Copyright 2015
Eureka123
THE SCAPE GOATS


"Daddy -- I would love to study abroad when I grow up." six year old Lara would always tell her father, who would pat her with so much love and admiration because of her innocence.

The truth be told, unless things took a turn for the better, even though they were a very comfortable family, he never could afford sponsoring her studies outside the country.
Days had passed into months and months into years. Lara grew into a very loving intelligent teen, who made the top of her class and her other endeavors.
As soon as she made into the senior secondary, preparations for her SAT and GCE exams were bee considered and planned for.

As the time went by, Lara made her GCE papers in SS2 and went ahead to write the SAT exams, also passing with flying colors. The truth be told, the SAT exams and other international scholarship exams did little or less to help her as soon as she made into the final year in the secondary school.


When things seemed not to have been going her way, and it seemed like her dreams were going to die, an opportunity presented itself through a friend who introduced her to a good university in Norway and which could offer her scholarship based on her O' Level academic results.


Lara was from a grand family. A family were uncles were just names on papers. Many did little or less to help her situation when she finally got admitted and ready to travel out of the country. Patiently, her parents and few concerned relatives tried their widow's mite to aid her dream.

She had a friend John, who also got admitted into the same university in Norway. As a matter of fact, they had been aided through the admission process through a friend she had met through another friend!


Most people who wanted to help others did so for personal gains, especially when it comes to matters about immigration, would paint wonderful pictures about the country of destination. About how easy it was to find jobs, how cheap things were and how easy life was going to be abroad. Lara had learnt about this through the experience of a senior back then in secondary school, who went abroad to study as well.
John and Lara, their parents and close acquaintances felt they could be totally relaxed with Mike, who helped with their admissions. He promised them they were going to be in safe hands with some family members in Norway. They traveled after months of preparations and when they finally arrived in Norway, it was a dream-come-true for Lara.


At the airport, the university where the two lads were admitted made provisions for airport pick-ups for international students; on condition that proper notice was given prior to arrival. They hadn't bothered since Mike's people were coming to get them.


The first two weeks was hell for the duo. After a long hour ride from the airport back to the supposed apartment of Mike's family members, if was understood that they had already vacated the premises, but still having the key to the apartment. They attributed their move to the ill treatment from the building caretaker. Thus, John and Lara were made to sleep-and-hide whenever the caretaker came around every morning and evening.



"I would love to stay in the school hostel," said John to Lara.
"If the cost isn't much, it would be a great idea. We can go tomorrow to check out prices of hostel spaces." Lara suggested to their "hostesses". Mike's people were planning on moving into a house they couldn't really afford, and had suggested to Lara and John that they consider staying outside the school dormitories.
The following day, a rented car drove right in front of the building where they were hiding out. It was barely a 25 minutes ride, and a black guy who held a cigarette in his hands and couldn't speak English drive the car.
Together they rode to the school dormitories and made inquiries in the Norwegian language, to the baffled state of He John and Lara. The "taxi driver" did the work of the interpreter.


"300USD cab fee!" the driver screamed out aloud.
"300USD!?" Lara shouted in shock. But I don't have such amount here!"
"Neither do i!" John retorted.
"He will call the police on you if you don't give him that money now oo!" Hostess one replied.
"If you can pay him, we will settle you well when we get back." John negotiated, but the cab driver remained adamant.
Hostess one and two made for their hills when the driver started trying to make a phone call to the "police ". Forcefully, the two lads patted ways with 150USD out of their cash there and then. The cab driver zoomed off without batting one eyelid.



Two weeks later, they ended up moving into an apartment where they shared costs for. They find out that rented cars do not go commercial as cabs, the least fare anywhere around by cab was 10USD and they suspected they may have paid too much for the new apartment. Also, the hostesses had lied about moving out due to issues with the caretaker, it was because of their inability to pay up rent that had caused their consequent eviction.


Lara complained, but she was reprimanded for it by hostess one. Mike hadn't been honest about so many things unmentionable. Hostesses had ran background check on the financial statuses of Lara's and John's parents respectively before they even arrived Norway.


Food and shower came as luxury during the first few days when the two lads didn't know their way around so much, and weren't able to access their luggage freely for foodstuffs and proper change of clothes at the hide-out.



Hostesses didn't know when they both registered for school or how they went about it. Maybe they never cared. They were known for scams against fellow nationals around the area. Other past victims of "Hostesses" approached Lara and John to give them proper inductions on how to survive with the predators.



A potential first time memory had been totally ruined, to a point where relationships were scattered and trust embellished, never to be re-built again. The journey had only just begun.

Cc Larrysun
Standd
Naijasinglegirl