Where she went
By
Apalara Samuel
All rights reserved
Copyright©2016
This book is a work of fiction and resemblance of to person living or dead, or places events or locales is purely coincidental, the characters are products of the author's imagination and nothing more.
Where she went
It was dark in the back, the surface was rigid each time her head struck the wall. The past few minutes had been hell for her and it had seem like she was swimming in the air.
Suddenly the lights came on.
The truck was well out of their range, she thought. The unexpectedness of it had put a stumble on the road, the one that had sent the truck, as heavy as it was to the air and hit the ground hard. There was a loud echo of shattering glass in the still dark night.
She crawled up quickly until she was curled up with her back against the edge of the truck that laid upturned.
And then, the lights came up again, brighter than the former and even seem closer She swallowed and held her breath as the beam of light came even nearer, she scrambled backwards, trying to part the steel wall with her bare hands.
She had hoped she hadn't be spotted by the men that paraded the night with large torch. her heart was thumping, covered in thick red liquid. Blood, the one that flowed endlessly from her head as she was sweating profusely in the cold night.
"let's go", one of the men said "they are probably dead" she heard him say to the other man, that was dressed in black jacket and big white boots, addressing the condition of the vehicle. Her heart heaved a sigh of relief. Soon the girl in the truck covered in blood heard a vehicle scree past her. "They're gone" she mumbled underneath her breath.
"But you don't have go"
Mama kuye was pleading.
"At least not now,"
she added, like she used to every time Lola brings up the talk.
"But I can't stay here all my life"
the young girl in white robe the one that looked like a celestial uniform, stated.
"I can't be a burden to you all my life, you also have your kids to look after" she added after a short pause.
"But I'm not complaining" Mama kuye replied.
"That is it", she said, her voice raised, standing up from the three legged stool she had sat on.
"Of course you are not complaining, and that's what scares me. You make me feel comfortable here while I just waste away when I could prime somewhere else" Lola said with anger lacing her voice.
"No" Mama kuye countered.
"No?" Lola said quizzing.
"You know I've always wanted the best for you...."
"Then you'll let me leave this God forsaken place."
Lola blared, with eyes wide open. As she angrily left the room with hastened steps. The one that sounded like floppy flaps of a bird learning to fly. One could barely see her feet touch the ground as she strode briskly across the room toward the entrance.
It was drizzling in the morning, the day after the incident had occurred. A few men that lived around who were scouring through the ruins of a fire incident that occurred before day break had reported to have heard soft cackling, that had sounded like that of a babe. The men had peered deeper into the ruin only to discover a child, safely wrapped in the middle of burnt iron and shattered woods. They brought it out and lo! she was still alive.
Soon after several unwarranted condolences made to the deceased they didn't know, where the baby was going to stay became the problem. They probably won't leave her in the ruins. Anything that could have pointed a clue to where they had come from was already destroyed in the fire except for a leaflet, that was half burnt. One of the men, "Pa Jon" as he was popularly called, had taken the half burnt leaflet with him. He appeared to be the cosmopolitan of the village. Many times has he gone out of the village and brought tales of the great cities even the king have not been to, and he made those places seem like heaven when he talked about them. "I'll dig deeper into these." he'd said while he was leaving. And this is the second decade since he had taken the piece of paper, perhaps he's still digging, but who cares, most of the villagers would have probably forgotten about the piece of junk he had taken that day.
"Who would like to keep the child?" Okwonko, a chief in the village asked, with the baby in his hands as he held her out amongst the people present. But the villagers didn't looked like they were ready to help. Most of them were of the notion that they never knew who her parents were as they all stared at each other whispering words surreptitiously at each other.
It wasn't long that they started to leave one after the other, like the soldiers who wanted to stone the Adulterous woman in the time of Jesus. Soon they had all vanished in thin air except for Mama kuye.
***
It's been a while and the baby have come of age. Mama kuye had loved the girl like her own and have not for a moment bereaved the decision she took that day. At least not until now.
Lola have always wanted a better life, better than the one she had. For a long time now she had always ventured the idea of leaving Umukuro. She was tired of houses suspended on water built with sapped woods, and covered with palm fronds. She had the conviction of a better life, that lies far beyond Umukuro.
It was like the village have been forgotten by the government. She sometimes thought. But still the villagers dread the terrifying phrase; "We're from the government and we're here to help you". That the men that came the other day, had said. They had claim to have come from the government, they came to the village with large vehicles different from the ones that passes through the village once every two months, the ones they had used to destroy a lot of houses that were on the land, laying claim the land belongs to the government. Thus forcing the villagers to live on water. That was many years ago.
"You know your home is here and this is where you belong" Mama kuye was saying to her outside the hut, standing on frail looking woods, the ones that looked like it was going to fall anytime soon. Between the log were tiny gaps through which the wave that settled on the river could be seen. Lola's gown was floating in the air at the impact of the gentle cool breeze that paraded their abode which was the only blessed treatment they received for living on water.
"I know mum....."
Lola replied
"But I just have to go, I can't stay here all my life, I also want to become a better person, I want to see the world and see if there is an opportunity for me out there..." Lola poured out her mind.
Mama kuye looked helpless, she didn't know what else to say to convince the lad. She just sat by the edge of her frail looking balcony with her legs half way into into the water and wrapped her hands around one of the wooden pillars;
"You know I've always wanted you to give up the idea of leaving, what would be left of me when you leave?" Mama kuye said, her voice was shaking, gazing at Lola's direction, and their eyes locked and Mama Kuye's face wore pity, the one that had touched Lola.
Lola could not find the right words to say, this was always the kind of moment she had always wished never to see again. To see Mama kuye cry. But here it is and she couldn't handle it. She just knelt with her back against the untapped pillar and broke into fresh tears.
Lola never liked it when Mama kuye was unhappy, especially because of her. It reminded her of when she used to be younger, growing and Mama kuye's husband was still much alive. It left her wondering "could any death be so horrible as birth? Or any decrepitude so awful as childhood in the home she had found herself?". The man had hated her for no exact reason, he would call her sort of names, painting the scene of women, when they had their war of words with each other, what only makes the dif
ference was that Lola does not get to take part in the war, or she'll never be whole again.
Akor, so the late was used to be called by both young and old, would curse and beat Mama kuye at any misdemeanor he perceives in the house. he thought that was the way he could only punish Mama kuye for bringing the unfortunate girl into his house. Growing up was like hell with him for Lola. And whenever Lola sights his grotesque image reeling out some metres from the house staggering with a bottle of Punch in his hand, she would flee like a marauding pest who just came across the scarecrow.
This didn't stop and it grew worse everyday, It was like he hated her just for growing, and never for once did he stop reminding her that she was a bastard and he was not her father whenever she calls him "daddy".
And so did days pass, and weeks strode off, It was almost a month and Lola had not talked about leaving Umukuro. This had been a brief relief for Mama kuye and Doris. During that period, Lola had made a new friend.
Doris who was out of many, the favourite and the most sincere of Lola's friends. Lola never did a thing without telling her. Once Doris did implore her to poison Akor's drink, when Lola told her about the act of the terrible man. "....so people would only think he died from drinking too much" Doris had counselled.
And Lola, in the simplicity of the act had almost heeded to her advice but on a second thought she refused to have a part in Akor's death. It was only after a month that Akor was reported to have suffered severe electrocution when he had drunkenly passed the night in the transformer vault few meters from his working place.
Doris never supported Lola from leaving all this while, they would always end their conversation in a fight whenever Lola talks about leaving.
***
Jasper was a truck driver and only comes to the village once or twice in a year, Jasper was in town and this was his second. He had been around for almost a month and was already planning to leave. The period had been long enough for Lola to concrete her relationship with him.
Lola would sneak down to Jasper's house every evening just to talk Jasper in to letting her go with him on one of his trips. It wasn't easy convincing Jasper but Lola had her way.
'I'll be leaving the day after tomorrow....' Jasper said.
"And don't be late. I'll leave with or without you" he added.
The young lad nodded in agreement. "I won't be late she mumbled and already turning to leave.
"But why are you so desperate to leave?" Jasper inquired with a curious look. Lola was shocked, she had always dreaded this question all the while, he's face was rigid, and frightening when he had said this, he had looked more serious than he was. It looked like if Lola had no answer he would crush her.
Lola had not expected Jasper to ask her such question knowing the kind of man he was.
“...you know sometimes 'Lola began, trying to talk faster than she used to. You do not have to seek the whys" she said. because there are some things that we do, for which we can formulate no whys, for which whys simply do not exist and, perhaps, are not necessary.” Lola added after a short pause.
".....I'm not confused" Jasper replied, indeed he was, his demeanour did much work to disinter that gross fact.
"But I understand one thing" he added, “Being defiant can be a good thing sometimes, you know" Jasper was saying. "Defiance is like war-it is not a bad thing when it is for the right course........don't be late" he concluded as he left for his house.
The day after the morrow that had been declared was here and Pa Jon the village cosmopolitan was pacing guardedly toward the bank of the river with his stick sinking freely as he launched it in the sand. The old man was consumed in a wasteful courtesy of self-presentation. He was basked in a large wrapper that could have taken at least, two more people. It was colourfully adorned with different beautiful patterns drawn on every side of the textile.
"People still live on water?" one of Pa Jon's companion had said. "Perhaps The proper thing to say should be- People are still subjected to live on water" the other replied And were both quiet for a while.
"If it wasn't for me who had appealed to the government then." Pa Jon interrupted the silence. "when they came with the intention to destroy this whole village, perhaps you wouldn't have found anyone here, they all would have looked for other places to stay far beyond this waters" Pa Jon said with a thrust of pride that made his head cringe hard with inaudible vibrations. Pa Jon's short speech had made it to his audience. Although they couldn't have disputed what he had said as untrue, as his name was being chanted every corner they had passed through.
.....how easy it had been for Pa Jon to tell another version of his life to strangers, to create with strangers the versions of his live he had always imagined. 'The village hero'.
Soon they were at their destination after a three minute journey that seem to have lasted three hours for "Vanessa" one of Pa Jon's companion. She had panicked all through the passage from fear of falling into the river. Little did she know they were only still floating the bank of the river and that they did not need a boat to get to where they were going. If she and Charles could only had walked through. It was not a thing for Pa Jon though.
The boat dropped them to what seemed like a parking lot for boats and helped them get on one of the houses, as they could get anywhere when they were on one of the lot. Charles squeezed crisp of naira notes and gave it to the boy that had brought them there. Ikemefuna the Lad was elated as he was given more than what he probably made in a month.
The houses were built connected to each other. Vanessa and Charles viewed with panicking admiration.
"It won't be long before we get to where we're going" Pa Jon said, interrupting the couple who were already enjoying the scenery.
'But won't they sink?' Vanessa asked. One could perceive the scent of fear in the way she talked, as she tightly grasped each pillar she came across. "Of course they won't" Charles replied.
Mama kuye was bitter as she broke into uncontrollable tears when Doris had finished talking..
"I saw her very early in the morning" Doris had said. It was then Mama kuye knew she had left the house before everyone had woken up.
Knack! Knack! Knack!, a knock was heard at the door and Mama kuye wavered to Doris to get it. Soon three people came into the small room, that served as the living room. Vanessa's gaze was fixed on Doris with different expressions written all over her fair oval face.
"What could be the problem?" Pa Jon asked when he had entered the house. His gaze was shot at mama kuye's direction and then scanning through the room.
"Don't you have mouth?" he blared. The young girl was already scared and was already about to talk when mama Kuye interrupted and started talking.
***
Lola tried to catch her breath, as she struggled out of what was left of the truck.
"Jasper!" She bellowed for the the umpteenth time and there was no answer still. She had not heard anything since the men in white boots and large torch had left the scene.
She scrambled her way out of the shattered steel. The sound of the clatter of iron resonated loudly in the still dark night.
The whole of her body was covered with bruises and clotted blood and her cloth was almost torn to pieces. Soon she was out of what was left of the large vehicle and it was then she'd discovered she was in the middle of a thick forest. The middle of nowhere. down to the other side of the road had seemed endless. They must have travelled for over seven hours before the crash, she thought. The thought of going back struck her mind.
"I don't even know how to get home" she mumbled. She had been at the back of the truck all the while and was not sure of the exact road that had led them this way.
Lola couldn't go back, neither could she go forward, all hope seem broken, her heart pounded loudly in her chest and became heavy as it sank in her chest.
"Is this the end?" she muttered to herself and mama kuye came to her mind, "how would sh
e had taken her sudden disappearance" she was thinking, Doris was also wandering in her mind, how disappointing it was to have left without letting her know, even though she wouldn't have agreed.
Lola felt the urge to run down to umukuro, but her legs betrayed her, strength had abandoned her. In the middle of the thick forest. She wanted to run back to her home where she belonged.
Tears swam through her eyes and dived around her cheeks, the thick gulp of fluid splattered as it landed on the ground.
Mama kuye's hands were on her head, her mouth was wide open and her eyes darted toward the couple in horror when Vanessa and Charles had stopped talking.
"why didn't you come all this while?" the woman inquired with tears streaming endlessly down her cheek.
"why didn't you send a note at least?" she cried after a short pause not waiting for the previous question to be answered before she asked another.
"Why! Why! W.... hy! She was wailing as she fell to the ground and started rolling. Doris tried to contain her but the young lady wasn't going to be of any good.
They have just told her that they were Lola's parent and that they had deliberately set up the fire that had destroyed their house many years ago to make some people believe they were dead, Charles had said. 'All this while we've tried not to come close to her just to keep her safe'. he added.
"We wouldn't want anything to happen her, that was why we did what we did"
Mama kuye was still confused as she couldn't fathom why they had left the child twenty years ago, and are just coming for her now... She just laid on the ground, flooded in tears.
"She left this morning" was all mama kuye could say as laid with her face upward on the ground amid tears after several seconds of silence.