by A. Achaka
“Who are you?” one of the mask men asked him, looking directly into his face, he trembled with fear but wouldn’t show it “Emmanuel” he respond “Emmanuel who?” The asked man’s voice is getting louder “Emmanuel Mbeya” “oh Honourable, I thought I recognise you” he left and whispered something to his fellow masked man and they both started laughing.
They stood there for a while, the masked men didn’t say what they actually wanted, many people started saying a lot of prayer
“don’t pray hard, it won’t save you from us, instead tell your God to accept your soul” one of the mask men shouted, the people went into murmuring and with a gunshot to the air, the only sound there, was the sound of trees waving to the little breeze that got them.
CHAPTER FIVE
All our attention was now focus on the tire screeching that came from a distance, the driver must have notice something awkward in the position of the people and the arm men. The man had been a driver of a transit cab for many years, so he could tell a police check point and a high way rubbery in process. He set his vehicle in reversed and hit that made smoke covered the whole car as it vanished away.
All our joy was, he would be our saviour to tell the Millitary men at the last check point about the akward incident happening down here, if they don’t kill us by then.
****
The check point officers miles away from the rubbery attack, where slowly doing the annoying routine check of vehicles, liitle did the passaengers know that it was a saving grace in disguise, but their murmuring was their unvoiced anger. In the heart of the search, a car was spotted from a distance approaching with a speed, which throws the whole people in a panic state.
The military men, took alarm and redress with their fire arms in position, while the other people run and took cover, some behind their cars and others in the bushes.
They were all in position waiting for and order from the sergent, may be to fire at will, but one thing happened, the approaching somersaulted twice came to an immediate halt in front of the check point.
The driver could get out from the car, everyone including the military men took to heel into the bush, I guess it is hard to tell which is which, with the recent insurgency hitting the heart of the city or rural areas. Their thought, was alarmed, most of the attack the insurgence hit, was through wired bomb strap up in a vehicle.
The driver staggered out his vehicle injured in the head, he was a little confused as were to go when he heard “go down” the voices confused him and he fell to the ground, and the military started popping out one after the other, “Sergeant what is it?” one of them asked “na that man oh, way just pass here not long ago”
Two uniform men came and pick him up from the ground, he must still be in shock, he wasn’t moving at all, but they poured water on him, he was up of his feet and tried running but he was stopped and allowed to seat for a while.
After some time the other passengers, pups out from their hiding places to see what was happening, making a semi circle around him. The man raised his head and shouted ‘Arm rubbers’ every one confused again asking “where” he looked around for a second then answered “in the forest, they killed people” that word draw back many people to their vehicle shouting at their driver to take them back.
The Military men had to confirm if it’s true again, from him and made a emergency call to their station about the happening. The response form the station was to wait for back up, which should be on their way in no time.
Some private vehicle on the journey had turn back, from where they came from, while the others took comfort in the checking point waiting for the emergency unit coming. The Military men took position, to alarming the more vehicle of the incident that was ahead least they feel the need to disobey the search. The passengers form aleast one or two groups talking of how the driver had saved them from and horror movie to be played in the cinema of their lifes.
****
My heart was beating out of its position on the hour, calculating a way out of this whole mess I find myself. Now I wished I have apologized to God earlier for the wrong impression I had created at home before leaving.
Now and then my mind kept on reflecting on that pamphlet or may be God had send the Evangelist to prepare us to his kingdom, looking at the faces of people that we took the same bus, I know the same issue will be running through their minds.
The cloud gave way to the sun in some part of the forest, but not exactly shining at the part of the road we were. I wander what the diabolical measure has been taken to pull this off, but it wasn’t funny. When we came to the queue earlier the heat was unbearable in the bus, then some of the people came down waiting for the road to be cleared.
I remain seated in the car when almost half of it went down including my Igbo neighbour, so it wasn’t as stuffy as it was, I pull out my phone and started playing a game I downloaded while playing music. It was interesting not minding what was going on around me until I felt a tap on my shoulder, turning I almost pee in my trouser as it was a gun directly in my face “Boy what are you doing in here get out now before I blast your head” a masked man shouted. I didn’t hear what he said with the earpiece in my ear but the gun in my face told me exactly what I want to hear, I rushed out of the car and almost collided with one of them, he quickly shifted and gave me a kick to my butt, which accelerated me to the end of the line.
My prayer was for God, to accept my soul in case nothing ever happened like saving us from this terrible turn of event. All we want was to be set free or atleast know what they want, if it is money, i defiantly know many igbo people would relinquish thei wealth to be saved. But none of that ever came, so we were left with the thought of what was going on, when one of the masked man took off his mask.
The scream from the lined up people, brought me from my thought and the road to paradise, all i was thinking was my misbehaviour and how the news of my death would get to my parent and when i looked up, i esclaimed because it was the evangelist.
“How can I make heaven” he spoke up “I was sent ahead to make all of you accept your faith, I hope you all have said goodbye to your family, because God told me that heaven needs more souls” you could imagine the cry of every one at that moment.
I knew it, that was a heaven call, I wish I had call my parents but no one really had a timing for death.
I thought I was the last in the line, because my focus was on the armed men moving towards the left, until I felt a strong grip to my right hand, I almost shouted, it was as if the blood had stop flowing throught it. My mind was in confusion, because no one knows where the killing will start, and any minute away from the many guns will be like your last. I don’t know, if I should look at who was restraining blood down my arms, or focus at the mask man standing in front of me with his gun by his side.
“Boy, won’t you help her?” the arm man shouted, that was the opportunity to look at who.
It was her hair I saw at first, because her head was facing down in fright, she was unable to stand, her legs were shaking profusely. I held her hand firm and helpled her up, and she throw her arms round me.
Her perfume was superb, but it was mixed with fear, i could tell she was an expensive one, i tried to dismiss the thought but it kept on lingering as she embrace me as a matter of lif and death. The voice of the arm man woke me up “I said help out, not make love to her” I tried get her off me but she was glued “hay leave him before I shoot” that words send more fear into her but she finally let go of me, them i saw her face, it was a touch of sunshine and rainbow, ‘this i had to look twice’ it echos in my head, she was so beautiful, about twenty years of age or so.
When our eyes finally met, I totally forgot that the masked man was still in front of us until he wake me up with a slap, that throws me straight to the ground.
“Get up boy” he shouted, she was in turn trying to help me up but it was interrupted when we all were asked to get down on our knees “Are you ok?” she whispered, she was in fright bu
t find the courage to ask, I just nodded and try not to look at her.
I saw the masked man walking away from us and i quickly stole a quick glance at her, she really look like the figure looking at me through a tinted glass ealier, but this was a very bad way to meet a beautiful girl or atleast it will be the last i see.
“life is to short’ I heard the evangelist talking “you better start asking God to prepare a space for you” I kept on wandering, what they are all waiting for, I have already make up my mind to die, if it had to be death but my eyes was travelling around the environment, the more minute they waste, the more frightened every one get, but i was seriously scanning the enire forest, for a possible exit, if by any chance a magic happenes or may be not.
My stares return from wandering, although i couldn’t concentrate, the moans of the people were distracting, this should be a robbery but nothing of such is happening, again the evengalist was talking about death and it also appears nothing of such is happening, now we are in the state of not knowing.
In my thought, i felt the grip again, but i wasn’t able to look because the arm man was coming back to us, after a short discussion with another fellow arm man. He came and walk past us, looking at the forest and back again. He stood for a while at our head and started down again “thank you” I said, and stole a glance, she only smiled and looked down.
Thirty minute had gone and nothing happened, no one dead and no one asking for any valuables. Our knees were getting sour, i was particularly interested in knowing what they want. While others were still lamenting, it was better to be killed at once than to be kept waiting. So far so good only the evengalist has shown his face to the crowd, but the others were still in mask, roaming up and down.
Few minute later two mask men, came out of no where with a small size ‘Ghana must go bag’ and emptied its content on the road in front of everybody. It was fresh mint one thousand naira notes in bundles, poured out on the road to our view and another man came up with a gallon, which must be fuel and poured some on the money.
“i hope its not what i am thinking” before i could complete the whisper, he flip his cigarette and soon the whole money went in flames. There and then every one know waht their fate would be, a robber burned what they after, it means there is more to what they want.
The wailing increased the more, women cry as hell, but my eyes wouldn’t stop looking around, i was determined to be shot from behind than seeing amy actual killer.
In less than a minute none of them was friendly again, i saw them boot a man, from the face, and stepped on him, that was the moment i search harder for an exit because it was not getting funny at all. Them mask men spread out to look out for every one. In counting we were more than fifty passengers and drivers, knelt down on the tarred road waiting for the jungle justice to be served.
The beauty by my side, held my hand firmly, it was like i would be the saviour, i my self was scared and despite my wandering eyes, i could not locate any route that seems fit for escape.
The next thing we heard was a coc sound from a gun and ‘bam’ it was let loose and a body made a sound sinking to the ground, the crying increased, i could not feel blood in my system anymore, the fear had stop it from flowing. In my little anxiety looking up and down another bullet went off and another body fall.
The girl squeezed my hand hard, i turned in pain to look at her but my eyes noticed something of interest, i quickly look back and discovered all the masked men were concern, with the next person to be killed. I pointed behind to her, she was still in confusion and couldn’t comprehend what i was showing her.
Out back to the forest were shrubs and grasses, grown, i don’t know how tall they are but i could see an escape route. I studied it and came to a conclusion that i can go and would not be noticed, but she had her hand firmly into mine, ‘what will i do?’ i search my mind.
Throught my thinking another gunshot went off, this time no more thinking, if i should be killed it should in running. I told her to crawl down to the bushes behind but she was too scared, “Adjust to the right” i had to shove her a little before she could move, because the man was too worried about his turn to die, and will really jeoperdise my escape route, once he noticed.
I watched the masked men, fighting who would do the next shooting, so i crawl down first into the grass and lay down there. The girl turned and realise i wasn’t by her side and she quickly turnd and i signalled her to come, she was to frighted, i have already made up my mind either she come or not, i would leave. I was about going to the shrubs, then another gun shot went off, and the masked men wailed and the fresh cries came more louder.
The girl realise it wasn’t going to stop and i felt her hand holding mine, i signalled her to be silent and showed her the shrub further, we stoop very low and dash to the shrub and the next and the next anthe next before we stopped.
The voices of the masked men was one heard, but the cries was from the people awaiting their destinies, i told her we have to move further so we can run, that we did, and when we got further into the forest we took to heels like never before.
****
With four people shot dead in the line, the others knew that this is what they call, a once open a time story, even a stranger passing would taste the fear in the atmosphere. If collected, the sweat running their bodies it will make a dam.
No one seems to remember any body he or she came with, everyone’s prayer was for a miracle of a sort to get them release them from these undertakers. Suddenly a phone call came through, every one of the masked men search themselves but it wasn’t coming from either of their cell phones,
“Hello” a little girl down in the middle answered her phone, the incident surprised the masked men, as they stood there watching the little girl make her call, when she was done, one among the masked men called her, without fear she stood up and went to him, of all the people she was the youngest of all the people on the road
“What is your name” he asked her
“Erica” she answered who are you here with she turn around and look for a moment and then point to a man kneeling in the line
“Honourable?” he called out “that is interesting, young little girl has a phone” he said as he laugh.
Some set of blocks wile put in place, for the leader of the masked men, he seems to be waiting on a phone call, his eyes was always on the phone in his hand, that was why he quickly reach for it when the call came but to his dismay it wasn’t his.
The heat was getting too much, and one by one the mask men took off their mask, now they were not scared of anything because all the people were doom to die. The moment the leader took his off, Erica who was standing in front of a mask man became startled, she turns and heads towards him, the masked man cock his gun and raised it towards her.
“Please don’t shoot” the Honourable and his wife shouted “didn’t you hear them put down your gun” their leader said to him, when finally Erica was standing in front of him, she was looking at him in the eye with no fear.
The leader called out, with a signal and another block was brought and kept for her to seat on facing him.
“What do you want young lady?” he asked, she sat quietly for a minute then throw a sigh out
“I saw you in my dream” he quickly raised his head and look at her.
“What was I doing, in your dreams?” he asked
“You were seating just like you are doing, and your people are killing the people kneeling down” he looked at her again, she seems more intelligent for her age.
“How old are you” he asked
“Ten years old”
“What class are you?”
“Primary five”
“What else happened in your dream” he asked
“One of your men will shoot you at the end” that word came down to his head at once, he don’t know if to be angry or concerned at her statement, deep down something worries him which he didn’t share with anybody, ‘how can a little girl like this, have such a
gift of receiving massage’ he said to himself.
He remember himself when he was little, he was a good boy they call him a Wizard because he could tell event and it come to pass, he so much love it, because everybody was afraid of him, they all thought he does it himself, then things change when his father was murdered, right in front of him and his mother raped to dead by some masked men, that thought brought hatred to his face but he knew better than to mix business with personal afflictions.
“But you can save yourself” she continued “you can leave before the last person is been killed, so that it won’t happen but either way you are going to be caught” she was looking directly into his eyes as she said that.
“What about you will you die?” he asked her, her eyes were looking unblinking at him.
“No, but I will watch you, give order for my parent to be killed, in front of me” he couldn’t believe for a moment, she is too smart and frank in her words. Such a massage should make her cry all day but here she was in front of him talking boldly, with her parent to be killer.
“Does your parent knows, about your dreams?” he asked
“Yes they do, they always abide by it, until today, when my father failed to listen to it and I think he had a good reason for it or he knew it will happen”
Now he felt sorry for her, but they were already paid but one thing he know that he won’t let anyone harm her, she deserve to live.
He was still had his eyes on the cell phone when the call came, he could see the excitement of the masked men, they knew the order has come, by the time he had finished recieving the call, little Erica was crying already.
He got up from where he was seated and went to one of the men and whispered to his ear and look back to her, who was still crying then to her father, he pick him up and took him aside.