The Crocodile Trap
Ahmed Aliyu
©
Copyright 2024 by Ahmed Aliyu
|
Photo by Michelle van der Hoek on Unsplash |
I
was not a good swimmer, to be candid; I was never a swimmer at all. I
was not scared of water, rather I was scared of the deep of moving or
stagnant water. All my experience of swimming had
always
been close to the edge of every river, stream or swimming pool I
found myself in. I had never been foolish to dare into the deep of
any river I followed my friends to during my years as a kid.
I
grew up in the city and had two friends who were good swimmers. They
had always been the ones that pushed me towards the river and
persuaded me to strip off and dive into the water with them. This was
an experience I was always scared of knowing how sacred I was of
swimming. But their torment and jest always forced me to dive into
the water with them but always wisely stayed close to the edge and
flipped my legs timidly against the water and
watched
them from my safe position while they joined the other dare-devil
boys to dive or flipped excitedly into the water. It was a daring
move I knew I could never carry out. So I contented myself with just
sitting by the edge of the river and watching them as they did so
many tricks in the water.
My
ability not to be able to swim and enjoy myself in the water like
other kids kept tormenting me always. My two friends tried everything
possible in their capacity to teach me how to swim but their efforts
were always a failure. I was always scared of leaving my
comfort zone by the edge of the water. I had this fear that something
deep inside the river was going to swallow me. so I always refused to
swim towards them around the deeper side whenever they encouraged me
to come closer. Not even their tormenting jest and ridicule could
spur me to step forward and beat the odds. I closed my ears to the
insult and jeering smiles of the other boys as they taunt me whenever
they see me splashing my legs timidly into the water by the edge of
the river. I refused to succumb to their intimidation and erased the
many annoying names they called me from my mind. I told myself that I
was not a good swimmer and the river was not friendly to me as it was
to them. I resolved never to fall into their traps of luring me
farther into the water. I was okay and content with my spot by the
edge and happy to also feel the cold water around my feet
and
body like them. The only difference was that they swam deep in the
water while I only dropped into the water by the edge.
But
a particular incident happened during one of our numerous secret
adventures to the biggest river in the city not too far from where we
lived with our parents. We sneaked out with Yunus and Amin,
my
two bosom friends, on this hot afternoon after lying to our parents
that we were going to the stadium nearby to play football. It was
routine they knew us with and approved. None of them knew that we
always used the opportunity to sneak to the river to catch fish or
dive into the river anytime we met other boys enjoying themselves in
the water. So it was on this particular day. We got to the river and
met other boys already naked and swimming excitedly. The atmosphere
was lively and filled with the excited noise of screaming kids and
splashing water. I watched as Yunus and Amin quickly pulled off their
clothes and also dived into the water. They swam expertly across the
river and swam back towards where I still stood staring at them.
‘’ Pull
off and join us. Nothing would happen to you. Just stay close to the
edge and enjoy the cool water.’’ Yunus suggested
splashing water playfully towards me.
‘’ No,
I think I prefer watching you guys enjoy yourself. I am scared of
this large river.’’ I said truthfully.
‘’ Nothing
would happen. Just dive in. We will protect you.’’
Amin also said.
I
stared admiringly at the other boys in the river, noting that some of
them were smaller than me in size and age. I instantly felt ashamed
that I could not join them. I was still watching when a young lad did
a flip and dived into the water and swam unafraid across the water.
This spurred me and I pulled off my clothes then slowly dropped into
the river. Log
Yunus
and Amin nodded and then swam away into the deeper part of the water.
This was a spot I knew I could never attempt to reach so I held on to
a small log of wood close by and remained where I was. I kept myself
afloat by holding to the wood and allowed myself to enjoy the cold
water. I remained there for some minutes and then sighted something
that looked like a bigger wood a few inches away from me. My first
thought was to swim towards it and use its solid size to swim a bit
towards the other boys. I was just in the process of swimming towards
the big wood when I suddenly noticed a movement from the log and then
loud screams from the other boys.
‘’ Crocodile!
Run!, crocodile , Run!, .’’ I heard
their shouts.
I
turned to see a big crocodile open its big jaw and splash water
loudly towards me. The reality quickly dawned on me. What I had
imagined to be a big log was actually a big crocodile setting its
trap to catch its prey. I bolted out of the water and ran nakedly
into the street. I never stopped until I got home.
It was
the last time I ever ventured towards the river again.
Ahmed
Aliyu is a Nigerian Journalist/writer with a positive mind set to
craft and pen fiction and poetry at any given time and space. He
has a
decade of editorial
and production experience in print media.
(Unless
you
type
the
author's name
in
the subject
line
of the message
we
won't know where to send it.)
Book
Case
Home
Page
The
Preservation Foundation, Inc., A Nonprofit Book Publisher