The sun was high - as usual. The typical shopaholics going crazy about Christmas. No body seemed to notice them at first...just thought they were part of the parade of festivities expected at this time of the year. But even then...three men on three camels. Like a shot from the dramatic past. They spoke in a thick eastern dialect long since unheard.They seemed not to notice the herd of kids screaming movie titles faster than parents could park their cars in the crammed squares that formed the lot. In truth, these three men kept looking up at the sky, as if watching and waiting for the sun to set.Time: 5.04pm
****Modupe gave her friend a long and exasperated look: the wedding was the day after tomorrow and still no word from the numbskull that is meant to have dropped the wedding program this morning with Mary.Mary seemed distracted. She was glaring at the TV again. Apparently lost in something that was being said on CNN."Could you turn that up please", she finally said without looking back.Modupe reached for the remote control and before she could push the right buttons, the screen went black."Odd..." She mumbled.Time: 5.11pm******Henry couldn't care less. Watching his pregnant wife go on and on about the rising price in gas wasn't exactly how he had expected to spend December 20, 2012.He watched her haggle everything down. As she stumbled from one long isle to the next, he offered - more than once - his hand to help her.Ofcourse she would have none of it. Mumbling something about not being an invalid. Asking him if they still had this and that in the house.Hopefully, they would get home ahead of the ever growing traffic.Time 5.17pm****Femi couldn't help but chuckle. The two men sitting on the chairs behind were speaking at the top of their lungs. Not unusual for Nigerians.The domestic wing was full. Too many delayed flights. His was going on two hours now."I said, noting go happen!" belowed one, "why is everyone even bothering themselves. I tell you, we will wake up tomorrow and Saturday and Sunday and every other day after that until....."The other man was not to be out-shouted! "Mr. Man, you obviously do not know book! Just because you you don't feel anything where you are, does not mean something will not happen o! Like this our delayed flight now...""What? Don't go there o! Wetin our flight have to do with End of World? Shooo".Femi couldn't help it. One way or the other, the next few hours would be interesting to say the least.Time: 5.33pm
****Brother John was not taking any chances. He shut the door to his office in the little church office he lorded over and made sure those chatty assistants were far down the church corridor.He opened the desk drawer and revealed an old-fashioned 1989 coke diary. He flipped through several pages and dug up all his ex-girlfriend's phone numbers to begin the long and arduous process of repentance! This was not the time to take any chance what so ever with fate o!If you ask him now what would happen over the next few days, he would say (hopefully) nothing. If nothing happened he would be relieved. Perhaps give him a chance to get back into the swing of spiritual things. Maybe get him far away, emotionally from his haunting past...pasts that anytime now would be receiving a serious Sermon on the MountSurely this was the right thing to do. You know, get right with God and Man?Ah! Wasn't Modupe supposed to be marrying tomorrow...abi Saturday? By the special grace of God - and credit willing - he would text her last. He would wish her best and perhaps remind her as it was in the days of Noah...Time: 5.44pm***Mary hit the television so hard, she was sure her desperation showed. Modupe just stared at her. Then at the TV. Then back at Mary.Mary was shaking. Something she had seen has stunned her. No shocked. Something subtle but clear. Had Modupe seen it to?She turned to her friend, still clutching the evening gown she was going to waltz with when it came to that time of the evening. Tunde was a great dancer and this dress would do the job.But she clutched the dress like she was clutching at her life right now and she couldn't explain why. Why she suddenly had this deep welling feeling something was terribly wrong."Talk to me Mary. Looks like you have seen a ghost"Time: 7.01pm****They strode confidently through the VI traffic. Seemingly glaring at this metallic contraptions that dared vie for their right to this concrete foot path.Arriving at the Lekki toll gate caused quite a commotion.The first of them bent low at the tiny window where the toll operator sat bored."Kash di ma kunte"The toll operator flashed him a bored look and simply spat "150 for four by four".The third king looked at his two companions ahead and motioned to the sun which was on its last breath in the far west.Easterner One dug into a small pouch hitched upon his hip and tossed a gold coin towards the Little Man in the White Glass."Kash di ma kunte".The toll opened. The three men passed through. They had precious time left. Stillwaters would not be there for much longer.Time: 7.07pm*****Henry flopped onto the couch and turned to 223 immediately. His wife busied herself in the kitchen going on about the rising cost in food prices, the ease of commute in other countries and the new female president of South Korea. Henry wasn't too sure what she had to do with the grocery list but he dare not bring that up.As he settled down to watching football, the TV went off. Just like that. Black!Henry looked at the a/c. It was still on. He looked out of the window and saw the security lights beaming down on their Nissan Pathfinder.So what the dickens was wrong with the blinking TV....?He got up reluctantly. Then felt something brush by him to his left. It was so quick. So, so quick, he could easily have missed it.His wife was still digging a flag or rehearsing her U.N speech in the kitchen. Not once had she come up for air.Henry looked around again. Something made him look at the time.He quickly brought out a sheet of paper and a pen and wrote down the date: 20-12-2012.Time: 7.12pm****With the last of the texts sent, pastor John opened the door of the little church office and made his way slowly, yet sombrely to the main church hall.He knelt near the altar. A warm and comforting feeling engulfed him. Was always like this. The place of repentance. Falling to one's knees. Its a kind of strength, he told himself.The chatter boxes had left. In an effort to catch their bus home. He was alone here. Perhaps he too would leave. At least, after a little prayer.A sound to the far end of the hall disturbed him. Like something being knocked off its place.He rose and looked. What was wrong with the lighting over there? Mental note: call Tony to fix bulb.He walked carefully asking what can only be called an Oyinbo question "who is there?"Silence. But not any kind of silence.He gulped. "Lord", he said aloud. "Is it my time?".The last thing pastor John remembered were bright lights. Very bright. Before he passed out, he heard his mind ask, "are those feathers?"All black again.Time: 7. 23pm*****Segun sat in his living room. He pondered on an incredible year. He remembered all the shows and places he was privileged to visit in the same calendar year.His mind rested on Europe and Whoosh! Seemed like a dream come true. One he had shared with his fellow band of nutty dancers way back in the year 2001/2. He recalled an NTA officer covering Orchestrato saying "this group will travel the world". He remembered in DI 2005 in Ghana the visiting pastor saying the same thing.It had happened. On the 7th September, we completed a five year assignment.It was surreal.Surely, he had given all for the cause. What more could there be left?He flipped to Sky News. The world was still fascinated by the Mayans. Guns was an even bigger issue now in the States and the Australian Home Affairs Minister was saying something about smuggling.This world. One day would have to honour prophecy. Will one day have to fce their Maker. Each occupant or pilgrim who ever passed through would have to transit.When wouldn't matter, he supposed. Live right. Be kind. Love. Give. Remember. That was what He needed to do: follow the Lord Jesus with everything and serve Him as though nothing else matters.His wife was asking if he wanted to eat now. Why not?As he waited for the kitchen door to open, his phone rang...the security men from the gate were rambling something about camels and eastern men and Chronicles."They said the Watcher stays here sir!"Time: 7.55pm
