Baskadia

THE PERILOUS JOURNEY

A crazy decision

Olabode esther.

Oke oluwatobi

THE REGRET

On a scorching afternoon, Edward sat on the desert soil.

Stared hopelessly at his three kids.

He was void of ideas, he doesn’t know what to do neither can he vent his anger. He was filled with bitterness, he wished he could see his friend who brainwashed him to venture on this journey and just kill him.

What have I done!, he exclaimed.

"I shouldn't have brought my kids along, why didn't I make enquiries? Why did I trust my friend? I could have just gotten the tickets myself, why didn't I leave my wife and kids in Libya?

I can bring them to wherever I am after have gotten a foothold, Am so stupid".

Edward was doing well in Libya, he owned a mechanic shop and his wife was a teacher.

Aside from the war that do happen once in a while, he had no other concern until his friend told him about the available opportunity.

He has always wanted to move to any European country.

When the opportunity presented itself, he sold off his shop to someone else, set some money aside for the plane ticket, paid for the bus ticket and got some necessary stuffs.

The plan was that they will travel to Tunisia via a bus, from Tunisia, they will board a plane to Germany.

Edward wanted to make Germany his first stop because he has a relative in there.

Though Germany wasn’t his bus stop, but as long as he and his family can get to Germany first the rest would be easy.

His friend requested for their passports, to buy them the bus tickets, unknowing to Edward it was just a show.

Truly they boarded a bus at the centre of Tripoli which is in Medina but they alighted at an unknown place where they were picked up by a driver, driving a Hilux along with other passengers.

THE BEGINNING OF THE NIGHTMARE

This was just the beginning Of a caged trip.

He never knew that his greatest nightmare was still under construction.

Thirty passengers were cramped into one , it was such an uncomfortable Experience.

The journey began, they travelled through the desert both day and night.

Supposing it was a straight road, the journey would have lasted three days but traveling through the desert will take up to 7days or more.

It was a torture and not a trip. Had it been women and kids weren't involved; it would have been better.

Thanks to the driver who advised them to buy some food and water, enough to sustain them for some days: they would have starved to death.

On the fourth day of the journey an accident happened. A wheel from the back jumped out of his place while the vehicle was on a maximum speed which caused the Hilux to crash and many were injured.

The driver died immediately but his assistant was only injured a bit while ten among the passengers died including Edward's wife .

Edward’s left leg was broken but thankfully nothing happened to the kids.

WHO WILL HELP?

Who will help them?. They were in the middle of the desert where people were hardly seen.

The survivals helped each other, everyone had to be strong since there were no hospitals or pharmacy in the desert. Some had to cut their clothes to bandage up their wounds.

There were no medicines.

water was used to clean up the wounds while they got leaves as substitute for spirit, gentian violet or iodine solution.

They couldn’t go forward, neither could they returned. They were stucked in the desert and they were running out of food and water.

They couldn’t go any further, neither could they return. They were stucked in the desert and they were running out of food and water.

The assistant driver wanted to call for help but his phone had gone apart.

Edward cursed the day he made such stupid decision, “I wish someone had warned me, I wish this day never came”, What am I supposed to do with these kids? He cried”. The passengers spread out most of their clothes on the sand to sleep.

Edward stood up to get something for the kids to eat, he rummaged through his bag just to find a bag of biscuit.

He took it and head towards the kids, as he was about to get to where the kids were; the first and the last born jumped up screaming and Both ran towards different directions. what happen? ‘Edward asked in confusion’.

The kids pointed to the second child, who laid on the floor crying while a large snake made it’s way towards a hole next to the tree where the children were sitted.

THE WORST DAY OF ALL.

Edward tried to run but he stumbled because of his broken leg.

Meanwhile the other passengers, picking up shoes, cups, thin branches . and whatever their hands could find, threw it at the snake but it escaped into the hole.

They quickly tore a piece from among the clothes they slept on in order to stop the snake's poison from spreading.

Aside that: nothing else. No medicine.

They all tried all they could and leave the rest in the hands of God. If God could show mercy and permit a car or other Hilux with passengers to pass by, they would be able to seek for help. Yet nothing happened.

The girl’s cry made Edward grit his teeth in despair. She couldn’t sleep, likewise Edward; yet nothing could be done.

Edward felt pity for his girl, she hasn’t done anything wrong to experience this hardship. It was too much for him to handle.

Another unfortunate day passed, however fortune smiled on them: when they saw something that seem like a light from afar around 5am in the morning.

They quickly ran towards the light; screaming, help! Without considering the fact that it might be something else. It could be a bandit's vehicle or something. They ran like their life depend on it.

A GLIMPSE OF HOPE.

When they got to where the car was, the driver stopped, while the assistant of the late driver explained their situation to him.

So, he agreed to help the severely injured ones back to Libya because they were the ones that needed urgent treatment the most.

With gladness and appreciation they got into the car.

Because, if they were to stay there one more day, more will die, because there were no food. They had to live on water for the past two days considering the fact that their supplies were wasted.

The assistant driver had to bring out the 25litres of water that he kept for himself and the driver. He fed the passenger three bottle caps every two hours. That was how the water could sustain them.

The driver sent them to the IOM office, where they were received and attended to.

They were sent to the hospital and arrangements were made to rescue the others who couldn’t get on the car.

However, Edward’s second child who was bitten by a snake didn’t make it back; she was buried in the desert.

After the passengers got discharged from the hospital, Edward explained his situation to the IOM personnel who was in charge of their matter.

His friend who processed the trip was arrested and asked to refund every bit of the money taken from Edward before he was deported back to Ghana.

His friend never wished for the accident to happen too. Though he was wrong. Edward and his family had their passports, he could easily get the tickets for them. But, because he wanted to cut back some money for himself; he risked Edward's life and that of his family.

Edward rented an apartment, buy the necessities with the money he received from his friend and begin to adjust to the new life he earned because of listening to and accepting an offer without making thorough Investigations.

He was once a shop owner but now, he began to work for another.