Suddenly, one of them stabbed the other with a dagger which he hid in his pocket. My body shivered at the sight of blood which poured out like a tap left to run carelessly.
"What is your name?" l heard a strange voice just right behind me. l turned quickly only to see an old man, probably in his late fifties, with eyes like those of a pussy-cat, smiling at me. He had a bald head, the wide gaps in his gums were tinged with a subtle tawny colour, and his tattered-looking beard explained that he had been long in prison.
"William," l said calmly in a very low tone as though l expected him to pity me.
That afternoon, the steaming heat of the sun thrashed me with the hostile energies of its malignant intensity. l had reached home pounding aggressively on the door, but no one opened the door. l paused for a while and l heard Blessing's voice clearly. She kept talking as l knocked. She spoke so effortlessly as if her mouth was a musical instrument that just let sound out when touched, her stream of sentences punctuated by her factitious laughter. My jaw clenched hard; l was sweating profusely as a result of the blistering heat of the sun. "Open this door!" I growled angrily, kicking and pounding at the door. Blessing opened the door seconds later.
"Are you nuts? Are you deaf?" l thundered.
She flashed me a smile, her head shaking slightly as though it needed assistance to avoid falling off her neck.
"William!" she exclaimed, "I didn't know you were the one at the door."
"You must be an idiot! What sort of creature are you?" I shouted at her and, then walked past her and entered the living room.
Crystal was sitting on the sofa, close to the television. "Welcome; you are out of prison already?" she asked as though she expected me to remain in prison for a number of years.
I just hissed and entered my room. I came out few minutes later and sat on a sofa next to Crystal.
She pretended she didn't see me and kept staring at the television screen.
Blessing turned to my direction and beamed her ugly smile. "You look taller and more handsome too," she said to me happily.
"Yes, l too, have noticed that, your head has grown bigger and you now look shorter than before.
Your ugliness, also, has heightened to that of an ape," l said rudely.
"What? That was harsh, "Crystal said sharply, looking at me. "You have no conscience at all," she added almost immediately.
"Useless boy; even as pretty as l am, you still have the guts to compare me with an ape. Well, l don't blame you," Blessing defended.
"Even a blind man would say a high-pitched tufiakwa on coming close to you," l said, looking at the television.
"William, stop that; she isn't that ugly," Crystal said, directing her gaze at Blessing.
l laughed aloud. "Seriously, you even admit she is ugly. Your mouth bad pass my own oh," l hollered.
"What is the matter with the both of you? Crystal, look at you; are you more beautifer than me?"
Blessing's voice rose notches higher.
"Oh my God! my head, my stomach, my chest," Crystal screamed, holding her head with her right hand and putting her left hand on her stomach.
I got scared and watched Crystal closely to understand what she was up to.
"What is the problem, Crystal? What is wrong with you?" l asked.
"Did l just hear beautifer; I think l'm fed up here. l'm done with you guys," Crystal said and stood up, still holding her stomach and her head, too.
"How is Father's health now?" I changed the subject, now speaking more seriously.
"I don't know; Madam has gone out with Oga this morning after you left," Blessing replied.
"Hmm, but for how long has he been ill?"
"You came out of prison last week, right?"
"Yes, that's correct"
"Em, I think it was last two weeks. He kept complaining of headache, fever, typhoid, malaria, chest pain....
"Shut up!" l interrupted her immediately.
"When did this illnesses begin, was the solemn question l peacefully asked you." And then, l thought deeply about Father; he brought me out of prison with his influence and probably with a lot of money. It was a debt l didn't know how l was going to pay him back, considering his nonchalant attitude towards his family.
Mother came back few minutes later. She came back with a friend of hers whom she had jokingly told me was her sugar mummy on one occasion before l had gone to prison. Mum's face was dull, bearing the mystery of a spanked child. I stared closely at her as she walked in. The deep dimples in her cheeks now looked more like permanent fixtures as though someone had sunk sticks into her cheeks.
"Mum, what is the problem?" l asked. l didn't care to greet her; l didn't think it was necessary.
"Your father is the problem. The sickness just getting worse. They said they observed symptoms of tuberculosis and syphilis, too."
"They said? Who said l questioned curiously.
"The doctor, of course; who else would say," the other woman who had come in with Mum said instantly.
"Woman, l wasn't taking to you. l think you should mind your wretched business here. Besides, this is a family discussion; l don't know what you are doing here," l cautioned her.
She tried talking again, but Mum hushed her, gesticulating that she should keep mute.
"A test is being carried out, so we will know in due time which of the diseases us actually troubling him," Mum continued.
"Okay, that is better. When will the test result be ready?"
"Well, the doctor said we should come tomorrow. I hope it should be ready by then."
Even though a part of me hated Father because of the kind of life he lived, a greater part of me still wanted him alive. Perhaps, l couldn't bear the thought of losing Father. He was still my Father, l thought. l stood to leave as Crystal walked into the living room.