At the rate at which Benard hastily rushed into federal hospital, even a mad man would be sensed that something is wrong with the young man. His appearance showed it all. He has almost hit a nurse on her way with a tray filled with some drugs and injections.
"Please, watch your way sir" The young nurse cautioned.
"I am very sorry. Please, pardon me" Benard pleaded. Before the young nurse could take a step further, he called and beckoned at her
"Please, I learned that two women and two men were rushed to the hospital this morning. Please, which ward are they?
"Oh okay. Those men died before they could be rushed down here while the two women gave up the ghost about some minutes ago. They have lost so much blood before they arrived here, in the hospital. You can check their corpses in ward nine. Over there". Pointing her index finger in the right direction. Benard's eyes followed her direction absentmindedly.
"Can you get it? Haven saw his mood, she quickly calls his attention in order
"Yes. Yes. Yes. Thanks" Benard replied to her repeatedly. He hastily ran towards ward nine as directed but before he could push the door to see their corpse, a doctor blocked his way and urged him to wait behind as there was an ongoing check of them
" Doctor, please, let me see those corpses. My wife is there! I need to see her body at least. Benard speaks under he's a heavy breath
"Please, calm down We are still working on them" He hardly finished his speech before he left Benard standing and went to carry out other activities.
Benard was left alone. Hands akimbo. His eyes are buried in the ground as if a solution lies in there. His mind traveled far away from him. He just wishes such death can just strike him instantly. If death can be so callous to take his beloved wife, then it shouldn't hesitate to take him either. He can't just imagine life without Gloria. What if he had told Gloria not to leave for Ngozi"s house that very night, he believed she wouldn't have met her death in a short period. He regretted having given his consent that very night. Ngozi had used her predicament to rub him off of his joy. A phone call busted into his thoughts
"Hello. Have you seen both of them? How are they doing now?
"They are both dead. I am still at the hospital though. Sorry, I don't have much strength to press further. Benard dropped the call. His eyes are heavy with tears. He thought so much about the love between him and Gloria. He can't imagine a night without her. He knows that no woman can fill the vacuum she has created in his heart. Gloria is the kind of woman he would love to marry all over again when next he will come back to this world. He's a woman of virtue that every responsible man will ever dream of getting married to. Her humbleness was one of its kind. She's so respective and loyal. Her perseverance was beyond measure. Maybe these qualities of hers had made her father deprive him of getting married to her coupled with strong poverty curdling him during his graduate days. Mr. Eugene might think that Benard could use his misfortune to rub her most cherished daughter off her qualities and render her useless. But as a matter of fact, Gloria had brought out the best in him. He might not have gotten half of the wealth he had gotten today if not for the beautiful and brain boxer woman whom God has blessed him with.
He can't just wrap his head around the death of his wife. He knew Mr. Eugene will never take it lightly with him. It's either he will urge the police to shoot him instantly and bury him before his eyes or they hang him while he dangles around the rope till he drops dead. Or something sharp and quick. He will never want something that will waste time at all. Benard's eyes are swollen with tears already. He never imagined that Gloria could die in thirty years let alone die all of a sudden. He wept silently and hit the wall consistently. He wished he has the power to raise the dead but that's not possible except rapture takes place.
"Oga, abeg, move forward now. We did horn tire" An angry man, a conductor precisely had hoped from his commercial bus to knock on Benard's car. The endless traffic jams had made him travel to a dreamland where he had been having a nightmare. He never knew when he had rested his head on the steering to take a nap but sleep had taken him The long night alongside sleeplessness has coursed it all.
"I am sorry" Benard pleaded.
He roared his car engine to life and proceeded on his journey. The traffic jams lasted for two hours with no vehicle movement at all. It was said that a big tank with plenty of petrol had fallen in-between the road and this has brought heavy traffic jams since the day has broken. A lot of workers might have been affected because it might affect their resumption to their respective offices. Benard was less concerned about this because he is a boss of his own. He can go to his office at any point in time. What baffled him now he's the survival of his wife and Chioma. He understands the predicament which might fall on him if his wife should drop dead. He might even commit suicide even before Me. Eugene takes any deadly action.
The road is free now and this made him drive speedily to the federal hospital to check on the recipients if it should be Gloria and Chioma, then, he pray for their quick recovery.
"Doctor, please, can I see those women that were brought to the hospital this morning? Benard urged.
"Oh okay" Yes. You can. But l am sorry, they all died before they could be brought to the hospital" the Doctor announced to him
"Are you serious? Where are they now?" Benard queried. His heart almost jumped out of his mouth immediately. His nightmare has finally come true.
"They are right there in ward twenty. He pointed to his left-hand side beside the receptionist position.
Benard moved speedily as he was instructed.
"Hey God! Why! Why!!" An old woman wailed in agony. Benard never bothers to look at the woman twice. His focus was onward twenty which the doctor had prescribed for him earlier. Haven checked the corpses, they are not Gloria nor Chioma. They are other corpses entirely whose faces are not familiar to someone he might know anywhere. He released a heavy sigh. He walked out of the ward and still met the old woman crying out loud. He learned that the woman just lost her two daughters in a ghastly accident. They had gone to felicitate with a friend at her wedding and after spending two days with her and now coming back home, but unfortunately, they ended up in a ghastly accident which claimed their lives even before they got to the hospital. Those men too boarded the same car with them. That's the news Ade, his friend had told him this morning without full information
Benard released a heavy sigh one more time. He consoled the poor old woman. Some relatives are around her consoling her too. Benard was then left in deep thought. He left the hospital and drove his way to the police station as that's the best way to go for now. At least, he's much sure that they might be somewhere. He only prayed they are safe though.