CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

-There is nothing so powerful as an idea whose time has come--- Victor Hugo.

Aunty Mara and Mama Leratho stood and waved as Helen and Mr Ben took the bus that would take them to the airport.

"Please make us proud!" Aunty Eva said and blew a kiss.

The past two months had been months of intense preparation and planning and Helen felt ready for it. She would give her best and leave the rest to God.

Hours later, they landed in U.S.A and took a ride to the Writers and Speakers Academy.

Helen looked at the giant tall building and shivered.

"Was this where she would be giving her speech?" She wondered but she knew she couldn't afford to embarrass all those who would be watching her the next day, her mates from school, her relatives from Nigeria and to top it all, Mama Leratho and Aunty Eva.

Mr Ben noticed her nervousness.

"Are we scared?"

"I am just..."

"Nervous?"

"Exactly"

"Don't worry you will be fine." He assured her.

"Let's go in and find your hostel space" He said and they went in.

"You're welcome" The receptionist said to them and further led them to where they would get her space. Helen noticed some others were there too and there in the queue, two persons away from her was someone she saw on the television.

"Benedicta Martins!"

At close distance, the girl looked every inch a confident lady. She watched as she collected her card and moved away with someone. Perhaps her mum.

"Helen Adams from South Africa!" They called and she moved forward, suspending her thoughts for a while.

The woman smiled and handed it to her.

"Apartment One" She read her card number and walked away to meet Mr Ben.

"Have you gotten it?" He asked.

"Yes"

"What's your room number?"

"Apartment One. Room C"

"I knew, but you needed to get the card."

"How did you know?"

"The first, second and third positions are always placed in apartment one. The first position stays in Room A, the second Room B and you Room C" He explained as they took the lift to the apartments.

"I will see you during dinner" He said patting her and left.

"Hi! I am Helen" She said to the brown haired girl she saw.

"Hi. I am Natalie from Australia" The girl replied.

"Nice to meet you" Helen said as she moved towards her room. The girl had entered the other room. It was obvious she took the second position.

Helen wondered where Benedicta was, she dropped her bags and came out to observe her environment and later went in to bath and rest. She woke up to the sound of her phone ringing.

It was Mr Ben, she joined him and after dinner, she went with him to the Hall to practice one more time. The chairs seemed to go on forever.

"Stand on that podium, I will be your audience. Rehearse your speech on Gender Equality" Mr Ben said to her as she stood on the podium. By tomorrow, these chairs will be filled with people from different parts of the world, she thought as she started.

They practiced more on different topics and she rehearsed her poem finally.

"You need to rest now so that you will be up early tomorrow energized for victory" Mr Ben advised her smiling.

"God will answer our prayers" Helen said in response.

*******

The next morning, she took her bath, wore her clothes and went to meet Mr Ben who stood outside with others outside the Hall. They held hands and prayed.

She wanted to calm the wild beating of her heart but it seemed impossible. Some students came rushing towards her.

"Sarah! Hannah!" She called out their names as others joined.She was surprised to see all of them.

"You will do well, we trust you"

"We will be cheering you on"

"You're our Super Star!"

They were saying.

She let go of their hands as they called the names of the participants through the microphone. As they mounted the stage to their seats, the audience clapped excitedly.

"We would have the poetry section first, the impromptu and finally the speech making, each having five minutes break." The announcer said.

It looked like a long wait. Helen stole a look at Benedicta. She wasn't even looking nervous at all. She wondered what kind of girl she was. Well, one thing she knew was that the girl was proud and rude. She had approached her the night before and all she got was a stare that said " I am not here to make friends". Helen felt insulted and went to her room, promising herself not to talk to her anymore.

********

Aunty Eva and Mama Leratho sat close to the television, not wanting to miss out one bit. They were anxious. They had been watching the proceedings and soon it would be Helen's turn.

Back in Nigeria, Uncle Paul and his family were also watching.

"Helen Adams from South Africa!" The announcer said and there seemed to be a connection from Nigeria to Capetown and then to the hall because Mama Leratho, Uncle Paul and Helen all placed hands on their chest.

Mr Ben swallowed a breath, his hands in his pocket, heart pounding furiously. As Helen mounted the podium, she recalled the words Mr Ben told her.

" When you mount that stage, know that you're the god of the microphone, your senses and the day. Don't be afraid of the number of people because they have all come to see you win"

She smiled and collected the microphone and as she did, she recalled his words again

"When you speak poetry, demonstrate with your actions, put life in your expressions, shed tears if you're meant to, cry if possible"

Then she started;

Boom! It blasts!

Screams in the air

Like a story

We were there once and not again.

Half bodies! Broken lives!

Murder! Death!

Life is Precious!

Who knows that?

I'm still running.

Miles I ran.

Destination? None.

Nothing in my mind.

Emptiness!

Who's the Saviour?

Who can restore?

Is this life?

Empty souls chained by the necks

Like animals to the slaughter.

Who knows out there?

Rescue! Rescue Pls! Someone Rescue.

Thirst?

You need love? ( Laughs)

None.

Who can know it?

The heart of man.

The wickedness, list, deceit, selfishness.

Wants are many here.

Who can list it?

Hands are folded.

Who will provide?

Beasts are Masters!!

As she said it, she demonstrated with her hands and body movements. When she was done, the audience erupted in loud cheers.

After few more presentations, they went for the five minutes break, she raced to where her mates were, took a bottle of water and raced back to the stage.

The impromptu session started and they were asked to pick pieces of folded paper. She opened it and was shocked at her topic. It was boldly written.

"SPEAK ON CHICKEN RECIPES"

She then recalled how the principal had withdrawn her scholarship, the one month stay at Aunty Eva restaurant was a blessing in disguise. God had his way of doing things. She smiled and when she was called, she spoke effectively on it like someone who was a professional. The Judges were nodding their heads.

Fast forward three hours later after the speech session, was the announcement of the results. They were told to all leave the stage. Helen walked over to where her people were and stood anxiously.

Mr Mark Gomes took the microphone and addressed them all. He thanked them for coming out to express themselves and also added that for the sake of the day, the winners must be called out, the audience laughed at that.

Aunty Eva and Mama stood up from the chair anxiously as the announced called from the 20th position and the percentages they got.

When they got to the third position and South Africa was not called yet, they started smiling. Helen would be among the first three, at least. They held hands.

Helen heart skipped a beat as they called Benedicta Martins in the third place. She had never been more surprised, when they called Natalie Vincent from Australia as second position, her heart flipped wildly.

She can't be the first position, is she? Her mates were already screaming waving the country flag.

"Helen Adams from South Africa!" The announcer said and at that moment the tears came. She turned and hugged Mr Ben, whose tears dropped on her hair. He was so touched, all his efforts had not been in vain. Her mates were carrying their country flag excitedly running towards the front as she collected her cup.

Mama Leratho cried, Aunty Eva with mouth opened wide, cried too with tears of joy.

"That's my girl, my Helen, she made me proud" Mama was saying.

In Nigeria, Uncle Paul and his family were happily beating the table in excitement.

In the crowd was someone Helen didn't expect to be around, Mrs Haniel! She was with the girls who stood, clapping and smiling and as she raised her cup up, Mr Ben whispered.

"What's your name?"

"My name is Helen Adams!"

"What did you win?"

"The Star Prize of the Day of Words!!!!" She shouted above the noise.