THE END

Finally regaining my composure, I point my friends to the news and tell them my mom could be in danger.

Oscar and his twin, and Cordelia, who are quite familiar with my mom and the nature of her job suddenly join in my worry.

I try to call home but no one picks even after three attempts. My panic spikes.

Jadiel hastens everyone into the car and we drive straight to the main road.

There's tight traffic on the road. I guess the impromptu acidic rain disrupted a lot of people's routines and now the highway is so congested.

My knees jostle against each other and my fingers drum on my thighs. My muscles are so taut and the only thing I can chant in my head as I fight tears is, "Jesus, please. Jesus, please."

Oscar tries his best to calm me down, saying things like, "Everything will be fine. I'm sure your mom's okay," while he strokes my shoulders.

With the population growth in recent years, especially in Lagos Peninsula, I have another fear. This water poisoning problem might spread faster than anyone can do anything to stop it.
I recall the brag of that glob I encountered while we were trapped.

Centuries later, when we finally arrive at my house-Jadiel was kind enough to take me straight home-I alight shakily and promise to keep them posted all and let them know the state of things. I wave at them as the car zooms off.

I climb the steps that lead up to the front door and knock on the door, which is uncharacteristically locked. I wait with bated breath, holding Dart in his box.

On the second knock, the door swings open. My mom, hale and hearty, is standing at the door.

Her cocoa, ever-smiling eyes look alive. Her skin is glowing and she looks almost angelic in the play dress she's wearing.

I almost collapse with relief. Instead, I drop Dart and run into her arms, allowing myself to savour her scent-antiseptics and coconut oil.

"You're okay! Oh, God!" I say over and over, not wanting to let go.

God knows that if my mom is out of the picture, my universe will fracture.

"I should say the same for you, my baby. I was just about to tell your dad that perhaps you're not yet home 'cause you missed your train transport."

"Yeah," I say in a wobbly voice muffled against her dress. "I- I saw the news, and I called but no one picked up. I thought... Oh, God!"

"About that, the rain was heavy here and some communication lines were affected, so. I've been back home before the rain even started, dear."

I sniff. My mom draws me back and observes my face, a small frown creasing her forehead. "You're crying?"

I chuckle, the tears still running down my face. "I went through a lot today. I guess my emotions are looking for release."

My mom looks at me with understanding, "Oh, baby, you know sixteen-year-old princesses don't cry. Happy birthday, my love."

I grin genuinely at her. "Thanks, Mom."

She nods in satisfaction.
"That's my girl. I have something for you. Come in."

My grin widens. As Mom goes in, I do a little jig and shoot a thank-you heavenward before picking up Dart and going in.

"Where's Dad?" I ask, scanning the living room.

Mom's about to say, "He's in his lair working on some experiment again," or something along that line, but Dad beats her to the chase and comes out at that same moment.

"Speak of the devil," Mom mutters, looking lovingly at her husband.

Dad gives her a boyish grin and goes to hold her. "A terribly handsome and irresistible devil, you mean?"

They kiss while I roll my eyes.

"Hey, Dad!" I say as he lands a peck on my forehead. He smells of moss and some other unnameable chemicals, but I don't mind.

"What's that thing doing here?" Dad asks, looking quizzically at the box where Dart is curled up, half asleep, which I placed on the floor next to the centre table.

I give my dad the sweetest smile. "Meet Dart, my cute little poochie. He is my birthday present from Cordelia."

Dad gives a single nod of consent. They are well acquainted with my bestie and her family, so it's no issue. Besides, Dad knows I've always wanted a dog as a pet.

"Speaking of presents," Mom says, "Check this out!"

She dives into a bag lying on the sofa which I didn't notice before and pulls out a small plain box.

"What's this?" I ask, curiosity almost swallowing me.

"Open it."

I do and I can't find words to describe the surprise I feel.

In my hands are the customisable SoTune+X device. It's a sort of mixture between a mic, earphones and sound mixer with a bunch of other cool features.

"You have a beautiful voice, Naomi. One you rarely ever use. We hope that with this gift, you'll be able to soar to your full potential," Mom says.

It's a replay of Jadiel's words when I met her in the restroom: 'You have a beautiful voice!"
Just then, a light bulb comes on in my head. Maybe this is how I can help spread the light of God. Music.
With Cordelia's influence online, God can reach thousands through my singing.

"Thanks, Dad, Mom. This means so much to me than you know."

"There's more. This coming holiday, we'll take a vacation to Jerusalem," Dad announces.

Mom hoots and excitedly buttresses his point.
"Well, it'll be a vacation for you, but not for us. We have work to do there."

My eyes widen to saucers. Gee, this means I can get to explore the birthland of my saviour, whom the world seems to have rejected.

Maybe, just maybe, I can get answers to the whole Apocrypha book thing there. Not to mention this will be the very first time I will be travelling outside Nigeria.

"I- I don't know what to say..." I croak, and emotions fill my chest.

"Come here," my mom and dad chorus as they pull me into a hug and shower me with blessings.

Later that night, after a scrumptious dinner of Coconut Rice and a special stew ridden with assorted meats, we read the Word together as a family and go to our rooms to sleep.

In my room, I wash up and change to my PJs, I kneel by my bed and I say a brief prayer as I hug Dart close to me, cuddling him.

Before I retire, my iPad lights up with a notification from Cordelia. I notice I have missed calls from Oscar. I make a mental note to text him.

Cordelia and I hologram-chat.
I happily tell her that everything is okay with my mom and fill her in with updates. The girl begins to plan my 'imminent' music tour and I can't help but catch on her infectious enthusiasm.

I text Oscar too, but I notice he isn't online.

The only nagging worry in my mind as I settle in bed is the whole water poisoning saga. When I asked, Mom said we'd better not discuss it today since she didn't want to spoil the happy mood of my day.

When I close my eyes, my reoccurring dreams return, vivid as ever.

This time around, amid the scenery of destruction, I feel a sense of hope and confidence.

The globs are still there, menacing as always, but they now look to me like defeated wimps.

I see my friends-Cordelia and Jadiel to my right, and Oscar and Owen to my left. I smile to myself in that dream because we are all armed and fearless, Dart inclusive.

In all these things, we are more than conquerors through Christ who loves us.

~~~

Author's note: And with that, fellas, we have come to the conclusion of this story.
Yay! Or, Nay?

Fun fact: This ending was not what I initially planned at all.
My original outline was going to be that they come to the surface and see that all that the glob said was true and then they have to find the survivors who are Christians that are secretly migrating to Jerusalem for refuge.

Also, I was supposed to complete this story within a month, but then life happened and here we are, finally at the end, 15 extra days after my self-imposed deadline.

I will probably compile this story later into a single manuscript and thoroughly edit it so that it can be fit for indie publishing. But for now, it's here.

Whatever plan God has for this story, I can't wait to see how it unfolds.

Thanks so much for sticking to the end.

If this is the first story by me you read, I highly recommend you head over to my profile and check out similar stories I have written. I mainly write YA paranormal/supernatural fiction with sprinkles of clean romance.

Feel free to drop your comments on what you felt or learned from this story. I'd love your honest feedback.

I remain your humble girl,
PeculiarPraise,
Abba's voice to the nations.