HOPE

Friday, JUNE 19th. With the tray steadied upon her head, she walked down the muddy path, towards the market place. The market was usually crowded and filled with alcoholics at various joints, drinking their lives to stupor and ranting about useless things. She threaded carefully as the paths were slippery. She put in extra effort on her steps so she wouldn't throw down the doughnuts on her head. If that ever happened, her life would be cut short. These doughnuts worth more than her. And she must sell them or she shouldn't return. Also, no one was to buy and promise to pay later. Those were the rules and failing to adhere to them would be dangerous. She wouldn't dare disobey Madam Chelsea, not even the other girls. Her sales mattered to her than the persons who made them. The other girls had taken different paths as directed by Madam Chelsea. She wouldn't allow the girls go in pairs, so they could concentrate on their tasks, so she said. Kiera sighed as she walked on, still threading carefully. She always preferred doing things alone. She didn't like the interference of anyone. But while at Madam Chelsea's, it was inevitable. No one was permitted to stay idle- everyone must work. Isn't that how they got food and shelter ? There would be no pay until after the agreed years of service. Kiera hadn't stated the number of years she would serve and be trained. Her working at Madam Chelsea's place wasn't planned. She was found, a year ago, at the dorm out of Madam Chelsea's place one cold morning - shivering, tattered, hungry and tired. That was the outcome of her aunt's quarell with her husband. They had argued about keeping her. Obviously she had become a burden to them and so, she had to go. Mr. Lawrence, her aunt's husband had never wanted her to leave until he lost his job at the bank. He had four other children to Carter for and couldn't afford a fifth one. So she had to go. She missed her cousins, especially Daniella, the only daughter of her aunt. She had grown fond of them for the years she lived there. Kiera was brought to them when she was five years old. And in a few weeks, she'll turn sixteen. On the 25th of August. No one at Madam Chelsea's knew about her birthday though. It wasn't special to her nor anyone at all. It felt just like every other normal day. Kiera knew she should always be grateful for whatever good was done to her but she had also come to realize that no one truly loved her. Whoever treated her kindly ended up doing the opposite. Her aunt could have just dropped her at an orphanage but no, that night when she was thrown out, Mr. Lawrence was, himself, over fed with his failures. Before she left, they had fights every night because of her. Kiera had already been determined to leave the house. She wouldn't let her aunt choose between her and her family. Kiera knew she wasn't really important to anyone and at every opportunity, they'd shove her away. One portly, middle aged man beckoned to her as she reached the market place. He sat at one Miss Jecinta's Joint. There were black-coloured plastic chairs surrounding tables. Her eyes inspected the joint. There were many other men sitting with ladies of different shapes and sizes. One of the ladies got up from the plastic chair she sat on and did a three-sixty turn. She wore a very skimpy, very body-hugging, green-coloured dress. The man sitting beside her with a bush-like beard smiled mischievously and s*****d her butt. Everything they did irked Kiera and she cringed inwardly as her face contorted in disgust. Taking her gaze off them, she quickly moved to the man who beckoned to her. As she got to him, she got distracted by his big stomach. It was irritating to her. How could a man look like he was pregnant with ten babies? She shook her head without knowing it. The table had bottles of beer which this portly man had already downed in. The reason for his overly big stomach, she thought. Surely, the streets wasn't for the faint-hearted. Kiera sighed inwardly. "How much are these ?" The portly man croaked out. He had a tooth pick captured in between his alcohol washed teeth. "It's a hundred naira for each sir." Kiera managed to speak respectfully. She wouldn't for anything in the world spoil Madam Chelsea's business. And this man, he looked to Kiera like someone who could eat up all the doughnuts she had on her tray and still not be satisfied. This man could never look hungry. "Okay...pack up ten of them", he said. Kiera looked at him in shock! But she quickly regained her composure as she realized she should be grateful. She packed them up and gave to him. He put his hands into his shirt pocket and brought out a thousand naira. Handing it over to her, she thanked him. Kiera turned to go. She inspected her surroundings. There were more than a hundred men at the joints, drinking. By her right was the way to the motor park. She could go there and make some sales, she thought. She moved to her right and towards the motor park. She got called by a few others who patronised her. Some bought in twos, others bought in threes. But no one measured up to the portly man. Now, Kiera wished all the men were portly. She smiled inwardly. She wouldn't mind them having big stomachs and a large appetite just so they could purchase her doughnuts in large quantities. That would save her some time. A tall, lanky man who obviously was drunk, staggered to the centre of the joint and began to dance to the rythm of a circular music that had started playing. Everyone watched him, Kiera too. As she passed by him, his eyes lingered on her face and he moved towards her but she walked quickly so he couldn't reach for her. He muttered something under his breath and continued to dance, singing to an unrecognizable tune, different from the singer's. By the time Kiera got to the park, her doughnuts remained twenty pieces out of the fifty Madam Chelsea counted on her tray. The sun had begun to retire into the clouds, leaving rays to brighten the earth. Kiera prayed she sells all of them so she'd be in Madam Chelsea's good books. The park was filled with cars, some were being worked upon by mechanics. Others were waiting to be filled up so they could set out for the night's journey. Kiera wasn't the only one selling doughnuts around the park. There were others too. Girls like her. But she couldn't make friends with them. Apart from the warning given to them by Madam Chelsea, Kiera liked to do things alone. Eversince she discovered that people never truly loved her, she began to keep to herself. She had begun to find strength in herself. She was her own confidant. She always found a way to resolve the conflicting thoughts she had with words of hope and assurance. Two hours later, her tray was empty. Her money or rather, Madam Chelsea's money was intact. Kiera was relieved. She wouldn't be on Madam Chelsea's bad side. She prayed the other girls sold too. Making her way to the path that led out of the motor park, Kiera could see a large screened TV. There was a movie showing on the screen and Kiera was tempted to watch. She could see the crowd already gathering, mostly little boys and girls. They took delight in watching at a public place. But it wasn't a place where children were supposed to be. They could get kidn*pped or lured into drinking alcohol or something even worse. Kiera moved past the gathering crowd and down the path leading to Madam Chelsea's house. Dusk had slid into darkness and Kiera increased her pace. She couldn't stand a chance of being robbed. Kiera almost fell flat with her face to the ground as she hit her foot against some metallic object. She winced as her toe burned in pain. She sighed and clung harder to her tray. Madam Chelsea's house was just a stone throw away. As she got to the gate of the house, she heard a scream. Her heart nearly dropped to her stomach. Someone had upset Madam Chelsea and Kiera dreaded going in. Madam Chelsea's bad mood always filled the room like a long lasting and strongly scented perfume. An unpleasant perfume rather. She pitied whoever was the victim. She banged on the gate severally and waited for response. The gate squeaked open and Kiera's gaze met with that of Lois' grave ones. The house was on fire! No, not really! But the house had been set ablaze with the burning sensation of Madam Chelsea's fire! Kiera went in and that was when she saw the actual look upon Lois' face. Her face was tear streaked. Her eyes were red and puffy from crying. Kiera pitied her. She was like a helpless chicken being fried in a pan filled with hot boiling oil. She had cried an ocean, it seemed. Kiera needn't ask what the problem was. She knew the punishment for disobeying Madam Chelsea's orders. Lois will have to spend the night with the stars as her companion and mosquitoes, her room mates. The weather had begun to cool down as a wave of fresh breeze swayed invisibly. It seemed the clouds were threatening to cry down a flood. Lois was doomed ! Lois tearfully locked the gate. She sobbed silently and her hands were shaky. Just then the front door came open and angry strides were heard backed up by angry mutterings. It was her! Madam Chelsea! Kiera quickly gave Lois a sympathetic look as she scrambled towards Madam Chelsea. Madam Chelsea came to a halt as Kiera approached her. "Where have you been?" She thundered! What a stupid question, Kiera wanted to say. She was obviously about Madam Chelsea's business. But she dared not say a thing. She kept mute and refused to look at Madam Chelsea. "Where is my money?" Kiera handed it over to her with shaky hands. There was a light bulb reflecting towards where they stood and Madam Chelsea used it's illumination to ensure the money was complete and intact. "Just go in and thank the heavens for your life or you'd have ended up with that useless heifer ", she hissed. Kiera rushed to the door and opened it. She glanced back at Lois who stood helpless and hopeless. Madam Chelsea had begun raining curses on her and lamenting about her wasted donuts. Kiera went in, hoping the weather would be fair to Lois.