Two young men wandered idly around the woods. They decided to take a walk and enjoy the scenery, and to hear the birds chirp all the way. They were mischievous young men. They displayed the meaning of the proverb - an idle mind is the devil's workshop.
They enjoyed everything that brought about laughter, mischief, scandal and chaos. The shorter of the two was the most stubborn. The sun was at its zenith and their stomachs were making a tune they could dance from. Ebou who was lanky and taller, and the less trouble maker stepped on a twig and it made a frightening sound.
That nearly scared the living day-light out of Abou as he jumped.
'You nearly scared the soul out of me man,' he said angrily.
'Not my fault bro, I stepped on a twig,' Ebou said unconcerned. He showed indifference because Abou loved thrilling activities, but he was a chicken at heart. He smiled secretly and roved his eyes around the greenery of the environment and the flowers which painted the woods in their wonderful bright colors. He bent down and picked a buttercup. It was the rainy season and the earthy smell of the earth was what he loved most about rainy seasons. With one deep breathe, he took in the heavenly smell and smiled unconsciously. Abou grunted disapprovingly with a pout after seeing Ebou and his usual sentimental acts. He was usually grumpy. He had the misfortune of talking through his nose and having rare blue-black eyes. They were not typical of an African and as a result received many disapproving stares from people.
This made him to steer clear of the town and to steal from them while they wallow in misery. Not that he needed the loot; he only enjoyed having his piece of flesh. Painful memories of his childhood came flooding. Orphaned at an early age, the children?s home, mockery, street life, and 'early adult life.' He nearly choked from his memories. After meeting and swapping stories with Ebou (who also had a tough childhood), he knew that they could move mountains together, sing melodious tunes together, lean on each other and comfort each other. They had earned themselves criminal marks on their foreheads and their names were a little bit similar. That made them the lost twins.
He thought of going to the Baker's shop and taking enough bread from him that would last him a lifetime. He said his thoughts out loud and Ebou only looked at him silently.
Ebou knew that the old same story was going to repeat itself again:
He was going to cause trouble and he would be the sacrificial lamb. Abou would escape and Ebou would be caught and almost skinned alive.
That was what happened during their last getaway.
'Answer me let's go get some action,' he said impatiently.
'You know what? I think all you need is a little bit of fresh air and a lecture on how to live a decent life,' Ebou said it to his face.
'Oh, oh, oh look who is talking, the kettle calling the pot black,'
Abou answered jokingly.
Sensing an argument, Ebou retreated and hummed silently as he wandered peacefully and appreciating all what he had not been appreciating and missing.
Abou strode past him with a speed which belied his size and stopped in front of Ebou causing him to stop immediately in his tracks. He started talking through his nose again and God knew how much he hated it, "you are not yourself anymore brother, are you?"
Ebou dropped his gaze and said, 'we need to stop living like this, I just found out that it isn't worth living a life like this, when we have got a thousand different better lives to choose from,' he looked at him and said the word he knew Abou dreaded to hear, 'I AM QUITTING.'
Uncontrollable tears came running down Abou's cheeks and he nearly cried out loud, but the saying that 'real men don't cry' stopped him from crying. When Ebou thought that he was going to throw tantrums and accuse him for everything, he smiled and said, "I think we have lived this miserable life for too long now, I think its time for a breath of fresh air and a decent life, what do you say bro?" he gave him a sly wink.
'Now you are talking, after all it's not really worth all the trouble of the same old story of me beaten all the time and you escaping, is it? ' Ebou said and they walked arm in arm singing happily. Their voices could be heard a mile away as they walked and sang blissfully through the woods, oblivious of the hunger nudging them in their bellies.
