UNGUIDED

Chapter Six

It was a serious rainy day.
Sarah had to hawk her fruits even in the rain. She arranged her fruits in the tray and head out for the usual.

"Sarah, you don't have to hawk now it's raining" worried Patricia said holding her hands.

"Aunty Pat, you know I still have to go to stop madam Moriah from scolding you too." Sarah balanced the fruits tray on her head.

"Dear, please carry the umbrella at least, I don't want you to get sick"

"You know it's not possible to carry this tray and use the umbrella Aunty"

"Okay okay, just don't go too far it's after 3pm we still have meal to prepare!" She shouted as Sarah walked out of the gate.

Sarah walked in the rain for almost an hour without selling any fruit. She was soaked and tired from trekking.

She noticed people running to take shelter under the bridge and she joined them. The crowd was of different people, workers and vendors. Some of the men where staring at her and she became scared and embraced herself shaking from the cold.

She was grateful for the brown sweater she had on with a black jean. A young man from the crowd approached her. She felt happy and smiled to her first customer.

"Hello" he said smiling back.

"Good evening sir"

"You look familiar" he said placing a finger on his chin.

Sarah glared at him and moved back.

"Sir, I don't think I know you o"

"You look like someone from Benue state, Ugbokolo town to be precise"

"Excuse me sir, if you don't want to buy my fruits you step back before I scream"

"I beg your pardon?"

"Please leave me alone!" She shouted.

People started looking at her and the strange guy.

He quickly moved away from her and took the cab that just dropped someone under the bridge. Watching Sarah leaving with her fruits in the rain.

"Could I be mistaken, they look so identical! But why did she react like that?"

"Oga, where do you want me to take you to"

"Oh sorry man, Wuse II"

"Okay sir"

He couldn't get her face off his mind.

" The same girl in the boutique that the owner was trying to take advantage of. But how did she get here. And those clothes." He thought.

Leonard struggle with himself about the confusion. But how it affected him was what he couldn't understand.

My God, I must be losing my mind.

////

Sarah got home shaking from the cold. She was all wet and tired. The gate to the estate made her heart to pond fast in fear of not selling any fruit.

She remembered a day she hawked after school without sales and madam Moriah denied her dinner.

"Everyone must earn money in this town Sarah, I didn't come here to look at Aso or Zuma rock" words of her Aunty echoed in her ears as she recalled.

"Aunty Pat, I couldn't sell any today. What will I tell madam"

"Don't worry, I will lend you some money. We will give her and after tomorrow's sales you pay me back"