Summer Vacation Of My Childhood, The Heat: Entry 1

Entry 1

I remember the laughters and the jokes that circled around how I was to stay in Swithland's hostel with my classmates, but it didn't work out as planned because my father objected to it. I was to go soon for the vacation elsewhere, a place I wanted to be far from.

But he didn't listen to me, so I was shipped off, as always. I get to the gate, and a lot of people stare at me, and I stand beside my huge suitcase. Now dragging it along, I step into the cage. I knew I was going to be locked up for a month.

I met Stella yesterday at the train station, and now I met her again in the room I was to stay in.

'Sorry, it's only one person here.'

'I know.' She continues unpacking her luggage unto the bed allocated for me.

'But...so why are you here if I must ask?'

'Do not ask then. You're not compelled to. I need peace and quiet. If you have any complaints ask the hostel manager.'

Before I could respond, I was told to shut up. The audacity a nine year old has. I left the room to ask the hostel manager why a child was let in to stay with me when I had opted for a single room as that was my condition, well, a part of it, for coming here.

'Oh, you mean Stella Obasanya, the sassy nine year old?'

I nod my head in affirmation.

'You're amongst the oldest here and infact more responsible than the ones here, so please do me a favour to take her in.'

Then she leaned in to tell me something in my ears.

'Actually, the other rooms have rejected her, and as I said, please do me a favour. I hope you'll understand. Bear with me, please. We'll bring another bed for you cos I supposed she already has occupied yours. And while at it, you could teach the spoilt brat a lesson or two.'

Then she winked. "What could I possibly say?" I opted for a nanny's job instead of a hangout with my classmates.

I packed my hair in a bun, then put on my scarf whilst looking at the mirror, then I sight the véranda. I took a stroll along the huge corridor, and then the breeze paid notice to me, and I was greeted with cold on my smallish face. Then came to sight the garden, and the huge gate from which I was let in and behind me were rooms that had people putting barricades at the windows. Like the ones for animals, and then I saw that I stood on a rather high place, and there were more rooms ahead.

'We have the 100th prisoner now. Lock the gates!' Miss Sadia say to the men at the gate and the huge gate was dragged along against its will and I see a small child dragging her rather heavy suitcase and I wondered what the hell she meant by the 100th prisoner.

Turquoise,

Fri, 2 Jun 2023.