THE LAST STRAW
576 Words
EPISODE 2
The afternoon sun beat down on the schoolyard, making the air heavy and warm. Students sat under the big mango tree, eating snacks and chatting while waiting for the next class. Emmanuel sat on a stone bench with his two closest friends, Victor and Kelvin. They had cans of cold soda and meat pies, bought from the school canteen.
“Did you see the way that boy looked when you kicked his book this morning?” Victor laughed, nearly choking on his drink.
“He almost cried!” Kelvin added, smirking.
Emmanuel leaned back on the bench, a proud smile spreading across his face. “That’s how it should be. People need to know their level. If they’re poor, they should stay quiet and not disturb those of us who have everything.”
The boys laughed again, but their voices fell silent when a girl walked past carrying a tray. Her uniform was clean but faded, the skirt a little shorter from being washed too many times. On her tray were small bags of groundnuts and bananas — she sold them during break to make money for her fees.
Some students waved her over and bought from her kindly. But when she passed near Emmanuel’s bench, he raised an eyebrow and whispered loudly enough for others to hear:
“Look at this. A trader in our school yard. What’s next? Will she sell tomatoes in the classroom?”
Victor and Kelvin burst into laughter. A few other students nearby giggled too, though some frowned. The girl’s cheeks burned, but she kept her head down and walked faster.
Emmanuel wasn’t finished. He called out to her.
“Hey, groundnut seller! Come here.”
The girl stopped, nervous. Slowly, she came closer.
“Yes… do you want to buy?” she asked softly, her voice almost breaking.
Emmanuel reached into his pocket and pulled out a crumpled note. “I’ll buy everything,” he said, his smile sly.
The girl’s face lit up with hope. She carefully lowered the tray. “Thank you, sir. It’s one thousand for all.”
Emmanuel stood, still smiling. But instead of giving her the money, he tossed the note high into the air. It fluttered in the wind and landed in the sand a few feet away.
“There. Go fetch it,” he said.
Victor and Kelvin roared with laughter, clapping their hands. Emmanuel crossed his arms, proud of his clever trick.
The girl bent down quickly to pick up the note. But as she did, her tray slipped. Groundnuts spilled across the sand, bananas rolled away, and the little plastic bags burst open.
A hush fell over the yard. Some students gasped. A few ran to help her gather the food. But Emmanuel only shook his head and muttered, “Pathetic.”
The girl’s eyes filled with tears. She knelt on the ground, trying to save what she could. “Please… this is all I have,” she whispered. Her hands trembled as she picked up the ruined food.
Emmanuel turned away, unmoved. “Let’s go, boys. Break time is over.”
As he walked off, he didn’t notice the silence that followed him. Not everyone was laughing now. Some looked at him with anger. Others looked with pity at the girl still kneeling in the dirt.
And somewhere, above what eyes could see, fate stirred again.
This was the last straw.
Emmanuel’s time of comfort was ending.
- Writer
