The Flawless Timers'

The flawless timers'

By 

Muhammad Adamu.

It was Early in the morning in Saba a small but mighty community. when Nad woke up to see what was going on in the world, it was just 4:00am. The weather prediction showed a heavy rain and advised all citizens to stay indoors. Not less than Thirty minutes the government declared a public holiday. It was a Monday morning the most active day in a week.

Nad tried locking all the doors in the rooms and windows to make sure no one goes out. As he was watching the television his phone started ringing, he picked his phone only to discover it was his grandma calling; with tears  in his voice he said, I tried calling your dad and mom but none of them was picking their calls.

Nad had to explain that he hid their phones because of the current weather situation, and he wanted both his parents safe. "Well if  they wake up tell them that their your grandmother just kicked the bucket". "the doctors are ordering that the corpse to get out of the hospital in know time."

He then hung up, not less than a minute after Nad hung up, the news was showing how a heavy rain will fall and might, likely kill anyone who goes out of the house.

Nad became confused, his  grandmother just let the ghost out and here again he does not want to lose his parents, Nad decided after a long thought to check the time and set alarms in all angle as predicted by the times in the News.

He walked into his parents room knock the door and woke them up he gave them their phones. "Nad what happened to me"–Umada said, in frustration, "how on earth did I missed 10 missed calls". "I can't believe I didn't get any information for over 5 hours"–Ummi said. Nad explained everything and told them why he hide their phones. 

Umada stood up and took his car key, "am going to the hospital to see my mom" Nad was confused, maybe he should tell his dad the sad news or let him discover it himself. His wife changed her cardigan and decided to follow, Nad was left with no other option than to follow his parents.

"Drive safely, the weather is predicted to be bad, we have less than 1:30 minutes to get everything done in time every second his against us" Nad advised. Ummi phone started sending signals that the car will get an accident, same was shown in both Umada and Nad's phone but they were almost close to the hospital so they decided to see their Grandpa. 

"Dad"– Umada shouted, seeing him crying bitterly on the floor. "We don't have time to cry now or other relatives will cry for us also today we need to Move and get everything done in thirty minutes and we lost five minutes already" – Nad complained.

The hospital mortuary was filled up, over 20 people were reportedly dead during yesterday's flood and they are all in the hospital. Naisha died of a heart attack after hearing that the flood happened close to her only son's house; Umada rushed  to the hospital where she was brought to make sure she sees him alive but unfortunately even that was not a solution. Naisha was really happy seeing Umada her only son in the hospital to the extent that she was shining with a smile. 

When Umada instead he was going to sleep in the hospital she said, he wanted to give her another heart attack because she can't bear seeing him not sleeping comfortably, She instead Umada takes his son, wife and himself back to their home and have a good sleep, she sweared not to forgive Umada if he did not sleep and told him she could detect it from him if he comes to visit her the next morning.

Umada on getting home told his wife and son to go to bed immediately because he those not want to break his mom's heart, within minutes Umada was already sleeping his wife joined him a few minutes later but Nad pretended to be sleeping. Out of the 20 died 5 where from his school 3 were his class mate and even Ali his best friend was not spared. 

Everything could have not happened if not that the entire country lost communications and information within Six hours and the rain came unpredictable in  Summer who could have ever expected such a thing, the government fixed the communication and information centres to wireless ounces within 5 hours in the entire community of   a population of 70,000 people.

Umada was still crying like a baby as his wife joined him but nay Nad was not ready to witness another loose of a loved one, he took his Dad's car ran out with the key to open the car and removed his phone and the news was showing a prediction of flood in the entire hospital.  coming up within 20 minutes.

Nad ran back to pass the information but it was no longer news as everyone already knew it, the government rescue vehicles have surrounded the entire area and evacuation of people have started. Another news was already detecting the area around Umada's house in Five minutes. Evacuation have started there also but Umada's house was already locked it will be believed that the families have already been evacuated. 

But, Nad's car was still inside the house with it six kittens, it just  gave birth three days ago. Nad was already crying to his Dad about his cat and her kittens. His mom told him it was impossible to get home within five minutes to rescue the cats without it been a Suicide mission. But Nad without wasting time ran to the car and started it, as he was about to drive it. Umada stood in the front told him to move to the passenger seat which he did with a smile. Umada looked at the back seat as it made a heavy sound of closing, but it was Ummi who was not ready to stay behind. Zoom!!! Umada ran home with the speed of light, he reached home within 2 minutes and 30 seconds was left before the flood could take place. 

Nad ran to pick the cats but one kitten was missing it was  under the Television stand. As they try to leave, the rain started heavily and the compound was already filled up with water making it impossible for any vehicle to move. Nad detailed the emergency number and told them about their situation and location.

Nad as already put the cats in the basket and tied it round with a lather so as to make it impossible for water to enter inside of it. The rescue term arrived with a helicopter, they threw rope down for them to hold on to as they were already on the house roof. Ummi was asked to go first, she held it tight and she was pulled up. The rain was  getting heavier as the cars have already been flooded away by the rain. the rope was thrown again for the next person Nad tied the basket and held the rope himself as he was getting pulled up the rope got loosed and the basket fell into the flood, in a flash Umada jumped from this house roof where they were Waiting for the rescue term to rescue them, he jumped to rescue the cat and its kittens. He held it but the flood was too strong, the flood threw Umada away. 

Umada recovered in a flash and he broke his cars widow to draw the attention of the water to come and fill it so as to reduce it forward moving forward, luckily for him the basket was also moving towards that direction. He held the basket tight and held the rope, he was pulled up and the whole cats where saved unharmed everyone was happy for the rescue. 

The entire population of areas meant to be flooded where all evacuated and not a single life was lost that day due to the natural disaster.

Grandpa has already taken Naisha's body for burial but they were waiting for Umada, so as to commence the funeral, Umada and his family soon joined the funeral, cries and sorrow filled they heart. Until Nad brightened the day, he said: "more lives would have been lost if not for my hero Dad who rescued a cat and 6 Kittens in the flood", the whole crowd where amazed. And started shouting "Umada the hero!".

Muhammad Adamu is a Nigerian, a law student, a campus Journalist studying in Usmanu Danfodiyo University sokoto.