21/10/2025
Chapter Two: The Fountain of My Goal
..and it was David. He stood at the door, his schoolbag hanging from one shoulder and a wide grin spreading across his face.
"Guy, you no dey ever waste time," I said, giving him a half hug as he stepped inside.
"You know say time no dey wait for anybody," he replied, laughing as he walked straight to the dining area. The aroma of the fresh yam porridge Nkechi made seemed to pull him like a magnet.
"Good morning, Nkechi!" he called out.
"Morning, David! You boys better eat fast before it gets cold o!" she replied from the kitchen, already cleaning up.
We sat at the table, dishing out the food like hungry lions. As we ate, David leaned closer.
"You see the message I send you?" he asked with a mouthful.
"Yes, I don read am. But wetin competition again? I thought it was over."
He dropped his spoon and looked at me seriously. "No o. The principal say there's a final stage. Only five of us were selected — you, me, Donald, Rita and Chidera. It’s this Friday. The winner gets that full scholarship abroad."
My spoon almost fell from my hand. "Wait, this Friday?! But nobody tell me the topic or how to prepare."
"That's why I come," David said, reaching into his bag and bringing out a sheet of paper. “This na the topics for the final round — all of us get different topics. Yours is ‘The Future of Surgery in Africa’.”
I stared at the paper, feeling the weight of the moment sit on my shoulders.
"I don't even know where to start," I muttered.
David looked at me, serious now. "Guy, this is your chance. You've always talked about becoming a surgeon. This competition na your fountain — the beginning of the dream."
"The fountain of my goal," I whispered, like I had just named something sacred.
David smiled. "Exactly."
Suddenly, we heard a loud knock on the door again. I stood up, thinking maybe it was Donald. But when I opened it, it wasn't Donald. It was Uncle Ben, my dad’s older brother, with his small black bag in hand.
His face looked serious.
"Wilson, where is your father?" he asked.
"He's not back from his trip. Why?" I replied, confused.
He stepped inside slowly, brushing dust off his trouser. "We need to talk. It’s about your mother. Something happened."
My heart skipped.
David stood up behind me. "Uncle, is everything okay?"
Uncle Ben sighed deeply. "I’ll explain everything. But Wilson, you need to prepare — life is about to change for you."
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To be continued...