The once bright blue canvas was now smeared by the thick dark clouds that stretched across the sky, not a bright colour of yellow or blue could be seen. As they hurried out of the park, the sounds of bone shuddering thunder exploded in the air. As if the heavens are warning them of a upcoming flood, or something much worse.
"Eric, who is the old man to you." Atem said, looking over at him.
Eric took a moment before eventually responding.
"He is a close friend of the family. Why?" He asked.
"It's just that you and him looked close, so I was wondering if you and him are related some how.
Eric shook his head.
"Stop prying into his business. You just met him." Thon said.
"I just wanted to know."
"It's fine." Eric said swiftly, not wanting to sour the air between them."
"Thon do you want to stop buy the shop?
Eric took a quick glance behind him. It was Akeer, she managed to quickly catch up with them. And for a moment they locked eyes, but they both broke it off of reflex. Eric's heart skipped a beat. Her eyes, he thought. He didn't notice it before, but her eyes were a light chocolate hue, which complimented her skin tone. Eric picturerd her in his mind, a slender girl wearing a jeans skirt, along with a bit oversized orange shirt. Her flawless skin, an imitation compared to her eyes that he could vividly see radiating in a sunny field, with a puffy ponytail at the back of her head that strangely enough only enhanced her prettiness in Eric's eyes.
"Ok." Thon responded.
"Do you have money from your savings, because i'm not paying for you again.
"I have my money." Akeer quickly shot back.
"Eric do you have money?" Thon asked.
Eric shook his head. He could feel the blood quickly rising to his head while he bit his lip. At times like this he would think, why do I have to be in this situation right now.
"It's alri."
"I can pay for him." Akeer said, interrupting thon mid speech.
"Thank you." He said looking back at her. Meanwhile clenching his teeth as hard as he can.
While she just nodded, refusing to make eye contact with him.
As they made their way through the town, they saw a mob of people protesting with huge signs written in red, that read, we refused to be owned, you will not control us, we will not die for your benefit.
Some protestors, carried hammers and pots, and even some glass bottles, while fainting and threatening to throw it at the small army of police with some soldiers, trying to calm the issue down. They used vehicles and trucks that poured out with more soldiers to block off the protestors, as a man shouted in a microphone for the protestors to stay back. He also warned them not to attack otherwise the soldiers and police might have to use lethal force. But the message never reached the mob of furious protestors. They continued to push forward until the remaining soldiers were force to come out and form a huge wall, blocking them. Eric estimated their numbers to be at least 600. In the growing chaos, a skinny old man felt emboldened to charge forward and throw a glass bottle of a yellowish liquid at a heavily armed soldier, shattering on impact on the soldiers face. The soldier screamed in pain as the soldier violently beat the old man with a thick looking batten. But this only enraged the protestors, driving them to push even further, as the soldiers and police continue to push them back. Some of the protestors, took advantage of the rsing chaos and broke into shops and stores, but this didn't go unnoticed as a group of soldiers in heavy vehicles pulled up and began arresting as many people as they can, as they came running out of the stores with their loot. But they couldn't arrest everyone while they got overwhelmed by a wave of looters pouring out. Eric and his companions walked by in amazement at the huge spectacle happening right before their eyes.
"If we're lucky they might cancel summer school for the rest of summer. Atem said, the sound of hope and excitement carrying his voice.
Thon and Akeer, just nodded as their eyes were glued to the situation unfolding right before their eyes.
A few minutes later they were now at the shop, which was located at he town's square. And it just so happens another wave of protestors were rampaging, but the size of protestors and soldiers were smaller.
"Madam Machue, can I have sweet bun with a sprite." Thon said, then gestured to Atem and Akeer to order.
"Can I get a sweet bun too with pepsy."
"And can I have a mandazi with water please." She then glanced at Eric, again avoiding eye contact.
"What do you want." She said, her voice shaking at the do you.
"Can I have the samething please."
The woman behind the counter smiled and went back to retrieved the stuff they purchased.
As she returned she collected their money and smiled at Akeer and Eric.
"So Akeer you are now buying stuff for boys now? Does your mother know."
Hearing what the lady said the 2 boys began to laugh, while Eric just stood their gritting his teeth. At times like this I wish I wasn't born, he thought.
"No Madam Machue, he just doesn't have any money so I was jut being nice." She said waving her arms frantically, trying to explain the situation.
Eric could see her face twitching, trying to hide her embarrassment. He noticed as she was explaining her she cheeks were getting pinker, while her cheeks seemed to be inflating.
Madam Machue eyes met Eric and she smiled again at him.
"You might be lucky Akeer, he might be a prince from some other country that is here to find a nice girl so he can ask his father to bethrothed you to him."
At this point Eric just wanted to bury himself in the ground. He could feel the embarrassment soaking him, instead of the rain.
"What, n."
"Or maybe he is a rich foreigner from America that came at the worst time to come here. I mean look at his curly hair and brown skin. And is his eyes green." She said squinting her eyes.
"Yes, his eyes are green." She said, realising.
"No, no, no, he is not a foreigner, he can speak Thok Naash perfectly, and his English has a accent." She said, her voice still laced with embarrassment.
Madam Machue and a teenage girl behind her that Eric assumed is her daughter, laughed.
"So where are you from sir." She asked.
"Ghana Madam."
"You're from ghana? So you just traveling."
"No, I'm just stopping here to rest then go back on the road to see my family."
"Oh, ok. Here." she said holding out what Akeer purchased for him.
"Thank you." He said, not looking at her.
"You're welcome." She said while looking away.
Seeing this childish act from the youths, both madam Machue and her daughter chuckled silently.
"Madam Machue can we sit on the steps and eat." Atem asked.
"Sure." She responded.
As Eric and his companions sat down, he took a small bite into his bun. The fluffy thick texture embraced him, while it's inside kissed his tongue with sweetness. Then Eric took a sip of his water. This is good, he thought.
The children all eat and drink as they all sat on the steps and watch the chaos unfold.
"If this keep up, forget about summer school, we might not have school for the whole year, or maybe even 2 if we're lucky."
Thon chuckled, but Akeer just sighed.
"Why do you hate school so much, we don't do nothing at home, but clean and eat, and the little time we do get to our selves we study. The only reason we even get to play and have fun is because of school."
Atem fanned her off dismissively.
"I still don't like it."
Hearing this Akeer kissed her teeth.
"Your mother is too strict, thank god my parents aren't like that." Thon said.
"Lucky you." Said Atem.
"She says she wants us to do good in school so we can go to the city and get rich, so we can make her proud."
"So that's the dream she is living in." Thon said chuckling.
"It's not going to be a dream. When I grow up, i'm going to become rich, marry a princess, and buy her a mansion.
Both Akeer and Thon laughed at this ambitious dream. Even Eric was ammussed, but he covered his mouth trying not laugh.
"You say that, but you scored 57% on the test last week. Even you are living in a dream. Wake up to reality. Thon said laughing his ass off.
"If anyones going to be rich is me. I scored 80s on most subject, and in math I got a 97. You have no chance, but don't worry i will take care of you brother."
Thon began laughing even harder at this.
"The only way I see that happening is if you seduce and marry a prince or a king in some other country."
"And what's wrong with that, at least i'm not useless, which you already are."
Hearing this, Eric spat out the water he was drinking while Thon was breathing in and out because he had difficulty breathing from laughing too much.
Atem was about to say something, but he closed his mouth instead he said.
"Watch, your gonna be sorry you never believed in me. Once I become rich every girl in this town will want me.
Hearing this Akeer began to laugh, wich only encourage the laughing giant to laugh harder. But Eric choose to respect his dream, no matter how ridiculous he sounded while saying it. But still, because of the others Eric had to look away while covering his mouth. Then suddenly Eric looked up, and immediately stopped laughing. Above Atem's head he could see a flying green green glass bottle with some liquid and card board inside it. And on the opening their was a light orange flame. It all seemed so slow and slow quiet to Eric, as if time slowed down. Before Eric could even utter a word or even get up to save Atem, the glass bottle collided with his head shattering, and instantly set him ablaze.