Photo by @wakeupkitty, the host of the contest on behalf of @freewritehouse.
Nana had been sick for months and even the hospitals had given up on her. The last hospital where she was admitted was her brother's who had looked so sad tending to her. He knew her end was near because all medical tests carried out showed nothing was wrong with her. He had called in other professionals like him, none had a solution, none had a name for the strange ailment. He watched helplessly as his little sister wasted away from an unknown illness, and then it broke his heart to send her home, because he had nothing else to do.
That morning, Nana's husband had sat by her bedside, holding her hands, promising her that he wouldn't let anything happen to her and that she would be fine. They both shed some tears as she held on tightly to his clenched fists, he was angry, she knew, angry that he was helpless against whatever it was they were up against.
Bako's mother, Nene quietly walked into the room, she had brought Nana some soup, her face etched with concern at her daughter-in-law's plight, praying seriously that she would be well again, soon.
"Nana, my dear daughter, I brought you some soup. Just try and take something because I will not take 'no' for an answer. I pray you get well soon and I know you will." She smiled sweetly at Nana.
"Thank you, Mama," Nana replied weakly.
Everyone understood the futility of the situation, they were all playing a lost game, it seemed.
That evening, Bruno, their dog was restless and his barkings pierced the silence, far into the night, ignoring Bako's incessant shouts to keep quiet and allow some reasonable level of calmness in the neighborhood.
Nana weakly whispered, "Bako, listen to the barkings, I think Bruno senses something."
Bako sighed, "Nana, don't be worried over nothing. Bruno's just being restless like always."
"But I feel something, Bako. Something's not right, I just don't know what" Nana insisted.
Bako brushed it off, "It's just your illness playing tricks on you. Try to rest, okay?"
"Bruno, quiet!" Bako yelled severally but that fell on deaf ears, rather he became louder and more frantic.
Bako barked till the morning light.
That morning, Bako's mother was descending the stairs with some clothes she wanted to wash downstairs, only to be met by Bruno's ferocious charge. She lost balance and tumbled down the stairs. There was pandemonium! By the time she got to the bottom of the stairs, her neck was broken and she was gasping for breath.
"Nene! Are you okay?" Bako rushed to her side.
Nene gasped for breath, "Bako, forgive me... I tried to... to kill... Nana..."
Bako's eyes widened in shock, "What are you saying, Nene?"
Nene's voice wavered, "I... I am sorry my son.... I am a witch... but the dog... he stopped me..." And then she rolled her eyes upwards and gave up the ghost.
Nana, who had been listening from her room, spoke weakly, "Bruno... he saved me?... Nene was responsible for my illness?"
In the aftermath, as Nana recovered swiftly, Bruno was hailed as a hero. Bako had a bed made for him, for he had fractured some bones in that fall. He didn't want his loyal friend to lie on the floor anymore, while he was being tended to.
As Bruno gradually healed, Bako would say to him, "You're one brave dog, Bruno," "You saved Nana's life."
The End.
As strange as this story might seem, it's actually based on a True Life story.
I am @edithh-4angelseu and thank you for stopping by my neighbourhood.