The Blue River

Episode 1

The sun set. That was the actual time at Obinto the local fringes of Kin town when clamoring of children and bleating of goats could be heard from a distance. Resident of that area were regarded poor and had nothing to offer to the society, but when God wonna bless someone, the locality of the very person doesn’t matter. There were more of young beautiful and handsome people with their grandparents there. Either they have no parents or the parents had gone to the main city to cater for them.

Sarah, a girl in her 20th with a very delicate body sat in front of their local house listening to the nearby bleating goats and clamoring of children. She wore a skirt that stopped at her knees thus making her close her legs properly as she sat quietly on a small stool. Her body complexion was totally fair but due to the environment she found herself, the fairness faded. She’s quite humble but can be stubborn at times. Her parents had died years ago leaving her with her elder sister, Lora. Both lived with their grandfather in the local house.

Just as Sarah wallowed in thought, her grandfather came out from the house staring at her with pitying eyes. He moved closer. “Sarah..”

“Yes, grandpa” she looked up at him with a strange smile.

“What troubles you my daughter?”
“Nothing, I’m just waiting for my sister to come back from her trip. She’s on her way now”

“Are you sure you aren’t thinking over a man?”
Sarah giggled. “A man is not my problem now, grandpa”

Eric, the grandfather sat on a big wood before him thus making Sarah wonder what he wanted to say. Already, she had not come out from the thought why the grandfather would bring up the issue of a man when she didn’t expect it. Therefore her sitting posture changed along side with her face showing great enthusiasm. “Grandpa, any problem?”

“Sarah,” Eric began handling his staff in between his legs and being more enthusiastic too. “you may not know the reason why i asked whether you are thinking about a man. The reason is because you are special to me”

“I don’t understand”
“Yes, you will not understand”
“Then make me to understand”
Eric cleared his throat. “There are things that a man as old as i am cannot not explain. Your father once told me that the first words you made as a baby was “Blue River” and that has not erased from my memory”
“Blue river” Sarah repeated thoughtfully. She looked at her grandfather with a heart beating faster than initial. “Grandpa, do you know that i always think of a blue river without knowing why? And whenever i think of myself standing beside the river, i start shedding tears” she dragged her stool closer to Eric. “What does that mean? Please, explain to me grandpa”

“It can mean several things coz a river represent so many things too but the colour of the river can only represent one thing”
“What?”
“Destiny”
“What destiny?”
“A destiny i don’t know” Eric stood up to leave but turned slightly to see Sarah staring at him in confusion. “Please, be careful my daughter. A river gives life and can also take life” he concluded moving into the house again..

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At Ututu, a town a bit far from Kin town, there was a young boy, Benlo strolling on the road with his friend, Jasper. Both had the same hairstyle looking as if there came from the same family. They branched at a supermarket where Jasper wanted to get something leaving Benlo outside. Suddenly, a girl came out from the market and mistakenly fell her items in front of Benlo.

“Oh, my God! Sorry, miss” he bent to help her pick the items up but a piece of paper fell from his shirt pocket without knowing.
“Thank you” the girl replied as both finally picked all the items into the bag even with the paper.

“So sorry” Benlo repeated smiling.

“Is okay thanks” the girl smiled back at him.

“I’m Benlo. This is my town”
“And I’m Lora. I’m on a journey to my town. My bus is over there waiting”
“Which town?”
“Kin town, Obinto precisely”
“That isn’t far from here”
“Yeah”
Both remained quiet until Lora excused herself going to her bus. Already, Benlo’s handsomeness had bewitched her thus making her not to think straight again. She wished he calls her back for more formalities but he didn’t. God answered her prayer when she found the paper inside her bag. Therefore she turned. “Hey!”

Benlo also turned to her voice. “Any problem miss Lora?”

“I guess this is yours” Lora flagged the paper before him with a smile.

“Oh, yes!” Benlo took it but gave it back to her. “You can keep it”

“Really?” Lora looked at the paper to see the drawing of a blue river. “What’s it for?”

“It’s just my inspiration. I can’t help it but to think about a blue river”

“Wow” Lora looked at the drawing again. “It’s nice, thanks”
“You’re welcome”
“We might see some other time coz i do come here for business”
“Probably” Benlo watched her as she entered inside her bus..