NOT DEAD YET…
Our bus that once sped freely on the asphalt concrete without a care soon slowed down and made a sharp detour into a semi dark bush path. Fear and panic gripped us all.
“Wetin happen driver!?” A lady in front asked “Why you follow dis road!?”
“Make una no vex o. Na olokpa I dey dodge” The driver replied, steering hard “And this road dey shorter too”
Some men sitting behind began to murmur. Now the fast building tension had began to subside. I tucked my phone right into my handbag and turned to Irene, her face was straight and motionless.
“Babe, you don follow dis road before?” I asked her in a whisper. She turned to me and brightened up.
“No!” She snapped and sandwiched my right palm into hers. Her eyes began to dilate.
“Ah! me I dey fear o” I announced “Na only me my Mama get o”
Irene began to giggle.
“But na true na” I continued and exhaled “I never marry, I never born…”
The driver soon reached for his car radio, and with a slap on it’s surface, it came to life. ‘Prisoner by Lucky Dube’ began to play’. The ageless sound slowly permeated every nook and cranny of the bus as we rode on in silence.
The orange sun was beginning to set homewards.
It was now a bumpy ride as our bus wouldn’t stop galloping, causing us all to dance rhythmically as it swayed this way and that. Protruding twigs from nearby trees and bend elephant grasses greeted us as we journeyed deep into the unknown. I had this eerie feeling something was off, but I remained optimistic.
Our 21 days in NYSC orientation camp had finally come to an end, and my long sought freedom has been actualized. I couldn’t wait to see Mama again.
I thought of Mama’s reaction when she would finally sight me in my khaki and boots. This had been her utmost heart cry, the first prayer in her bucket list, and I was poised to make it happen.
I also thought of Papa, the glimmer that would spread on his face upon sighting his only child and daughter doing that which he couldn’t do. It’d be a huge honour, a feat that didn’t come cheap.
Camp had been a mix of both fun and stress, and I had lost so much weight in just three weeks. I had hated my first week there, had managed through the second but had my ease at the third. And with Irene as a friend and bunkmate, it had been one less stress.
“Ahh!!”
I heard the driver’s sudden groan snapping me out of my thoughts.
I clenched onto Irene’s palm and we both peered forward simultaneously, watching the driver changing gear and hitting the accelerator non-stop. A cloud of white smoke would rise from behind and vanished into thin air without a trace. Our vehicle has been stuck in a mud.
“Na wetin again!?” A young man asked impatiently “Abi you no know say na so dis road be before you pass am?”
“Ewww chim!” Another lady exclaimed amidst a short hiss
The driver ignored them, killed the engine and alighted. He found some dry log of wood and placed them behind the two back wheels.
“Abeg, una go come down make we push am o” The driver announced, and a brief pandemonium ensured. Everyone began to murmur and cu-rse at him. I joined in the tirade.
“What nonsense is this!!?” The lady in front barked, alighting slowly. She soon accosts the driver “What is even wrong with you drivers? eh? Are you guys really okay? What is all these!?”
We all began to alight one after the other. And as the exchange of words between the lady and the driver began to heat up, the driver soon grab the lady by the head, turned her around and snapped her neck. Her lifeless body dropped on the floor with a dull thud.
Fear gripped us all.
And still in our state of shock and disbelief, four masked men bearing guns, knives and clubs appeared from the thick bushes, ringed about us amidst pointed guns, there was no escape.
I began to panic and sob.
“Y’all get back into the bus!” One of the masked men presumed to be their leader ordered. “Any move or attempt to do anything funny, and you will end up like her”
While the rest of the passengers slowly returned back to their seats, irene held my hand and at the count of three, we both dashed into the bush, running as fast as our legs could carry us. It was a daring move and I didn’t see it coming.
One of the masked men immediately broke out of the gang and began to chase after us. Sporadic gunshots filled the air behind us.
As I ran, i didn’t see a tree stump in my way, ran right into it, tripped and came crashing on the hard earth. Irene didn’t stop, she continued on her heels and was soon lost in the thick foliages. As I tried picking myself up and getting back on track, my assailant was now within reach. He grabbed me by the hair from behind and drove a dagger into my right side. I let out a dying moan and dropped down again, this time to rise no more.
To be continued…
Úncle Nnamdi wrote it✍️
