Sinners and Saints II

Chapter 1

August 14, 1997

The splattering sound of the rain as it aggressively hit the closed windows in the dining room, which was only a tiny extension of the living room, could be heard all around the one bedroom apartment.

She could barely hear her own footsteps as she hurried to the living room, holding on firmly to an iron bucket in one hand and a torchlight in the other to help her find her way through the darkness that had endowed on the entire street and the house.

It was still so dark for seven thirty P.M, but she knew she could blame no one but the weather and the ever lasting rain. It had rained all through the night before and into the morning, it was really exhausting.

She found her way to the almost filled iron bucket, raising her sleeves so she didn't have to wet it. She pushed it away slightly and replaced it with the empty bucket she was with just so the raindrops from the leaking roof could find its way into the bucket instead spilling on the thick brown rug.

'That should do'
She thought as she stood straight for a minute to observe if she had placed the iron bucket properly. The last thing she needed was coming back from work to a flooded house.

Splat! Splat! Splat!

Now that was an even worse noise the raindrops made as it found its way into the bucket. She exhaled and turned to the window, it looked like the rain was going to stop soon with the way the noise from outside wasn't so much anymore. She rubbed her palms together.

"Mummy?"

Adaora turned at the sound of her name, pointing her torchlight towards the direction of her seven year old that sat on the wooden chair, scribbling inside her drawing book. Adaora knew that was her cue to head back to the table.

"Yes baby," She stood right beside her daughter, placing her hands gently on her left shoulder while she glanced into the drawing book, pretending to be surprised at the drawing in it.

"Woah, Olivia, what are we drawing today?" She asked pushing the lantern further away from the little girl so she wouldn't burn herself unintentionally.

"The Super Eagles." The little girl answered, reaching for her green crayon. It was time for her to colour the field.

Adaora pouted as she watched her daughter colour. She had no idea what it looked like but she tried to look impressed.

"My teacher asked us to draw what we love about our country and so I decided to draw our football team." Olivia continued, giving her book her undivided attention. "She also said the best three drawings were going to be hung on the walls of our classroom."

"She said that?"

"Uh huh." She nodded her rather small head. "Look mum," She pointed at one of the figures she had drawn in her book with her crayon. "That's Jay Jay Okocha," She said and then pointed to another figure with her crayon, Adaora followed her lead.  "And that's Kanu."

She pointed to another figure.

"And right beside him, that's -" She paused for a while. "That's-" Adaora looked at her with a hopeful smile on her face as she watched her struggle to remember a name, holding every bit of laughter inside of her as Olivia pouted. She had no idea who that was. She looked like she wasn't even sure she knew all the names in the football team.