"Joseph, won't you be going home? It's late and Dad is home," Austin murmured, feeling worried and confused.
"Ohh my goodness, I am tired and don't feel like going home. I'll just call my mum and tell her I'll be sleeping over at your place today."
Austin's eyes popped out in astonishment.
"What do I tell my dad? If it was just Mum, you know I wouldn't be bothered."
"Cut the crap, Austin. You're too scared of your dad."
"I'm not, bro. Just trying to stay out of trouble, that's all."
"Just trying to stay out of trouble, you mean? What trouble is worse than what happened to you at the stream?"
Knock! Knock!! Knock!!!
"Someone's at the door," Joseph said to Austin.
"The door is open, you can come in," said Joseph.
"Good evening, Ma."
"Hi Mum."
"How are you boys doing?"
"Fine, Ma," they chorused.
"Dinner is ready."
Mrs. Albert turned back to leave but called Austin.
"Austin."
"Yes, Mum?"
"Your dad wants to see you, but that should be when the both of you have finished eating so he won't know your friend is sleeping over."
"Okay, Mum. When we're done with our food, I'll go see him."
"Okay, son." She left the room, shutting the door before going back to her room.
Austin began shaking.
"Why is my dad calling me? Have I done something?" he thought aloud.
"Stop being anxious, boy. I don't think it's something serious. Just relax and go answer him later."
He wasn't concerned with all the things Joseph was saying. They went to the dining room, had their dinner. Joseph went inside to sleep and Austin went to answer his dad.
As Austin walked from his room to his dad's room, his palm was sweaty, his whole body became very hot, and he walked slowly not to make any disturbing noise as he was already feeling awkward.
"Hi Dad! Mum!!" he called.
"Hi, boy, come inside."
"Thank you, sir." He opened the door, came inside, locked it and went to sit on the sofa close to his parents' closet, waiting patiently for his dad to address him.
Mr. Albert cleared his throat before uttering any word.
"Austin, my boy."
"Sir!"
"How are you doing?"
"I am very fine, sir."
"Okay… I know you're wondering why I sent for you."
Austin nodded his head in agreement.
"I called you to inform you we will be going for a camp trip with our church on Saturday, then stay till the upper week, but I will be leaving on Monday, so I can attend to business deals and supervise everything going on in my company. So start getting your things ready."
"Okay, sir."
"If there's anything you'll be needing for the camp, just let me know."
"Okay, sir."
"You can go now."
"Thank you, sir. Good night, sir."
"Good night to you too."
Mrs. Albert was already asleep. With sleepy eyes, she wished her son good night.
He stood up and left. As he was about shutting the door, his dad interrupted him.
"Austin!"
"Yes, Dad?"
"Your friend is invited, but he has to inform his parents first, and your mum will also inform his mum too."
Austin smiled and left.
Two days after the exciting news had been unveiled to Austin, the D-day was finally here. He was super excited. Mr. Albert Harrison, Joseph, and Austin drove to the church where every member of the Sacred Heart Fellowship was to meet before going for the camp.
As soon as they arrived at the premises of the church, Mr. Albert left the boys to go be with his fellow fathers. Joseph, on the other hand, went to watch the Boy Scout rehearsal, while Austin wandered around the church when he heard someone singing:"I know who I am,
I know where I am coming from,
I may not be perfect,
But I own my universe,
And I am my king in it… 2x"
Each word the singer sang moved Austin, and in his quest to know who was singing, he followed the voice until it led him to the singer. As soon as she noticed someone was around her, she stopped singing.
"Continue singing, your voice sounds amazingly beautiful, my dear."
"I know my voice is beautiful and I really don't care if you like it or not," Isabella said, then walked away.
Austin, shocked by her response, questioned himself.
"Did I say anything wrong?"
He followed her as she zoomed off.
"Hey young lady, I'm sorry. I just felt like complimenting your voice, nothing else."
He continued following her until she got to where the Boy Scouts were having their rehearsal, stopped, and sat on a pavement. Isabella walked past the place. Joseph, who had sighted Austin from afar, went to him and tapped him on the shoulder.
"What's up, my boy?"
Austin lifted up his head.
"I'm fine, Joseph."
"Why does your face look like scattered faeces?" Joseph asked.
"It's nothing."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes. So how is the rehearsal going?"
"It's going crazy. The camp will be lit indeed because the Boy Scouts are ready to give us something different and enticing this season," Joseph said with a lot of excitement and anticipation.
Austin just gave a faint smile.
Mr. Albert Harrison was looking forthe boys. The buses were already available and ready to take them to Mossipi for the camping. He searched the whole church but didn't find his boys. He heard the parade going on close to the Reverend's house. He went there and saw a lot of persons were not even aware that the buses to take them to the camping ground had arrived.
He was surprised. He walked up in front of the ongoing parade, picked the microphone which was placed on the music box, cleared his throat, then made an address to everyone there.
"Good afternoon everyone. It's time to end your parade session, as the buses that will be taking us to Mossipi are here and we won't sit back and wait for anyone. So hurry up, pack all you'll be needing for the camping trip… there's no more time to waste."
After Mr. Albert's speech, he dropped the mic and left, still in search of the boys. But this time, everyone was rushing to meet up with the available buses—nobody wanted to miss this amazing trip.
Mr. Albert went back to the church where the vehicles were. He believed the boys had followed others to pack their stuff as well. On his arrival, he met the boys. They had both packed their things, and it was already in the vehicle.
Joseph, who saw Mr. Albert first, greeted, "Good afternoon, sir."
Austin, who was lost in his thoughts and looking at no particular place, didn't notice the presence of his dad until Joseph used his hand to hit his elbow and he came back to reality.
"What is it again, Joseph? Why are you disturbing me?" Austin queried.
"Is everything okay?"
Austin, hearing his dad's voice, immediately came back to full reality."Good afternoon, Dad," he stuttered anxiously.
"I guess we're all ready to leave, and no one is forgetting anything."
"Yes, sir," they both responded.
"Okay, let me go check others who are yet to be here." He left them.
This time, the three buses were filled up. Mr. Charles entered each bus, going through the names of people meant to be present. He entered the blue bus—they were all complete. He entered the second bus—everyone was inside. He got to the third bus, but one person was nowhere to be found.
He came outside, brought out a mic, and spoke:
"One person is not inside the bus. Please, if your friend, sister, brother or colleague is not inside any of these vehicles, do well to identify before we leave the person behind."
He dropped the mic after making the announcement. Everyone began murmuring and making noise.
Fifteen minutes later, there was no report or trace of the last person approaching, so the drivers started their vehicles and zoomed off.
Isabella, who heard the sound of the vehicles from afar as she approached the church premises with her belongings, dropped her bags and ran profusely after the moving vehicle.
"Stoppppppp, please stoppppppp!"
Austin, whose bus was the last in the row, heard the voice, turned back and saw someone running toward them shouting. He thought to himself, "Could this be the person we've been waiting for?"
She screamed aloud again but this time with a faint voice, running more slowly.
"Driver, please stop your vehicle!"
The two boys by his side asked, "What happened?"
"Someone is running after our vehicle. I think she's the last person we
've been waiting for."
They turned back and saw she was still running after them.
"Driver, stop the vehicle!" The two boys by his side looked at him so much curiosity, asking, "What happened?"
"Someone is running after our vehicle. I think she's the last person we have been waiting for."
They turned back and saw she was still running after them.
"Driver, stop the vehicle!" they chorused. The driver stopped and went back to pick her.
"Where have you been all this while? We have been waiting for you, child," the driver said with so much empathy and curiosity.
"I forgot my pullover at home, then left to get it. Before I could get to the gate, I began hearing the honking of the buses."
"Where are your stuff?"
"At the church. Let me hurry and go get them, please!"
"No, you will waste more of our time. Just enter. There's a vacant seat opposite Austin Albert."
"Who's Austin Albert, please?"
The driver went inside and called on Austin.
"Austin, show her your seat."
"Okay, sir."
She entered and went straight to Austin's row. When she saw Austin, she didn't bother greeting him. She just went straight to her seat.
The driver drove back to the church, picked her bag, and continued his journey.