It was a Tuesday and it was during the holidays at the end of the year. Alade laid on his bed, facing the ceiling with his Bible covering his face. It was his act to cover his face with the Bible after reading a verse that he needed to meditate on. He muttered some prayers having been fed up with the present predicament of his extended family. He stayed in bed that way for several minutes till his mother came into his room.
“Alade, when are you going to end the prayer?” She asked but he gave no reply. “Alade, come out of bed. I need you to join your siblings in fetching water,” she said but he gave no reply. She walked to his bed and patted him. “Alade”
“Huh,” he mumbled.
“Can’t you hear me? Get out of bed and go and join others,” she said but he gave no reply.
She tried to remove the Bible from his face but could not. “What’s going on?”
Alade quickly sat up. He also tried to remove the Bible from his face but could not. “Mum, what’s-what’s wrong?”
“Hey! Help me o!” Her mother screamed. “Help me!” She repeated till every member of the extended family that was around for the festival were in his room. No one could pull off the Bible from his face.
While still petrified by the happening, Alade heard a still small voice.
“Your prayers have been answered, Alade. Ask each person to ask for a single thing that they want and it shall be given to them for my word says, behold I will do a new thing, now it shall spring forth. Go on, Alade. Ask.”
“Lord, will I see? Will I ever see again?” He asked.
“You will see by God’s grace,” the members of the family prayed.
“Alade, regaining your sight is based on what they ask. If any of them ask that you might see, you will see,” the voice of the invisible one said.
“Ask and it shall be given unto you. Now each of you should ask for whatever you want,” Alade said.
When it remained only his parents to ask, Alade’s heart thumped.
His father sighed. “I want to be great in God.”
“Answered.”
Alade’s heart raced faster.
Alade’s mother held on to his shoulder as she wiped her tears. “Alade,” she called with a drawl.
“Alade, can you ever see again?”
Alade hurriedly nodded.
His mother sighed heavily. “I just want to see you, your siblings and your children in the joy of the Lord.”
“Answered.”
Alade burst out in tears. He cried heartily.
“Alade, what’s wrong?”
“None of you asked that I may see!”
“Alade,” the voice called. “What about your little niece? Let her ask too.”
“Ewa? Ewa can’t speak.”
...
