NOT DEAD YET… (VI)
“Kill Irene!”
“kill Irene!”
My mind echoed repeatedly as every step I took drew me closer to the cabin. I was determined, ready for whatever repercussion my act would fetch me.
Few steps to the cabin’s entrance, I retrieved a sharp dagger from my loin in readiness to strike, but when I had walked in hrough the door, I became confused. There were about five masked persons in the room and I couldn’t spot whom Irene was amongst them.
They were busy counting and filling empty bags with bundles of cash.
“Take the bags to the truck!” A man amongst them ordered me
I slowly put the dagger away, reached for one of the full bags and lifted it to my shoulder before limping out. I dragged my feet all the way to the back of a waiting truck and lodged the bag inside. I turned around and everyone was busy doing one thing or another. They rarely spoke to another nor reacted.
Now the sun had began to sprout in the clouds and darkness was slowing fading away. The search party were now returning to base and it seemed normalcy would return again. More trouble was looming for me, I didn’t know.
I began to plan my escape but it was beginning to look nearly impossible. The forest was so vast that I couldn’t tell it’s exit nor entry point. Neither had I any clue how far it was from the city. If I chose to go by foot, how far could I go before eventually dropping dead on the way.
And even if I succeed going with a vehicle, how could I navigate my way through without being spotted. I was clearly in a fix, and the more I thought, the more hopeless I became.
“Hey! lazy ass!!” One of the men yelled at me “Get to work! get the bags into truck!”
I began limping back to the cabin. Now more men had joined in moving the bags to the truck. I walked back in and began to observe the cabin, everyone was still busy. This time I spotted a phone somewhere on a table, picked and pocketed it without being seen. I then picked a full bag and joined the others as we headed for the truck.
The truck was now almost filled up and a brilliant idea immediately hit me. If I could hide amongst the bags without being seen, I could successfully make it to the outskirt of the forest and find my way through. I was still trying to process my plan when a voice began to echo through a loud mic.
“Brothers!! Gather here!!… The intruder is on rampage and he is now amongst us!” The voice began “Assemble here at once for identification! Everyone! Now!!!”
I looked towards the cabin and spotted an unclad man, bloodied and battered. He looked half-dead and was trying to narrate something to the rest. I knew at once he was the man I had fought with in the forest… He didn’t die.
“Sh!t!” I exclaimed, amidst clenched fists. I began to tremble.
As the others abandoned their job and made for the cabin as instructed, I looked into the truck and luckily the keys were still glued to the ignition. I quickly mounted the steering and turned on the ignition. I stepped on the accelerator and the truck began to crawl. It couldn’t move any faster due to the weight behind it.
I quickly disembarked and began to unload the bags. And while I kept at it, one of the men spotted me from a distance and began to accost me. I didn’t stop.
I timed him as he approached and before he could say a word, I pulled out the dagger and stabbed him in the neck. He fell down and began to struggle. He soon raised an alarm, trying to alert the others.
I abandoned the unloading and mounted the steering again. I turned on the ignition a second time and stepped on the gas. The truck moved a bit faster, the remaining load behind preventing it from full speed.
Now sporadic gunshots had filled the air behind me. Foot soldiers emerging from all directions in their numbers.
I set out through the woods regardless, unsure of what route to take.
To be continued…
Úncle Nnamdi wrote it ✍️
