ENTRY 18
ABBY:
Madam J.
She was formidable, alright. Cruising up and down our street in her black Jeep, just to flaunt how much money she had—it wasn’t a secret. A few times she’d wave like she was the Queen of England, feigning a posh accent mixed with our local dialect. Honestly, it used to make me laugh.
Anyway, on that fateful day when Uncle kicked me out—after the whole Mr 16 incident—I found myself wandering the streets aimlessly, completely lost.
Uncle insisted I return to the village and live with my parents. Aunty didn’t even bat an eyelid. I suppose she was relieved the only person who knew her secret was finally out of the house.
But going back to the village? That was never an option—not even for a second. Still, I had no clue where else I could go. No money. No relatives I could think of.
So I walked—up and down the street—no destination, no plan, just… walking.
That’s when Madam J pulled up beside me.
“Hey, you! Come here. Where are you going?” she called out through her tinted window.
I hadn’t even noticed her driver stop the car beside me—I was so deep in thought. I looked up to see her beaming, eyes waiting for my answer.
“Good evening, ma. I… I don’t know,” I stammered.
Obviously, she demanded an explanation.
I told her it was a long story. She simply said, “Get in.”
With no other choice and nowhere else to go—and besides, I knew her—I thought, What harm could she do?
But I was wrong.
My choice to follow Madam J took me down paths you wouldn’t believe…
Hmmm…
CHRIS:
Destiny across water.
That phrase stayed with me. Day and night, all I could think about was going abroad. It made so much sense.
I imagined the money I’d earn, the look on my parents’ faces when I started sending money home, the mansion I’d build in the village… my thoughts ran wild.
But then reality kicked in. I didn’t have enough money for a plane ticket. My parents couldn’t even afford my university fees, let alone fund me to go overseas. So… what now?
I started researching online—looking for alternate ways to travel abroad. That’s when I discovered something shocking: some people were going by road. Walking, taking boats, even swimming.
But before I went that far…
About eight months after graduation—and after the prophecy—Edward landed a job at a multinational company.
He rang me up, buzzing with excitement.
“Bro! I’ve found my destiny! I’m gonna work hard and climb to the top—I’ll be a partner one day!”
I laughed and said, “Slow down, bro. How do you even know this is the place?”
Edward replied confidently, “My heart tells me. I’m putting everything into this.”
I was happy for him. Truly. But it made me think… Will my journey abroad go that smoothly?
Six months later, I was still researching—still searching. Looking for cheaper ways to make the move.
I found some routes—using other people’s documents and connections—but they were ridiculously expensive. Costing an arm and a leg.
I grumbled to Edward, and he said, “Bro, my office is offering Master’s scholarships to all First Class Economics graduates. Why don’t you apply and join us?”
“Absolutely not,” I replied. “Are you trying to stall my destiny?”
Hmmm…
