Khloe, Jane and Dave are siblings who attend the same school. Every morning their mum Ebere usually wakes up early to prepare their breakfast and see them off to school. Today however is their Eke market day. She needs to make sales so as to support the family for she is a single mom. She sells crayfish in their weekly Eke market. Most times on the said Eke market days she comes back late. Ebere woke up quite early as usual, prepared the children breakfast and also kept some for lunch when they come back from school.
"Jane, please hurry up with your siblings so that I take you to school and then prepare for today's market. I am running late already".
"Yes ma". I am already set. I think Dave is the one delaying us. He does not want to wear his sandals".
"What, Dave you don't want to go to school today?"
Jane knew at that moment that she needs to hurry up with Dave otherwise her mom may abandon her them and head to the market.
"Mum, I've helped him to put it on, we are now set, please".
"Ah-ha, least I forget. Your lunch is in the food flask. Warm it when you come back and feed your siblings too". "Don't forget the spare key too. I will be in the market when you people return so use it and have access to the house".
"Yes ma".
Jane nodded and as the oldest of the three she led them towards the door with her mom following from behind. Ebere took her children to the bus stop, boarded the bus and dropped them at the entrance of their school. She bade them farewell and went back home to prepare for the market. Once home, she took her wares, locked the entrance door and went straight to the Eke market.
Few minutes past noon Jane and her siblings dismissed from school. Jane being the most elderly went to the classes of her younger siblings and collected them. They went to the school park and boarded a bus that will take them home.
Once home, Jane opened her school bag but alas the spare key 🗝️ 🔐 given to her by her mom was nowhere to be found. She searched everywhere, scattering her school bag 🛍️ ins the process. Still she could don't find it. She searched all the pockets in her school uniform but could not find it. It was then that she realised that she has misplaced the key.
What will she do now? Return to the school? No, she does not even know where exactly in the school to look for it. Go to the market to look for her mom? No, that is a no go area. She does not have the transport fare and will not even face her mom's anger! Then should they stay outside and wait till her mom returns from the market? Her siblings are already hungry and there is food in there in the house.
Jane became confused. She opened her school bag 🛍️ again. This time her little brother Dave and sister Khloe came to help out. They gently removed all the contents of their elder sister's school bag. Yet the key was nowhere to to be found.
Jane gently sat down at the base of the entrance door with both hands in her chin. Her siblings crowded her as if in sympathy with her. Jane was full of thoughts of the best possible way to get out of the mess she had put herself in. Many thoughts raced through her mind within that space of time. Should I knock off the padlock? No, mum will skin me alive when she comes back.
Like a man stung by bees, Jane rose up sharply from the floor, picked up her school bag, opened it and collected her mathematical set. She opened it and brought out the compass. She had seen her schoolmates use same to unlock 🔓 keys but she has not tried it. Her siblings were watching her closely.
The proceeded to practice what she had seen her mates do. She tried it for more than ten minutes with no positive results. Dave wand Khloe kept encouraging and even suggesting to her how to twist and turn her hand in the process.
The tried it once again and boom the padlock opened. Ah-ha!!! Yes, yes, yes!!! The children started jumping up and down as if they have won a jackpot. They collected their school bags and went inside their house.
Jane went straight to the kitchen, warmed their lunch as directed by her mum and dished out to her siblings.
As they were eating Jane began slowly, "Please I want you two to keep this as a secret. Nobody should tell mum what happened today with the key".
Both Khloe and Dave looked at each other and nodded slowly.
"Sis, I will not tell mum, okay", said Khloe. "Am only afraid of Dave, he will definitely betray you, you know how he is".
Dave swallowed hard and said "I'll try not to talk about it. But if mum ask me, well I have no option but to say the truth".
Jane was stung by that answer and as she was about to convince Dave to protect her the door knob creaked and her mom walked in. Dave ran straight to meet her mom and at that moment Jane knew that she has lost it.
