Fiction: Tomorrow at noon!

It was around four in the morning when Mr. Abdul’s mobile phone rang. He was fast asleep and did not anticipate getting an early call that morning. He carefully but without opening his eyes reached for the phone under the pillow yawning and cursing the idiot who had rudely interrupted him from slumber. “Are you Mr. Abdul Fahim”? A female voice from the other end inquired. “Yes, I am, and who is this calling at this ungodly hour?” Abdul demanded to know. Outside was cold and rainy. Thunderstorms were rumbling and lightening flashed from outside reflecting some rainbow colouration on the walls in Abdul’s cluttered bedroom. Rain drops were drizzling on vaporized windowpanes. His black cat coiled at the edge of his bed was meowing, probably because she was scared to death from whatever was happening outside. The lady caller from the other end hesitated to answer back Abdul something that prompted him to gradually open his eyes wide as he could not fathom why she was silent yet he could hear that she was still online. A rainy coat he had hanged on the wall made him skip a heartbeat soon after opening his eyes as he thought he saw a ghost gazing at him when it was illuminated by lightening. The thought of him hanging up the phone on her crossed his mind but something withheld him from doing so. He decided to wait for the caller to say something. She was the one who had called anyway and had nothing to worry on call toll. After a while, the lady caller cleared her throat then said, “Tomorrow at noon” then she hanged up. Abdul got mystified. He could not comprehend what the lady meant by that sentiment. Abdul woke up slowly, switched on the lights, lit his cigar and strolled to the corridor as he meditated on those words. The pyjama he wore however could not sustain the cold in the corridor so he returned to his bed soon after and sandwiched himself in heavy blankets. Deep sleep befell him doubtlessly because of the warmth that the blankets readily provided. It was the alarm from the wall clock which distracted his sweet sleep at exactly six on the dot. He sluggishly lifted his feeble body, went to the bathroom humming his favourite song “cherish the love we have, we should cherish the life we live, cherish the love, cherish the life” by the Kool & the Gang. He had a warm shower and got himself ready to go for work. His conversation, rather the words of that lady caller, however, was still lingering in his mind. The “noon” thing boggled Abdul’s mind and he couldn’t wait for it to come. A colleague handed him an envelope some minutes before noon but did not disclose to him its source. He quickly opened the envelope. “Meet me at Akagera National Park at noon.” Read the note inside the envelope without any signatory. Abdul rushed to the said venue which was a few miles away in a bid to unravel the noon mystery. He did not see anything unfamiliar when he arrived except at some distance, there was a small gathering. After throwing his eyes in all directions, and being sure he saw no one he knew, he decided to approach this small assembly. The group was standing forming a circle. There was someone in the middle and as soon as Abdul came near them, they rearranged and now formed a semicircle exposing the lass standing in the middle. It was Dinah! “This love is unbreakable, It’s unmistakable, Each time I look in your eyes, I know why, This love is untouchable, I feel that my heart just can’t deny, Each time you whisper my name, Oh baby” The group sang this West life’s song loudly as Dinah dashed to Abdul, hugged him accepting for all to hear his elongated period of time proposal to marry him. “Love one another and you will be happy. It’s as simple and as difficult as that.” Michael Leunig skangongoi@yahoo.com