Chapter 2 — Meeting Anita
In a world different from ours, a world which hasn't been cultivated. The spiritual energy flowing crazily like a windstorm. The sky was crystal red with glints of white stars hanging all around it.
There was no dry land in this world. It was covered up with water, pitch black water to be certain.
In the middle of this water sat a small boat which could only carry an individual. The boat was moving freely on its own while a figure could be seen lying peacefully on the moving boat having his both eyes shut.
As if he knew he was being spied upon, he sat up instantly with his eyes wide open.
He gazed around with confusion written on his face. He looked up, down, sideways and then it dawned on him that he's in the middle of the river. Not just a river but a black river.
Fear gripped him immediately but before he could ponder on the next line of action, he heard a voice.
"Malik!" The voice came again and he turned to the direction of the voice just to see a female head popping out of the black water. He recognized her instantly, she was the lady from the bus. The one he had paid for her transport fare.
"What's she doing in the river?" He couldn't help but ask himself. It was when her eyes flashed blue that was when he knew he was in for danger.
The wave suddenly goes crazy which causes the boat to capsize throwing Malik up as he screams for help and then onto the river.
"Help!.. Help!.. Help!"
He screamed out as water rushed into every opening in his body.
"Malik!" A soft voice called from deep within as he struggled not to drown.
"Wake up.. Wake up please!" He heard the faint voice as the water overwhelmed him.
"Splash!"
"Aaargh!"
His screaming filled the air as he sat upright holding onto the figure right in front of him. All his body was drenched and it seems as if he's just coming back from the land of death.
Malik's memory was blank at the moment that he couldn't recall anything but himself.
"Thank God you're awake." He heard the voice again and looked up, locking gaze with her. It was the same lady from his dream, the one he had paid for her transport fare earlier today.
His heart skipped a beat. Before he could even think of what next, his body already moved on his behalf as he somersault and crashed hard on the floor.
The lady, surprised by Malik's sudden behavior, quickly stood up and rushed towards him.
The latter tried getting up but he couldn't. His body seems heavy and it seems a magnetic force is attracting it to the floor.
"Wait.. Let me help." He heard the lady's voice and then gave up trying.
…
"I put you in danger in the dream. Then in reality, I saved you." The lady couldn't help but wonder after Malik explained the reason behind the stunt he pulled earlier.
"How were you able to rescue me from those touts?"
"I thought you'd never ask." She said and bit her lower lip while staring directly into his eyes. He was seated on a foam, having his back against the wall while she sat on a stand beside him. Malik watched how she got up and turned her back against him.
"Wait! Where's my bag?" He suddenly asked and she couldn't help but chuckle.
"Don't tell me you exchange it for…"
"There was no other choice." The lady replied and Malik got infuriated. That bag was his last hope of connecting with his Aunt. Her house address was in it and some cash as well.
She then turned to him, "I can't watch you get killed without doing anything."
"Thanks to you.. I'm as good as dead. I'm lost.. I'll survive this…"
"Same way I've been pulling through." She cut him off.
"You still have the gut to talk." Malik angrily got up and charged at her but before he could get to her, he dizzily fell on the floor.
"You're still weak Malik. You need some rest."
"How did you know my name?" He asked, trying to pull himself up.
"From the bus." She replied and helped him up for the second time.
"What is the time?" He asked again. She was getting tired of all his questions and then she pulled him out of the hut, dragging him outside for a better view.
Malik, with his own eyes saw that it was nightfall and his body trembled with fright. They must have been searching for him. His Aunt might have been in the garage earlier. His mum must be worried about his whereabouts and moreover, he hasn't broken his fast.
His stomach grumbled loudly to the hearing of the lady beside him and she chuckled lightly.
"Come. Let's go get you some food."
Malik followed without thinking twice and she led him to a local joint where they both ordered for their choice of dishes. She watched how Malik devoured his meal hungrily and she couldn't help but admire him.
"He's too cute to be in such a dilemma ." She thought to herself while eating slowly.
"Thank you Lady….Anita." He said amidst eating.
"I never recalled mentioning my name to anyone." She replied back with surprise written in her face.
"Don't tell me I guess that right?" He chuckled and quickly gulped down water.
"I'm still shocked, you know. It's been a long time since someone called me Anita. So who are you and what brings you here?"
Malik didn't think twice before narrating who he really is and how he was a victim of fraud, the event which led to his dad sending him far away from Home. He told her he was going to Victoria Estate and was waiting for his Aunt to come pick him up before his phone was snatched by Wilson.
"I'm so sorry about that. Who would know such a cute guy is going through alot." She cooed and he put up a face that caused the both of them to burst out laughing.
"Isn't it too late to be out?" Asked Malik and her facial expression suddenly changed.
"I'm always outside. I don't have a home."
"What do you mean?" Malik paused his food and paid her keen attention as she briefly explained her story for him.
She was an orphan, she lost her parents when she was 11 and her parents properties were shared among their relatives. One of them took her in and started maltreating her. She endured the pain and the insult but one thing she couldn't endure was being harassed. Her uncle tried to rape her shortly after she turned 15 and she stabbed him om the back as an act of self defense. She didn't wait any longer and ran into the streets. And since then, she has been striving to survive in the streets of Ughelli all by herself.
Her story was shocking, though it was brief but he got Malik thinking hard. He doesn't really know what to say. He was just staring at her while she tried to hold back the tears threatening to fall at any time.
"I'm deeply sorry about that." He said slowly and she nodded.
They continued their food in silence and then something occurred to him.
"My bag's estimated worth isn't up to 5 dollars. How were you able to trade my life with that?"
"I put all the money I had in the bag." Anita confessed and then Malik stopped eating.
"All the money you had. How about the food? How are we going to pay?" He asked and a smirk formed on her lower lip.
….
"You never told me our palms are going to pay." Malik asked as he rinsed the plates while Anita washes them.
"Well, you asked late." She replied and he sighed.
"I can't believe I'm doing this right now. I can't recall the last time I washed dishes at home."
"That's home Malik. You're far far away from home." Anita replied to him.
"Pass me the soap." She said to him and he gently pushed the liquid soap to her direction.
The door creaked open and a woman came in with a big bowl full of dirty plates and Malik couldn't help but wonder.
"Are we still the one going to wash all of these?" He asked Anita slowly and she chuckled.
"I think so."
"Aarhh!" He cried out, checking out his fingers.
….
"Welcome to my humble abode." Announced Anita as they both walked into the room. The room was just like a student room, it's not spacious and contained just a student bed. The wall was painted pink with different wallpapers plastered on it.
"I just acquired this place. Just last week, it's far better than sleeping under the bridge." She said and dropped the package on her hand at the left corner. It was the package she received from the owner of the local joint.
"Seems my coming has already been prophesied to you." Malik has already accepted his fate of being lost. There's no clue on how he can get to his Aunt and there's no money for him to go back home. So, he had to find one but first he had to adapt to life out here.
"You could say that again." She chuckled and slumped on the bed. He took a seat also and pulled off his sneakers then his white stained shirt revealing his bare back.
Anita gulped hard behind him as she couldn't help but stare dreamingly at his flawless back. Malik was neither a dark-skinned guy nor light-skinned. He's light brown and has this shiny skin.
"Anita!"
He tapped her for the second time before she snapped out of her thinking.
"I'm so sorry about that." She said and quickly got up.
"Remember to wake me up by 3." He said to her as she was about to switch off the light.
"Sure. You can use the bed." She said and switched off the light. It was a solar bulb owned by the former occupant of the room.
"Then where are you going to sleep?" Malik asked.
"The ground I guess." She replied, pulling off her shirt. He can't see her actually because it was pitch dark.
"Then you must be mistaken cause I love the ground better."
Inasmuch Malik was willing to sleep on the bed, he can't cause discomfort to someone that has been showing him care despite the fact that he's a total stranger.
She resorted to the bed without argument while Malik laid on the floor thinking about his life and what the Earth has in store for him.
….
NEXT DAY
"I thought I told you to wake me up?" Malik reminded Anita after she walked into the room. It was morning already and the sun was already out. Malik has actually missed today's fasting and also his morning prayer.
"You don't expect me to allow you fast or whatever in your current state.. Do you?" She said and threw him an orange round neck top. He inhaled the scent of the clothes before putting it on.
"What happened to me?" He asked, rearranging his black jean trouser.
"I bet you don't need an explanation." She said and the both of them burst out laughing.
"I'm so famished." Anita cried out, walking up to the package she brought yesterday.
Malik just stood there with different thoughts roaming in his mind. He's always occupied with thinking. Anita was saying something but his mind was faraway from this world.
"Who owns this shirt?" Anita tilted her neck as soon as she heard the question she least expected.
Actually, she stole the shirt from a laundry at the other street but she can't possibly tell him she stole it. What would he think of her?
"It belongs to a friend of mine in the street." She lied.
"You're bad at lying, Anna." Malik said and quickly reached for the day.
The moment he opened the door, his gaze caught sight of some group of boys holding makeshift weapons.
"Don't tell me you were caught?"
"Almost caught." She replied as she got to him.
"Oh shit! We need to leave."