SEVEN MINUTES IN HEAVEN

ONE MINUTE IN HEAVEN A Short Story by Damilola Jael "My friend, you have to say something!" The old, pot-bellied man screamed, his voice echoing through the small interrogation room. He slammed his palm against the table, making the files scattered across it tremble. My head remained bowed. I couldn't look up. Not that I didn't want to, but I was still traumatised. Everything was fresh in my memory, every little detail replaying in my head like a scene I couldn't escape. My fingernails dug deep into my skin. I couldn't feel the pain. I felt numb, completely disconnected from my body. At intervals, I brought my fingers to my mouth and bit into them, as though the little discomfort would remind me that I was still alive. "You will rot in jail, you this mad girl!" the officer screamed again. The corner of my lips twitched at the thought. A little smile crept across my face before disappearing as quickly as it had appeared. I slowly raised my head and glanced at the man. His face was already red with anger, and the veins on his forehead seemed ready to burst. "She killed them." The words escaped my lips in a whisper. I smiled again, almost amused by something only I could understand. "Talk!" This time, he banged the table so hard that I flinched. The cracking sound of the old door made him turn. My gaze shifted towards the entrance as well. Another man walked in. He was younger and better dressed than the officer who had been interrogating me. His uniform was neatly arranged, and his expression carried an authority that the older man seemed to recognise immediately. "Shun sir," he saluted. The younger officer acknowledged him with a wave of his hand. He pulled out a chair and sat across from me while the pot-bellied man remained standing beside him, glaring at me. "Damilola," the younger man called calmly. 'How did he know your name?' the voice in my head screamed. I began shaking my head frantically. My hands moved to my ears as I screamed, desperately trying to get her out of my head. "How did you know her name?" My voice came out again without my consent. Before I could understand what was happening, I sprang to my feet and lunged at both officers. The chairs scraped against the floor as they struggled to escape my reach. The noise attracted the attention of the sergeants outside. They rushed into the room, grabbing me from behind and dragging me away from the pot-bellied officer. The two officers hurried out of the room, their faces filled with fear. 'I'm proud of girl,' the voice said. I shook my head again, tears streaming down my face. "Leave me alone, I don't know you." I kept hitting my head, hoping the voice would disappear. 'We are one,' the voice said, laughing. Her laughter echoed inside my head, growing fainter until it disappeared completely. "Hello," I whispered. There was no response. I waited, listening carefully, but nothing came. Regret washed over me. If only I had stayed at home. If only I had listened to my mom. Perhaps none of this would have happened. The room became unbearably quiet. I could hear the faint movement of people outside, but nobody came in. My body was exhausted from the struggle, and my eyelids gradually grew heavier. Minutes passed like hours. Eventually, I surrendered to sleep. "You have to come, Damilola," Nora's voice echoed. "It's been years since last saw each other." The picture cleared, and another one appeared. "No, Stephen, Nora!" My loud, shaky voice broke through the silence as the memory replayed in my head. I struggled against the images, but they kept coming, one after another. 'Your parents are here,' the voice said, jolting me out of the nightmare. My body jerked at the sudden interruption. I almost fell off the chair but managed to steady myself before hitting the floor. I rubbed my eyes, trying to keep them open. Surprisingly, I was no longer scared of hearing the voice in my head. Instead, I found myself anticipating her next words. 'Listen,' she said. "What!!!" 'Concentrate,' she shouted for the first time. I immediately sat upright, startled by the sudden change in her tone. "What are you saying is wrong with my daughter?" My mother's voice rang through the room, loud and unmistakable. "Mom!" A frightened part of me screamed. I rushed towards the door, banging against it with both hands. Tears rolled down my cheeks as I desperately cried for someone to rescue me. 'Sit,' the voice commanded. "Mom!" I continued shouting, ignoring her. 'Sit!' she shouted again. "Mo..." I tried to scream, but my voice suddenly stopped. My hands continued banging against the door, but both had become stiff. I tried to move my legs, only to discover that they wouldn't respond either. "What are you doing to me?" I thought, crying. Instead of answering, she laughed. 'Don't you get it, Damilola, I am you and you are me,' she laughed again. "Please," I thought. 'Will you obey me?' she bargained. My head struggled to nod. The movement was difficult, almost as though something was holding it in place. Then, as suddenly as it had happened, the force released me. My body lurched forward, and I hit the door. I staggered backwards, struggling to regain my balance. Cold sweat ran down my spine. I crawled towards the corner of the room, drawing my knees to my chest. My eyes darted around the room. I couldn't shake the feeling that something was watching me. Then I heard my mother's voice again. This time, another woman was speaking with her. 'Just listen, isn't it cool? We can hear from afar.' She laughed. "What!!!" My mother's sudden scream made me listen more carefully. "But CET2026 was only found in Spain!" Her voice trembled. I could sense the tears in it. "How did it get to Nigeria? And how is it that my daughter is the first to get it?" "Ma'am, we are not sure yet. This is just our diagnosis based on what the inspector said." "What the inspector said? If you guys are not capable, I can fly her out of the country!" "With this at the moment, she can't leave the country." "And why? No help is arriving from the government and you people want to stop me from flying my girl out of this country." "Calm down, Ma'am. We have to confirm if she has not contacted this virus," the other woman said, her voice firm and final. "And what are the symptoms? Why can't I see my daughter?" Her voice kept rising, each word becoming louder than the last. The sound pierced my ears until they began to ring. I pressed my palms against them, wincing. 'Listen!' she shouted at me. "Let's see her first," the woman said. Silence followed. A minute later, the door opened. A police officer walked in first, holding it open for a woman and a man dressed in protective clothing. Their entire bodies were covered, leaving only their eyes visible. I searched behind them, hoping to catch a glimpse of my mother. But the door closed. "Where is my mom?" I asked through my tears. They slowly approached me, maintaining a reasonable distance. Their cautious movements made me even more uncomfortable. "Da..." "Please don't call my name," I interrupted immediately. "Okay," the woman responded with a nod. I swallowed hard, trying to steady my breathing. "So will you answer me?" I nodded. "Will I go home after this?" She nodded, and a reassuring smile appeared on her face. For the first time in hours, I smiled too. "I am Dr. Maltida, a medical researcher of the new virus going around the world, just like COVID-19, but this is more dangerous," she explained. "I will be listing out some symptoms. You will nod if you are experiencing it at the moment." I could hardly see their faces beneath the protective clothing. Their eyes were fixed on me, and the man beside her had already brought out his writing materials. "Severe headache." I nodded. The headaches had been unbearable since the incident. Sometimes, it felt as though my head would split open. I had tried ignoring them, but the pain always returned. The other person continued writing. "Dizziness." I shook my head. No. "Hallucinations." I stared at her. "Seeing strange things, or hearing voices in your head." It was as though those words had awakened something inside me. 'How dare!' she shouted. Her voice changed. It became deeper, louder, and almost unrecognisable. I felt my body stiffen as she pushed forward, taking control of me. 'We are not possessed!' My voice echoed through the room like millions of voices speaking at the same time. The two doctors immediately stood up, their chairs scraping against the floor. "Damilola!" one of them called. I could feel anger rising through my body. My nostrils flared, and my hands tightened into fists. She stood tall within me. 'That is not our name!' My legs straightened as I rose from the floor. "Run!" I managed to say before she took over completely. The female doctor lunged at me before I could react. I barely had time to move when a needle pierced through my skin. Almost immediately, weakness spread through my body. My knees gave way, and the room began spinning. The doctors hurried out. "Your daughter is possessed."