chapter 29

The next day around 9 am, they drove to a restautant and had their breakfast. All the students eat what they wished. Sadik eat his favourite food, fried yam with eggs while Mary refused to eat breakfast."Why aren't you eating Mary" Miss Susan asked."I'm feeling so nauseous" Mary replied."Oh come on Mary, please try something even if it's small" Miss Susan cajoled.

They started their field trip program by visiting one of the waterfalls on a mountain. All the students got out bus and left Mary behind sleeping in the bus. They walked and climbed the mountain, and Mr Ahmed warned them not to go close to the waterfall."Where is Mary?" Mr Ahmed asked. All the students looked around and observed that she wasn't there. Someone ran to the bus and called her. When she arrived, Mr. Ahmed glared at her with a very furious face."Looks like you are not ready to be here, you fat lazy girl" Mr Ahmed angrily said."If you know you are such a lazy ass, why did you bother coming here? You should better be serious" he continued.

After Miss Susan had shown them everything the need to learn there, they walked down from the mountain and went to the river below it. Mary remained on the mountain crying and regretting why she came to the field trip. When James noticed she was left behind again, he walked to the mountain and found her crying at the edge of the mountain close to the waterfalls. Somehow, he felt pity for her. He was thinking of how to cajole her when suddenly saw a snake beside her."Hey Mary get away from there, a snake beside you" James warned. In an attempt trying to get up unintentionally, she accidently missed her step which made fall backward from the mountain. She held the edge of the mountain her hands but her hands slipped away. And suddenly James got her hands preventing her from falling. Everyone around the area noticed Mary being held by James. Some people were even running trying to go and help."I will rather die than to be helped by a pathetic fool like you" Mary said when she noticed that it was James that held her hand. He suddenly had a feeling she will let go of his hand."No Mary, please don't do anything stupid" James shouted."I already have" she replied while letting go his hand. James watched as she falls from the height into the water below.

People ran to her and picked her up while she was covered in blood. Mr Ahmed placed his hands on his heads not knowing what to do. Miss Susan was shouting when she ran to the people who picked her. An ambulance came to took her away with Miss Susan crying beside her. All the students remained in shocked in their position. Some of them were crying while others could not even cry.

James remained at the top of the mountain. His body was so weak that he couldn't even lift his arm. He walked away from the edge of the mountain thinking about what happened. He was suddenly covered by guilt and remorse. He felt as if he was the one who pushed her from the mountain. He sat and cried there like a child on the mountain until he was brought down by one of the tourist."This is exactly what I was afraid of, but you students are so stubborn" Mr Ahmad complained."Just look at the mess you've just brought me into" Mr Ahmed added. He took a cab and followed them to the hospital.

About 30 minutes later, he came back from the hospital. Some of the tourist asked of her condition, and he told them that she's alive but had broken several bones due to fact there are some rocks in the water."The principal has asked me to take you back to the school, he said you have had enough", Mr Ahmed announced.

They entered the bus and started their journey back to Abuja. They left Miss Susan with Mary at the hospital. Throughout their journey, the bus was so silent with only James crying at the back of the bus. He kept crying for the past five hours until they finally arrived at Abuja. When Sadik went to the hostel, Peter was so surprised to see him."Hey Sadik, why are you back so soon?" Peter asked."Actually, something very bad happened that's why we came back unexpected" Sadik replied."Really? What happened?" Peter looking confused."Mary fell from a mountain, it will take a miracle for her to survive" Sadik said."Oh my God, how did that happened?" Peter asked."Actually no one knew exactly what happened, but James was the one who held her before she slipped away from his hand" Sadik responded."Oh poor Mary, I hope she will make it and survive" Peter pitied.