The family of three made a slow circle of Azuma. Kazeem’s dad, Zokou as the chief of guard, although against his will at first due to his imposing stature and his wife persuasion capacity, didn't really have anything to do besides protecting the town. But protecting wasn’t only against exterior harm. While walking silently through the street, they went by a guard a little too close to a young woman.

  “Ahh uncle you look like you have the same age as my dad, please let me go I don't want trouble.” she said.

  “Tsk I am not even that old. And you... you look old enough. Hmm i mean look at that ass--” as he continued talking with his hand closer and closer to the woman body, he suddenly felt three cold stares on his back. All his instinct screamed him to stop or something bad, really bad will happen. Then he saw a huge shadow enveloping from behind and a voice cold enough to make him shiver ring in his ear

  “If you keep bothering women instead of working, I'll make you spend your night shifts by the vines, all of them.”

  Now he knew who was behind him, but this made him even more scared. In a last try to stay cool in front of the lady he turned around and smiled awkwardly at the family.

  “Ha...haha... chief you are joking too mu-”

  “Fuck off.”

  “YES I AM GOING!” he yelped and ran in the opposed direction. All his desire to show off disappeared when he made eye contact with them. For a heartbeat, which looked like a weird hallucination he felt like the mom and son eyes seemed shinier and colder and the dad looked even more intimidating with his tattoo that seemed to catch a golden tint.

  After that Yassena calmed the young girl down, they went back on their way. This kind of situation wasn’t rare in places like that, especially since the guard chief was out of town.

  At about 100 paces from the scavenger camp they witness another situation, one that did require force and intimidation but calm, observation and wisdom. Two brothers were arguing about cart.

  “You see how dumb you are? All we need to do is charge it a little bit and it will be good even if we must come back there and do many round” said the shorter brother, which seemed like the youngest.

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  “Orrh zip it!” said the seemingly big brother as he smacked the back of his brother head. His muscle although not as big as Zokou’s, were already intimidating enough. He yelled: “And do you think the motherfuckers at the camp will leave our stuff alone if we are not here? your dumbass”

  “OUCH! AND IS IT BECAUSE OF THAT THAT YOU HIT YOUR BIG BROTHER? OK NOW THE CART IS ABOUT TO BREAK SO IF YOU DONT FIX IT I WILL TELL DAD TO BEAT YOUR ASS!”

  Wait the little one is the big brother ...? thought Kazeem

  The heat was rising when they heard a strong but warm voice.

  “Hey, stop blocking the road or i will tell your mom that you’re fighting!”

  This time it was Yassena that was talking to mediate the situation.

  “Ah hum, hi aunty Yassena” said the two brothers shaking a little after having hear the threat.

  Yassena, like almost all the women in the town didn’t really need to work. After all Zokou’s pay was enough for them to live more than comfortably. Her son part time job as a part-time scavenger was also some help to sustain the house expense. But her charisma, wisdom and warm personality gave her a great position in the eyes of the wife of the town. A lot of people came to her every day to ask her for advice. It was so troublesome that she had to charge people to prevent them to disturb her daily life. It is said that if you explain a situation to her, she will be able to predict what might happen and help you make preparation. All those qualities and achievement were enough to make her one of the most famous people in the town.

  “Instead of proving which one is the dumbest let’s find a solution... Big guy what is your name?”

  “Auntie, its Kouassi”

  “Alright Kouassi try to grab as much as you can off the cart, arms full.”

  “And the little guy?”

  “Auntie I'm not that li--”

  “Orh your name.”

  “Zadi...”

  “OK Zadi checks the wheels. Some screws seem too loose and that's why the cart seem to be about to break. Go ask the old mechanic for a tool to tighten it. Now with some of the charge on Kouassi hands and the rest in the cart everything should be fine, right?”

  “But auntie it’s too heavy...!” said Kouassi already out of breath.

  “At first I’d have you unload the cart and let your big brother carry some home and come back take the rest while you are watching with half beside the trees” she said side-eyeing him “But you decided to hit your brother just because you thought you were right.”

  She clicked her tongue “Now go home like that, this will be your punishment. Zadi will push the rest of the stuff with the cart after having tightened its screws.”

  Her tone made the plan irrefutable. The brothers with no other choice decided to obey, one that looked red from embracement despite his dark skin and the other jogging toward the mecanic.

  They went on their way, and the family continued their walk in another direction.

  Closing thought: You fix a day with small fingers, not a shout.