The Early Morning Rush
It was 5:25 AM when Zara arrived at the bus station in Dar es Salaam, just five minutes before the bus was scheduled to leave at 5:30. She was almost late, but she managed to make it in time.
As the bus pulled out of the station, Fatma, who was seated across the aisle, remarked, “I didn’t think you were going to make it. That was cutting it close.”
Zara smiled sheepishly. “Tell me about it. I didn’t think the taxi would make it in time.”
The journey began smoothly, with everyone dozing off as the bus sped along the road. The early morning calm was shattered by a huge bang that jolted everyone awake. The driver, Juma, had been overtaking another vehicle and collided with a military truck, knocking off the side mirror.
“What was that?” Rehema gasped, gripping the armrest.
Fatma peered out the window, her eyes wide. “He hit a military truck! Oh no, this is bad. Really bad.”
Panic erupted as the bus was quickly surrounded by soldiers. The incident occurred near Bagamoyo, and Juma was forced to step out and deal with the situation.
“I hope we don’t get into too much trouble,” Zara muttered as she watched Juma argue with the soldiers.
After what felt like an eternity, Juma returned, sweating and frustrated. “I’ve sorted it out. We can go now,” he announced, but the tension in his voice was clear.
As the bus pulled away, Fatma leaned over to Rehema and whispered, “He had to pay a huge fine. I told you he was reckless.”
“I can’t believe he was overtaking a military truck,” Rehema added, shaking her head.
