Chapter 8. I'll be your hero

With each hour, each day, moment and each kiss, Jason and Akwa's love became more stiffer and stronger.The thing they shared had hit the public eye, the rumors of their love confirmed by those who doubted and at length, sought to come inbetween. The entire school had grown fond of them, as some won't even look, for all they will see is the same old news, love in the alfresco. People passed, watched, wishing they could have the same thing, some had ask how they made it through, and always there was a thing about their answer that just keep one going. 'They don't know they got there but glad they did made it', always and the same. 

Some observer's beliefs defeated, as most of them claim true love seized existing in the early 20th century, but Jason and Akwa's relationship proved that entire theory wrong. As a matter of fact, that special day was indeed special, the two sat in a restaurant facing each other holding a class of drink. They were on a date, a never like before date, they actually were celebrating their two years anniversary together. He wore a tuxedo with a bore tie hung on a white shirt. She nevertheless seemed to appear like a fairy tale princess in a long flare purple gown, which matched her lipstick and heels. They just looked marvelous on that night. 

"To us," they said together, clinging their glasses. 

"Now, tell me why you avoided Chika's restaurant," she demanded. 

"Then we wouldn't be sitting here just us, forgotten the last two years experience so soon?"

"Ouch!" She chuckled. "How can I? I'm never gonna forget that day."

They chuckled together.

"So. . . Tell me how this goes," she requested. 

He relaxed back and replied, "We talk about old memories, that's how it goes."

They brought their faces together and first rubbed noses with each other smiling, then kissed. They however were the neon in the restaurant and the rest of the guest stared desperately. Ranging from her shiny dress, their bold involvance and the location they settled, in the middle of the floor. They were used to the public's attention and that at the instance was much less than they had endured in the past. 

Laughing from the joy and humor their pool or memories hand dispensed, Jason noticed the receding of joy on her face. He couldn't care less, he kept the glass cup in his hand on the table, forming a hunchback as he bent towards her. 

"Hey Belle, you're violating one hell of a rule right now," he said, gently placing a palm on her hand rested on the table. 

"What rule?" her forehead squeezed.

"You're loosing your smile, and that's an offence under today's occasion."

She reached and friendly slapped him on the shoulder, covering her lips with the other hand as she laughed. Yet, its didn't last, her face still lost it way to happiness in no time. 

"It's your final year, Olie, and what then after that?" She asked worriedly. 

He stared at her for a while and replied, putting on a sincere face. "It doesn't matter, where you are is where my heart will be. You're my world, my certificate, I'm never leaving you, Belle."

"I know. . ." She kept to her long face. "But youth service is there, and I can't imagine myself that long without you here. It will kill me."

"Then I'll have to take you along," he joked. 

"Your luck, see you. If you like, go and stay long, me I'll find myself a new guy here o," she said without a smile. 

"Ehn. . ." he exclaimed. "So that's your plan abi? I'm serving here in Jos, after all, it's not my state."

They laughed on and further, and the rest of the evening went blissful. 

A day later, under the shield of night, most students were in classes studying, some solo and some in groups. Jason as well stayed late in school as he and some of his mates were in a group project, exploring ideas and rubbing minds. It was quiet outside, the night too had grown old, the cries of the crickets echoed at each corner or the classroom. Jason finding this irritating as it whirled in his ears, stood up with flash light, hunting to kill or disrupt their positions.

Being it as it may, a loud sound of explosion reached to their ears. The first thing that came to most of their minds were of terrorist attack, because that was no longer news in the city of Jos. Suddenly, they heard distance cries and screams of females, but wasn't that far as it would be emanated from beyond the walls of the school. Paranoid, Jason felt, he instantly dashed over a desk and in high adrenaline he ran towards the female hostels. As he approached, the noise got louder and louder till he arrived. A whole block was on fire, students scattered outside below the building in their night wears. 

"Ah. . .!" A scream isolated among the crowd. 

Jason ploughed his way through to the lady and found out it was Nanklin, she looked petrified and bemused. He held her trying to gain her attention and once she had a glimpse of his face, she hugged him tightly in tears. 

"Hey, hey, calm down it's alright," he assured. 

"No, no, no," she rapidly shook her head. "You don't understand, she was right behind me when another gas cylinder exploded and I can't find her here."

"Who, who is she?" he eagerly asked. 

"Ha, her!" she cried more. 

Jason instantly got the vibe and assumed who she was talking about, of course, Akwa.

With the whole roof of the building on fire, smoke darkened the upper level, from the look of it all students had already evacuated, yet, the explosions didn't stopped, they kept bombarding, spilling things forcefully through the windows. Jason ran through it and attempts made to stop him was invalid, he made his way swiftly to the upper level in speed. And just like quicksilver, he was on the paved passage between the upper level of the hostels. Suddenly, a faint, weak voice like 'help' came to his ears and he at once followed it's lead. 

"Belle! Belle!! Belle!!!" He called as he made his way through the burnt and fallen parts of the building. From a little distance he saw her staggering and groping around for the walls to find her way. He rushed and instantly swept her off her feet and exit he faced. However the smoke was blinding and hazardous to their breath, the heat and burns didn't spare them either. Jason seeing how impossible it would be to successfully make it out carefully, kept her down and kicked his way into one of the rooms. He took a towel and sucked it wet in water as he luckily found one, he returned back to her and made to cover her face and all senses. 

"This will prevent the smoke from entering your nose and eyes," he said. 

"How about you, where is yours?" She stopped him asking. 

"No time, let me cover you first!" he yelled. 

"No!" She bounced back. "If you're not getting yourself one then we both strive without it."

He knew she wasn't going to give it up any moment, already being aware how stubborn she was. 

"Okay, There's another one back in the room, but let me cover you first. Let me know you're okay then I will also go for it."

She finally agreed to it and he rapped the wet towel round her face, protecting her from the hazardous inhalation. 

Few minutes later, the building had collapsed from the top and Nanklin had lost hope, she screamed in tears and went gaga as attempts were made to console her. Suddenly, like shadows, she saw Jason shuffling weakly holding Akwa. She slipped through her restraints and was running to them. Jason became weaker and could barely move a muscle, using the last strength left in him he threw Akwa out, knowing she would survive the fall than the current mayhem. A little space was just dividing them, she was out and safe from falling pieces of materials, while he was still in and at the danger of whatever possible occurance within the building. Just a few steps outside but fell faintly to the ground as his strength failed him. Nanklin had reached Akwa and she had then, still not taken the blindfold off, she hesitated because she thought Jason would take it off for her as soon as he takes his, which together they had on for protection from the smoke, and apparently, she should take her time, afterall, they were saved. But as soon as Nanklin hurried the towel off, Akwa saw not the face she expected to see, and this left her stupefied. 

"Where is Olie, where is he?" She nervously wandered. 

"I think he didn't make it," Nanklin replied shakenly. 

Akwa pushed her off her and dashed back into the building with much energy. Behold, Jason laid lifeless with pieces of burnt things on him, and no towel on his face or anywhere as she had imagined. She tried to hold him up but her strength restrained, so standing on top of him, she held him with her hands in between his armpits dragging him out. She kept falling on her buttocks and rising again till Nanklin spotted and helped her in rush. Just outside the building, they laid him on his back, he wasn't moving a bit, no sign of life detected in him, completely off. 

"Please wake up," she slapped him on the cheeks. "Hey wake up liar, wake up!" She cried bitterly. 

"Resuscitation, we have to resuscitate him," Nanklin suggested. 

Nanklin started pounding his chest but uncontended and out of impatience, Akwa pushed her off and took charge, pounding his chest like she washing directly on a rock. She would pound for a specific amount of time and then belch oxygen in his mouth directly from hers. After a little while, Nanklin detected a pulse from his neck as all along her two fingers where firmly placed there. 

"He's alive, he's breathing!" Nanklin exclaimed happily and so did the crowd above them. 

And Jason instantly gasped, softy exhaling. Akwa in gaiety fell on him and passionately got hold of his lips, kissing him deeply. 

"Stop, it's bad for his health right now," Nanklin objected. 

The crowd laughed and Akwa roused from him, placing his head on her thighs as she sat on her buttocks. She howbeit was in a debate of tears and joy, she would laugh for a while and then make sounds like cry, constantly going together. It would be said to be tears of joy, yes, however, before life was detected in him she was nervous and utterly petrified of losing him, the possibilities frightened the guts out of her. So even after she knew he was alive, she yet hadn't gotten over her fears so lost on an edge of joy and fear. 

Few minutes later, the ambulance arrived, and so did the fire service. 

Akwa sat next to Jason on a chair holding his hand on the sick bed, looking all sad. It's been almost all day and she had not seen the sky, nor had the taste of food. She looked sick herself, and with the incident lately, she had little stitches beside her forehead, probably from the gas cylinder explosion. 

"Jolene, Jolene, Jolene. . . Am begging of you please don't take my man. . ." She paused, raising the chorus of a song she was singing 'Jolene' by Dolly Parton. That, when she felt a muscle move from Jason. 

"Hey Olie," she smiled at him. "Welcome back.

He struggled to rise from the bed but she place a hand on his chest, restraining him and he slowly lay back down. 

"How long have you been sitting here?" He softly asked. 

"Since they brought you out from the theatre."

"How long have I been here?"

She sighed softly and replied, "Since last night."

"What's the time now?" He asked curiously.

She stared at her wrist watch and fed back. "5:28pm."

"What the!" he relaxed back exhaling. 

"Ouch!" He winced from a tweak from her. "What's that?" He asked. 

"You're unbelievable, Olie, you freaking lied to me, okay? That's it," she said obviously angry. 

"Hey, that was nothing okay?" He played along. "Perhaps you left me with no choice. You weren't willing to go easily so I had to."

"Screw you, Olie," she made to leave. 

"I'm sorry, Belle," he roused his back. "I really am. I only had your best interest at heart. I only wanted you to be safe."

"You were willing to die for Christ sake!" She gushed back, pointing a finger at him. 

"Yes, for you, for you I'd do it all over again."

"You don't get to decide, okay? This is two people involve, you can't just make the decision and think is for the better good," she cried. "Look, You have no idea how scared I was, I've never been so afraid. You don't get to put me in that situation, ever again," her voice entangled with the cry therefore made it louder and shaky. "You were going to to die and leave me here, the guilt, pain. How do you think my life was going to be after you left knowing it was my fault? Mine! What you did was so selfish of you, Olie, you don't do that, you don't get to do that ever, ever again! And this should be the last time you'll ever lie to me. Am I understood?"

"Yes ma'am," he replied, also feeling bad, viewing from her point. 

She bent to him at the point of breathe exchange. 

"Say 'I understand'," she compelled.

"I understand," he repeated. 

She took a deep breath and sat back on the chair, holding his arm. 

"I heard you sing, please sing for me," he requested. 

She stood up and he shifted and she laid next to him on bed, placing her head and hand on his chest. She then picked her choice of song from Tatiana Manaois 'wake me up', and mimed with her sweet voice. She indeed was an amazing singer with an extraordinary voice. 

Her rage which explored earlier was definitely real. Jason however failed not less in understanding how she felt, the pain being triggered underneath. One could mistake it to ungratefulness, but totally it was all out of love. The anger she felt, was as much as she loved him, either way, she couldn't love and appreciate him any less.