Unexpected Trouble - S01 E07

Story 2 months ago

Unexpected Trouble - S01 E07

Read Story: SEASON 1 EPISODE 7

Unexpected Trouble Episode Seven

Livinus' father is an old pensioner. One evening, he was sitting on the wooden bench in front of his house, holding a copy of the newspaper that carried the story of his son's arrest. His hands remained steady as he read the headline again: "Man Detained for Ritual Killing of Girlfriend." The neighbors who passed by shook their heads, whispering amongst themselves. The old man did not respond to greetings. He folded the newspaper carefully, entered his room, and collapsed on the floor. His younger brother rushed in after hearing a loud noise and saw him lying still. The doctor later confirmed he had died of a heart attack.

News of the old man’s death spread quickly. Some relatives cried bitterly while others began to make funeral arrangements. Everyone expected Livinus to attend the burial of his father. Uche made several calls and sent messages to the prison, pleading that Livinus be released temporarily for the burial. The prison authorities refused. They said there was no order from the court to allow such. Uche felt helpless. He sat quietly under the mango tree at the family compound, staring into space as the burial ceremony continued without Livinus.

Inside the prison, Livinus was told about his father’s death by one of the wardens. He sat alone in his corner of the crowded cell. His lips moved but no sound came out. That night, he could not sleep. The prison food was placed before him, but he did not touch it. His body was becoming weak, and his clothes were loose on him. No doctor came to check on him. Other inmates looked at him with pity. Some avoided talking to him. One of them said, "This kind of pain can kill a man faster than sickness."

Livinus became sick. He started vomiting and complained of constant stomach pain. He told the prison guards, but no one paid attention. He begged to be taken to the prison clinic, but they ignored him. Days passed. He lay on the prison floor, using his torn wrapper as a pillow. His mouth was dry, and his voice was faint. The other inmates whispered among themselves, saying he looked worse than before. One of them gave him water from his own cup. Livinus whispered, "Thank you. I don’t think I can last two more days."

Uche came to the prison to visit again. This was his third time in one week. The wardens told him the same thing as before: "No visitors allowed for Livinus." Uche tried to argue, but they waved him off. He stood at the gate for a long time before turning away in frustration. Just as he was about to leave, a small folded piece of paper was thrown from one of the prison windows. It landed near his feet. He picked it up and looked around quickly before hiding it inside his pocket. He knew it could be from Livinus.

At home, Uche unfolded the note with shaky hands. It was written in pencil, the letters not very clear. Livinus had written, "Uche, I am dying. My stomach hurts. I have not seen any doctor. I don’t think I have more than two days left. I was not allowed to attend my father's burial. Please, tell my lawyer. I don’t want to die in this place like an animal." Uche sat on his bed for several minutes, reading the note over and over again. Then he rushed out of the house, heading straight to the lawyer’s office.

The lawyer read the note and immediately called a journalist. He said, "Get your crew. We must do another press conference today." Within hours, they were at the front of the lawyer’s office. Cameras were set up. Microphones were adjusted. The lawyer stepped forward and began speaking: "Ladies and gentlemen, we are here because a young man is dying in prison. Livinus was denied access to medical care. He was also denied the chance to bury his father. This is injustice. This is wickedness. We are calling on the prison authorities to take him to a hospital immediately."

The video of the press conference was uploaded on social media. Within minutes, people started reacting. Some were angry at the system. Others blamed the police and prison for treating a suspect like a criminal before being found guilty. Comments flooded in: "Why keep him there if he's not been proven guilty?" "Why deny him treatment?" "This country is something else." The prison officials were not expecting such heat. That night, a meeting was held among the top officials. They knew they had to act quickly before things got worse.

The following morning, a prison van arrived at a government hospital under tight security. Livinus was rushed inside, barely able to walk. He was placed on a stretcher and wheeled into the emergency unit. Nurses gathered around. One of the doctors asked, "What took you so long to bring this man? He's in a bad condition." One of the prison officers replied, "We were only following orders." The doctor shook his head and turned to the nurses. "Get me IV fluids. We need to run some tests immediately."

Uche and the lawyer waited outside the hospital, hoping to get feedback. After some hours, the doctor came out to speak with them. "He's very weak," he said. "We will do our best to stabilize him. But next time, things like this should not be allowed to get this bad." The lawyer nodded and said, "That’s why we keep fighting. It’s not just about Livinus. It’s about everyone out there who might be innocent and still suffering." Uche looked towards the hospital gate. He was glad Livinus finally got help, but he knew the fight was not yet over.

Inside the hospital ward, Livinus opened his eyes and saw a nurse standing beside him. She smiled gently and said, "You’re safe now. You’ll be fine." Livinus wanted to speak but had no strength. He simply closed his eyes again. Somewhere in his mind, he was still thinking about Melinda, the court case, and his late father. So much had happened in such a short time. He didn’t know what the future held, but for the first time in weeks, he felt like he might live to see another month.

To be continued