Continued from Part Nineteen

Mother Ines walked to her office. “Lord God, do Americans no longer read newspapers? Why has no one responded to the story on our work with the orphans of Brazil? Will you not provide for us? Soon, the mission’s coffers will be empty.”

In the doorway, Mother Ines froze. A briefcase sat on her desk. “Sister Agatha!”

Agatha ran into the office. She opened the briefcase and gasped. “It’s money.” She handed a typewritten note to Mother Ines.

 I expect $320,000 American should feed a lot of children for a long time. Also, here’s 167,000 nairas.

Here’s to happier headlines,

Robin Hood

Tears soaked the cheeks of Mother Ines. “This is a miracle.”

“Mother, what shall we do with the nairas?” Sister Agatha asked.

“Save them for when we run out of toilet paper.”

Abena got up and shrieked. What was she doing in her underwear? What happened to her jeans and blouse? Her gaze fell on the men. She gasped—they were nude!

“Where are we?” John asked.

Olumide shivered. “It is so cold. And what’s with all these funny trees?”

As far as the eye could see, trees grew with sharp, dark green needles for leaves.

“Get out of my forest!”

They turned. In the trees stood a white man with a spear. He wore a loincloth cut from the skin of a North American gazelle, if Abena didn’t miss her guess.

The crazy white man waved his spear. “This is my forest. You go back where you came from.” He paused. “Except her.”

Galroni folded his arms. “Show some manners. She is not your property.”

Abena stiffened. The men would gladly sell her to the white man, for the right price.

“Who will defend her after you’re all dead?”

The four Africans fled across the wilderness from the crazy white man.

Continued Next Tuesday

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