Wild West of the Heart
SEVENTY SEVEN

"What are we looking at?" Tosin stared from above, her clipboard sort of like an accessory to the coat she wore over her blue scrubs. She looked to the doctor, his brows arched in perplexion as he in turn looked to Reginald Ojo. The sun had just been risen, pouring it's heated rays through the windows above him. "Pneumocystis pneumonia" The doctor adjusted his gloves as he watched the evacuators move him from the bed and into a large rectangular metal box-a coffin maybe.

Tosin shut her eyes, having met Mira and Silva the other day. Empathy clouded her next words. "I know him" She whispered and it was then the doctor looked to her through his large googles. "I know him-" Tosin said again. "He was one of the few people that had friends that visited him once, and now i'm going to have to deliver the news to them" She sniffled. The doctor stepped back, allowing the people that handled his body wheel him away-without letting anyone, not even his family come as close to him.

The bed was scrubbed with detergent and a sponge, and turned over. And so was the pillows whose sheets were tossed into a plastic bag. The wedge around was cleaned as well and they sprayed a fragrance in the air. To conceal that smell was death, that gloomy stench of death.

But it could only do so much.

For someone like Tosin was the first person that walked through those doors to see him unalive beneath the sheets. Face cold and a pale blue, it was funny how one could have his taken over the course of one night. Or one single second because she'd seen him not ago, giving him food.

He was sick and he actually knew he didn't have long.

"Tosin, you should be used to things like this" He stepped back, speaking beneath his mask. "I'm not saying it's the best feeling in the world, coming back every five minutes to call the time of death, over and over and over" He said.

"But at some point, i think you get immune" Tears fell from her cheeks, no matter how hard she seemed on the outside, Tosin was a massive softie. "At some point, you shut off your humanity to all of this. Whatever it is—" "People are dying from sex. Why can't we tell the world?" She asked. "We will, the thing is we don't even know what we're dealing with. And if it is really what the Americans call it" He replied. "I refuse to believe there's such an illness that only kills gay men" He continued. "But-"

"But look around you, Jeff" There was a crack in her voice, just before she turned her back to leave. "Tosin" Jeff called out her name, hefting a sealed envelope in the air.

She looked back at him, sobbing. "He left this for those friends?" He said in a doubtful tone as she reached for the papers. "Reginald" He added before walking away. "I'm sorry for your loss"

Jeff brushed past her shoulders, taking off all his safety materials at the door, to be incinerated alongside this morning's victims. Close to a score of men, reduced to nothing but mere statistics. Tosin still stood there, covered by the incessant murmurs as yet another man immediately took over Reginald's spot.

She wiped her eyes, knowing somewhere within her that Jeff was right-this was a tragic cycle, men wasting away, over and over. It wasn't good, but at some point you get used to it. She looked to the envelope in her hands, on which was a scribbled description-FOR MIRA & SILVA.

THREE WEEKS LATER

"Who will separate us from the love of Christ" The funeral officiant, who so happened to Ayo's uncle said. And Fiyin looked to Deborah.

There were flowers lined on the railings and the aisles that separated both the boys and the girls. In remembrance of Ayodeji Damilola, the Hillway High year 10s had taken a day off school, coming to celebrate his life at his funeral. Of course it wasn't a choice, it was a mandatory instruction from none other than Collins, who sat front row.

"Will hardship, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us" He said, his voice echoing through the open grounds. There were about five tents, perched across a large shrubbed field. And all of them got to attend including Obi. And Olamide.

They made eye contact, somewhat separate from each other but on the same row. To say Obi had had it easy the past few weeks would be a lie, he'd been yelled at, called slurs. He'd even had lunch thrown at him one time. Plus there was a vicious rumor that he had gotten Ayo killed because he had exposed him. It didn't last for a week though, it was just too unbelievable-besides Ayo had made the news.

And his cause of death was revealed.

The toxicity scan taken on him came out positive with alcohol and a few strains of cocaine, so his mother alongside everyone assumed it was his fault. It actually was anyways, so they dropped all charges, surmounting themselves into mourning their only son, and planning this funeral for him in the space of three weeks.

"Verse thirty nine says for i am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord" He closed the bible on his lectern and took a few steps down.

The winds blew into Fiyin's braided hair, almost untying her lavender scarf with little flowers on it. She gripped it tightly over her head before resting it on Deborah. "Are you okay?" She whispered in a moment that was meant to be silent. Deborah looked down at her and Fi took in her signature strawberry fragrance through her nose.

"Yeah. Yeah i'm good" She whispered. "You?" The default question slipped from her lips as Fi held her flare skirt between her thighs. "You don't have to always ask that" Deb exhaled. "But i want to"

"No, Deb. You don't have to always be nice and take care of me like i always deserve it" She arched her brows, letting out a soft chuckle. "What are you saying, Fiyin?"

"Don't let this be one of your afternoon rants, i swear at this point you should start a podcast or something" Deb lowered her voice and they both chuckled. "You should take me serious-" Fi assumed her position on her shoulders again. "I know i haven't been the best of friends"

"I know i haven't made the best of choices. I know i haven't always been grateful or treated you r—"

"Shut up" Deborah interrupted and Fi took her hands. "But thank you Deborah" She locked eyes with her. "This is me saying thank you for everything you've ever done for me"

"We might have to say goodbyes in a few months, and i don't want to ever leave without letting you know that. That you are one of the best people in my life and it's a shame i only got to know you this term" Fiyin whispered. "Well that is on you" Deb finally replied. "You were always with Anna and her lalaloopsy dolls and you blame me?" She let out a shrill laugh.

Her eyes immediately darted to the very front seats where they were, with their brightly colored bow-ties across their hairs and matching black gowns that barely reached their knees. "It was just a phase" Was all Fiyin said back.

"Had a lesbian phase but not that phase" They both let out. loud laughter that they instantly had to get a grip of themselves. Then after a while, Fi was back on her shoulders again- as if making her home on it. "How did you know you were a lesbian?" She suddenly asked.

Deb drew circles on her palms. "I think i'm more of a pansexual" She replied. "What is that?" Fi asked. "It means i'm attracted to any person, regardless of their gender or anything"

"Oh"

"Yes, and i've always kind of know since i was very little to be honest, i mean i like boys, and girls and i've always found Calpernia Addams hot anyways" Fiyin chuckled even though she had no idea who that was. But then the smile vanished from her lips the very next second.

Deborah noticed it, and she paused from drawing the circles on her hands. "Look, Fi you don't have to rush yourself. You have all your life to figure out who you truly are, or what you truly like" Unlike her, Fiyin didn't really start questioning her sexuality until Collins happened. And then Deborah tried to kiss her. I mean she still kind of liked Ola, but then Deborah seemed more like her soulmate.

Like she got her more.

That's the sort of thing that happens when you hang out everyday for three weeks straight. You hadn't missed alot, except that.

"It's not like everyone's a hundred percent straight or a hundred percent gay" She nodded. "It's more like a spectrum and you spend your life going back and forth it"

A smirk morphed at the corner of Fiyin's lips. "You're giving gay best friend" She whispered and Deb rolled her eyes. Maybe that's what they were predestined as- nothing more than what they already were. Best friends.

To be continued...