The Border Town: Chapter Five

Ebosele was alone. The atmosphere was serene and quiet. The only sound was the swooshing of the pages of the book as they brushed against one another in rapid succession. He stood transfixed as the events of his life rushed past in front of him. Suddenly, he could no longer see the book, nor the figure beside it. He was thrust back into the tunnel of his life; past memories he had long forgotten. He saw that one moment he had brokered a contract in his own name, instead of his company’s. The very contract that had made him a wealthy man. The documents of the fake deals he had made in life rose in the air and flew about his head. He saw the frowning faces of the many people he had failed to help with his wealth. He was suddenly thrust into his parent’s house. He recognised the house at once. He had recently built it for them. It looked exactly the same. In an instant he was face to face with his dad. He could see the pain in his eyes. He wanted to make up. He wanted to tell him how sorry he was for not listening, for not making more efforts to be at peace with him. Then his mom’s face zoomed into an extreme close-up. She was a broken woman. Ebosele’s head reeled again as his parent’s house dissolved into the distance. He was in his own house now, in his bedroom. He saw the women he had secretly brought into their bedroom. Then he was thrust into different hotel rooms. Scenes from his extra marital affairs hit him with clarity; moments he now wished he never had. He shut his eyes, trying not to see. But his whole frame had become an eye. He was in a continual state of remembrance. His life stood open. There was no running away from it. He could see, feel and hear all the wrong events of his four decades of existence, all at once. In his state, there was no past, present or future. Everything became present. Ebosele stopped fighting it. His hands fell limply at his side as more sordid details of his life washed over him.

***

“Step away from the scales please”, the thunderous voice rang out, breaking through to Ebosele as the mist cleared. He opened his eyes. The huge figure was back in front of him. The large book lay closed, as though it had never been opened. As he attempted stepping down from the scales, a force lifted him off effortlessly and took him to another set of scales. A figure looking as huge as the first one stood directly in his line of sight. The semi darkness had metamorphosed into an overwhelming glare of light rays. Ebosele could see the face of the new figure. It looked neither masculine nor feminine. Though it had a human form, it looked like no human Ebosele had ever seen or known. The figure smiled and stretched forth it’s hands, “I am not human my child. I am called Ecitsuj, bearer of srewsna. Step onto the scales please.”
Ebosele was amazed. There was something about the creature’s voice that sounded like the clashing of musical instruments in perfect harmony.
“Welcome to the Koob,” the Sburehc echoed.” Ebosele had completely forgotten all about the Sburehc. It was comforting to realise he wasn’t alone.
“Step onto the scales please,” the figure repeated.
Ebosele wished the creature would keep talking. He stepped forward just as he was lifted onto a scale as bright and radiant as a large diamond crystal. Another book descended from the skies. It was a smaller book. It came to rest on a small flat object that looked like a flower petal. The book opened of its own accord and flipped noiselessly, one page at a time. For the second time, scenes from Ebosele’s life flashed in front of his eyes…

To be continued…