All that glitters

Obim wasn't educated because his family couldn't afford to send him and his junior sister to school. All he did was farm work with his father while his mother sold roasted corn at the village market. Obim has two friends Chizom and Ugo, they were best of friends. Chizom was educated while Ugo couldn't finish secondary school because he lost his parents along the line.

Chizom and his family had moved to the city because his father got a job there and they took Ugo with them since he doesn't have a family in the village again.

"Obim!" Amaka shouted from the entrance.

"What is it?" Obim replied as he stepped out.

"Dad is calling us," Amaka replied and walked away.

Obim felt irritated as he followed Amaka, her slippers were making a hell of a noise.

"Amaka stop dragging the slippers, it would cut anytime soon," Obim said but Amaka ignored him as she walked down to where their father was sitting outside.

"Obim you are now a grown-up man I shouldn't be following you guys to the farm anymore since I am getting older," Obim's father said.

"But Papa I don't want to be a farmer, I am only doing it because there was nothing I could do yet," Obim replied to his father.

"Brother, what can you do now?" Amaka replied to him then ran to sit beside their father because she knew Obim might beat her up.

"Come on shut up, was I talking to you?" Obim replied with anger written all over his face.

"I know you would say that so what do you want to do now?" Obim's father replied.

"Papa I want to go to the city and make more money than staying here in the village making small amount of money from your farm, Didn't you see Chizom and Ugo the last time they came to the village they are doing well in the city" Obim replied.

"Oh really? You think because your friend's father moved to the city everything is moving smoothly for them? Anyway, you are over 18 years so you have every right to live your life as you want but let me remind you all that glitters are not gold always remember that when you get to the city," Obim's father said and then relax back on his wooden chair.

Source

"Really papa? I can go to the city now?" Obim asked.

"Why not? Since it will make you happy you can," Obim's father replied and immediately he said that Obim hugged him on the chair where he was sitting and his mother joined them.

"What did I just hear you say Obim?" His mother asked.

"Papa said I could go to the city to work," Obim replied with a smile on his face.

"Never will I allow my only son to go to a strange land where we don't know anyone," his mother replied and hissed as she walked away from where Obim's father sat.

"But Mama I know Chizom and Ugo there," Obim replied but nobody answered him.

The fresh breeze outside became a hot breeze for Obim immediately his mother walked away because he knew once his mother didn't agree with anything, that is the end.

He turned to his father and said, "Papa please I will make you proud when I get to the city help me talk to Mama," Obim went on his knees to beg his father while his father was there staring at him without saying a word to him.

In the night.

"Mama Obim, you need to learn how to let go after all this boy is no more a child," Obim's father said to his wife.

"Says who, as far as am concerned Obim is a child, Papa Obim I can't let him go," Obim's mother replied to her husband angrily meanwhile, Obim was at their door listening to their conversation and since he knew his mother wouldn't let him go he tiptoe back to his room. Obim packed his bag set it aside and immediately it was 5am he left before any of his family woke up.

"Amaka!" Obim's mother shouted in the backyard.

"Yes Mama," Amaka replied inside the house.

"Call your brother for me," Obim's mother said while packing up her corn.

"Brother! Brother Obim!! Obim!!!," Amaka called at Obim's door but nobody answered so she opened the door and found out that Obim was not there.

"Mama! Mama!! Obim had left," Amaka rushed outside to inform her mother.

"Left? To where?" Obim's mother asked as she rushed in to check while her husband rushed out of his room to Obim's room as well, The three of them checked the room and found out that Obim packed his clothes which meant he had left for the city. His mother burst into tears while his father tried to console her.

Obim got to the city as planned and his friend Chizom welcomed him to the city, after two weeks of Obim being in Chizom's house he finally remembered to ask about Ugo.

"Chizom I have never seen Ugo since I came to the city, where is he?" Obim asked his friend.

"Oh Ugo is on a business trip he will be back soon and before he gets back I would love to teach you some business that we do here and I am sure by the time you start making money you will love it," Chizom replied Obim as he grabbed his laptop to show him something.

"Oh ok, I can't wait to start making money," Obim replied with a big smile on his face.

Chizom started teaching Obim some things on his laptop, at first Obim was enjoying the teaching but two weeks later.

"Obim we need to go to work today," Chizom said as he grabbed his car keys Obim quickly grabbed his T-shirt put it on very fast, and ran after Chizom.

He drove out of the compound but when they got to one uncompleted building Chizom stopped then changed his clothes and put on a mask while three guys came out from nowhere with their masks on and they all entered Chizom's car, Obim couldn't believe what was happening so he asked.

"Chizom what is going on here?" Obim asked.

"Stop asking questions and put on your clothes and the mask," Chizom replied while he started the car.

"I need to know what we are about to do before putting the mask on," Obim shouted at Chizom and immediately he shouted at him Chizom stopped the car and replied.

"I became an armed rubber when my parents died and my father's family took everything from me," Chizom replied with his mask raised to look directly into Obim's eyes.

"So what now?" Obim asked again as Chizom moved the car.

"You can't back out now that you know," Chizom replied.

Obim knew he had entered into the lion's den so he kept quiet and then put on the clothes and his mask.

The operation was successful and on their way home.

"I need to get down here," Obim said to Chizom and Chizom stopped his car then replied, "You guys should show your face,".

Immediately he said that the three other guys removed their masks and Ugo was one of them, Chizom shouted, "What? What's going on here? I thought you said Ugo was on a business trip?".

"Yeah he was out to secure the operation, isn't that a business trip?" Chizom replied to Obim with a fainted smile on his face.

Obim got angry and stepped out of the car and said, "I quit,".

"You what?" Chizom shouted then brought out his gun and shot Obim, then drove off with the hope that Obim was dead.

Some minutes later, a good Samaritan saw Obim struggling beside the road and he helped him to the hospital, some months after Obim returned to the village and narrated everything that happened to his family.

"Mama, Papa I am sorry I didn't listen to your warnings but I am ready to be a better son now," Obim said as he kneeled to beg for his parent's forgiveness.

"You are welcome back home," his father replied and they all hugged him.

The next morning.

"Amaka! Amaka!! Amaka!!!," Obim shouted outside of the house while packing up some baskets.

"What is it brother Obim," Amaka replied as she stepped out of the house.

"I am sorry I wasn't that brother you wished for but now I am ready to change, so let's go to the farm," Obim said as he dragged Amaka closer to him so that he could hug her.

They both laughed and went to the farm, some years later Obim had made that farm bigger and he was doing well with the farming work, while Chizom and Ugo with the rest of the group were caught by the police and they were jailed.