LAYLA

TWENTIETH DISTRESS CALL

Beware of your thought, you don't know when an angel will say amen to them. 

The first telephone call was from the state deputy governor, and Zuma's heart left his chest when he heard the sad news. 

"The governor is dead and you are the last visitor he welcomes into his office. Come right now, please."

Although this is the twentieth distress call from the family of the bereaved, Zuma knew the call from the state secretariat is more important than the rest. 

After his oral dismissal from service, he drove to his house, picked up a few clothings and drove into the police headquarters to drop his letter of resignation. And he was in his office to park his few belongings when the telephone calls commenced. 

The first call was from a mother who lost her two twins to the hand cold of death. According to her, the two boys left their house some minutes earlier and were later found inside the lagoon some kilometres away. 

The second call was from a man, and he was at the point of hysterical when he announced the suicide of his wife and only son. 

Zuma lost his sanity when he was informed of the governor's death, and the memory of his taunt and smirk keeps tormenting him whenever he blanks his mind. 

"Hey!"

He stirred alive at the voice of Isabella, tried to offer a reassuring smile, and made a miserable sigh after.

"Have been talking to you for some seconds. I bet you aren't aware when I entered your office."

"So sorry. I was lost in thought."

"I heard you want to drop your resignation letter."

"Yes. Although the last call makes me change my mind... Our governor is dead!"

"You are kidding."

"No. I fling a copy of LAYLA to him and left in anger."

"Oh my gosh! I bet he read the book and committed suicide."

"My guess as well. I was summoned to appear before the deputy governor and the state representatives. I want you to accompany me down there."

"This is getting scarier. We need to announce the danger of reading LAYLA to the public."

"I have no right to. Only the president, governor or a court of law has the right to ban a registered trademark. It's beyond my jurisdiction."

"Maybe the deputy governor will be more understandable. Otherwise, this island will be wiped off in a few days."

"Over twenty suicide victims were already reported within a few minutes, and am afraid to pick up more calls."

The pair walked out of the blue and white painted building, stepped into the police car, and drove out of the tall wall.

The car phone rang through their journey to the governor's office, and when the report of the suicide exceeded a hundred in number, Zuma plucked the telephone out of the car dashboard and hurled it out of the car window.

"Sometimes I feel like this had happend before."

"It's called a deja-vu. A feeling of having already experienced a present situation."

"Did you believe in reincarnation?"

"Have started believing in a lot of things I was sceptical about."

"I do. I was a typical example of a reincarnated soul."

"Huh!"

"Am serious, boss. A sorcerer once told me that I was a horrible soul in my past life and that I murdered all my family. Perhaps this is the reason why I was born a loner and empathy."

"I don't believe in things we can't see, feel, smell, or touch. But all these recent occurrences are making me doubt my belief. Did you have any memory of your past life?"

"The sorcerer taught me some styles to meditate and connect with my past life. But I stopped the practice when the images flashing in my mind were too distressing for my weak state."

"If reincarnation is real, then the universe erases the memory of our past for a purpose. As for me, I want it to remain like that. What you don't know can't hurt you."

"Aye. Yet this hidden knowledge may save us from another miserable reincarnation."

"Maybe."

"There is one scene in my past life that I can't forget, I was walking among thousands of corpses and the look on my face was contentment and not dissatisfaction. A moment later, I picked up a blood-soiled dagger, thrust it into my chest, and laughed insanely as everlasting darkness take hold of me."

"Aww. Does that means you committed suicide in your past life?"

"Yes. I believe I was responsible for all the dead people, and I killed myself because my conscience won't stop haunting me."

"It may be real or just an illusion. But as I said earlier, the best thing is to let go of the past life and plan on leaving the world better than you meet it."

"Human's quest for knowledge will never make us relax until we find answers to all these questions. Where are we before we were born, and where are we going after death?"

"The question I will love to have an answer to is the reason why some people were born with a killer instinct, deprived of conscience to choose between the good and the bad, while some were born a wussy, a food that will be consumed by the hunters?"

"Maybe it's all tied to our karma. Isn't it appropriate for a hunter to be reborn as prey? People will try to caution against their evil desire when they realize that all of their evil deeds will be avenged. If not by man, then by the gods, if not here, then in the next life."

Zuma nodded his head in agreement, blink twice and was immediately lost in deep thought.

The news of the governor's death had circulated the whole island a second after it happened. And hundreds of reporters, police officers and some sympathizers who came to confirm the truth had blocked the main entrance. Having no choice, Zuma finds a suitable spot, parked and disembarked.

"We will take the rest of the journey by walking. Let's go."

"After you. Boss."

"Hello. My name is Andrea, and am a reporter from the Gaza Newsline. Can you please confirm the news of our governor's death?"

"Is it true we were under attacked by some unknown terrorist gang?"

"Can you clarify if this is a chemical weapons attack?"

Having no way to escape from the crowd of reporters around him, Zuma sighed, shrugged and breathed out loud as his eyes peered at the frightening faces in his front.

"Everything is under control, so there is no cause for alarm. We are not attacked by any terrorist group. As for the governor's death, am sad to confirm that I received the news some minutes ago."

"We heard he committed suicide inside his office some moment after you left his presence. Can you please confirm if this is true and tell us what transpired between the two of you."

"I left his office some hours earlier, and our conversation was confidential and has to do with state security."

"What did you have to say concerning the rumour that all these misfortunes happening on this island are because of your presence? Don't you think the governor's death just proved our fear?"

"This is the third time I will be asked this same question. It's a coincidence and has nothing to do with me."

"You are the one in charge of the security of this island. Please tell us what to do to protect ourselves... Our people are dying and there is an epidemic on the way if this death is not stopped now."

"My advice to all of you is to avoid reading any kind of book until we were through with our investigation. Remove all the books in your house, and make sure all your children don't go near any kind of novel."

"What!"

"You mean we were attacked through books?"

"Just  hypothesis, but I believe it will save your lives if you heed my warning."

"A book is the only source of keeping and getting knowledge, and if we were attacked through our desire for wisdom, then this is the end of humanity!"

"Not so bleak... Please excuse me."

"Excuse me, Mr Zuma. Can you confirm if the governor truly committed suicide?"

"What did you have to say concerning the death of the students of Cumberland high school."

"Don't you think your presence is the main cause of evil, and you were looking for irrelevant excuses?"

Zuma ignored all the commotions around him, pushed the crowd mildly out of his way, and stepped into the lobby that leads directly to the governor's office. And as usual, the chattering sound of Isabella's shoes on the tiles sounded after him.