MY FIRST TRIP TO ABUJA AND ZARIA (STORY BY DINDY) EPISODE 5
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We continued the journey trying to beat time, the driver never stopped for a moment, for anyone to urinate or eat because time was not on our side and the bus was always giving faults, so he had to try all he could to beat time before the bus completely broke down.
The driver reduced his speed, when we drove passed bad roads. After escaping bad roads, we got to a smooth-express, well fixed road.
He then changed to full speed of 200km/h, in fact we were flying. The bus was so fast, that it made the air which it pushed apart, flog you right on the face. Silly me, I opened the window more than norm and placed my left hand on the window.
My hand suffered the pain, the air flogged my hand heavily, I wasn’t told twice. I moved my hand back in and closed the window halfway.
As the journey continued, I saw the eyes of a storm for the first time and it looked so lovely. I even tried explaining it to myself on how it could be found, but I couldn’t, so i just steered at it with happiness.
20mins later, someone brought up a topic about pastor’s and different opinions were shared. A man said, all pastors are the same.
When i heard what he said, I couldn’t keep quite because I knew what he said was totally false.
I said “No not all pastors are the same”.
Immediately after I said that, everyone looked at me including aunty Ugochi.
In my head, I was like “Jesus, why is everyone looking at me like this? Is my voice that lovely?”.
Aunty Ugochi then said “Yes not all pastor’s are the same”.
Aunty Ugochi spoke to pull the attention away from me. After she spoke the argument ended.
Three hours later, the old lady said she wanted to drink five alive because she was very angry, I and aunty Ugochi laughed and laughed because five alive is an orange juice and drinking it would only increase the hunger in your belly.
We finally reach Lokoja by 8pm, which was not meant to be so, if the bus wasn’t faulty. As we moved on, the bus did the same thing it did, when we started the journey.
Although the driver bought fresh new fuel, to wash away the bad one, the problem didn’t stop. The problem of the bus was now ten times worst.
The speed at which we moved was as fast as a snail on a horse field. The driver had to stop for a while to relax the engine of the bus. We all came down and after 15mins, he told us to enter back so that we could continue our journey.
My heart began to beat fast as the bus fired speed highly, I was very much fear because it was my first time travelling alone, and all the stories I heard about people being robbed by armed robbers at night, contributed to my fear.
A small red car from behind overtook our bus, then slowed down. When I saw what was happening, my mind was shaking, everyone in the bus started talking and wondering, whether they were thieves or not.
The driver drove pass them again, but the red car overtook again. Being an experienced driver he said “They are not thieves, they are afraid like us”.
Everyone became settled, then the Yourba woman asked aunty Ugochi whether she was afraid.
Aunty Ugochi replied “No I’m not”.
In my head, I was like “If I hear say I no fear, make God punish me. God please save me this night o”.
I looked outside the window, then started praying to God to protect me.
Finally by 12pm, we got to Abuja and everyone was singing happiness on their faces. When we got to mararaba that night, I slept in the “YOUNG SHALL GROW” park.
While I was there, fear was in my mind because I have heard so many things about north and the things that happened there, so many fearful thoughts filled my mind……
To be continue.