by A. Achaka
“Its time for me to go” I said
“Kai Sam, you remember we have a graduation at the corner” my mom said
It was then I remembered our last born is about completing his high school, but my mind has already been made up to leave
“Don’t worry there are many people around”
“So where are you going?” she ask
“I don’t know yet” I answered
“Mommy let him go, good luck” my sister said
I was surprised because it was actually the first time she ever agreed with me on anything, I went inside and said good bye to the guys, well only Patrick knows that I plan on leaving, the rest were asking unnecessary question but I dismissed it and left. My bag on my back as I walk out of my father’s compound, the sun is already up and shinny that we could use an umbrella. Immediately outside, a tricycle came along as it is the common means of transportation. Every corner we drive passes especially in my neighbourhood I kept my eyes on until we drive pass.
CHAPTER TWO
It was a perfect morning as usual, one without rain, it’s not a news again that the rain will be running late this year, every were so dry even the breeze was against the skin.
In a Government Reserve Area, where is considered for the rich, was a duplex building, well painted and had a lot of space with about six cars of different company, we all sometime call people rich with the number of cars and the type of house they live in. A garden of few trees, shrubs and flowers that provided shade for relaxation and at the right corner was the power house, a mini size generator that powers the whole house. It is usually quite with less people trooping in and out probably because of the armed security at every angle of the house, you could hear the sound of a pin drop, at the no sound procedure of the house. The driver had the car cleaned and was waiting for his normal routine when a call came to his cell phone
“Hello Sir”
“Ok Sir”
“Right away Sir”
He quickly jumps into the car and drove out of the house.
Honourable Emmanuel Mbeya, the deputy speaker of the House of Assembly Plateau State, a very gentle and humble man, living with his family of three, a wife and two daughters, its equally a rhyme that all name starts with the later E, what a coincidence we will say, Emmanuel his name, Evelyn his wife’s, Emmanuella his first and Erica his last. He was on the table in his study with a document in his hand when his wife came in
“Darling you haven’t rest a bit since last night”
“Yea, these document, I have to go through thoroughly to make sure no mistake before I sign” he replied
“Ok, but why don’t you do it on our way”
“I have to submit it this morning, you know what happen the last time I signed a document without going through, I don’t want it to repeat itself again” he said
“You are right, just take your time and read through”
Robbing his back to make him relax, at that he felt a lot of burden taken off his shoulder, it became less ambiguous.
Little Erica, ten years old and smart, woke up in a nightmare that got her speechless, she climb out of her bed and almost stumbled on toys, she walk past her sister without usual morning play
“Erica” Emmanuella called out
But no response, before she could peep out, she had already gone off. She walk fast into the masters bed chamber, without knocking Evelyn quickly throw a towel round her chest as she was naked trying to get dressed, Erica walk pass her without good morning, I guess she didn’t notice her mom standing there
“Erica” She call out
But she walk pass into the study, the father about to sign the document when he saw her, she didn’t greet or jump on him but she stood there staring at him, he turned and was startled
“Erica when did you come in?” he asked
She stood quite still looking at him, there he know something went wrong
“What is it? Come to daddy”
He put her on his laps and she lean on his shoulder
“Daddy I don’t want to go any were am scared” she said
“Scared of what? Did you have a nightmare?”
She nodded her head and lean back
“What did you see?”
“A lot of dead people on the road” she replied
His mind quickly went back to a dream, she had in the past and it came to past but “It was a long time ago” he said to himself
“Don’t worry my Angel before you know it, we are already there, Ok?”
She nodded but her face tells that her mind was still not settled about the journey.
“Go and get dressed Ok, daddy got a document to sign”
She climb down his laps and went into the room, there she saw her mother in front of the mirror putting on some make up
“Good morning Mommy”
“Good morning my dear, how was your night?” she asked
“I had a dream and a bad one”
“Oh sorry, did you tell your daddy?” her mom asked
“Yes”
“Ok, don’t worry, all will be fine ok? Now go and take your bath and get ready”
Erica turns and left the room.
Evelyn got up from the mirror and went into the study, and met her husband on his feet stretching,
“What was her dream about?”
“Just forget about it, its fine” he answered
“You know what happen the last time; we need to pay attention to what she says”
“Don’t worry its fine, we just pray and be on our way, when you are done go and make sure they are all ready” he said
He put the document in an envelope and seals the cap, he quickly rushes into the bathroom and had a quick shower, and his wife was amazed at the speed he used in the bathroom
“Honey are you sure you had your bath?”
“What kind of a question is that?” he asked
“Am sorry”
He rushed and put on his cloth, he thought the heat will be much so he didn’t put on cream on his body.
Evelyn walks out of the room to the children’s. Erica still in sober mood on her bed, her body was too weak for any activity
“Hay baby, what’s wrong?”
“I don’t feel like going on this journey” she replied
“Ok tell me what did you see in your dream?”
“I saw dead people on the road, a lot of them” she said
“Ahh, are they wearing white clothes?”
She jump into tickling her, in no time she started laughing and jump out of bed immediately and got dressed. Coming out of the room she almost collided with one of the house help Mercy, a play friend to her when nobody seems at home
“Oh sorry big madam” Mercy said
“Good morning Mercy, when will you stop calling me big madam?”
“Never, food is ready” she said
She held her hand and they walk downstairs together.
Mean while Emmanuella was buried with her cell phone listening to music and chatting when Mercy came in
“What is it?” she asked
“Food is ready Ma”
“Stop calling me Ma” she said and stood up.
They were all down stairs seated in the dining table, with a short prayer only the sound of plates was heard as the breakfast was served, they ate in silence, looks like everyone is buried in his or her own thought, shortly a phone started ringing the three of them quickly rushed to their phone but none was it, then it rang again, it was little Erica’s phone, I guess they all had forgotten that she even had a phone to begin with
“Hello” she answered
“Yes”
“Who”
“Am fine, how are you?”
Her parent eyed each other and smile, she was so cute on the phone talking like a mature mind, when she was done every one busted into laughter and continue eating,
“Who called you Erica” Emmanuella asked laughing
“My friend in school”
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br /> Their Father, raised his head to the grand piece on the wall, its reading quarter to nine, that always happened to him his mind would take him to the watch once it’s that particular time, I guess it master his mind because of the last incident he had that almost cost him his office, before he became a politician. Life isn’t fair he would say to anyone who is trading the wrong way, he was now tensed and he knows his wife had noticed it, but composed himself despite that line of action, his spoon suffered the grip of his tensed nature while he ate the last piece of red meat on his plate.
Now the sun was more shining than noon and this is the coldest state in the whole country where everybody will want to visit, it favours everybody both with the food and the tourism it provide, but as of recent a lot of event had happened that drive away its lovers ‘Oh Why Plateau’ a lot asked, now the most scary of all places with one eye open and one close in preparation for the next deadly event that will occur. Since then the weather has changed, more like a punishment on the people for destroying itself. No one could really say what caused the actual problem all we heard and believe, it was religious and that was the final conclusion but behind that there was a lot of activity it might be traditional or political no one ever care to investigate because ignorance was at play there.
Honestly I wander if the story about the torn curtain in the scripture was true, if we still have to be coarse by so called religious leaders into doing their own biding or what they feel like should happen, well who has the say in it least I began again. I wander what the many tribes are doing with each other, either hate or envy. Recently it was rumoured that the ruling tribe was a fraud and the chief run hectare sceptre in paying tithe to men who in turn allow the case to float into the draining pipe the state never had.
The Mbeya’s are all set to embark on their journey, almost at the door when Erica reminded about prayer, from their looks you could see embarrassment. That was their every day routine before they leave the house. In no time they were all back in the sitting room, helding their hands and they said grace and off they left.
Outside their bags were pack into the vehicle and was waiting at the front. Normally a convoy should be in play here but he wasn’t much of a show man so he decided on using the expensive Toyota jeep he got, early that year. He stopped and gave the envelop to one of his drive to deliver it to the House of Assembly clerk, who will be expecting it. The two girls sat at the back seat while their parent sat at the passenger’s seat, an oddly in front with the driver they wave good bye to the staff and off they drove out of the house.
Outside doesn’t show much brightness through the tinted glass of the vehicle, they barely look at each other, as everyone had a lot to swallow from Emmanuel the father down to Erica the last. I guess even the oddly has his own to think of.
Evelyn has the worst, she always hide her pain behind the makeup because she was a very beautiful woman with great intellects but her in-laws are making it unbearable for her always pointing fingers at her. She would tell her husband to at least visit his family for once but he always rejected the offer, she knew what happened between him and his family, but that will end up on her as his wife which has already began, and now worse, from frying pan to fire not only the family it’s like his entire village are against her.
Most times he would tell her not to worry about it, but how can she do that. Even her place of work is occupied by them, she is tired of the whole process and it won’t go away.
The honourable on the other hand was worried about wrong news feeding into his wife’s ear, he so loved her and wouldn’t want to hurt her but recently before he contested as a politician he had an escapade which might be an issue his opponent might want to bring up to trample on his image.
He always show nervousness when his wife receive an anonymous phones call, but so far nothing of such has come up, he would promise himself to tell her but the courage was not just there.
Deep in his thought he didn’t realise his phone was ringing, something felt uneasy at his left ear, when he raise his head his wife’s eyes were glued on him
“What”
“Your Phone” she replied
That was when he had the buzzing of the cell phone. The call was a brief one he turn to her and smiled then he look back to his daughters, Erica was on eyes closed as if sleeping while Emmanuella had a giant headphone on her head while chatting, he felt a little bit relax then he smooch his wife hand, she turn to him and smile
“I told you to have a rest, but you wouldn’t listen” touching his in return, their look came with affection, the need to kiss her but not in front of the children or the others, they adjusted themselves and look away.
CHAPTER THREE
It wasn’t much of a thick forest but trees, shrub and other plants are everywhere with little ray of sunlight penetrating enough to see a path, the dry breeze gave it a cool atmosphere because of the trees. Only the sound of leafs and birds making an orchestra formation sound, the forest run with great length that no scream can be heard once in its dept, sometimes the trees develop eyes which will sometimes fly away to be butterfly.
The neighbouring village is miles away and would tell you that masquerade dwell in the forest, that story was made to scare their children from embarking on an adventure, though the outskirt of the forest hold their farm land very fertile and productive.
Recently the activity in there went beyond masquerading, the tarred road run in between the forest dividing it into two, the left side could not be called forest anymore the tress are being cut down without replacement, well according the law of the forest, two economic trees should be planted for one to be cut down, but I wasn’t the same with these forest, people cut the tress at will, some for industrial work or domestic uses, I wonder what the government are doing, no wander the environment is as hot as next to hell.
The right side of the forest still intact and in the middle of it seems a camp of four tent with about ten men drinking, smoking and laughing, when a huge heavy built man came out from one of the tent. His face was with scar from the forehead at the right corner across to the left of his mouth, he spoke in husky voice, to my guess, he must be the leader, because when he spoke all of them responded immediately.
They all gathered in the biggest tent, it was air tight but they all had to endure for the massage he was about to pass across
“listen up, let me start with these warning, no room for mistake, we have been paid too well to make mistake in this mission, no one has to be left alive, no raping just killing, then we loath what we can get, is that under stood?”
“Yes Sir” they all chorused
“Now it’s almost time, every one go get ready your weapons for some real action”
They left the tent chanting a song and in no time everyone was trying out his gun. It seems all have taken something. Their chanting increase as the leader came out and raised his gun up, and then quietly they march out in a straight line heading out of the forest.
****
In this dry weather, the park ground was wet as if rain fell, but no one seems to worry about it the noise in there can hide a child’s cry from been noticed. Many vehicles are in play, some going out, while one or two coming in. I was particularly disturbed about the vehicle set for my own journey, when I arrive the voice calling was saying one more but now I guess an extra space has been created to accommodate three more, all I know was that I am leaving plateau state and for good.
My eyes kept on dancing round the park, if I could spot anyone I know but no one to say, I looked round back to where i stand. My eyes rest on an attractive girl, very beautiful, to worsen it she was also staring at me. No shame to begin with, sometimes I wonder if I am created differently, there was one time I travelled to visit an Aunt in another town, in Plateau she work at the medical department of a collage and also does business, I met her during her maternity leave in her business place, she owns a canteen in the school, I was there and had a chance to stay with her at the shop, I guess she
had more sales than ever, because girls troop in more, not to flatter myself I think she understand but she being my aunty, she would not talk to me about it all she do was smile.
Now in front of me in the park, was this girl very pretty, staring straight at me, I know she had the same thought as me, if we could just find ourselves in the same seat.
The bus beside me was already packing up and all the passenger were going in and to both our surprise we weren’t in the same bus, her eyes were glued on me even when the bus took to leave the park, I felt a little disheartend, the connection we had was written all over us, it would have been what they called a perfect match.
Soon my bus began loading up, I went in as soon as possible locating my seat, I slip into it without hesitation with a simple prayer, hoping an attractive lady would seat beside me, i would have imagine the sorth of discussion to be pass on between both of us, but my legs came hurting, as a strong Igbo man walk pass me to seat near the window. My mood changed but there was nothing I can do about it, I strap up my earpiece and started the music, which I really was into.
Soon the vehicle was loaded, in no time and with a horn sound it set out on a course of its own. Through the drive we made a quick stop at the fuelling station, luckily no queue the tank was filled to the brim, the driver pay for it and we set off.
My mind was now settled, that we are actually leaving, the Igbo man beside me brought out snacks from his bag, the one I hate the most was the boiled egg, it has a way of making me uncomfortable, so I closed my eyes and leaned back not to witness the death sentence he was passing on the snacks.
I hated that I ate that morning I usually don’t eat when travelling but it was like the last time so I ate the pancakes. When my senses had it right that he had finished I opened my eyes, and began searching through the bus I don’t really know what I was looking for but it felt a little comfortable, the windows were open because they hadn’t turn on the AC, they always do that complaining that the allowance given to them will not accommodate it.