A Game Of Hope

A Game Of Hope

I looked out the window. The sky was tar-black and the large clouds were moving towards me. I heard a tapping on the window and then it became a pitter-patter. People ran for cover outside and umbrellas were opened. Puddles began plinking as the rainfall became heavier. The roofs of the cars danced with spray and I could hear the murmuring of the rain through the window. It sounded like the buzzing of angry bees, soon it stopped and the hungry sun preyed on on Earth again.

I dressed up to meet with Ochuwa at a designated spot different from the usual but somewhat far from my abode. She told me to meet her there the previous night before sunset, she claimed to have a good news for me, but I was rather late, I have been busy helping my mother and couldn't abandon all my duties then. I was worried she would have been waiting for so long; so I decided to go out with an umbrella after the rain had stopped for a while.

I was halfway when it all started again with a heavy wind that could lift a heavy object and whirl away with it; toss it to a far distance for the later. I knew I was in trouble if I keep walking with same pace.

I quickened my pace as the clouds began to gather in the sky again. Up to now, the sky had been postcard-perfect, but it was changing.

The beautiful cocktail-blue shade was beginning to darken into gravel-grey. Large pillows of cloud were forming, blotting out the old-gold colour of the sun.

I got a splatter of rain when I was halfway across the meadow. I took shelter under an old oak, hoping that I could see out the shower. Droplets of moisture began to drip from the leaves. They were sprinkling onto the grass like a gardener's hose.

Then the rainfall became more intense again. A wall of rain moved over the oak and the drops were drumming against the canopy. So much rain was falling that the sound blurred into one long, whirring noise.

I waited for so long until the rain was over. I wasn't happy about the day's event. What if Ochuwa had been heavily drenched by the rain because she waited. I decided to find out if she had gone or waited.

After few minutes of walking and trampling on the muddy earth, I was close enough. I spotted a car packed in front of a building. Suddenly some guys came out and walked into the building, I could recognize from their outfits; that they were the palace guards. Also I saw Ochuwa come out of the building escorted by the guards. Another guy came out looking entirely different. As I got closer I noticed he dressed like the prince of Ebeni, He was on a traditional attire and beads worn around his neck and wrist. He hugged and gave her a peck on her cheek , opened the back door of the car for her to enter.

I actually didn't like the sight of what transpired, I hid beside a palm tree and they drove past. I could see her inside laughing at same time with the prince; these actually made me start to get some awkward garrulous feeling in my mind.

I walked further and saw a woman coming out of the building. I greeted her and asked who was the lady that left with the prince.

She smiled and said she came by to seek for shelter, claimed she was waiting for someone but he didn't turn up, maybe it was the prince she was waiting for, then she continued and decided to add her own to abate my own feelings unconsciously, saying she didn't like the royal family but she is a good match for the prince, the looked cute together and she wish them luck and smiled again like her palms had been heavenly greased, words that sounded like gibberish to my hearing but dented my soul.