THE UNFORTUNATE MOMENT OF CANOEIST JOE

Joe had paddled his boat to the center half of River Obim when the thunder rumbled, and lightning flashed thin spark light across the sky indicating rainy weather was forthcoming. He did not bother much; clinging to the belief that his 25 years of experience as a canoeist kept him paddling. The fluctuating weather was not friendly though, he kept assuring his two passengers of their safety till the terminal end of the voyage.

"This is worse when on a canoe and a sign of rainy weather shows up," the first passenger told the second neighbor as he clung to his sack bag situated in one of the canoe's seats in the middle of the canoe on the seat.

"It's true. If I had known, I'd have not undertaken this voyage in this plight having in mind unforeseen circumstances." came the response of the second passenger.

"Hei, man, it doesn't matter if the voyage goes on in rainy weather. You should trust my sailorman ship. I have paddled through the Rivers of Benue, Niger, and Cross and their cohort tributaries for more than a decade now. Even in a storm, I've towed my canoe to the banks of those rivers leaving my passengers satisfied and hungry for a successful adventure in the river," he paused. "Moreover, there's no rain yet and the sky is clear," Joe added.

"Hope ours doesn't become a difference?" the second passenger asked faithfully believing his words.

"It won't. Storms or powerful rainy weather are not challenges; they are obstacles that I've surmounted for 25 years."

Just then, there came a loud burst of rain which stroked the river disturbingly leaving Joe's canoe rock to its tidal waves that leaped it up and downwards in the most annoying manner - It came as a surprise.

As the voyage progressed in the unfavorable weather, Joe felt the cold weather pricking his palm rendering them numb as he held the paddles. He swung them to and fro rapidly to speed up, but the waves disturbed the movement, slowing down its pace to be in a tie with the stormy rain.

The two passengers in the boat felt the cold as their dresses got drenched sticking to their skin. Their faces hovered with uncertainty as they tried to catch a glimpse of Joe, who sat at the stern, through the many droplets of rain pouring down on their faces that made their vision blur. Joe was trying to get hold of his boat, his life, and his means of survival. They watched him as he blared orders in commanding tones to them. They were struck with fear as his orders jostled them to obeisance

"Sit tight! Sit tight! Sit tight!"

Joe was afraid too. He was doubting if the toss of the rain storm redirected his routes to somewhere else. Unfortunately, he was missing the right route. The storm was not helpful; it was making the voyage a difficult one despite his efforts. He was worried. The marsh he expected to see after a while was nowhere to be found. The cold current ran through them caressing their bodies with cold and quick electric shivers.

Suddenly, Joe became alert at once, ahead of them there was a shipwreck which was attributed to the stormy rain raiding over those onboard the ship to its dreadful noisy whispers and violence. There were wails of people in anguish and desperate need of help. With such happening to a ship, what more of his little canoe? As his thoughts raced through what could have resulted in the wreck, there came a violent crash at the bow of the canoe. A steady pointed rock surfaced in a similar color to the river broke through his 25-year-old canoe and poked the ankle of the first passenger sitting at the bow. They had not seen it coming.

Argh! Ahhh! Ashhh! Argh! My leg! My leg," the injured passenger cried in pain.

"Oh no, what has happened? Your leg?" Joe asked as his body tossed indifferently as he tried to balance his weight on the canoe while he paddled.

"He's bleeding and the rain is making the injury worse. You know... water is an enemy to a fresh injury," the second passenger responded as he cared for his injured fellow.

"What do we do now? There is no place to get his injury dressed," Joe said and suddenly came to the full realization they were stuck in the middle of nowhere on the false route to Ojia in the forbidden Unrouteable (Uzo agaga).

He was alert for any misfortune on the way and cared dearly to find his way out without having his passengers perceive the foregoing situation. Immediately, it struck him that the shipwreck at the farther end from where they were was spiritually inclined.

"The Unrouteable was not a place to travel at night," he remembered the words of his master. "It is not right to navigate through it either during day or night for elemental spirits and evil nature are alive there."

He finally pronounced after a series of conclusions on how his words would get to his distressed passengers "I think we are lost," came his words.

"What?" the second passenger shouted trying to keep his head cool. He couldn't understand.

Gradually, the weather was increasing in crescendo; heavy rain came again with thunderous rumbles accompanying it to the vast river.

"I guess we shall find a route out of here," Joe managed to say in a shout to get his voice heard over the splattering rain. He believed since no elemental signs had been seen, it was a little bit safer for them.

However, unbeknown to Joe, his canoe was about to sink. The fact is that a little hole created by the camouflaged rock lets water into the canoe in a running water current to the hollow case of the canoe. Too many thoughts were running through his mind: how would he escape the unusual trap, get his passenger's injuries dressed and get them to their destinations, save his pretty old canoe from the stormy weather, and then the proceeds from the journey, he thought, will be spent to upgrade the canoe or hire a new one. At that crucial time, he seemed not to care for the happenings on-going. Suspicion was raised at him.

His two passengers were not only angered by his frustrating words but were also embittered and doubtful about Joe's disclosures as an experienced sailor and even falsely thought he was up to something which either the two of them could decipher if truly his assertions were a concern for their safety in a troubled river or he has been cooking lies to make them feel at peace in the stormy weather while hatching his plans in his heart.

The injured passenger was most terrified about the ugly situation they were facing in the middle of nowhere. His injury which had bled profusely ceased but the excruciating pain peered through his dermis to his marrows agonizing him to grief.

"We are stuck up in the middle of nowhere. He has missed the route to our destination. That's what he said. Is that not crazy," the second passenger had told his fellow in a whisper trying to keep his breath stable as he spoke tending to his injuries. As he spoke, the rain splattered droplets over his face and his body. His hair was dripping down rivulets of rain droplets on his ridge and lips. At intervals, he smacked his lips. Some slipped to fell on the floor of the canoe.

"No way. How come? Minutes ago, he blared us with bals of his 25 years of experience as a sailor. Now he's frustrating our debut journey with him. That man must be up to something," the injured one said in excruciating pain.

Joe remained silent all through keeping focus on a way forward.

"Have you got amulets?" the second passenger asked the injured one as he too steadied his mind to think out what to do. He was calculating his plans and their worth. That question threw the other aback. Joe heard it and was set to contend for a peaceful adventure in the Unrouteable with just that one question.

"If you do have, it's worth this condition we are in. We are not safe. Please try," Joe pleaded struggling to keep his body in balance as he paddled.

"Have you?" he questioned the injured one again. The response was negative.

"Take this." He brought out two arm-length red clothes embroidered with white cowries. He tied one on the calf of the injured passenger and wore the other over his neck.

"It is for protection," he whispered. "I'm about to undertake a deadly task of letting go of the sailor. We might be affected but all the same, it is for our good."

"I consent. Whatever you do, hurry up. He may be up to something. Look over there, no sign of escaping from this," the injured passenger consented waving lazily his right palm in the direction of the Unrouteable areas in its vastness.

"But wait, who would paddle the canoe?" he queried suddenly.

"I would besides we are under a spell of protection. As for now, no evil shall befall us," the first passenger reassured him. He jumped to where Joe was sitting simultaneously jostling fear into him in the storm. Though the canoe's hull tossed to the violent tides beneath it, he managed with carefully measured steps to Joe's place displacing him of his position.

"To hell with your plans to give us for a sacrifice to your gods," he exclaimed as he bounced on him overpowering him and knocking him out. Joe managed to utter queries as to the reason for the unfair treatment but kept receiving blows on his skull. Those blows were powerful and weighed him down. He pleaded for pardon if he had wronged but his assailant was deaf to his words. He had echoed through most of the moments he had good intentions for them. But he was not getting it.

"Your canoe is sinking, we are stranded in the middle of nowhere and you look unconcerned about the issue, uh! What do you take us for?"

"I did not look unconcerned neither did I take you as you might thought I did. I was trying my best to deliver to your service and nothing more..." Joe's voice trailed off with the heavy downpour of the rainy storm.

"And then brought us here to die to river gods?"

"No, no, no. It was unintentional that we find ourselves here..." "The storm is the cause. It tossed the canoe more than a kilometer away from our original route"

"Pretty lies from the self-acclaimed sailor himself. I guess my decision was right. Goodbye!" he pushed him into the river as he glimpsed at the paranormal activities of malevolent marine spirits: mermaids and eerie fish-like creatures were having great timeouts on the surface of the river despite the stormy weather. He was alerted, that they were in a dangerous spot.

"Hei! Hei! Hei! Please I beg of you, do not do this to me. I meant well for you both. Please," came Joe's voice through the storm as he struggled to keep abreast with his tossing canoe which was gradually taking up more water in its hull. Though he got hold of the gunwales on his canoe in time for he was a good swimmer, he received several blows and hits from his angered passengers. Even the injured one had joined despite being in pain. He regretted his day.