The Journey in the Jungle
...season 02.....
11:05am
The voice of the conductor advertising his food continued reverberating in the bus.
"Listen and listen good everybody. We are heading to Benin and we are going to stop there. We have enough food here for you to eat and enough to drink. Please be noted that they are not for free. THE YOUNG is not giving out free meals. This announcement is to avoid what happened the previous time, when a woman with five children thought that the food were for free. She was busy asking her children to eat more and more, when it was time for payment she started opening hands". This caused a little laughter. Johnson said in a low tune to Lynda "This man is funny". Lynda chuckled. The voice of the conductor continued. "Please let everyone be aware. If you need food please indicate so that it will be given to you". People started indicating while the man in charge continued dispatching the takeaways. The second man continued with the talking. This time he was more humorous. He began "Please as you eat, be mindful of the bags on top of you. You know now that carpenters do travel, and you probably know what a carpenter can carry. The other time a carpenter was travelling and was carrying a bag containing nails and hammer. When the bus stumbled on a gallop, the bag fell on somebody's head". People started laughing. He continued "Please be also security conscious especially when this bus stops at any bus stop for people to get down. Someone happened to be less concerned and someone with a similar bag had to exchange it with his. When he opened it, it was filled with toilet rolls. I wonder how one could be traveling all the way from Onitsha to Lagos with a bag full of toilet rolls". People started laughing again. That one seemed to have tickled Lynda in a special way that she continued laughing even when others had stopped. Those distributing the food had already bypassed their row.
Johnson noticed that Lynda was not going to buy food, he decided to make use of the opportunity to show his generosity.
"You are not eating, let me get one for you". He immediately turned to the distributor "Excuse me, I need two plates of rice please". He didn't wait for Lynda to reply before he ordered for the two plates of rice. Perhaps he knew that if had waited for her reply she would hold on to her pride and would reject the offer, so he decided to be persuasive. The distributor asked again "Sir how many?"
"I said two" he replied firmly in a way that indicated that the man should not ask the question again.
"I didn't say that I'm going to eat" Lynda cut in sharply
"I know, trust me you need it"
"Who are you getting the food for" she enquired looking more firm as if she was going to reject the food. Johnson's heart raced up because he thought his offer was going down. He decided to persist. Immediately the man handed both takeaways to him. Johnson turned towards Lynda handing her one takeaway which she didn't take immediately.
"Listen Lynda" he said beaming a little smile "You don't need to be afraid okay. There's no love portion in it. You see it was handed over to me now. Please take it". Lynda laughed when he talked about love portion. That laughter already demonstrated to Johnson that she was going to accept the food, yet she wouldn't immediately do that, perhaps to maintain her dignity.
"But who asked you to buy it, did I tell you that I'm hungry".
"I have already bought it, pleasssssee". She smiled then accepted the food and said "Thank you". Johnson knew that she was hungry but have decided not to show it. In as much as she was doing all those things, it really gave Johnson some pleasure having had to get her in a hard way. The fact that she was falling gradually made Johnson happy. In so far as he was concerned, it had been an awesome journey which he would never like to end as far as Lynda was sitting besides him. Earlier on he had decided to be gentle and initiated an introduction. After he settled, he told her
"I'm Johnson". She smiled and said "Why do you want to know my name?". The question took Johnson offhand, but he knew that they were all initial performance.
"I ...I ....I just want to know you". She smiled. Those smiles were something that kept encouraging Johnson to continue. For Johnson, those smiles were welcome notes and a necessary catalyst.
"You just want to know me, do you know whether I'm a kidnapper?". Johnson chuckled. "Why laughing" she asked. That question pleased him.
"Because I know that you can't kidnap me"
"Really!"
"Of course"
"I bet you, don't say that with all assurance"
"That's what I'm sure of" Johnson maintained. He was happy that she was lighting up a discussion, though baseless but necessary.
"And how sure are you" she asked
"Because I can swear it"
"Really, don't swear it because you will die". Johnson laughed. "My name is Lynda"
"What a beautiful name" she looked at him in askance
"Beautiful!" She retorted
"Of course, that's a beautiful name"
"So you have never heard that Lynda means snake?"
"And you are answering it"
"I was given the name when I was little"
"And do you believe that?". She started laughing
"What do you want me to believe"
"Are you a Catholic?" Johnson asked looking at her. She looked back.
"You want to ask me about saint Lynda right?"
"Yea"
"I'm a Catholic. St Lynda is my role model"
"Are you from Anambra state?"
"Yes, why do you ask?". Before Johnson could open his mouth she already retorted "definitely because you wish to know, so what of you"
"Yea, I am from Anambra. But which side do you reside?"
"Nkpor, and you?"
"GRA, Onitsha"
"And that's why your brother had to accompany you" she asked
"My Dad can't allow me to go without the driver"
"But you said he is your brother, you have a driver, you seem to come from a rich family"
"Not really, all I know is that we are not hungry". Johnson couldn't believe the relaxed mind with wish Lynda spoke to him.
Johnson had to buy two malts and two can waters for both of them. Since she accepted the food, there was no way she could reject the drinks. The journey continued. Everyone then seemed to have exhausted from talking. Most having taken their lunch became dizzy, they slept while the luxurious bus moved with speed. Lynda had taken the food Johnson bought her, together with extra meats and drinks, she was no exception, she felt heavy and dizzy. She rested her head on Johnson's shoulder, she dozed off. Sleeping on his shoulder was something Johnson never thought of, but he felt as if every of his journey should be as lucky as that day. Just then his mum called, and he had to pick.
"Hello baby" his mother echoed from the other end.
"Hi mum" he tried to maintain a stable tone so that he wouldn't have to wake Lynda.
"How are you?"
"Mum I'm doing fine"
"How is the journey going, which side are you people now"
"We are moving fine, we are heading to Benin now"
"Benin! You should have passed Benin. Didn't you enter the small bus"
"Mum I did, we encountered many holdups but we are doing fine, everything is alright mum"
"Don't worry, when you get down at Benin you buy yourself some food to eat okay"
"Don't worry Mum, I have already eaten"
"Do they now sell food in small buses, I thought its only in luxurious buses, John are in a luxurious bus?
"No Mum, I bought the food before I entered the bus"
"Okay but I have asked you not to buy food from uncertain places"
"Mum I'm fine"
"Alright, enjoy your journey son. I miss you and I love you". Johnson wanted to answer but it seemed Lynda was waking up. He disliked telling his Mum 'I love you in public', but his Mum wouldn't accept that. His classmates taunt him for that. His Mum loved him much.
"Johnson did you hear me, I said I love you"
"Alright mum, love you too"
"Bye"
"Bye Mum". He tried saying that with low voice but it was obvious that Lynda was awake.
"Mummy's boy" she mumbled and continued sleeping.
........ 12:05 pm.........
Joseph heard his phone vibrate. It was his master's wife.
"Good afternoon ma"
"Joseph good afternoon, I just wish to enquire from you, what bus did Johnson enter today,"
"The one you instructed ma"
"Which bus Joseph"
"The small bus ma, is anything the matter ma?
"No, not really, I just wish to make sure that he entered the right one"
"No problem ma". She ended the call. Nevertheless, Regina was not yet satisfied, something was pestering her and she wished she knew it.
..........12:30pm.....
They were already in Benin, but were still in lonely express road with two sides of the road covered with tick bushes. Suddenly, the bus went slow. It stopped. Johnson tried to look at the window and was convinced that there were neither holdup nor go slow. Immediately Lynda got up
"Why is the bus stopping, is everything alright?"
"I don't know". Everyone was then trying to figure out why the car stopped. A lady that was sitting at the back retorted
"Ohhhh are you sure that this bus has not spoilt ehh. How couldn't they have noticed that it wasn't good". A man besides her said immediately
"I don't think that the bus has spoilt, the engine is still on"
"So what's the problem?" Another passenger asked. Johnson was looking at the window, he noticed spontaneous movement in the bush. And they surfaced. They were heavily armed. Immediately rounds of shots were rained in the air. Everyone shouted and panicked. What was next was "Everybody hands up". Lynda's face shoked with great fear and anxiety. The doors of the bus were then opened and they started climbing up with great intimidation. Immediately Johnson took Lynda's Nokia torch, opened his belt and slot it in his boxers. He took out the 10,000 his mother had given him and slot it in his boxers. As he tried to bring out his wallet, he felt its rigid stucky touch on his head. The gun was resting on his head.
"Hand it over to me" the voice of the robber who had his face masked.
"What!" Johnson tried to form....
"For the last time hand them over to me before I brow up your head now". The threat never looked like something empty, it was heavily loaded with actualization. He submitted his wallet and his iPhone 6.
Mrs Regina had decided to take hot water in order to know if her feelings could cool down, but just then the glass cup fell from her hand and broke into pieces. Her anxiety rose again, she decided to call her son again.
The voice of the man trembled again "if I find anything on you, you are dead". He immediately wanted to search his boxers when the phone rang. It was Johnson's mother. The screen wrote "my sweet mum". Johnson was really trembling
"Is this your mum" the man asked
"Yes sir"
"You will pick it and tell her that everything is alright do you get me?
"Yes sir". He pointed the gun at him and said again
"If you decide to do otherwise, you are dead". He handed the phone over to Johnson. He picked it
"Helo Mum"
"Baby how are you". His mother had called him baby again and the phone was in loud speaker. That didn't matter then because the situation was hot.
"Mum I'm fine"
"Are you sure". Johnson waited some seconds
"Mum you should know when I'm sure". The man cocked his gun motioning to him to end the call. He concluded
"Mum I will be going"
"Alright, remember to call us, I love you"
"Alright Mum, bye". He cut the call and handed the phone back to the man.
Just then another man wearing a black mask with a sturdy stature carrying an AK47 said "Listen and listen carefully, if you do what we ask, no one will get hurt I promise you. But if you act otherwise, I promise you won't like it. Everybody should submit his or her phone and your wallet. Don't try to play planks, I tell you it won't favour you" They were presented with a basket which everyone did as was asked. Lynda knew that Johnson was still having her phone. When it was her turn, the man looked at her indicating that she should provide her phone. She was shriveling, she looked at Johnson. Johnson knew that if he wasted more seconds Lynda out of fear may say something, he took over.
"He took our phones" pointing at the other man. He wanted to verify but his phone rang. After receiving his call he announced...EVERYONE SHOULD GET DOWN, PUT YOUR HANDS OVER YOUR HEAD AND DO THAT SLOWLY.
.........immediately it struck 1:00pm.......
.........season 03 loading..............
...season 02.....
11:05am
The voice of the conductor advertising his food continued reverberating in the bus.
"Listen and listen good everybody. We are heading to Benin and we are going to stop there. We have enough food here for you to eat and enough to drink. Please be noted that they are not for free. THE YOUNG is not giving out free meals. This announcement is to avoid what happened the previous time, when a woman with five children thought that the food were for free. She was busy asking her children to eat more and more, when it was time for payment she started opening hands". This caused a little laughter. Johnson said in a low tune to Lynda "This man is funny". Lynda chuckled. The voice of the conductor continued. "Please let everyone be aware. If you need food please indicate so that it will be given to you". People started indicating while the man in charge continued dispatching the takeaways. The second man continued with the talking. This time he was more humorous. He began "Please as you eat, be mindful of the bags on top of you. You know now that carpenters do travel, and you probably know what a carpenter can carry. The other time a carpenter was travelling and was carrying a bag containing nails and hammer. When the bus stumbled on a gallop, the bag fell on somebody's head". People started laughing. He continued "Please be also security conscious especially when this bus stops at any bus stop for people to get down. Someone happened to be less concerned and someone with a similar bag had to exchange it with his. When he opened it, it was filled with toilet rolls. I wonder how one could be traveling all the way from Onitsha to Lagos with a bag full of toilet rolls". People started laughing again. That one seemed to have tickled Lynda in a special way that she continued laughing even when others had stopped. Those distributing the food had already bypassed their row.
Johnson noticed that Lynda was not going to buy food, he decided to make use of the opportunity to show his generosity.
"You are not eating, let me get one for you". He immediately turned to the distributor "Excuse me, I need two plates of rice please". He didn't wait for Lynda to reply before he ordered for the two plates of rice. Perhaps he knew that if had waited for her reply she would hold on to her pride and would reject the offer, so he decided to be persuasive. The distributor asked again "Sir how many?"
"I said two" he replied firmly in a way that indicated that the man should not ask the question again.
"I didn't say that I'm going to eat" Lynda cut in sharply
"I know, trust me you need it"
"Who are you getting the food for" she enquired looking more firm as if she was going to reject the food. Johnson's heart raced up because he thought his offer was going down. He decided to persist. Immediately the man handed both takeaways to him. Johnson turned towards Lynda handing her one takeaway which she didn't take immediately.
"Listen Lynda" he said beaming a little smile "You don't need to be afraid okay. There's no love portion in it. You see it was handed over to me now. Please take it". Lynda laughed when he talked about love portion. That laughter already demonstrated to Johnson that she was going to accept the food, yet she wouldn't immediately do that, perhaps to maintain her dignity.
"But who asked you to buy it, did I tell you that I'm hungry".
"I have already bought it, pleasssssee". She smiled then accepted the food and said "Thank you". Johnson knew that she was hungry but have decided not to show it. In as much as she was doing all those things, it really gave Johnson some pleasure having had to get her in a hard way. The fact that she was falling gradually made Johnson happy. In so far as he was concerned, it had been an awesome journey which he would never like to end as far as Lynda was sitting besides him. Earlier on he had decided to be gentle and initiated an introduction. After he settled, he told her
"I'm Johnson". She smiled and said "Why do you want to know my name?". The question took Johnson offhand, but he knew that they were all initial performance.
"I ...I ....I just want to know you". She smiled. Those smiles were something that kept encouraging Johnson to continue. For Johnson, those smiles were welcome notes and a necessary catalyst.
"You just want to know me, do you know whether I'm a kidnapper?". Johnson chuckled. "Why laughing" she asked. That question pleased him.
"Because I know that you can't kidnap me"
"Really!"
"Of course"
"I bet you, don't say that with all assurance"
"That's what I'm sure of" Johnson maintained. He was happy that she was lighting up a discussion, though baseless but necessary.
"And how sure are you" she asked
"Because I can swear it"
"Really, don't swear it because you will die". Johnson laughed. "My name is Lynda"
"What a beautiful name" she looked at him in askance
"Beautiful!" She retorted
"Of course, that's a beautiful name"
"So you have never heard that Lynda means snake?"
"And you are answering it"
"I was given the name when I was little"
"And do you believe that?". She started laughing
"What do you want me to believe"
"Are you a Catholic?" Johnson asked looking at her. She looked back.
"You want to ask me about saint Lynda right?"
"Yea"
"I'm a Catholic. St Lynda is my role model"
"Are you from Anambra state?"
"Yes, why do you ask?". Before Johnson could open his mouth she already retorted "definitely because you wish to know, so what of you"
"Yea, I am from Anambra. But which side do you reside?"
"Nkpor, and you?"
"GRA, Onitsha"
"And that's why your brother had to accompany you" she asked
"My Dad can't allow me to go without the driver"
"But you said he is your brother, you have a driver, you seem to come from a rich family"
"Not really, all I know is that we are not hungry". Johnson couldn't believe the relaxed mind with wish Lynda spoke to him.
Johnson had to buy two malts and two can waters for both of them. Since she accepted the food, there was no way she could reject the drinks. The journey continued. Everyone then seemed to have exhausted from talking. Most having taken their lunch became dizzy, they slept while the luxurious bus moved with speed. Lynda had taken the food Johnson bought her, together with extra meats and drinks, she was no exception, she felt heavy and dizzy. She rested her head on Johnson's shoulder, she dozed off. Sleeping on his shoulder was something Johnson never thought of, but he felt as if every of his journey should be as lucky as that day. Just then his mum called, and he had to pick.
"Hello baby" his mother echoed from the other end.
"Hi mum" he tried to maintain a stable tone so that he wouldn't have to wake Lynda.
"How are you?"
"Mum I'm doing fine"
"How is the journey going, which side are you people now"
"We are moving fine, we are heading to Benin now"
"Benin! You should have passed Benin. Didn't you enter the small bus"
"Mum I did, we encountered many holdups but we are doing fine, everything is alright mum"
"Don't worry, when you get down at Benin you buy yourself some food to eat okay"
"Don't worry Mum, I have already eaten"
"Do they now sell food in small buses, I thought its only in luxurious buses, John are in a luxurious bus?
"No Mum, I bought the food before I entered the bus"
"Okay but I have asked you not to buy food from uncertain places"
"Mum I'm fine"
"Alright, enjoy your journey son. I miss you and I love you". Johnson wanted to answer but it seemed Lynda was waking up. He disliked telling his Mum 'I love you in public', but his Mum wouldn't accept that. His classmates taunt him for that. His Mum loved him much.
"Johnson did you hear me, I said I love you"
"Alright mum, love you too"
"Bye"
"Bye Mum". He tried saying that with low voice but it was obvious that Lynda was awake.
"Mummy's boy" she mumbled and continued sleeping.
........ 12:05 pm.........
Joseph heard his phone vibrate. It was his master's wife.
"Good afternoon ma"
"Joseph good afternoon, I just wish to enquire from you, what bus did Johnson enter today,"
"The one you instructed ma"
"Which bus Joseph"
"The small bus ma, is anything the matter ma?
"No, not really, I just wish to make sure that he entered the right one"
"No problem ma". She ended the call. Nevertheless, Regina was not yet satisfied, something was pestering her and she wished she knew it.
..........12:30pm.....
They were already in Benin, but were still in lonely express road with two sides of the road covered with tick bushes. Suddenly, the bus went slow. It stopped. Johnson tried to look at the window and was convinced that there were neither holdup nor go slow. Immediately Lynda got up
"Why is the bus stopping, is everything alright?"
"I don't know". Everyone was then trying to figure out why the car stopped. A lady that was sitting at the back retorted
"Ohhhh are you sure that this bus has not spoilt ehh. How couldn't they have noticed that it wasn't good". A man besides her said immediately
"I don't think that the bus has spoilt, the engine is still on"
"So what's the problem?" Another passenger asked. Johnson was looking at the window, he noticed spontaneous movement in the bush. And they surfaced. They were heavily armed. Immediately rounds of shots were rained in the air. Everyone shouted and panicked. What was next was "Everybody hands up". Lynda's face shoked with great fear and anxiety. The doors of the bus were then opened and they started climbing up with great intimidation. Immediately Johnson took Lynda's Nokia torch, opened his belt and slot it in his boxers. He took out the 10,000 his mother had given him and slot it in his boxers. As he tried to bring out his wallet, he felt its rigid stucky touch on his head. The gun was resting on his head.
"Hand it over to me" the voice of the robber who had his face masked.
"What!" Johnson tried to form....
"For the last time hand them over to me before I brow up your head now". The threat never looked like something empty, it was heavily loaded with actualization. He submitted his wallet and his iPhone 6.
Mrs Regina had decided to take hot water in order to know if her feelings could cool down, but just then the glass cup fell from her hand and broke into pieces. Her anxiety rose again, she decided to call her son again.
The voice of the man trembled again "if I find anything on you, you are dead". He immediately wanted to search his boxers when the phone rang. It was Johnson's mother. The screen wrote "my sweet mum". Johnson was really trembling
"Is this your mum" the man asked
"Yes sir"
"You will pick it and tell her that everything is alright do you get me?
"Yes sir". He pointed the gun at him and said again
"If you decide to do otherwise, you are dead". He handed the phone over to Johnson. He picked it
"Helo Mum"
"Baby how are you". His mother had called him baby again and the phone was in loud speaker. That didn't matter then because the situation was hot.
"Mum I'm fine"
"Are you sure". Johnson waited some seconds
"Mum you should know when I'm sure". The man cocked his gun motioning to him to end the call. He concluded
"Mum I will be going"
"Alright, remember to call us, I love you"
"Alright Mum, bye". He cut the call and handed the phone back to the man.
Just then another man wearing a black mask with a sturdy stature carrying an AK47 said "Listen and listen carefully, if you do what we ask, no one will get hurt I promise you. But if you act otherwise, I promise you won't like it. Everybody should submit his or her phone and your wallet. Don't try to play planks, I tell you it won't favour you" They were presented with a basket which everyone did as was asked. Lynda knew that Johnson was still having her phone. When it was her turn, the man looked at her indicating that she should provide her phone. She was shriveling, she looked at Johnson. Johnson knew that if he wasted more seconds Lynda out of fear may say something, he took over.
"He took our phones" pointing at the other man. He wanted to verify but his phone rang. After receiving his call he announced...EVERYONE SHOULD GET DOWN, PUT YOUR HANDS OVER YOUR HEAD AND DO THAT SLOWLY.
.........immediately it struck 1:00pm.......
.........season 03 loading..............
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