The Second Path

Chapter 30

NOTE: The town name has been changed from 'Barnawa' to Mansur.

Chapter 30

Today was Palm Sunday. The annual Sunday that we had to walk under the hot sun for 40 minutes with our palm leaflets in the shape of a cross, while saying some catholic prayers and praise and worship.

When the procession and mass was finally over, I was relieved, finally hoping that I was going to get my beauty Sunday sleep when suddenly, I saw 22 missed calls and 3 messages from Junior Junior.

Junior Junior: Miriam!!!! Why aren't you picking my calls??!!
Junior Junior: It's Abdul! He is lying dead on my chicken floor!
Junior junior: *Kitchen. Get here as fast as you can! He is smelling!

I didn't want to believe any of this message, but this was Mansur and anything could happen.

I rushed out of the church gate, not mindful of the crowd and cars that were coming out of the church building.

I got to Junior Junior's house on time since it was not far from the church. As soon as I got to his house gate, I turned to see Junior Junior sitting on a long stool not too far from the gate. He was playing a card game with someone. And that someone was Hamid.

I scoffed. These boys are trying me. I walked over towards them with my hands folded.

As I got closer, Hamid was the first to notice me since he was facing my direction before Junior Junior looked back to see me.

"Ah Mariam." Hamid smiled, "What brings you here?"

I wasn't focused on his question because I was glaring at Junior Junior all through. I was ready to kill him with my bare hands.

"Miriam." Junior junior called while slowly standing up, "You see baa. I had a reason to-"

I was so ready to strangle him when I rushed to his side and he quickly jumped away to hide behind Hamid.

"Where are you running to?!" I shouted while trying to catch him, "Be raising false alarm! You almost gave me heart attack!"

"Wait and hear what I have to say now!" He said quickly.

"No!" I said and continue chasing him.

We were both running around Hamid and the long stool. Hamid just shook his head before he quickly grabbed my hand and sat me down behind him. I tried removing my hand while I was still glaring at Junior junior but he refused to let go.

"Dan Allah. Allow him to finish what he has to say." Hamid said.

"Do you know what he wrote about you?"

"What?"

"He said you're smelling."

Junior Junior stopped running and frowned at me, "Is that the only part you remembered? Not even the part that he was dead."

"Ah mutum! You want to wish me dead before my time?" Hamid said in surprise, "I told you to just write something that will make her come faster."

"Didn't it work?" He said proudly while sitting back down, knowing that there was no hope for me to chase him. Hamid gave him chop knuckle and I frowned at both of them.