The late afternoon sent the sun away slowly, inviting a wave of cool breeze that blew into my shirt. Forced to walk down in the cold evening, the shivering of some campers couldn't be missed. Drawing my sleeves down to cover my palms well, I close them around me, trying to drive the cold away. The weather had changed drastically over the past few days. Spring had come early and it seemed like the whole camp wasn't ready for it.
We slowly walked back to our hostels from our rather for some reason long class of art of discipline to prepare for dinner. Rubbing my hands together, fighting the cold as best as I could, I turn to look at Bola who walked ahead of me, unbothered by the cold. Her thick sweater seemed more comfortable than my long sleeved shirt by a reasonable amount. She walked straight ahead without turning or saying a word to anybody else. Her cold demeanor was icy enough to keep me away.
Ever since Manaz had gone "to another camp" some days ago she had been distant from everyone and most especially, and more surprisingly, me! Or did she suddenly forget we had an escape plan in progress. Nurse Grace had done what we asked her to do.
For a mere nurse she was very stealthy to get Jerome's keys. And getting Jerome's keys off of him was no easy fit. Jerome would carry the bunch of keys everywhere he went, as far as I could tell at least. But we didn't need everything. It would've probably been too obvious too. We only needed one key. A Key to a shut door at the back of Haven, leading supposedly, to the great outside. Guarded by one of Ahmed's soldiers nightly with a rotating roaster, with a reinforced steel door, it was even mission impossible alone to get to the door, talk less of opening it. But Bola was convinced she was Haven's Tom Cruise for some reason.
I had pestered her like a fly around a dying dog, buzzing and disturbing her ears with questions on how she planned to get all three of us out of here. But she never budged. I would always crash my face into her sturdy attitude. And now she was giving me the silent treatment. I'd had enough.
"pssst. Bola … Bola!" Drawing closer to her, I try to whisper under my breath to get her attention. She didn't as much as much as turn to face my direction. It made my skin grow bumps, or was it the cold?
"Aunty B!" She heard that one. Her quick snap towards my direction, staring holes in my eyes made me withdraw a bit. But I didn't care. She was to brutish and old to be playing little games like… yeah I was frustrated.
"What is it? I told you to stop calling me that" She asks as she cools, satiating the temperature around her.
What is it?
"Yes but you wouldn't stop ignoring me! So I had to resolve to more extreme measures. What's up with you?" I ask her, loud enough for her to hear, but not loud enough for others to.
She didn't answer. She just had her face trained at the hostels growing larger as we got closer. We didn't have time for this. And I wasn't going to let this jeopardize what we had planned.
"Well maybe you've forgotten that we have a 'little project' brewing at the side on going?" I say stressing the 'little project' but yet using a low tone so as to prevent others from hearing.
"I didn't forget."
"Yeah, well then act like it!" I adjust my posture noticing my temper warming around the other campers fighting the cold. If they weren't confused by the relationship between Bola and I up till this moment, then they certainly were now.
"Not that you asked, but Nurse Grace has done her part. She's got the key. And she wants to meet before lunch."
She twitched at the mention of Grace's name. She wasn't exactly fond of Grace but the unease that colourfully painted her stern face just now showed something had happened. But she wouldn't say. Her stubbornness wasn't helping either of us right now.
"What? Why'd it just look like I asked you to face the devil?"
"Where?" she merely utters from the side of her mouth.
"Back of block B." She simply walked away after that. She didn't seem interested in any other thing I had to say. My teeth trembled in anger and cold. I hiss under my breath ignoring the weird looks I got from the other campers who walked beside me.
Getting my all black jacket Nurse Grace had so kindly gotten me, I quietly left my room and headed for the meeting point. If Bola had already gotten there before me, I don't think she and Grace would last long, plus considering the way she has been acting lately. Maybe the stress was getting into her. Maybe the Manaz transferred to another camp story was getting to her. Maybe she knew something I didn't. I was going to find out one way or another.
Arriving at the site for the meet up, I notice Grace with her back turned to me searching for passersby. Praying no one would recognize her there and ask what she was up to. Dressed in a comfortable purple sweater and loose sweat pants, she looked simple. Simpler than her normal all white blouse and skirt. She turns to me as she noticed my presence with relieve on her face. She was nervous and I noticed it no matter how much she had tried.
"You took your precious time."
"No o. I came immediately after class. Abi where you here since?"
"Seems like it." She says blowing hot breath unto her hands.
"Where's your friend now? We can't let one of Ahmed's kini kon catching us here-"
"I'm here." Bola emerges from the corner behind Nurse Grace, hands folded on her chest. She looked sterner than before, her eyes steely and firm.
"What took you so long? Never mind." Grace waves her question away with the wave of her hand. She digs her pockets for something and reveals an old rusted key.
"How did you get it?" Bola's lack of enthusiasm in her voice scared me considering this is her plan. Did she think this wasn't going to work or what exactly was her problem?
"It's not important—"
"It's important to me. if you're going to make this a trio thing, then you must fill us in on every detail." Bola adamancy made Grace's muscles tighten in retaliation. But she wasn't going to fight Bola. That's just how she was built.
"Jerome normally leaves his key in his key lying around his office when he uses the infirmary's toilet. I observed the length of time he stays in there. Then one of these days I made my move when I heard him go in."
Bola didn't look at all satisfied with her answer but I didn't care. She cannot be a ghost for days and all of a sudden feel she is entitled to be asking unnecessary questions like she now cares.
"Moving on." Intervening, I quickly motion for the key from Grace moving closer to her.
Grace withdraws from me putting the key back I into her pocket. " I don't think it's a good idea to make moves just yet."
"Give us the key and I'll make that call" Bola commands with an authoritative voice, with face solid as iron.
"We will. We'll make that call you mean." I say to correct Bola, but she didn't seem to care.
"Look…" Grace starts to say turning to look at Bola and back to me. "Jerome's planning something. Something big. Because of that the Haven's hot. The nurse and two campers going missing isn't the best right now. We have to lay low for now. The only reason why Jerome wouldn't even notice the key is gone is because of this endgame plan he has set in motion."
"What plan?"
"He plans to kill a Dominant and take its offspring. A dominant has been lurking around the compound area, unaware of our presence. It's pregnant and very hormonal. Its senses are all over the place making this its most vulnerable point at the moment."
As much as it was a weird thing to say, we could all sort of sense it. At least I could. The pain and the nagging head ache that followed it whenever it felt unease wherever it was.
"Jerome has picked some of the best fighters and strong mind manipulators for this thing. Both your names are on that list. And as much as I don't like it as much you do, Jerome will not let any one of the people on that list escape his grasp. I'm only trying to protect you."
I notice Bola's eyes roll at the last statement but this wasn't the time to be entertaining her pettiness.
"So here's what I think. When everyone's out of the camp, and you're deep into the battle with the Dominant, Ahmed will be distracted. And that's your best chance to escape."
"It could work." I say more to Bola waiting for her say in all this. But she just stared blankly at Grace.
"How long do we have? Is it almost like…ready or something?"
"It's due in any day from now. Might be tomorrow for all we know. But Jerome's leaving tomorrow or next."
"What about you?" I ask Grace after getting nothing from Bola.
"I have to stay behind. I'll find another way."
"No. We're not leaving you." I shake my head in disagreement. I wasn't going to let Grace fall prey to Jerome's claws as every other camper lost has.
"You don't have a choice Obe." She then turns to face Bola squarely. "It's a solid plan. Even if you have opposition, I'm sure you can overcome. I just want Obe to be safe, so I wouldn't be saying this if I wasn't completely sure of what I said."
Bola just scuffs at Grace, raising a surge of anger in Grace. Grace clenched her fist as her eyes flashed anger in the face of a calm and resilient Bola.
"Look! I'm going to be keeping this key too just in case you feel that you can escape jeopardizing Obe's life. This thing became bigger than you as soon as you involved Obe in it!"
She grazes Bola's shoulder as she stomps her way out of our presence leaving me to face Bola myself. But I didn't. When she is ready she'll talk. Soon after Grace's leave, I leave the same way I came leaving Bola standing there in silence.
Walking out the gate of Haven two days later felt unreal. The wave of freedom swept over me raising the hairs on my skin. Our small group of over fifteen people walked as a group out of Haven. I couldn't help but let a smile form around my lips, forcing itself into a full on grin. Our brown khaki trousers matched our boots that was given to us by Ahmed the day before. Zipping my jackets up to the very top, I take a heavy breathe in, taking in everything in, before letting it out.
At first when Nurse Grace had made mention of being used as Dominant infant kidnapper I was skeptical. But now, after seeing the outside, no matter how dead, forgotten and abandoned it may have looked, I saw it as a fair deal. The cold winds blowing ruffled the trees slightly. The mist of the morning clouded our foresight to a certain extent but not enough for any of us to get lost. Turning to the side, Ahmed's henchmen marched forward with us armed with standard rifles, preventing any escape. I didn't let them or the thought of failing at the escape get into my head, spoiling my mood. I just look forward, trying to see if, maybe, I wasn't the only one feeling this excitement like that of a little boy on his first day at school. Being locked up in a camp filled with torturing exercises, fear of death, mysterious disappearances and constant watchful eye from Ahmed and hiss goons can really make a young boy appreciate the simple things in life.
But to my right, Bola didn't feel the same way. She hadn't changed since that evening. Her brooding formed clouds around her head darkening her mood constantly. I had also noticed she had gotten bags under her eyes doing little to her well sculpted face. Her frown was starting to feel comfortable on her face, setting lines on her forehead. Her brooding increasing exponentially lately was even much for her.
I wouldn't mind the brooding actually. It was something I had learned to get used to overtime. But the silent treatment infuriated me. It made red hot heat rush to my black skin whenever she would ignore my questions. It was getting tiring, but more than anything, worrisome. Neglecting the fact that the plan depended almost solely on her and that I couldn't do squat without her, she was the adhesive that kept me steady believing in this plan of hers and if she doesn't believe in it anymore, how much me?
"We're more or less marching to our deaths and you can do nothing but bask in happiness?"
Leave it to Bola to spoil whatever goodness I have going on.
"I haven't been out of that compound in over three years. It's almost as if I'm leaving prison or something. If you don't feel the same way, then keep your bad energy to yourself." My voice was rising threatening to topple over into anger. I wouldn't let Bola kill my enthusiasm with her plague of sadness.
"Look around you. Everyone here has been in that camp for three years or more. Do you any of them acting like a mumu? No. So behave."
She shoves me to the side forcing me to stumble on my feet.
"What is your problem?!" My anger was fully out now and it was far from repressing now. My raised tone seemed to have gotten the attention of one of Ahmed's goons. His red swollen eyes turns to look at me, trying to pin point what was causing my grievances before approaching me. His grip tightened for a short while before he releases it with a finger pointing to my direction.
"Hey! Shut up there. Na march una dey march, no be trek and greet. So shhhhh. Make I no warn you again. You hear?"
I nod my head and as soon as he faces front I send jabbing stares at Bola who was compliantly, nonchalant ignoring me.
'But truly fa. What is your problem?" I ask with a hushed tone this time around so as not to raise alarm from the same guard.
"What do you mean?" she doesn't turn to look at me as she answered, but I didn't care. This was as much as I had gotten for days.
"What do you mean 'what do you mean?' You've been ignoring me for days now. You're behaving like the teenager who is afraid to face their problems leaving me to act as the adult. Don't ask like I'm asking you one dumb question like that.''
I noticed a twitch in the muscle in her mouth. Her expression didn't change much. To most it would seem like she didn't even flinch, but I knew her more than she knew. After taking a long pause, she lets out air from her nose before reclining back to her previous expression.
"How well do you know Grace?" her face stayed straight as she asked me the question.
Taken aback by the question slightly I did not let it phase me or let myself overthink it. She was indulging me in a conversation. Not knowing how long her conversation spirit charity would last, I ate as much cake from it as I could.
"I don't know. How long have I been in Haven? Three years… why?"
"Would you say you trust her?"
"Yeah I can say that. I don't think she can hurt anybody honestly" Bola scuffs at my response. Her scuff raised my head towards her face direction. She had scuffed the same way when Grace had mentioned something about protecting me or something.
What? Why are you asking me about Grace?"
"She seems shady"
Surprised but yet amused, I let out a muffled chuckle. I knew Bola was uptight and insecure but I had never imagined it would reach this level. It was her idea to bring Grace into the fold of the plan because she was the only one who could get close enough to Ahmed to get the key. So why was she al of a sudden so skeptical of Grace.
"ha. Shady? No, no grace isn't shady. You on the other hand seem kind of jealous."
"What?" She turns to look at me with one of her eye brows raised. She hisses and turns to face her front. All it did was make me even laugh harder than I already was.
"And its true. It'll explain why you've been squeezing face. Aunty B. Its possible for three of us to get along o"
"I don't blame you. I always forget I'm talking to a child."
"A child that has two women envying each other over me" This Time I burst into full laughter. Slapping my hand on my knee, I cover my face with the other hand, bending to let the laughter spill out.
The same henchman turns to my direction at the sound of my obnoxious laughter and frowns with rising anger.
"Kai! You! You no dey hear word? Make I hear pim from you again"
I struggle to hold my laughter in, nodding my head up and down while bits slipped out of my lips.
From the corner of my eye I can see Bola cracking a smile on her hard expression. Her smile made me smile. It was nice to see she still some joy left in her.
"See ba" I try to compose myself while trying to build my sentence without tearing down what little lose spirit I had brought out from Bola.
"When I first got into Haven, she took care of me and looked after me especially when I had the sprained ankle."
"Isn't that in her job description?"
"Yes, but then we just grew closer after that. I mean even apart from me, ive seen her with others and she is just one the kindest soul I've ever met. She reminds me so much of my mother, bringing positivity even in the darkest of places and in this time, in Haven, it doesn't get any better. And to me Grace is the second best thing. Leaving her in Haven breaks my heart enough…" I turn my face to look at Bola who was also looking at me now. "so yes. I trust her totally. She might not like you, but in her fairness nobody does. But she looks after me and she wouldn't let anything bad happen to me intentionally as much as I wouldn't let anything bad happen to her intentionally."
Bola doesn't say much after that for most of the trip. I kept wondering what was going through her head. Maybe I had said something that sparked the lost flame she had for the plan. Maybe she just needed some assurance. At least that's what I hoped. It was the best I could do as I waited for us to stop.