The Bridge (Book 1 of Xav-Verse)

CHAPTER ONE

BOOK/ STORY TIMELINE: 2008, 2010 and 2022

NOTE: Dialogues in brackets are the English translations of the dialogues in Nigerian Pidgin English.

CHAPTER ONE

YEAR: 2008

The overly loud alarm from the android smartphone beside the bed woke Richard James Effiong from the state called sleep. He stretched himself on the bed and yawned with all the morning strength he could muster. He checked the time, relunctantly, he bowed on the bed, said his prayers and proceeded to the events of the day. After hours of intense cleaning which he had no other choice but to coerce himself to do due to the dirt that massed themselves thanks to his absence during the holidays, he picked up his bucket, flung his towel on his shoulder and proceeded to fill his bucket with water, with that done, he carried himself to the bathroom. He opened the WC and was stunned at the sight before him.

"Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhmmmmmm!!!" He exclaimed in frustration, anger and disgust. His left hand on his head.

"Why are people this heartless? Dis kind thing, devil self no fit do am. What nonsense. Later dem go dey claim responsible citizens (why are people this heartless? Such a thing, even the devil can't do it. What nonsense. Later they will claim being responsible citizens)," he complained.

"Kimberly, I hope you guys are in school already. Make sure you keep a sit for me if lecture starts before I arrive," he spoke to his caller on his way to school, his backpack strapped on his back.

Richard James Effiong is the first born and first son in a family of three children. His immediate younger sibling, Gloria, is a year one student of Business Administration at the University of Ibadan while Desmond, his youngest sibling, is in secondary school. His parents, Mr James and Mrs Sandra Effiong, are workers in a private insurance company and the Lagos State ministry of science and technology respectively. The Effiongs are Oro by tribe from Okobo LGA of Akwa Ibom state. They have the tag "Core Christians" stamped on their foreheads. Richard Effiong is a brown skinned, handsome, tall stud with a curly silk hair with which he sports diverse hairstyles. Currently, he sport a flat top galax. He has a gold dye sprayed at the top of his hair which runs from the front to the rear. The left wing of his hair houses a stylish hairline. This compliments his handsome face. A level 400 student of computer science at the University Of Lagos, an aspiring enterpreneur and a highly principled guy.

(Notice From The Author: In this fictional universe, Xav-Verse, for the purpose of the universe, there are very few differences with the real world, for example, as of 2008, smartphones etc were already in existence.)

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Angela Oyedele moved in a zombified state hypnotized by the aroma from the kitchen which guards her like a shepherd leading it's sheep to greener pastures, well in this case, the kitchen. At the door of the kitchen, she did the pleasant exercise of inhaling and exhaling the pleasant aroma coming out of Felicia's cooking pot while staring at her mother doing her skadosh on the pot placed on the gas cooker.

"You know you are not permitted to be a participant of this meal if you haven't done the needful," Felicia said to her daughter, her eyes fixed on her cooking while side glancing at her.

"Mum!!!"

"Young woman, don't tell me all the 'how to be an ideal woman' ethics I've been teaching you, you've forgotten."

"No."

"Okay, what's the morning rule?"

"Say my prayers."

"No, the one after that."

"Peck my husband."

"I mean when you are single, woman," Felicia bursted out, her hands spread out.