The first time that the noise was stopped, Ada did not accept it.
She was with a small travel bag on her shoulder and was standing on the side of a narrow bush path with her phone in her hand and silent. It had not calmed down, weeks, calls and messages of her boss, clients, reminders, deadlines. It had all been there on her chest as a load she could not take off.
But, here, we heard no sound.
No cars passing.
No neighbors arguing.
No vibrating generator in the near vicinity.
The only sound that is heard is of wind in a dry leaf.
Ada swallowed.
“This place” she said slowly, “…is too quiet.”
Behind her, Kunle chuckled.
"It is a problem, right"
She looked around at him. Kunle moved back a few steps, as if he were quite aware of what he was about.
"I do not think I am used to it," Ada said. "There is no silence in Ibadan that is not noisy."
Kunle nodded. "This is why I took you here."
They began to walk down the path together. It was opened into a large undulating grass land that was empty of people and danced with the wind. On the far end was a little wooden cabin, plain and waiting like it were to them.
Ada gazed about her.
"No people?" she asked.
"Not at all" Kunle said.
“No network?”
Holding up his phone, he waved it, and grinned. “Nothing at all.”
Ada stopped walking.
But, Kunle, said she, her voice narrowing, what in case something arises? What happens in case I have to answer work? My boss”
"all right," Kunle said tenderly.
She frowned. "You see, you do not know I have things to do."
"And you think I do not," he asked calmly. "Ada, when I see you, you are tired. When I call you are busy. When you are sitting, you still have your running in your mind."
She looked away.
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He stepped closer. "I am not stealing your work, I am only requesting you to have a break. Two days."
Ada sighed deeply. The breeze was very light and gentle, and touched her once more.
"Two days," she said.
Kunle smiled. “Two days.”
The cabin was tiny, but neat. One bed. One table. Two chairs. A window that lead to the open field.
Ada dropped her bag, and went straight to the window.
There she stood silent.
Kunle prostrated himself against the door. "What are you looking at"
“Nothing,” she said.
"And that is what is strange, then," she added.
He nodded slowly. "Perhaps that is what it is."
Ada sat on the bed.
"I don’t know how to do this," she said.
“Do what?”
“Stay still.”
Kunle drew up a chair and sat.
Then do not endeavor, he said. “Just be here.”
Ada was not able to sleep that night.
She was weary of her body, but full of life in her mind. The ideas continued to flow--emails that she had not responded to, things to do, people to do things that they were waiting on her.
She threw on the bed.
Then again.
Then she sat up.
"It is not working" she said to herself.
She took her phone and gazed on the empty screen and dropped the phone.
It was a silent dark night outside. Nor any light in passing traffic. No voices. righteousness and the murmur of bugs.
Ada stepped outside.
The air was cool. She drew her arms round her, and looked up.
The sky was a starry one.
She blinked.
“Wow,” she whispered.
“You forgot they were there, abi?”
Ada turned. Kunle was sitting out, bending backwards on a chair.
"You have not gone to bed yet?" she said.
"Waiting, I was waiting," he said.
“For what?”
“For you.”
She walked closer. How did you realize that I would come out?
Kunle smiled slightly. Since you are not yet familiar with how to sit with silence.
Ada sank into his seat.
"I am not running," I said.
“Okay,” he replied.
They sat quietly.
In a little time Ada said something.
"Do you have the feeling that, once you come to rest, then everything will be scattered?"
Kunle pondered. "Yes. I am used to feel that way."
“What changed?”
"I halted," he said.
Ada shook her head. "Sounds too easy."
"It was not easy," he said. "It simply had to happen."
Ada glanced down at her hands.
"I believe I am frightened," she said
“Of what?”
"Of being deprived of something,Of being left behind."
Kunle leaned back.
"And has all this running made That fear away go?"
Ada did not answer.
A long time they sat there. The silence was not heavy any more.
The following day Ada woke up without an alarm.
Silently she sat up a moment, then sat up. No rush. No urgency.
She stepped outside.
It was early in the morning, with a soft and golden sun rising. The grass was fluttering. The air felt fresh.
She sat down on the ground.
No phone. No thoughts rushing.
Just quiet.
Later Kunle appeared and found her sitting there.
"You got up early," kunle said
Ada smiled a bit. "I never even took notice."
He sat beside her.
“You look different,” he added.
"I am different," she said.
“What happened?”
Ada gave a deep sigh.I believe, I was too noisy indoors, she thought.
“I think I was too noisy inside,” she said. Wherever I went, even where it was loud, the noise was in my head.
Kunle nodded.
“And now?”
She gazed out at the open country before her.
"And it is there yet," she said. "But no longer is it shouting."
Kunle smiled. “That is something.”
Ada was lying on the grass, gazing up at the sky.
“Kunle?”
“Yes?”
"May stay abide a day?
He laughed softly. "I hoped you would say so."
Ada shut her eyes, with a little smile upon her face.
The wind was soft, and had nothing pressing, nothing grave.
And at last Ada did not feel that she was pursuing anything.
She just stayed.
