THE DARK ALPHA'S CURSE

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Chapter Thirteen:

"Oga, I be tell you say make you hold change!", the angry voice of the ever growing infuriated bus driver woke me from my slight nap. I shook my head, groggy, angry and disoriented.

"I tell you say I nor get change, yet you still enter my bus! You go leave the twenty naira for me o!", the driver raged, the recipient of his anger a cowering young boy with thick spectacles and a nerdy look.

One collar was turned up, and his neatly tucked in long sleeved T-shirt was rumpled in several places, with a large oily smear on the chest. The boy adjusted his glasses, his hands shaking as he held his fifty naira note halfway between the driver and himself, unsure whether to walk away or 'dash' the driver the change.

With a sigh, I sat up, blinking heavily, covering my yawning mouth. We were already at the car park in maingate, and I was the only passenger left in the bus.

Dipping my hand into the front zipper on my bag, I withdrew a bundle of crumpled notes, tore out an even more crumpled and pale looking hundred naira note, and held it out toward the driver.

"Oh!", I yawned again, stretching.

The driver and the boy paused their exchange; the former insulting and the latter absorbing the insults hesitatingly, to glare at me.

The driver burst into mirthless laughter, opening his door, his excited energy seeming like he wanted to fight me.

I stood by the 18 sitter Toyota bus, took off my glasses, cleaned them, and put them back on.

It was a habit I never seemed yo get over, wearing glasses even though I didn't need them.

The driver bounded around, yelling at the top of his voice.

"I go kill person pikin today! Allah! Person go die here!"

The nerd took out a twenty naira note, handing it to the driver. "Fine, I'll pay for two, just give us the change!"

The driver glared at him, glanced at my apparently bored disposition as I stood there working my jaw.
I'd lost a tooth yesterday in a brawl.

"Give me de money!", he said as he snatched the cash from the nerd.
"Oya, make una vamoose! Comot for hia!"

I still stood there, glancing at him from the corner of my eye, watching as his wiry frame bounced with excess energy, half wanting to give in to my anger, half wanting to just go away.

The nerd took my hand, desperately dragging me away.

Well, he tried to.

As he laid hands on me and pulled, his feet slipped and he lost balance, landing on his elbows.

The onlooking drivers and passersby laughed at him, and amidst the laughter, I heard someone saying, "na sickler he be o! I know this boy!"

Hearing that, I decided to help him. Hey, besides, he just paid my bus fee.

I helped him up to his feet, and he gave me an appreciative look, his elbow already swelling up.