The Second Sight – Episode 51

THE SECOND SIGHT EPISODE 51

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REUNIONS

Pastor Paul Anderson was trying to smile, the effort causing his face to twist up most horribly.

I closed my eyes briefly and touched him, putting all my will into it.

The explosion blew me clean across the room and slammed me against the wall.

I lay, dazed, not comprehending what had happened.

Something had left my body and entered Anderson, a power source whose exit had been violent enough to knock me senseless.

As I struggled painfully to my feet I saw that Paul Anderson was now sitting on his bed.

He looked like a mad alien with all those gadgets and cords sticking out of him. I saw the tears washing down his face.

PAUL ANDERSON

(weeping, whispering)

Above all things I thank God, my dearest Father above who has never forsaken, and I thank you, Yaw, for letting our Lord use you to heal me. Oh, thank you so much!

When I gained my feet the door opened and Josh Aboagye and his friend came in.

JOSH

(with bulging eyes)

Holy f****ng sh*t!

His eyes were dancing orbs that flew across the room, taking in the occupants, obviously quite unprepared for what he saw.

I sat down weakly, tremulously, and my body began to shake as slow reactions began to set in.

I was aware of Josh making calls, of doctors getting inside the ward, of policemen wheeling the body of Samson out…and I felt detaches from it all.

Finally, Chief Inspector Jack Frost, one of the first to arrive and the last to leave, followed me to the Chrysler.

Pastor Paul Anderson was already seated in the car, freshly discharged by confused doctors who had spent almost two hours running checks on him, and then shaking their heads with more confusion when they found that every little crack in his bones had been restored to healthy proportions.

Frost lit a cigarette and regarded me through a blast of smoke.

CHIEF INSPECTOR FROST

So, officially, a badly-damaged man who wasn’t expected to walk again – hell, he wasn’t even expected to sit again – somehow gets his health back, miraculously, and a very healthy medical doctor suddenly dies of a massive heart attack.

I shrugged.

BOAT

The man Samson Basoah wasn’t a medical doctor. The last time I met him he was a chauffeur for my father.

CHIEF INSPECTOR FROST

They checked him up thoroughly when he came here a couple of weeks ago. His credentials checked out. He’s been practicing for years, highly recommended.

BOAT

(shocked)

Wow. All along Uncle Samson was a very qualified doctor? Wonders will never end. I’m not surprised, though. They’re very thorough and very resourceful.

The policeman breathed softly, holding his cigarette between middle and fore fingers and pushing his free hand deep into his pocket.

CHIEF INSPECTOR FROST

They. They. Who are ‘they’?

BOAT

(stifling a yawn)

You don’t want to know, believe me. Now if you don’t mind I’ll leave now. Feeling really bushed. Need to sleep a spell.

He nodded gravely.

CHIEF INSPECTOR FROST

Do I assume that you’re through now? The menace is over finally?

BOAT

(carefully)

No. One more thing to take care of, but I don’t really know whether it would be here in Portville, or somewhere else.

He took another drag of his cigarette.

CHIEF INSPECTOR FROST

(softly)

I don’t know what’s going on. Sure, I’ve heard all that bullshit. All I know is that since you got here Portville has been turned into a graveyard, and people are sitting up now and asking a lot of questions. The sh*t is really beginning to hit the fan ‘cause a lot of media assholes are here, and we’ve had to clamp down really hard on the hot issues. Like we found a lot of blood in a hotel room this dawn, and heard about how you fell from the top floor, smashed into the concrete – at least one old woman claimed that was what happened – and then you came out of the swimming pool as fit as a one cedi coin. The bottom line is that I ain’t got no beef with you. Hell, I guess I even like you a bit, all your arrogance aside. But I’d be really happy to see you leave Portville.

I smiled at him, one of my genuine ones.

BOAT

Alright, Chief Inspector. Give me another day, and I think all this will be over.

CHIEF INSPECTOR FROST

I hope so, Yaw. I really hope so. Just get it done and get the f**k outta my town.

He put the cigarette to his lips again, and I scowled at him.

BOAT

You know, I think you smoke too much. About time you gave it up. It can ki*ll you.

CHIEF INSPECTOR FROST

Been trying to quit smoking for years. Tried everything in the book, including all the silly drugs and nicotine patches and meditations E-cigarettes. Nothing worked. Seems I’m stuck with it.

I reached out and touched his left shoulder, concentrating on him.

I felt the trembling in my hand and the energy sizzling through me.

It hit him, and he recoiled, stepping back from me with a little cry.

CHIEF INSPECTOR FROST

(in a hard voice)

Hey, what the f**k was that?

BOAT

(smiling)

I think you just got your cure from those cigarettes.

He looked at the cigarette in his hand, and then he looked up at me.

CHIEF INSPECTOR FROST

f**k you.

He put it to his lips, and immediately his face screwed up in a grimace.

He tried to pull on the cigarette, and he gagged.

He looked at it, frowned, and dropped it.

He looked at me, and although he tried very hard to hide it I saw the shock and disbelief written in the depths of his eyes.

He stepped on the smoking cigarette, and looked at me again with awed eyes.

BOAT

(smiling)

Yeah, I know, f**k me.

He chuckled, shook his head and turned away.

CHIEF INSPECTOR FROST

See you around, kid, whatever the f**k you are. f****ng fake magician!

I stood watching him, and when he reached a dustbin he pulled out his cigarette case and lighter and dropped them into it.

I smiled and got behind the wheel.

I was feeling good.

We reached the house around eight o’clock in the morning.

Paul Anderson had been behaving like a kid with a new toy ever since he got out of bed, chatting incessantly, and he wanted to surprise his family, who should have been at the hospital in the morning to visit him.

He had had one of the doctors call them to reschedule that particular meeting for the evening simply because he wanted to see their faces when they saw him at home.

She might have seen the Chrysler coming over the bridge because she came flying out of the house the moment I hit the grass lawn.

She came down the stairs, her hair flying behind her, wearing a black jeans and a pink shirt that was inches too big for her, but which fit her like a dream nevertheless.

I felt the emotion soaring high in my chest as I brought the car to a halt.

Her dear beautiful face was filled with something deep – really deep – as she came to a stop. Her eyes were shining, her lips were parted, and she was breathing hard.

She shone, as if some secret light had come on inside of her … and God, was she beautiful!

Nicole, my dearest sweet Nicole!

My Nic!

Paul Anderson got out of the car quickly, smiling from ear to ear, holding out his arms to her.

Her gaze shifted to him, took in the fact that he was walking, that he was quite healthy, but although her eyes reflected her sudden shock and obvious delight, and although she ran to him with a whoop of joy, her eyes still scanned the car hungrily, desperately.

Other people were coming out of the house.

A lot of people, mostly church members, I was sure, come to sympathize with the family of the pastor no doubt.

There were more squeals and instantaneous songs of joy as the pastor embraced first one, then the other, and then a screaming Mrs. Anderson was pushing her way through the throng, her face awash with tears of joy as she flew into the arms of her husband, and as they hugged fiercely their tears fell softly, and they touched each other wonderingly, and a message passed between them…a message that softened the woman’s features and made her shed the terrible load that had aged her so prematurely.

Yes, the storm was almost completely over.

And then Nicole was standing beside my door, gazing in at me.

Above all the emotions on her face – relief, remorse, peace, happiness – love reigned supreme.

I saw it, because it was in me, flooding me, drowning me.

I got out of the car, and sudden tears came into her eyes.

LOVE

NICOLE

(passionately)

Oh, Yaw! I kept calling your phone since you spoke to Pastor Bonner, but it was always off. I was so scared. I th-thought …

She could not continue.

I didn’t know who made the first move; maybe we both did, but suddenly she was in my arms, and her arms went around my neck, crushing me tightly as if she would never let go.

Her tears wet my shoulders.

NICOLE

(lovingly)

I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry for the cruel words I said to you. Uncle Bonner told me everything that has been going on, the terrible things you’ve been through. Oh, my dearest love, you’ve suffered so much!.

I mumbled into her hair, and my heart was thudding so loudly that I could barely hear.

BOAT

(tenderly)

I’m okay now. I’m fine now, my dearest angel.

She tensed for a moment, and then she drew her head back from my shoulder, but she still kept a hold on me.

Her face was flushed, reddened by tears and being mauled so closely against my shoulder, but with her hair dishevelled and her face shot to hell, she was the most beautiful woman I had ever seen.

Her dear eyes roved my face and searched my soul.

NICOLE

(tenderly, sweetly, lovingly)

We’ve found each other, haven’t we?

Her voice filled with wonder and something sweet.

I smiled and pushed a lock of beautiful black hair from her brow.

BOAT

I love you, Nicole Anderson. I love you with all the breath in me. I never knew love could be like this. Yes, my angel, we’ve found each other.

Her hands came off my body, and she cupped my face, her fingers tracing the planes gently, wondrously, her face a little startled.

NICOLE

(whispering)

This feeling I have for you frightens me, Yaw Boat. It is not like anything I’ve ever known. It is more than love, Yaw. It is like … you can hurt me bad if you take advantage of it. Would you be for me, all for me alone, and make me happy?

I chuckled and held her face.

BOAT

(tenderly)

What you feel for me is mutual, Nic. I’m incapable of hurting you, my love.

She smiled, and then chuckled, and then she looked at my lips, just like I was looking at hers, and my breath quickened, and her face flushed a deep red.

BOAT

I’ve loved you and wanted this for a long time. From the very first time I saw you, I fell in love with you, my Princess. I’ve dreamt of this moment for a very long time, Nic.

Nicole Anderson rested the side of her head against my chest, and she gently rubbed my forearm.

NICOLE

(murmuring dreamily)

No more dreams, my dearest love. Only the reality of true love…a love that will last a lifetime.

I put a hand to her hair and smoothed it gently.

Life was good.

And that was when a rusty voice suddenly intruded in our sweet bubble.

Charles Bonner of course.

CHARLES BONNER

(mischievously)

You two lovebirds shouldn’t get carried away too far.

Closeness like that breeds fornication which is evil in the sight of the Lord. We shall get the two of you married, and then you can chew each other if you so wish.

There was general laughter around us, and we became aware for the first time that we were the attention of a sizeable number of people who had been experiencing some form of unease, no doubt.

Nicole looked at me and we both giggled; we realized just how close we had come to kissing passionately.

We broke free, and as they all began to go back inside, Pastor Anderson once more the centre of attraction, Old Bonner came toward me, still grasping his walking-stick, and he stopped within touching distance.

His eyes searched my face, and I saw the concern on his face, and the strain he obviously had been under, for my sake. I felt a rush of tenderness toward him, and I smiled wanly.

CHARLES BONNER

(sadly)

It was close, wasn’t it? We almost lost you.

I nodded, and a shiver of fear passed through me as I recollected the bullets smashing into me and my soul leaving my body as the Angel of Death waited for me.

BOAT

(deeply affected)

It was bad, really bad.

CHARLES BONNER

(softly)

Bad, yes, but in the end necessary, as is the ways of our Lord. You came into your own. Paul’s amazing recovery is a testimony of the maturing of perhaps, the greatest Unblind of them all, a certain uncouth boy called Yaw Boat.

I smiled shudderingly, but I said nothing.

He took a painful step toward me and reached out his right hand.

Innocently I reached out and shook his hand. There was that blinding jolt, the sharp spark that rocked our bodies, and I released his hand quickly.

He stepped back and slowly he flung his walking-stick away from him. He took a deep breath, and then he did something downright crazy.

He shuffled his feet – Muhammad Ali style – and he threw four quick jabs into the air.

His limp was gone, and his painful arthritis was gone.

He dropped his hands slowly and his eyes – now brighter, more-coloured – bored into me. And then he gave a mighty smile that transformed his old face into something of a beauty.

CHARLES BONNER

(wonderingly)

It is like that, huh?

I nodded.

BOAT

It’s like that.

He nodded in turn, and then he smiled, and a broad happy smile split his lips.

CHARLES BONNER

Welcome home, Unblind.

I took a shuddering breath, and then I laughed gently.

I felt powerful. I felt exhilarated. I felt free. I felt happier than I had ever felt in my life.

Life as a Christian wasn’t going to be such a bad deal after all.

Pastor Bonner proudly took my hand and we went inside.

There was happiness all around, and the day ended rather quickly.

It was quite late, getting close to midnight.

It had been a hectic day somewhat. More people had poured in to congratulate the pastor on his unexpected return to full health.

Of course everybody attributed it to God, especially when the story spread – obviously some had previously gone to the hospital to enquire about him, and been told by the baffled staff about the strange way he had recovered – that he had been sick one moment and healed the next.

Suddenly it restored confidence in him, and created the right atmosphere, informing the congregation that their pastor, whom they had momentarily thought was losing his touch, was in truth enjoying the blessings of the Lord, and still had the grace bestowed on him.

They were happy, and they were triumphant.

Pastor Anderson and his family were happy in more ways than one. They had been prepared for a lifetime of pain and depression.

The fact that the man would be confined to a wheelchair, unable to tend his flock, had been a bitter pill to take, but in a flash all that life had now been reverted to one of hope and promise.

And there was one amazing thing which I saw: with his recovery came his confidence. The fear and paralyzing guilt had vanished, restoring him to the full, making him finally believe that the Lord had fully forgiven him for the indiscretion of one sad moment.

He had started to glow again.

I saw it when I was riding home with him, and I had remarked on it. He had nodded, and told me that he had been a fool. It had cost him so much to realize what every first grade Christian knew: the good God always forgave a genuinely repented heart.

Nicole had called her office and told them she would not be in for the day.

Her excuse was that she was needed to handle the throng of visitors, but somehow we both knew that was a front; we had found something rare and deep, and both of us were frustrated because we hadn’t had the time yet to say all the things we had in our hearts.

In the afternoon, during a lull in the hectic cycle of arrivals and departures, we finally managed to find a little time for ourselves.

We fled to her room, and there we revelled in the joys of newly-found love. We held hands and talked, and we laughed and smiled.

Sometimes little awkward moments crept up on us, moments where we held hands and looked into each other’s eyes, unable to speak, and then we would both giggle or laugh, and the moment would be gone.

Charles Bonner had told her a lot, and I filled in some of the blanks.

When the full picture of what I had gone through finally began to emerge she had touched my cheek with cool hands and looked at me with love and terror in the depths of those lovely eyes.

NICOLE

(lovingly)

My dearest poor darling! How you’ve suffered!

To be continued…

©Aaron Ansah – Agyeman

All Rights Reserved.

 

 

ALL EPISODES OF THE SECOND SIGHT

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