Who Knows Tomorrow Episode 1

Val’s side of the story

Driving down the lonely hills of Nsukka after a very extensive research work for my new book, I was very tired and a bit restless as I planned my schedules for the weekend without concentrating much on my driving. Walking down absentmindedly on the middle of the same road was this young girl with an empty tray on her head. I never saw her on time and almost knocked her down if not for my powerful brakes which screeched the car to stop just hairs breathe away from her. Out of shock, the tray on the young lady’s head fell and rolled over to the gutter while I rushed out of the car to see if she was alright. She turned to look at me that moment and it was as if the world came to a stop as our eyes met.

Before me was the most beautiful girl I have ever seen. She wore no makeup, she was sweating, her clothes were far from elegant but yet her beauty overshadowed it all. It was as if I was standing before the Nigerian version of Cinderella.

‘’I’m sorry I wasn’t paying much attention but you were equally walking in the middle of the road. Hope you are okay?’’ I nervously asked as I headed to the gutter to pick up her tray. She nodded with eyes filled with tears, quickly collected the tray for me and drew backwards.

‘’I’m sorry for almost putting you in trouble. Forgive me’’ she breathed fluently, surprising me with her English. But before I could say anything further she was already walking down the road.

‘’my name is valentine, can I, can I drop you where ever you are going?’’ I stammered. I couldn’t even believe myself. It was my first time of offering a lift to a stranger. But unfortunately she gave me no reply, neither did she stop for a second. Hesitantly I headed back to my car and

drove away, wondering if I would ever see her again in my life.

Isadora’s side of the story

One hundred, two hundred, three hundred, I counted the money with me for the umpteenth time. It was money I made from the sales of Udara (African apple) I sold at the Afor market close by. I was very lucky to sell the apples on time and was rushing home to prepare lunch for my adoptive family who derived pleasure in abusing me, in finding faults in everything I did.

I wasn’t brought up with happiness like other village girls. I was brought up with daily abuses, stigmatization and curses. I was told that I was an evil child that brought misfortunes to my biological parent’s right from when my mother was carrying me in her womb. I was equally told that six months after I was born, my parents burnt to death in their house with every single property in it and I was found untouched by the fire, laughing hysterically on my baby bed. It was a story I was told a hundred times over and I really had no way of verifying the authenticity.

Yes my head was filled with my childhood memories that I never knew when I started walking in the middle of the road only to get myself when the noise from a screeching tire brought me back to reality.

I soon found myself facing a very handsome gentleman who never scolded me for being in the middle of the road, for almost putting him in trouble. Instead he asked if I was alright. My heart, my soul, my entire body just quivered before him. At first I thought I shivered out of fear but then inside of me I felt something I had never felt before and had to walk away to avoid disgracing myself further.

Valentine was the name he called to me and It kept ringing back in my head over and over. Deep down I felt like chatting endlessly with him, sharing my problems with him but all I could do was to walk away without looking back. I soon saw his car speed away and I couldn’t help but wonder if I was ever going to see him again.

On getting home I ran into my mother who instead of welcoming me back happily for making a quick sale, began scolding me for

not sweeping the compound and fetching water before heading to the market, forgetting she was the one that asked me to abandon everything and head to the market to sell her Udara fruit.

I tried to remind her but it only landed me three dirty slaps on my cheek. I was hungry, angry and tired of life. I was nineteen and saw no future before me. I knew all my adoptive parents were planning was to marry me off to the highest bidder. Yes by God’s grace I already managed to finish my secondary school with the help of church scholarship but that was the end. Since then my parents had virtually refused allowing me to go learn a trade or even do something that would help me in future and I couldn’t help but realize that the more I stayed with them the more I was ruining my life. i made up my mind that very day to leave the house, to run away, to run to my future. A very daring decision, a very risky adventure. I had no money with me, no destination in mind, only God and fear in my heart.

I sneaked out of the house later that night and stepped into the unknown.

Leaving the house was one thing, having where to go, a much more difficult issue. As I stepped out of the house that night I knew my life was never ever going to be the same again. I just couldn’t help but pray for everything to turn out good for me. In my short life I had experienced lots of horrible things that could only be seen in movies.

I trekked all night to a popular motor park in the neighboring town. I had no money on me and my prayer was just to meet a Good Samaritan who could assist me to at least get to Enugu city. I believed I could survive in the city as a maid, a housekeeper, a salesgirl or any decent feminine job that could at least offer a roof over my head as I reshaped my life.

Yes it really wasn’t easy leaving the house I spent all my young life to the unknown but I felt it was much better to die trying to get a better life than live a life of damnation.

I managed to find an empty abandoned bus at the motor park, where I stayed and rested for the rest of the night and early the next morning I stepped out and wandered round the park searching for a Good Samaritan to assist me. I equally was scared of getting recognized and caught since I wasn’t really very much far from home. Yes i was scared of stepping into the wrong hands.

‘’dear lord help’’ I prayed earnestly.

Soon the Catholic Church bell close to the motor park rang, notifying everyone that the time was 12 o clock, time for angelus. I looked up at the sky and wondered if anyone would really assist me. The few people I managed to talk to only shrugged and walked away after listening to my pleas. I was helpless, I was hopeless. I was overly scared.

‘’hey young lady are you okay?’’ I soon heard a male voice ask from behind. I turned to see a middle aged young man smiling down at me as he chewed a long stick of sugar cane. He very much looked like a bus driver because he wasn’t neatly dressed as a traveler or rough as a tout.

‘’good afternoon’’ I stammered, looking up at him hopefully.

‘’you have been wandering round this park since morning. Are you searching for something?’’ he asked in vernacular.

‘’no sir, I need help. I’m looking for someone that will assist me get to Enugu town’’ I stammered, watching his reaction. He chewed on his sugar cane for a little while as he studied me

‘’hmmm where exactly in Enugu city are you heading to?’’ he asked curiously while I dropped my eyes. A part of me felt like lying, another part of me kicked against it.

‘’I don’t have anyone there. I just want to go and see if I can better my life. I can’t continue living like a slave down here’’ I poured out softly.

‘’hmmmm you know what. You look hungry, let’s go to this small kiosk and eat. We can talk more there. I like helping people’’ he suddenly offered, lifting up my spirit. I smiled gratefully even though deep down I was equally a bit scared, because not only did he appear to be willing to assist me, he equally offered to buy me food which really was more than the help I expected. However I had no choice than to follow him.

We soon got to the small food kiosk where he ordered a plate of rice for me and a bottle of beer for himself, then watched me as I ate hungrily. I used the opportunity to tell him my story and he kind of appeared touched.

‘’anyway my name is Obiora. I’m a driver and I’m heading to Enugu city today, but the problem now is that time for my bus to load is a bit far. Six other buses will load before my turn but if you can have patience I can take you to Enugu and equally allow you stay in my house till you get a life for yourself’’ he offered, totally stunning me with his offer. I couldn’t believe it. I never expected him to help in such a way.

‘’thank you sir, thank you very much sir’’ I thanked him happily while he smiled with satisfaction and ordered another bottle of beer for himself. I couldn’t help but wonder if there was more to his generosity.

**Val’s side of the story continues**

I was restless all through the night as I thought of the young girl I almost knocked down the previous day. I just couldn’t sleep. Her image kept appearing in my head as if I owed her something. I tried very much to get my thoughts off her but just couldn’t. I even tried focusing my thoughts on my fiancée Jane who was coming down to the country the next day but my efforts were fruitless.

Prior to that day, I was living my dream life. I came from a very wealthy home, I had the best education anyone could dream of and equally was enjoying a very thriving writing career. I equally was engaged to the first daughter of a business tycoon. In fact had everything I could ever wish for but my life suddenly felt empty after seeing that young girl. It was just as if I was missing something. Yes something and it looked so very strange, very, very strange.

Early the next morning, without talking to anyone, I jumped into my car, left Enugu city and headed back to Nsukka in search of the young girl but unfortunately I drove round the town without seeing her. I didn’t even know her name and so looked a bit silly asking the villagers I met about her..

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Meanwhile unknown to Val, the young girl was already on her way to Enugu city with a stranger .