Mama is not dead

His heart jumped with his legs as soon as he saw the doctor come out of the room where mama was being treated. His fingers were cold, his heart was racing, his chest suddenly felt heavy.

"Doctor, how is she? how is my mother?"- even his voice spoke fear.

Silence

"Answer me doctor, how is she?" he asked again, this time grabbing the ward coat of the light skinned doctor with both hands, his eyes dead on the doctor's.
"I'm sorry, we lost her" the doctor's tone was low and sad.

Then slowly, he released the doctor from his grip, as tears gathered like a small stream in his eyes- getting ready to flow. Then he said "how can you say you have lost her?" Now, turning to the nurse that had helped take mama to the ER, flashing a sad smile at her, he said "my sister remember that fat woman I brought in about 20 minutes ago?" he paused to hear her reply; but her response was only but a sad stare. So he continued..
"that woman is my mother, she is the one I ask of. You people took her to that room, you can not have lost her just like that.

So he asked again, the tears still traped in his eyes, the smile still sad "How is my mother?"

"She is dead".

The news hit him like a wrecking ball, sending him helplessly to the ground and crushing the faint hope that held back his tears. He wept.

Suddenly, he stood up. He wiped his tears with his hands, straightened his cloth and smiled to himself as he said "mama is not dead, these people are joking". Then he left the hospital.

* 10 years later *

Ugo was more tired of asking people for direction, than his legs were tired of walking in the scourching sun. This will be the last person I will ask, he thought to himself as his eyes caught sight of a man sitting alone on a stool beside a mechanic workshop; his head lowered.

"Sir, how can I get to Fiction Isle tower?" he asked.
The stranger raised his head and flashed a smile at Ugo - that sad smile -  revealing a set of teeth that looked like they hadnt been washed for years. Then he said "mama is not dead, these people are joking".