1 CHAPTER 1

Cedrian pov

The sun set looks blissful from where I am sitting and I take a long view of it, it is the only beautiful thing that I am allowed to enjoy in my life and it's all free. I'm sitted on a bamboo tree and wondering if this is how my life was written in the book of Life. I must have been a killer in my previous life, yes that explains my misfortunes, there is no other way of explaining it…. I sigh and spit.

I have just sold my last stack of wood and I need to start off like right now if I'm to catch the last bus back to the village.

It's like I'm trying too hard not to get up, I'm so pissed with my life right now. It seems to be stuck in one point. And what's even funnier is that I have followed all the knowledge and guidance my grandfather had instilled in me but still??? I see no progress.

May his soul rest in peace, I remember one rule he always cautioned me on, “Cedito, if you want to remain poor in this life, you impregnate a village girl and your life will forever be stuck,” he would say. That was his national anthem day in day out and he always remembered to remind me of it every single day. There was truth to that fact, and so I always distanced myself from girls. My friends always assumed I was gay because I never proposed to any girl in the village, they would tease me here and there.

I do not blame them, my grandfather always said girlfriends always equaled pregnancy which equaled being poor for life. “If you want to succeed in life my son, get an education, work hard, find a stable job then you can impregnate as many girls as you wish but never start with girls first in this village, they are a curse. You will fall in love and your brain will stop functioning.” he would shout in my ears.

My grandma would always spit when she heard her husband telling me such things. She would always tell me to remind him that she was not the reason he was poor. Such discussions always led to quallering. In short I distanced myself from girls, of course I did not follow grandpa blindly, I did my own statistics and his words were hundred percent correct. Most of my seniors and classmates had impregnated their girlfriends resulting in early marriages and they were now forced to get jobs as Carpenters, fishermen, farmers or charcoal burners in order to fend for their new families.

Grandpa was a wiseman, and had lived long enough to see such cycles repeat themselves, over and over again in this village. I Ieally miss the old man nowadays, could really use his motivation talks like right now. But I must get up and catch the bus else grandma would be really worried if I take long.

As I enter the bus, I spot Ben, a former classmate sitted at the back seat. So I head there and sit next to him, “hello Ben, long time dude, how have you been?” I greet him with a fake smile, to which he responds with a smile and we exchange pleasantries. But his next sentence renders me numb.

“Meet my wife and son,” he introduces with his horrible smile.

I try to hide the shock but I think my facial expression is working against me, this dude is only 20 if I'm not mistaken. “Hello,” I wave at the young lady seated next to him, who looks to be in her teenage years. Another statistic added to my research. She waves back and begins attending to the baby

“What's up dude, how's life been treating you after high school graduation?” Ben asks.

It's been four years since we graduated high school and I have got nothing to show for it, so I just respond by saying,“the usual of course, just trying to make some money for college,” I reply. But to my surprise he gives me the “no one goes to college in this village look” but I ignore him.

“Ooooh I see, do you know that Mark, Sam, Owen and Peter are all married and have kids now,” Ben says like it's some sorts of grand achievement.

“Ooooh you do not tell me,” I respond, trying so hard not to spit.These guys think they have made it just because they can father babies, seriously!! Even a mad man can father children, it's not an achievement I say to myself.

“What of you? Do you have any lady in particular?” Ben asks when he notices my quietness.

He is really becoming annoying with his useless discussions, real men should be talking about job opportunities, vacancies or college applications but here we are talking about making babies in poverty. This guy is pouring salt on the tiny shred of calmness I am fighting with inside me.

“No lady, I am busy with staff,” I spat out. Any guy in my position right now would have lied but I do not have time to make up a girl's name or story to match with.

He gives me the "Are you gay look" but I ignore him and start playing with the rubber that is currently holding my phone in together.

Finally the bus arrives at my station, I immediately take my leave without saying goodbye because the guy really ruined my already ruined day.

How dare he?? poverty is written all over him and he dares to brag about reproduction, I spit but the saliva lands on someone's leg. I look up and it's my grandma, apparently she has come to pick me up from the station.

“I'm sorry grandma I did not see you,” I try pleading with her.

She gets her slipper and begins beating me with it “Cedito! how many times have I warned you to look where you spit?”

This woman is now garnishing my already bad day, I plead with her and she finally stops.

“How much have you made today?” she asks

“Ain't you going to give me a hug first,” I jokingly plead with puppy eyes.

“You spat On me and according to tradition it's an omen, pay me before you get cursed,” she orders.

I roll my eyes and ask her how much would break that curse. Grandma's favorite thing is money, money, money, money and more money. She is always looking for excuses to extort money from anybody, that's why my grandpa loved her. Even when we had nothing to eat she would go to the market without money but bring back a full basket of food using her tricks and have learnt one or two of those tricks from her.

Finally we are at home and I take my bath then after eating my supper I head to bed. I get the box from the roof where I hide my savings and add the half I made today because the other half is grandma's share.

I count the amount but I'm not even close to half of the college tuition, I sigh and go to bed disappointed.