He could hear the whispers echo in his head as he dashed through the forest. "It can't be real!" his mind screamed. "No, no. It isn't... What if it is?" He wondered.
As he ran through the forest, the voices in his head grew louder, and his feet became wobbled as he fell on the dead grass in the forest.
Tears filled his eyes. They were strange waters he never knew existed. How could he be?... "No!" Maybe he didn't hear the scuttlebutt right, yes he didn't. He concluded before standing up again to run.
But, the moment he stood up, he felt darkness befall him. The sky which was crystal became stormy and brought down its fury to earth all at once. It rained Cat and dog. And Ismail couldn't help but seek shelter.
He needed to stay alive and get there in one piece to know if the rumor he heard was true. He needed to. He damn needs to.
Standing upright, he walked through the storm and seek refuge beside an iroko tree(African teak). He held himself tightly to beat off the cold from caging him.
His eyes were fierce. It was the eye of a determined soul who needed closure and nothing was stopping him, not even the storm. He won't let it. He is a warrior and warriors never give up when they hear the sound of battle. They fight through it to get back to the bosom of their beloved wife. And he will get there, he promised.
Minutes flew by but they strangely felt like hours and Ismail was hanging on a tiny weak thread of running through the storm or waiting for it to pass.
Though his body and soul yearn for the former and one can't blame him. He is a man on a mission of unveiling the truth behind the Scuttlebutt he heard while he was harvesting his crops on his farm.
He had heard the whispers and didn't want to listen in. After all, people whisper a lot, especially when they see him. They speak gibberish about him and his wife on what they lack. The fundamental thing they lack is to be whole but he and his wife are greatly keen on hope. They believe hope will set them free and now... Now...
Tears filled his eyes again as he was at the loss of words to express how he felt so he let his eyes do the job.
As the rain fell and the platter of it grew louder so did Ismail's cries. He allowed the tears to flow continually and his voice echoed round the forest. He cried until his voice cracked and he never stopped.
Cleaning his tears, he looked toward the sky to see that it was clear again. The only sign that it rained was the puddle of water on his way as he dashed out of the forest. His feet became strong with speed as he ran, not minding how the splashes of mud water stuck to his wet cloth.
All his life, he had never believed the words of the villagers toward him and his wife but, this time around, he does. He needed to. He truly hopes it is true as it will begin a new dawn for him and his wife if the scuttlebutt is true.
Taking a long breath, he stopped to see people gathered in his home. Taking in another long breath, he walked toward them as they parted the way for him.
Walking into his wife's room, he found her on the bed with a smile and also the village doctor. Holding his wife's hand, she brought his hand closer to her stomach and nodded.
Falling on his knee, he placed his other hand gently on her stomach as the village doctor spoke;
"I am glad to announce to you both that... You are both no longer be termed the barren husband and wife as your wife is pregnant and her pee on the frog shows there are two babies in there". The village doctor said in glee.
Ismail held on to his wife as they both stared lovingly at each other. They smiled beautifully before Ismail screamed;
"I am going to be a father!"
And his wife chuckled as they sealed their happy mood with a long pleasurable kiss.