The following is the final instalment of a three -part story by contributor Cecile Jarrett

Elizabeth, the enlightened, mother of twins sat and pondered Joe's behaviour. "He's a fairly nice man, sensible and very helpful too," she reflected. "I wonder what the policeman meant when he said his head tek him."

Then and there she made the decision to get him some help. The next morning she visited Joe and had a talk with him. She was explicit when she sought his consent to see a counsellor. He agreed without much convincing and had about 12 sessions and medication for his mild schizophrenia.

After a year of therapy, Joe became a normal Sharpe. No unpredictable behaviour bothered him again. His estranged wife and six girls took notice of the change and invited him to return to the former matrimonial home. They became a normal family. Joe operated his JUTA minibus as usual and his wife busied herself in the minimart she had established in Spring Mountain. The girls, aged 10 to 18, helped around home and in the shop when they were not doing school work or playing computer games. Although sceptical about daddy's new predictable behaviour at first, they eventually learned to accept the change and began to trust him.

Three years after the family got back together, Joe's seventh child was on the way. He rejoiced when the ultrasound confirmed that Mrs Sharpe was pregnant with a boy. Joe drank with his friend and bragged to Akeel that he was no longer the last Sharpe boy. In fact, he told Akeel that his son would be a great runner, politician, preacher and mystician. He couldn't wait for him to be born. His life became a celebration, a daily jubilee. He named his unborn son Usafa Asain Samuel Sharpe.

birthday

His son arrived on May 23, 2012, Akeel's 10th birthday. When he got to Earth, his mother noticed that he was not pink; he was bluish and took a long time to announce his arrival. He had to be slapped real hard before responding with a 'fenke-fenke' sound; more like a cat's meow. After spending his first three months in Cornwall Regional Hospital and the Bustamante Hospital for Children, he was taken home to Spring Mountain. Joe decided to consult his ancestors for help. "The boy can't just have sever congenital heart disease just suh. The universe can't spite mi like dis. Look how long mi wait to have a bway pickney! Mi gwine find out how fi cure him. De wata must have de secret cure." Joe placed Usafa on bunka skin and put him at the head of the Spring Mountain stream first thing every morning, for nine days.

On the 10th morning, Usafa sent out a load scream that could be heard by all the people in the shop. He began to thrive. His father took over his care. He fed him cho cho, irish potato, arrow root and plantain porridge with goat's milk sweetened with cane juice. The boy blossomed into a spritely toddler. Joe knew his troubled start might not make him into a star performer later in life, but he was glad that his son was getting better.

Then calamity descended upon the family. One Saturday evening Joe's minibus got out of control and rammed into the corner of the shop where Usafa was fast asleep. He never woke up. When he reached Cornwall Regional Hospital he was out cold - for good.

mourning

Joe really took it to heart. Spring Mountain was plunged into deep mourning because of the mystery of a tragedy. Mary Jean Sharpe cremated father and son and sprinkled their ashes at the head of the Spring Mountain stream that flowed for miles to join Great River.

Memories of Daniel's funeral came vividly to Akeel. He missed Joe, who had changed drastically to become like a father to him. He missed their frequent trips to the spring and the things that Joe would tell him about island water. Yes, Joe's heart attack was massive and final. Mary Jean was left to raise her six daughters on her own. But Joe was smart and had himself insured for millions. She used some on the lavish funeral and to fix up the minimart. She invested the other half as the seed money to send the girls to tertiary institutions, as they were all bright. She was especially proud of the sixth one, John Ericka. Her father had named her John because he wanted a boy. Second, she was an excellent singer and athlete. She could almost beat Akeel in a race; in fact she had first him on a few races.

Memories of the calamity

It was now four years since Joe and Usafa had departed in 2012. Memories of the calamity were still fresh in Akeel's mind. He secretly questioned his dad's and his cousin's death by accident - motor vehicle accidents. He missed his Cousin Joe whose wisdom he had grown to adore. Joe had stated to share deep secrets with him whenever they were together at the spring in Spring Mountain. "This spring feeds into Great River," Joe told him one day as they followed the stream for miles to the place where it joined Great River. Joe always stressed that all the island's water was one, a gift from Mamma Blue Mountain. He would look at Akeel and declare that all the island's water came straight from Mamma Blue Mountain's belly bringing goodness, life, health, vigour and vitality to all our people and visitors alike; but more so, to all those who lived near to it. "Remember where yuh born Akeel? River Bank in Portland. River Bank near to Swift River. Your foot dem swift like the river. Why yuh tink yuh can run pass everybody and everything? River water, but the river have more than water Akeel. The river link place wid place and past wid present and future. De river has secrets and if yuh listen well, son, it will tell dem to yuh, one by one." Something in Akeel made him believe Joe's stories.

The spirit of river whispered to Akeel just before his 15th birthday. It told him a little of his history and a little of his destiny. It confirmed his giftedness and his purpose for being on Earth at this time in Jamaica's history. It told him that he would get farther than biggest race tracks over the world and that what Marcus Garvey had accomplished was nothing to what he was destined to do. It also told him to be careful of careless drivers, that's the only thing that can take you down, it declares in a mournful tone.

Olympics

This was 2016 the time of year for the Olympics. The venue was Nova Scotia, Canada. Akeel was champion sprinter for Cornwall College and the fastest runner in the west getting ready to beat every other sprinter in Jamaica. Akeel was swift on heel. Usain was a joke compared to him. He had beaten Bolt's 2012 Olympic record in the last school meet. He admired Bolt's prowess and inimitable theatrical style and had memorised several poems, including 'Fancy Ode', to Bolt. He honoured Asafa for starting Jamaican sprinters on their unbeatable path.

Akeel accepted his destiny, world stage like Asafa and Bolt and couldn't wait to get to the 2020 Olympics to add his name to the long and illustrious slate of Jamaican athletes and to continue to bring the island fame.

- Cecile Jarrett