Chapter 2: A warm sunny day
She offered a warm broad smile. Her brown pupil dilated posing or be wider. A wrinkle caught her nose. Her soft full lips expanded into a smile.
'Minka' he called out. She sat next to him' I saw you by the pew during the Sunday school'
'yes. I had a message for Mr. Paul'
'Oh, it means you saw me as well' she returned.
Ogar smiled and kept staring into space without uttering a word.
'Why did you not come a and sit with us?' she asked.
'I guess I did not want to be a bug?'
Minka laughed. 'really?'
Ogar nodded.
'And Mallory has nothing to do with this?'
'why would she?' he challenged with a frown as he stared at Minka shrugging his shoulders. Minka smiled briefly. She knew that Mallory, her close friend had been a thorn in Ogar's flesh. She had confronted her about and she said she didn't mean any harm.
Ogar on the other hand says her taunts, mischievous pranks and deeds are of no consequences to him. Minka didn't exactly accept that.
Nkom, Minka's younger sibling by four years enjoyed listening to Ogar's stories and watching him play the guitar. He enjoyed her company a lot.
Nkom seemed like the prettier one of the two sisters, to him though.
It's Mallory's birthday today' Minka brushed his hand lightly and recalled him back to the present. You do not mean to stay here, now do you?' she asked him as she stood up to leave.
He shrugged his shoulders as if indifferent.
'Given the rate of kidnap?'
Ogar walked behind Minka steadily, the dried, fallen leaves which now graced the ground submitted to their fate, as they released a rustling sound when they were crushed beneath the weight of his all-stars. The sun shone and everywhere had a golden splutter. Ogar tried to wonder who might be at the birthday party and who might not. He remembered that he had to meet up with uncle Travis, for a game between Nigeria and Cameroon. He could have vowed he did not have it in mind to miss the football game, yet here he was with Minka, whom uncle Travis recently began to see him with.
'Gooday sir!' Minka called out to
Lun, the gravedigger. He grumbled and nodded in response as he hurried briskly past them. Neighbors nicknamed him 'the wind' because he walks by so briskly, you will not even know that, except for the sound of his shuffling feet, you might not be aware that he was there. Those children and adults who didn't call him that, simply called him Lon and he responded.
Lun meant 'strength' in his language. He was the fearless Cameroonian who could sleep at the graveyard and visit it at any time of the night. Tales flew all over the place about him interacting with the dead and being an intermediary between the dead and living. Some even believed death could not take him.
Lun's charcoal black complexion allowed his presence to be concealed by the darkness at night and if not for his green shinning eyes, one would have thought him a spirit. Since the demise of Luna his Morocco a wife, whose complexion seemed like a sharp contrast to Lun's, he had been on his own. Often seen soliloquizing.
Some people thought he was trying to appease his wife, telling her how sorry he had been for being away on a trip to see his mother that fateful day. Lun had been discovered on many occasions, weeping by her graveside, which was next to their premature son's. Since then he had refrained from drinking houses and cinemas. The only public place one could find him at was the graveyard.
He whistled in his idle time while he stared into the skies, watching the stars, and everyone who walked past knew it was Lun. When the children who are afraid of the dark hear him whistling, they felt rest assured that someone was there.
Ogar had a handful of thorns attached to his khaki as though they were a titled to it. They kept hanging from the knee area of his khaki. He tried in vain to remove them as more appeared on the khaki. In frustration, he gave it up and focused on his journey.
Lun stared long at Ogar and shook his head, then he turned to go. Ogar wondered what made Lun react in such a manner. Minka looked at Ogar and smiled. He smiled back.
'I need to stop by the park to deliver an errand for my mother' she stared at him for a moment as though expecting him to say 'Okay Minka, you can go'.
Ogar nodded his head in approval as they exchanged glances. In a moment, she was steps away from him. The park, an expanse of land decorated by carefully lined trees, flowers and had seats at strategic spots was scarily crowded. The Boom disease discouraged outdoor events and ever since its eradication, the rules had been followed religiously.
Mallory's siblings aged 8, 6 and 3 were playing at the park. Minka had come to pick them up. From a distance he could see her battle with the two older ones, trying to persuade them to follow her. Ogar heaved as he watched them make faces at each other while Minka stood helpless.
He felt sorry for her although he did not seem himself fit enough to handle them. 'They create so much fuss, its unbearable' he later told Minka as he attempted to defend his reluctance to help her. She laughed. He wondered why. Did she think he was weak? Did she laugh because he sounded funny? It will not be wise to ask because as a boy growing into a man, he is expected to be brave.
As for Ogar, all he longed for was peace and he vowed to attain it. At last, Minka's message had been adhered to as Mallory's siblings ran past them, as though they were practicing for a race. The six-year old accidentally nudged Minka's arm. 'You better be careful!' she yelled. Ogar extracted pain and rage from her tone. Minka had the mind to teach the child a lesson but she declined probably because of Mallory. Ogar struggled to conceal the laughter that nearly burst out through his vocal cords.
He knew better than to hurt Minka's feelings. He kept 'fem' as Davido's fans used to say. His face remained as straight as a slate. That was undeniably a tough decision, given that the six-year old had the guts to call Minka names without any remorse and even threatened to fight with her.
Finally, they had arrived at Mallory's party. Minka met her mother. Ogar had a word be with uncle Travis. Nkom had come to him and she whispered in his ears. Ogar nodded. He smiled as he watched her go. Mallory seemed busy, like Minka had assured him, she perambulated from one end of the room to another.
He excused himself. He had a pressing urge to urinate. Everyone gathered for a few pictures after which refreshments were shared.
'Oh dear, here you are' Sheila called out to uncle Travis.
He smiled as he stared into the face of a slightly older version of Minka. The hairdo was the same, only she had a pink atibo on. She looked good in this; he had told her in previous times. She never responds. Does she not believe him? He wondered.
'What is wrong, what is the with the weary look you are wearing on your face?' she demanded.
'I think I am really tired' he lied, wishing she could stay so that they would talk for a bit.
'Is that all, have you had some cake?'
'No I am fine' uncle Travis dismissed. 'I like how you always look out for me' he noted as he studied her. He was glad, he got her attention with those words. Now they can start a conversation.
She stared. Steadily at him as he cleared his throat as though something got stuck there and had become adamant to leave.
She kept staring.
'I better go check Ogar. He said he needed to use the restroom' uncle Travis told Sheila as he disappeared from sight.
A few moments later....
A shaken uncle Travis enter the room. His face carried a frown. His steps were swift and his neck kept turning back and forth.
His eyes were clouded, with worry, Sheila, who had been discussing with a handful of other attendees, sensed that something had gone wrong.
'What is the matter Travis?' she asked as she placed a tap on the shoulder of uncle Travis.
He turned to look at her. His eyes were flooded with tears, as though someone had sliced onions in his face 'It is Ogar'
'What about him? 'her eyes widened in fear. Her heart raced.
'He is gone'
Thank you for taking out time to read this piece. I hope you enjoyed it? I will love to know your thoughts. Please don't forget to vote.
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