Edache heaved what could have easily won the award for the longest sigh ever made as he looked back at the town. His mind was made up now. No turning back.
The hill before him was all that stood in his way of escaping from this town that was bereft of fun and joy. He was positive that his future would be bright only if he left the town he had always called home.Tears welled up in his eyes as it dawned on him how bad he was going to miss his friends. He would miss Abutu, the palmwine tapper mostly. To him, Abutu was the definition of a best friend. He adjusted his backpack, moved towards the hill and began to climb.
After 15 minutes of rigorous climbing, he got to the top of the hill. He bent down, holding his knees with both of his hands while trying to catch his breath. As he did so, he struggled to fight the temptation of looking back at the town he was leaving behind. No, it was bygone now. He would not be a pillar of salt.
Feeling reinvigorated, he began to climb down the steep hill to the other side which was a vast desert. He knew it was going to be a long, lonely and excruciating journey before he reached any town. He was prepared for it. If a desert as dry as this could have oases with potable water, he believed there was hope for him too.