The Last Bus
(Episode 5)
The leader towered above everyone else and wore an army green beret, holding up his automatic Ak-47 rifle with one hand. A chain of bullets hung over his shoulder like Rambo and sweat glistened on his bare chiselled body in the flickering light as he approached. He donned a pair of military camouflage combat trousers and black boots. His heavily bearded square face bore the expression of someone ready to take lives for the trouble he went through.
Two gang members ran ahead of him and entered into the bus forcing everyone out. One of them grabbed a fistful of the driver’s shirt and dragged him off the bus. Biggie wouldn’t get down without a fight. He threw a powerful punch at the other robber. The blow sent the robber reeling back and crashing into one of the seats. He rushed at Biggie, but he parried his attack and sent another one to his chin. He staggered backwards the second time. On gaining his footing, he cocked his gun and aimed at Biggie. Biggie quickly surrendered. The angered robber thought for a while and lowered his rifle. There was a more fun way of ending his life than shooting him in the bus where nobody would see him beg he must have thought.
In no time, they lined all of us up in the middle of the road. With our hands behind our backs, we dared not look at their faces. But I was able to steal a look. There were about ten of them heavily armed. Thank God, the full moon that aided visibility. They dragged the driver and knelt him down before their don. The don swung his rifle across his back and brought out a pistol from the holster on his waist. He raised the driver’s chin with the gun.
“Na you dey form James Bond abi? Van Damme!” He said in a guttural voice. “Maggot!” he blared.
He circled the driver mockingly then stopped to face us. He yelled, “See ooo, nah una driver wan put una for trouble ooo.” He walked back to the driver, who was still bleeding. “The maggot killed three of my boys! The f*cking maggot killed three of my boys! Maggot!”
He cocked the pistol and shot him point-blank on his skull. The poor man dropped to the ground with a loud thud. Everyone screamed.
“Shut up! Maggots! I said shut up!!” he roared and silence fell over the place pronto. Everyone could only whimper.
I fixed my eyes on the driver’s lifeless body lying on the ground. He showed no sign of fear. He died like a man, and I was proud of him. My hand found Fiona’s and I was surprised she wasn’t trembling. I stole a sidelong view at Biggie, and I saw him clenching his fists. ‘Take it easy, bro. Don’t do something stupid.’ I whispered in my head.
The bearded devil decided to address his captives again, “See, me I no bi bad person ooo. Na una f*cking James Bond driver cause am.” He fired two shots into the air. We all trembled. He matched up to us and examined us one after the other. He spent more time with the ladies, raising their chins and tilting their heads right and left. When he got to Fiona, my blood boiled as he mishandled her. “This one fine o,” he licked his tongue. “This one go sweet for middle well well.” He sniggered, ogling at her breasts.
I felt like plucking the bastard’s eyes out. He started pulling her to himself. Fiona clung to me, her eyes imploring me to save her, but the bastard yanked her from me. I felt a strong urge to protect her. Then in our presence, the don started stripping her of her clothes. I couldn’t take it anymore. I charged forward and landed an overhead punch on the bastard’s jaw. He staggered backwards, and his beret fell off. He picked up and dusted his beret, and surprisingly, he began laughing. “I no know say my queen get lover boy for here.”
With that, two of his minions came for me, but they didn’t know that Ọmọ Akin ni mi. I’m the son of the brave. I steadied myself coolvalstories and waited for them. As they approached, I sent a kick to the groin of the first one. He yelped and doubled over. I topped it up with an uppercut. Immediately, another one took his place, and before I knew what was happening, they had overpowered me and bundled me forward. They forced me to my knees in front of the bastard.
“Hahaha,” he laughed again. “See ooo, lover boy wan turn Jesus Christ.” He licked his pistol. Then I saw his eye protruding and the veins on his neck becoming engorged. He yelled, “Maggot!”
He pressed the muzzle of the pistol against my cheek. It felt cold. The shiver travelled down my body with unprecedented speed. I peed on myself right away. Don’t laugh at me. Remember: when a child encounters fear, he will tremble. To further humiliate me, the don made known his intention. He would make out with Fiona right before my eyes. He started unbuckling his belt. I almost cried.
Biggie yelled at the don, and without warning, the don replied with his pistol right away. Biggie screamed, swirled around, and dropped to the ground like a felled tree. My teeth began to knock against each other.
“Guys, let the party begin,” the don announced, looking at the smoking pistol in his hand as if it just fired itself.
His minions cheered and began carrying each one a lady into the bush. I shut my eyes so hard that I feared I might squeeze the juice out. I couldn’t just imagine what would happen to Fiona and those innocent girls. Even if I had regained my courage, there was little I could do. I had two rifles on my temples. The don shoved Fiona to the ground and began to pull down his trousers.
To be continued … Watch Out for the Next Episode!
