IN THE KINGDOM OF THE STEEMITITIANS #1: The Very Very Beginning

The contest is at the end of the story

Holy Jehoshaphat, its fucking late already

He cursed and groaned as he shuffled in his wooden bench, stretched his arm and reached for the oil lantern. The bench made some kuickuak sound as he heaved his butt off it. The past three hours he's been writing on the walls of his Facebook hut and has totally lost track of time. Now he thought maybe he should just go around his neighbourhood to see what his neighbour might have inked on their scrolls.

Ete Okon picked his walking sticks and lantern to step out. Holding the lantern to his ear, he shook it to determine the amount of oil in it. It was quite low, he wondered whether it will be enough to get him to the other huts at Quoranation where he writes answers all day.

Maybe later I'll stop at mama mtn shop and buy a few more he thought to himself.
Their oil is much better than that rubbish mma Glo sells at the village market.

He sighed and murmured on as he nearly stumbled at is doorstep.

The oil is quite important to the people of the entire kingdom. In the good old days they used to calI it data but a lot has changed and the younger generation just call it Mb. Without it the lantern won't shine and this is what no one would want to have in the small Hamlet of Facebook. He took one more look at the writings on his walls and what a few of his friends had commented. This filled him with pride. With his ink and quill under his armpit, he walked around to read a few of his neighbours' works.

Nonsense, utterly useless people, spoilt generation
The good old days are gone, now the kingdom is filled with people drawing naked photo of themselves and posting on their walls, what a useless generation

He spat his anger at one of the younger girl's tablet. And inked down some comments about a girl covering herself up.
It always baffled the old man what's going on in the world this days.

A little twist in his stomach, he quickly put his palms over his mouth to cover the escape of air from his yawning mouth. Hunger, it's always there to remind him of his predicament. He had jumped on his boat -ssj_infinixhot_1 and paddled to the distant planet internet with members of his clan hoping for an opportunity for things to become better.

maybe I should go talk to my friend @joshuaetim, he is a wise man and might have a job for him to do

An idea occurred to him.

He hastened his steps along the footpath that led to the new village townhall at WhatsApp, he hoped to meet his friend there cause he had checked on his hut before leaving Facebook but his house was closed. He also knew he won't be at the children playhouse at 2go, he missed those days when they used to play and talk all day at the playhouse. Now men have grown and cannot be found at 2go anymore.

He could make out the shape of @joshuaetim at his desk at whatsapp reading letters and replying to a few of them.

''Etubom Okon, is this you?'' Joshua could not hold his excitement.
''Oh, enyenakami, kai, its been a long time'' Okon responded.

They shook hands, talked and laughed about everything they have not talked about in the last three months

''Akparawa Joshua, our people say, a frog does not run in the day time if something is not pursuing it'' Okon cleared his throat to signify a change of topic.
''Or maybe it's pursuing something, Okon you have come again with your Proverbs''

They both laugh out loud ignoring the many stares from many eyes looking at them.

''things have not been well with your brother at all, no food, can't buy any clothes even my children left to go and stay with their stubborn mother, I have been.,,,,''

''I perfectly understand, seriously, how about the work at the local school'' Joshua tried to comfort him.

''See, don't pity me, I don't want pity, I want a job, I want cowries, I can no longer go about teaching, at my age the shouting gives me headache''

''there's a great land far off on the other side of the river, the people go up there to write on the walls and people like it and pay them, you are a man of wisdom like myself and you would make some coins just writing and.....''

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Ete Okon had barely allowed his friend to finish telling him about the land of the Steemititians. He had argued, asked a million questions and finally jumped into his small boat the ajk-chrome'13 and began to paddle across the water with all the strength he could command.

''What, what, what is this? When did this start?''
He asked no one in particular. He could not believe what he saw. Before him stood a mighty city built with blocks and chains.

People from far and near walked about with sacks of coins in their hands. They were better huts, well designed than what they had at the kingdom of Facebook. People would stand looking at a slate and read the writings, some of them would nod their heads and dropped a few coins into the upvote basket under the slate. The basket he was looking at was overflowing with cowries and it stood under a hut named @jerrybanfield.

Quickly, he wasted no time as he broke a stone, removed his quill and ink from his rafia bag and tried to write.
'' You can't write sir, you don't have your own slate and you are not registered with the city's council.'' a guard told him

'' What must I do, where do I register''

The guard gave him a book, he quickly scribbled what looks like his name and proceeded to write on the tablets again.

''Sorry but you have to run to the post office and check your box sir. There's a letter for you to bring before we can allow you in''
The guard told him.
The post office he used, gmail, though old but it was closed and took him less than 40 minutes to run back with the letter. He was breathing hard but he did not care, he wanted his hands on those coins he saw in those upvote baskets.

''Good now, return to your house and wait till the city's council have approved your letter. It will take about 4 market days. When they approve, the masons will be commanded to build you a hut and send the key to the post office. When you receive the key you can bring it to me and I'll show you to your house and scrolls here.''

That night Ete Okon could not sleep. He has always loved to write.
Now with his great wisdom he imagine the great wealth that will come to him. Before he left he had asked the guard if he is permitted to just read what was written. He was granted though he can't be allowed to write. As he lay down now, he marvelled at the wisdom of those authors. The writings was so many some he didn't even understand as they talk about some spiritual kind of money they called akriptokurency. Slowly, he dragged his lantern and blew it off. He has greatly burned his oil today. He won't be able to visit his friend at the WhatsApp townhall or go answer some questions at Quoranation today. He stared at the roof of his hut and smiled to himself as the wind began to play some soft aria in his ear. Gently, he turn from side to side longing for the comfort of his wife. He must have thought too much till he did not know when Zeus took him from his thoughts and dreams.........

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Did you enjoy reading it. Now the contest. Tell us how you heard about Steemit? What brought you to Steemit? Was it financial difficulties or just a change of social media environment? How do you relate your own experience to this story? Who introduced you to Steemit- celebrate your referrer today.

The prize

1. We'll count all the referrers and give them one point per entry. The modal referrer (referrer who appears most) gets 2sbd.

2. The best comments that relates to the story about how you first learned about Steemit gets 2sbd.

Rules for entry
Resteem the post - for visibility.

Upvote the post - its your little way of showing support.

Follow - nah, that's not compulsory.

So lets hear from you, results will come with the next episode on Sunday

All image are sketches of old images from Google search.

Original @lordjames.