Face your fear

Face your Fear

   "Clarrisa, for the one hundredth time,go and do dishes' her mom's voiced raged the room like a thunderstorm.She knew better than to argue this time,as she took her feets off the glass stool that was improvised as a centre table. She unplugged her earpiece,and put her phone in the tiny pockets of her bumpshot. Dragging herself off the sofa as though she had been drugged, she hates been disturbed once she was comfortably sitted in her favorite sofa. She dragged her feet on the cemented floor,her way of telling her mom that she wasn't pleased with this errand. She would have said something but didn't have the strength for an argument. She walked into the kitchen, took a glance at the few plates in the dishwasher and shook her head frustratedly,

'Oh God! this woman just doesn't want my peace of mind' she murmured to her self. She took some detergents from the locker beneath the cooker, poured it into the dishwasher. She was about washing when her phone rang,it was her wanna-be boyfriend Leonard

'Hey Leo, 'she answered, feeling happy for the distraction.

'hello beauty, how you doing' he threw back, sweet-talking her as usual. If only he knew how immune she was to it,he wouldn't go through the stress. Leonard was a nice guy, sometimes way too nice for her liken. He was cute and had a gap_teeth that she admires,he was well built and even though he wasn't as tall as she would want, he was still her kind_of guy.

'am doing okay, I guess' she replied as she removed some of the plates from the washer to create space for the washing.

'You guess?ok..,well what's this damsel doing now? he asked concernedly

'doing dishes,' she said, still ignoring his humor.

' ah! , Wife material, a hundred and fifty yards,' he chirped in excitedly

' E concern you ' she replied with a local slang.His humors finally got to her.

' anyways I called to let you know that Jeremy's birthday party is on Saturday and it's gonna be a pool party, so get that sexy outfit ready, am picking you at Five.' he said, Clarissa could sense the happiness in his voice and it pained her that she would disappoint him.

'did you say pool_party?' she inquired

'Yea sounds fun right?,' he threw back. She placed her hands on the washer, looking for some kind of support because she knew what she was about to say affected her as much it would affect him.

' I can't go, Leo', she said calmly

' Pardon, I didn't get you, did you say you can't wait or ..?

' I can't, remember am aquaphobic.'

' damn,sorry It skipped my memory, well am gonna just try to get Jeremy to make a change of plan or we could just umm..'he stammered

' no, there is no need for that, you should go have fun and maybe we can hangout some other time.., umm I have to go now, I will Whatsapp you later when am done here, take care.' She hanged up without waiting to hear his response, the last thing she needed right now is Pity. She got a truckload of them when her dad passed away. Every friend,relative and even strangers kept giving them pitiful looks during the funerals. Those looks pained her more than her dad's demise, it was what broke her down. Dad wasn't particularly 'father of the year' but at least he paid the bills, and took good care of them. He was more close to her kid brother kenny than the rest of the family. He died two years back when Kenny was 5years old yet mom keeps telling him that he travelled abroad for work. Clarissa still couldn't fully understand how her dad would just fall sick and die, like people fall sick all the time and recover, why Dad?...

  For a while now it's been just mom,Kenny and Clarissa. Mom has being more than enough for them, trying her best to get the bills paid. Most times Clarissa could see the weight she carried in her eyes, she was already getting strands of white hair and she was just Forty-two . Clarissa was really proud of her mom although she never says so, she would rather act stubborn than hug and say sweet words like other 19 year olds do to their parents.

The dishes took less time than she had imagined, obviously because of the jazz music that kept her company. She wanted to go to her room but then she heard her mother's voice from the sitting room. She Walked tiredly to the sitting room, feeling a bit sleepy already, she looked at the clock hanging above dad's framed picture, it was quarter past Nine already. She hopes she can still chat up Leo, knowing she hanged up rudely.

She picked up Kenny's Spiderman toy from the floor and threw it at him making a face that made Kenny laugh.

' what's it mom?' she asked almost yawning.

' They have postponed the drainage project again, the rain would be here anytime now and they keep debating about logistics, What's wrong with this country?' she complained. Clarissa could feel the intensity of the pain in mom's voice and she felt sad too.

' they don't care about us mom, they just debating how much money they gonna embezzle' she said coldly. At this point she felt like hugging her mom and telling her that every thing was gonna be fine and that was what every normal girl would do. But not Clarissa, she was far from normal. So instead she carried her kiddo Kenny on her hands like a newly wedded couple, told her mom goodnight and they went to their room leaving their mom alone with the Tv.

         mommy, mommy' where are you? Kenny's tiny voice filled the room.

Clarissa opened her eyes slowly, she has heard Kenny's voice in her sleep. It was raining heavily. She must have been so tired because she didnt even feel the atmospheric change. She shifted the blanket from her body, the whole room was dark, cold air ran in and out, the heavy claps of rain on the roof accompanied with lightening . She moved her hands towards the switch and flipped it, but of_course Lights were out. It was then that Kenny called out again.

'hey kiddo, what's wrong? are you okay?' she asked. His bed was five feet away from hers yet the darkness was something else, could be likened to The words in the beginning of Genesis, " the Earth was without form and void, And darkness was upon the face of the deep. ".

' am scared, ' he replied almost trembling.

'its gonna be fine it's just a downpour.' she encouraged him.

Come over here' she added inviting him to her bed, while she moved her hands over her bedsheet trying to find her phone, she had dozed off while chatting. she immediately pressed the power button when she found it, the brightness startled her. The light eased things a bit, she looked at the time it was 02:53 am. She silently begged the rain to reduce it's intensity, their drainage system was poor, hence they were prone to flood. Thirty minutes later the rain wasn't looking like it planned on slowing down, she knew there was gonna be a problem, but she tried to remain optimistic. She didn't want to panick because of Kenny .

 Clarissa, you awake? she could barely hear her mom's voice.

Twas about time', she thought before she shouted back, 'Yea mom ' .

Get Kenny's bucket and a dust pan and come out here,' she instructed. Clarrisa knew it was show-time, this was exactly what she had been praying against. She looked upward and shaked her head before she left the bed as though she was wondering whether God didn't hear her pray.

She got the things her mother asked for, and dashed towards the sitting room like an army General heading to the battlefield.

Mom hurriedly raised the furnitures up, covered the Electronics with a big nylon material. She seemed equipped for this situation like she planned for it.

mom! the water is coming in more,' Clarissa screamed. She had been the only one scooping the water off the floor and pouring them back outside. Mom spied through the window and screamed back

The drainage is filled up, the water can't go nowhere than people's houses,' she said not sounding encouraging at all.

let me grab a pail, I will join you.'she added before rushing towards the kitchen. Clarissa looked around, she could see flashes of torches in their neighbors houses, perhaps they were faced with the same predicament and strangely that thought gave her some kind of comfort.

Oh Good Lord!' mom exclaimed when she got back with the pail, the water was already climbing above Clarissa's heel.

You doing good Clair, Keep at it' she encouraged Clarissa. Clarissa was trying to be strong but the fact that her mom just called her Clair made her lose her composure.

   More than Forty minutes later the rain wasn't backing out, it seemed determined to rain till daylight. Clarissa was tired already, her hands ached and her feets were  almost  frozen but she couldn't stop not because of her resilient but because she was so scared that her brain went numb.

The water was at her knees already and still rising. mom had relocated some of the electronics and important documents to a higher position. There was a heavy thunderclap, that wasn't expected an Clarissa screamed loudly. She began to tremble, her heart beat increased, she was cold as ice.

You okay Clair?' mom asked inquisivly

Don't know mom, I feel so cold' she replied still trembling.

Hey, you can do this. don't give in to the fear , do you hear me? ' mom shouted

Clarissa nodded, her mind travelled back to her first encounter with water. She had just turned 11, it was during Xmas and they went to visit Uncle George. She had sneaked out with her cousins to the Stream, she knew nothing about swimming but was up for an adventure. All her cousin were playing in the stream so she joined, everything was okay when suddenly she slipped and lost her balance. She tried to get back up but the water kept pushing her forward, the other tried to help but couldn't and only began to cry. She didn't know how but someone saved her and since then she had never stepped into any water that was above her heels. She had almost succeeded in forgetting that day and the trauma it gave her but right now her worst Fear was before her.

'We need to get kenny, the bed would be half soaked already and his gonna freak out' her mom's voice brought her back. She had already forgotten her little brother and her phone left in their room.

Wait here I will get him ' she added as she fizzled her way towards their room. Clarissa only nodded in confirmation, she was trying so hard to breathe. It was though her chest were tighting, she had to open her mouth to take in air. She has never been this scared in her life.

Then suddenly it happened, mom had safely gotten Kenny out of their room and was heading back towards the sitting room with Kenny on her arms raised like a lamb about to be sacrificed. She used the corridor wall as support as she walked toe-to-toe towards where Clarissa stood motionless. mom was about stepping into the sitting room when one of the sofa which she had raised earlier to prevent it from getting wet fell into the water and made a loud splashing sound which terrified Clarissa. It took her seconds to realize that the splash had gotten the better of her mom.

Mom, ' she screamed when she didn't see her mom anywhere in the room, she must have slipped after the splash.

Where are you, mom? ' she was already panicking. Mom gently rose her head above the water, she seemed to be in a lot of pain as she crawled on the wall to gain her balance.

Are you okay, mom?' she asked almost in tears now, for a second her mind played her a Clip of life without her mom. And It wasn't something she would wish on anyone.

Where is Kenny?' mom asked anxiously, as she tried getting over the sofa. But the pains in her legs wouldn't let her. Clarissa scanned the room but there was no sign of her kiddo.

His in the water, Clarissa!,' mom shouted, stating the obvious.

You need to find him Clair, I can't get across, am stuck here.' she added with tears stacking up in her eyes waiting to roll down. Clarissa didn't know what to do,mom was obviously asking her to do the impossible, she couldn't move when the water was at her kneel level. Now mom wanted her to swim in a water that was almost above her breast.

No I cant' she whispered to herself, she was trying her best not to faint as she has been feeling dizzy. Then a striking thought hit her almost immediately, she was cold as ice already yet this thought sent a chill over her body. The thought of losing her kiddo filled her mind, and she wouldn't let it happen even if she died trying. She took a step slowly not even raising her feet, closed her eyes and took a deep breath, if she was going to die her last breath should be at least memorable. Then like an athlete in the Olympics, she took a short dive into the water. She didn't even know the basics of swimming yet she pushed her body with all her might, her eyes still closed she forced herself forward flapping her legs in no particular order, something she had seen in movies. She didn't know how long she had been underneath, her brain was on lockdown, ofcourse she wouldn't be doing this if it was functioning. Her legs hit something, she didn't care what it was until it held her legs. Immediately she turned, held Kenny and with a daring effort she rose to her feet, placed Kenny on her shoulder. She could not believe the feat she had just pulled as she walked towards the TV set that was almost swimming. She looked at mom's face, the tears were still there only now it was tears of joy as she wore a big smile.

The intensity of the rain began to drop as quickly as it rosed. By quarter to Six the rain had stopped completely, and the weather was becoming clear. Neighbors were beginning to swim out of their houses, the water level had dropped but the drainage was still not visible outside. Clarissa kept her elbow on the window and placed her jaw on her hands, she knew the National Emergency Management Agency and the Rapid response team would soon be here.

hypocritic Assess, ' she sweared silently. She had a cracking sound and turned, it was mom climbing over the sofa. She felt pity for the woman, all the damages tonight will only add to the widow's plight. She was determined to help in anyway she could. She was still worried in thoughts as mom walked over and hugged her. Surprisingly she didn't complain about the damages, instead she said,

It seems you got your father's bravery After all, always knew I could count on you.'

Clarissa beamed with joy, Dad would definitely be proud of her right now. With a feeling of fulfilment she looked outside again, daylight was already here, She never knew she would so much appreciate daylight..