Trapped

Chapter 1

*TRAPPED (Three stories woven into one)

. It was Monday afternoon, the sun was spreading its bright but scorching rays everywhere. Indoors?Outdoors? Bringing in heat and beads of perspiration as everyone furiously focus on their work.

School Children walking along the pedestrian lane with their bubbling voices as their bags danced round their backs. Noisily their mouth grumbled with groundnuts, biscuits, candies and other sweet-embedded food. Children!You can never see them going after bitter food. They are always on the go for sweetness. Cabdrivers! Have you ever met one?You can't say no to that for They are everywhere with big towels round their necks, trickles of sweat drooping. Lines of worries dancing Atilogwu on their foreheads over how many customers sits in the cab, how much money is needed to make the day's profit great and promising and with their bulging eyes to see if another cab-driver hasn't taken any customer heading towards their car.

Their "Mushin,Mushin, Mushin, wòle pelu change e, " as loud as an mp3 enveloped the whole garage.

And the marketwomen sprawled across the large market -garage combined area was another scenario to be noted. With wrappers tied firmly round their waists and their arms swift in action to drive towards them passersby and buyers.

"My garri can make you forget rice, madam taste from it and enjoy the sweetness, You na no go follow me buy?"

Their words, their sugar-coated mouth,Their running lips just like a running tap left to pour it's liquid to a pail! You can as well buy some things you don't even need.

And the load-carriers!The alabaru's just as Yoruba call them, with sacks bundled up, held firmly to their chest, their sweat-soaked body and their legs hurrying to get to the destination where the carried loads will be dropped.
Alabaru's!The barrow-drivers with their barrows full of foodstuffs and sacks, hurrying with biceps and muscles poised.

With her empty polythene bag stuck between her fingers, Nonso watched more, this scenario. Her ruffled experience sums up this scenario also, she stood gazing curiously like a lost tourist. On her, a white shirt?or grey?or brown? Which should we go for? Let's set the colour aside. A shirt on a long black skirt, her dust-ladened legs in slippers popularly known as Dunlop slippers.

"Nonso, so you wear Dunlop slippers everywhere you go! When did you become MTN? Are your family that poor? "

With a burning twitch in her head, the sarcastic voice of Suzie made her shriek with pain leaving her nervous and fidgety
Suzie, the neighbourhood busybody! Her number one enemy.

Did I just say an enemy? Mama once warned us and her words were do not see anyone as an enemy , they might be a helper to you. You just won't know until it happens:She thought to herself.

"Targhhhh, if Suzie happens to be my destined helper, I will beg my Chi to bring someone else. "

Nonso wandered more around the market-garage combined area until she finally settled at a kiosk to buy cheap things she could afford with the crumpled Five hundred Naira stuck between her fingers.

*******

Walking into the one-room apartment, Nonso glanced at her mother's ruffled appearance. On her,a lemon coloured T-shirt with GOD IS LOVE beautifully inscribed on it. Her flabby blossom with her old wrapper tied round it remain as slack as it was. She had her eyes welled up with tears and she turned out to be, a pathetic sight.

When last has mama smiled? Last five years? That last Christmas Papa shared with us?. Nonso thought.

Thoughts dawned more on Nonso as she took a cursory look again. She was lost in thought as always, Mrs Effiong Williams was lost in thought. On the short stool she sat and the far away look she wore subjected her to oblivion.
Her first daughter, Nonso's presence, was she unaware of. Even the coarse two-coloured rug shared bond with Nonso's mother as its worn outlook and torn edges cried out for freedom.

"Mama you won't believe what happened at the market today." Nonso beamed, settling down on a blue plastic chair as she twitched her nose like one who passes by a stinky pit.

"Ogini, what is that Nonso? Atatashe market is always full of drama . Even the market women are drama queens. "

" Mama a cup of garri is now sold at hundred naira! I couldn't believe my ears when I heard it, "

" Hundred Naira or what did I just hear you say?where is this government of us taking us to?the next level or down a wild tunnel? Do they want us to starve till our flesh rottens and our bones becomes dried bones Nonso, "exclaimed Mrs Williams with her hands on her flabby bosom .

Her heart skipped a beat! Garri has always been a saviour, the only available food one could turn to after everyday's ordeal has left them beaten up by hunger and fatigue.

"Mama that was exactly what I told the woman who sold it to me, I
couldn't buy 2 cups again. May our Chi not let hunger kill us in this house." cried Nonso.

" Hundred Naira !" Mrs Williams exclaimed with fear in her eyes, her God is love T-shirt could feel the grief.

" Mama,where is Esohe? Is she not back from school yet, has brother not brought today's earnings yet. "

" No, nwa nwanyi, it is not yet 2 o'clock, Esohe is not back, I hope she is not sent back home concerning her school fees. Who knows what Ebube is facing at the car park. His boss has refused to give him much from the day's earnings.My only son! A conductor... Why has life treated me this way? "

"Mama, things will get better.. Dashed hopes will become testimonies, we all have to manage oh.. No condition is permanent. "

Mother and daughter held hands with pain and grief written all over the face. Will dreams hang in the air unattended to till there is no strength or vigour to dream and hope anymore?.

The ko,ko,ko of a cobbler passing by as he hits his small box with a stick urge them into action.

Nonso picked up a yellow-coloured bucket heading towards the bathroom with which they share with other neighbors..With her Dunlop slippers dancing right behind her as it flops.

Thanks for reading!
@Opemiplenty

Glossary

Mushin,mushin,wole Pelu change e(mushin,mushin,come in with your change)
Alabaru-load carriers
You na no go follow me buy-wont you buy my wares
Chi-my destiny
Nwa nwanyi -my daughter
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