by Ben Ayoo
LOST
Copyright 2013 Ben Ayoo
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LOST
It rises up to... I think it touches the sky. At the entrance on either side are two lion statue. Their is a faint smell of concrete in the air. The buildings on the right also look new, impressive and large. One is made entirely of glass. I could see people climbing up and down it's stairs. Car were even parked inside. If I touched it, it will be as smooth as the T.V screen. A pole hung on the side with flag of... ''Heck! Where the hell am I?!''
Three hours ago. I was sitting home enjoying breakfast watching the morning news. When it ended the news caster said, ''By the way John Cena the celebrity wrestler is visiting the country and would be at Garden square Park to sign autographs for today only. Be there.''
''What!''
''What is it Mary?,'' mother asked from the kitchen.
''Nothing,'' I replied while ripping a page from the small note book that was on the table. I went to the cabinet, obtained a pen and wrote Garden square Park. ''Okay I am leaving,'' Mother said. I bet today was the polio vaccine or was it measles. She had donned her favorite cashmere cardigan. Baby was hoisted at her back with leso tying him to place. The door closed . The house was silent. For everyone had left and the TV switched off. I ran to the bedroom, smashed my piggy bank and counted the coins. Forty shillings, which is more than enough. I locked the house, hung the key around my neck. Testing the tautness of the string, it is firm. Looks like the key won't get lost. In 10 minutes I was in bus headed to the city.
I felt the conductor eyed me suspiciously as I handed to him the 10 shilling coins. Was it not enough? The last time I went with Father to town he paid 20 shillings for fare. That means 10 for him and 10 for me. I avert my gaze to window. The scenery I passed was dull. Ahead the most interesting personality awaited. ''Umh!'' I puffed. My clenched fist was still close to my heart and head up, just the eyes had slightly moved right to become aware of the passenger next to me glaring. She thinks I am weird. Following that my hand palm were kept at my knee and my red face downwards.
Why didn't I tell my parents I wanted to see my favorite entertainer? First I knew my mother couldn't cancel baby's last appointment to the clinic nor father miss a day's work. They would mostly likely told me they would take me on weekends. Secondly for father, how can I ask him for anything when two days ago I had that terrible outburst towards him for the lack of T.V in the house. Furthermore I haven't even asked for his forgiveness. Each time I said I would, I ended up forgetting until I thought it was not best to bring up the matter. What do they say? Leave it dead and buried.
I finally arrived at the Garden square Park. What greeted me was not the throngs of massive fans but very few people scattered far and wide. I walked the entire stretch to make sure. A park attendant is raking the leaves. Three ice-cream men pedaling their bicycles. Just another ordinary day at the park, I wondered. No, they could not have deliberately lied. Maybe I heard wrong. I took the folded paper from my pocket and looked at it. Garden square Park. It read the same as one on the wooden sign above me. The event must some where near here.
Moving from the gate, I started looking for crowds of people as went further from the park. None so far. The most was five people and they were only a family on day's outing. Going further on still none. I decided to give it a few more steps. It worked. I spotted a crowd at 1 kilometers away and went to them. They were adults everywhere and I struggled to see at the front. I couldn't have come this far for nothing. I pushed and moved forward passing between people legs. They also shoved me left and right to the point where I didn't know which direction I was headed to. Fortunately I caught a glimpse of the table. Surging forth, I arrived at the table.
The table was covered in manila written vote for Ma..., in very large font. The other part was hidden from my view by someone's trouser. Old men were seated at the table. The man with the microphone hardly resembled John Cena's handsome face. He spoke something concerning new age leadership or was it new change leadership. One thing for sure this was not the venue. Now I am back in the sea of people struggling to swim. On reaching the end, I dropped down exhausted.
Stares make me quickly stand up and continue walking. I walk on and on. Large buildings are all over. One is particularly tall. It rises up to... I think it touches the sky. At the entrance on either side are two lion statue. Their is a faint smell of concrete in the air. The buildings on the right are also look new, impressive and large. One is made entirely of glass. I could see people climbing up and down it's stairs. Car were even parked inside. If I touched it, it will be as smooth as the T.V screen. A pole hung on the side with flag of... ''Heck! Where the hell am I?!''
The place looks different. The sky is even different on this side. Not blue. The sky is dark and not because it is going to rain. The air also stinging and heavy. They are droves of people on the sidewalk. If I find the crowd from the political rally then it would easier to find Garden square Park from which I eventual go to the bus stop, I thought. I go forward on with the people at the sidewalk. More people seem to join the foray and I am no longer walking. I am carried by the flow of people. My body squeezed in tight with crowd like a pack sardines and dragged away. I knew I was getting further and further away but my effort to resist is futile. The crowd moves forward, cross the road, turns left then right. I am starting to enter my panic mood. All these people in place I don't know. I regret ever coming here. Realizing that nothing is going to change if I did nothing, I muster my last strength push towards the right where I saw there no people. Surprisingly it did the trick as I found myself free. Free from the sweat and perfume clad in those different clothing. Free to use my legs again. I stretch my arms and yawn. ''Mnn! Feels good..''
''Get out of the road you fool,'' someone yells as I got a glimpse of the headlight of the oncoming bus. I ran further into the road and the bus missed. Even before I could recover from that shock another hooting follows and more yelling. ''Jerk!''
''Hey you!''
''Jackass!''
''Get out of the way bi...!''
The sudden flashing headlight of an on coming car momentarily blinds me. The right! The pavement is on the right. I scamper towards it, almost falling down. I am certain I felt the car touch my dress. A second later at the sidewalk, I am carried by the flow of people like a log on a river. I didn't resist, only too glad to be off the road. Back to the different scent of perfumes and sweat. The incident made me recall the dogs I saw ran over the through the fence on the road next to our school. That could have being me. I shiver. For sometime the flow went on. My heart gradually stopped racing. Some people started entering the various building. I felt the ferocity of the crowd decrease enabling me to get back control my legs. There were occasionally bumps on strangers. They never got my apologies as they continued on their fast rush. It too gradually reduced to a point I had regained my personal space.
I walk in this unfamiliar street filled with shops with large windows for the display. A huge wedding cake is on display. Various bread of different shape, some as big as our T.V. Other shop have clothes a
nd plus mannican dressed in stylish clothes. I couldn't resist and keep slowly walking while gazing at them. Then I came to the jellewry shop. From diamond rings, silver necklaces, gold chain, Maasai brackets and other ornaments on display. So this how they look on real life. ''Very beautiful,'' I mutter to myself. I can’t wait to see Paul and Juma face when I tell them I saw all this. It is followed by the sports apparel shop where trophies, mannicans dressed in football shirts, tennis rackets, bicycles and other equipment on display. Going on I come to building which has bright neon lights. Blasting music is coming from it.
It is then I realize I had wasted a lot of time mesmerized by these things instead of finding away back home. I am still confident I could find my way home before lunchtime.
The large clock tower shows it's 11.00. I am getting slightly worried. Panic mood 3/10.Teacher always said a compass is used to find direction.
How did that rhyme song Paul used to sing go. ''The sun rises in the east and set in the west. I wake up in ...'' The sun being that direction means it...Wait how does compass direction help when I even don't what direction the house is in. Walking while raking my brains yielded nothing.
I cross the road several times. Each streets is slightly more or