RUNAWAY GHOST

BY Mide Benedict

‘Banned it is for a sole heart to bear
Such secret alone;
It’s a secret that no one can dare
Or struggle with every means to share.
 A secret every one ear must hear,
Yet a secret every ear must fear
For its whisper is an upset death
That could swallow any liver’s breath,
For if an alien’s ear beholds its half- dust,
One is apt to become a runaway ghost’

EPISODE 1

‘Stop the wedding’,
 A voice rang out from the church’s entrance. Everyone, including the church ushers was stunned, by this disturbing voice that has ordered a stop to the ongoing wedding ceremony. The whole place instantaneously became earsplitting as people began to murmur like bees humming in their hives; each member of the congregation turned to his(er) partner to ask if (s)he heard a similar voice, the answer was 'yes', but no one could point a finger at the person who had done so; not from any angle, not even from the church’s entrance.

“Probably it was a child.” The priest said, although knowing quite well it couldn’t have been a boy: that voice was too broken to be a child’s and was too… Oh God! Terrifying!

A man suddenly appeared at the entrance. He was a little bit tall, heavy chested and had a harsh tribal mark on his face, like that of someone who had just wrestled with a terrible lion. He was followed by some other men, who were not so different from him in appearance, except for the tribal marks and were all dressed in uniforms; police uniforms. The tribal-marked police officer walked bigheadedly in between the seated congregation, like someone going for some red carpet photo-shoots and with all the congregation looking at him with great astonishment, he moved towards the altar where the clerics, and the about-to-weds were standing. 

As he ascended each step, the noise of the ‘huuus’ and ‘ahs’ emanating from the congregation incessantly amplified, making it look more like a way-keeping service. Some persons in the congregation, began to stand one after the other, so as to have a proper look at these bamboozling being. He finally got to the altar and as soon as he was sure of a very graspable point to get hold of anyone standing there, he deeped his hand in his left-hand side pocket and tried to bring out an object but he couldn’t; the object was stuck, keeping everyone trying to deduce his action on hold. He used his left hand to hold down the pocket and forcefully pulled it out with his right hand; on seeing this, everyone shouted in fear, especially those at the altar; it was a handcuff.

‘You are under arrest, for the murder of Miss Williams Benita.’ 
Many were still wondering who he was refering to, when he got hold of the groom and twisted his hand backwards. He was still trying to get a proper hold of him when the bride fell to the ground and lost consciousness, on seeing the unthinkable come to reality. The whole church was thrown in hysteria. People began to gather round the altar, as they set out to clamor untameably.

‘Get your hands off me, officer, what… what’s the meaning of this!’ the groom questioned with his fair-skinned face now turning red. He tried to shake the officer’s hands off him, but those hands were more like that of a giant man; it was too mighty to be escaped.

‘I think it’s best for you, as your right, to remain silent, for anything you say will be used against you in the court of law, you have….’

'Don’t you know this is the house of God? And a wedding is going on? You can’t just walk into here and do as you like, not to talk of now arresting a groom during his wedding.’ The priest said, standing some meters away from the officer.

‘Hey! Do you know what you are doing?

‘Am very sorry for intruding into this ceremony.’ The officer said, facing Barr Alex Davis, the owner of one of the most powerful law firms; Bolt chamber international and father to the bride

‘But with due respect sir, I think you have to come to the station to get him a lawyer or you…,’

‘No, you don’t have to tell me….’

‘Sir, I think that’s all I can do for you for now.’
 He held the groom’s handcuffed hands and took him out of the church auditorium.



*******************************************************
 It was on a Saturday when the day looked brighter than light and birds wandered the eyes of the cloud like shepherds of unknown sheep. The atmosphere was wonderful and could have been more wonderful, if not for the vehicles whose horns were been blown here and there, like soldiers blowing and obeying to the sounds of different commands. As time continuously passed by, the surrounding gradually became noisy and a little bit overcrowded with a people of common race, though some of different background, speech sounds, craziness, compositions and life styles. Those who came to feed their eyes were also present at the venue. Hanging around the place also were the invitees who got their invitation cards from their stomachs. They always knew the order of every event before it was even planned: without them in occasions, the comapany of invitees will never be complete. Most times events could become a comedy of manner through the way people behave before and after ceremonies, as different happenings could make a dead man laugh in his grave.

Around 12:00 pm, hundreds of legs sauntered into the church auditorium in groups: first were some women with dish like geles (the Yoruba women’s headgears) of different styles and appearances. Their geles smiled at different directions and cardinal points, making them look like compasses showing the directions to different stars. They were the same women who would suddenly transform into wrestlers at the end of every ceremony; fighting for the last hour knick-knack presented by the celebrants: if that was omitted at the close of any occasion, two things most have happened, it was either the celebrants were poor or they were completely organized, and if that happened, they will surely have a greater souvenir to take home; that of hisses and heavy clouds of hatred.  

They walked majestically to their seats with their husbands by their sides who also were flamboyantly dressed like emperors on the way to meet the royal queen of no crime. Seconded were the extraordinary men and ladies who were dressed in suits of different colours. The ladies had skirts waging war against their ankles on. They too, with great composure and pride went to have their seats. 

Not too long, two figurines could be spotted walking towards the priest with dancing smiles all over their faces: one of the figurines was dressed in a black suit and the other wore a beautiful white gown: with each of them having a partial photocopy behind. They both held hands like a two knotted rope which has been twisted and twisted over time, that no fist of a great giant man would be able to cut it into two or the world’s greatest herbalist with all his charms and gods be able to set them loose, even if such could happen in other scenarios or time, at least not in this one. The members of congregation were already on their feet, while they joined the choir in singing the opening hymn. When the duos finally reached the altar, the priest elevated his eyes towards the congregation and said,

‘It’s good to be here today which marks a new era of two great lives who have come together to be knotted as one. We are here for the holy matrimony between the groom, Mr. Mike Solomon, and the bride, Miss Catherine Anita, and which would be witnessed before man and God. Therefore let us begin in the name of the Father, the Son and of the Holy Spirit. He made the signs of the cross and then continued.

‘If there’s anyone who opposes the continuation of this union, please speak now or forever hold your peace’. 

The auditorium was silent yet the noise of anxiety filled the place while the priest waited patiently to see if anyone would speak out, though it was unusual for anyone to speak. The two about-to weds, looked at each other and smiled. After some minutes, the priest said,

 ‘Since no one as objected to the continuation of this holy matrimony, I would like to….’ 

And that was exactly when the voice sprang out, which was before the whole congregation rushed outside to see how the groom was been taken out of the church premises into a van. Preceding the period the police van, which was heavily blowing shrines drove off, with some cars following it behind, including that of Barr Davis and before the wedding ended without a vow.

To be continued in EPISODE 2: coming soon on Monday. DON'T MISS IT....

Hello dear reader, I hope you enjoyed the first episode of the Runaway Ghost. Please do well to drop your comments in the comment box.