Blood from Uche was sipping to the car seat; the aura of death was everywhere. My face was swollen and bruised..i was still putting on an over-sized shirt with just bra and panties beneath, but that didn’t matter, I was praying for uche…
Me: why not take him to Best-care hospital, its closer?
Jafar: The doctors there would not treat gun-shot wound patients until they get a report from the police, that’s the normal practice..
Me: so where are you taking him to?
Jafar: there is another hospital in Ago, the doctor was one of us before he graduated…
Me: A cultist? I said that on purpose, I wanted him to hurt. He didn’t look at me, or act like I had taken a swipe at him..
Jafar: yes, a cultist like me..
The hospital/Clinic was a small building; painted beige outside without any sign-board showing it was a hospital. We were met outside by some nurses, Uche was swiftly taken inside. While Jafar waited at the lobby, I was examined by the doctor who prescribed some drugs for me and told me I was lucky not to have broken a bone. I walked out of his office with him to meet Jafar. The way their crew greeted themselves that used to amaze me before became revolting. The doctor and Jafar exchanged a brief hailing before they excused themselves and went to a corner to talk. Soon the hospital was filled with the other guys, the doctor had gone to work on Uche, when he came back out, you could see the fear in their eyes…they were quiet..
Doctor : He is going to be fine! The idiots started with their chants again, the doctor smiled, proud of his brothers…I looked at Jafar, he looked like a dad that had lost children but glad that one had survived. I was pitying him then I remembered how he had killed those guys…I excused myself and went to throw-up.. The doctor said they would have to donate blood for Uche, and he might be admitted for up to a week. We all knew it was unsafe for a spirit man to be left in a hospital.
On our way back to the house, I sat at the back of the Hilux with Sparrow, Jafar sat with another guy infront..
Jafar : The doctor said you would have to rest for a while, so I suggest you chill a bit before you go to Sagamu. I ignored him.
As soon as we got to the house, I noticed the corpse had been carried to the living room. Five bodies in total. One of Jafar’s, Four of theirs. They were covered with clothes. I easily identified Eli, he was at the centre. I walked into the room, Jafar followed me close behind..
Jafar : I am sorry about what happened..
Me: where did you guys go to?
Jafar: we got info that the government wanted to drop off some weapons for them at Aiyepe by dawn, so we decided to set an ambush…but I sensed trouble when I didn’t see Eli among them. While the other guys engaged, I called you and came back as soon as I could..
Me: The snitch set you guys up?
Jafar: I don’t know, all I knew was that Eli was not to be taken lightly, I am glad I followed my hunch.. He approached me, wanting to hold me..
Me : Jafar stop! He looked at me, confused.
Me: the door is broken so I cannot lock it, but I want you to leave me alone…
Jafar: you are sending me out of my room?
Me: yes! He wanted to talk but stopped; He picked up his and some other items and left… I started crying…I picked up my phone to call Toun… To tell her Jafar had killed Eli. As instructed, nobody disturbed me in the room, I was curled in bed like a cat. I wondered what they were doing with the corpses lying in the parlor. Eli’s face was still haunting me.
In as much as I hated him and was glad that he was dead. Murder was best imagined and not seen, from how loud the gun was, to the tongue and eyes…the brain matter on my body ,grey with flecks of blood. The only thing Toun said after I finished narrating my tale was
“Thank God”..
Jafar’s house was isolated at Aiyegbami, so whenever cars approached, they were clearly perceptible. There were a lot of cars that approached the compound that night. Then the sounds stopped, I started hearing people hitting objects on bottles. Out of fear I ran outside of the room, the corpse was still there…the guys could here the bottles too…but they weren’t perturbed. I saw Jafar sit all alone, I ignored him and went to look through the window. The guys I saw outside were more than fifty, around their head was a white piece of cloth..Somoe divided into two columns, then Orisa walked to the front..
Orisa: Jafar! Jafar walked outside to meet him..
Me: are you guys crazy! Wont you go and protect him? They did not answer me, so I ran outside to stand beside Jafar…
Jafar: Orisa!… Orisa walked up to Jafar and brought out a bottle of Schnapps and two tiny cups…
Orisa: we come in peace… They both took two gulps with the cup…
Jafar : you are welcome…
Orisa: the bodies?
Jafar: well and Gallant…
Orisa: thank you. Jafar’s men had formed two files from the parlor to the edge of the veranda. Orisa’s men continued the file to a bus that was parked. Then one after the other, the three bodies of Eli’s fallen men were carried between the files to the bus. Eli’s body was the last to be carried, Jafar and Orisa were the ones that carried it.
As they passed through the file, Jafar’s men on each side bowed down, when they got to where Orisa’s men were, they started hitting their bottles again…they continued until the body was dropped in the bus.. The guys on both sides exchanged drinks, and in no time…they were gone..
To be continued
