Once With You

I was with you and you with me when they sacked us from our home. That old oak tree has been our long life shed. We’ve known it since childhood. We came to meet it. We do not know who planted it. I do not know how it came about and I doubt you do. But we made it our home. Although we had nothing, with the Old oak tree, we had everything. It was our rescue, our rock and our hope. I sometimes hanged on the branch and you settled at the root. You did all you could to hold the tree firm so I did not fall. And I did all I could not to cause a branch to fall on you. When I settled at the root, I did likewise. And you, same when you hanged on the branch. This was what life we lived under the old oak tree. We dreamt of a time when we would be surrounded by our children under the old oak tree either playing Oware or listening to stories. But our dreams faded in a day. The day when we were told to leave. The old oak tree was to be cut down by some people we knew not. They said they needed the land to build. So the tree must “DIE”. We had not any choice. But all we plead and hope is that they cut it down gently, because we used to live there. We left everything behind. All our belongings. With us were our heart, soul and spirit. We were now quarter way through our journey. But darkness was almost near. We were famished, our clothes were badly thorn but not to nudity. We walked barefooted. We were soaked in sweat. For our smell, we could we could not imagine what bad scent we could compare it to. Our system felt dry, dry of thirst. But we could not think much of these. We had to find a place to rest. But our minds could not fathom what space in the forest we could lay our heads for the night. I do not know how but we slept through the night. Now, I could see the sun rise. It shown it face to tell me I needed to continue the journey. I was about to when I searched around but could not find you. Could you have left through the night? Could you have left at sunrise? Could you have escaped from something awful and hurtful? Or could you have left for the sake of my safety? These I asked myself, but not an answer I had to any. But what I am sure of is, whatever your reasons, you left because you had to. Now I’m all alone in the middle of the forest. I had to make it to the junction to catch up with the train. The train you had to catch up with too. It was the entry way to our new life. T o take us to the town where we will begin all afresh. This part of the journey was worse than the former. But I needed to finish what I have started. At least that was the promise we made. To finish what we have started. Because “that which couldn’t break us will make us”. My feet were turning weak. With each step I made, my feet landed on a thorn. It shook me so badly. It makes its way under my feet, and I see it at the tp. I had to pull each one of them out, but the more I did, the more sore it turned. My hands were cut by tree branches. I was bitten by bees. My body felt too dry, so dry that I had not even saliva in my mouth to boast of. My spinal cord felt thorn in my back. My tummy hurt of hunger. My throat felt so deserted that my voice box could not support any talk. I couldn’t make a sound. All I could was to cry and limp and hope.  I imagined where you were. What you were going through. Whether a condition worse as mine or better-off.Whatever the situation however, I pray and wish you safe. But I must admit I missed you a lot. I missed us walking together. We could have helped each other along. But now, we are on separate sides. The junction is getting nearer and nearer. And I can see the train approaching. At this time, I have to be as fast as possible, before I miss the train. The train won’t stop at the junction and allow me in. I have to jump onto it as it moves to make my way in. But I am now limping. It is now just a minute closer to the junction. I make the move to hop and catch up but I fall onto the ground. I am now crawling. A second didn’t pass when the train moves pass me. In the windows, I can see you waiving at me. I couldn’t make it. Not because I didn’t try. I put in my best. But I am happy you've made it. It hurts badly but I have to be dauntless. I have to gather the hope I have known once more and move on. Maybe we may meet somehow again in the town. But not now. I wish you all the goodness in life. But I will ask of just one thing. That you always remember me and never forget that I Was Once With You.