The Thorny Path to Europe - Episode 11

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The journey became dry, literarily. In a short while, they were gulping cups of water. Pastor called for perseverance as the kegs of water would soon be drained off with the way they longed for water. However, his advice fell on deaf ears because everything was hot. The only time they rested and had their bath was in the night or when Jude and Leo, the driver wanted to refill the tank or the carburettor. Tunde wished he could have more actions but he was lucky that he sat beside Cecilia because she kept acting naughty and taking his mind off the trouble ahead.

She cosied up to him the next morning, and whispered, 'I think your brother was touching me in my sleep'.

Tunde glanced about and saw a man that looked like a ruffian battling away with his phone . He shook his head. He had been on alert since they got into the van and would have noticed such. 'It's your imagination. I would have seen him'.

'In the dark?'

'In the dark. I was on the lookout for those that talked about you the other time'.

She nodded and placed her head on his shoulder. Scowling, he brushed her off but that made her hold him tightly and stick her head there. Since she wasn't any potential danger, he would let her be.

When their van started out, Tunde counted twenty vans, but now he couldn’t see some, some were at the front, while the remaining were at their back

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. Whenever Jude's van stopped, when they were refilling their tanks or the carburettor, the other pusher-men would only hail them and drive on. However, in their case, Jude would stop their van to ensure the driver wasn't encountering any problem. When he was sure they would cope on their own, he would order Leo to drive off.

Cecilia took numerous selfies and would want Tunde to featured but Tunde would object, making her turn to Lizzy, whom Ade couldn't get out of her clutch.

Ade shook her head in disgust. 'What do you ladies need the pictures for?'

'This is one-time experience', Cecilia said and pulled Tunde towards herself. He shrugged as he agreed with her logic. Later, he sent the pictures to his online drive.

After a while, he pulled her nearer and she met his look with a glowing smile. 'Are you on the lookout for the person.

'Daddy, nothing can happen? We’re not even sure it was me. From what you said, it could be someone else’, she said and glanced at the place the slim lady was seating. 'Can you see your blind sister is seated in a corner? We’re not even sure of anything. Nothing can happen?'

Tunde nodded and hoped he was only being sceptical about nothing. They kept travelling with dust trailing their paths until one of the vans at the backstopped. This time, other vans also stopped near it.

'That van has stopped', Lizzy said as if she was seeing the ninth wonder of the world.

'Yes'.

Cecilia glanced at the time and brought out a map.

'You had this all this while?’

‘Yes. I have so many things in my bag to help this adventure’.

‘I don’t think I want to see all the contents of that bag’.

‘You… Really don’t want to see it’, she said and concentrated on the map. ‘From where we're, are you sure we can get to Libya after tomorrow?'

'How will I know? But what I do know is that I don't trust anything about these people. They lie for a living'.

‘They should be ranked after lawyers’.

Their van kept moving in a mini zigzag format until they got to the van that stopped.

Jude jumped off the van and shouted, 'Everyone, hold on. We need to see what happened to that van'.

Adefirmly held the rail as his legs dangled from the outer part of the van. Jude held on to the unresponsive van and kept looking back while barking instructions at the driver.

The driver and some others were already up, trying to fix something in the car. Their own driver, as well as some drivers of other vans, tried to rally round to help. Yet, the van refused to come to life. After ten minutes, most of the other drivers couldn’t stay a while longer. The ones that stayed behind were soon driving off, leaving only Jude.

‘Others are going’, Tunde said, ‘we will miss them’.

‘Keep quiet’, Jude shouted as he kept barking orders to the driver of the van that stopped.

But, after forty minutes, Jude's countenance showed they couldn't stay any longer. The other man with whom Leo was trying to fix the van nodded despondently. He wheezed as he drew nearer to Jude, who hugged him passionately and Tunde felt they hugged for a longer time.

'Why is your uncle hugging him like they won't see again?' Cecilia said and nudged Tunde.

Tunde nodded as he saw a sad look on their face. Jude faked a smile and waved at those in the van. They waved back cheerfully. They continued their journey and caught up with the others and regained their position in the middle of the convoy. Cecilia, despite seating in an awkward manner, rested her head on his back.

Some of the other vans began to go separate ways and that brought questions to the mind of Tunde. He glanced at the front and back at the vans that were raising dust as if that was what they were created to do. 'Are you sure these people are going in the right direction?'

'Where else can they be going? Your brother seems to know this place'.

'Stop calling him my brother'.

'But see, about six of them are going that way and we and those at the back are still going through this side'.

'Something is wrong...’ Ade muttered as he stretched to see the front.

Tunde banged the side of the van in such a way the Jude would be aware. When he first hit it, it looked like a mistake, but when it came erratically and repeatedly, their van stopped. Jude came out looking grim.

'Who is that?'

'I did. I don't know; don't you feel we are passing the wrong lane'.

'You have suddenly gotten the brain and ability to cross the desert by yourself'.

'See the others are...'

'Please, don't stop me for anything', he said and stormed to the car. The driver kept moving until the night came when Tunde slept off. By this time, their water supply had dwindled to a keg. Jude came out to assure them that they were nearer than ever. Cecilia couldn’t give the right direction as the map wasn’t comprehensive enough.

After staring at it dejectedly for a while, she threw it aside and murmured, ‘one day, I’ll make sure I map out this dessert. For people that are travelling’.

They slept off and were informed that the van would be moving off. Tunde slept off and was happy that the way he sat had helped him to survive not falling while sleeping. However, the person sitting beside him and Cecilia, the one Cecilia complained of touching her in her sleep, wasn't there anymore. Tunde was sure he saw the person before he slept off after Cecilia gave the man a look that could have fried him for staring at her. Tunde looked about and glanced at Cecilia. Maybe the person had changed seat, he wasn't much concerned.

They kept travelling in silence and this time, the heat of the desert had suddenly increased so much that Tunde, as well as other, became squeamish as the seats became hotter. When it was time for Tunde to change position, he did so with all joy.

'Water', someone from the other end called.

'No water till ten', Pastor called.

'Is this one mad?’ the person that needed the water shouted. ‘I bought the water with my money.

Kenneth. Can you hear... Kenneth?'

The person called again ' Kenneth? Bros'.

'Tunde', Ade said and tapped Tunde.

'Yes?’

‘That guy is calling you'.

Tunde's glanced at the direction of the man calling him.

'Bros. Sorry please, what of the guy that was sitting beside you?'

Tunde wasn't sure he could really remember the face of the person or that he wanted to give the guy the typical Nigerian question-like answer. So, he said, 'I don't know'.

'How can you say you don't know? Someone was beside you'.

'Yes, his father handed him over to me when we were coming? You should talk as if your senses are still intact because...'

'Guy, forget that rubbish’, the guy said. ‘Where is my friend?'

'When I woke up, he wasn't here anymore'.

'Eh!' The guy and someone else shouted. People that were drooling off were beginning to rouse out of their dullness.

'Kenneth....' His friends shouted repeatedly and banged the side of the van. This time, Jude came out as if he was a monster and the only thing, he knew how to do was to bear fangs.

'What is with you people? The things and water we have are not enough again. We have to reach that place today. When you people insisted on taking bath this morning I told you. Do you want to take another bath again today?'

'Someone...Kenneth is missing?'

'Kenneth... Kenneth... Who is he?'

One of the friends placed his hands on his head. 'Are you seriously asking me who Kenneth is? You collected money from him'.

'Is he as important as the president of Nigeria or other countries?'

'He was beside that....' the guy began to say and Tunde decided to intervene.

'Beside me. I woke and didn't meet him there again', Tunde said and hoped that would solve the issue.

'Oh! 'Jude said and looked away. 'Since when have you noticed this?'

'I woke and didn't meet him. I thought he changed position'.

'When we are not in a hotel', Kenneth's friend said. Tunde wanted to give him the necessary reply but Ade gestured for him to keep his cool.

'I just noticed'.

The Jude planted his nail between his teeth. 'Since when have you woken?'

'It's been long'.

'Any other person missing? Look around. Check your neighbours’.

People glanced at each other's faces and people's shaking head. The slim lady stared at Cecilia for a while until Cecilia glanced at her.

'There was this lady that was putting on a simple gown'.

'The fair one'.

'Yes. That has a scar on the top of her lips'.

'Yes. She was sitting on that edge'.

'And she is not here'

'She is missing'. Jude said the same time as the person talking. 'Okay, everyone goes back to your seats. Sit down'.

 'Are you for real?'

'Sit down. What do you know?'

'That's none of my concern'.

'The truth is as hard as a ball of goat meat. You have to accept it. Your friend was so much asleep that he fell down on the way and might have woken to meet himself on the way. That lady too. You people don't know that there are ghosts here. Evil spirits are on the way, they will grab you. That's why we have to move fast'

'Fable', Tunde said and wished at that moment that people would wake up to realities of life.

'That's your own, Mr Sabinous. For me, I'm leaving every one of them behind'.

'Without any supply?' his friend shouted.

'Yes. Just erase him from your mind'

'You have to go back'.

Jude glanced at Leo and laughed. Leo also giggled.

'You're laughing. The both of you can find the death of someone amusing and that is scary. He will die'.

'Yes... And No'.

'You're confused as always'.

'Hey! Be careful. Be careful.

Read " Purified Tomorrow: The Mad Awakening " by the same author ( Akíntayo Akinjide )

. I'm not one that you talk to anyhow'.

'Forget that one. What will happen to my friend?'

Jude returned to the van and turned when he got to the door.

'Probably dead. And if he is lucky, he will see people that will save him'.

'Like that? Let's go back'.

'They are cooking jollof rice in your brain'.

'But my friend is out there'.

'He is out! Dead!' The driver said. 'He is dead and if we're not careful enough to leave here now, we will soon go where he has gone'.

'No...'

'Leo, drive off' Jude called.

'No... I'll go and look for him'.

'Your funeral'.

There were several opinions. Some in support of him. Others against Kennett's friend. He began to carry his things to leave, but his own friends dragged him down. 'You are killing yourself'.

He tried to fight it but they held him down. The car revved to live and was soon humming off into the dusty road. By this time, they were sweating terribly.