FATE AND FAITH

Beginnings Always End

Hannah's way of thinking was unique. It was holographic, she world create a stage on her mental arena and orchestrate a play on what she was thinking about. Today, she was making wild guesses on what her mother, Mama Stella's reaction would be like when she tells her about what she encountered earlier in the day. An obvious indication of Hannah's fictional way of thinking was the number of times she changed her facial expression when immersed deeply in the drama she was scripting up in her brains. At the climax of her invisible play, Hannah could display a dozen emoji on her face in less than half a minute. Her thoughts were centered around what her mother's reactions were going to be.

Luckily, Linda prompted Hannah when she realized the brunneous stain behind Hannah's skirt. Linda was younger, she thought it must have been a spill from the sobolo drink Hannah preferred to take before lunch, but when Hannah turned and looked, she excused herself from the file and told Hannah to bring her lunch. Hannah went back to her desk in the classes and reached into her bag for her pullover, she tied the sleeves around her waist and allowed the larger portion fall all the way to the back of her knee. And sat in the empty class silently, praying that none of the teachers came around, especially Madam Irene, who had grown particularly fond of Hannah. Linda returns with the lunch box filled with food and another box filled with questions. Surely, Hannah's sudden disappearance just after she told her of the sobolo stain must have something she was ignorant of backing it. She kept the questions flying at Hannah, asking her, "what's wrong?", "What is it?", Are you sick? Linda's numerous questions were profound, she and Hannah were thought of more as sisters. Linda was dark and cute and beautiful. Whereas Hannah was fair and beautiful as well, Hannah had a broader face and physique, whilst Linda had simple features from head to toe. The two were nicknamed black and white friends. Although it was a mere exaggeration, Hannah wasn't very fair, it was a term generated by the hilarious boys who sat at the back of the class, coming up with new ways to make the class laugh every day. Their friendship started three years ago in primary five when Linda was transferred to Lilliput Academy, where Hannah schooled. Back then Hannah was generally friendly with everyone and didn't particularly have a best friend. On arrival, into the school, Linda found it had to blend into the social system of the school, she was introverted. And Hannah realizing that, drew close to her, at first, they would just exchange greetings and go about their academic routine daily. But with time the two became intimate, sharing and doing almost everything together. Linda, therefore, had profound care for Hannah, and she was worried by her friend's composure. Hannah interrupted her train of questions and assured Linda that was fine. She then went on to explain to Linda what was happening to her and how it was normal. Linda let out a sigh of relief after she understood. Both friends laughed when Linda commented "have you seen the outcome of drinking too much sobolo"

Madam Irene did come as she did always to check up on her girls, Linda and Hannah. She asked how they were faring but noticed the uncertainty in Hannah's voice and how she had sat there in a robotic manner devoid of any gesture.

Madam Irene would have inquired more, if not for the assignment she was on. She was in a rush and had a lot of files with her. She gave them an " I hope I am safe look?" and left to carry her duties. The girls sat relieved, that was a close one. Irene Senanu is the best teacher Hannah and Linda ever came across. From the very first day she taught them what Integrated Science was, a sudden eagerness to know more about the subject arose in the class. Miss Senanu taught in simple and comprehensible English and used terms they were very familiar with. She'd cite and explain examples all around them. One thing she did not fail to do whenever she was about to introduce a new topic is to make her students understand the origin of that topic and its importance in life. From the tests and exercises she gave them, they became aware of the many ways questions could be phrased. Madam Irene as casually called by her pupils taught a principle in learning and answering questions respectively. She made her students carry out a lot of experiments to enable them to have an in-depth understanding of what a concept was. She said: "You don't just learn for learning sake, you learn, understand and know the concepts, also, when solving a question you examine the question and use all the possible concepts you can derive from the question to tackle it systematically." Madam Irene knew every student at heart and encouraged the asking and practice of solving problems and questions. Madam Irene developed a special attachment for Hannah and Linda.

Hannah was just stepping into the multidimensional world of adolescence. She was thirteen, but looked older and behaved much older. Hannah was always in high spirits and maintained a ready to smile face, although she was not reluctant to frowning either.

Suddenly, the characters in Hannah's mind vanished into the thin air, and what was left in front of Hannah was the partially patched road leading to Mama Stella's shop. Mama Stella had already seen the unique silhouette of her daughter walking towards her shop. Hannah held the unto the straps of the school bag in a typical school girl manner and calculated her steps evenly, swaying from side to side with each step. The sun had touched the road at the horizon and Hannah stood in the plane of its rays, with the head of her elongated shadow almost at the shop. The scene was artistic. It was a beautiful spectacle to her mom. However, Mama Stella's priority was to see her daughter safely return from school. Hannah had also spotted her mom attending to a few customers, she increased her pace to assist her, and with a combination of longs steps and hops landed into the shop. Hannah announced her already known presence with a merry "good afternoon". Mama Stella replied "afternoon" ignoring the "good". Hannah always wondered why her mom like most women of Chainayi omitted the "good" in their response to the general greeting. Today, however, Hannah wasn't in the mood to fight the war her mother would raise against "nowadays school children " She had to tell her.

Mama Stella was a popularly charismatic woman. Her provision shop was widely known around Chainayi. Mama Stella defied the myth multitasking, for she was able to handle ten customers without appearing pressurized. And hence the customers she had were a piece of cake to her, she attended to them in no time only to see Hannah standing confused, that was when she noticed she had her pullover wrap around her skirt. Hannah stood confused, like a pony between a high cliff and a terrible cascade of waterfalls. Her fingers were sliding over each other childishly and she stared into the groceries neatly arranged on the white shelves, zooming in and out with her pupils as though she wanted to view their contents. That was when Mama Stella called out to her asking her how many children she had. Hannah shook off the dust of thinking on herself and giggled at her mother's question. Hannah told her mom that she had something to tell her. Mama Stella urged Hannah to be quick with it. Hannah might have misunderstood what Mama Stella meant by her being quick, for in the next two minutes Hannah struggled to tell her mum that she had had her menses for the first time. Mama Stella's reaction stunned Hannah into silence. It preceded any of Hannah's initial hypotheses. First, Mama Stella asked her to sit down as she closed the metal gates of the pale pink store from the inside. It was dark, Mama Stella switched on the fluorescent light and sat beside her daughter. Mama Stella held Hannah's hand and began to pray for her earnestly. Hannah was baffled, her mother had never opened or closed the store either earlier or later. And she knows her mom was very prayerful, but the tone of her voice today was more solemn.

Mama Stella was a Christian and lived her life the Christian way. In the mornings at home, she'd wake her kids up and prayed together with them, Hannah would follow her mom's every step as they prayed together. Hannah's older sister Betty would however be murmuring and repeating words plainly. Betty had an outgoing personality and loved to socialize with her numerous friends. But due to the wall of parents at home, especially Mr. Koda, Hannah, and Betty's step-dad. Hannah got to know he wasn't the two girls' real father during little Samuel's naming ceremony when she accidentally eavesdrops on Aunty Pamela and Uncle Mensa talking. Hannah inquisitively asked her mother once about what she had heard from her mother's siblings. Mama Stella was furious and her eyes blazed with anger when Hannah asked her, it was as though Mama Stella had been reminded of a ghost. She was cooking when Hannah dropped the question without warning when they were having a conversation. After Hannah asked, she stared into the stew she was stirring for a while and rose her head to look at Hannah. The rage on her face caused Hannah to look way into the dish she was washing as though she never asked the question. Mama Stella warned her never to raise that topic again, Hannah received the caution warmly, she was content with their family and would leave her father for the future.

Mr. Koda neither joined nor interrupted these devotions, he was always preoccupied with one thing or another pertaining to his carrier as a professional driver.

After Mama Stella had prayed, she talked with Hannah for a long time. Questioning her, advising her, explaining things to her. Mama Stella emphasized the need for Hannah to be on guard against the coming atrocities. Hannah did not fully understand, the reason for her mom's warnings. After they had fully covered all the areas Mama Stella talked about and Mama Stella was that Hannah had understood, they rose up and left. Mama Stella locked the door with five huge padlocks spaced evenly on the gate. Hannah certainly knew she wasn't the only one overprotected by her mom, certainly, the goods within the stores must feel the same. Mother and daughter headed home while still talking, this time around more like friends did. They were met with Hannah and a young man standing at the gate when they arrived home. The guy left Hannah before Hannah could blink her eyes, she timidly greeted Mama Stella, even if she had replied there was no way the guy could have heard her due to his current velocity. Blackie, the dog they kept barking at the fleeing man, making him run even faster. He then came rubbing his black fur against Hannah and Mama Stella. Mama Stella ignored her daughter this time, perhaps it was time experience did the teaching since Betty wouldn't listen to either her or Mr. Koda. Mama Stella explained to Hannah that the way the guy had run from Betty upon seeing her, was the same way he would leave her when he spotted trouble when they were together. Hannah laughed at her analogy; it was the hard truth though. But Betty's mindset was different, she wanted to prove her mother wrong. She pulled her phone from her pocket and resumed her insolence online.

Betty was a fresh high school graduate and was taking classes at a Media School in town and that was how she got infatuated with Razak, her boyfriend who just displayed the love he had for her by showing a clean pair of heels.

Mama Stella entered and immediately felt her leg squeezed together; it was a hug from the five-year-old little Sammy. He was the life of the party at home, he was a blessing of joy to the household. Little Sam was almost everywhere and at every time. However, in actual but his lively presence was felt only a few hours a day since he had mastered the noble act of napping for long hours. The absence of the Mercedes-Benz in front of the house meant that Mr. Koda had not returned from work. Hanna went to take a shower, whiles Mama Stella went into the kitchen to get supper ready. That evening the family was happily seated at dinner. Mama Stella's cooking was irresistible and all ate in delight. Hannah was pleased with her family, she had high hopes for their future and was always positive.

Dear future,

Why do you hide from us? Why are you sure to come but uncertain to determine? Why have you turned time into a stammering entity? Why do you toss our hopes and dreams in the clouds above? Why are you inevitable? Why is there a new tomorrow every day? Why do we forget that today was yesterday's tomorrow?