The Lorry Driver,
Episode 5️⃣
“I don’t think I will stay here with you because there is no point waiting for the lorry driver who I’m now convinced is a ghost. Why did he disappear when he saw us at the Ikom motor park? And he is now asking us to wait for him? I’m personally tired of this hide and seek game he is playing. I think we should proceed with the journey as planned instead of wasting time and waiting for a ghost. I already told you I’m supposed to resume studies at the university and I have no time to waste. Please, let us go.” Ada’s voice sounded really angry because she was not only tired but equally hungry. She wanted to drive the lorry to Benin City as soon as possible so that she can leave the conductor and go back to the village.
“But if the man is a ghost, he won’t be using a phone. How can a ghost be using phone to make calls when he should know everything? Besides, he said he would board a car to come and meet us here. If he is truly a ghost, he should be able to disappear from Ikom and appear here on the road. If he is a spirit and he is still entering vehicle to come here, that means something is wrong somewhere. He is probably not a ghost if he can’t disappear and appear.” The conductor replied. He too was tired. The van operator just finished helping them to pull out the lorry from the mud. The sun was now shining very brightly and the day had kicked off in earnest. Other lorries and vehicles drove past the spot where they parked.
“What if he does not want you to know that he has the ability to disappear and appear? What if he does it secretly? He has told you that he is entering public transport, but he can also disappear from Ikom and appear here and then claim he entered public transport. Please, let us go, because I don’t want to see him.” Ada insisted on leaving the place before the arrival of the lorry driver but the conductor said they must wait. Ada had no option than to agree, even though she was very angry inwardly. Her anger boiled over when they waited until 12 noon and the lorry driver failed to arrive. She became hungry.
“I want to eat please, at least, let me have food in my belly while we are waiting for the lorry driver. I’m very hungry right now and I need to eat as soon as possible. What about you? Are you not hungry?” Ada asked the conductor who just woke up from sleep.
“I’m not only hungry, I’m also tired mentally and physically. Let us go to the town and eat. The place is not far. The place I went to bring the van operator. I saw a food restaurant there. Come down let us go. If we come back and the lorry driver still haven’t come, we will proceed with the journey.” The conductor said. They walked to the town because it was really close to where they parked.
Soon, they got to the restaurant and both of them ordered swallow. While Ada ate garri and egusi soup, the conductor preferred akpu and ogbono soup.
“Garri does not last in my belly. It takes only 30 mutes to dissolve. That is why I always like to eat akpu. This one will stay in my stomach until evening.” The conductor said. This made Ada to laugh out loud. Soon, they were done eating and they washed the food down with bottles of Fanta and they were on their way back to the lorry. When they got close to the long vehicle, the saw that someone was trying to start the engine. The door on the driver’s side was open but they could not see the person who was inside because of the height of the lorry. The person was on the steering but they were not able to see his face clearly. The conductor was not sure if the person is the lorry driver or a thief attempting to steal the lorry.
“Who is trying to start the lorry? Please let us run before the person steals the vehicle.” The conductor said and they both started running. But before they got to where the vehicle was parked, it started moving. The speed of the lorry increased and it sped past them and headed to direction where they were coming from. The speed progressively increased until they could see it no more. The person vanished with the lorry, leaving Ada and the conductor confused.
“We are in trouble. Who could that be?” The conductor said.
“You are the one who is in trouble, not me. I had told you that we should leave this place and you insisted on waiting for the ghost. Now, we don’t even know if he is the one driving the lorry away or thieves. Please, give me transport fare let me leave this place.” Ada shouted at the conductor who was highly agitated but managed to hold himself firmly.
“You can’t leave alone. We will go together and chase after the lorry. But I want you to calm down. I’m sure everything would be fine. Let me call the lorry driver and see if he was the one who drove the lorry away.” The conductor said amidst heavy pants. He dialed the lorry driver’s number and it was switched off. They boarded a vehicle and headed for Benin City. When they got there, they went straight to the motor park and they saw the lorry where it was parked. The banana had been offloaded and the lorry just parked there with no driver on sight. Soon, Ada left the motor park and headed for the village to prepare and resume studies at the university.
“I will stay in the lorry until I find out the person who drove it to this place.” The conductor said to himself.
Tbc
