THE DREAM

“Aristo, pop, belike the shoddy de cry,” Sammy nudged his friend. Kojo, alias Aristo, was standing with his back to the main entrance of Legon Hall, so he had to turn round to see what his friend was talking about. He had no difficulty spotting the girl Sammy was referring to; apart from the fact that tears were streaming down her face, she was walking hurriedly, virtually running towards the road in front of the Hall.

She looked familiar to Aristo and he was still trying to place her when he noticed something far more urgent. The girl, not paying attention to where she was going, had walked directly into the path of an oncoming vehicle. He screamed and made to move towards the girl, but realised it was too late. He cringed as speeding metal met flesh and bone with a sickening thud.

* * *

Her mother had always said that children were not like a comb or a box of matches, so you could tell someone that sεbi, I misplaced your child but I have one at home, if you don’t mind let’s go and I’ll give it to you. No, children were special; one in a million, or 2.4 billion, if figures on world population were to be believed.

For Dela, this statement was especially significant. She was an only child. Her parents had been married 13 years before she’d been born. She didn’t know why, of all her mother’s favourite statements, her mind had drifted to that particular one. Perhaps it had something to do with the dream; but since she couldn’t recollect its details, she didn’t pursue that line of thought.

She had woken up feeling uncharacteristically exuberant. But underneath that feeling lurked something darker and more sinister – something she couldn’t quite describe. She felt it had something to do with the dream, but try as she did, she couldn’t remember what she’d dreamt about. So, in her rush to make it to her date on time, she’d thrust the dream to the back of her mind.

Dela wasn’t one to get too excited about anything – not even a guy. So the fact that she felt the way she did about Opoku was, in itself, a mystery. The amazing thing was that they were so different; for instance, Opoku just couldn’t stop talking, while she used words as if she had to pay for each one that left her lips. In fact, on one occasion, he had remarked that she was the quietest woman he knew. But then, as they say, opposites attract. And, my, were they attracted to each other!

She felt a twinge of guilt as her conscience reminded her that the guy she was thinking so tenderly of was another girl’s boyfriend. But she brushed the feeling off, rationalizing that technically Opoku and Kesiwaa were no longer in a relationship. In fact, that – among other things – was what she suspected Opoku was going to tell her in about two minutes – if he arrived on time.

As if on cue, Opoku entered the dining hall. Of above-average height and build, and dressed in the “uniform” of guys on campus – sneakers, jeans trousers and a T-shirt – Opoku was nothing if not handsome. And the effect was increased when he flashed his infectious smile; as, indeed, he did now in response to a greeting from an acquaintance. Needless to say, he was quite a popular guy.

Dela smiled shyly as Opoku sat opposite her. It was amazing; just by looking at her, he made her feel like a small volcano had erupted in her heart and, for the next five minutes, the molten lava burnt its path downwards until it settled in the pit of her stomach.

After they had exchanged pleasantries, Opoku launched into the reason why he had asked to meet her. Dela, tingling with anticipation, leaned forward so she could catch every word.

Five minutes later, she grabbed her hand bag and, evading Opoku’s grab, rushed out – almost colliding with someone. Her mind was in turmoil – leading her on? Having fun? Sorry? In love with his girl? Each word was a barb that pierced her heart.

Blinded with tears and half-walking, half-running, she didn’t see the car – didn’t even know she was in the road. It was the scream that made her turn around and, even then, seeing a car bearing down on her, her feeling was one of mild surprise.

At the moment of impact, the elusive dream came back to her. There were people, lots of people – her aunties and uncles, her cousins, her friends, her grandmother and her parents. Her mother was crying, clinging to her father. There was a box in front of them. A coffin. The face in it was hers.