It was the end of the second term in school and time to go back home.
The two little boys had to struggle their way through the crowds to fine a lorry they was not even much time to say goodbye to friends, as everyone just scattered they were glad at last they found a lorry, the conductor was very unfriendly with them, also he was a “smoker” he harshly asked them for their money.
They gave him the money and he allowed them to enter, they sat close to a fat woman carrying market goods and a huge man in a flowing gown, all through the huge man entertained the other passenger with jokes. And his hands often knocked poor Itoro.
As for Apkan, the market woman he sat close to had a baby, and when she wants to feed it she puts down her goods on poor Apkan’s lap, while in the lorry itoro tried to think of home where he will meet his father, mother, sisters and other relatives.
With a jolt the lorry lurched forward, then stopped to collect more passengers, then it jolted and stopped again. It did this four times before with a sudden jolt, immediately they were out of the Lorry Park and speeding along the road towards Uyo and calarbar,
The passengers were swaying from side to side, and silence fell inside the lorry. Only the voice of the driver talking to the first- class passengers by his side could be heard more than the whirr of the lorry’s engine, sometimes the driver will shout on other road users, whom he always thought to be wrong.
Despite the speed it was good to feel the freshness of the air outside imo up and up and up they went towards Edo and Portharcourt then at last they came to Uyo.
At calarbar apkan and itoro ate some food, they did not fell as if they have travelled one hundred and forty three kilometers, it was now getting darker, but they felt on familiar grounds as they neared home.
The road became narrow, with many farms on either side- and hidden villages, itak was passed and then ibiono , and then the road began to twist and turn until the lorry lurched into the one main street of uyo.
Akpan looked out of the lorry, the “big one” the eldest of his father’s sons, would be there to meet him with their lorry.
Yes there he was, a tall dark man who looked huge in white agbada .
“Brother, brother, here I am” called Apkan, his brother smiled and help them out of the lorry, and they headed home. Itoro lived in Calabar so he was soon in taxi and waving to them, “Goodbye see you next term!”
Why the boys did had difficulty in finding a lorry?
Where did the two boys sat?
Who had come to meet apkan?
Where did itoro lives?
Why were the boys on the lorry?