Living Water

2. The presence

Timothy rolled down the glass pane of the car, causing a gush of wind to burst thought the once temperate atmosphere, while he relished in the fresh air of the evening his friend cast him a glare, and rolled the window back up while maintaining a stoic expression. Timothy seeing Somto's reaction he smiled knowingly.
"Bro, are you still angry?"

"If I video you and your babe making out and blackmail you to buy me a drink, would you be happy?"

Timothy laughed boisterously while clutching his stomach, as the memory of when he and Aminu caught Somto making out in public with Beulah and videoed it, he later threatened to post it if Somto didn't buy them both drinks.
"Guy, it's not that deep, we later deleted the video na!"

"Oh, it's not that deep really......... get out of my car!" Somto said in a gentle but firm voice.
The car rolled to a stop by the road, his fair face fuming with anger, the once light mood of the car became tense.

"Bro are you serious?" Timothy asked disbelief evident on his face, as he would have never believed a day will come when his best friend would leave him stranded on the road over a harmless practical joke.

"Get out off my car Timothy!!" He replied harshly.

The sentence stung deep, his 'nigga' just referred to him as Timothy, it has never happened before. Preserving the little pride he had, he didn't beg, but instead pushed the door open and stepped out into the cool, dusty roadside.
"It's like that ba?!" He asked rhetorically.

Still believing it was some underlying joke, his heart shattered into a billion pieces as Somto rolled up his windows and sped off in to the busy road of the evening.
"Shit!" He cursed, as he realized that he forgot his duffle bag with his pocket money in the car, he simply shrugged and began a hopeless 25 minutes walk back home.

As he walked on the dirty road side, the sound of speeding vehicles accompanied him, the smell of roasted corn wafted through the evening air, it made his stomach rumble as he saw an old woman roast corn and local pears, on a metallic slates, like what they use for barbecue, more than ever he began to crave for the smoky taste of the roasted corn but he just held his breathe and walked past the corn spot as he had no money to buy it. Two minutes later the sound of a familiar hideous laughter caught his attention, he turned only to see the grinning head of Somto sticking out from the driver's side, he honked obnoxiously, disturbing other innocent passer-by.

He rolled his eyes, at Somto's hysteria and the prank he got involved in.
"Are you happy? You got your little revenge." Timothy said when the honking finally died down.

"Yeah, I thought you could use some little exersice. You should be grateful."

Timothy ignored the comment and continued to walk down the dusty road while Somto followed him in the car.

"Bro! Enter the car, I believe your not ready to walk 7 kilometers back home."

Timothy paused and saw the face of his friend nibbling on a piece of roasted corn, he secretly coveted to have one for himself.
"Is there more where that came from?" He pointed to the half eaten corn in Somto's busy mouth.

"There's a lot more indeed." Somto whipped out cobs of roasted corn neatly wrapped with newspaper.

"Well, unlock the door it's getting late!" They both laughed as they filled their mouth with the smoky, roasted goodness of corn, while heading home.

______________________________________

"See you later bro." They had their handshakes before Somto drove off.

As he crossed the road to his bungalow apartment situated in a sub urban estate, his nosy neighbor Mama Nneka, cast him a knowing look as they exchanged greetings. She was a brown skinned woman akin to the colour of clay, the wrinkles that formed on her forehead indicated years of experience, she had a small stature, with her signature dress code a polo shirt and a wrapper she always tied to her chest.

"Remember, I'm saving you for my daughter o!"

She laughed in her usual piercing manner, while Timothy forced a strained laughter as the idea of someone keeping dibs on him for her daughter creeped him out.

"Greet your mother for me o!"

"Yes ma! I will, thank you ma." He slightly bowed to show respect as he awkwardly walked into his house. While the piercing laughter of the woman still rang in his ear.

He fished the house key out of his pockets and unlocked the front door.
He launched himself on the comfy three seater couch in the living room, embracing the warmth of solitude.
Tossing throw pillows here and there, to find the remote for the television, he eventually saw it laid on top a tract, printed in bold red, it said:

REPENT FOR THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN IS AT HAND. THE END IS NEAR!!!
REVELATIONS 3:20

Immediately he read the tract , there was this nagging feeling in his conscience, an unease grew in him as he felt he was no longer alone in his own home. Like there was another presence.

Instantly the desire to watch television died, he picked up his headphones and decided to go for a walk instead. The drive to get out of the house which suddenly felt infested with a different presence, drove him into a frenzy as he frantically searched for his phone. He checked the living room, his mom's bedroom, the kitchen and then his own bedroom. Lo and behold his phone laid dormant on top the Bible he was reading earlier, finding the situation quite bizarre, he picked his phone as he was about to turn and leave. An unexplained desire to read the Bible stilled him, curiosity he has never felt before overwhelmed him. He sat by his reading table and for the first time in the life of 18 year old Timothy Jamal, he willingly read the Bible.