"The police are searching everywhere now including the bridge, am sorry but the names he mentioned was both of you - Obi and Thomas".
________________________
"what do you mean by the both of us?" I asked panting. I haven't started running but my heartbeat was pounding way more louder than a pestle pounding a yam.
The police sirens could be heard from afar and we both knew they were up to no good. Immediately obi drew my hands as we ran into the market ignoring what the rest of the boys had to say.
I withdrew my hands and ran as fast I could. They said only a criminal runs at the sight of police. But that can't be said at our situation, it doesn't matter if we did a thing or not. No one fucking cares. We ran and ran past the market, car's, buses, hawkers. obi was in front and he headed towards palm groove way while I followed him trying hard to bridge the gap between us.
There is no time to ask questions, no time to explain ourselves, like I said we were outcasts that deserve no love. We are nothing but tools and tissues in the hands of the powerful. We passed through streets and soon I forgot the name of the street we entered.
He stopped in front of bush to take in air and pant while a tiny tear leaked out my eyes.
"Why us?........ Obi why us?........ What did we do to deserve this? Weytin we do!!!!!! Tell me na!!" Another tear leaked out.
"I did nothing wrong, I didn't steal, I didn't kill, I didn't abduct a person nor did I smuggle cocaine yet am being treated by a criminal?" I asked Obi who looked as confused as I am. He stood straight and got closer to me to tap my back.
"It is going to be okay, just let's take everything as God's will" he said but I pushed his hands away.
Did he dare mention God's name in this?
"Don't. Call. God. Here" I said admist tears. "Can you even hear your self? Does he even know us, does he even care about us? Where was he when my dad died, where was he when my mum died? Where was he when when we slept with empty tummys? Where was he when we're almost killed? Where was he when your family left you?Where is he now?" I asked and bursted out into tears.
My mum has always told me to believe in God in all situations but I doubt I could continue to, I doubt even if he exist. I don't even care about going to hell, my life is already as good as hell.
"Tomy.." he called out faintly as tears rolled out from his eyes.
"This is it.....(sobs) This is the end. Obi this is it" my knees felt so weak to carry my body. Wobbly that they crashed and I landed on the the ground as more tears rolled out while I wailled like a child.
"I know we can't go back, but we can move forward"
"Forward to where? Ehn? To the police court or to jail? Am sure the police would be more than pleased to welcome us" I said trying to be sarcastic.
"Tomy don't give up so easily and get up. We are still in the evening and we can find and a place to crash so get up" he complained and pulled me up. "We are going to make it, it is too late to back out now, it is too late to give up now, I know we'd make it" he said optimistically.
I struggled to rise up and wiped up my tears.
"So which way are we going?" I asked looking at the black clould filled with rain.
"First let us get shelter from the rain that is about to fall because there are no clothes to dry ourselves with" he said with a sad smile and I nodded as we began our journey to an unknown destination but as if on cue , the rain poured down in full strength without drizzling.
I think nature also hates us
Like a lion forced out of his den, we ran to take shelter from a closed abandoned stall which was a rusted one with a small covering enough to prevent the rain from wetting us further but not the cold that embraced us in full force.
We sat down and rest our back on the door of the stall while we clinch to ourselves to withstand the cold.
Water trailed down my face that I could no longer differentiate whether it was my tears or the rain water.
"Obi" I could out in a shaky voice. With my body shaking and my teeth clattering. The blue armless Polo and the brown knickers were no match for the cold that engrossed me. The rain was getting heavier and soon the pan that served as a covering to us outside the stall began to leak
"Hey, just stay calm" he consoled me as he wrapped his hands to my vibrating body.
"Obi" i called out again
"Okay" he said and pulled off his black shirt which he use to cover my body and let me lay on his laps while he sat bare naked not minding the cold.
"Obi, you'd catch a cold" I said trying to give him back his cloth but he stopped me.
"Tomy you are looking white,like and I don't want to loose you so use it, I can still stand the rain" he replied faintly with a smile and I nodded and covered myself properly with the cloth as I curled my self into the cloth and his lap.
"This rain my last till night so just sleep, I'll try get something tomorrow" obi said tomorrow but I had no strength to object so I just nodded and force myself to sleep.
"Am here, am always here Thomas and I know It would be alright"
**********
I woke up with a pounding head, a hunger stomach and a shivering body. Obi was not beside me again and I guess he has gone to get something.
He is the best friend I could ever have, the only one who could give up his shell for me, Obi was more than a friend, he was a brother, a father and a mentor. He was always there for me, providing, feeding, playing, caring... infact he was everything. If I could wish for anything in this world, I'd wish for his desire to come true.
I tried sitting up to view the environment. It was a closed street and the stall we used for shelter was for sure abandoned. Some passersby stared at me to shook their head while some school students stopped to point and talk or gist to those fellows while some parents dragged them along.
I have no strength to answer them or shoo them away. They certainly don't understand what it means not to have shelter and food.
Another throbbing pain hit my head and I tried to hold my head with my weak hand while closing my eyes.
"Tomy!!" I heard Obi call from afar but I was to weak to turn my head o. "Just calm down" he said and I could tell he was beside me now as he supported me with is body and gave me bread to eat.
"Tomy please try to eat this, I got medicine but you need to eat first" he advised weakly.
"Have you eaten?" I asked him faintly as I collected the bread from him.
"No but I'll find something to eat when you are okay" he replied.
"Obi-"
"Don't, just eat. I promise am fine" he reassured me while I nodded and took a bite from the bread.
After eating, he gave me water and the medicine which in one way or the other gave me relief.
He helped me like down again to try get some sleep. I closed my eyes with only one question in my head.
What would I have done without him?
Short chapter I guess but don't forget to vote and comment.
Question of the chapter - Do you have a best friend; if yes if he/she like Obi and if no, why?
Special thanks going to orex366 for requesting this chapter. You and your book are such a darling.
And to all my readers (Geniuses)..... I love you all 💖💖💖💖💖
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HIDDEN IN THE PUBLIC
Adventure"Obi no one would want to hear our story, no one understands neither do they care about us. We are nothing but outcast of the city" ******************** Thomas seems to have lost everything, his parent, his friends and even his way in Lagos city. He...
