Stones and Metals

By LAWRENCE CHITERI
Published October 10, 2009

The house is suddenly engulfed in an atmosphere of uncertainty, fright, and apprehension. Not only has Gofu just slipped off with the children, but he has also imprisoned the minds of Zake, Therea, and the guards into the world of tantalizing conjuncture. The ever careful Zake, decides it would be prudent to put the guards in harms way for his safety, so he promptly orders them,”come on, pick it up.” The guards scrutinize the white object from a safe distance, and make the most chilly announcement of the day, “Bomb! It is a bomb!” With this, they begin to visibly shake in panic; they are torn between the biggest threats ever to their lives, and loyalty to their source of income.

Zake and Therea are equally distraught, and have suddenly huddled together. Zake still finds his voice and this time in a near whisper, gives faint orders, “I..I… said pick it up.” Several minutes elapse as the guards bending towards the ground, hesitantly move towards their target. Everyone is expecting an explosion at anytime, and is actually virtually on their toes. Then, as if from air whistling from a slightly punctured balloon, there comes relief. “Paper! It is only paper!” the guards announce, pick the stuff up, and recover their usual composure.

They are visibly agitated, and rearing to vent their ire on Gofu to the very hilt, were they to catch up with him. To subject them to an almost eternal torture, through a mere ball of paper, was more than they were willing to forgive. Before Zake barks his orders, “get at him fast! He has two children! Get him!”; the guards were already out of earshot. They are propelled by this demeaning moment, and are eager to prove their worth, to recover whatever lost ground the last few minutes robbed of them; thus they decide to comb every nook and cranny for Gofu.

There is obvious relief in Zake, and Therea, and for the first time, they realize that the house is a total mess. Therea recovers her romantic mien, and reaches for Zake, draws him closer, and kisses him passionately. She then looks him in the eye for a while, before announcing,”I am so sorry about this kind of reception my dear.” She coos, as she gestures at the rubble of a living room before them.

Therea then yells out loudly, ”Nurse!, Nurse!,” and as nurse responds, she holds Zake’s hands, clasps his right hand into her left one, with a warm caress. Zake is nonchalant about all this affection, which Therea believes has to do with the past moments; especially the state of the house. When nurse enters, Therea regains her authoritative and patronizing self and barks at her, “Get this house in order, and bring a noon cup for the master,” to which nurse responds with her usual subordination, “Yes maam,” and makes to go.

Just as nurse is about to slip into the next room, Zake disentangles himself from Therea’s grip, and calls her back, “come on Mudge, drop that ugly apron and let us get out of here.” Therea was not very sure about what she heard; nobody had referred to the nurse in this house as Mudge, ever. This was her fourth year serving as a nurse, and all that Therea knew about her was, she hailed from very humble and destitute background. Never had she however, sought to find details about her family; but she vaguely did speak about one, at least once or twice.

During the four years, she never sought leave of absence, and was in a nut shell a very diligent, loyal and trustworthy house nurse. She had a way with the children, that made it easy for Therea to make long business trips with Zake, and all would be fine. Although the children would take her instructions grudgingly, and with snobbish orientation; they were all the more conscious of her benevolent nature towards them.

Therea does not remember nurse ever speaking to, or having direct conversation with Zake; as their relationship was purely mute, and subservient. One would think Zake did not even know that nurse lived in this house. Therefore, it was stunning that in the midst of a confused day like this, Zake would address nurse, and by her name. Therea was not sure she heard right, she stood transfixed; her hand hanging after Zake disentangled the grip.” How the hell did that name Mudge, get out, and used by Zake of all people? Therea wondered.

Then as Therea tried to awake from her slumber, Mudge who was about to enter the next room, in readiness to execute her orders; makes a gliding and purposefully confident about turn. She comes face to face with Zake, moves two or three steps up front, and begins to untie her apron. She does this very meticulously, as if nothing was happening, and when it was all done – behold…!

To be continued.

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