Immediately I saw him, I felt a bit relieved. I told him that I needed to get something for the baby to eat and that I needed his help. How I got that kind of courage to talk to a killer like that, I don't know. All I knew was that I needed to do everything for that child to eat, even it meant me going through hell in the hands of the men. The boy looked at me for a while without saying anything, then suddenly he said '' follow me ''. I wondered what he was thinking of at that point, but I did hope in my heart that he was becoming better and having his emotions back. I followed him as he took me pass the tents where the men were sleeping. While we were walking, I saw a big spider. I am allergic to spiders, any contact made with them gives me skin rash instantly. When I saw this one, I wanted to scream but the boy quickly closed my mouth. He warned me that if the other men heard my voice, they would kill us both. I quickly got back myself '' sometimes you really need to man-up. If not for anything, for the children with you '' I thought to myself as I continued walking. We got to a point and the boy told me to stop and wait for him outside as he entered a tent. I waited quietly for him but at some point he was taking too long, so I decided to survey the place and look for a way we could escape. I walked gently, watching my every step. I realised that there were no buildings there only tents. The only building there was the little room they kept me and the children. I saw ammunitions lying around everywhere. At that point the thought in my mind was to take all of them away. I began to hear a little female's voice coming from one of the tents. The voice seemed familiar, more like I had heard it before. I followed the sound of the voice to get the exact tent it was coming from. When I got there, I hid in such away that no one could see me. I peeped through the tent and saw one of the men half naked, holding a bottle of an alcoholic drink. He was going closer to the little girl. I peeped a little deeper only to discover the little girl was Amina. She was tied to the bed naked. '' Please! don't rape me, the other man already did and it hurts please! '' she said crying. I couldn't believe that was my Amina, my little Amina on that bed. I felt so much rage within. I had never killed an ant before but I had the rage to kill a human. I got so angry that I took a sharp wood beside me and was about to enter into the tent when the boy came to me and dragged me out of there quietly. He took me far away from the tents where no one could hear our voices. '' What were you thinking about, do you want to get caught '' he said, lending three bottles of milk to me. I took the bottles with tears in my eyes '' what do you mean get caught. What's the point of living when you know this monsters are hurting the ones you love. She's just a little child. Why would they do such thing to her '' I said crying. The boy looked at me speechless for a while. ''Why aren't you saying anything, say something. Are you not one of them? Why do you people derive pleasure doing things like this'' I asked him. While I stood there questioning this boy, I saw the same spider again. This time, I stepped on it till it died '' no time to be scared of spiders'' I thought. He took me by the hand and dragged me to the room back. Before I entered he looked at me '' if you really want to save this children, don't let your emotions get over you. use your brains '' he said as he shut the door. I quickly rushed to the baby girl and gave her one bottle of milk.
I had barely slept before I started hearing men shouting outside and gunshots everywhere. I quickly stood up from the floor and forced my eyes to open. I staggered my way to where the little girl was to check her temperature and realised she had gotten better. I felt peace but I knew all was not done until I found a way to escape. The more this little children stayed there without eating anything, they could die from starvation or different kind of diseases. As silly as it sounded to me, I had to look for an escape plan. I didn't know how we were going to escape this men, but I knew we were.
Late at night, I hit the door again hoping for the boy to answer. But this time, one of the men opened it and like always dragged me outside. He threw me to the floor and pointed his gun to me '' I nor talk say make you nor dey disturb person. you nor dey hear word abi. '' he shouted at me. While he was about to pull the trigger, the boy rushed to where I was. '' She dey with me. Na me talk say make she come outside. She wan piss '' He told the other man. The man reluctantly left '' you get luck say I nor kill you dis night '' he said as he walked away. I stayed on the floor for a while, I couldn't believe I escaped another death '' I need to be more careful '' I thought. The boy stretched his hand for me to stand up. When I stood up, I asked him why he rescued me. After asking the question, it didn't seem right coming from my mouth, ''did I want to die before'' I thought. He turned his back to walk away but I stopped him. I told him to give me some of his time, that I needed to why he wasn't like the others. Why he hadn't killed me because it seemed the only hobby this men had was killing people. He told me that it wasn't any of my business and that I might not be lucky next time. I held his hands and looked into his eyes '' it's not really about being lucky, you wouldn't kill me but the question is why '' I asked him. He removed my hands and was already walking out on me. ''The oldest child there is twelve years old and that's Amina who is being used as a sex slave. I know there is still a little bit of emotion in you. Help me lets take this children out of here. You are better than them'' I said. He walked towards me with rage in his eyes '' who told you am better, I have blood of the innocents in my hand. For people like us, there is no redemption '' he said. '' Maybe, but at least try making things right by saving this little kids ''. I told him. He sat down and put his hands on his face, crying. '' I wasn't always like this you know. When I was twelve years old, these men came to my house and killed my father. They told me that if I didn't join them, they would kill my sister too. I had no choice. When I was fifteen, I killed a little child and since then I never saw a reason to live again. I haven't killed again but killing that child makes me feel I have killed thousands of people '' he said.
I didn't know what to tell him. I felt his pain but for the fact that he killed someone made me feel he was just like the rest of them. I believed everyone has a choice no matter what and he made the choice to kill. The intensity of his cry increased. He was in deep pain and regrets, I could tell. I walked close to him and sat down beside him. '' I am an orphan. When I was five, I was taken to the St Peters Orphanage home. My parents died from these men also. I don't know what happened to my brother. Sister Loveth took care of me and made me the woman I am now. I went to the university and studied botany. I hadn't gotten back for long when this attack occurred. I watched Sister Loveth die in front of me. I wasn't as strong as she was, I was always the wayward and stubborn child. That night before this accident, I drank a lot because my boyfriend broke up with me. I didn't even bother to join them in the love feast they had and when I woke up, almost everyone was dead. I blame myself every time for their death. If I had not drank too much, I would have been awake to save some of the children. So yes you are not the only one that have regrets, I have to. But something sister Loveth would always tell me is to take responsibility and that's what am doing now. I don't have much on me but at least the remaining minutes or seconds I have with me, I would use it so save as many lives as I can'' I said to him crying.
He stood up, held my hand and told me he was ready to help me. I felt really good about that. He took me to a tent instead of the room and when I asked him why, he told me that Amina was there. We walked inside together and I saw Amina lying lifeless on the bed. I ran towards her and carried her. While I was about to leave, I heard the voice of one of the men, '' na you go die''...........
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