Dentras

On that fateful day, I had just finished exams and didn’t want to go home with any of my close buddies as usual. I stayed in school till around 5pm in the school library, reading the Left Behind series as my usual way of calming my nerves and soul after the strenuous semester exams. I came out through the normal school gate facing one of the major roads in Aba after I was done reading to my fill for the day.

As usual, the environment was bubbling with people marketing their wares and other sellable stuffs. Vehicular movement trudged the road spaces while passerby’s maintained their lane – everyone seemed to be heading somewhere very important. I took a brief gaze at the left hand side of the main road, a lot of people lined up to withdraw their cash from the available ATM at the two adjoining Banks there.

I started walking. I walked on to the point where I will stay and cross to the other side of the road to enable me enter a Tricycle to a point before entering our street to my house. The moment I reached the point, that was when it happened; that was when I saw her! I have seen pretty girls in my life, and I am friends with many more others, but none can compare to what lay before me.

It’s not that she is pretty that wowed me, but the way her beautiful face exhibited a sweet candor I haven’t felt in my whole life. I didn’t help but notice this the minute I took a glance at her, which made me take another serious gaze again to certify my silly curiosity.

As it turned out, I wasn’t the only one stunned. I had to take a little walk nearer to feed my eyes on the rare beauty because I was sure I was never going to see her again after that day. As soon as I was a step near her, she noticed me and took some steps forward to cross to the other side of the road. That was when I heard people shouting and screaming at the top of their voices. Pretty wanted to cross the road knowing there was a vehicle approaching with high acceleration. I couldn’t believe my eyes that instant. I think a sudden adrenaline kicked in immediately. I didn’t realize when I rushed up to her and forcefully held her back from taking that final step that could have ended her life. The force with which I drew her back tripped us a bit, making her to fall into me. The accident was averted!

People laid abuses on her soon afterwards as the vehicle came to a stop abruptly. The agbero driver came out from the vehicle and joined in hauling his own curses on her too. They were all saying the same thing that if the girl wanted to die, why make another take the fall?

I held her closely, shielding her from people and stylishly guarded her as I took some steps backwards. We walked back straight back to the school gate, and made for the other road leading to the Park. People still watched us, and pointing in our direction with fractions of them gathered in small packs, discussing!

All this while, I never talked to her, neither did she talk to me. I never stopped to think for a moment about what I was actually doing and why I was helping the girl. Yet, there I was holding her hands firmly and she followed me without a word.

After walking off far enough from where the incident occurred, I crossed the road with her and we both entered a Tricycle after confirming she was going in the same direction as me. When the tricycle reached her junction, I told her I will pay for the fare. She simply thanked me with a forced gratitude and left. When I reached home that day, the constant question on my mind was why would Pretty want to kill herself?

***

“Michael!” I heard my name called out by Lovett as I picked her call, angrily telling me if I have forgotten our deal that day. This was the second day after that incident with pretty.

I immediately apologized to her and hurriedly brushed my mouth and quickly rushed to school. We scheduled to meet with someone I knew in the Administrative Block to help her sort out some school problems.

After everything was settled, she took me to the school canteen. She ordered food for us both, As we relaxed to enjoy the meal, I saw someone that looked like Pretty pass by. I thought I didn’t see right and correctly so too.

After we finished eating the meal, Lovett told me that she will be travelling back to Delta state that Sunday, that I should endeavor to come on Saturday and before she travels; we were half way through Thursday already. I agreed and we both went our separate ways.

I went straight to the Administrative Block to see a friend who works there and who had earlier told me he had business for me. In the Administrative Block, near the stairs to the upstairs, I saw someone that looked like Pretty again. I almost approached her, but I cautioned myself first and decided to wait a little to confirm if it was her. It was not her!

I went to a seat, sat down and told myself that it’s just my mind playing tricks with me. I banished the thought of Pretty from my mind and continued with my mission. After that, I headed straight home.

There was no light when I returned and so I kept myself busy with my Symbian phone. I didn’t know when I slept off. In that small sleep, I woke up with a start and i could have sworn that I heard Pretty whisper “Help me!”

11th OCTOBER, 2011.