Red Roses

Chapter one

The blaring music coming from the cassette shop near the market played Nigerian Christian songs. The music which was the sound of a Nigerian top artiste song, sent some of the street hawkers dancing why some shook their heads to the rhythm of the song. At another cassette shop which was a little farther away played one of Nigeria's circular top artiste song which had a dance step attached to it and was old school but was now displayed by the new age dancers in a more entertaining way. Some passers-by and those who stood to watch cheered if the dance step they displayed was unique or authentic why some dropped money which raised the excitement to those that watched. Now some referred to these dancers as rogues or as they will say "bad boys". That was the streets for you their is fun, poverty and sadness and that was were the hoodlums of the world were from, were the known armed robbers, kidnappers, murderers were being founded including some notable men and women of integrity that filled the society. A terrifying sound of a gun was heard that afternoon sending most people running Helter skelter looking for shelter. A man who was one of the individuals watching the dancers had already picked up his shoes from the ground which he removed from his leg and started running as fast as he could shouting at the top of his voice:

"If you love your life run ooooooo." Edna who was fast asleep on her cardboard got up and rolled her cardboard immediately as she felt perplexed on what was going on. She was wondering on what the problem was when a woman whose baby was tied up to her back ran past her saying:

"Won't you run?"

Edna tried to stop the woman and ask her what the problem is but the woman was so much in a hurry. The armed robbers ran with guns in their hands as the siren sound of a police car came to the rescue. She went to a corner and watched in dismay, on what was going to happen since there was no possibility at that moment of running past them. The armed robbers and policemen had already engaged themselves in a shooting battle, some of them surrendered when they saw that the end had come.

"Put your guns down." one of the policemen said which they obediently did when suddenly one of them ran away very fast.

"You come here." the voice of the man called out commandingly. Edna turned slowly, as fear filled her whole body. She stopped at first, and later decided to walk slowly to were the man was and halted.

"Take this." The man said in a commanding tone, he stretched forth his hand and gave her a polythene bag containing a sum of money which she could not count at the moment, but was arranged up in piles inside the polythene bag.

"I will meet you at the market close to the abattoir."

"Now run." The man ordered after finishing his statement.

Edna stood transfixed at a spot staring at the man in shock.

"Run." The man said again.

"And if you don't meet me at that point, I will find you and kill you." The man threatened as he looked at her with seriousness.

"Run." Cold shivers ran through Edna's body as a feeling of uneasiness crept through her.

A gun shot was fired by one of the policemen which sent the man in front of her down in his own pool of blood as Edna dropped the money and took to her heels.

"Who was that running." One of the policemen asked as the other stoop low to check the pulse of the armed robber who had been shot.

"It's just a girl" The second policeman replied.

"Let's go." Another policeman said, after they had handcuffed the other armed robbers and put them in the van.

Everything went back to normal like as it all started, market sellers began their daily job as usual even the cassette shop came back to life as the sound of music boomed from their shop.

A film store which was at the corner of were Edna laid, had a big "TV" set which was at the front enabling passers-by to watch what was being displayed on the screen. A film was viewed, children who were between the ages of five to ten stood in front of the television set with crossed arms looking haggard with torn clothes watching what was displayed on screen with enthusiasm. Some children carried heavy goods which were owned by buyers why other children pushed their wheelbarrows filled with goods which were too heavy for them to carry, but they still pushed hard as the owners of these goods paid them either fifty naira or hundred naira at least depending on the level of goods they carried. Evening drew nearer some people hastened up to go home why some still hustled. This was the bustling life, of the streets and the place were poverty soared.