The Tricycle Driver

The school bell rang and the students are starting to fix their things to go home now. Mara decided to get home late as she still have to help her teacher on checking the test papers. Her teacher, Ma'am Roxanne, said that she needs to go home because her mother might look for her but Mara insisted. They started checking the papers. Mara gets payed for checking papers, printing documents and preparing food for the teachers because she needs money to provide her family's everyday needs. Her mother only sells fruits and vegetables in the market and the money is not enough for her and her other 3 siblings.

At exactly, 6:30 pm, Mara and Ma'am Roxanne finished checking the papers. They both walked to the school entrance to look for a tricycle. Both of them live oppositely in their town so Ms. Roxanne wanted to provide a tricycle first for Mara then her. Lights from a tricycle was seen going to their spot and Ms. Roxanne eventually got the plate number in case anything happens but soon realized that it's ok not to since she knows the driver already. The guard in front of the school also got the number and said that it's safe since the driver is familiar to him, a man named John who is also his friend.

Ma'am Roxanne bid goodbye to Mara as she enters the tricycle. As the trip goes on, Mara asks Sir John, the driver, about his day. Mara didn't get an answer then ask again. He saw the driver with pale lips so she thought thay John might be hungry. She then gave a piece of bread from her snack earlier. The driver then said to her that he still needs more money because his son will make a payment on the school and they also have bills to pay. Mara felt sad as she also feels what John is feeling. As the breadwinner of the family, it is hard for her to give a small amount of money to John but since the driver is really good and kind to her, she gave him a dollar. The tricycle driver smiled and cried in tears of joy and said thank you to Mara. Sir John always brings Mara safe to home as no other drivers want to risk taking people in the dark as no lights are seen. Sir John was a friend of Mara's father when he still living. Mara's father was shot during a terrorist attack in their area so Sir John risks everyday as part of his friendship with Mara's father.

They are now in front of their house, Mara said to the driver to go home already as its getting late already. The driver then said to her, "I can't go home now and I will never.", then left.

Mara felt something strange at the moment as she looks at the vehicle disappearing in the dark. She then made her way inside and see her mother and sisters eating their dinner.

Her mother then get a plate for her and said, "It's good that a tricycle driver still roams this time around. Sir John was found dead in the river this afternoon."