safarigirl:
Chapter One- The Beginning


How fast can you run to save your own life?

Some might say as fast as the fastest man alive, some may say as fast as Flash, the comic superhero, some may say as fast as a bullet train.

You never really know how fast you can run in such a situation until you’re faced with it. Until there’s just you and that possibility staring face to face and you could either conquer it, or it conquers you. But let’s be real here, what are the possibilities of conquering death? What are the chances of an average human being against an angry mob?

Well, Patrick was about to find out, and hopefully, he would live to tell a tale on it.

Heavy feet hit the ground, packing dust as it lifted off like a tractor. Rivulets of sweat streamed down taut brown skin, occasionally entering fidgety brown eyes or hanging on to lashes that were enviably long. Harsh breaths escaped flared nostrils trying to grasp what it exerted from humid air. Sharp ears had long ago blocked out the sound of an irate mob few metres away and replaced that sound with a hollow sound, only a thudding heart resounded within the chambers of both ears.

He had never done this before, it had been an emergency. His naiveté had been exposed before he could move far and now, he was running for his life as angry men and women, people who probably didn’t care for the shop owner on a normal day but were just looking for something to light up a slow and boring day , chased after him with various clubs, all looking to get his blood on their clubs. His blood.

What would happen if he died today? Would all of the suffering end? Was there somewhere better on the other side? If there was, had he not ruined it all for himself by stealing? More importantly, what would happen to his only living relative? The person for whom he was now being chased by this mob. What would become of Veronica?

Sturdy feet seemed to move faster at that thought, he needed to stay alive, he needed to get her the loaf of bread in his hand, so she could get better. He wouldn’t die today and certainly not because of a measly loaf of bread.

His arms pumped, his body not giving up on him. working out had it’s advantages he guessed. The fact that he had long, built legs on a 6 ft. 3” frame also helped. Not that he ever envisioned using these attributes in such a situation.

He rounded a corner, hoping that would get a few people off his track, and then cut through another narrow space. He could still hear them, but they weren’t as loud anymore. Just a few more corners. He thought. He jumped over a low fence and found himself in the large parking lot of the newly renovated part of Karu market- the fancy area.

He moved to the many rows of cars, the parking lot was full today, lots of people were preparing for Salah and had come shopping for foodstuff. He could use this to his advantage.

He moved through the cars, his heart still racing as his eyes constantly darted to the fence. Any moment now and someone would be jumping over that fence, he could feel it. He just had to find where to hide until the ruckus died down.

He tried pulling at the handles of random cars, hoping that someone had carelessly left a door open, it certainly was not a likelihood in Nigeria, but considering how terribly his day had gone so far, something had to give. His feet moved faster along with his hands. He briefly considered abandoning this plan and just running to the roadside, but what were the chances he wouldn’t run into someone who had been part of the mob chasing him?

He felt nervous sweat run down his face, he would make it. he just needed to find an open car.

Just as the thought came to his head, the door of the backseat of a car suddenly clicked open. He stared at the partially opened door for a moment, stunned at his unreal luck. Had this car just opened? Seriously? Before he could wrap his head around the occurrence, he saw the first person with a stick jumping over the fence. He swiftly ducked and flew into the backseat of the car, closing the door behind him.

He managed to squeeze his large frame on the floor of the car and waited for the mob to disperse.

The loaf of bread he had gone through all this trouble for was now squeezed in his large hand. It was just a flimsy loaf of bread, not worth more than fifty naira at the most. Why did everyone have to make so much fuss over it? he hadn’t taken it from the shop of a poor man. He had watched that shop for a full ten minutes. It was a large one, fit to be a supermarket. There were goods worth five thousand naira and above in there, the measly fifty naira bread was an eyesore in such splendor.

It was nothing the owner would miss.

To think the same person had organized this mob to haunt him down and possibly kill him for something that insignificant shook him to the core….but he wasn’t a thief, he was just….unfortunate.

He had tried, he had tried hard and anyone, no matter how stone-hearted would appreciate that. He had reached his breaking point today, he hadn’t had anything to eat in two days and that was just fine by him, but Veronica couldn’t starve and he couldn’t find something to do to get him the needed money on time.

It had killed him to watch his sister writhe and groan in her sleep all of last night having only ate barely a cup of garri, the last thing he could provide, earlier in the morning. She had ulcer, she couldn’t take her medications because she hadn’t had anything to eat. What he fed her was far from ideal for her condition and it was a miracle she was still alive after all of the abuse her system had been put through. He had tried to ask those who lived around them for food or money, but no one would give him the time of day. He was a young and strong man, he could go out and find something to do, but none of them would volunteer to look after Veronica in his absence. They were all selfish people

Even this bread, this damned bread in his hand, was not what she needed, but it was all he could get.

He tried to even his breathing and enable his hearing. Some people were around, they were walking through the parking lot. They were looking for him.

He closed his eyes and muttered a prayer. God wouldn’t let him die today. He hadn’t seen twenty-seven years to die like this. He hadn’t been through eight hard years with Veronica to die like this. She still needed him, she had no one else but him. God couldn’t punish him like this and God wouldn’t punish Veronica like this either.

He waited for some more time, he didn’t know how long passed, but he soon stopped hearing the voices, and then there was silence. Sweet, beautiful, blissful silence.

Patrick closed his eyes and said a small prayer of thanks to God, he could leave now.

He suddenly heard another voice- no, two voices, and they were female. What was going on now? The voices were coming closer and another kind of fear seized Patrick’s heart. Could he run for it? they would see him before he could even open the door.

The boot of the car suddenly opened up and he ducked to hide himself, gritting his teeth at his large frame. Right now, he wished he was much smaller and inconspicuous.

The women were chattering with excitement as they loaded some items into the opened boot, unaware of the stranger in the car. Something about an upcoming birthday party, he was really not interested in their conversation, his mind was running a mile a minute, thinking up all the excuses he could make for being inside their car. He could only pray they wouldn’t scream too loud and attract unwanted attention. There had to be some understanding person in the world today.

He waited patiently as they closed the boot after loading it and made their way to the car doors, “Jesus, I can’t believe I forgot to lock this car.” The first woman spoke once she made the shocking discovery.

“Ha! Sister, why so careless? I hope you didn’t leave any valuables inside it o, you can never trust the people around here, even the so-called security people are very shady.” The other said as they opened the doors and entered the car.

“Hmm, I left nothing of value inside thankfully, don’t mind me and my forgetfulness.” She hissed and reached for her seatbelt.

Just as they moved to fasten the seatbelt, the lady in the passenger’s seat caught sight of the male form on the floor of the car, she peered down at the form inquisitively and let out a loud shriek once she confirmed it really was a man

Patrick suddenly sat up with raised arms, “Please don’t shout, please. I’m not armed, I won’t hurt you please.” He tried to calm the two hysterical women down as the one in the driver’s seat had joined her sister in their screaming match. He knew he probably didn’t look like someone whose words should be taken seriously, but…..for the love of God something had to go right for him today!

“Get out! Get out!” the one in the passenger’s seat said, hitting him repeatedly with her handbag.

He blocked the hits with one arm while he struggled to find the door handle with his other, “I’m going, please don’t scream, I didn’t steal anything.” He begged. Inwardly, he prayed no one else could hear their screams.

He finally managed to push the door open and stumbled out of the car rather haphazardly, still clutching the loaf of bread like his life depended on it. The two women simply ignored him and the one in the driver’s seat started her car.

He fell onto the gravel and watched the car zoom off without the back door closing properly.

He watched the dust it left behind for a while, rather dazed at what had just happened. Nervous eyes turned left and right to determine if anyone had witnessed the embarrassing incident, once he was sure the parking lot was fairly empty, he let out a small sigh of relief and stood up.

He wiped the gathering sweat off thick eyebrows and let out a deep sigh as he dusted the back of his trousers, but the sound of laughter halted his movements almost immediately. Was someone laughing at him?

He turned around swiftly to find a fairly old woman with a head full of salt and pepper hair, laughing boisterously. Her head was thrown back and she had wrinkling hands upon her chest as her opened mouth exposed gleaming white teeth. He furrowed his brows at her, wondering what this woman found so funny.

He noticed her appearance; she was dressed in a pair of plain, black trousers and a lemon green chiffon top, on her feet were simple, nude colored sandals that made the yellow polish on her toe nails pop. She looked regal, nothing like the kind of woman that should be around here. Small things stood out in her appearance, like the gleaming ring on her finger; he was no expert in jewels, but he was certain that had to be some authentic diamond. Even the simple, silver chain around her gazelle-like neck had a turquoise pendant that probably cost something.

He watched her continue to laugh for a while, unable to move, not just because he thought her laugh sounded beautiful, but he really was interested in knowing what had her laughing this hard.

She finally quelled the laughter to look at him with mirth-filled eyes, one hand came up to her left eye to wipe a tear that had escaped from it, “Oh my goodness….oh, heavens! I haven’t laughed like that in ages boy, you are a delight.” She said and then resumed her laughter in light chuckles.

Okay, so she had apparently been the sole audience in that brief scene, but why was she laughing? Why wasn’t she berating him or acting cautious around him like others would? Why was she openly laughing at him? He was easily twice her size and much younger, so, he was in a good position to hurt her if he really was a bad person. Her laughter intrigued him.

“That…..whatever just happened there, that was hilarious. What were you doing in a stranger’s car?” she asked

He wasn’t sure if that was a rhetorical question or if she truly expected a reply from him, what did she think he was doing there? Listening to the news on radio?

He shook his head at her and turned around to be on his way, tired of being the unwilling source of some lady's amusement. Veronica would be waiting for him, he had no time to stand here staring at people whose mental condition couldn’t be determined.

“Wait, wait please. Why so much in a hurry?” the woman called after him as he began walking, but he ignored her, choosing to move a bit faster, “Wait boy, I have something for you.” She spoke up.

Those words stopped him in his steps and he turned back once again to find her approaching him. This time, she was reaching into a small sling bag he hadn’t noticed. His brow cocked in interest, what was she reaching for?

She finally got to where he was standing and smiled at him, her smile was as beautiful as her laugh. She was a very pretty woman, no doubt about it, “I just want to thank you for that scene today, I honestly haven’t laughed that good in a while. Here, please take this for your troubles.”

He didn’t notice the money in her hand and didn’t look down to acknowledge whatever she was handing to him as his face remained on hers, until she took his free hand and put the paper in his larger palm.

He finally looked down at it and his eyes widened at the sight of five pieces of one thousand naira notes. He couldn’t remember the last time he had seen this much money. For the first time since he saw the woman, he finally found a purpose for his vocal chords, he shook his head vehemently, “I’m sorry ma, I can’t accept this. I don’t need your free money, thank you.” It pained him greatly to speak those words especially as he did in fact need any form of money he was given at this stage, but he didn’t know this woman from wherever.

She shook her head at him, “Whoever said it was free money, you just provided me with priceless entertainment, this is a small token of my appreciation. Take it” she patted his arm and turned to leave, but he followed her.

“No, ma. Please, take it back, I really don’t need it.”

“Young man, use it to buy yourself something to eat. I don’t think that tiny bread you have in your hand can sustain someone as big as you are.”

Her mention of his bread took his eyes back to the item that nearly cost him his life less than an hour ago. It was now totally squeezed and barely resembled something fit for even a dog. He frowned, he would have to straighten out the bread somehow before he got home.

“Madam….”

Her sudden stop made him pause in his words, she turned around and looked him up and down with a sudden gleam to her eyes. She walked up to him and gave him a thoughtful look, “How old are you young man?” she asked.

He furrowed his brows, what sort of question was that? Should he give her the correct answer? He briefly considered lying to her, but her elderly status and the fact that he most likely wouldn’t see her again after today, changed that thought, “Twenty- eight.” He replied cautiously.

“Perfect!” she beamed at him, “I’ll tell you what, Mr….?”

Her pause sought an answer, and he supplied her one without a thought, “Patrick.”

“Patrick, what a lovely name. I’ll tell you what Mr. Patrick, if after some days you still feel guilty about getting free money from an old lady, come by my house or call me and I guarantee you, I will give you a job worthy of this pay. Do we have a deal?” she asked

He watched her scribble something he assumed was her phone number and house address on a sheet of paper, his mind still in a haze as to what exactly was happening. Was she implying an actual job perhaps? This was almost surreal.

She finally finished writing whatever she put down and looked up at him, she handed him the paper, but he made no move to collect it from her, “Go on, take it.” she urged.

He slowly reached out and collected the paper from her, still giving her a wary look. He looked down at what was on the paper and sure enough it was a phone number and house address. She lived in Garki, how did she get here all the way from Garki?

“I look forward to your call or visit.” She said.

He took his eyes away from the paper long enough to watch her leave. She went to a small, but undoubtedly expensive car. From his vantage point, he could tell it was a Mercedes- Benz, he couldn’t say the model, but it looked new. She pressed a button on the key and the car unlocked.

She turned to him one last time to drop a final compliment, “And Patrick…”

“Ma?”

“You’re a very good-looking young man, any woman should scream with joy if she finds you in her car.” She said, her head tossed back once again in laughter even as she ducked to enter her car.

Patrick just stood in the parking lot, staring until she started the car, gave him one last wave and drove off. He gave the events of the day one last thought before slipping the paper in his hand into his back pocket.

That act reminded him of the money in his hand, five thousand naira. He could actually use this to make some decent food for himself and Veronica for the first time in weeks. He grinned at the money, but his face fell when he remembered the bread in his hands.

A feeling of disdain passed through him at the sight of the bread, this damned loaf of flour had nearly cost him his life today…. And still, it led him to meet this woman. He frowned at the piece of bread and tossed it away in anger, today, Veronica deserved to be fed like a princess and the measly piece of bread simply wouldn’t cut it.

Thank God for Miracles