Spilled Blood Read online

  ****

  Little traffic on the way, Honourable Emmanuel was deep in his own thought when Erica tapped him

  “Daddy, I want Ice cream”

  He turns and his face caught his wife looking at him, his eyes lingered from his wife to Erica behind but Emmmanuella was buried in her music miming the song with her lips, he finally came back to the car so he told the driver to make a quick stop at the nearest Mr. Biggs he laid his eyes on.

  “Are you happy now?” he turned and ask her, she nodded and lean back to her seat, in the mean time the car went silent, moving slowly behind a Toyota Camry. The driver manage to overtake the car and almost hit a bus, the driver park the car and jump out immediately shouting at the bus driver, who step on the break without caution.

  The Honourable watched quietly what was happening, the quarrel almost got physical when he send his ADC to call the driver, when everything was calm the driver came back to the car still paranoid, silently murmuring his grivances through his lips but the Honourable didn’t make it much easier for him “I thought you will be more gentle” he said “perhaps nothing happen to the car” the driver’s face swells the most, he thought his boss would side him on this issue, he kick start the car and drove slowly.

  Emmanuella’s eyes was glued through the tinted glass of the vehicle facing the bus, as if exchanging a glance with someone, even when the car pass by she was still looking through the back.

  The anger the driver held, made him to forget he was suppose to stop at Mr. Biggs until Erica reminded him, when he almost drive past one, he quickly hit the break and a car almost bashed him too, this time he was quiet because he was at fault, he manage to get his way into the parking space in front of it. The whole family went down leaving the driver in the car, his annoyance grow as he saw the bus driving pass through the rear view.

  “I might even leave this Job sef” he shouted, he was startled when he heard someone talk back “What” it was Emmanuella who was glued at one side of the back seat watching his reaction, at that moment he felt embarrassed and was silently wishing she would not tell her dad what he had said.

  She put back her head phone looking to the direction of Mr. Biggs building, she smiled when she saw them coming with more than one polythene, the driver adjusted in his seat showing how uncomfortable he was when they approach the car. The driver caught her eyes through the rear view and set on a pity face but she quickly dismissed the look and was anticipating what they bought for her.

  When they were finally in the car, he made a quick glance at the mirror hoping to get her but it failed this time, so with a heavy heart beat he started the engine, put in reverse and out he goes.

  Emmanuella was excited when they handed her a box, it was chocolate and Ice cream, Strawberry her favourite “thanks Dad” she said as the car set it course on the road.

  Little Erica was now the most excited one in the vehicle, I guess that gesture cooled off the thought of the dream she had in the night. At one time they call her the oracle of the house, because she predict some things and it came to pass, some times before her parent travel they inform her a day before and they will get their feed back in the morning if to travel or not.

  It’s like a saving grace to the Mbeya’s family, but something didn’t seem right because the Honourable dismissed the warning she altered that morning, the presentation he have seems very important or he has his own target at the event but either way he has defiled the warning of the oracle and he knows it.

  The Ordily sat quietly beside the driver in a black blazer coat, I wander if he feels the heat although the AC in the car makes it more convenient, he didn’t look back at all even when talk to, he look a very serious type called business before pleasure, Umar was what they call him.

  The honourable prefer him to any other in the security around him, he proves to be an honest person and diligent in his work but he sometimes wander why they never ask him about his family or his faring, or maybe they thought he was a ghost without anybody. He would smile when his thought came to a time when little Erica asked him, if he had any children, he was surprise and felt relieve she even gave him a doll to give to one of his daughter, there he felt accepted.

  He would frown at the recently happening, he came home one time and was told that his older daughter was raped in the neighbourhood. He felt like killing himself if not for his wife who intervened, he hadn’t been a father to his children, always at the service of other people. But the wisest thing he ever did, was to build himself a house and a big departmental store for his wife in the town, he sure do know how to prepare for an exit, because his job is a risk taken one he wouldn’t want his family to suffer if anything goes wrong.

  “Umar” his boss called,

  “Yes Sir” he answered without turning back

  “I heard what happened to your daughter, I overheard the other security saying it, I am so sorry” Honourable said

  “What happened?” Evelyn inquired

  “She was molested in the neighbourhood” he said

  “Oh my God, when?” she asked

  “It was last month, but she is ok” he replied

  “Why didn’t you say anything, did they get who did it?”

  “Common woman, don’t raise old wound again, we are deeply sorry Umar about the incident, just don’t keep quiet when something happened ok?”

  “Yes sir and thank you” he replied with a whole new calmness in himself, then turn and glance at the driver whose face is still strong as a rock. Umar noticed his anger but didn’t say a word, actually he has a feminine characteristic of jealousy.

  Godwin was what they call him always carrying himself higher than anybody among the ad hoc staffs of the house. Umar smiled and focus on looking straight the road.

  Every time conversation sparks in the vehicle, Godwin’s would adjust in his seat and with his eyes straight to the rear view, looking if Emmanuella was the one talking, he knew he lost it back there he had always been to careful hiding his anger and jealousy towards everybody, he was of average intelligence and went for collage NCE, according to him that his parent weren’t rich enough to send him and his siblings to school, so as much as possible he tries everything to impress his boss which always goes unnoticed.

  He remembered the last time he stir up a fight between the other driver and a security guard, it wasn’t funny but his angry mind wouldn’t let him leave happily with the others in the house always a ‘hater’ now I guess he had his own piece for saying too much to the hearing of his boss daughter. Now in a calm state he drive as fast as he could overtaking all the cars in front of him

  ‘Godwin we didn’t tell you, we are on a race, do we?’ Evelyn asked

  He slowed down on the speed and look through the rear view again for Emmanuella’s eyes but couldn’t get it, “what a gem” he whispered to himself ‘what’ replied Umar who turn to him, but he didn’t reply or say a word just focus on the road and move at the speed of 90k/h as they vanish out of the city.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  The bus was now stuffy, I always wander if some people have their bath before embarking on a journey like this, or some are very loose to fart. I couldn’t bear it, i had to put my fingers to protect my nose. my eyes caught the giant phone my Igbo neighbour was holding, and couldn’t believe what he was watching, I traced his face first before joining him to watch, when he understand I was interested in the movie, he stretched it closer so we could share.

  It was the fast five, I remember that film like the back of my hand, very interesting, I watch it very carefully and then it came to my attention that back then in the city, when our car almost collided with a jeep, i saw a faminie figure staring through the tinted glass, it was just a glance for me because i was too interested in knowing what the driver was fighting.

  “Sir, what is the name of these film” that question came from a young guy sitting by my right hand side, I looked at him first, he looks very interested in the movie so I told him “Fast five” and continue
to watch. With the corner of my eyes, I would look at him straining his neck to get a view of it, in my mind I thought I liked film but now I have seen who like it best.

  The atmosphere in the car changed from bad to worst, and the hot air was no better either, looking back some of the male passengers had only their vest on, while the females had either a fan or something to fan some air to cool off.

  My eyes trail not only to the movie, but out the window, we were almost at the verge of leaving the city. The houses were sparse, with a lot of virgin land lying freely, I wander why people would choke the entire city, leaving an opportunity of freedom out there in the country side.

  In no time my self drift from the movie to self thought, I had one thousand and one things running my mind, with alot of money and virgin free land as the one i saw, i was already fantesising about the latest development and industry to build, God knows the state needs that for a change. Not long i hand an imaginary handshake with a farmer about his land thet a voice came hitting my ear drum, a man spoke up.

  “I want to talk to you about Jesus” he said.

  I noticed all the passenger’s faces changed, I thought this thing usually happen at the beginning of a journey, why now or why here?

  “Please listen to me, I am a Evangelist” the man continued “the Lord ask me to talk to you, there are many of us who don’t know who they are in Christ, or if something happen they don’t know exactly where they are going, but I have a good news for all of you, Jesus is Omini-potent it means he is everywhere”

  I couldn’t help but feel a little guilty myself, the way I left things back at home came back rushing like a flushed water down the sewer, I hate it when my Papi (Dad) will want to monitor my life, they say we call them old school, but I feel they are pushing us hard, not to be ourselves, i always asked if I have any chance ever living on my own, because anywhere I go he always has someone to look out for me and that always make me helpless and vulnerable which sickens me to my veins.

  My fist were clinch in anger, as the thought kept coming to my head but I was interrupted the man beside me, who handed me a pamphlet distributed by the Evangelist. I refused to accept because I hate the idea of so many so called men of God, on the loose like a wild cat, turning people into their own whatever.

  “Hay, try it out, it might be what you need” the man by my right mentioned, I stretched and received it. Actually the heading caught my attention for a bit ‘HOW DO I MAKE HEAVEN’ my eye bulb out on the sight of it “this is interesting’ I mentioned out, “you see I told you, It might be what you need” The man mentioned too, mine was a critic statement not a welcome idea, I actually want to know peoples perspectives when they talk about Heaven

  “Each one of you have an obligation, to make heaven” the Evangelist continued “no body can coarse you into believing what you don’t want to believe, but life itself is not fair, but we Christian have a mandate, to make sure our neighbours are going to exactly where we are going”

  “Excuse me” a man called out “I notice how you Christians take yourself, feeling like you are the righteous ones, but tell me how it that there is too much of back biting among you than there is, in any other religion?”

  I exclaimed at that question, never in my life have I seen anybody talk back to a preacher or ask question like that. We obviously are heading like sheep to be slaughtered in the field, but one thing that amazed me the most was the calm nature of the evangelist, he first of all congratulate the man who was surprised.

  “In all my life, even when I was call to be an evangelist” he finally said “no one has ever come out to ask a question or say something, and to say the truth you are right” now everyone in the bus has their focus to hear what he had to say.

  The silence in the bus, told him that he had to be extra careful the way he answer the question or else he will be called fake. “but the reason is temptation” he mentioned out, everyone looked confused at least not what everyone expected then he continued “You remember when Jesus said, that temptation will come, you best try to avoid it not in particular what he said but, people are in different category, what I could stand will make someone fall, so in simple word before I go further, Christians have a lot of temptation because they are heading the right way and because of other influence the devil uses, he caught those in the act of back biting in his nest, such as hatred, envy, malice, jealousy, idolatry and so on. The devil knows your weakness and act on it that is why”.

  The answer shocked most of us, it is somehow true but no one would admit it, the man who asked the question kept his mouth opened at the response he has gotten. Although when someone is out for an arguement, it doesn’t matter if the question is answered correctly, he still continues, but the evengalist had a mission and he continues to teach the passengers in the bus.

  “How do I make heaven” he continued talking “has been the question, alot of people always ask, but I always tell them to be ready to die” that word brought back the bus to live, I guess no one want to hear the word death, even when they are suffering of a souring disease “Death is the beginning of life” he started again “I notice how faces change in this bus, because of this word Death, yea let me rephrase, the word life began when you are death to self” at least that brought relief to the peoples mind.

  Now people are eager to hear him say more, when a car zoom past with high speed, people shouted and started complaining some even say the man his heading for his death. Obviously everyone could be a prophet at the incident that happen.

  My mind went a distance into the evangelist word, I search my mind to see where I have gone deeply wrong, then I stumble on how I left things back home with my dad. It wasn’t funny the way I shouted back at him, I always feel like he want to always be in charge of my life, I hate being vulnerable when am super active.

  That night I told him that even if he doesn’t want to bless me, God will not abandoned me, my mom shad tears at my tone and harsh word, they always knew I was an arrogant one, but the way I shouted was the first time she actually saw me like that, now my mind was racing on that “God forgive me” was the word that came out of my mouth, that the Igbo man beside me turned and look at me.

  We arrived at a check point, the army man answered the greeting said by the driver and still asked us to pull over not just that, everyone should come down. We all rushed out, half of the passengers were murmuring, as the uniform man search vehicle.

  I stood alone, at the corner watching the search goes on, when the same jeep that almost collide with our bus came passing, with my previous thought, I sensed that someone was looking at me, through the tinted glass. The Army man wasted time looking at nothing, I think he was looking out for trouble, may be anyone would run his mouth and the ineveitable would happen, but after a thorough search, he eventually allowed us to go.

  Going back into the bus, it was like starting the journey all afresh with a barnd new air, very confortable and the journey continued.

  In the forest many miles after the check point, was a big tank road block that both the vehicles coming and going are still waiting for the force men to come and release them, while gradually the cars are piling up in a queue.

  The men in the forest, spread out in a long sparse queue too, that will enable them cover the whole cars that are line up waiting to be released by the check point masters, they were covered in mask waiting for the signal from the boss. “What is going on” asked some of the drivers that came down from their cars to get what the hold up were all about.

  The queue had increase in a little while, both drivers and passengers from certain vehicles got down to express their grievances, in the hold up.

  It wasn’t long enough before the same jeep, joined the que, i thought they must have been ahead of us, since the last check point but here they are, i was hoping the reflection i saw throught the tinted glass, should step out since we are all waiting to be cleared.

  The boss of the masked men signalled them to get ready, as more vehicle ca
me to a halt in the queue, the sky seems to hear the cry of the people, as cloud gathered in the sky, it looks a little dark as if it was going to rain, followed by the sound of gunshot, everyone was confused, no one have any idea of what was going on or where the gunshot was coming from, the masked men jumped out of no where shouting “Get down” people became more confused running up and down, it seems like a riot but with specific people in control, one of the gunshot send a security man down, it obvious he had a fire arm with him.

  The cars behind tried to reverse back but were caught up with bullets, and stopped, that gave a big warning to everybody not to make a dirty move. The men acted very crazy, the atmosphere seems to be agreeing with their attack as they demand everybody to come down from their vehicles and lie down on the road.

  Its a pretty scary thing, most people had never seen something like this and the panic was very much taken, it didn’t take long before they got everybody out of their vehicles.

  It was an unusual treatment, once every one was down, they asked us to get up in a single straight line facing them. The noise they were making could confused someone. A man saw a chance and took up to heels, but he didn’t go too far because he was dropped down by a bullet to his back, that should send a warning to any one trying something crazy.

  The line they created was a very long one about hundred people in line waiting for what their faith will be.

  Honourable Emmanuel was among the lined people, seeing his ADC dead thrilled him but he had to be strong for his family and thinking of that his mind went to the Oracle of his family, she was down at the tail end of the line, indeed she had warned him but he still believe something would happen to save the day, in the same thought “what if something never happened” he had brought his family to their death sentence, the thought of them dying kept on drowning him, he had always wander how a little girl will get something an adult should have handled. Deep down he knows he was envious of his daughter for that gift and always want to prove that some of the massage give were just nothing but it always turned out to be true which sickens him. This time there was a presentation, he had been preparing his whole life and now his ego has brought them into the lion’s den, his thought was interrupted with a question.