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It was around 5:00 am when the first cockcrow was heard. Grandma was already awake, she rushed into my room and tapped me on my feet, " Dim, wake up", she said in her very familiar old person voice.
I slowly opened my eyes as I continued to battle with the little sleep that still had me dozing off.
"Dim, hurry up or you be late for school", she said again, this time pulling my arm out of the bed.
"Okay...I'm up", I said staggering my way after her as she left my room.
The time was now 6:00 am and I was already out of the bathroom, but my hair was still dripping wet, and my towel was still around my waist. I picked up my neatly ironed uniform which grandma's hand ironed and placed it on my bed. And quickly got dressed, I began to make my way to the backyard where grandma was still busy making breakfast.
"Dim, are you done?", She asked.
"Yes ma", I responded.
"Okay, come and take this..", she continued, stretching out her hand which held a plate of rice and stew with a perfectly fried fish tail.
I didn't waste much time, I took the spoon and began to relocate the rice into my elastic biological food bag.
I was halfway into the meal when I heard the sound of the school bus which was early as usual. The school bus usually shows up by 6:30 am, it doesn't pick up any student immediately, it simply sounds the alarm for everyone to hurry up and be at their respective bus stop before 7:00 am. It would then get into the neighboring town market where it would do a U-turn and begin to visit each respective bus stop again. And unfortunately for me, my bus stop was the second on the list.
By 7:00 am I had finished my meal and grandma was putting some finishing touches on my clothes, readjusting my tie and belt before cleaning my lips with her hand and applying some powder to my face.
"Be a good boy", she said, as I walked my way to the bus stop. And that's when it happened, I heard the school bus returning, and I knew I was late.
I began to hurry through the grass-covered path that lead to the main road. But before I could get there I saw the bus speed through, so I instantly took a shortcut. I ran through a compound that had bungalow buildings scattered all around, there were about six of them, with several palm trees standing tall and green grass littered all over the compound, it look abandoned but I kept running. I soon made it out of the abandoned compound into another family compound which seemed to be linked by a mutual pathway, to the abandoned compound.
"Dim, why are you running", the owner of the building asked as I dashed through her compound.
"I'm late ma.." I replied as I continued to run. I still couldn't believe I said that because I'm always never late.
Once I got through the compound, I began to slowly climb the hill which was the only obstacle between me and the bus stop. I could hear the sound of the bus engine rumbling in the distance. But once I stepped into the main road, the bus was already in motion, heading towards the next pickup.
My heart was racing heavily not just because I had run a long way, but also because I had just missed the bus. I pondered on what to do while still staring in confusion at the rare view of the school bus as it slowly disappeared out of sight.
"What I'm I going to tell Grandma?", I pondered. "No, I can't ! I shouldn't! and I won't Give up Now!!". I said to myself, as I realized that the bus still had two more stops before it completely vanishes.
So, I began the chase once again, but this time, I had a reason not to lose. I adjusted my cross-shoulder bag tightly to my body and in an instant, I bolted at the speed of light jumping and dodging obstacles in my path.
Because the bus was already ahead of me, I quickly decided to take another short cut which lead straight to the second stop. I bolted through the tightly covered green grass path by my left, skillfully dodging passersby and animals in my way. At the end of the bush, the path was two paths, one that lead to another neighboring village and the rugged and eroded road, that lead to the second bus stop.
Quickly, I sprang into action, blazing through the road while still jumping over pits of eroded land. Finally, I could hear the sound of the bus again but I was still a fine distance away from the main road.
A few minutes later, I burst into the main road panting heavily only to see the bus take off again for the second time. But unlike before, this was my last chance, so I didn't stop moving.
The bus drove down a stony hill while I ran after it, it was clearly in my sight and I watched it go down the hill, through the bridge, and up another Stoney hill which lead to a church and the next and last stop before it would zoom off finally. At this point, I was already tired and I began to feel the weight of my bag and the effect of gravity on me. I wanted to stop even if it was only for a second but I couldn't. So, I pulled my tired self down the hill and through the bridge, before struggling my way up Stoney hill.
More than halfway up the hill, I could hear the sound of the bus engine bursting with full force, my eyes slowly began to water, and tears dropped down my cheek. My knees were in pain, my feet were tired and my lungs were exhausted. But above all, my heart and spirit were broken.
I had failed!..
But for some weird reason I kept on climbing the hill until I reached the top, and there it was.. the bus and a line of students still making their way into it.
I was so excited, I didn't know when to start to run again. With only three students left before the bus began to move again, I caught up to it, my tired tiny hands hitting the bus and drawing attention to me, and allowing me to calmly make my way into the bus.
I took a sit on the bus, my mind and my body were exhausted but I still kept on wondering how no one saw me chasing after the bus the whole time as the bus drove away and the silence of the school bus was once again filled with heavy noise.
