Salvation Colony

Chapter Thirty-Four

203 Salvation Colony: Sequel to No Way to Die Chapter Thirty-Four Cosmas Mfetebeunu, Istromo Ngiawa W e did not even wait for Dennis to send for us. We knew that if Dennis and his fellows had confronted Shrapnell already, he would be already so dispirited that he would not have the strength to send us away. When we came to the gate it was locked. We sent for Dennis. Dennis did not come alone, he was accompanied by six other persons including a woman. They were all looking gloomy. Dennis’ once so lively appearance had suddenly assumed grave and drawn features. He looked distant in thought, with his face looking thin and rather hollow. Bubbling with confidence in our own triumph, we had come expecting to be congratulated for saving the inmates from shame. “Moyo Dennis,” I called ingratiatingly. “You met with him?” “We met with him,” Dennis said, with a sickening of the heart and an unredeemed dreariness of thought which made him seem too dead to act positively. The heat was unbearably oppressive. Dennis pulled out a handkerchief from his pocket and wiped the sweat from his face. “And how did it go? Did you ask him the questions?” Dennis nodded, not a muscle moved on his petrified face. “And how did he respond?” Dennis smiled and raised his eyes to the sky, his lips contorting in a pitiful grimace. It had been a dull rather dark day with black cumulus clouds hanging oppressively and threatening with rain. Now despite the heat, thick heavy 204 Linus T. Asong rain clouds were dragging themselves across towards the west, indicating the approach of devastating rain. “No comment,” Dennis said just as Pastor Shrapnell said when we came to interview him the second time. With his confidence in the innate decency of man having been shaken, I could sense his mind slipping fast back into gloom and feverish despondency again. “Some truths are too bad to be known,” Dennis said. “They are worse than lies. They wound. They really wound,” he said as he walked away. “Mr. Dennis, please,” my pal Cosmas called after him. One of the persons who had come with Dennis to the gate persuaded him to come back and answer us. Dennis turned and came back. “Will there be a press conference or not?” we asked. “There will be a press conference,” he said with unyielding obstinacy. “Can we talk to Pastor Shrapnell?” “You cannot talk to him,” he said gravely. “Why can’t we talk to him?” I persisted. “Because he is dead,” Dennis said. I looked at Istromo and he too looked at me, perplexed. I thought I did not hear him well. “Assuming that Pastor Shrapnell is dead,” I began, “who then shall call the press conference?” “I shall call the press conference,” Dennis said, his frail frame deeply shakened and on the point of an emotional breakdown. There was a long silence. “But Mr. Dennis, we don’t understand,” Cosmas cut in. “If as you say, Pastor Shrapnell is dead, then that is the end of The Colony...” “It is not the end of The Colony,” Dennis said resolutely. “God has not died with Shrapnell. So long as there is God, The Colony will exist...” “How will you find money to run it?” “God will provide. Prayer is the key.” ...