Posted by ONYEJI DOMINIC on
EXCERPTS FROM:
LUCKY
VOYAGE
By
Onyeji Dominic
Tel: 08038431845
E-mail: geme450@yahoo.com
x.
HEADY VOYAGE TO MASS
a. When Amagem got to seaport next morning
The whole place was fully in business,
Having all caliber of goods and human being
Busy here and there in readiness.
b. He went to locate where ships were harbored
And saw few numbers of them loading
With voyagers already on board
Some men on uniform were mindfully working
As crew members, putting things in the right place
And when Amagem approached one for information,
He realized that there was a problem to face
It was little problem but required immediate solution.
c. He discovered that there was no ship available
To take regular routes like the ferry
And the fare for the alternative was unaffordable
As he only prepared for a short journey.
d. He knew that sea was the shortest route to pass
And his initial plan was to board ferry
He did not want to miss the High Mass
And ferry was the fastest for the short journey.
e. Like the novice, he did not know that ferries
Were not commercially allowed at the seaport
They showed him ships that operated like ferries
But they were costly even when mileage was short.
f. So, as he was roaming around in rumination,
His attention went to one of the portholes,
A big opening that served as reservation
It was meant for goods like imported poles.
g. Amagem saw the porthole as the solution
And without having a second thought,
Took heady and hazardous decision
Which he knew could end him up in court.
h. Although, he was afraid of suspicious eyes
He refused to let the presence of anybody
Stop him from resorting to vise
Even though it meant being foolhardy.
i. To him, the Mass was of great importance
And he was ready to go the extra mile,
No matter what it might take to be in attendance
He knew that his nature was detestable to vile
Yet, he simply refused to give in to misgiving,
Seeing that the porthole was the only option
He felt that all he needed was just little daring
And his mind had no fear for apprehension.
j. Like a crook, he made attempt to sneak
But it was impeded by two crew members
Who came together to do their work
They were on uniform like the others
Amagem saw them from distance
And posed like potential voyagers
They did not question his presence
As people in the port were strangers.
k. They were the engineers on board
And shortly after they had gone,
Amagem skulked his way forward
Like rogue or thief without gun.
l. He found his way through the porthole
Without knowing that it was a way to hell
Intuition told him there was real trouble
And he felt it in form of heat and choky smell.
m. The porthole had protective covering
The inside was barely empty and spacious
But comfort was the only thing missing
Amagem realized that it would be dangerous
For someone like him to hide there for long
Considering the heat from surrounding machines
And the ardor of gas that choked his lung,
Emanating from locomotives like diesel engines.
n. The atmosphere was too dangerous and hot
Yet, Amagem summoned up courage to endure,
Seeing that the entire place was not airtight
He could see series of holes like aperture.
o. The holes were big enough to allow air and light
And all he could do to avoid too much sweating
Was just to get disrobed, pulling off his shirt
This served as a good medium for funning.
p. He had already made up his mind to cope
When he noticed sudden locomotive change,
A change that gave him a sense of hope,
It gave him hope as genesis of the voyage.
q. The sailing actually went a long way
To salvage or ameliorate the suffocation
Amagem noticed that his perspiration had began to allay
He observed it as the ship began to accelerate in motion.
r. The acceleration paved the way for ventilation
Causing the heat to get lesser and lesser
And duo to corporal reaction to the new condition,
He got drowsy and fell into a very deep slumber.
s. The sleep actually came like a seductive friend
Amagem could not really resist her advances
As much as he vehemently tried
She won him over with few wanton glances
And one could hardly imagine the mix-up
It happened as if he was under sedation
And by the time he finally woke up
The ship had already passed his destination.
t. He stood in gasp like a drowsy moron,
Unable to imagine what came over him
And when they reached next destination,
The mystery stated to unfold to him.