CHAPTER 3: CAME ALIVE?

This can't be happening! hold on... I must be dreaming! yes! that must be it! but it feels so...real. "Wake up Sekani! wake up!" I muttered to myself as I tapped, pinched and did everything I could to wake up from this traumatizing daydream. I looked again at the car, but saw nobody again, as a matter of fact, the car had already drove off.

"phew!" I blew air out of my mouth, I must have been imagining things, how could I possibly have seen him?? he doesn't even exist, as far as I'm concerned, he's just my nightmare wearing a handsome face. But is this a new level of my nightmare?? creeping out of my dreams and making me imagine things in the day?? If this happens one more time then I might go crazy, it's enough having those frightening nightmares at night, but imagining them in the day? that would definitely freak me out.

Maybe the face I saw simple had a strong resemblance with my mystic king and the resemblance triggered my nightmares memories, but how can someone have a strong resemblance with something unreal??

Anyway, that should be the least of my worries right now, I have my stomach to worry about and just then, my stomach gave out a loud grumbling, which I interpret as 'now you're talking!' I chuckled silently as I looked around to make sure no one heard I and my tummy.

I started walking home in a slow pace, there was no rush, cos there was nothing to rush back home to, I decided to trek, because the last penny on me, was going to be used for my fare tomorrow, it wouldn't be for nothing, it would be my first day at work after all, so I was sure of a nice pay tomorrow.

I smiled inspite of myself, what I referred to 'as a nice pay' wasn't going to be more than 10 bucks, 15 at most, but it was better than nothing.

It's been an hour since I started my 'little walk' by now, the sun had risen and I am now sweating like I was running a marathon. I didn't even have a hankerchief with me, so the sweat tickled from my forehead and ran down the sides of my face and to my neck, then to the rest of my body. I only occasionally raised my arms to my face and wiped it with my sleeves, soon my sleeves got dampened with sweats too.

About 30 minutes later, I finally got home, I was now panting like a Christmas deer, I yearned desperately for the comfort of my bed, I needed to stretch and relax and then sleep if possible, but like I said earlier, today wasn't my day.

My already fallen countenance fell even more the moment I saw who was at my door, you might have already guessed who; my landlady.

Okay, this is too much for one day, first I was cheated my a con driver, then I got disappointed by two workplaces and then I had to trek for almost 2 hours and now I'm been confronted by my mean landlady?? how bad can it get??

"Erm.. uhh, M.. Mrs Wilson, you're here?? sorry forgive my manners, good eve.... sorry, good mor..." "save your greetings Sekani! What could possibly be good about the morning??" she fired, I became uncomposed, I lacked equanimity.

"Well, t..the morning..." "my goodness! I can't believe you're were going to answer that dump question! Anyway, I'm not here to engage in a melodrama with you, I only came to remind you that your rent will be due by Friday, you know that, so you better hurry, and please no games this time, don't you dare try to play around this time, because I won't condone it

'Alright I'm going to pay you your money, but you didn't have to be so loud about it!' I wanted to tell her this and I screamed it in my head but, it came out as, "that won't be a problem Mrs Wilson, I will pay up before the deadline, I promise" there I was again playing miss goody-two-shoes.

"You better! else, I will have you thrown out!" she snapped and then made to leave but retracted her steps, 'oh please! I've had enough already!' I screamed in my head.

"About your nightly disturbance, you screaming in the dead of the night like a haunted witch! it's got to stop! I'm getting fed up with it and I'm almost reaching my limits! if this continues again, then I will have you thrown out!"

"I will try..." I started to say but she walked out on me.

Our little 'conversation' had attracted the attention of some tenants, but none came to my aid as usual and I was grateful, they never help without asking for something in exchange and when it was a male tenant, he would ask for the one thing I can never give and as far as I know, it was the only jewel I can boast of.

I entered into my tiny room and after bolting the door, I pulled off my pumps, then I slumped on the mattress and exhaled with satisfaction, this mattress was to me what a king sized bed was to a billionaire. I sat up and pulled off my shirt and bra, then tossed it to the side and layed back on the mattress.

I did a little stretch, to relieve my back, feet and my aching calfs, I called them my 'Legedez Benz'; funny.

I began to reminiscence over my ordeals in the past 4 hours as I stared into nothingness. First the sad news of that restaurant being shut down, secondly, my disappointment at the laundry shop, thirdly, my mistaking someone else for my mystic king and then my confrontation with my landlady and I sighed.

Phew! What a day! no food, no money and I'm starving! I picked up my Bossy cat book, it was a fantasy novel by my favorite author, Susan Campbell. I have read this book five times or more, yet I don't even see myself stopping, it was my second treasure.

The author through the protagonist Vanessa, dealt out ways a woman/girl could stand up to anyone or anything and command the respect and attention she deserves, I hope to be that kind of woman someday, but right now, I'm still here; in this miserable tiny room.

After reading for a while, I set the book down and fell asleep, that was the only thing left to be done and equally the only way I could escape this pang of hunger.

I slept for about 3 hours or so; fair enough.

I decided on taking a stroll. I quickly changed into a sundress, then left for a stroll down the street.

It was evening, and some of the well-to-do folks could be seen driving up to next neighbourhood, they were called the uptowners, while we were referred to as the downtowners, this explains why we are being isolated from them, they're the 'high' while we were considered the peasants or 'slummers'.

Even children from the two neighborhood were not allowed to mingle with each other, it was rumoured that the uptowners believed that any form of association with the downtowners, would result in the Advent of poverty and misfortune upon the uptowner involved, and this believe was backed up with a story.

Once, there lived a wealthy fella in the uptown, he was famous and renowned for his kindness, generosity and benevolence towards the downtowners, he gave alms and mingled with them, it was said that he was warned by this likes, but he never heed to their warnings, rather he preached to them about the equality of humans.

One day, tragedy struck, he lost all of his possessions and wealths, including his mansion, but no one came to his aid, not even the downtowners he helped, so he left that neighborhood to another, where he lived the rest of his life wretchedly in poverty and penury with his only child.

After a little while, the man died from a high fever, but then, no one saw or heard from his son ever again.

That's one touchy story, but I don't believe it was a true story I mean, if it were, then we would have known the unfortunate man's name at least.

I started walking back home cos it was almost nightfall. I walked more hastily than before and soon I was back home.

I brought out my last meal, my leftover bread and jam, I had intentionally saved it for tonight, so I would have something before going to bed then wait for tomorrow's bread.

After my dinner, I had my bath and went to bed dreading my nightmares as usual, but to my amazement they never came, I woke up at about some minutes past 4, I was still in amazement, this was the first time in 3 years that I was sleeping soundly without my usual nightmare, what does this mean?? Have I finally being healed of my nightly horrors?? "oh holy mother!"

Today must surely be a beautiful day! the beginning of a new dawn!