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frankwriter:
Part 2



After about  45 minutes drive, my phone beeped. I quickly placed my forefinger behind my phone and it unlocked in a second.
There was a dim smile on my face when I opened the message and found out it was a credit alert from my Kuda account.  It was from my uncle — a whooping 40k.
It had "Merry Christmas" as narration.  I couldn't contain my joy.  There's this joy that comes with credit alert.  It kinda boasted my confidence and it made me feel better and relaxed.
__
     An hour into our trip, I began to feel dizzy. My eyes became heavy but I desperately needed to keep my head up. I tried logging into Twitter but network was very bad, so I quickly clicked on my audiomack app and searched for Phyno's newly released album, I plugged in my earphone and relaxed to enjoy the rhythm.
Vero was behind me, probably surfing the net with her S8. Just then, my phone rang, and it was my uncle calling. My  heart skipped. The bus was a bit lousy with passengers having argument over Biafra agitation. Definitely not  the best background to pick his call. I ignored it and it came ringing the second time, I refused  picking up. I already  knew why he was calling.
 
"Who was that and why weren't you picking up?" Vero queried from behind.
"My uncle."
"Wawu! Are you going to tell him now?"
"No. I'll call him when we alight."
"Okay. That's cool."
 
That was the last thing I ever remembered before I eventually dozed off while the music still blasted my ears.
Suddenly, I was woken up by the loud screeching of the bus.
"Jesus.. Oh! My God." Passengers shouted. Fear gripped me when I saw everyone screaming for help.  My heart was beating faster and I was totally dumbfounded. I saw the driver struggling with the steering, trying to put the bus to a halt.
     Long story short, it collided with another car by the roadside and finally halted.
People already gathered round the bus, trying to see if we survived.  My head ached badly, my waist was all pain and my heart thudding against my ribs. The bus was eventually opened by the passersby – and we managed to come down.
Vero was shedding tears, I rushed and asked if she was wounded or perhaps had severe pains in any part of her body. She held her chest firmly but didn't utter a word.
"What's the problem?" I further asked.
Some of the  passengers stared at us while some were conscious of their bags and luggage. This was happening around  6:05pm or so, it was evening and I had no knowledge of our location.
 
      I never knew Vero was an asthmatic patient until she slumped, and luckily, someone behind her was quick to hold her down. This time I was going crazy.  Like why did I even embark on this journey, and what if this girl dies? Wetin I go tell  my uncle? Lots of thoughts rushed through my head.
A certain young lady from the crowd rushed her and sat her upright. “Where’s her inhaler?” She screamed at me. I grabbed her bag like I kept one there, fortunately I found a blue one. The young lady loosen her bra from behind so as to give her some relief.  She took the reliever inhaler from me and encouraged her to take some puffs of the inhaler.
"God, please don't allow this girl to die." I was praying in my heart while my whole body shivered.
"Vero! Please, wake up," I said and held her warmth hand. I could still see her breathing, and that gave me hope.
“Relax, she’ll be fine,” replied the damsel. 
     Moment later, she coughed and her eyes opened.  I heaved a big sigh of relief. "Thank you,  Jesus," I muttered.
She stood lost and exhausted. I walked closer and asked if she was fine,  she nodded head in affirmation. I exhaled heavily.
“Thank you, ma. God bless you,” Vero turned to the lady.
“You’re Welcome, my dear.”
_____
        The driver as well as the two passengers at the front seat were badly injured; they were rushed to the nearest pharmacy before they were taken to the hospital, just like we were told. The bus was eventually pulled out of the tarred road by some boys and few of the passengers. The front part was badly damaged.
Gradually, the sun went down completely, twinkle stars dotted the sky. All the passengers began to find means to continue their journey. Vero and I stood by the roadside hoping to see a cab or perhaps another affordable bus heading to Calabar. According to her, we were almost close,  just a few distance.
 My phone rang, and when I checked, it was my uncle calling again. I knew he must be worried. I quickly ran to a serene corner.
“Why haven’t you been picking up?” He queried in a loud tone.
“I’m sorry, I haven’t been with my phone, I was charging it at a nearby shop.” I lied.
“Did you recei….,”
“Yes, I got the alert,” I cut in quickly.
“Thank you, so much,” I added.
“You said you ain’t travelling to the village?”
“Erm, yes.”
The next I heard was tuutuuh. The call ended. I guess his airtime got exhausted. I heaved a big sign of relief and hastily walked back to where Vero and other passengers stood.
“That was strange,” Vero broke the awkward silence.
“What was strange?” I asked, my eyes roved.
“I never knew we’d survive this terrible accident,” she said.
“My dear, it can only be God. What would have been the fate of my children waiting for my arrival?” said one of the  passengers; a woman in her late forties, judging from her look.
I was dumbfounded. Vero felt parts of her body with her right palm just to see if she sustained any injury.
When I turned, I saw one Sienna applying break and eventually stopped before us.
“Two persons only,” signaled the driver from the front side. Vero and I quickly stepped forward with our bags.
“Come to the front,” the driver opened the front door. We hopped in and sat with one buttock, just to make ourselves comfortable. The cold wind of the night slithered in our body and I sighed slowly.
 The driver ignited his engine and we zoomed off. I gazed at Vero, her eyes were closing. About thirty minutes later, the driver navigated towards an untarred road. Both left and right side of the road stood tall trees and green leafs. I suddenly felt a strange wave – there was this feeling of being in the wrong vehicle. My eye caught the driver, the way he looked at us made it look like he was up to something. I quickly tapped Vero, her eyes opened and she turned towards me.
“Please, where are we? This place looks like a bush,” I said panicking. Fear already gripped me. Just the moment she tried to stare outside from the window side, a hand pulled her from behind.  Jeez! I turned and it was dawn on us we have been trapped by some hooligans. Vero was the only girl in the car – and there was actually space at the back unlike what the driver announced when he halted, but because it was dark, we barely noticed. 
“Cooperate with us and you’ll be fine,” the driver broke the long silence. My heart was beating faster like a lizard that fell from a tall tree. Vero had cold shivers running through her body. I silently prayed she doesn’t get to slump again. Cos I go kukuma faint join am.
Long story short, the driver drove a distance and stopped. They got down from the car, about four of them.
“Come down!” one of them ordered.
Vero was shivering badly but we managed to alight. One of them walked up to us and demanded for our phones. Sluggishly, I acted like I had no phone with me until one tear me slap from behind. Omo! No be person say make I commot my phone give them. Vero calmly handed them hers.  “Remember, if you cooperate with us you’ll be fine,” the driver reminded.
Having gone through our phones, they forced us to transfer the money in our accounts and— surprisingly they had a POS machine. We lost our phones, money, and other valuables they forcefully took from us.  Vero was fortunate enough not to have been molested nor raped. Things could have gone worst.
I couldn’t just understand how our journey got worsen. First, we collided with car and not long after, we got robbed. I was so broken. My village would have been a better choice – I began to regret my decision. I was pained to the bone marrow.
Funnily enough, they drove us back to the tarred road and asked us to come down. One of them popped out his head, “Merry Christmas in advance,” he said, smiling sheepishly. They accelerated speedily.
Vero and I stood confused and stranded by the roadside. Cars and trucks swooshed past. Night birds chirped, and half moon illuminated, giving its light freely.
Vero hissed at intervals. No one said anything to each other. Suddenly, our eyes got locked in contact, and I felt like letting out the anger boiling in me but I couldn’t just help than to remain calm. If only she could read my mind. I stood there like an electric pole while she wandered around like a ghost.
Not long, we saw a police Hilux coming our way. The header light flashed on our faces.  Vero stepped out and waved down at them. Surprisingly, they were kind enough to halt. She walked straight to the front door, and before she could utter a word, tears trickled down her cheeks.
“What happened?” enquired one of the officer.
“Erm, we-we were just robbed not long ago,” She wiped her tears.
“Where?” asked one of the officer.
“Over there,” she pointed towards the direction.
They got talking while I observed from behind. Vero went on to narrate our ordeal to them. They began to interrogate her with “Where are you going to? Who’s that boy to you?” And all manner of annoying questions.
A few moment later, She signaled me to come with our bags. “Good evening sirs,” I saluted with a faint voice. One of them gave me that uneasy look; like I was a criminal or something similar. “What’s your name?” He eventually queried.
“Eric.” I replied lamely.
“Get in let’s go,” said the officer steering the Hilux.
And for the first time in my life, I saw a caring policemen ready to assist us. And while we rode, Vero showed them direction to our destination. To my utter amazement, they drove us down to Vero's street. Unbelievable! And that was how we safely arrived Calabar very late at night. The longest journey I ever embarked.


To be continued....
©️FrankWriter1

#storyteller

Twitter and IG: frankwriter1



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