Chapter One

Goodwall-The Life Changing App

Nightengale Ben-Onyeukwu

This book is dedicated with love to all Goodwall fans.

Chapter One

It was the second Saturday of February, and the weather seemed bright and beautiful. Excited children played with friends in the playground and on the street. People gossiped about the hot weather that was turning the country into a furnace, the grass that had been burnt out by the extreme heat, the tree leaves that had turned red and brown, and the perspiration that poured in buckets from head to toe.

There was also talk about not getting good sleep since the dry, cool harmattan wind suddenly stopped in December. Everyone, especially the farmers, prayed for the rain to arrive soon.

As the children happily played around, a strong wind suddenly arose and the sky darkened. It felt as if the world was coming to an abrupt end. Dust and flying leaves filled the air, and trees swayed from their roots as people rushed to close their doors and windows. Some stood on their verandahs, covering their eyes to avoid the blowing dust, while watching the furious wind. Meanwhile, the children continued playing and running around in their pants or shorts, singing happily in anticipation of the rain.

The sky was covered with black clouds, and long streaks of lightning cracked through angrily. Farmers were happy because the rainy season was approaching, and they were getting ready for another planting season.

The children played on happily, expecting to be drenched by the rain. When it finally started raining, excitement was evident on their faces as they witnessed the first rain of the year. However, the rain fell like frozen pebbles. Despite feeling a little pain when the frozen droplets hit them, they couldn't help but giggle. They happily picked up the frozen drops and threw them into their mouths before they melted.

The sight of raindrops descending after a long time was truly amazing, but the most delightful part was the intoxicating aroma accompanying the rain's initial contact with the earth. This scent had the power to evoke a poetic, dreamlike, and romantic ambiance within most individuals.

Dera, a tall and beautiful sixteen-year-old girl, stood at the front door entrance, watching as the frozen drops hit the ground. A radiant smile graced her face, reflecting the joy and wonder she felt in that moment. She wondered about the reason behind the earthy scent and why it was so wonderful. She knew that water has no smell, so the secret behind the mesmerising smell intrigued her.

During her climate change classes, she had often heard from her teacher that the earthy scent produced when rain falls on dry soil was called petrichor, a term coined by Australian scientists who researched the nature of the odour in 1964. They had investigated the aroma coming from moist clay, sediment, and rock. She wondered how it was possible for the musky smell of petrichor to be caused by the secretion of oils by some plants. Nonetheless, Dera didn't want to dwell on it further. All she knew was that the smell was refreshing and made her feel that it marked the dawn of a new beginning and the freshness of things to come.

Dera had an elegant and refreshing face, with curly eyelashes, a delicate little nose, dark hair tied in bunches, and a pleasant little mouth. She was dressed in a white crop top and a pastel floral skirt, revealing her beautiful glowing brown legs.

As the frozen drops continued to hit the ground, she couldn't stop admiring them. She savoured the earthy odour of the first rain. Walking into the rain, she picked up a handful of the frozen drops, closed her eyes, and made a wish while the frozen drops pelting her. She felt no pain at all as she eagerly made a wish, hoping that it would come true. Her only wish was to be able to sit for the West African Senior School Certificate Examination with her classmates. She already had the timetable for the exam, but what purpose did it serve if she hadn't registered yet?

This was an essential examination that determines the future of secondary school students in West Africa. Students who pass the exam receive a certificate from the West African Examination Council confirming their graduation from secondary education.

Some of the students also sit for the National Examination Council exam as well, so that if they didn't pass WASSCE, they might be lucky with their NECO. But in the case of Dera, she was only hoping to sit for the WASSCE, at least. The thought of not having registered always gave her sleepless nights. However, she never failed to be hopeful and always wore a sweet smile.

When the rain stopped, the trees were washed green and the leaves fluttered happily. Dera looked at the clock in the living room, and it was almost six. In the excitement of the first rain of the year, Dera walked to her room and picked up her scrapbook. She began to sketch herself picking frozen drops in the rain, completing the sketch with the green trees and leaves that fluttered happily. At the end of the drawing, she asked herself, "Will I flutter happily someday?" It was a question she didn't know how to answer.

Closing the scrapbook, she went to the bathroom to have a quick hot bath. Now wearing a cardigan with a flowy floral dress, she went to the kitchen to see what her mother was cooking.

'What's for dinner?' Dera asked while pouring herself some tea from the teapot.

'Beans and rice with chunks of meat,' Beatrice replied as she chopped two purple onions, wearing a brown apron over her maxi dress.

Dera laughed. 'I get it, Mum. You're telling me to prepare my heart for the meat. I don't mind not eating any meat at all. I am only after satisfying my hunger.' She glanced at the blended tomatoes in a mortar after she spoke.

'Glad you understand even before I say it,' Beatrice smiled and let out a soft sigh. 'It's nice and cool today. Thank GOD for the rain.'

'Yes, the first rain of the year embraced us with frozen drops. How beautiful!' Dera took a sip of her hot tea.

'Yes, it's nice.' 

Dera picked some biscuits from the bowl on the square-shaped kitchen table and began to munch. 'The air will be cooler now, I suppose.'

'Well, I don't think so. It will be cool for a couple of days. Many farmers might rush to plant with this first rainfall...'

'Crops planted with the first rain might become roasted as a result of heat if the rain does not continue.'

'Yeah, farmers should wait for another rain before planting their crops. However, if any farmer wants to use this first rain to plant, they should make sure to have enough water stored for their crops should the rain cease to fall.'

'Our Agric teacher said that the first rain is the time for crop farmers to start clearing their farms but not to plant crops.'

'The rainy season doesn't begin until May or even June...'

'Yes, the months for WASSCE, but then the planting season starts from February...' Dera said, her eyes turning slightly red and a little teary.

Hearing Dera's words, Beatrice looked at her and said soothingly, 'Dera, please believe in miracles, okay? Even if you don't believe me right now, I want you to learn from the rain.' Beatrice locked eyes with Dera, her expression filled with earnestness. 'The first rain was pretty much overdue, but it rained anyway. And it rained for almost two hours and stopped clean. Just like that, a fresh start was granted.' She gestured towards the kitchen window, prompting Dera to look outside. 'Look at the trees and leaves; they look happy again after experiencing the dusty harmattan season that almost drained them of their water. Today, they are nourished by the rain.' Returning her focus to Dera, Beatrice emphasised, 'It's not over yet, just believe that.' Beatrice brushed away the onion tears with the back of her hand.

Dera nodded with a sigh as she lifted her cup of tea to her mouth and took a brief sip.