Chapter 17: Into the fire

Chapter 17: Into the fire

It was almost three weeks since Jason came back to Malawi and yet he kept to himself mostly. Nolani kept trying to get into his room but now that there was a latch, she couldn't and so, she would just knock on his door but Jason would simply ignore it.

Until a few days ago, the knocking suddenly stopped. Jason knew it was never going to happen again. The little girl finally took a hint.

Jason woke up and as usually he was served breakfast in his room. He had two donors to meet before the week runs out, one in Manhattan and the other in Ghana.

His phone rang for the fourth time and yet Jason ignored it. It was either his mother or Jessica or Queenie or any other countless people that required the attention, he did not want to give.

He packed up the documents scattered all over the floor and placed it into his briefcase. When he was done, he grabbed his car keys to take a drive. He wished Chike was around but he had since moved on.

When Jason came back, the Orphanage was ablaze. Jason jumped down from the car and raced to the spot where the children was gathered.

"What is happening?" He queried as he got closer.

"I don't know. I don't know. One minute everything was fine and the next half of the Orphanage was on fire." Naya was breathless. It seemed like she had been running and pulling children with her for sometime before Jason got there.

"Is everyone out? Is there someone still inside?"

"No! No Jason. I think we got them all" Naya replied "but someone should really call the cops and fire and rescue"

"Naya, this is Africa. We don't have such things. Everyone above fourteen should grab a bucket and fill it with water. And hand it to the adults to pour on the fire. Adults don't forget to add detergent, according my Uncle Joe, it will help.....Great, the neighbors are coming to help" Jason was busy helping co-ordinate everything that he didn't hear John speak at first.

"What do you mean?" Naya yelled at him.

"Miss Naya, I said Nolani is not here. John saw her here before but John can't see her now" John was panicking too. It was his job to keep an eye out for the younger ones.

"Where did you see her last?" Jason asked quietly. His heart was pounding and he was this close to throwing up over the thoughts that little Nolani might be trap inside a burning house.

"She was just here. She was asking for Dada. I don't know what that means" Anna announced to everyone.

"Oh my God, you don't think she went inside your room to look for you? It can't be, you always lock your room these days anyway" Naya found solace in Jason's new latch.

Veronica went off to coordinate and direct the neighbors.

"I didn't lock the door, Naya"

"Don't...tell...m-me, she is s-she" Naya was in tears already.

Jason had no time to think, He just knew he had to get her out.

"Grab that blanket over there John!" Jason ordered.

He took it from John and dipped it inside one of the bucket filled with water and without clueing anyone in on his plan ran inside the burning building.

Jason could barely see anything including his feet. The smoke had already engorged the whole room. He could see the fire on the roof and part of the walls. He had a bad feeling that the roof would give way and crush him to death, if he doesn't get out in time.

The smoke made his eyes itch and then the coughing started. Jason had never felt so hot like this. It was like he was being roasted in a hot oven. He took a deep breath but that was a mistake. His lungs burned as he fought for oxygen.

"Nolani! Nolani! Nolani!"

He called her name severally but he couldn't make out any distinctive sound of a human being in the room. He almost gave up and decided to turn back. But a crazy thought entered his mind and head. What if he abandons his mission and the little girl's body was found burned to a crisp the next day? Will he be able to live with the guilt? Probably not! Since the girl entered the Godforsaken room for him.

Jason heard the sound before it happened. One second the roof was still intact and the next, half of it came crashing down on him. He was suddenly on the floor and pinned down mostly by the burnt wood and rubbish.

He could hear the commotion outside like someone screaming at the top of their lungs. It must be Naya; she must think he was dead from the deadly roof collapse.

Jason was able to get the pile of rubbish off of him but he was immobilized now. Most of the room was only a crawl space now and not big enough for him to pass through.

He mind jumped from one crazy thought to another. Wasn't life supposed to flash on one's eyes when death was looming and imminent? Yet all he thought about was his mother. Poor Elixir Yagazie stuck in this world without him, trapped in a loveless marriage with a beast.

"Mama" he whispered like she could hear him.

Jason did not call her, mom or mother but mama. It was what he called her when he was a child. When he knew for certain her love for him was undying and she would protect him from anything. Was he a good son to her? Probably not! Did she deserve most of the awful things he said to her? She probably did but he shouldn't have said them.

"Sorry" Jason had no idea who he was apologizing to, one minute he was thinking about Elixir and the next, it was his little sister, Queenie.