THE SCIENTIST’S GOD (Part 1&2) – Opeyemi Akintunde

PART 1
THE SCIENTIST’S GOD
Opeyemi Akintunde

Folabi stood stylishly with his travelling bag beside him at the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos Nigeria. He was the guy who always got to wherever on time.

He was waiting for His colleagues.

They were all on their way to a 5 day all expense paid holiday to a private island abroad. The Company he was working for had hit her target three times over and the boss being a generous giver decided to give the key staff members a treat. Everyone was given the Liberty to take one loved one along if they wanted to…

Folabi didn’t take anyone along… He didn’t want any girl feeling more special than his several girlfriends, besides he wanted to look like a good boy in front of his crush ; Emmanuella..

Emmanuella was his married colleague. Folabi could not get over her, she was his ideal woman. They had been working together at the company for over 4 years and Emmanuella was his everyday crush. His respect for her, made him keep a reasonable distance between them… They were just colleagues and the few times they ever spoke, it was always official and very short…

Folabi hoped he would get the opportunity to speak with Ella and her husband on the trip and that would hopefully help him overcome the crush..

*******************

Emmanuella alighted from the Vehicle with her daughter… Her Husband Stone, drove the vehicle to the car park and joined them much later…

Stone had sacrificed his spot for his daughter. He and Emmanuella had spoken about it. The trip to the island with Emmanuella would be an eye opener and educative one for their daughter…

Emmanuella spotted Folabi where he stood stylishly as always…

“ Darling that’s one of my colleague!” Emmanuella said

“ Ok, Let’s reach Him!”

“ Hey, Folabi…!” Ella said

“ Emmanuella! Good evening!” Folabi replied…

“Sir, Good Evening sir!” Folabi quickly stretched forth his hand towards Stone for a handshake but Stone looked at him Strangely…

Folabi quickly recovered from whatever it was that happened to him in that brief moment…

“ Islingbee virus!” Folabi said laughing… “ I can confirm to you I am negative!”

“Of course, you don’t look like you have the Virus, besides Our country has been declared free of the Virus, I am just been careful and I have told Emmanuella and Rejoice to be careful on this trip…”

“ Rejoice?” Folabi asked very surprised

“ Yes, I am not going on this trip, Let the girls go have fun while we boys stay back!”

Folabi felt joy rising up within him. He couldn’t understand why but he was very happy Emmanuella’s Husband wasn’t going on that trip with them…

“ Hey Folabi!” Sharon called out to Folabi…

Folabi wished the boss had removed Sharon from the list of those going for the trip. She was a pest in his life. It was obvious she was attracted to him but Sharon was not his kind of Girl.

“ Hi Sharon!” Folabi managed to reply

“ Hi, Ella…” Sharon said to Emmanuella…

Ella noticed Sharon wanted Folabi to herself, and on that note she held her husband’s hand and moved away… Rejoice followed her parents…

*************

Smart and his wife walked into the Airport arguing. If Smart had his way, he would not follow his wife for this trip, but there was no way he could avoid it. Seun, his wife had called His boss to give him a 5 day leave so he could follow her for the holiday… Seun was a good daughter to his boss; they had attended the same Secondary school and was the school daughter of his boss. Seun was the one who got him the job, so she had her way of making Smart’s boss give him free days off work….

“ That’s Folabi over there, let’s go over to him and please no arguments, let’s pretend we didn’t have that argument we just had.” Seun said to Smart…

Smart was about to give Seun the reply she wouldn’t recover from but he had a change of mind…

************

He wanted to get out of the country fast, he knew the fact that the virus had reached Nigeria, it would spread like wild fire, Priye’s knowledge of Science made him know that it was better he left the country fast….

“ Where to?” A little girl said to him as he stood waiting for flight…

“ Bribia Island”

“ Oh! I thought it was IsreAl!”

“ No…Why would you think that?”

“ You look like someone looking for answers and I think the God of the Israelites have the answer to most difficult questions… My grandma tells me that!”

Priye took a moment to look at the little girl…. She was too deep for a child.

“ Taberah Fire! Wherever you are please find your way to the information center, your parents are here …” Taberah and Priye heard the announcement over the Public Address System.

“ That’s me!” Taberah Said…

“ Ok, you should run along!” Priye said

“ Thanks… hope to meet you someday Mr. Priye!” Taberah said and Priye was surprised Taberah knew his name.

Taberah on seeing the puzzled look on his face helped him out…

“ Your wrist band!” Taberah said, and Priye looked at the customized Wristband his late wife had given him.

“ Oh I see, Taberah you should run along! Don’t keep your parents waiting and scared…” Priye said

“ Jesus also kept his parents waiting for a good reason.. I believe talking with you is good reason! Later Mr Priye!” Taberah fled off…

************

“ Seat belts please!”

Everyone from the company had boarded the plane. 6 staff members from the company with 3 of them coming with their loved ones. The C.E.O, Chief Larry had treated every one to First Class seats in the plane.

And they all had a nice trip to the Bribia Islands including Priye who was not part of the team. He was going to hide from the Islingbee Virus.

Little did they know what was waiting for them!

PART 2
THE SCIENTIST’S GOD
Opeyemi Akintunde

Xavier could feel a tight grip around his lungs. His breathing was hard. Whenever he forced himself to breathe, it sounded like he was whistling. As he stood inside the train on his way to the hospital for his check up, his mind was really troubled as to whether he had the Islingbee Virus or not.

His phone rang… It was Julie calling…

“ Hello, Xavier… Where are you?” Julie asked

“ Still at work!” He lied. He didn’t want Julie worrying about his health. One thing was sure if the result of the test came out positive, he wouldn’t return home. He couldn’t afford to lose his daughter and wife…

“ Mister! Mister” Someone tapped him on the shoulder. He was standing in the way of the person, but instead of gently moving away from the way, his frustration got a hold on him…

“ Why the touch! Why would you touch me, Don’t infect me with the Virus!” Xavier said frustratedly

“ Don’t insult me, I carry no Virus, I could sue you for that!” The man replied

“Go ahead and sue me, stupid man… it’s dirty beings like you that must have infected me with the Virus…”Xavier said absentmindedly in Anger…

Eyes turned towards him and everyone moved away from him…

“ Stop the train! Stop the train! There is someone who is infected on the train… “

“ Stop the train! “

“ Stop the train!”

There was an unforeseen pandemonium on the train, people trying to move 20 meters away from Xavier…

“ I have not tested positive, I just have the symptoms “ Xavier said out loud in other to save the day and stop the pandemonium…

Right in front of Xavier, people started jumping off the train in a bid to be far away from Xavier.

Unfortunately, out of fear a lot of people jumped into death.

The train stopped when information reach the train driver that people were falling off the train. Xavier knew what was next was death, should the people spot him out to the police officers….

Xavier hideously got off the train and ran off…

************

Emmanuella and Rejoice had been checked into the one room en suite apartment on the island. The Island was bliss. It was beautiful. It was home away from home, but a beautiful home, peaceful and restful home far from home. She looked out the window and was very happy Stone didn’t come on this trip with her. Stone wouldn’t let her have fun and have a private time to reflect on her life. He would be in her business every minute.

“ Mum, what are you thinking about? I know you are not missing Dad, I know this is your best time!” Rejoice said laughing

“ Why would you say a thing like That?” Emmanuella said laughing trying to hide the fact her daughter was correct…

“ At least there is no “ Ella this! Ella that! Ella my food! Ella the kids, Ella my shoe!” Rejoice said to the utmost surprise of Ella. She never knew her daughter had a problem with her father’s ways.

“ Well, That is what it means to be a married woman, someday, your husband will call.. Rejoice this!, Rejoice that!” Ella said laughing trying to make sure her daughter didn’t see her father as a terrorist that he was.

“ No, not all marriages are like that, Sunmbo’s Dad doesn’t do that to her Mum, he is always helping around the house,” Rejoice said about their neighbor…

“ Well, God made us differently !”

“ I wish we never have to go back home again so you and I can stay together and Dad and the boys stay together!”

Ella turned back looking at her daughter stunned!

************

“Xavier! What do you mean you are returning to Bribia?” Julie said over the phone

“ I think I have the virus and I don’t want to infect you and my daughter with it! Besides, a lot of people died because of me just now. I can’t explain in details. Stay safe, if I survive this I will come back home… I love you! Always know that….” Xavier said ending the call….

Xavier went to the bus park. He was going to take a bus to the small town “Lakeshore” before taking a boat Ride to Bribia, his hometown….

He wasn’t going to disclose his Status, he proposed he wasn’t going to let anyone know he had Islingbee Virus.

CLICK HERE TO READ ‘THE SCIENTIST’S GOD (PART 3&4) – OPEYEMI AKINTUNDE