JINXED

Clarence’s fear of elevators began on the day she spent close to an hour in a stuck lift. There was a power black out and as the darkness engulfed the small confines of the lift, an enormous fear consumed her entire being. Help did not come soon enough. She must have fainted because she awoke to find herself in a hospital bed. Since then, she has gone out of her way to avoid elevators, even promising herself that she will not enter one again. Soon she was married: and she had her first baby. She could not ask for more.
Then came the second pregnancy, which somehow baffled her. Her stomach was growing at an unprecedented rate. Clarence was prepared for twins and the good news was confirmed during one of her scheduled visits to the clinic.
She would take visits to the town centre to exercise her legs, her company being her now three year old daughter. On this particular day she was strolling in the city centre, walking slowly to take in the fresh air she so craved. At seven months pregnant, she could not afford to take any risks and was also extra careful. Her walks were leisurely, never rushed.
The buildings looked new and tall. When was the last time she had come to town? She wondered. Her daughter too was staring at the sky scrapers that seemed to reach the skies. Suddenly. Clarence felt a pain which disappeared the moment she placed her hand on her tummy. ‘Honey,’ she said to her daughter. ‘I felt a strange pain here.’ she said, pointing to her tummy.* Before long she felt another pain which now got her scared. She had not experienced this kind of pain before. It was different. She was reaching out for her phone to call her husband when a sharp intense pain followed. She had to sit on a verandah outside a tall building. This drew the attention of passers-by. One said, ‘Madam, I can take you for a check-up,  there is a hospital right in this building.* That was music to her ears because she could not reach her husband at the moment.
Someone held her hand even as she held that of her toddler daughter. She was led into the building. ‘Is it on the ground floor?’ The mother to be asked. ’No, replied the good Samaritan. It is on the 25th floor.’ Clarence fell warm blood rush right to her face. She could have resisted but then she knew she had to see a doctor. She tried to stem her elevator-fear but It was there, staring right at her, for her frightening experience three years ago was etched on her mind.
When she got into the lift, she felt it start to move. She closed her eyes. She wanted the ’commute’ to be smooth. But soon there was a crackling noise and the elevator stopped. Her eyes flew open. What was that? The lift was not moving. It was now dark. She heard someone speak but she could not make out the sound. She heard. ‘Lift, stuck, no electricity’. She could have passed out but she was determined to fight her fears. Electricity was back in no time- after a few seconds in fact, though it seemed like eternity. Clarence hurriedly told her daughter to rush out and as she squeezed her round frame through the narrow door, it was all she could do not to scream with relief. The pains were now forgotten!

END: PG18/25