The day started with a festive mood, to all essence I could not make which occasion demanded such a festive approach, the only hunch being the busy footsteps rhythm only heard during those important festive mornings, none the less, that was the last thing on my mind because for no good reason I just had a strong urge to run out.
Barefeet, the grass swallowed my small feet, the rich, fluffy grass covered with due, the kind that starts a cold rush of current from the inner soul to the brain, the Good morning feeling. Come to think of it, the grass looked particularly greener this morning, like a different shade of green, or was it purple...you know men with colour.
Unprecedented, the air was broken by the sound of a chain saw machine, it was the tree feller bwana Mulako, his expertise were known widely, how he fell each tree with its own technique, an eye approximation to give a precise landing with minimal damage... A story is told of how he once fell a huge very old bluegum tree between two closely built huts, a space that could only accommodate the width of the tree, a calculation that neutralized the bounce from the tree, that's how good he was.
That was enough curiosity to send me propelling towards where we knew he was working today, down the freshly laid maram road increasing the pace by the breath imagining how much I had already missed because the machine only sounded after all the necessary calculation had already been made, ooh so why run?
So I slowed down, at least that's what I told my dear brain, I hit the emergency brake when I heard being called after, only then did I know how fast I was going, calling it a neck braking speed would be an underestimation, the only equivalent analogy would be the Flash because I could literary feel the burn under my feet.
It was Bwana Mulako, apparently I had ran past his homestead, relieved that I had not missed anything I walked back into his compound where he was checking his machine.
Damn it! He had caught me again, he always did this, say human beings being adaptive creatures, he had known the kind of attention we gave his machine, so he would just crank it and we would be there like dogs responding to the masters whistle ready to play fetch.
"Run to the market, we need petrol."
Knowing the game well after playing fetch for some time now I ran into his house where his wife was setting the table, noticing the urgency(trust me my feet were always on the go), she handed me the petrol plastic can with the largest potato picked straight from the pot, I thanked her and off I went at top speed, then walked back to ask for instructions including the mode of payment, he smiled and sent me off with "I've talked to him." And off I went.
I made a quick stop at home, Toto had woken up, her smile revealed two missing upper incisors, it made me chuckle which made her laugh heartily then we were both laughing, a voice behind me asked why we were laughing, it was our mom, I looked into her face trying to stifle the laughter and she smiled. I told her of the errand and she insisted that I should put on my shoes, I touched my sister's face and told her that I would be right back, broke the potato into two, gave her one half and shoved the other into my left front pocket and off I went.
Hitting the road, I felt the comfort of having shoes on over the rough maram road. I took off at a slower pace knowing the distance from Irenji to malimili market between which were six villages.
Ahead was this guy, I knew him perfectly well but I had never referred to him by his official name, instead when ever we met we would just yell 'Saplenya' and his response would shake the very core of our existence, on his blackmamba bicycle that corresponded with his dark deep complexion and his height, from such a distance, he looked like Dracula flying close to the ground.
I tuned on the gear and started chasing him down, I just had to tell him 'Saplenya' whatever that meant, but the speed this guy took on the Ivono-Malimili slope, was practically impossible chasing him down so I slowed down, this time for real feeling almost every inch of my flesh pushing backwards slowing my stride, jogging down the Slope.
Almost as the Slope began, it started taking a level ground upon which Saplenya allowed his bicycle run from the momentum gained from the Slope enjoying the leisure it provided after which he started cycling slowly feeling the moment, I saw a window open, I have been jogging down the Slope so rested enough, it only made sense that if I picked up the speed and he continued riding leisurely I should be with him before we got to the market. I also preferred not calling him Saplenya in the market because not only will it make me feel excitedly guilty but also get scolded by the market ladies then latter it resurfaces at the dinner table...
As soon as I felt the ground levelling under my feet I took off, oblivious to anything around me, like an arrow well deployed aiming at the bulls eye, I ran past a guy on a bicycle who moved aside to give me way, so I looked after my target from concentrating where and how I was stepping to give me a maximum sprint. He was not there, at least not in front of me. What happened? Then, still in full flight I turned around to see if he was behind me, not that I was expecting him to be there. He was, talking to Andoni about 100 meters behind, remember the guy on the bike who let me pass because my propellers were on, yeah, that was my guy, my target, talk about missing the board entirely in archery.
I must be turning into the Flash or something because I was some distance away from the market and had Saplenya stood where he was when I started chasing him down, it should have taken longer than it did, I really deserved a trophy or something, but then I blamed my immature brain for miscalculation.
Wow! I was still running and I don't remember turning the gears down, I collided with someone or something for all I care, I tumbled and landed right on my face, nose first...you would love that wouldn't you?
Tumbling, I dug my heels into the souls of my shoes, the response was marvellous, they dug into the cool, rich moist Loam soil outside the road causing a hult then looked at the damage I had caused.
Of all the people, it was Ingosi I had collided with, like an arrow not only hitting the bulls eye but splitting the board into three, I had catapulted her several meters ahead upon where she clumsily landed on her face, nose first...
I bet she did not know what hit her, I quickly looked around to see the interested parties, it was only me and her in this, an idea struck me, when she turns I'll tell her that it was a hit and run, a bicycle came down the ivono slope at top speed and came crushing into her, or it was lightening from the clear sky,striking her right on the tosle...is that even a body part? I really couldn't get myself to think straight.
A horror feeling shadowed my sanity, she was not moving, so I nudged her to confirm my fears. It was as if that was what she was waiting for to rattle my eardrums.