:Writer- #BRIGHT_DANIEL
:08163452027
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Mrs Williams, the twins' mother sat on the edge of a family bed inside the house when her children entered with their tray of plantain. She wore a milky gown and tied a loosed wrapper above it. She was a bit fat and had an old look. The room contains the bed, a long cushion opposite it, an old refrigerator, stove, clean pots, bags and other materials since it was one room apartment. Udoka angrily dropped her tray on the floor and sat on the long cushion. While Monica gently kept hers and sat beside her mother on the bed. Mrs Williams noticed that something was wrong, so she adjusted her wrapper, looked at her children and said, "You sold all the plantains but you're not looking happy, especially you Udoka. What's the problem?"
None of the girls replied rather Monica folded her hands and looked at Udoka who placed a hand on her cheek without smiling.
"Answer me!" the mother shrieked. "Did anybody steal your money?"
"No, mother" Monica replied.
"Then what?"
"It's Udoka, she said she won't hawk plantain anymore"
"Why?" the mother looked at Udoka who disengaged her hand from her cheek instantly.
"Mother, that's what i said oh! And I'm not going back to my words!" she said.
"Why my daughter?" the mother brought down her voice.
"I want to go to school. Moreover, I'm tired!"
Hearing that, Mrs Williams wore a sorrowful face remembering her late husband. Monica noticed it instantly then felt her emotions.
"My daughter" Mrs Williams began looking at Udoka. "I don't have money yet to send both of you to school and you know we eat from the small sales we make from the plantains. Biko nwam.."
"Like i said, I'm not going back to my words oh!" Udoka stood up to take a cup of water.
The mother remained quiet staring at her as the water poured down into her stomach through her gullet.
"Mother, this is my today's sales" Monica's voice brought back her attention. She looked at her and collected a money from her.
**
THE NEXT MORNING.
Sunny came out from his room with a chewing stick in his mouth. He tied a wrapper across his waist, and a white singlet could be seen on his body. Immediately, he climbed down his stairs, he saw Udoka sitting on a small stool in front of their room. So he removed the stick from his mouth, spat out particles of it, looked into the sky and said, "God, why must you allow this girl to be the first person i see this morning? For that reason, I'm going back to bed" he turned to go.
When Udoka heard him, she glared at him and said. "Oga Sunny, hope you're not referring to me"
Sunny turned. "Who else except you?!" he asked.
"Meaning?"
"Meaning you're trouble itself. So, you, being the first person i see this morning means I'll encounter trouble throughout today"
"Not only trouble, even badluck" Udoka hissed.
"That means you're also a badluck" Sunny matched forward a bit.
"I took after your father who's the oracle of badluck"
"Chei...!!" Sunny exclaimed.
Hearing them, Mrs Williams came out. "Bia, this girl, what's it this morning?"
"Mother, he started it oh"
"Sunny, what?" Mrs Williams looked at Sunday.
Just then, Monica came out with a tray of plantain on her head, yet glowing in beauty. "Oga Sunny, you're quarreling with my sister again" she said smiling. "It seems like both of you will fit in marriage oh" she laughed climbing down the stairs while Udoka disdained her.
"My dear Monica" Sunny began. "If i dream of it, after i wake up, I'll fast for 40 days" he said thereby making Monica laugh the more, even Udoka smiled. Therefore the whole thing looked like a joke. Then Mrs Williams entered inside the house.
"Udoka, follow ur sister!" her voice echoed.
**
1:15am AT NIGHT
Mrs Williams laid with her daughters on the family bed. All covered up with wrappers. The room was dim due to th light from a hurricane lamp which was gradually going off due to insufficient kerosene. Suddenly, Monica's whole body began to move. She was actually dreaming.
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DREAM
Monica found herself on an unknown land. Bushes and darkness covered everywhere. She stood at the middle of it observing things. As she stood, a very narrow bright ray of light began shine from the ground at a distant. So she moved forward to know why and where the light came from. As she moved, she saw a man by the side who said, "It is the secret of the unknown"
"What do you mean?" Monica asked only to find out that she asked the question physically..
:
REALITY
"What do you mean?" she repeated the question moving her legs but finally woke up. She glanced all over the room, her mother and sister who were still sleeping then gently covered herself and went back to sleep.
**
8:50am
It was Saturday, so there was no hawking of plantain as instructed by Mrs Williams who had gone out very early that day to buy food stuffs against the next day which was Sunday. Monica sat on the edge of the bed thinking about her dream. As she thought, Udoka entered with a soap and detergent in her hand..
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TBC
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