The cock has crowed thrice but my body was too weak to hearken to this nature's alarm,there I lay with my eye gazing at the rafia roof that serve as a cap to this mud hut.
The morning air was fresh and the smell of bleating goat was not sufficient enough to becloud this freshness, "broda!! broad!!!" Little Ebube yelled as he pulled my arm with a consuming gaiety," broda obinna is looking for you".
My eyes looked carelessly at this little boy of five,"bia leave me alone" I retorted almost immediately, for my arm was in pain from the incessant pull of Ebube, I felt sad as the little lad walked away almost in tears,"tell him am coming" I said smiling and like the ink spot on a white apparel, he smiled and raced away...
Smiles found a soft spot in me as I remembered my partner in crime, Obinna, the son of Mazi Okonkwo the famous village hunter.Obinna was the only son of five children, like in other villages a man has not attained manhood until he has a male heir so Obinna's arrival marked the change in the life of Mazi Okonkwo as he threw a week long celebration for the entire village of Umuadia, to the extent that okrika the village mad man had enough to eat for days, let me not even talk of Mazi apiang the glutton.
Mazi okonkwo walked with shoulders high as he was conferred with the Ofo title in the village square few days after the birth of his only son .It was in this air of prominence obinna was raised, and fate was kind enough to let our path cross. I met him when we were in "garri school" and like they say opposite attracts, I became attracted because of his domineering statue and I know he liked me because of my witty plans, together I would say we terrorized Umuadia so much so that the villagers gave us the nick name "little rascals"...
One of our many mischievous tale was the mysterious disappearance of Alica's chicken .Alica was the the son of Mazi Apiang, a fat plumpy boy with a head that is twice the size of the average boys in umuadia.
He was known for always picking on small boys like me hence on countless occasions he deprived be of my snacks as he would often snatch my sweet and make me run away crying, never did he dear confront Obinna because of his size but me!! He found an easy prey.
Unfortunately for him, he had a chicken which he nurtured with care feeding it religiously with the intent of using it for his next birthday celabration.few days to his birthday I connived with Obinna and we stole the chicken while nobody was home and took it to the next village where we sold it for a huge sum of 10 cowries,when the buyer inquired where such little boys got the chicken, we simple told her that we were twins and needed money to buy the things requested by the Ifa priest who came to see our sick mother.
For fear of suspicion we gave some of the money to beggars on our way back and each kept two cowries. The evening came swiftly but with no peace as Mazi Apiang ransacked the nook and crannies of umuadia roaring causes on the thief, going to bed early was obinna and I's only route of escape hence I slept earlier than usual that day.
In school the next morning ,the eyes of Alica was as red as blood this was as a result of the event that transpired the previous night, for he sob uncontrollable even the promise of another chicken was no able to appease him, I walked into the class like an emperor with Obinna and God was I fulfilled to see alica in such pain, his glance met mine but I looked away quickly and made a resonating laughter for no just cause, he stood up with rage but with the sight of obinna by my side he sat almost immediately as he stood...
Mama's call was all I needed to wake me up from my sea of reminiscing... ( to be continued)
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