Chapter 3; The darkest hour

Chapter 3: The darkest hour

He stood completely bemused staring into

the dark space as a mood of melancholy

had successfully enveloped them that very

fateful cataclysmic day. The last time they

went to their maternal home, he was still an

infant and his elder bro was just 7years old,

so he neither have a slightest clue of where

or what his maternal home looked like nor

be able to recognize his uncles if he

eventually meet them.

"Bro..when are we going to arrive at our

uncle's place?" Her sister asked

"I can't remember the place...but I will see

what I will do so we can sleep tonight ".

"Bro Obi,I am famished".

"Don't worry... let's go at that restaurant and

eat i still have the money with me".

After they were through helping themselves

with garri and oha soup, the thought of

having no roof under his head made way for

goosebumps on his skin.

"Won't you guys go home? Am about to

close my shop.." Obinna couldn't answer the

question but an i idea came to his mind,he

now decided to open up to the man.

After he has narrated the whole incident to

the man, he felt pity on the boy and his sister.

"My children..i am deeply sorry of this

cataclysmic event that took place in this

early stage of your lives, cry no more my

children..i..i still spared a room for visitors in

my house, wait for me outside let me tidy up

and close the shop so we can now go

home".

They arrived safely in Chukwukadibia's compound late in the night but there was no movement again since everyone had retired to their bed.

"Don't be afraid of my children.. relax your mind for now for this is my humble abode where my family and I lived."

"Come with me, let me show you your room".

Without sparing a second, they followed him immediately and went inside the house.

His younger sister has already slept off but despite her tender age she managed not to cry again and allowed the sleeping dog to lie.

For Obinna that night, sleep had eluded him and he was shedding tears deeply inside.Many thoughts were swimming through his mind. If any fortune teller would have predicted this quagmire to him,he would have blatantly disagreed but right now everything happened just like the one he sees on Nollywood movies.

"Dad...Mom...why did this to your children!!why us..why me.. so at last am now an orphan..a school dropout.." he lamented bitterly as he wept throughout that night with no one to console him.

At last the sun decided to smile as it arose from the east and its rays reflected directly to Chukwukadibia's compound that morning. Ifeoma ran quickly to her mother who was already sweeping the compound with her son Chuka.

"Mom some strangers are in our house"

Instantly turning to her daughter.

"Which stranger? Did you say strangers? Man or woman?"

"A boy and a girl about 4 to 5 years old".

"Who allowed them in?I mean how did they enter the house?"

With all these questions still in her mouth she walked straight inside the house to find out.

She opened the door staring at the two kids sleeping on the floor. She kicked the boy

"Wake up wake up!!"

Immediately Obinna got up, yawning as he stretched his both hands across his back neck.

"Am asking you, who are you and how did you end up in my house!!".

Obinna didn't know where to start answering the questions.

"He is an orphan, i found him on the street last night with her sister so i offered to help".

Mr.chukwukadibia bailed Obinna from the interrogation that moment as he walked into the room.

"So you 're now a Samaritan man who goes about welcoming strangers in his house!"

She retorted.

"They are not strangers honey, like I told you they're just homeless orphans".

"You brought them in and you didn't even bother to bring to my notice of the recent development!? "

"Am so sorry honey, i wanted to tell you this morning but it slipped my mind, please pardon me".

"Ok..how long did you intend to keep them here?"

"Ehmm..i can't say for now but later we shall discuss it privately honey".

"You better do fast and tell me everything I need to know!"

"You don't have to bother about that, once I am done repairing the bicycle I will tell you everything".

"Ok oooh, u better do oo"

She left immediately to continue her chores that morning.

"My children relax, this is your home for now ok"

Obinna and her sister nodded in reply.

Some minutes later, Mr.chikadibia came out of the room with his wife. They had already settled the dispute after he had narrated the unsavoury situation both orphans experienced yesterday.

"Come here both of you"

Mrs.Chikadibia said pointing at Obinna and his sister

"My children, what are your names?"

Mr.Chikadibia asked

"Obinna....Chinenye". They both answered.

"How old are you Obinna?". "I will be 18years old by the 3rd of next month sir".

"And my sister is 4 years old"

"Ohh! Such a tender age", Mrs.Chikadibia said as he mentioned his sister's age.

"It's ok, i will be off to work any minute from now so i want you to relax your mind take me as your father now you can as well call me father but if you guys don't dim fit you can call me uncle. Here is my wife, take her as your Mom, she will be assisting you both in any area you need, you both should be obedient children ok?"

"Yes Sir" with much joy in their tone.

"No don't address me like that"

"Just simply say "Yes uncle" "

"Ok uncle" they both chorused.

He got on his bicycle and rode off.

"Obinna.. follow Chuka to go and fetch us some water i think we have run out of them".

Mrs.Chikadibia instructed Obinna.

Meanwhile Chinenye has already joined ifeoma in sweeping the compound as small as she was; she doesn't need anyone to tell him what to do again.

"You said you were an orphan,sorry i mean my mother told me earlier today"

Chuka asked informally.he is two years older than Obinna.

"No.. sorry i mean Yes.. it's a long story"

Obinna said with so much sorrow.

"All ears tell me about it, after all we are now brothers so don't see a reason you can't share your burden". Chuka spoke more formally as he pushed the wheelbarrow with three water containers inside.

"It's a long story as I said earlier, it all started on..........."

"What a wicked world!" How can a man be so wicked? Chucks shouted on hearing Obinna's story.

"What about your brother whom you mentioned in the story"?

"Honestly,I can't tell his fate right now.All I can remember the last time I was with him was when he told us to wait for him at the train station here in this town on 31th of this month so that we could see him".

"You mean "Abohar train station"? "

Chucks asked in more curiosity.

"I don't know the name of it, all I know is train station".

"Aha..no way ... That must be "Agbahor train station" cause that's the only train station here in warri". Chucks said with more confidence.

"Really? Ok then" Obinna said.

"Don't worry i will show you the place after this errand".

"Thanks bro" Obinna answered

They both smiled at each other.

After they had all had their dinner that night, Obinna decided to tell Mr.chikadibia about going to the train station the day after tomorrow in order to meet their brother Ikenna. Mr.chikadibia is a very good man, he didn't argue with Obinna, rather he gave him his permission to go ahead and come back with him and that settled it.

Finally it's the D-Day, the day Obinna and his sister will go to the train station and meet there brother finally came.That early morning Obinna helped in doing the house chores and it went smoothly and he had already prepared to leave with his sister.

"My children hope you know the train station?" Mr.chikadibia asked.

"Yes uncle, Chucks already showed me the place the other time".

"Ok then go well my children and return with good news" Mr chikadibia said waving at the poor children.

And they left.

An hour,two,three passed since they arrived waiting for their brother to show up but still no resemblance of him was sighted so they decided to wait more.

After an additional three hours they waited

It was already getting darker as one could hardly recognize one another and they were extremely famished but still hoping that a miracle might occur that evening at the station.

"Chinenye..i know you must be hungry" he said this looking at her sister's pair of shoes which were already worn out.

"Don't worry I will buy food and shoes too, let's go and eat at a nearby restaurant".

"What if bro Ike comes here looking for us?"

Chinenye asked.

"Don't worry we won't waste anytime there"

So they left.

After they were done eating some food,Obinna handed over a pair of pink shoes he bought for her.

"Thank you bro.."she said, holding the shoes.

"Wait here for me sis let me ease myself in that restroom".

"Ok bro"she replied.

After he had left for the restroom, Chinenye was looking through the window and saw someone that resembled her bro Ikenna. She ran to meet him immediately as he was about to enter the train to leave. Very fast she ran into the train with him to stop him, but then it was another person that dressed as him. At that time the train had started speeding faster and couldn't stop until it reached its final destination.

At the time she wanted to cry, but she was holding herself not to cry in front of people.

Immediately his brother came out of the restroom just to find an empty seat where he left her sister. He screamed for her name but got no response, he combed the entire station in search of her but to no avail. Sat down on the railroad bewildered regretting ever letting go of his only sis he had.

"I should have taken her to the restroom" he said this in lamentations.atlast he decided to go home.

"What exactly happened?" Mr.chikadibia asked in curiosity.

"I left her to use the restroom and when I came out I couldn't find her...." He wept.

"Ohh, what sort of trouble is this?"

Mr.chikadibia lamented bitterly.

"I don't think I can live without her,she...is all that I got".

"Please stop crying bro, we will find her for you ok"? Chucks said holding Obinna with his arm around his shoulder.

"Tomorrow I will report to the police station to help us search for her,so don't cry again my son".said Mr chikadibia.

"Take him to his room and make sure he weeps no more," said Mrs.chikadibia pointing at her son.

"Ok mom".

A week passed after the report was made known to the police, yet the police were unable to find her whereabouts. To Obinna, he has decided to let the sleeping dog lie and face what fate had for him.