Lost

'What happened?' Sheila demanded

'As I said, he excused himself, he said he had to use the convenience.' uncle Travis responded as he demonstrated with his hands.

He heaved as he paced about the short distance between him and Sheila.

'Where could he be?' he soliloquized.

'This is not typical of Ogar at all. What might have happened or come over him? ' he wondered as he stooped to pick up his handkerchief and wipe of a face fully crowded with sweat.

'Let me be on my way, Sheila. I have to catch up with him before night falls. You know how it to be alone around these parts, these days. He spoken.

'It's okay' Sheila assured him.

'Let Mallory's mum know I appreciate this' he said

Sheila nodded. With that uncle Travis, disappeared into the evening. Sheila watched him, fighting the urge to call him back. To tell how much she longed to be with him, he had complained about her withdrawn nature, though it didn't deter him from being drawn to her.

Anyone in my shoes will behave in like manner, after all he was gone for a long time. I might be widowed but I must put myself across to him like an independent woman. I know he might not take advantage of me, wait .am I sure I do?

She wondered as he disappeared into the fast approaching darkness. She felt a tap on her shoulder, it was Mallory's mum.

'Oh my dear, I hope I did not startle you?' she began, admits the wailing voice of her six-year old who stood by her side, tugging at her sleeves.

The eight-year old tap her as gently as he could, jumping and screaming 'mommy!' The thick brown woman, with curly afro wig on her head, a stub, for a nose and a mouth that always looked as though she was pouting heaved heavily.

'It's okay', Grace. I am fine' assured Sheila.

'You do not look so' Grace argued.

'Well I said I am'

'Is it something that has to do with Travis?'

'Really?' Sheila frowned in surprise 'at this time?'

'What about the time?' Grace inquired.

'It's not right. Ogar is missing' she said.

Travis combed the whole area, the line of compounds that followed from Grace's house to his. He called out to Ogar and even asked around. Everyone he saw was asked about Ogar, even Lun.

No reply was hopeful. He headed in the direction of the graveyard but turned back home to get a picture of Ogar from Ogar's room. Since the police station stood along the way to the cemetery, he may drop by and open a missing persons' file.

He hoped to God it would not have to end up like that. There had been a truce for peace that the government of Nigeria and Cameroon had agreed to, so why were they to suffer intra-tribal clashes and atrocities that are borne from it?

He badly wanted to pray but the knot in his stomach will not let him. Deep within he knew he will never forgive himself if anything ill befalls Ogar.

He shoved the red metal security door that had on its center,' knock or keep out'. He smiled sadly, wishing he was there.

He inspected the room, his eyes running across one end of it to the other. Except for a few notes in its center, every other thing was hidden.

The bed was draped in a bedsheet, free of lines and green like the bedcover. The reading table was bare of books, they all stood on the shelf, by the end of the bed. The wardrobe was at the far end of the room. Travis dreaded coming in here because of the memories it revives.

Ogar was no doubt a lot like his late mum, Travis's immediate younger sister. The boom disease took her while she kept her oath to protect lives of patients that suffered from the boom disease, which she later died of.

After combing through the books, for his picture and even going through his closet, he decided to pick up the books on the floor and place them on the shelf.

There was a small red one, opened and dated back to the year '2000.

It read: 'I met a boy today. I kind of like him but I am not sure why he is interested in me, per se. Below is the address to his house. Travis says he knows the place but he doesn't want me to be too friendly yet. What a protective....' Travis rushed out without reading the last line of the sentence.

He didn't stop running till he arrived at his destination. Unperturbed by who was looking at him or swearing at him, he kept screaming 'Ogar, where are you? 'Panting, under his breath, and standing to rest occasionally.

This was the only family he had left. He had to make sure he is safe at all times. He didn't have any children of his own, no. Not that he knew of.

He had taken Ogar as his own and now this? He was not sure how he will take it. That place was usually saturated with petty thieves and, junkies and drug peddlers.

The thought of that seemed to propel Travis who had slowed down his pace for some time to begin to run again.

Sweat broke out from his pores and trickled down his skin. He gasped for breath. Since his retirement from the army, he had been inconsistent in a few routine activities. Running had become one of them.

He stopped. It seemed as though he had heard a silent sob. He turned on his torch to see Ogar sitting on the pavement in front a house labelled 'Ojong Villa'. Travis rushed towards Him and wrapped his arms about him.

'I should have known you will come here. I should have told you that there is no one here. The house was abandoned around the time the boom disease raged and then the clash between the Cameroonian and Nigerian people Sharing boundary occurred.'

'I thought I might have some response to my many questions, about my late that and reunite with my paternal family. I didn't mean to run off like that. It hurts so much to be an orphan. Pascal nicknamed me Oleander boy because he said anyone around me that loves me dies.'

'That's not true my boy. Pascal is on your class?'

'Yes. And Mallory. She calls me that too'

'Why didn't you say something ever since?' Travis asked as he watched his nephew who gradually lifted his head.

'I-I-I didn't want to get into more trouble I guess.'

' With Pascal and Mallory?' Travis asked.

Ogar nodded.

Travis heaved and thought for a while. Silence overwhelmed the place.

'No one has the right to make you feel bad or unwanted, unloved or rejected' his uncle began.

'Aha! here we go again' he mumbled in a tone only he could hear.

'Let me see what I can do. First thing tomorrow morning, I shall pay a visit to your headteacher. This has to stop. A poor boy like has already been through hell and it is not okay for you to feel any further.'

Ogar heard him from a distance, as his physical body and components were present but his mind had wandered, drifting in the air and already on its way to Cape of Hope High school.

Ogar envisaged himself being mocked at, by Pascal while Mallory, Pascal's twin brother and a few other friends laughed. A cold sensation found its way to his tummy and soon it began churning in fear.

The laughter increases and unprintable names were hauled at him. Even if he could stand up to Pascal will be stand up to all of his gang and face incessant ridicules throughout his remaining year as a student.

'Ogar!' The cold hand of his uncle touched him and he jerked.

'Uncle Travis, I am here with you'

'In body you mean and not in mind'

Ogar said nothing.

'I know how hard this must be for you' Uncle Travis kept talking

'And as I promised, I will everything in my power to ensure that you are comfortable and happy. I am your family and you are all I have got'

Ogar felt tears well up his eyes. He felt the burning urge to ask his uncle, what about aunt Sheila?

Thank you for taking out time to read this piece. I hope you enjoyed it? I will love to know your thoughts.