The Superhero

The Turning

New-S City, July 7 2034

It was the sound of c***s crowing in far distance that woke him up. He turned on his bed severally finding it hard to keep his eyes open. Formally it would have been the sound of the loud speaker on top of the dome of the mosque close to the block that would have woken him by 5am. Then he would have woken very agile and prepare for the days work.

But today was totally different. He was tired from driving more than twenty kilometers the previous day. He had drove with his family stopping only twice on the way. Secondly the country had just started recovering from a major historical event that had severely affected her economy and nobody was sure how their job was going to turn out to be again. He was feeling lazy to get up from his bed but he had to. At the village he was used to waking up late and doing very few activities because of too much availability of man power.

He crawled out of the bed and sat on the floor for minutes putting his right hand on his knee and using the same hand to support his head from falling back into the bed. His eyes was still closed all the while and he did not notice that the day light had already started breaking through his window and entering into his room.

“honey!", his wife called out from down the stairs. Not until then did he remember he was married. He rubbed his hand on the bed as if looking for his wife before opening his eyes.

He looked at the clock on his table and realized it was too late for a man to still be on bed. He reluctantly stood up from the floor and went out of the room. He knocked on the door of his son's room which was opposite his but got no reply.

“dad, seriously?", Ojone asked his father as soon as he saw him coming down from the stairs. Mr.Ojone Apeh just smiled and moved down. Before he settled to the dining table with his son his wife came out of the kitchen with a tray in her hand. She dropped the dishes on tray to the table while greeting her husband. Ojone followed suit and he replied them smiling.

“what took you so long?", Mrs.Apeh asked her husband.

“what", he replied confused.

“it took you too long to find a way out of your dreams", she said giving him a peck. He just smiled nodding his head.

She went into the kitchen and before she came, Ojone and his dad were already trying to start the meal without her.

“don't you dare", she ordered and they stopped feigning frowns. They looked and waited on her anxiously. it was obvious they were really hungry. She came again with a smaller tray of dishes and placed it on the table. “baby, have you brushed your teeth today?", she asked her onlooking husband placing both hands on the table and thrusting her face towards his.

He knew she had won and she was going to start the meal without him.

“well I won't kiss you until you do", she said standing upright and pouring her son a glass of milk. The older Ojone hesitantly left the table grumbling and shrugging like a kid. Ojone and his mother laughed at Him heartily as he went towards the stairs. Mrs.apeh took up the small tray again.

“where is gramma?", The man asked.

“she's in the sitting room", his woman replied and then proceeded to take the tray across to her.

“good morning grammar", Mr.apeh yelled like a kid reciting a rhyme.

“morning, my boy", gramma replied him in her cracking and grumpy old voice. Mrs.apeh settled to eat with gramma while Ojone was left alone on the table to his breakfast of three bread and egg sandwich, with irish potatoes fries and a cup of milk.

Ojone was happy with his family always. He looked at his mom with her mother-inlaw wondering how happily they love themselves. It was unlike many country women to live happily with their mother inlaw under thesame roof, but his mom always found a way of bearing with the old woman.

“she teaches me a lot of wisdom", she would always say to him.

******

Good morning",

“good morning", was the absentminded reply.

The greeter was absolutely disappointed by the reply and decided not to further say anything. He moved from the door and decided to go further intothe offices away from the reception.

“you can't be there", yelled a man from a desk. He had many papers in front of him, a desktop computer and a pen.

“you are not allowed to go in there without permissions man", He said again before the person he was talking to decided to stop and turn, facing him.

The man on the desk guestured the stranger to come back towards him and the stranger obeyed.

“what do you want here", He asked.

“i don't understand, this is a police station", replied the stranger.

“well if you want to report a case, you stay in front of the counter", deskman replied using his pen to point out the front of the counter vigorously.

“why is it that you are the only one here and also, why are you here Chike?", the stranger asked sighing.

“oh my God!", Chike gasped allowing his pen to fall off his palm, “Apeh is that you?"

“yeah bro, how are you doing?", Apeh answered smilling and opening his arm to accommodate his friends hug.

After the cuddle, Chike pulled up a sit for Apeh to sit beside him on the desk. The both could not stop laughing as they both recalled old memories together.

“you almost never thought of coming back?", Chike asked his friend when they were both settled.

“hey!", Apeh said wading off the accusation, I left the village as soon as the government said it was over."

“it was over before now friend, you were just waiting for official announcement", Chike laughed and Apeh joined him knowing he was right.

“how was life over there", Chike asked turning his chair to face his friend.

“lovely", Apeh replied turning and relaxing In his chair, “life is really easy there".

“sounds interesting", Chike stood and went over a fridge to get a them some drinks.

“tell me about it" He requested pouring out the drinks.

“yeah, I wake up every morning, freshen up, have a long relaxation with old friends and brothers.." he pause and stretched forth his hand to take the glass of drink his friend was offering, “...then I go on a stroll in the evening with my younger brother...and then chat in the evening with the old men..aand..that is it", he siped his drink, “pretty simple life".

“hmm", Chike sighed, “a lot of resting, no wonder you've grown fat", he siped on his drink before caring about his friends reaction to the statement.

“seriously, you think am fat"

“yes man, you are all grown up", Chike replied laughing. Apeh examine himself looking over his shoulders and at his arms.

“you are still a joker Chike", they both laughed.

“you did not say anything about eating In the village, but you are still fat", Chike coughed hard because he tried to laugh and drink at The same time.

“Apeh just siped his drink smiling triumphantly.

“that serves you right".

Chike recovered after some seconds and dropped his glass on the table. He took out a handkerchief from the shirt-pocket of his police uniform to wipe off spilled drinks.

“that smile is awkward you know?", Chike said to Apeh putting the kerchief away.

“not as awkward as your shirt", Apeh replied still smiling. They sat staring at each other and smiling for some time. The silence was broken by Apeh.

“how has city life been?", Apeh asked his friend.

“bad", was the straight answer he received. He realised that the contenace of his friend had changed so instantly as though he just received a bad news.

“what is it brother", Apeh asked dropping his glass on the table and drawing close to his friends.

“it's the city bro", Chike replied locking his hands and using it to support his chin to the table, “everything is not how it's supposed to be."

“how do you mean bro", Apeh asked more confused.

“just go inside, you will understand everything".

Apeh did not hesitate to oblige, after all his main reason for coming to the police station was to see the Divisional Police Officer. He had thought of continuing his job as a cop. He was now more anxious to see the DPO, since he was told the city had loosed form he was bent on doing his best to bring it back to its normal form again. He opened the door and went in. The door opened to a passage with numerous doors on each sides, all being doors to various offices. He took the left and walked forward trying to recall the office of the DPO. He looked around the walls at all the posters and fliers all around.

©stories of ease