the least of my worries because I never studied Medicine primarily because of the financial exigencies;It was borne out of innate passion. The subsequent year,I was signed out by my supervising consultant;It was the dawn a new voyage for me.

The following month after my youth service,I applied to a private hospital in Lagos for the position of a medical officer. I was offered the job on a meagre salary scale;I took up the job while looking for a better offer.I knew I was not done yet with my target yet,I had always dreamt of becoming a Surgeon.To be specific a Neurosurgeon.But I had to remain steadfast and focused on my present job.I worked 8 hours everyday including Weekends.I left st.Michael's hospital after 4 months.I had to resume my Residency training at the department of Neurosurgery at Obot teaching hospital,Ilupeju,Lagos state.

Chapter 2

My experiences as a Resident Doctor remain remarkable and indelible.Albeit,on a number of occasions, I had regretted being a Medical Doctor. I witnessed deaths of many hapless patients yet,I couldn't proffer solutions.Sometimes, I doubted my competency.I detested seeing patients taking their last breath, but sometimes,death seemed inevitable.I rose through the rank to the position of a senior resident doctor after three years.

"Good morning,Doctor" a lady said knocking."

"Good morning,you may open the door", I responded.From her physique,I was damn sure she was in her early twenties.She was a bit fair in complexion with a pointed Nose.Her hair dangled on her shoulder." This is awesome",I thought.

"You may have your seat" I ordered.

"Thanks Doctor," she replied.She sat looking pale,wilt and perplexed.

"How may I help you ma",I enquired.

"Hmmmm",She sighed." I'm terribly ill sir,"she responded faint-heartedly.

"All is well " I assured while dropping my stethoscope on thetables and arms crossed.

"I've been dizzy and lethargic these days,you need to help me",she continued .

" I'll do my posible best",I said.But I'll have to conduct some tests on you",I continued.

"But meanwhile,what is your name?" I asked."I'm Mary Obaseki",She replied with dour expression on her face."What a cool name",I ethused.
I had to inform the Nurse to take her to Med Lab Department for some tests.She was diagnosed of Malaria fever.I made some drug prescriptions and she left.

After that day's hectic job,I had to board to board a taxi home because My small camry car was faulty.All these while,I was thinking of Miss Obaseki health condition.I was worried and restive about her.

"How could a pretty Lady be so down with Malaria",I soliloquized.

"Malaria is not subservient to anyone,I thought.With utmost sincerity, I admired her beauty.

That same evening while I was on my bed,I received a call from a strange line.I was hesitant to pick.I barely answered under duress.

" Hello,Who am I speaking with?"I asked anxiously.

"It's miss Obaseki,I visited your office today," she said in a clear and vibrant tone.

"Ooooh,Miss Mary,I'm sure you're okay now", I exclaimed.

" Yes,thank you very much Doctor,May God continue to bless you," she prayed.

I received another call from Miss Obaseki the next day while riding back home.

"Hello Doctor,How are you doing sir" She asked.

"I'm doing fine", I responded.

"I'm not far from from your house", she said laughing .

I was dumbfounded. " How did you know my place", I thought.

"Ok,I'm on my way," I said.When I got to the T-juction leading to my house,I sighted a lady on a pink blouse and a red top.I knew It was her.I alighted from my car and we exchanged pleasantries.We talked about so many things and I drove her to her home.As days went by,we became very intimate;the bond grew stronger.I loved her body built,her benign smiles and her unique sense of humour.I knew she was the right one for me.I was sure she relished me to.

I proposed to Miss Mary Obaseki on the 8th of January,2012 and she glagly accepted.She was highly reverred by my family.She was respectful,calm ans outgoing.Moreover,she was a beauty to behold.

Just few months into our courtship,I received a distress call from her mother informing me of how Mary had an accident and that she was in comatose.I ordered she gets transferred to the teaching hospital where I serve.Obot teaching hospital is appraised as one of best in the country with sophisticated and modern equipment as well as seasoned healthcare providers.

At exactly 5:30 p.m,she was brought in.Her condition was indeed terrible;It was an eye sore.she suffered contusions all over her body;my heart bled.

A CT scan conducted revealed she was also suffering from cerebral haemorrhage.We placed her on oxygen while also working asiduously to rescuscitate her.At exactly 9:30 p.m she was conscious but couldn't utter a word.We were all happy at the progress,but a Neurosurgeon was needed to drain the blood that has clotted in her brain.I knew It was a risky exercise but I wouldn't jettision her.I was not even expected to partake in the surgical exercise because I was emotionally weak.

Our code of ethics forbade that but I was willing to bear the brunt of being sanctioned.I was expected to lead the rest of my colleagues as the chief resident.After several hours of intense battle to rescue her from the cold hands of death,She passed on.I thought it was an illusion that she would wake up but It was damn a reality.

My fiancee (Miss Mary Obaseki) died on the 22nd of August,2014.Her death came as a huge shock to many who cherished her.She was laid to rest on the 30th of August,2014 amidst tears and lamentations from family,friends and acquaintances.

THE END.

WHEN THE DEVIL DRIVES BY BARRIKADE

' ... though i walk through the valley of the shadow of death, i will fear no evil: for thou art with me...'

the Clergyman read from the book of Psalms,the drummers & trumpeters in the background playing ever softly but increasingly hauntingly to the tune of Cece Winan's comforter. The puffed up under-eyes & pitch black outfits of the bereaved friends & relatives only adding to the always sombre vibe of the cemetery.

There I was,barely a meter away from the final resting place of Cassandra,my would-have-been wife,my barely suppressed grief inching its way ever so gently back to the surface of my consciousness. I couldn't help but wonder what could have been if i hadn't made the choices i did.

Everyone was departing after the funeral ended but the silent whispers of loss kept me standing in place, unable to bid farewell to my beloved. I felt the familiar hand of Ameera-my sister on my shoulder as she walked past me,giving me a knowing nod which i caught from the side of my eye - she knew how I felt and she knew she had to let me grieve my own way.

As I blankly stared at Cassandra's tombstone which was now being engraved,my mind wandered back to what was now in hindsight the beginning of the end of our journey together:

"hello Dr. Hot-and-handsome" answered a playful but familiar voice on the other end of the line.

"and a good day to you too Lt. Bamidele" I replied and giggled mischievously.

"Don't even start" she said,knowing I was going to tease her about her shared surname with a Tottenham star. It was an inside joke only our closest freinds knew about.

My fiancée and I were barely on the phone for a minute when the ambulance rolled in,sirens blaring. In a split second, a teenage boy was being wheeled into the emergency ward on a stretcher. After 2 years together,Cassandra had memorized my shifts down to the letter and knew I had a late night shift on that day and always calls to keep me company.

"honey,there's a..."

"i know" she cut in,having heard the sirens

"hurry! go save the world,Dr. Salim" she quipped.

"I know i'm badass but don't be overdramatic" I retorted as I ended the call with her still laughing on the other end.

It was a pretty slow day at the office,which in my line of work is considered a good thing. I wanted to call Cassandra but decided against it when i saw it was already past midnight. it wasn't long before I was reaching into my bag and taking out my laptop.

The football season had ended with Arsenal finishing in second place ahead of Tottenham,again! hence the reason I was teasing Cassandra earlier. I was so engrossed surfing the web,catching up on the latest Arsenal news for what seemed like mere minutes to me when I heard the annoying sound of the creaking wheels of a stretcher being pushed down the corridor.

"why were there no sirens?" I wondered

"private car,dummy!" I muttered,soliloquizing.

I hurried out of my desk and popped my head down the aisle.

"Selene" i called out to the nurse but she was already out of range as she pushed the gurney swiftly across the tiled floor and out the front front entrance.

I hurried back to my desk, grabbed my stethoscope and penlight- a doctor's closest companions, opened the door & headed out into the passageway. As I hastily threw on my laboratory coat,nothing could've prepared me for what i saw next- There she was: Cassandra. my Cassandra,One arm draped lifelessly over the side of the stretcher as she was pushed past me- by far the most frightening image i've seen in my 35 odd years .

She was bleeding so profusely the gurney left a viscous trail of red behind. my heart sank so deep i was unable to move. I froze up and my eyes welled up.

I gathered myself quickly enough and dashed after Selene,the nurse who was now wheeling my fiancee into surgery.

As i pulled back the blue curtains,my eyes caught Selene's and she quickly took my hand and led me out of the room.

"Salim,you know you can't be here" the ebony-skinned nurse whispered sternly.

"I- I know" Ireplied, my anxiety now through the roof.

"But nobody else knows that. I'm begging you,Selena. Please let me help her."the tears pooling once again.

"I'm sorry Salim,but Dr. Myrina knows & has been asked to come in already,she's left her office will be here any second now."

With the knowledge that everything out of my hands,I headed back to my office,grabbed my phone and broke the news to our friends & family.

My best friend Seth and my sister Ameera showed up almost immediately, followed not too long after by Cassandra's disapproving sister Mara who without was there for barely a second when the gloves came off.

"you will burn in hell,muslim fool"

"I promise you will die with your terrorist brothers"

"fornicator"

and a lot more expletives, many of which i was too shocked to remember.

Right on cue,Dr. Myrina appeared from the hallway with a dour look plastered all over her face- a look i know all too well.

Two lizards locked in what looks like their version of a grueling duel pulled my absent mind back to the present. I looked around to notice a now eerily vacant cemetery and i began to ponder the length of time i had spent there staring blankly at nothing.

The twins,who had been sleeping soundly in their baby strollers up until that moment announced their return to conciousness with a loud shriek.
Looking down at the two fragile infants in their mobile cradles brought up fears of how i will someday have to explain how their mother was lost-already 37 weeks along at that time, Cassandra's contractions started in the wee hours of the morning on that fateful day- thinking nothing of it,cassandra decided to take the 5 mile drive down to the hospital herself.

As the contractions became more intense,cassandra lost focus which sent the automobile on its trajectory towards & ultimately crashing the once pristine vehicle into a tree.

Maybe Mara was right.correct in her assertion that I was a fornicator who knocked her sister up before we got married. What if I had made that call when I wanted to. Maybe without the pregnancy Cassandra would still be here.

But she is gone now and our two daughters are here- Iris & Maia. I could think of no other names that captured the essence of what i shared with their mother.

As I began to push my two bundles of joy across the pavement on my way back to our now family car, the paradoxical juxtaposition of Charles Dicken's famous line never rang truer than at that moment:

"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times..."

I couldn't help but remember & silently bemoan the myriad of things the freshly engraved epitaph of my deceased fiancée failed to capture...

'Here lies the final resting place of Cassandra Aramide Bamidele- 1987 - 2016
Mother. Daughter. Friend."

STORY BY CHIDONC


PROLOGUE:

..................................................

It been two years now since I meet her, it was during one of my
clinical rounds that I came across this patient with just a slight
dislocation to her knees as a result of a bike accident she had
earlier that day, on the file was written in bold latters, Ifeoma
Michael.

I later got to know that ifeoma a student of UNN Nsuka was in the
village just to see her mother, it was not long before we got talking
and discovered we had a lot in common, just like me she had a dream to
study medicine which she has been following, it was long before it
became an open secret that we both where already dating and we had
already done our introduction.

.....................................................

Part one

Nna Emela ofu'm, don't forget to send us money for our mother's
treatment and also the money you promised our younger brother for his
up coming jamb ,he needs it, try as much as possible also to send the
carpenter to come and fix our leaking roof as we are just in the early
months of June and the rains are already coming.

I could not help but wonder what the African society turned first
child into, a future fatherly figure, who should sacrifice his life so
as to take care of the family issues and adult siblings who feel it is
there eldest brother responsibility to carter for them, at the other
end of the receiver was my sister giving me a break down of all the
family issues and how I should single handed tackle all of it.

Hmmmm, I hissed for the millionth time that morning as thousands of thoughts
flashed through my mind, the most important been that of mama on her
sick bed. Mama had been diagnosed with acute kidney failure for some
time now and her health condition getting worst with each passing
day.

The more her thought cross my mind, the more restless I did
become. I could not help but imagine how she sold every thing she had
just to make sure I chased my dreams of graduating from medical
school, from hawking of Okpa in schools to menial farm jobs for fellow
villagers, she was able to carter for us after papa had left her to be
with another woman.

I been the first child out of seven kids, was
next in line to take care of the family and made sure everything was
the way mama would have wanted it to be.

Awwwww, I woke up this morning to the ring tone of my phone, at the
other end was Ada, my younger sister, It been about two days we last
discussed on phone, she was crying uncontrollable and trying to mumble
out something which was barely audible, all I could hear was she
calling my name and whispering , Emeka, mama is dead. My world came
crashing, why now, I could not shout neither could I cry, but the
flow of tears was free and on my eyes you could see the picture of a
man who just lost the most invaluable thing to him.

A mother who
suffered through rain and sunshine but did not leave long enough to
enjoy the fruit of her Labour. How could I take this lost.

Part two; how it all started.

The sun had woken up earlier than normal, it just been two days since
mama died and I had already managed to start making preparations
toward her burial.

I had sent ifeoma a text the day before about
mama's death, the events of the previous day still running through my
mind. I still could not believe mama was gone, I intended waiting
for ifeoma to come before we rush down to the village to see Ada and
the rest of the family when my phone rang

At the other end of the line was Dr Luke, there had been an emergency
and my presence urgently needed in operating room.


Part three..

Ada had been calling for the past two days, trying to find out
about ifeoma's health, the accident she had on her way coming to see
me was more serious than I had thought, ifeoma had boarded a bus from
Unec coming to Nsuka when she got my text about mama's death.

How could I handle this catastrophe, first was mama, now ifeoma,
with our wedding just weeks ahead. I had tried reaching Dr Kevin the
chief surgeon in the other health center but to no avail , I was left
between the devil and the deep blue sea, time was of essence and I
could not get hold of it, ifeoma was already in coma and the operation
had to be carried out that night, I knew I was unstable, the death of
mama and now ifeoma accident was weighing down on me but I had no
choice, I just got ready for what had to be done.

Part four....

I had been in theatre for over two hours now, I could not stand the
guilt of seeing ifeoma on the operating table, one voice blaming me
for been the cause of her accident and the other blaming me if she
should die, my world came crashing few minutes later, in my unstable
state of mind, I had mistakenly administered ifeoma an over dose of
the Anastasia instead of paracetamol which I intended to. As my eyes
hit on the cardiovascular machine, I realized that there was no longer
breathing activities and reality started to set in, ifeoma was dead,
here was her body lying down helplessly on my own operating table,
that was the last thing I could remember before passing out.

EPILOGUE:


It been two years now after mama's and ifeoma's death, standing right
in front of there graves, I could not help back the tears. I have come
to terms with my new fond faith in Christ and believe everything
happens for a reason.

STORY BY CHIPAPPII

She opened her eyes slowly for the first time and closed them almost immediately when the bright lights hit them. I clutched her hand and sniffed. She tightened hers on mine and I rubbed them as some form of reassurance. It didn't reassure me either ways. Just standing there and staring down on her helplessly had shattered my heart in a way I figured out it couldn't be fixed. She was my Nancy, she was my life and she was my fiancee.

"I'm sorry baby, I'm really sorry," I murmured, caressing her forehead and breaking down again, the sorrow and tears clogging my throat, making it hard for me to voice my feelings. She gave me no response, rather she closed her eyes again and her grip on my hand slacked. I turned to the young doctor beside me, working feverishly on her.

"How is it coming, she will be fine, right?" I asked him and he nodded.

"But you will have to excuse us Peter, you are somehow getting in the way and.." he stopped when he saw the look on my face.

"So hell what?" I barked. "she is my fiancee and I am not leaving her here, no! I am going to stay the hell here for every single minute she is in here. I am a doctor too and I am the hell better than everyone here and I should be the one on her. Just why won't you let me do it huh?" I yelled amidst the bitterness and frustration choking me.

Everyone turned to me, none of them was mad at me, I could only see the pity in their eyes. Everyone knew how much Nancy meant to me and when the ambulance had brought her in as one of the accident Victims, the hospital had turned a graveyard.

"Because you are unstable Pete," I heard the director's voice say from the direction of the door. I turned to him with my mouth open and my throat dry. "You can't treat her because you are not okay, come here let me talk to you."

I walked towards him, the sight of her on that bed slowing my movement. Director Ed threw his arm around my neck and walked me out of the emergency room.

"See, I believe you know how we operate here. Our ethics disapproves you treating someone close to you and hell look at you right now. I won't even let you prescribe drugs to someone with the way you are right now but doctor Martin's is on his way over and trust me, we are going to do everything humanly possible to ensure that she walks out of this place on her feet, in your arms Peter.

All of us will be there at your wedding and this is going to be a testimony son," he said and I heard murmurs of Amen from around. Somehow the words got to me but didn't seem to placate me. I wiped the sweat off my blow with the back of my arm. I was soaked in perspiration.

"She is my all and if anything were to happen to her, I don't know what I'd do," I said and felt the hot tears racing down my cheeks. Director Ed patted my shoulder in a reassuring way.

"She will be fine." he said and turned sharply towards the emergency room. I also heard the noise that had made him turn. I pulled myself from his hands and ran back in, running into muffled screams of "WE ARE LOSING HER!". My eyes dashed to the Electrocardiograph and I saw that her heartbeat had flat lined.

In a rage, I pushed the doctor away and grabbed the defibrillator, I turned it up to 1000 volts and was going to Jab the plates on her chest.

"You are going to kill her," the doctor yelled. I stopped short at it and stood watching her confused and helpless. I let the plates drop to the floor with a crash and fell on my knees after them. I leaned against her and stroked her beautiful face.

"Nancy please, don't do this to me. What do you think I would do if you ever died," I stopped and sniffed. "Nancy, if you loved me just please live for my sake, I am begging you."

Everyone stared on like I had the perfect remedy for her. Everyone was a trifle helpless. The electrocardiograph beeped and the lines peaked. I jumped on my feet and kissed her forehead. She didn't open her eyes and just then, Doctor Martins walked in all prepped for the surgery with his kit. He was an elderly man, I had worked under him as a fresh graduate.

"What do you think you are doing boy?" he asked me. I stared at him with my hands on my waist, all shaking.

"She is my fiancee," I sniffed.

"Oh, then I need you out of here. You can't be here," he said. I didn't move. I wasn't leaving Nancy for anything.

"No, I am not going anywhere. Just do your thing and let me watch please. Do not ask me to leave please, just don't," I pleaded, sniffing without stop.

He seemed to understand and gave up on me, knowing how stubborn I can be whenever I choose to, then turned to her. Just then, the machine beeped again and she jerked on the bed. We both ran to her. While he was asking for shorts of drugs I had never thought of in my state, I was busy pleading my heart out to Nancy that she live for our love.

She flat lined again just before Martins could touch her. She relaxed on the bed and her skin glowed. I backed against the wall and slid slowly to the floor in a heap, my hands on my head, defeated, all numb and sobbing bitterly.

She was pronounced dead at 12:54 am, 16th June 2017. Our wedding was just the next day, 17th June 2017.

STORY BY ONNASUCS1

I sat down in my office, Scrolling through the pictures in the album I created specially for him. Smiles beamed out of my face seeing my “Beloved” as I fondly call him.

Sometimes I do ask myself that was it his handsomeness that made me say yes?. But each time I find myself asking these questions, I gave me no answer.

I never knew Steve was staring at me until my eyes met his smiling face.

“hey what's it!” I blurted in smiles.

“so when is the date” he asked

“not yet dear” I answered and picked up the razor blade to scrape off a dirt on my table.

“I've always told you that your wedding to Ryan will not hold”

“What!!!” I barked out, not realizing that I had just cut a part of my right thumb.

“I'm really sorry dear, you know I always pull your legs with such stuffs” Steve said as he tired to wipe the blood trickling down from my thumb.

“don't infect me young man” I said sounding angry as I took a piece of cotton wool to wipe of the blood before I continued “you should know what to joke with, Steve.”

“I'm really sorry dear, and I mean it.” Steve pleaded.

“it's okay, you're pardoned. But any such jokes from you again, I'll make sure I scrape off all of your hair” I said without sounding as if it was a joke.

“It would have been nice if you said those words with a smile on your face” Steve said smiling.

“Ohh mine, silly you are” I said with a huge smile. Steve has a way of making me smile. It's so nice to have an amazing man as a friend and colleague

“Steve, I have a seminar to attend now. I guess I should be back in an hour”

“that's if I have the strength to wait on you, I should have been at home now”

“so what kept you back all these while?” I asked quietly.

Steve let out a loud laugh while patting me on the shoulder. “I guess that was really a joke”

“not funny” I replied with a straight face.

My phone began to ring, and it was an unknown caller. I picked up the call and stayed quiet.

“This is Sergeant Nichol, hope I'm on to Emily” “yeah” I answered…

“Steve, kindly take me to Barclay medical's” I said as I rushed out and got into his car” he followed along and stepped on the accelerator as much as I wanted. In 5minutes, we got to the hospital.

“hello, I'm Emily, someone called me, asking me to come over here” I said staring at the 3 police officers I met at the reception.

“mam, come with me” one of the officers said and led us in with Steve following closely.

“Oooh Ms, you're welcome” a doctor said and offered us a seat before the officer left the office. “can you tell me what is going on”

‘calm down Ms” the doctor said “At about 2pm today, Mr Ryan was involved in a ghastly motor accident, we thank God he survived but apart from the bruises he sustained, he suffered a major brain damage, intra-cerebral bleeding to be precise”

“you're joking right, “where is Ryan?” I barked in tears.

“he's in our intensive care unit at the moment. I need to assure you that we will do everything within our power to save him.”

Soon enough my weeping turned to wailing and before I knew it, it became a loud uncontrollable cry.

Steve tried to calm me down but he couldn't. “take me to him, I need to see Ryan” a said amidst my tears, but the doctor insisted that I won't be given access to him.

We were able to transfer Ryan to the hospital where I work.

But I got a major challenge, I wouldn't be allowed to perform the surgery even though I'm not just an experienced personnel in that field but also a very successful brain surgeon.

I begged all night, I called on Steve severally, but the rule was too strong to be bent for anyone.

My eyes were opened all night, weeping, praying and muttering words, I myself couldn't understand.

I got up as soon as the cock crowed, I said a little prayer and washed myself up before heading to the hospital. My heart was pounding heavily while a flood of tears rolled down my cheek as I saw a team of specialists including Steve, wheeling Ryan into the theater.

My eyes got to the door post of the theater door. And slowly, I read what was boldly written “KEEP HOPE ALIVE BUT NEVER UNDERESTIMATE FATE” it brought down a bowl of tears from my eyes. Soon enough, the door of the theater was closed and the surgery began at exactly 8:47am that morning.

My legs were too heavy to carry me, I had to sit down and before I knew it my eyes closed in sleep and my eyes were opened in the dream to see my beloved Ryan smiling at me, I wanted to run to him, but a force I couldn't see held me back and he vanished. Immediately I jerked up from my sleep, trembling. I took a look at my wristwatch and it was exactly 9:49am...the door of the theater was opened and the specialist walked out one after the other.

Steve ran and held me, I could feel his hands shaking as he culled them around me. And as the voice of many waters, like an ocean whose waves are gently passing away, those words filtered into my ears. “he couldn't make it.”

it resounded again and again. My teeth gnashed in anguish, my hands trembled in sorrow, my flesh quaked in deep shivers, my tears flowed like a river, but my voice was still deciding on whether to laugh, scream, cry, or to remain silent.

MY thoughts rang this sentence until I went into oblivion. What is the use of being a specialist if one cannot guarantee the life of her beloved?

STORY BY TUHAM

CHAPTER 01


TWINS KENNY RESTAURANT 5:30 P.M.

The atmosphere was filled with excitement as the sound speakers emit music softly. In front of my seat were a group of four teens having a jovial chat and not caring whether others are watching them. Not far from them is a married man about to spoon-feed his wife out of love while their children watch and giggled.

Despite all the fun, my mind was completely somewhere else.

“Sir, what would you like to eat or drink?” A waitress asked

“Soft drink, A Canned Malt to be precise”

“Just that? She asked politely

“Yeah, am waiting for a friend and will have a meal when she arrives”

“Alright sir”

I picked up the phone and redialed a number in which the response was negative. After making another attempt and result was the same, I dropped the phone and brought out a novel from my bag.

Three minutes into the Novel, someone dropped something on the table and without removing my gaze; I stretched my right hand to the object thinking it was what I had earlier order for. The object felt like leather and when i looked up, i discovered it was a Bag!

“But I order for a...” I couldn’t complete the sentence upon seeing the person standing in front of me

“Am very sorry Love for the delay! It was an unavoidable traffic” The Lady replied and gave me a quick hug

“What about your line, Miriam? Tried the number several times but wasn’t reachable” I said feigning anger through face expression even though deep down, I was very glad she finally came

“Maybe it was network. Once again, am sorry. You know what, I’ll make it up to you for coming late” She said and sat down on the empty seat facing me

“How do you plan to?”

“By telling you a secret” She said

“A secret”?

The waitress came with a small tray which consists of a Can Malt drink, a cup, and straws (thin tube for drinking). She carefully drop them one by one on the table except the straw which she held out for me to choose one from

“Sir, I assume this your friend you’ve been waiting for?” The waitress said and smile

“Yes, and we can place our meal order now”

We then make order in which the waitress took notes of them and left. Miriam joked about how many more people in the restaurant I have told that am waiting for her?

“To be sincere, you got me worried”

“Am sorry please”

“It’s alright. So what’s that secret?

“Well, I just wanted you to know that I love you more than you do!” Miriam said

“We both know that’s not true and that mine is greater!” I replied

“Oh, are you sure? She laughed

The waitress met us there and smiled at our actions. She then placed the meal which consists of Fried rice and chicken on the table.

Half-way into the meal, we talked about life, career and our future especially the marriage we’re having soon in four months’ time.

“I can’t wait to be Mr. Miriam”

“And I can’t wait to be Mrs. Tunde too” She replied back

After the end of the meal, we decided to go for sight-seeing on a short trip the next Saturday.


CHAPTER 2
12:07 P.M.

“Who is the next patient?

“Hassan Mohammed sir” doctor Bisola, one of the junior doctors said

The lady who was working as an intern then gave the file consisting of details about the patient and led the way alongside four other junior doctors to the room where the patient is.

**********

3:30 P.M.

“Please, do not forget to follow those instructions?” I said and handed the file back to the last intern doctor whom I am to attend to at that moment.

I was about to go to my office when a patient was wheeled in from the entrance of the hospital. From my quick glance, she looked familiar but the facial burn makes it harder to recognize the patient.

“Car Accident! Collision to be precise” one of the doctors wheeling the patient walked up to me and said

“How many casualties, Doctor Abeeb?”

“Five but only this patient had fatal injuries and Doctor Toylak would be the one to operate on her”

“But am I not the one supposed to deal with that kind of case?”

“It’s because this one is special. She’s your…”


Then my phone rang with the caller name as Miriam. I wanted to end the call at first but felt an impulse to pick it and simply told her to call back

“I think you already knew I’ll be busy at work by now. Why not...”

“It’s me Bisola, Miriam’s friend” The voice trembled

“Bisola, Is something wrong? Where’s your friend?”

“She had an accident and would probably be in your Operation theatre by now, I wanted to get some things am required to buy for her”

The caller finally burst into cry and end the call

I held Doctor Abeeb’s hand tightly. The latter said he was about to tell me who she was and since there’s a rule against treating loved ones or members, Doctor Toylak would be her surgeon. I dashed with reckless speed for the OT without hearing any more

“Please, what’s the Gravity?”

“Multiple injuries, facial burns, and lots of bleeding” an intern, doctor Idayat who is about to enter the OT room said quickly and entered the room

******

4:10 P.M.

Doctor Toylak finally came out from the Operation Theatre and held me by the shoulder

“She tried to make it through but end up asphyxiating.”

“And then?” I asked breathing heavily

“The wounds are too much for her to bear. She eventually gave up the ghost”

The hospital environment changed suddenly and I saw an image coming out from the OT room bidding farewell. I pointed a finger at empty space and cried

“Nooo! She’s still alive! That’s her!”

FAITHLESS FATE BY NAIJACHILD

The red earth felt so cold and sticky but the thoughts kept running through like flashlights. The rain had come and droplets ran down the cheeks like heavy gravels. The world felt so lonely. Yes! It's going to be lonely without Baridula. What a cruel world? Why now? Why didn't I just calm down and do it? Oh God! What a pitiable state.

I had gauged the hydraulic oil and checked for alignment just a week after servicing the car few months ago. I always put safety first when it comes to automobiles but how it happened is what I just can't explain. The venom from uncertainties stings deep in my heart. It was not any fault of the car. It was the other driver. Overspending kills- just a normal slogan seen on trucks but do the drivers adhere to it? This was the cause. My world is gone,deep in this soil, six feet below the red earth and I feel helpless, frustrated and confused.

"Please, accept my condolence". I turned around and it was Dr. Olaitan. He was there. He had stood there too in white coat. He was busy too.

I could see his eyes searching from one end to another. We would say he tried his best. I had always said that too. I say it to many and the reactions are always quite spontaneous and energetic. Some speechless, others noisy but we were trained to coordinate ourselves in such times.
I never knew it would be my turn anytime soon. I never really understood what it meant to be told- I am sorry. I was told that a fortnight ago. I was a witness. I watched my world breathe her last. I was too shaky, too confused to think.

It was a sunny and bright day. I was scheduled to be on duty and had a surgery operation slated for 11am. The night before was quite romantic and peaceful as I had slides into her. We slept in each other's arm. I am a lucky man- I smiled to myself as I saw her beautiful face dazzling from the reflection of the sunlight. I quickly ran downstairs to prepare Oat and toasted bread. She was going to have breakfast in bed. I woke her up with a kiss and she sent a smile that warmth my heart. That was what I needed for it was going to be a hectic day in the theatre.

We cleaned up and eat in bed, chatting over our ambitions, inspirations and of course gossips.I left with kisses and hugs for the day.

The surgery was successful and I had just entered my office when the came. "Hello?"

The person on the other end said in a haste and without waiting for a response continued in pidgin language

"accident happen o,na the last number wey dey the list be this, na e make I dey call you,a beg rush come Tank junction, near Eleme roundabout".

I knew the number quite well and I was expecting to hear " sweetheart, how is your day going? " with a voice like the Nightingale bird singing but a husky voice had come on with a disturbing message.I had no time to think, I knew what had happened or rather I understood the message passed.

Pristalyn Hospital where I work is located at Rumuola on the Abs road axis while the scene was on East-West road. It was quite a distance. I dashed out of the office and told the secretary that it was an emergency. I remembered we had discussed about refilling food stuffs at home and she promised to visit the weekly Wednesday market at the roundabout.

If there were traffic agents, I would have gotten several tickets because I drove like a lion unleashed from its cage. "I can't be late" I kept telling myself.

The scene was messy.I called the number again but no response. I inquired from onlookers where the accident happened.

"Chai! na that woman? na God go save her, people don carry her go Saint Anthony's Hospital wey dey this road, God go punish that driver".

A lady who managed to respond to my questions said while swearing and laying curses on the driver. What I saw caused a sore as the anniversary gift, a Lexus 350 model laid unrecognizable squeezed between the trunk and an electrical pole.

I quickly signed off and took my precious jewel in the car and headed straight to my hospital. I called in for emergency and I knew everyone was set for my arrival. There was no time to waste as she was rushed to the emergency theatre.

Quickly, I changed into my uniforms and got in with them. If I am the best, it was now! I cannot lose my jewel. But then, I couldn't fathom the fact that the pretty face I saw in the morning is now masked up with blood, my lively wife is now unconscious, that lips that spreads out is now sealed.

The diagnosis on the CT scan revealed that there was a spenic rupture which needed laparotomy. An emergency celiotomy for hemoperitoneum was to be performed through a midline abdominal incision.

I understood what was going on and was ready to be a part of the team that consisted of four doctors and three nurses but I was shredded off. I just stood there and watched. Not like I could do anything for I was heartbroken and confused.

They were busy, I could see but my mind was fixed on the face. "Please, come back to me" l kept muttering. All of a sudden, Dr. Belema's eye widened as he signalled to the anesthesiologist, Chukwuebuka. The nurses brought more laparotomy pads and more units of blood were sent in. There was an iatrogenically induced problem as they tried to keep the pressure.

She was losing lots of blood. I could see. I was restless. Dr Olaitan tried to continue but there was increased bleeding with hypotension.

"Dr. Tuka, the management sends their condolence" Dr. Olaitan said and I was back to reality.

DESOLATE BY FIRSTGENTLEMAN1

I picked up my phone to dial her number once more, for the umpteenth time. Her number remained switched off. I was getting highly paranoid partly because she ought to have arrived here from a journey that was supposed to have ended about 2 hours ago, and partly because I felt a strange palpitation within.

Just as I decided to drop a text for her, the door flung open in a brash manner, with nurse Sandra dashing in, slightly crouched and struggling to breath, she muttered, "Dr., emergency!". That meant only one thing, call to duty.

"What is the nature of the emergency?" I asked her, while hurriedly getting set to work in the theatre.

"It was an accident, the victim is said to be the only survivor and she has lost a lot of blood." An ominous chill ravaged my body. Could it be because she mentioned the victim was a lady? I waved the thought and made a dash for the theatre.

"Call Drs. Joshua, Stephen and Seun here as soon as you can, tell them to get ready." I was dishing out instructions speedily to Sandra.

It had almost become a routine to be called upon first when emergencies occur, I was an experienced surgeon that had horned his skills over the years. I was considered in various quarters as the best surgeon in the country.

I soon got to the theatre where the nurses had already laid the victim on the stretcher, they were fixing the ECG on the victim when I dashed in.

"Is she conscious?" I asked no one in particular.

"No, she is unconscious, she suffered a laceration just below her rib cage, she has lost a whole lot of blood." Nurse Amina answered hastily.

I made for the stretcher in a bid to catch a glimpse of the victim and also start a physical examination. I got close enough, then stopped in my tracks, deadly petrified. I stood there glued to the spot.

"O My God!"I screamed. The nurses were taken aback. It was obvious none of them knew the reason for my reaction. None of them knew that the person laid sprawled on the bed, fighting death, was my fiancee, Lucy, the one I had been trying to call without succcess.

Just then, my colleagues trooped in one after the other. Only Stephen recognized the victim. He was a friend of Lucy and I. I was motionless, confused as to the next step to take. Stephen soon started ordering the nurses.

"Get the anaesthesia fast." He thundered. I had been relegated to the position of a mere spectator. I had an emotional attachment to the patient, there was no way I would be allowed to be part of the surgery team. I observed as they set everything in motion.

"Where is the suction tube? Take a sample of her blood, test it, ascertain her blood group, then send out word that we are in dire need of a donor. Do that fast." Dr. Seun rapped out the orders.

Retractors, graspers, lancets and other surgical tool in the hands of my colleagues soon began their work of resuscitation on Lucy. I watched on in dismay as the trio worked tirelessly to save her life. I watched helplessly as the ECG displayed a "regularly irregular" reading. It unsettled me, but I still prayed, I prayed for her to conquer. I watched as she battled death, the more I gazed, the more I felt my whole body go numb.

Myriads of thoughts ravaged my mind. "I shouldn't have allowed her embark on this journey. If anything bad happens to her, I won't forgive myself. " I snapped out of these thoughts when I heard the shrilling beeps of the ECG. I got out of my reverie and examined the ECG. The reading aptly showed that the heartbeat had become "irregularly irregular". This could only mean one thing, I was losing Lucy.

"Do something fast! You are losing her." I was yelling at my colleagues. Stephen came over to where I stood, wrapped his hands around my waist and led me outside the theatre.

"Iyke, please stay here and wait for us. You being there will only cause us distractions which we can't afford to have for now. Trust me, we are on top of the situation." That was Stephen trying to sound convincing, but his eyes betrayed him. His eyes gleamed despair. As a form of succour, I held unto a subtle voice telling me, I can't loose my fiancee.

I watched as he dashed into the theatre. I waited, hoping for the best, but knowing fully well, my expectations were the exact opposite. After series of back and forth jostling of the nurses, and what seemed like eternity, Stephen came out of the theatre with his stethoscope hung loosely around his neck. His face portrayed deep sorrowful emotions, he managed an awkward grin, but as he got closer, I noticed his teary eyes.

I didn't bother to hear him break the news. I rushed towards the theatre and saw the other doctors and nurses in sober mood. I moved closer to the lifeless body of the one that brought light into my dark world and in a flash, left with the light. At that point, I knew my life had changed and was never going to be the same again.

I knew I had ceased living and was only an existential being. I knew a large chunk of me had been ripped off. Lucy was gone, and in her possession was my love, my life, my muse. I am now incapable of giving out love, since it's gone with her.

And here I am, narrating my story to you. Here I am, telling you why I appear miserable always. All I look forward to now is the final death that will bring me in ultimate union with my soul, because the Iyke you see now is dead. Dead to life.

STORY BY JACKO007

On the eve of Christmas, many were already preparing for the birthday
of our Lord Jesus on a very cold evening, many dressed on wears to
prevent cold, suddenly a beautiful woman with sparkling eyes like that
of a female fox, dressed on black Jean and a top which would have been
a usual dress for a Normal day to me, but there I was starring, she
was between the age of 19-23, walking slowly and passed me shivering
with her teeth's making sounds couldn't afford getting my eyes of her
wondering if she was really a human with such appearance, without any
thought I turned and took some steps to help by offering my cold
jacket but was turned down, I couldn't afford to look stupid and
disappointed,then I held my jacket on my left hand and kept following
her down the street asking her questions just to be acquainted but she
was mute all along. Just after some residential blocks, she entered a
newly built block.

There I was standing wondering what she was, then
it stroked me that i was falling in love
at first sight to a stranger, who i barely spoke with. A week went by
, a month passed by, I wondered were she might have came from.

Then a day came on my way from a shopping mall, their I saw the
stranger that I fell in love with walking towards me, at first I
couldn't believe my sights but had to utilize my moments, just as I
was about saying a word she smiled, and i tried lifting my courage due
to what happened on our first encounter , we spoked at length after
exchanging pleasantries there I felt resurrection, then I felt loved
once more.

The feeling was extraordinary, super magical and I had no specific
word to really describe that moment. As time went by, our love grew
stronger, we made plans for our future , it was as if we were never
going to find sorrow or pains in our lives, she had the purest of
heart, respectful and could almost act like an elder by the ways she
gave advice to me on issues I encountered daily. she was a woman every
man could wish for , she could stay all night, just to wait for my
call especially when I was on emergency work.

One very bright promising morning , i woke up as early to prepare for
work, just as an adage our elders always say ''that we only know our
past but the future is unknown" after preparation, I left for work
leaving my fiancee at home_ who was also about leaving for the market.
After 25 minutes drive, there I was at St. Genrad hospital where I
work as a medical Doctor and a seasonal surgeon.

Hoping for a less busy day compared to my past 1 week at work which
has been either having an appointments with patients or at the theater
ward conducting a surgery operation. Just few hours as my smooth and
less busy day was on , a loud siren sound of an ambulance drove to
emergency entrance. It's was an urgent call for work, carefully as I
could, I grabbed my medical cloak and walked quick as my heels could
carry me, down the hall that leads to the theater ward.

In a few seconds there I was at the ward, a room with some set of medical apparatus layed on a steel table with 4 nurses giving the first
attention before any operations, so i picked up a syring and drew a
large amount Large quantity of sedation, just about to inject, i
became cold and confuse, never been that dishearting in my medical
career, there my beautiful fiancee was laying helplessly. They was an
ethic that binds my practice against treating love ones no matter how
critical that situation was, I had to think if to continue the
treatment or watch my wife to be die, due to the fact I was the only
trained surgeon who could treat such condition,

The nurses quickly saw
my facial appearance and how shocked i was, suddenly the nurse who was
just close to the entrance pulled off her lab cloak and went outside,
which I quickly knew she was heading to the director's office to
request for a change but that didn't bother me because I was
emotionally unstable and couldn't even say a word. Few minutes later,
there was Dr. Chikere a middle aged man in is 40s who was also a
seasonal surgeon like I was, but was not competent, for such
operations, they tried and later succeeded in convincing me that my
fiancee of about 8 years was going to be alright again, they was
nothing anyone could say to me that didn't portrait guilt, i kept
wishing that God could once more heal my angel. Reluctantly i walked
out from the theater room with tears running down my eyes. i
hopelessly watched my fiancée of 8 years died from an ethics that
binds my proffession.

I waited and watched eagerly to see if any one would walk out from the
ward but no one did, to ease my self pains , I kept walking the
hallway to observe the door but they was no news until about 3hours
later at night When my co- doctor came out looking so disappointed and
dumbfounded, I knew the looks of such face. That looks that every love
ones get when they lost a love one from surgical operations, I dropped
down crying, hoping for death to carry my along, hoping for a moment
when Dr.chikere could say ''my friend we have another option'' but
nothing anyone uttered that moment was more important that the fact i
was left alone on this lonely place called earth. I would have given
up such ethics that will restrain me from saving her life. I keep
starring at my door to see if she might walk in one day, but it was
never helping, my career has crumbled because I see no reason for not
saving the life of an angel, i called my fiancée even with my ethics.

I was born believing that searching for love is like searching for
your self. So once you find love, you find yourself.

THE NIGHT I WAS SCARRED BY KUSIBE77

She was rushed in half dead. I watched as she lay on the bed, as
lifeless as a mushroom, and rushed into the theatre. I shivered as a
little fear crept into my heart; she must not die, we are meant to get
married next week.

‘Stop doctor’ Doctor Maxwell said, placed two hands on my chest to
stop me from following the bed into the theartre. ‘I understand; this
is your area of expertise, and how you feel but you know the rules’

I was her fiance, emotions could set in at the crucial moment if I
should treat her myself.
‘Ok, ok’ I blurted, ‘I can at least stay in there without touching anything’

I stared up in to the ceiling as if he was counting,1,2,3. ‘ok fine’

I stared at her, she mustn’t die. A quick first aid was performed on
her wound that exposes a damaged rib cage and Maxwell prepared the
anesthesia.

A breathing aid was implanted on her nose and the
pulse-oximeter was connected to her finger tip. I glanced at the two
female assistants; they had a cap on and a nose mask on their faces
like me. One is working on the x-ray to my right behind a computer. I
could feel the heat under my coat on my skin and sweat dripping down
my spine as the smell of her exposed wound got to me.

‘Sir ‘, an assistant called on Maxwell.

‘Yes, let it come’ he replied. He applied the anesthesia and walked to
her side to look at the computer monitor.

‘She has a splenic-rupture, internal bleeding, broken ribs, and a clot
on her thigh, and a penetrating trauma to her spine’ I sighed this
really looks like chasing a wild geese. But I stood not to believe,
moved to the patient and dreamt about impossibilities.

He checked her pulse, she was still breathing. I walked round the
theatre feeling uneasy in a bid to wait for the anesthesia to gain
effect.

My leg tapped repeatedly on the floor as if that would speed
up time and different thoughts began to form in my head. The scariest
of it was the image of death. My heart beats hard against my rib. She
must not die, her world would crash. Actually my world would crash and
her single mother………

I stared at her calm face that was as still as the water in an
undisturbed bowl. Her head was covered in a cap and a bruise lies at
one corner of her fore head.
‘Her time is ticking’, the assistant reminded me.

I breathed out, against the mask on my face. ‘Stay please, stay’ I
muttered, strained. I stared at her oval face and the thin line of her
lips. Her face was still as calm as it used to be even as she lay
unconscious. It was expressionless like she was enjoying a sleep.

I remembered how she maintained that face one memorable day in my
office. She had walked in, in a denim gown that extended to her knees,
her shoulders exposed to the helm of her breast and a purse was on her
left hand. The smell of her vanilla-like perfume overcame that of the
office air-freshener, I blinked faster, love, lust washing over me.
She stood in front of my desk and looked at me with a confident face,
‘I ‘m sorry’ she began, ‘I just realized that we are no more
compatible’ she said.

The world froze with just two of us in it. Every
other noise subsided just my breathing and heartbeat. I stared at her;
confused as to where I went wrong. I looked round the room at the
stark of papers on my desk and the sick bed at my right, none had an
answer. I came back to her face, it was calm and expressionless. She
shrugged her shoulders and raised one hand up that was supported at
the elbow by the other hand. She look like she was posing for a
picture as a model on red carpet, her chubby body gave me goose
pimples.

‘Wh…. at…. What …… are ….you talking about’, I stammered.

I felt
terrible at how I sounded, like an annoyed toddler who was finding it
difficult to pronounce. She erupted into a mocking smile. I watched
not sure of what to do. Is she normal, or mocking me? It was the
latter because she continued to laugh and muttered ‘I got yah’, she
laughed harder and crashed seated on the sick bed. I rushed to her and
grabbed her as we both lay on the bed, smiling as if our feet were
being tickled. I was annoyed at first that she played a prank, and
then excitement came over. Excited it was all a prank.

I glanced at my wrist-watch and the time showed the anesthesia had
just gained the expected effect. Maxwell picked the scalpel from the
bowl and ripped her abdominal region open in a jiffy; made for her
spleen and cut it in half and dropped it in a bowl. He proceeded down
to above her stomach which was riddled with fragment of broken
glasses, fetched them out with a tong and sew the skin up after proper
treatment. I smiled as he put finishing touches to her now sewed
stomach.

The bleeping sound of the computer jolted me. ‘Doctor’ the assistant
called and a wave of reality danced mockingly off my face, filled my
body and weakened me at the knees. A tear dropped from my glass
covered eyes to my left cheek. I knelt beside the bed and stared to
the tiled floors.

My eyes felt blurry, more tears came and washed my
face, mucus added, and my nose was in a mess. My hands were on my
thighs and I moved the nose mask below my chin. I wanted to believe
that she would wake, that she would stand and say softly into my ears;
Benjamin Macaulay, I got yah again. It would feel like a cold breeze
of night to my body. But this was reality; she was gone. A wound has
been left in my heart and the hurt makes more tears poured. I wished
she never know how to drive a car. It was a dream and I would wake.
But reality brought out more tears with fervour.

STORY BY ESIXLOVE

What would've been worst than waiting, watching, thinking and saying to yourself " I should've have been the one heading the surgical operation, not only am I the most qualified, my fiancee's life is also at stake. " even when it was obvious that I wouldn't have been able to handle a scalpel at that moment, chances were that if I had performed the surgery myself she would've died faster than the accident occurred.

With all my emotions unchecked it would've been a total disaster, not that it matters now who had performed the surgery she would still have had a hard time surviving the excessive bleeding that occurred before she was rushed to our clinic, not to talk of the head trauma which in itself is one of leading causes of death in auto accident.

" oh my Rosa! How do I mourn your departure? "

My name is Elvin, Elvin Peterside. Don't let the name fool you, I'm a full Nigerian from the eastern part of the country, I have a Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS), Master of Surgery (MS, MSurg) and was waiting for my wedding with Rosa to take place before I start pursuing Doctor of Surgery (DS, DSurg), but all that degrees couldn't save my Rosa.

I met Rosa two years ago when I was working with the University of Uyo teaching hospital ( UUTH ) in Akwa ibom.

I was on call one Friday morning when someone was brought in with minor bruises and a swollen left eyes, at first glance one would think that she was involved in a head to head collision with a moving train, but after the nurses attended to her injuries it turned out to be nothing but few bruises and a swollen eye. I was later told that the bike she boarded from home collided with an abandoned car parked at the side of the road sending her straight into a garden that was at the side of the road.

Even with the swollen eye she still looked pretty, so pretty that I was immediately drawn to her. I managed to clerk some patients in a hurry and meandered my way back to her ward even though it wasn't my responsibility to check on her.

I quickly and stylishly initiated a conversation with her ignoring the odd looks from the nurses. From there one thing led to another and we started courting. Everything went on smoothly until this afternoon when she was rushed in half dead, it seems like the same wind of fate that brought her to me also took her away from me.

I was getting ready to go out for lunch when I was informed by a nurse that there was an emergency that required my immediate attention and that the director had requested my attention in the theatre. It was at times like this that I wished I was never a surgeon, not that I hated being a surgeon but I had requested lunch with Rosa and she was on her way to meet me.

I glanced at my wrist watch and hissed rehearsing few steps in my brain as I prepared to go into the theatre.

" stapler please " I called out as soon as I stepped into the theatre and frozed in horror the moment reality dawned on me that the person lying there was my own Rosa. Instantly my hands began to vibrate involuntarily, suddenly the theatre began closing in on me as a stood there frozen with horror.

I don't know how long I stood there grasping at Rosa and telling myself " this can't be true, it has to be a mistaken identity. "

" Dr Elvin! " I heard the director calling out my name and suddenly realised I was standing outside the theatre, it was that bad that they had to thrust me out of the theatre and I didn't even know when.

" she must not die! " was all that was echoing in my system.

The director placed a hand on my shoulder and led me to his office.

" I have assigned Dr Bernard to see to the surgery "

" but why? " I wanted to ask when the director continued with what he was saying.

" as you know, you're not in the right frame of mind to handle this operation right now and Dr Bernard just informed me that your fiancee is the patient. "

" letting you in there will be disastrous, " He continued " moreover our policy is against letting a surgeon operates on a close relation. "

" you just have to let Dr Bernard handle the surgery. " he concluded and scanned me with his all familiar eyes. The kind of look that a doctor uses when relating to a patient.

I nodded like someone hypnotised as my eyes began to watered.

" she might pull through you know. " he tried to sound assuring but he knew as much as I do that her chances of making it out alive was slim, it was like someone holding unto a thread as lifeline.

I nodded again and fought back the tears that were betraying me, I dare not utter a word otherwise the dam holding the tears will give way.

After thirty minutes of waiting, watching, thinking and murmuring I walked down the corridor towards the theatre but couldn't bring myself to entering inside. The forces that brought me to the door left me there hoping for a miracle.

After about an hour later, Dr Bernard came out of the theatre together with three other surgeon and broke the news to me that they tried their best and that it was very unfortunate that she didn't make it.

Right now I'm in my room mourning, grieving and dead drunk. Don't bother asking me how I'm feeling cos my answer will shock you.

STORY BY DRLAYKAY

It was my last musical class, I had waited patiently to round off the 6-month weekend programme which had been the only obstacle against proposing to my best-half. My musical prowess especially with the use of the guitar wasn't still perfect, in fact I was far from being a genius but I could make good melody from the instrument. But who cares about being a professional! I was only interested in making the love of my life a happy woman since one important tool in making her happy was producing good melody from the guitar to her hearing.

My unnecessary dislike for musicians who could make good use of the guitar perfectly was intensifying as she would autorepeat their music. I registered for classes without her knowledge and would not practise whenever we were together. I had planned to propose to her the night I graduate from my musical classes.I want to propose to Enitan in a special way.

Enitan was a lawyer, beautiful to the brim, natural and she was an angel, everyman needs her guidance. I have always loved to be a lawyer or have one close around me maybe that affected my choice of wife. I find them as gems but enitan was a rare one.

Who knows if I would have been a lawyer if my mum never interfered. I can remember vividly when I was a little boy and someone asked what I would love to be in future. I quickly told the interviewer that I would love to be a medical doctor. The interview was right in my mum's presence, I only said what beclouded my thoughts at the point of questioning.

Few years later, I was 9 and a similar question by a different person was put across to me and I said "mechanical engineer". After the interviewer left, my mum quickly came to me and said " the doctor you said the other day is a good choice ", hearing that from my mum whom I trusted so much, I maintained the idea of being a doctor though I knew I have something for law.

I was dressed in a slim black trousers, a fitting white shirt,a red suspender and a red kangol cap.I tinted a portion of my beards grey and was sparkling, looking like a music star. All this for just one night. I had sent her an invitation for a dinner 3 days before the event and asked her to meet me at the venue.

I engaged some old men and demanded their service. These men are good guitarist who had been long in the business. The youngest amongst them was 61 years of age and they all had over 30 years experience in the profession.


They were of average stature, moderate size and their mixture of grey and black hair and beard made them exude an ancient beauty type.
We had three practise sections and I was convinced I was having a very strong back up.

The 4 old guitarist and 3 lovely kid guitarist were set. The men were dressed in a three-quarter buba short and a matching top while the kids were robed in similar cloth like mine.

She arrived the venue at 7:23pm everyone were set for the display.Her friends welcoming her was the first surprise. I had informed them of my plans earlier and they kept to their words of making it a secret. While she looked around appreciating the beautiful atmosphere, she heard the sounds of the guitar all over the dinner hall. I had prearranged with the mall management and every other daily activities were maintained. She was loving the music already and the crew-the 3 kids, four old men and myself, stepped out in style. The 3kids first, the men followed and I was behind. All attention in the hall was caught including hers. She sighted me ran towards my direction while my other team members parted.

As she was coming close, I dipped my right hand in my pocket stabilizing the guitar with my left, I pulled out a beautiful glittering diamond ring encased in a square box.I went down on my kneels presenting the ring towards her and popped the big question while presenting the ring towards her.

She was still about 3 meters away when her friends and mine echoed in unism "say yes! Yes!! Yes!!!", in no time people in the mall joined. Her smiles were astonishing, she felt so shy but definitely loving the moment, she was short of words and didn't know whether to hug me, collect the ring, kiss me or just do something crazy. She finally muttered the word " yes".

The audience gave a resounding clap. Still on my kneels, I pulled forward her middle fingers trying to make the ring fit into it when I heard a loud noise and gunshots.people ran helter skelter. Before I got aware of my environment, Enitan fell on my shoulder, she was struck by a bullet at her back. We got to know armed robbers came to rob the mall.

In less than 20minutes, she was in the theater, all hand was on deck. I could hear the nurses and some maids whispering "Na oga wife o, make everybody compose". I quickly went into the surgical cleaning room to scrub and put on my surgical gown. The anesthetics set their devices, hung some intravenous fluids and put her to sleep. While they did this, the matron cleaned her up. Her beautiful gown turned a gory garment was left on her.

No one wanted to UnCloth oga's wife so her unclothedness won't be revealed. I went further to UnCloth her cutting open her gown with a pair of scissors.I know a good job can't be done unless a patient is fully exposed, who knows if she sustained other injuries. I picked my surgical blade with my right hand and an artery forceps on my left. I was practically shaking and couldn't make a simple incision.

" Oga you can't do that "my junior colleagues alerted. Truly, my surgical skills had escaped like an exposed methylated spirit. I have always known that it's better to be the doctor then the patient in an hospital. I have had a cause to be a patient, and it wasn't a funny experience. So, how do I explain my present situation being a doctor and a patient at the same time.

Two of my colleagues mounted the surgical table and soon began to operate. I was bundled to a corner of the operating room where I could only watch. Silence consumed the operating room while the surgeons made the surgical incision and trying to locate the bullets. The only noticeable sound was produced by the continuous flow machine operated by the anesthetics. It made a repeated sound like an ancient alarm clock.

The surgical light illuminated the operating field perfectly so I had no problem viewing from that distance. In no time, the bullets were removed, the surgical wound was irrigated with normal saline and other antimicrobials to eliminate surface pathogens. The surgery was almost over and the surgeons were suturing. I was calm and relaxed and could alter my first statement after the "will you marry me" I asked at the mall. The room became lively and I could giggle to some jokes made against my earlier actions.

The surgical team was almost done with closing up of wound when it was discovered she wasn't making urine and her extremities were cold. Silence swallowed the room once more. This is a sign off acute kidney injury secondary to shock due to the heavy blood loss.

I needed no one to tell me it's a critical situation that needed urgent attention. The surgical team called for help and invited more hands. The theater was soon filled up with different doctors trying to avert the impending doom. Another pint of blood was hung and this time allowed to flow faster.

The crowd was much and I couldn't see the operating table clearly. My eyes were fixed to the anesthetic monitor which gave red alerts. Blood pressure, pulse and oxygen saturation were far below the lower cut off. She slumped into cardiac arrest. At this point, the doctors decided CPR was the next option.

They started chest compression and maintained breathing and also employed the use of defibrillator. After about 40mins, she was pronounced dead. I was whisked out of the operating room. Need I tell you it was a terrible day at work. After I had gone mad for about 2 hours crying without control, I couldn't still believe she was dead and needed to confirm. I excused myself with disguise of using the toilet.

I went to the room I believed she would be kept. She was lifeless and cold. I held her hands crying and found the engagement ring in her finger though half way worn,but she bent the finger so the ring won't fall. It was almost impossible to pull it off. I began to mourn again and someone discovered I was there and came to take me out.

YOU’RE TOO GOOD TO ME BY TALIUS

There’s this popular bible passage – Though sadness may endure for a night, joy cometh in the morning.

Right now, I needed every word of that sentence to be true. I needed my joy to come now so as to wake up from this bad dream that had begun to falter the very core of my faith. I wanted more than anything for this to be a lie, but each time I brought myself to look at the bed, I could clearly see her and the huge object impaled in her tummy. I couldn’t take the pain of this reality; the possibility that my Adanna could die, hunted my very psych.

I couldn’t believe Dr. Lanre’s express demand that I stay away from the operating-theatre. “My operating-theatre.” He called it. Here I was, running out of my mind and Lanre John whom I helped settle into a successful career here at St. Joseph’s Specialists Medical Centre was telling me to play bench. Worse was the fact that he was nowhere to be found.

“This is torture.” I heard myself say in exhaustion. I had to do something before things got entirely out of hand; so, I rushed to where the love of my life laid. She was in excruciating pains. In that moment of weakness, I scolded her: I wondered aloud why she couldn’t wait for me to get back home and drive her to her destination. If only she had exercised patience for another two hours, I’d have been able to meet up with her schedule. But, then, if wishes were horses, beggars would ride all day; I wanted more than anything to be able to rid Adanna off her pains.

“Richard.” I heard her faint voice call to me. Pain had taken over the pleasant resonance her voice always echoed within me, but it couldn’t stop me from getting on my knees by her side as I strained to hear what she had to say. “I’m sorry I betrayed you. I’m sorry.” She kept repeating.

I had to quell whatever it was her mind tortured her with: Research has it that the mind has a mind of its own and can play adverse tricks on its host in desperate times. I spoke softly to her, “Baby, I love you. Whatever it is, I forgive you.” But, she wouldn’t budge, and soon became aggressive. Naturally, I became frantic myself. “I’ll make this pain go away.” I kept repeating every time she begged me to have mercy on her.

Lanre soon entered the ward: He was ready to operate on her, and held me back as the nurses wheeled Adanna into the operating-theatre. Lanre had one sentence for me; “keep the faith alive to the endless possibilities of this world,” he said. And left me hanging, pondering in the hazy-seconds that followed, the meaning of his statement.

By the time I arrived the operating-theatre, I finally understood what was going on. Adanna was two months pregnant, and I didn’t know. She kept that we were going to have a child a secret from me. I was broken. More than anything, what we had discussed most in recent time, even last week, was the need for us to start a family. We were trying but it wasn’t working. She was always worried, and I always had to hide my fears to wipe away her tears. I quickly took a break from my broken heart to look up. Lanre was about dissecting my Adanna.

According to the filed report, my unborn babies were in harm’s way as a result of the accident – Adanna was stabbed by a heavy piece of metal and she experienced shock which spread to our unborn-twins, coupled with the internal bleeding diagnosed. Lanre suggested a procedure where Adanna’s life would be prioritized over Tonic and Solfa (two of the names we once joked to give our children because of our shared love for music).

“That shouldn’t be so.” I screamed. My caution was directed at Lanre: the way he held his blade was just too careless. “What if he punctures one of Adanna’s organs?” I asked, Dr. Elijah, our Chief Medical Examiner, who was very much keen on me calming my agitated nerves.

As I protested his verdict which I felt was unfair, Adanna coughed. Silence swiftly crept into the room. “No, no, no!” I could hear myself say, trying to counter the possibility of the impending-reality. Adanna had woken up, midway through the procedure. I rushed to her side, and took off the oxygen mask over her head. I told her not to sit up; she obliged up until the point she started to feel the overwhelming pain of her exposed inside.

I cried out for Lanre to do something, but he refused until I leave his operating-room. I couldn’t believe my ears, so I threw the first thing my hand could locate against him. I immediately forced Dr. Elijah’s hand. It took about four able bodied male nurses to carry me out of the room, even as I cried for my wife. From the small view outside the door, I peeped. I could see Lanre wrestle with his anger and ego to administer another round of anesthetic. I cried my eyes out as I knew it was about to happen. Sarah was going to die and I couldn’t do anything to stop it.

As I predicted, Sarah’s vitals kept dropping. “Give her 2mg of Adrenaline!” I yelled. I still wasn’t listened to. Dr. Elijah looked confused, Lanre was too full of himself to care about what I was saying.

Suddenly, her vitals disappeared. They tried desperately to resuscitate her. It then dawned on Lanre that he had lost a life – my wife’s. They locked me out, and made me watch as they killed my wife. “I’ll take you to court, all of you. And then I’ll kill you. Every last one of you.” I said with tears in my heart and voice.

STORY BY CHIDEXTER

What! How did it happen? Where are they headed? Beep beep, the line went dead. As I made to redial, I heard some noise downstairs, I rushed down to know what it was all about, I could hear the wheels of the hospital stretcher and fast paced footsteps about a dozen of them..

As I got closer I could see the worried look on the faces of the nurses, Doctor! Doctor! Echoed the shorter one among them, her hands, though in gloves, was blood soaked.

I got to them before they got to me, beads of sweat dripping down my face like the water from a faulty tap half repaired, and taking a closer look at the patient I received a shocker, this was my Cassandra, bloodied face but I can always make out her face even in the thickest of crowds.

It can't be! I screamed, but for my strong spirit and vast experience, I would have fainted there and then. Take her to the Emergency unit, ward 12, fast I ordered almost at the top of my voice.

Everything seemed like a movie, a gory movie. I gave way to my imaginations, who was driving her?, Sadiq, the family driver has always been careful and possess a clean slate on accidents related to driving, or was she driving herself?,

Was she on seat belts?, how fast was she going? . Why did she have to embark on this journey in the first instance. We both agreed she could pay a visit to the village on weekend. My fingers were shaking, I could feel my legs barely able to support my weight, retracing my steps I got to my office and in a flash I was in my scrubs.

Just as I was about to open the door out, Dr Tunde Bamilaye, a close friend and fellow surgeon walked in.

Tell me you're not planning to go into the operating theater?. he said. It sounded more like a statement than a question
Why not? I retorted.
Didi, we all know she is your fiancée the way you called out her name. We had to run a background check. You know the rules, he continued. You are not obliged to operate on her and as such we the hospital heads have called on Dr Goodwill to handle the operation.

After running some test, he continued. We discovered that she has a gash near her abdomen and as we speak everything is being done to stop the bleeding & she also has hematoma. (In layman term, blood gathering in and within an organ) surgery would be needed to correct it immediately

At that moment I felt my head almost burst, suddenly a strange cold air blew around me, I closed my eyes and tried to find reason and make out what I've just heard but non was forthcoming.

I was in a total state of disarray. No, I won't allow that, I can handle it Tunde, please let me do this. I pleaded, almost going on all fours.

You're not in the best frame of mind, Didi. He replied. Dr Goodwill is a professional and with God's help the operation would be a success.
He added, his face shining with hope and assuredness, operation commences by 8:40p.m. Stay strong Dr Didi and with that he exited my office.

I slumped back to my seat feeling dejected and helpless, why me?. Why Cassandra, I weeped for what seemed like a million hours, I stood up, paced around, hands akimbo.
But am I truly not in the best state to do this, I soliloquised. Raising my hands as if to check if it was still intact....

I took a quick glance at my watch 8:25pm, 15 mins to go, the longest wait of my life.

Swoosh! I was nudged back to reality, that was the sound of the curtains at the theatre being shifted along its rails, I was Lost in thoughts or was I sleeping while standing? I thought.
I have handled cases of patients who sleepwalked and now I've just witnessed it firsthand..

I got out of my office, half running, I made for the theatre room. I noticed the door knob was unusually cold, I got in and the room too felt cold, why am I suddenly feeling so hypersensitive. Perhaps, it is a good idea letting someone else take charge...

About an arms length, lay my Cassandra, on the hospital bed, draped in light blue sheets. Such still, such calm. She looked so much at peace, she looked innocent. I traced my hands all over her face, her cheeks were soft, I made for the outline of her lips, bruised but still perfect to me.
I leaned close, planting a soft kiss on her neck and whispering, It's going to be alright dear, promise....

I barely completed my words when the door swung open and in came Dr Goodwill and four nurses. They were all dressed up in their scrubs, hands all covered in snow white coloured gloves, the all too familiar picture drifted in my mind. One of them was holding the operating kit, in there lies the tools to save.

Hi Dr Didi, said Goodwill, in a soothing, confident tone. I see you're already up and about. Operation will Commence in some minutes and we would love if you kindly excuse us..

I dragged my feet on the tiled floor, heads down, I could feel my eyes getting wet. Looking back at Cassandra, and silently pleaded for God's intervention.

Helen Keller once said, "Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement, nothing can be done without hope and confidence. Though an Author and Lecturer, we both shared somethings in common.. The spirit to help the need. Blind she was, faith she had.

I stood outside the theatre, trying to keep calm. I waited as patiently as I could, I sipped water at intervals from the bottle I held for I was dehydrated. keeping record of time meticulously, four awfully long hours went by, yet they weren't out yet. I felt powerless to the scenes that unfolded.

I had to seat at a chair adjacent the theater door, standing for so long made my legs wobble. I had barely sat when the door to the theatre slowly opened. And right there before me, in teary eyes stood Dr Goodwill, the nurses stormed out with basins of water.

Didi, we are sorry, but she...... I lunged at him, holding the collars of his shirt, just then Dr Tunde rushed in and tried to calm me down. But I was having non of it, I screamed, I cursed, in the greatest fit of rage I've ever felt I pushed the door, it almost broke out of its hinges but I cared less.

Dashing to where my love lay, I pulled off the sheets used to cover her face, she was still, she was as calm as I had previously left her but she was cold.

Tears streamed down my eyes like water from undulating rocks,
I could feel my heart pounding fast, my hands grew weak, my head light and legs gave way. Darkness, quiet, peace.

PAINT MY WORLD RED BY JETJACKY

Chapter 1.

7:45am. It's been over an hour now, since Nkechi informed me she was on her way to my office. Apparently, I forgot my lunch whilst hurrying to office.

“the number you are calling is not available at the moment, please try again later.” said the automated voice, for the twentieth time!

I slammed the phone on my desk, grating my teeth. I could feel it, something is definitely wrong. Raising my gaze to the roof, I muttered prayers: “Heavenly father, please bring my wife to me, safe and sound. Please.”

An alarm blared through the hallway: “Code blue, room 181 code blue.”

The alarm reiterated for few seconds before dying down. Someone was having cardiopulmonary arrest, in room 181; I hope they get to resuscitate the said person.

Feeling the need to stretch my legs, I rose to my feet and exited the office. Passing through corridors and stairs, I descended to the ground floor. The hallway came into view; it held more people now than when I passed earlier. At the counter, to my opposite right, sat Jumoke and Eliza; our receptionists. They waved, upon seeing me. And I did the same.

“How are you guys?” I said, crossing the distance between I and them.

“fine sir.” they chorused.

“how is family, sir.” asked Jumoke; a brown beauty, in her mid twenties; beaming.

“Ah, they're fine. Thank you. So what have you guys-”

The shuffling of foots grew louder.

“Clear the way!” someone barked.

It was the red emergency team. They held onto a stretcher; the person strapped onto it was a woman, and seemed to be in a pretty mess. The closer they came, the more stronger was the cold hands of fear that squeezed tight around my heart.

My legs moved on their own as I closed in on them. “Wait a second… Oh my God! Nkechi!”

I made to tap on her chin, but a hand held onto mine, pulling me back. “she has lost lot of blood, sir. This is not the time for this.”

I nodded, having lost my voice. I watched as the stretcher moved away from my vision. My legs led me behind them, faces of people danced around my vision, their mouths parting like they made to speak, but I couldn't hear.

The surgery room came into view. Red team and the stretcher entered, the hallway flickered from white to red continously; an alarm was blaring, but it sounded so far away. I shook my head, trying to regain control; this was not the time to zone out, this was the time to save my wife.

Warm liquid kept trailing my cheek, despite my resolve. I pulled the door open and ushered myself in. Another doctor was already stationed next to her, him and his medical team. What is happening? “Emeka what are you doing? I, I am suppose, to preside over this operation. She, she, she is my wife…”

My voice broke, and I fell to the floor; my knees suddenly weak. Nkechi shouldn't have taken it upon herself to bring me my lunch. I shouldn't have forgotten it either! What kind of a man am I to forget this things?!

“please sir you need to leave, you are not authorized to be here. It's against the norms of this institution, we can't risk you taking matters into your hands.” said a fair woman, in surgery garment. What's her name? Bisi?

“I, I know. Believe me, I do. I, I promise, I won't interfere, just don't send me out please. Please, I just want to ensure Emeka does all he should to save her. Please!”

Conflicted emotions made themselves known on the woman's visage, but not for long. Soon they were scared away by her affirmative nod. “Okay, just make sure to keep to your words.”

She got up and approached the rest of her team.

I rose to my feet, and willed my heart to a false calm; clinging to the hope that all will be well, only if I could think straight.

Nkechi left arm sat at an awkward angle; her face swollen, and her forehead leaked blood. She must have flown out of the windscreen, or had been hit laterally from the left. The later, seemed more logical; Nkechi always put on her seatbelt, hence, plunging forward was unimaginable.

Emeka’s team were performing a hemostasis on her, and from the look of things as minutes drifted by, their efforts to seal the affected organ, was failing fatally.

Finally Emeka said to a member of his team. “We have to do a blood transfusion. Make the arrangements immediately.”

Hope, like a tender plant in a wasteland, brought smiles to my face. Finally, the future wasn't so bleak. Finally, Nkechi will live



••••

“9:44am…” this were the only words that drifted into my brain, as the heart machine refused to resume its pulsating rhythm. The arteries in my fingers jerked; my heart feeling suddenly too heavy and big to remain in its position.

“N-n-n-k…” my voice died on its way pass my throat. All I could make sense of, was the body laid still before me; a body, which a minute ago belonged to my wife, to my Nkechi. Why should she be among those that suffered circulatory overload as a result of transfusion? why did she have to be discovered so late? Why did she sustain internal bleeding? And why is the world so cruel?!

I shook her face. “NK, please wake up. Please live for me. Please…”

Just just few hours ago, all this could have been prevented, if only I did not live so early, if only I had remembered to take my STUPID lunch with me. What is lunch self eh? How can that be equated to a life!

God, I'm so stupid, I should not have allowed her to come. Then then, she would be at her office, smiling and making small comments on the radio. Now, now. “she is just sleeping.”

STORY BY PRAHCETOMI

Life, they say, is not a bed of roses. That’s true and although life might be unpredictable, certain factors can determine some circumstances. We live our lives according to our abilities, beyond our own capabilities.

My name is Praise Tom, and I will narrate an unmemorable experience I had. I am a doctor; a trauma surgeon. Two weeks ago, precisely on the first day of the month of July, I was in the hospital attending to few patients. I was through in no time when I decided to rest a bit. My rest was prematurely cut short when an accident victim was rushed in. According to the paramedics that brought the victim, the accident was so bad and the victim was badly and fatally hurt.

Shivers were sent down my spine when I saw the victim. It was Bola, my fiancée. Due to the camaraderie in the Trauma department, almost everyone knew my Bola. I was shocked and in utter disbelief. We saw each other this morning. The stain of her lip gloss was still faintly visible on my left cheek. The pink dress I bought for her just last week was soaked in blood.

The accident was so bad that she had to be prepped for surgery immediately. Now, this was my specialty. My residency for six years had brought me here. I was the one who did most trauma/emergency surgeries.The few other surgeons played second fiddle to me. I was the best person to do this surgery, and it had to be on my own fiancée. Wearing my surgery gown and mask, and trying to compose myself, I headed to the operation theater. I entered and was about to shout orders at the anaesthetist before two other surgeons accosted and told me that I won’t be performing the surgery. I resisted and told them I can and I would do it but everyone in the theatre thought otherwise.

Yes, I knew it was against the ethics of the profession. No surgeon can ever be allowed to work on any of his/her relatives and other loved ones due to the emotions that can become unstable during the surgery. In my very own eyes, the surgery began. Another surgeon had taken over. I was seated on the bare floor, silently praying. I was mentally unstable and could swear I was temporarily schizophrenic. I was just there, unable to do a thing. My precious Bola was on the surgery table and I couldn’t do anything. I saw her condition deteriorating fast. I was seized by one form of energy and I stood up.

To me, the surgeons were not trying their best, everyone seemed sluggish. Maybe it was true, or maybe the sight of Bola made me think so. About a few minutes later, I whispered to the assisting surgeon to let me assist in a way or two. He didn’t buldge.I wanted to shout at the top of my voice, but decided to keep my cool. It came to a stage when the assisting surgeon, the one I whispered to, told me I had to leave the operation theatre .Leave the theatre No way. There was no possible way I was leaving.

I was even disappointed it had to be Dr Kelly, one of my closest colleagues in the whole hospital. Maybe he was wrong, or maybe it was my emotions that were making me paranoid. I was partially wondering if everyone didn’t know I was the best man for the job. I had performed many emergency surgeries. I was a seasoned surgeon, and I had always been here .Seven years and still counting, the hospital was my second home and it feels like I’ve been here forever. That probably explains why I felt I was being let down by not being allowed to perform the surgery. I remember vividly two years ago when another doctor’s child was rushed in. I performed that surgery, but would he have been allowed to perform the surgery on his child? Would he? He was a gynecologist, so I wouldn’t have known-even if he was one of the most senior doctors in the Hospital.

That moment I felt like lying that I didn’t know the patient lying on the surgery table, but it was too late. Even if it wasn’t, everyone knew us together. My brain just wasn’t working fine and every idea I thought of was only stupid and absurd. Her heart rate was already slowing down and it was getting me tensed. The electrocardiogram device was now beeping, and that was when everyone in the operation room seemed to increase their speed.

Then it happened, all in a flash. I couldn’t even remember who was speaking, all I heard was “Dr Praise, I’m very sorry, we lost her”. I didn’t believe him. I knew her heart rate had gone down but she should still be breathing, I thought. I walked close to the operating table. It was only a few metres from where I was standing, but it felt like the longest walk of my life. I was shouting at the top of my voice.”Bola, bola wake up!!!”I was expecting to see her even stir a bit, but no, Bola was gone. I couldn’t bear it.

I ran from the theatre to somewhere I couldn’t even remember .After crying my eyes and heart out, I went to my office, still visibly shaken and broken. Bola’s lifeless body was being taken to the morgue in my very own eyes. I couldn’t even contact Bola’s parents because I didn’t knew how to. I later called her brother and broke the news to him, leaving him to in turn, break it to the parents. Now Bola is gone, where do I go from where? I had the feeling that I could have saved Bola if I had performed the emergency surgery. I insisted for a post mortem to be done. It was several ruptured arteries. I had done several surgeries like this one and always had success.

Bola could have made it out alive. Yes, she could. But I lost her because I couldn’t do anything to help. Maybe she died because the main man was temporarily handicapped. But I’ll move on. As I earlier stated, life is not a bed of roses, but I’ll ponder on the future optimistically, as I recover from this heartbreak.

THE STONE WALL BY LARRYSUN

Living life is like playing tennis with a wall – you get served back by what you serve it. I have no one to blame but myself. I threw – no – I smashed the metaphorical ball against the stone wall and it bounced back to hit me on the face. Karma is the stone wall.

Martina had died because I had caused her death with my action; and the regret would live with me for the rest of my life. However, let me narrate my tale of doom from the beginning, maybe some other persons would learn not to long for my kind of shoes just because they looked fanciful.

It happened two months ago when I met Martina for the first time. I had just been offered the job of a surgeon in the only private hospital in my community, and so I had deemed it proper to celebrate this by having a nice time at the cinemas. I had treated myself to an emotional movie and lots of popcorns when I saw her sitting two rows away from me. I couldn’t reach her. I had to wait till the end of the movie. Coming out of the cinemas after the movie, I sighted her at the other side of the road. Everything about who I was – my original personality – had evaporated at the sight of her. She was absolutely stunning, and all I could think about was how to talk to her.

Then just as I was about to cross the road, I saw a middle-aged man collapse beside me. He had a teenage son of about seventeen years old with him. The elderly man was having what seemed like an asthmatic attack. This teenage son was weeping and screaming for help. People circled round the suffering man and his weeping son; no one knew what to do, and rather than helping, some were taking shots with their phones. I knew I was the only person there who could save the man but I was in a quandary. I had the choice to either save the man and lose the chance of meeting the lady, or go after the lady and leave the man to his unfortunate fate. I had to make a decision fast, time was running out. The lady was about to get on the bus and the man was losing consciousness. I had to choose between my civic duty and my pursuit of love – morality versus emotion. I took a selfish decision and crossed the road.

Well, my action paid off. I caught up with the bus just at the last moment it was about to pull out. I was lucky to find a space beside her and pitched a romantic tent there. That was how the love story of Martina and I had begun. I was the perfect guy for her, and she the right woman for me. By the time we got off the bus, I had forgotten about the man I had refused to help.

I resumed work the following Monday feeling as lucky as ever; my life was finally complete – I had found both my dream job and my dream woman at almost the same time. In a few years, Martina and I would live in a grand home and reproduce like rabbits. Life could not be more pleasant. Getting on the bus appeared to be the best decision I had ever made. I knew I only had to jump and I would be flying. My first day at work was splendid, I carried out my duties effectively; I performed successful surgeries on few patients, but unfortunately, I couldn’t work on those who couldn’t afford to pay for their treatments. I wished there was something I could do about them but there wasn’t. That was the rule of the hospital; you had to pay first before getting treated.

Then two months later, a hit-and-run victim was wheeled into the hospital in the evening of a Saturday. She was severely wounded; I almost didn’t recognize her – she was Martina, my Martina! I felt coldness play xylophone with my spine, rage violin with my arteries, and fear talking drum with my heart; I was a biological embodiment of a musical paranoia. I couldn’t think straight. I was in a panic, close to losing my equilibrium. I could not stop the trembling in my hands, or halt the progressively obvious tic that drew down my lower lip in short, abrupt spasms. I was close to losing my temper, if not my sanity. Who had done this? But now wasn’t the time for questions. All I knew at the moment was that kind passers-by who had witnessed the accident had brought her. I settled her medical bills as quickly as I could and rushed into the theatre but I was prevented from treating her on the basis that I was emotionally unfit for the job.

And so, instead of me, Doctor Thomas – a very clumsy surgeon – was assigned to carry out the surgery. I was outside looking through the window, watching as the doctor did a poor job on my Martina. And of course, the operation was unsuccessful. Martina died during surgery. I watched her lifeless mangled body and cried bitterly. I had met her at a movie theatre and lost her in an operating theatre.

The next day, the hit-and-run driver was caught. It was the teenager whose father was having an asthmatic attack. He had driven his father’s old pick-up truck to sell it to another man because that was the only way he could afford his father’s medical bills; and he had left Martina’s battered body in his wake.

Two days after Martina’s death, I was called back to the hospital to treat a patient because Doctor Thomas was on leave. The patient was the unconscious man I had refused to help two moths earlier. His bills had been paid and I had to treat him.

I didn’t even deserve to mourn my loss.

THE DARK ALLEY BY BEYLINKO

PROLOGUE
5 AM
LAGOS STATE.

I saw him again, but this time in my dream. He came with a dagger and he stabbed me at the back. I was running and calling for help but there was no one to help me, including you. You all saw me bleeding and you looked away.

The alarm in her voice jolted me back to life.

Dupe, can you calm down a little and relax. It is just a dream was all I could say to calm her. I felt my knuckles begining to hurt as I relax my hold on the phone. I didn't realize I had held the phone too tight to my ear.

"David I am scared. I don't want to die," she pleaded.

"You won't die" I answered her.

I could sense fear resonating through her phone to mine. Will you come over to the hospital later in the day so we could talk this over. You don't have anything to fear, I spoke with assurance. Baby I love you and I won't allow anything happen to you.

Dupe and I had met during her undergraduate days at University of Ibadan. Our relationship had started off after we met at her brother's Birthday party. I developed an instant likeness for her though I was too shy to admit it. I finally had to open up to her 6 months after making numerous calls, night outs and hiding under the gush of just stopping by her hostel to say Hi.

The truth was, I was scared of giving my heart out to a woman due to my career. And 6 long years down the line, I can't say I would have made a better choice. She was indeed an help meet all through Med school and my professional courses.

Sunshine, are you there? Her voice broke me from my reverie.

Yes of course. I answered. I didn't realize I had slept on her. I got to go now sweetheart. I will speak to you immediately I get to the hospital. I have a surgery scheduled for 6am. Immediately I am done I will call you.

I Love you sweet. I will be waiting for your call.

Somehow, there was this emptiness immediately I hung off the phone.
Hurriedly, I scampered to the bathroom and in 5 minutes I bolted out of the door holding the towel on my wet hair. I knew it was a long day but what I didn't know is that it was going to be a very long sad day.


SOMEWHERE IN OGUN STATE


Farouk let us go. We don't have enough time to waste.

The parcel will be leaving the location by 10 am. We have to get going.
"Oslo! Put the box at the back of the Mercedes. Rufus and Mark will be staying behind while you, Farouk and I will go for this operation" Moris barked at them.

With the alacrity of a snake ready to devour it prey, the gang cleared their table, burnt the evidence that could give them away and headed for the unmarked dark remodified Mercedes Benz and off they were to Lagos.


LATER AT THE HOSPITAL

Immediately I completed the surgery at 8am,Dupe's thought came to my heart and the discussions we had over the phone earlier on.
She kept complaining about this faceless man that pursues her through a dark alley. At first, I thought it was a psychological issue but through series of tests and checkups, we found nothing wrong with her.

To add a twist to this reoccurring dreams, the man stabbed her this time around.
I picked up my phone and dialed her number.
It rang a few times but there was no answer. After the fourth try, I hanged off leaving a voice note for her.

AT DUPE'S HOUSE

Dupe had just taken her bathe preparing to go out when the light on her phone blinked to indicate she had missed a call.
From her call log, she discovered four people had called her. Her fiancé, two of her friends and her Boss.

Quickly, she called her friends telling them she is on her way and afterwards the boss telling him how to retrieve the documents the head office in London had sent to THEM on Monday. The Board had sat, deliberating on it the previous day but due to the absence of Mr Brendon at the meeting the documents were left unsigned.

She was about calling her fiancé when she decided against it. I will see him at his Office she thought.
She took her car key from the table, locked the door and headed for her blue Camry.

Meanwhile, the gang that left Ifo in ogun State had arrived Lagos. If they had knew this assignment would trigger a series of chain reactions, they would have stayed put in Ogun.
They made the right contact, the right calculations. Infact they have used a whole three months to plan this assignment.
"Boss! The target is leaving the house"Oslo announced
"Give me those eyes oslo!" Morris said, stretching his hands to get the binoculars from him while farouk sat on the wheel observing their environment.
"Farouk follow Her!"Morris commanded.
Immediately Dupe left her house, the gang from behind rammed the Benz into her unsuspecting blue Camry. Her life flashed right before her eyes with blood oozing from her mouth and nostril.
Where is the Brown envelope you brought home from the office was the Last word she heard before she passed out.


Doctor!!!We have an emergency. She is seriously bleeding.Please help!
"What happened to her?" A nurse asked
"she was involved in an accident" a man replied in a thick yoruba accent.
Go get the doctors, hurry!

Immediately, I saw the nurse rushed in, I knew something really bad had happened.
Sir, you are needed at the theatre . It is Aunty Dupe!

With my stethoscope, I rushed after her.

The sight I saw immediately I got to the theatre made me sick.
Series of questions kept coming to my head at the speed of light. We spoke just few hours ago. How come?
Doctor, you have to follow me. You can't go in there. A colleague called from behind.
Almost all my colleagues knew her as my fiancée so going there to do anything means I will be breaking our first rule.
What happened to her? My question not directed to anyone in particular.
"She is bleeding profusely from the head. From the scan we did on her, she has a cracked skull which pierced her brain. she needs a neurosurgeon and time is running out on her."

They brought her in a little too late. Doctor wale said.
The implications of this hit me like a lightning bolt. I can't go in and the next neurosurgeon is about 60km away.
Doctor, and the best we... "Doctor wale I know." I cut in. The best that she could be after the operation is a vegetable. She will lose the function of her spine and sense neurons.
We can't help her.

Right there, the memory of the dream she had came to me.
Doctor, can I see her was all I could manage to say to stop tears from flowing down my eyes.
I held her hands as if it would restore her. Gradually I watched with pains and regret as life gradually left her.
Doctor, you have to see this. We found this in her pocket!
A piece of paper was handed to me with blood over it. Somehow I knew this not the end but the beginning of a very long sad night.

STORY BY VIVIAN N.

Suddenly,i felt out of breath like i was choking or something,my palms
were wet with sweat and i could feel it dripping down my thighs, goose
pimples covered my arms i hugged myself tightly to keep from shivering
from cold on a hot sunny saturday afternoon.'is Mr Death,about to
visit" i wondered as i crumbled to the floor of my office."i can't
die,i can't leave my Richy like this not without a fight" so i focused
all my energy in breathing.....in out in out in out

"Dr Amy Dr Amy are you alright?wake up open your eyes" .
i opened my eyes to see nurse Mary pressing a glass of water to my dry
lips."drink up,you don't look so good". i didn't know how thirsty i
was until i took a sip."i don't know what happened,i guess i just
blacked out or something" i said. "Richy isn't here yet,is he? he
should have been here before now"."Amy am sorry,i don't know how
to....."
"Amy

you have to help me they won't tell me anything and they won't let me
see my son,pls do something"interrupted Mrs Bibian weeping profusely
as she threw herself to the floor.i sat up immediately,confused at
what she was saying and not understanding any of it. "mum,Richy is
supposed to meet me here but am yet to see him......" Richard got into
a ghastly accident on his way here.....". i froze, every other thing
she said was incomprehensible,tears rolled down from my cheeks and my
heart pounded like it was going to explode,i ran like a thousand
demons were after me,i was too quick and possessed by a stronger
spirit to be stopped.'this isn't happening,it must be a nightmare i
will wake up from, to find Richy holding me and kissing it all away" i
thought . "this wasn't part of the plan,the plan was to meet the
photographer for our pre wedding photo shoot,i ran even faster with my
tears blinding me.mum may be mistaken" but why the look of pity on the
faces of people that gathered just yesterday to celebrate my
engagement,why the shaking of heads as if in denial of something
terrible that has happened,why are the people that laughed and teased
me for forming had to get at the beginning now wailing and weeping
along the passage as i passed."Richard will be okay,he just needs to
see me,i only have to hold him in my arms and he will get better.he
promised to carry me around when am too heavy with our baby that i
can't see my feet,to hold my hand and support me when too old and bent
to walk on my own,my Richard keeps his" promises,that am sure"

I barged in on Dr Joe and nurses prepping to
operate my Richy,i could barely recognize him,the right part of his
face is nothing but raw red flesh which has began to form blood clot,a
broken bone on his right shoulder cut through the skin and blood ran
freely down his arm soaking shirt,there was no more skin on the right
chest only raw ugly red flesh,bruises and several cuts covered his
legs. "oh my God we have to save him" i cried bitterly seeing the
condition of the man that turned women's head everywhere he
went......i ran to the sink to wash my hand and start the
operation."Dr Amy am sorry,i know you are good at this but we both
know you can't handle this operation in your condition and besides is
against our practice considering your relationship with the
patient,let handle this all you can do is pray for him"Dr Joe said,i
cried even harder because i know he is right. "nurse please escort
Dr Amy outside". "no no i can't leave my Richy,he will feel my
presence and wake up "

Hours passed and still my baby looked like a victim of a hungry
lion.i felt so broken seeing him in so much pain even if he can't feel
it and i can do nothing to stop it."God, if i have to love him from
afar while another woman takes my place or sacrifice any part of my
body just for him to live,i will just don't take him away from this
earth"i prayed.i opened my eyes to see my love smiling at me despite
the pain."doctor, he is coming around,oh my God,Richy am so
sorry,don't talk everything will be alright...i love you so much...i
knew you wouldn't leave me". "i love you...more..." a flash of pain
crossed his face as he tried talking and a tear rolled down his left
face as his eyes closed....then the machine monitoring his heart broke
the silence in the theatre and then there was nothing that was the
last thing i heard before darkness enveloped me

STORY BY SOFIAAMROZIA

"Suction", I risk a sideways glance at Anita who is pale and stuttering, why in God's name did they put her in my surgery?!, I scream in my head. Taking a deep breath, I grab the suction tube from her and gently turn it on. The sound of blood being slurped by the machine gives me a minute to talk to my assistant who is more of a liability than anything else.

"Anita, this is not practice anymore, this is a living breathing human being who is going to die if you don't get your act together", I raise my voice slightly toward the end to emphasize the seriousness of the situation. She snaps out of whatever reverie she was in and nods shakily, a new determination coming into her eyes. I sigh, that's good enough for me. "Now hold that side open, no not that side" I shout as she bursts a blood vessel. Swearing I shout, "Someone call James and get this girl out of my OR!"

"Goddamnit" I mutter as the nurses rush about to carry out my orders, I struggle with trying to suction as much blood as I can from patient's head, someone comes in beside me and I barely look as I hand the suction tube to him, and clamp the vessel stopping the blood flow. James moves quickly, replacing the bone flap and sewing it shut, the whole room heaves a collective sigh as the patient's heart rate stabilizes.

Walking out of the OR, I see the man's family standing outside. They stand up with a start and rush towards me with hope on their faces, smiling slightly to put them at ease, I deliver the words they so desperately want to hear, "He'll be okay", the woman breaks down in relief, heavy sobs wracking her body while relatives around try to console her.

I walk away, blinking back tears myself. A hand pats me gently on the shoulder, looking at James in his blue gown reminds me that I need to change and go home. I smile gratefully and start making my way to the changing room, he falls into step beside me and we both make our way in comfortable silence.

The roads are slightly free, unlike the crawling of the evening rush, I make the drive in almost half the time. I pull up to my house and almost about to get in when a call comes in, the phone starts playing Davido's 'Fall', my fiance's designated ringtone. Parking, I pick it up, " Hello TY, how far?" "Tessa get here immediately", James' panicked voice comes through, "Get where? James what are you doing with Tayo's phone?", bewilderment clear in my voice, "The hospital, Tessa just come, when you come, you will see", with that he disconnects the call.

I drive like a maniac, breaking laws wherever necessary just to get to the hospital in time. I jump out of the car barely allowing it to go off completely, half running toward the hospital entrance with all manner of terrible scenarios playing in my mind. Coming to a halt in the reception, searching for either James or Tayo with my eyes.

As if he was summoned by magic, James appears and I immediately grab him, "Where's Tayo? Where is Tayo?", he calmly loosens my hand from his shirt and speaks with the confidence of a doctor, "Tayo is being prepped for surgery, he needs a crainotomy, his spinal cord absorbed the shock of his fall from the bike".

I straighten my posture and wipe the tears from my eyes, "Prepare OR 2" I order, his composure falters, "Tessa, hospital policy, you can't …". The whole ridiculousness of it makes me shout, "Screw hospital policy, I'm operating on him and that's that", he looks apologetic, "I'm sorry Tessa, you can't and you know that. If you want to argue, Mr Mike is around".

I barge into the room marked 'Head of Surgery' and confront the figure behind the desk, "Mr Mike, my fiancé is here and James is saying that …" "Saying that hospital policy does not allow doctors operate on patients they have an emotional attachment to, is that right?", he interrupts. I swallowed nervously, "Yes sir", he removes his glasses and places it on the desk, "Miss Theresa, evaluate yourself now", at my look of confusion he continues, "Do you look like somebody who is capable of making intelligent, objective decisions when it comes to a patient's life?", his unspoken accusation bridles me and I shout, "I'm the best there is in this hospital, don't you dare tell me I can't handle this". The glint in his eyes tell me that I've played into his hands. Trying to remain calm, I sigh, " I want Nonso on it", he smiles sympathetically, "Nonso is already on it, see yourself out Miss Theresa" he gestures for me to go.

I spin on my heel and walk out, navigating my way to Operating Room 2 where Tayo would be operated on. Leaning against the wall, I exhale slowly and wait for Nonso, one of the best, to come. Looking up, I see Nonso approaching with Anita on his heels, "I don't want her in there" I say coldly, Nonso nods at Anita and she leaves. "Do all you can for him. Everything you can". I walk away without waiting for his answer and start to call Tayo's family members.

Three hours later, sitting on the waiting room chairs when the door opens and Nonso comes out. Looking at his grim face, he said the words that shattered me, "I'm sorry". I'm vaguely aware of the fact that there's a woman screaming, screaming for it not to be true, screaming and hitting Nonso but that's not me. I'm too busy frozen in the moment when Tayo proposed to me, his smile and the ring reflecting happiness. Suddenly, I feel very tired and when the darkness comes, I accept it gratefully.

STORY BY JOSEN

‘Dr Akinola, Doctor, doctor!’ The councilmen chorus loudly trying to call me back into the living world. I was wandering lost in-between life and death, but maybe dying would have tasted better than being alive.

I’d appeared before the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), to present my case against Dr Evans Okoro for an allege murder. Everyone at the 25th congress knew what I was there for; Dr Evans head. Many thoughts I was too nefarious, but I care little about them neither what they say. All I want was justice, vengeance and to teach everyone that he must romance with nemesis for his actions. We always say, ‘karma is a bitch.’
When we had all gathered, expressing our rich in-depth wardrobes.

Colourful black Armani suit shades the day, and was most appropriate for such brotherhood meeting. The congress activities soon began. The annual ritual of initiating the new members into the highest medical association in the country, kick starts the congress agenda. We clap and cheer the incoming once. Dr Okafor preached his tolerance and having each other’s back. I mumbled, ‘why will I shield someone that had just murdered a fellow human? Hypocrisy fuelling corruption, Justice must be serve joor.’

‘It’s time we address all various cases before the council’, said Dr Okoro. He began to call names their cases one after the other. ‘Every case must be redress’ he said assuring everyone that has any, and continued, ‘Dr Akinola Fatai it’s now time to present your case before the house.’

‘Thank you,’ I graciously second with unreserved appreciation for such rare opportunity. I was high on the blue, finally given the chance to nail the coffin of Evans. I began.

‘On June 12th, 2017, Dr Evans killed a patient at St. Gerard hospital Miss Tosin Ajuya, through a careless or grand ploy, while carrying out laparoscopic surgery on her. He did nothing but viciously load her with carbon-dioxide which leads to carbon dioxide induce pneumoperitoneum.

This effect causes chemical changes leading to hypercarbia, acidosis and some sympathetic stimulation which he shows no concern and progress to hypoxia before her eventual death. I pray to this council in it power to take appropriate disciplinary actions to deter this perpetrator from inflicting such acts and pain on any other living soul hereafter.’ I concluded adjusting my necktie which has tensed up my nerves with it firm grip on my neck.

Large fell of silence evade everyone listening. My articulate details and substantial facts I have called to witness, would made Evans kiss his career goodbye, for his mess in some easiest medical surgery procedure.

‘Dr Evans do you have a defence?’ The council asked. They all were seated on the five arrange chairs on the stage, with Dr Martins sitting in the middle as the president.

‘Yes Mr. President’, he wrenchingly respond and quickly spoke his wise words. ‘To the oath which I swore before this council, Yes it’s true nurse Tosin died on my watch. It wasn’t an act of carelessness or hatred. But I will call it an accident in practice. One out of something probability in medicine will eventually come someday.

I made efforts but the act of God is more than I can comprehend. A brilliant soul was lost but I pray that this council should exonerate my of these charges which will allow me save more lives’. He concluded as an honourable man. He could quickly convince everyone with his self pity talk, but I pray Dr Martins would be better than that.

Dr Martins asked that I present my claims for his verifications. I stood up, too delighted to destroy anyone. I took my folder filled with cross examine report and the video disc I have recorded. I began to pave way to approach the big table which the five councilmen rest all their hands.

‘No Akinola!’ voice echoed from behind. I thought Dr Evans would be the one shouting to save his head, but the voice was too serene and it was something I’ve missed since the evening hours of 12th June. A date I’ll live to remember. The voice too familiar to ignore, it spoke straight to my heart, it approach closer. I sensed the person walking, with steps as mine.

In split seconds my mind became little afraid for nothing. I couldn’t turn to look at who was coming, till the body came closer and took my hand, and lace my fingers with hers’, and then she was in my sight.

‘Tosin’ the grim face I’ve wore to fight off Evans, recess. For the first time I wasn’t thinking of vengeance. My mind rode through thought like; kiss her sweet lips, caresses her body, take this beautiful breast into your hands, put your hand through her body and let it pass till it made its way down to her underpants.

‘I’ve missed you’ I broadly exclaim, far too amaze how she was. She was too ecstatic.

‘I’ve missed you too.’ She replies reeling out her wild smile I’ve ever seen. It made her even more beautiful. Her voice was everything to me and I was blown to the moon.

Slyly she put off my hand from her arm. Then she called my name once again. In her blue eyes I saw disappointment and flair of smile covered her face.

‘This isn’t what I want’, she said.

‘What?’

‘I don’t want this case and quest for vengeance. I want you to just mourn me and take another adventure’.

‘No my love I want you. I want to be with you forever.’ I enter back in to the surge mood and protest.

‘I am dead Ola, please understand,’ she said sobbingly.

‘Wait, am I dead too.’ I wonder.

‘No’ she replied

‘I will want it to be. I want to be with you, forever.’

‘No, go back and save more lives and I’ll be happy.’ Her face begins to wane in tears, fading farther that I lost her sense of touch.

‘I will miss you, forever,’ I said while my chests ache with the load a certain electric pulse shut to my heart.

‘He’s alive.’ they all cheers.

‘I drop my case sir’ I told the NMA president that was happy to see me back alive.