Spilled Blood

by A. Achaka

  “No” he screamed and pushed himself to a sitting position, he turned and noticed a figure curl up in the blanket, and he was sweating profusely even as the AC was on. He turn on the bed side lamp and look at his watch it’s just two o’clock, sighed and got out of bed into the bathroom. For a moment looked at his face in the mirror, his eyes were red, he hadn’t have enough sleep all his life, it’s either one nightmare or the other. So tired of such, He rinsed his face in the basin and went back into the room.

  He felt the cold and turned off the AC and sink into the arm chair by the bed. He needed something to distract him from the nightmares thought, He turn on the television, a movie came on, but still the images of that nightmare flashes almost every second in his face. That same nightmare has been a snare to him, anytime he starts he would either be interrupted or woke up without getting to the end of it but this night was different he actually saw the end of it.

  For a moment he turned and look at the Erica, sleeping like an angel, she was more relaxed now, the AC had made her curl under the blanket. He sat back and think through his past, mostly to the murder of his parent right before his eyes. His mother had suffered the most, she was raped by seven men while he and his dad watched and then shot, he was about five years old, the only thing he remembered about the murderers was their scorpion tattoo at their neck.

  His dad was the judge of a court, very prominent for his fair trial on cases, won many award of excellence, while his mother was an Accountant working with a firm. Very happy family, they provided anything he wants, including the travels and vacations during holiday, he was the only child, sometimes he wished he had a brother or sister but he had been bless alone to his parent, He was a brilliant child and smart one.

  One day He came home from school and saw some men almost fighting his dad, they seems to be warning him about something he had no idea of. Later that night, was the nightmare that hunts him, He was in his room playing video game and a sound came from downstairs, it was actually screaming, he got up and left the room to see what it was, he was dragged by a masked man downstairs to watch the fate of his parent.

  Since that day he had promised to avenge their death and too God who made him, He went far round the nation looking for them and he did find them, one after the other and did the same to them even worst. But that became a part of him, no will to stop.

  The Nightmare has been his parents in flames alive, screaming and calling out his name to save them, but anytime he reached out for them he was either disturbed or found his eyes wide opened. But today was different, they weren’t just calling for him to save them but also to join them, it frightened him to his souls, it was as if he saw death in his face but escaped “why would my parent wants me to join them” he said to himself. The thought of him to quit flashed his mind, may be that was what his parent meant, He had avenged them and even more, i guess there is more consequencies to pulling the trigger and now no more will to stop, It was like his own brand of heroine, he had never shown any pity to anyone since he started, but now here he is with Erica.

  she so much remind him of himself, He was the oracle of the house, His words were always true, he had the same fate as her, he could see things before they happened, his father always listens to him but the last one he indeed was stubborn, He had begged his father not to take up the case but he was all about justice and look at what justice brought to him. Since his parent passed that was the last time, tears flows from his eyes. Now he looked at Erica, she could decide to do the same and that worries him, she would be totally destroyed and ruined, that was why he second guessed allowing her to go just to save himself.

  He was force to stop his thinking, when Erica woke up screaming “NO, No” the same thing he said, He almost ran, but to where. Her came open and she saw him seated in the arms chair, he was alarmed also, she got out of bed and jump on his laps whispering “you won’t die” He held her tight trying to reassure her nothing will happen to him. That was a massge for him, that came through the girl, he would not ignore this, because they are real. He held her closely and in no time he heard the soft sound, under his chin, she had gone back to sleep, gently he got up and laid her on the bed and covered her with the blanket and he pick up the key and went out of the room.

  Down the lobby was empty, it seems the reception had taken a break, the quietness made the room very attractive, for a moment he stopped and look at the paintings on the wall, indeed they were radient and catchy, none of which he knew what it was but it something you want to keep lock in your memory for a good time.

  He walk out of the lobby, the light outside at this time was more than pleasant to see than when they checked in, the lights on the sculpture made it seems to be moving, he remembered he had a course, he turn towards the parking lot straight to the car. He pop the trunk and opened a the bag in it, there was stash of money almost filled the bag, he zip it back and took it out and closed back the trunk and went back into the hotel.

  He came back to the room and set the bag down, Erica was still sleeping, He went down again and drove the out of the hotel premises, by then his watch was reading 4:15 am, he had no idea where he was going, but he knows he had to dispose of the car, it was still much dark outside the road was empty, he wasn’t familiar with the city but kept at it, until he came up to a bridge. He quickly pull over and think twice before doing what he had in mind. He set the car in motion and allowed it run freely down the bridge.

  Quite satisfied with that, he started his way back to where he came from. He was walking and looking around hoping that someone had not spotted him, far ahead he saw the first commercial vehicle, the morning hours has come, it was in the vending hours for the darkness to completely gives way to the day light.

  The moment he settled into the seat in the hotel room, it started raining, “thank God” he uttered, and when he turned, he saw her on a sitting position robbing her eyes with both hands.

  “Good Morning” she greeted, when she saw him looking at her, “did you pray when you wake up?” he couldn’t help but laugh,

  “I forgot” he said

  “Alright lets pray” he watched her closed her eyes and say a prayer.

  That same act brought back some memory, he was doing the same for his parent when he was little, but this days he had fallen very far from the tree that took his sins, could Christ ever forgive him? his thought drifted at some point, in his thought He heard “Amen” the second time, then he realise they were praying “Amen” he also said and finally raised his head to meet her staring at him.

  “Don’t worry you are not going to die” she said, when she finally opened her mouth, and he smiled

  “So what do you want for breakfast?” he asked her

  “Anything you will have” she got up and went into the bathroom, in no time heard the water running; she must be taking her bath, while he make the order. For the first time he actually wasn’t thinking of anything, He found the Mr. Bean show on the telly amusing and was laughing at the few act he had put on, when she finally came out of the bathroom, a knock came on the door followed by “room service” he went across and opened the door, it was a young lady wearing a white gown with protruding back side, she was heavily endowed both backside and front, she walk in a cat walk into the room with the order on a tray.

  Erica was the only one looking at her, she set the tray on the table and cat walk again to the door, she turn to see if he was looking but his eyes were glued to the television, she slammed the door in annoyance.

  He only turned when Erica burst into laughter

  “What it is?”

  “You mean you didn’t see, what that lady was doing?”

  “No, what was she doing?”

  “Seducing you” putting her hands on her waist in demostration

  “My mind was off there, I was watching this funny man” she raised her head to the television and who it was “Oh Mr. Bean” she exclaimed and sat down adjusting the other chair to enable her watch and eat at the same time
.

  She said a prayer again and went ahead to eat, during the mean time, he can help but imagine the type of magic, she possessed, anytime she say lets pray, there is this sharp pain that hit his chest but when she starts it despaired completely leaving without worries of anything.

  “You didn’t tell me your name?” she said, he raised his head and saw her looking at him.

  “Gideon but my friends call me Don”

  “Erica but my friends call me Erica’ the both smiled and continue eating

  “do you have parents?” that question brought a stop to his chewing, now the pain came back again, he couldn’t raised his head to look at her for some reason. He had now become soft at heart, and could not resist the girl’s question, or He felt again as if she wants to torment him, to know exactly what he dreamt about.

  “Used to” he finally said

  “What happened to them?” she paused with the bread half way,

  To himself he was a little child again, when he was asked what happened to his parent, he never used his mouth to tell except those who knew, he always avoids it and now here he is face to face with the question again. He finally swallowed the food in his mouth and he felt like springing to his feet and running out of the room but for a reason he couldn’t do it

  “They were killed” barely opening his mouth

  “Just like my parents” he raised his head and looked at her, she was playing with her spoon in the tea cup “ How were they killed?” now these was tormenting, He felt the pain sharp to his chest, he held it with one hand and rest back fully in the chair, HE always hates it when someone asked him about his parents, he remembered the last two people that asked him the same question, he made sure they lost their tooth, but now instead of anger he felt very weak and heavy, he couldn’t take his hand off the chest.

  Uncontrollable his mouth fall open and the words came out flooding as a broken dam, she wasn’t still looking at him. It took him about thirty minute, in full tears to explain what had happen to him and when he finally finished he was crying like a baby in her arms.

  “Its ok, that’s what you needed” she said, they struggled together because of his weak body to the bed and soon fall asleep. She went back to the table and continued eating her breakfast while watching the television.

  ****

  We set out crossing farmlands, I thought with the rains people will be chocking out in their farm but to our surprise none were there. I could remember what happened last night, as we walk, she spy at me with the tail of her eyes I just wonder what to make of it entirely.

  As we lay to sleep, it was uncomfortable but worm as we clinched together, I wake up severally in the night to make sure everything was ok, and back again. The early hours was more colder, she wouldn’t even let me get up to lok around, she held me tight at a point I felt my manhood protruding my trouser, I slip in my hand and pushing in between my thighs, then I could finally fall asleep.

  It was like a dream, I was with her under a mango tree intimately kissing each other, and it came as if she was forcing her tongue into my mouth, i forcefull opened my eyes and she quickly closed hers, it was then I knew she was kissing me in my sleep.

  I pretended it never happened so that was how it remained. She was one hungry girl, I said in my mind, does she even have a boy friend to begin with? that was not a question I should be asking myself. We finally got up, from the hard floor by then sun was up already, we washed our face and ate the remaining bread, and then set out to find our way home.

  “You didn’t tell me yours” she broke the silence

  “Mine?” looking at her

  “Your name”

  “Oh I didn’t? my bad, I have many names, is it my stage name or my nick name or my real name” I wanted the conversation to be lengthy, so we won’t be bored

  “All of them”

  “Are you sure, you want to know all of them?”

  “It doesn’t kill, does it?” I nod in rejection “well let’s hear it”

  “Ok, my stage name is Pino-x, my nickname is Samuel and my real name is Mr. Rabbit” she turns and burst into laughter, ‘wow’ she had a good laugh, I said to myself, at least that was what I wanted in the first place, to make her laugh

  “Now what kind of a parent would name their child Rabbit” she said in her laughter

  “A gangster parent, what would I do about it, beside I love it”

  “I thought you are honest person” she said still laughing, she kind of look cute when she laughs, I couldn’t help but smile

  “you look beautiful when you laugh” we both look at each other and went silent, now I felt very bad for make it quiet again, I caught her with the tail of my eyes tucking her hair behind her ear, I knew I hit a point, she would also steal a look at me too.

  “What do you do on stage, which you have a name for it, do you make people laugh or you sing?” she broke the silence with it.

  “Guess”

  “No tell me, I don’t like guessing” she said

  “Just guess, if you didn’t say it right I will tell you”

  “You sing!” she closed one of her eyes, may be i would second guess her

  “Why did you go for singing?”

  “Well your voice, its smooth and sweet” she said looking down, well she won’t be the first to tell me that about my voice, even guys tells me that my voice is smooth, well I feel satisfied with that answer

  “I sing and rap together, that’s why I needed a stage name” I saw her face in amazement she was looking at me

  “Do you have any song?” she asked, I reach into my pockets but the phone wasn’t there, she also noticed the panic in my face and stopped

  “What is it?”

  “My phone, I think it fell in that hut” she quickly check hers, it was intact

  “lets go back for it, beside we haven’t been long gone” she said, we turned and head back, indeed we hadn’t walk far enough, i rushed into the hut and saw it lying were we slept. I quickly garb it and we continued on our way, we totally forgot that we were in the middle of nowhere, just casually walking like two couples playing love in the forest.

  “Ok, lets me hear it” she said. I searched through my playlist, normally you would want to play the best of your song to peoples hearing, I came across one I did with my older cousin titled ‘AMEN’, it wasn’t a gospel song but the chorus had the Amen in it, so I gave her to listen to while we walk.

  I was watching her reaction to the song as we walk, suddenly she felt behind just listening to the song, i turn around and caught her staring at me.

  “Hurry up, let’s find our way out of here” I said, finally the song ended and she came and handed the phone to me

  “Play me another one, please” she was some what excieted

  “You know what, I promise you will listen to all of them, as soon as we get out of this place or finds a settlement” but she insisted on hearing, I search through and played her a dance track i did alone titled ‘DANCE with Pino-X’, I was still watching her closely, i can tell things more easily with someones reaction and when it was done, all she did was look at me, I started to wonder if the song was good or bad but why was she looking at me, she didn’t ease up on the looking, it made me very uncomfortable.

  We got to a hill and it was rocks actually, thank God both of us wore simple shoe. I did suffer a bit because the climbing wasn’t easy, at a point I had to carry her on my back to climb up. At the top of the hills, there was smoke coming out from a distance, it was covered by trees and bushes,

  “There must be a village or settlement, where that smoke is coming out” i told her, she was breathing heavily, seriously the hill wasn’t easy to climb, “may be we should rest a bit, before going down there” befor ei could finish my sentence she had sat down already, i just laughed and joined her.

  All of a sudden two men appeared behind her, they look very strange, I was lokking at them but couldn’t say a thing, i don’t think any screaming would help. They had white chalk
line up on their face and they tied on leafs to cover their nakedness and they have in their hands spears, they really look like warriors, i wasn’t ready to do anything stupid, that might be my last. She noticed me looking not at her but behind her and was sweating, she quietly turned and jump into my body, we were both scared and confused, she started crying and buried her face on my chest.

  Tow more sprang up behind the mountain, they were now four of them, holding up their spears up in the sky waiting for any more. Stupidly the thought of the gun i had with me came up, i slowly was trying to reach for it and my hand started viberating, the pain, throw me to the ground and she was on me, the spear pierced my arm, exactly where i was brushed by the bullet. I couldn’t cry but was just squinting. She on the other hand was on me, crying her face still buried and my squinting increased, she raised her head and saw the spear, in my arm then she screamed and the men pounced on me and tied me up and carried me while she was lead as they took us to their village.

  The little village was railing in noise, when they saw us approaching, well the men with visitors they captured, in my mind we were their dinner tonight. I calsiffied them as cannibals already, this is the worst of all punishment, i would have gladly stayed back and died in the hand of those murderers than to be eaten by these people.

  The village was too small i could see the entire huts with each corner of my eyes. They finally set me down, in an open filed that their huts was surrounding, it has a huge tree at the centre of it, in all my life i have nere seen such a tree, the stem was huge that three people together could not make a complete circle of it.

  I sat down, looking at them, their children were dancing infront of me, and young girls talking and pointing at me, they were chest free, meaning i could see their full breast out but their loins were coverd completely except for the little children. My had was still hanging there with the spare in it, it was becoming ver weak by the moment, I watched Emmanuella who was crying, in the hands of the women, they were ceriously adorning her with leaves, all over her, Its a good thing they didn’t take off her clothes.