Separated - Episode 10

 

The lorry stopped near a river and Robin and the other young guys stepped down. Chika was woken with a hard tap on his back; he had been sleeping throughout the journey.

“Wake up boy and prepare for round two of our journey”, one of them said.

Chika stumbled as he tried to stand on his feet to walk out of the lorry. He managed his way out of the lorry and wondered where he was.

Canoes could be seen everywhere and fishermen were busy casting their nets in the river trying to catch fish.

The smell of fish filled the whole atmosphere . The people there were already used to the foul smell.  Ships and boats were also seen around.

“Come over here everyone… let’s eat something before the next journey”, Robin said as he entered a tent.

The four men and Chika went towards the tent and sat down on a bamboo sit. The place seemed to be the restaurant of the fishermen.

“What would you love to have”? A waiter asked.

“Give my boys Eba and vegetable soup and give that boy a plate of rice with a fish with the size of his head”? Robin said smiling.

Chika was very surprised by this. This was because he expected the man to be very harsh and strict

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. He collected the food with a mixture of joy and fear. He ate it very quickly without wasting any time.

“Calm down man, the food is not running away”, one of the guys said while the others laughed loudly.

“What’s your name”? Robin asked.

“I’m Chika sir”, he answered bowing his head.

“Chika my boy; don’t worry, you are not going to regret our time together”, Robin said as he went out of the tent.

Chika couldn’t reply to this statement but continued eating his food in sadness. He thought of his friends and sister. He wondered what could have happened to them. Tears rolled down his cheek.

“Why are you crying Chika”? One of the men asked him.

“My family, friends and village are all gone”, he said as he sobbed uncontrollably.

“My friend, don’t let the boss hear you crying… It’s for your own good”, one of the men advised him.

He wiped his face immediately and they all went out of the tent.

They entered a canoe and one of the fishermen started rowing them immediately.

Chika had never entered a canoe before so he wanted to stay awake throughout the journey but slept off before he knew it.

The canoe stopped on the other side of the river and it was getting late. Chika was woken up immediately.

“Wake up sleepy, we are here”, one of them said.

They all came down from the canoe and headed straight to another lorry. They drove to a place not very far from the river.

The lorry stopped in front of a big building. It was a fish factory.

 “Come down Chika”, Robin said.

Chika came down from the lorry and followed Robin and the rest into the factory. The similar foul small could be perceived immediately they entered the factory.

Robin climbed upstairs and went to his office but before leaving, he told one of the guys, Lance to show Chika around.

The other guys departed and Lance showed Chika around the factory.

“This is Robin’s Fish Factory… he supplies processed fish to almost everyone in this town that could afford them… fishermen from everywhere bring their fish here for preservation, processing, and supply… they pay for every service being given to them.

Chika sighed silently; he hasn’t been listening since. He had been thinking of the well being of his friends. He kept on regretting going for hunting that day. He then asked Lance a question …

“Why then did Robin bring me here”?

“Actually, Robin is not a slave trader… he only adopted you from the hands of those wicked people. .. Robin saved me and my friends from similar slave masters eight years ago… he brought us here and gave us a new home; he also gave us jobs, food and shelter till now.

“Then why am I here”? Chika asked curiously.

“My brother, you were lucky that Robin rescued you from the hands of those hoodlums”, Lance explained nicely.

Chika sighed and continued his non-stop questions.

“Will I ever see my family and friends again”? he asked sadly.

Lance tapped his back and answered.

“I don’t know about that”, he said.

“Have you ever seen your family since then”?

Lance sighed loudly, “No, I haven’t seen them”.

“Why haven’t you made any effort to find them”? Chika asked curiously.

“Robin will be pissed off if he discovers that you’re trying to dig out your past”, Lance answered.

“What will he do if he catches me looking for my family”? Chika asked.

“He will consider you ungrateful and probably take you back to the slave masters, return their money and you will be sold back to probably a wicked master”, Lance explained.

“That does not sound good at all”, Chika said frightened.

“So, it’s better for you to stick around and let’s see what the future holds”, Lance advised.

Chika sighed without saying a word.

“Can I show you around now”? Lance asked smiling.

“Okay then, let’s go”, Chika answered.

Lance took Chika around the factory and showed him the difference sections for different activities in the factory.

When they were through, Lance said;

“You’re going to resume work tomorrow”,

“Which kind of work is that”? Chika asked curiously.

“You will be washing the fish and weighing them with my partner and I”, Lance explained.

“What’s your partner’s name”? Chika asked.

“Sam, he was with us in the lorry today”, Lance answered.

“Is the job stressful”? Chika asked again.

 “Don’t worry, you’ll find out tomorrow… but for now, let’s go and have something for dinner and sleep”.