The scorching sun burnt heavily on my head. I can't tell how but it pierced through my thin shirt unto my skin like it had an unfinished business with me. I stretched my neck to see the queue before me still stretched longer than a snake shadow.
"Oh my!" I bit my lips hard.
I've been standing there like every other person, clutching tight to my empty water keg waiting for my turn to get a few drops of the new gold. This was the new normal in the world now since the famine began and the world had run out of almost everything.
I wiped my forehead with the back of my palms. I had sweat trickling down my face. I shifted my weight from one leg to the other. Behind me was a mother with her little kids and before me was a frail old man. We were all waiting in line for the government for our daily ration of the liquid gold, water. To me, we weren't just waiting for water; we were waiting to survive.
"Hey, who's cutting the line?" I heard a voice yell from behind.
I quickly turned to see a man in a crisp white shirt and plain trousers with well-polished shoes making his way to the front line with so much morale. He had this air of entitlement and arrogance that only the powerful in these times have, hovering around them.
“Hey! Hey! The line is back there" I yelled, my voice filled with so much anger and irritation.
The arrogant man turned and gave me a death stare “Shut up!" He shouted back at me
I felt my fist clench and my other fingers tightened around my keg. I stepped forward and got closer to the man "You don't cut the line. We've been here for hours. If you wish to get a drop of that water, then get back there and get back in line" I said in a soft but firm voice. Showing nothing but anger not minding that there were security details there that should be doing exactly what I was doing. Instead, they stood there and stared at us squabbling.
"Do you know who I am?" The arrogant man said a little bit jittery by now. I guess my warning hot yo him.
"I don't care. Get back in line. We’ve got kids waiting for water too. You’re not better than us!”
"Yeah!" I heard murmurs from the crowd supporting me.
Gradually, the man pulled back, raising his hands in surrender, still looking me in the face with a smirk on his face. "I'll be back", he said before walking off.
"And you'll still have to join the line! No special treatment!”" I yelled back at him. Before getting back in line. I was already boiling with anger wondering how humans could be so mean.
I haven't had enough water to drink in days. And I'm sure most of us in that queue must be passing through the same ordeal or more. I remembered standing in that same line just yesterday, but when it got to my turn, I was told the water had finished even when I could see that there was still enough water to go round in the reservoir. I had sworn that I wasn't going to pass through such again today. I was willing to die trying than die of thirst. Hence my anger against the man who tried to cut the line.
I thought about my wife at home and my kids at home. Their patched lips and hollow eyes. We haven't had a full keg of water in two days and my daughter was beginning to cough with no water to take her drugs.
It finally got to my turn, and I handed my keg to the security men who yelled orders at everyone. My heart filled with joy and relief. I watched as they took my keg and were about to fill it up when the arrogant man reappeared. I had already forgotten about him.
I turned to see the commotion brewing behind me as the man walked up to me flanked by two hefty men who were suited like the men from the military headquarters. They were known to only protect those in government.
"Step aside, I need to get some water" the arrogant man barked. His voice was cold and commanding.
I turned and looked at my keg, it was yet to be filled. "Not until my keg and every other person's keg here is filled", I replied. I couldn't tell what gave me the morale.
"I'm warning you, man. Move, or I'll make my boys move you," he threatened.
I stood there unflinched. Then I heard a voice yell from behind.
"We'll love to see you try!" It was a young man in his early twenties. He held his keg tight in his hands, too, as he stepped forward.
Suddenly, the whole crowd chorused, "Yeah!"
With that, they joined the young man in stepping forward. Our shared desperation giving us strength. I could see the arrogant man's smile turn to fear. I looked at the hefty men beside him; they were already shaking as the men looked around, realizing they were outnumbered. The crowd didn't give up, they kept closing in on them.
Filled with joy from the support I was getting from the crowd. I gave a wicked smile and asked the arrogant man
"You're outnumbered now by angry and thirsty men and women. Still wanna cut the line and get some water?" I mocked him.
The arrogant man looked around, he couldn't stand it anymore. His fear was boldly written on his face. Then he turned and walked away, his guards following behind.
I smiled and nodded to the crowd. Our unity had won. Then I turned to the men securing the reservoir
*And why's my keg not filled up yet?"
Immediately, they let the faucet open as water splashed into my jug. I smiled as joy filled my eyes.
In an apocalyptic world like ours, small victories like that reminded us that we still had some fight left in us.
