Part 1: The Mystery Room

Source

The story is open at Abuja. Captain David which was station at Nigeria, Just died leaving his wife and fifteen year old daughter alone in Nigeria.

Mrs Nancy: I have a good news for you dear, as you know, i was down at the office for lunch today and the manager told me that his new assistant is willing to take over the house and all the furniture as well.

Miss Gory: I am so delighted to hear it, Mother. I never did think it was a good idea to take any of our things back to Akwa Ibom with us. i know you can't help thinking of daddy, sitting there there reading and writing, everytime you looked at his desk.

Mrs Nancy: Perphaps you are right, Glory, but you will understand that many of these thing have a great sentimental value.

Miss Glory: I understand,mother, but we have to begin life anew in nigeria and we shall do it much better without all these things around you

Mrs Nancy: I'm so sorry that, as soon as we get to nigeria, it will be necessary to go across to paris and sign certain papers in connection with your father's property. i should just like to go to england and stay there.

Miss Glory: I have a very good idea, mother. Many of the boats call at Calabar. I suggest that we get off the boat at Calabar and take a bus from there to Aba. Then you could sign the papers, and we could continue our journey to Akwa Ibom. infact, it would be just as quick as going by boat the whole way.

Mrs Nancy: That is an excellent suggestion Glory and i think ill go down to the shipping company in the morning to find out when the first boat is leaving to Calabar.

A FEW WEEKS LATER TO CALABAR

Mrs Nancy: I feel rather nervous about the hotel in Aba, Glory. from the papers i have been reading it seems if the whole world has come to Aba for the Exhibition. I remember once, soon after we married, your father and i stayed at the hotel. I think we had better go along to the post office and send a telegram for a Double-room. It'll only be for one or two nights at the most. I'll like to stay longer so that you could see something of the exhibition, but i have not been feeling very well for the past few days.

Miss Glory: In fact case it is much more important for us to get back to Akwa Ibom as soon as possible. I am sure that after a few weeks in the beautiful contryside, you will begin to feel much better. And mother there will be other chance for me of seeing Aba later on. I,m simply longing to see my own state and to visit the places that you and daddy come from. Akwa Ibom is the place for me at the moment, just as much as it is for you.

A DAY LATER
Mrs Nancy: In a few minutes we shall be running into Calabar south. I hope that the hotel was able to find a room for us. I must say. Glory that i have never been on a journey that has made me so tired. I have only one desire at the moment and that to lie down on bed as soon as possible.

Miss Glory: But mother you do not look tired and worn out. still, if there is no room for us at the hotel, we should be able to get a place else where, for i understand that aba is just full of hotels. We are running into bus stop now. (few minute later.) Oh mother, we are lucky; I have just seen a many with the name of our shipping company on his cap. If we're not able to get in at the hotel, he will know where to send us. (calling at the man) hello! Will you give us some help, Please?

The shipping man: Why certainly madam. What can i do for you?

Miss Glory: My Mother and i left one of your boats at Calabar and we are moving from Aba to Akwa Ibom. We sent a wire from Aba to the hotel, ordering a double-room. If we find the hotel full up, perhaps you could help recommend another hotel for us.

The shipping man: Certainly, madam. I will come with you myself and explain to the driver that he is to take you too first to the hotel and the i will give him another hotel name where you will certainly find an empty room, if there is no room for you at the hotel you booked.

Miss Glory: That so kind of you.

The shipping man: The pleasure is all mine. Willl you please show me your luggage, and then i will get a porter. Then perhaps you would follow me to the cab.

FEW HOURS LATER AT THE HOTEL
Miss Glory: I am Mrs glory, and this is my mother,Mrs nancy. We sent you a wire from Calabar, ordering a double-room.

Hotel Clerk: Yes madam, you are lucky indeed. We were quite full up, but just before your telegram arrived, we received another from a client who was unable to come. It is only a single-room, but we have put in an extra bed for you madam.

Miss Glory: That is excellent. What is the room number?

Hotel Clerk: 10 madam. Here is the key and i will get a porter to take your things up to your room.

IN THE HOTEL ROOM
Miss Glory: Well, here we are, mother Everything has turn out well. It could be hardly be better. tomorrow you can go and sign those papers, and then we can catch the bus for Akwa Ibom. now that we getting near to Awa Ibom, i'm feeling so excited. it won't be long before we're living in our own little house in the beautiful country side. i suggest that we wash and then go down to the restaurant for dinner.

Mrs Nancy: I hope you will forgive me Glory, if i dont come to dinner with you. I feel too tired to eat and could not face all the people in the restaurant.

Miss Glory: I'm sorry that you wont have anything. I'll change and go down alone then.

THE FOLLOWING MORNING
Miss Glory: Hello good morning mother, i hope you had a good night.

Mrs Nancy: Good morning glory. I'm afraid i didnt sleep very well. but that doesnt mean anything. When you get too tired, it is often very difficult to fall asleep

Mrs Glory: I'm very sorry to hear it, mother, but now i,ll ring for some breakfast.

MINUTE LATER A MAID APPEARS WITH A TRAY.
Miss Glory: Here's a cup of tea, mother. It doesnt look quite so strong as the tea in abuja, but better than i expected the tea to be.

Mrs Nancy: Thank you, my dear. It doesnt look too bad.

Miss Glory: You must really try it. It'll do you good and then we cant start thinking about those papers that want signing.

Miss Nancy: I dont feel very much like getting up and going out just now. ishould prefer to wait untill afternoon or tomorrow morning. It might be a good idea if you went round to see the man and asked him if it were possible for him to come here. that be much easier. I'll be alright again by tomorrow, and then we can start on the last stage of our journey.

Miss Glory: All right, mother, I'll certainly go round and see him, but first all i'm going straight down to see that the hotel doctor comes to see you without delay.

Source

MINUTE LATER. MOTHER AND DAUGHTER ARE TALKING IN THEIR ROOM
Miss Glory: The manager was in his office all right and he promised me to arrange for the doctor to come at once.

THERE IS A KNOCK AT THE HOTEL DOOR
Miss Glory: I expect that is the doctor. I will go and open the door.

Doctor: Good morning, madam, my name is doctor Usoro. The manager tells me that your mother is not well.

Miss Glory: Good morning, doctor Usoro, will you please come in, it was very good of you to come so quickly. This is my mother, doctor Usoro.

Doctor: Good morning, madam. I do not speak the Igbo language so well. I'm sure you will forgive me. First of all i will take your temperature and pulse, and the i can ask you some questions.

MINUTES LATER
Doctor: May i ask where you have come from?

**Mrs Nancy: **: My duaghter and i left abuja after the death of my husband, and as i have some business to do in Akwa Ibom, we arrived overland from Aba, arriving here yesterday evening.

Doctor: I understand that you are feeling very tired, and that the appetite has gone,is it not so?

Mrs Nancy: Yes, doctor. to be quite honest, i felt too tired to get up this morning and now i seem to have lost my appetite altogether.

Doctor: yes, Madam. When people are overtired, they do not feel like eating. I will send for some medicine for you that will help you. I will see you again madam, but for now i most say good bye.(To mrs glory) perhaps madam will come with me.