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"I care about strangers when they're abstractions, but I feel almost nothing when they're literally in front of me."
― Chuck Klosterman
~ JUDITH ~
The wails of the children seated behind me, together with the endless apologies of the mother, caused a dull ache to spread across my skull. The passengers in the bus had given up on chastising the mother of the children. The twelve-hour journey drained every bit of strength in us.
Seriously, how would someone travel from Lagos to Akwa-Ibom with five children?
Anyway, that was the least of my problems. The time read 8:56 p.m. and according to the driver, we should reach our destination in two hours. My mom had called me numerous times, complaining about the fact that a seven-hour journey turned into twelve hours. Well, with the bad roads and traffic, I wasn't amazed.
I just needed to get home before midnight.
I felt bile rise to my throat. There was nothing I hated more than road trips. Especially the ones with public transportation in a country like Nigeria. Is it the body odour? Lousy conductor? The bumpy rides? Name them all. The one I dreaded more was the pungent smell that emanated from the car's exhaust, plus the mix of sweat and perfume from passengers. It was enough for me to feel nauseous.
"Baba, please park; be like, say I-"
"Abeg abeg, let's continue with the journey, Jare! Na so you chop different things. You no know, say shit, go hold you for motor!" An elderly man protested, raising his balled-up fists. Other passengers supported the man by hissing and mumbling some insulting words to the lady.
If not for courtesy, I'd have given her a piece of my mind too. All the things she had bought throughout the journey cost over three thousand naira, and we stopped six times just so she could empty her bowels. To avoid such embarrassment, the fruit juice and biscuits I bought in school still remained untouched, just because I was sure I'd throw up if I ate anything.
The lady winced, placing her two hands on her hips. I unmistakably spotted beads of sweat forming on her forehead. She was lucky we were amid bushes, and any moment from now, the driver would actually stop.
My phone beeped, indicating a message from my mom.
Loml: My dear, where have you reached?
Me: e still far too small. I'm not sure where we are, but be expecting me in the next two hours and thirty minutes.
Loml: Ah, the Lord go with u. Sorry for the stress we put you through.
Loml: but don't worry; enough chicken dey for compensation.
Me: Mummy, don't worry, it's fine. Let's forget all that. I just can't wait to celebrate Christmas with you guys tomorrow.
The first time I went to my school in Lagos-UNILAG- my uncle paid for my flight, but he was unable to pay for my return, so he left it in the hands of my parents. However, due to the absence of a car, they were unable to pick me up, so I had to transport myself.
"Ye... yeee. Driver." the lady wriggled uncomfortably on her seat. "Please stop the bus."
The murmurs that died down a minute ago resonated, this one more intense than the last.
"E don do! I go soon park for one side. Make we reach somewhere first! I go soon park," the driver concluded.
I shook my head dismissively as the bus became louder. Passengers started arguing with one another, and the children behind me decided to increase the volume of their cries.
I'll never enter public transport again.
"Mtschew." I dipped my hand into my handbag and fished out the snacks I had. Maybe they'd keep quiet if they ate something; they were probably hungry.
My stomach grumbled fiercely due to the fact that I hadn't eaten anything all day, and at the same time I wanted to throw up. My body's system could be complicated sometimes.
I turned to face the woman, whose face was laced with worry and tiredness. She yanked off the Ankara scarf that was wrapped around her head as she adjusted the child on her lap.
"Ma, let the children have these." I handed it over to the woman. She widened her eyes, and her lips curled up into a smile.
"Thank you very much, aunty. God go bless you." I replied with a nod. My eyes darted to the boy that was on top of his older sister's lap. He had been sleeping since the start of the journey. I even started to worry that the boy was already dead, but the slight movements of the little boy dispelled such thoughts.
Maybe he isn't feeling well.
"Oya, say thank you to big Au-"
A terrifying noise from beneath the bus made my heart skip, and instantly, the car jerked forward, pulling everyone along. I instinctively tightened my grip on the seat. Something didn't feel right until I noticed how the bus was slightly tilted to the right.
No.
"Osanobua!" someone exclaimed. The whole bus became noisy again.
"Driver, we don reach?"
The driver hissed repeatedly as he carefully opened the car door.
It shouldn't be what I'm thinking.
"Be like say, bus don spoil." The conductor hopped off the bus.
No.
The complaints and cries of the children behind me came back to taunt me again. It was 10:15 p.m. already. The red bar on my phone's battery reminded me that I didn't have a power bank to charge it.
"Bus don spoil oo." The driver's announcement attracted rude comments from the passengers.
Shit.
"How long is it going to take to fix it?" a man impatiently questioned.
