MY DESTINY HELPER
8️⃣
After he had already left, someone came up behind me. A small thread was hurriedly tied around my neck as I turned to see the person’s face and he pulled it back with all his might. I began to struggle, swinging both of my legs in an effort to free myself. I was fighting for my life. I was no match for him considering my present state. Even though I couldn’t see the person’s face, I could tell that it was a man and that he wanted to kîll me.
The young man approached quickly and as soon as he saw him, he released his hold on me and hurried off. I sat down while panting hard and began urinating on my gown.
“What is it again!” He said and dropped the jar of water looking so confused. I was hearing him but I was finding it difficult to talk. “Young girl I’m talking to you. Didn’t I tell you to stay here?” He repeated again and I began tapping my throat with my left hand trying to signal him. “This girl it seems you don’t know you’re wasting my time. Just take this water first. I’m coming.” He stated, dropped it and left.
I crawled inside the bush, dug a tiny hole on the ground with my hands and buried it after I had finished excreting. I crawled back to the spot and gulped almost the entire water on the small jar. My body was constantly shivering. My mind wasn’t at rest considering the man that wanted to kîll me. I was looking around every second to see if another person was after my life.
I’d be hearing sounds of women screaming meanwhile, some men with different forms of arms would be passing by and I could see them clearly but they couldn’t because of where I was. All I could do was to cover my mouth with both hands and remain silent. The guy later sped over and carried me on his back with both hands. “They’re having a meeting. Oya oya get up. Get up. Come let me take you few distance from here so you can find your way.”
He took me close to a small river and made his way to leave. While he was about leaving. I halted him. “Thank you for helping me.” “It’s alright. You can find your way from here.” He said. “But you said you helped me because I’m Nigerian?” I questioned him while panting heavily. “When I saw your country on the list, I saw you and the stress you’ve gone through, and something urged me to save your life. Quite soon, they’d be on the lookout for you…The others that came with you have been slaughtered. Probably I’ll tell them that you ran away. You know time has gone far. Just find your way. Take this cutlass with you to protect yourself.” “Thank you sir. Thank you. Thank you for saving me.” I appreciated him. He left the jar with me and left.
I used the water to rinse the wounds on my leg. I rinsed my body and my dress as well. I started to eat some of the grapes behind me. I tried to get up but was unable to after eating as much as I could and washing my mouth. I instantly collapsed. It appeared as though I had lost all of my vitality. I could only crawl like a toddler at my highest position. Because of this, my gown would always get filthy.
I couldn’t cross the river. I just cried there, pondering in thoughts and praying for God to help me. “”Mummy, your daughter is in pain over there. I wish you were able to hear me. I wouldn’t have believed if someone or a prophet had informed me that I would spend the night in a bush. How I wish you could hear me, daddy. You must have made every effort to find me, I know that. Many of you had assumed that I am dêãd. Pastor Raymond, earnest my uncle, Mrs chi chi, I missed you all. How I wish I can go back home.”
I concealed myself under one particular tree and stayed there till midnight enduring all the painful bites of the files. I got to a point I pulled on my legs with both hands, trembling from the intense cold that was entering my flesh. One man that was passing by unexpectedly flashed his torch right at me as he was about raising his trousers to cross the small river and saw me. Fear quickly gripped me and I held my legs tight. “Please.. Please.. I’m a stranger here. Please sir I’m a stranger.. Don’t hurt me.” I muttered fearfully using both hands to prevent the torch from entering my eyes.
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To be continued.
