Gudong! My heart skips as sweat starts to form on my furrowed forehead. What is wrong? Why is she standing there like that? Have they found us ? But that's impossible , how did they know?
A whole string of questions flitters in my mind as the morning sun brush warmly against my face streaming in through the windows and driving away the damp air that had lingered suspended in the sitting room. The padlock and the bunch of keys Catherine is holding falls down echoing in the room in series of sickening sounds.
"You think you can get away from us? Huh , you're greatly mistaken." A deep guttural voice stemming from outside the door reverberates across the room in distinct ghostly cacophony.
Who's that? I ask myself as I rush to Catherine's side only to see a short , roly-poly bawdy man with crooked yellow teeth and dishevelled hair which spoke months that it has passed without being tidied up.
I get weak-kneed as realization strikes me. They've found us. So fast!! But Why are they too adamant not to allow me to report to Oyugis Police Station?
Is it because they know I have foolproof evidence that is going to sue them in or reveal their hideout?
Or do they know that I know the number plate code of that rusty motorcycle ? But that's completely out of question. Why did the Daily Eagle reveal in that darned newspaper that I'll be reporting to the Police? Just to tip off the gang ? .... Are they in cohorts with the mysterious gang?
"Are you shocked that I managed to track you down?" He grins deviously as he mounts the steps slowly, the sun reflecting on his forehead. Unwittingly , we start to step back circumspectly as he draws in on us with a lopsided leer plastered on his face ,God knows how ugly it is. I look over my shoulder to look at the boy but shockingly he is not around. Gedeng! Has he betrayed us ? Is he an accomplice of the Jakachinja?
I rack my brains out but there is no time for that as we bump in the barricade of a wall behind us.
" You have nowhere to go now , relax I'm just sent here to silence you . There's no need to be anxious." He smirks as he pushes the door before sitting grandly on the couch as if it is the most comfortable thing he has ever found. He veers his eyes in our direction as we shake uncontrollably in trepidation. The cold wall squeezing out warmth from our bodies.
"Hey chillax come sit , let's talk ." He motions as a miasmic smell effuses the room which I presume to be originating from him. We exchange glances before sliding down warily on the couches faraway from him.
"Please don't kill us, please don't....just leave my boy ...I...." My mother breaks down kneeling and begging with clasped hands.
"Enough.." The scruffy man hollers as he dips his long wrinkled rusty hands on the pocket of his faded chinos .
"Did I tell you to speak?" He splutters as he produces a creased sheet of paper that looks like a crumpled newspaper. " Do you see this ?" He raises his eyes brows and looks at us questioningly .
"Yes." We nod in chorus but terror could be seen on our pale faces.
" You will be reporting to the Police in six days time, right?" He says pensively as his gaze specifically lands on me. " Yes!" I nod as I squint at my mother who is getting up from the floor and sitting on the couch.
"Simple , my job is deter you from going there." He pauses momentarily leaning towards us , his face dead serious , and in a high-pitched menacing voice he supplies," but if you don't cooperate I don't have any qualms of smiting you and skinning you alive and landing your body on the black market merchandise."
I shudder involuntarily as his devilish gaze meets mine. It is unnerving and I feel like it peers into the depths of my mind laying bare my thoughts.
"I also heard that you caused the death of one of us , and I've been sent to avenge his death." He says as he looks the ceiling in contemplation before standing up from the couch and advancing towards us in lazy sluggish steps." I'll give an ultimatum, either I kill your mother or you." He says as he looks at me. The sound of Catherine's gasp and slight tremor by the side reaches my ear.
"What??....What do you mean?..." Before I can gasp in shock , Catherine's voice quivers as her face blanched with panic , turns to look at the intimidating man.
So he has been sent to murder us in cold blood by that deuced gang . But , my mother can't die and neither do I want to die . What do I do?...
My heart thumps up and down in my chest as intense vertigo overwhelms my body. My teeth clatters and my feet wobbles as I lean against the arm of the couch to ease the intense shudder coursing through my body.
So this is how being helpless feels like . With nowhere to go and death closing in on you with each passing second yet you don't have a way out.
I have never thought that there will reach a time that my mother's life and mine will be threatened. How it feels hopeless when you don't have anyone to protect you in this crime-infested county? When will the tyranny of this gang end?...When the corrupt government has been revolutionised?... When the basements of this mysterious gang has been dug out?..or when the world ends.
For a moment time comes to a standstill, as numerous thoughts and questions cross my mind. A splitting headache attacks my head pulling me into hallucinations and my soul quakes a little threatening to fall into a swoon.
" You know what I mean bitch ! So have you decided on the one who will be killed?"
He gawks at us as his sardonic voice resonates in the room. His voice is distinct and fiendish as it permeates the room with killing intent. The mist in my head clears away with that daunting assertion.
"Spare us ..." I beseech him as I glide down the couch and kneel in tremor , my voice quivering immensely. The nearness of death dawning on me.
"I won't change my mind. You should've known better when you killed one of us."
He grunts in annoyance as he circles around us with hands in the pocket of his jacket.
"Can I choose by myself?" He adds wickedly.
I divert my eyes to look at Catherine who meets my gaze. All I can see in her conflicted crimson eyes is pure consternation, her lips moving - a sign that she is praying. Catherine is a devout Christian but surely does she have to flaunt it here? ...When death is the only thing that awaits us?....
"Who's ready ? Let's get it over and done with–" Silence before he appends , "–in that case I'll be killing all of you." He snarls as he moves out his right hand from his pocket and something that you will never want to see when you're hopeless materializes in his hands making my blood curdle and electricity bolts to course through me leaving me dizzy.
Ohh God !! We jump from our seats simultaneously and land on the cold hard floor spread-eagled. We kiss the floor that is unluckily uncovered by the carpet. My face is queachy but I dare not look up, I presume he is glaring at us with glinting, cold and malevolent eyes.
From the corner of my eye I see Catherine moving heaven and earth trying to scream but she's being throttled by the stinking shoes of the varmint. It seems he's smart knowing that women are instinctive 'screamers' . Nevertheless , my heart aches and immense guilt invades me seeing her sheer desperation as she tries to take in air. Can't you see she's choking jerk? I feel the urge to pounce on him and tear him apart but I remember he has that 'thing' and I shudder unknowingly. It's darned that I'm suffering from hoplophobia.
Is this how we are going to die ? Can life be more believable? ....
I wait for the sound of gunshot while I close my eyes with my tummy scouring on the ground. I close my eyes gasping. Silence.
Bang!Bang! Two shots of gunfire reverberates the room disturbing the short-lived silence. I am dead. Mom I'm sorry for this. I feel my body but my heart , my body , my brain are functioning. Why am I not dead ? Why am I still breathing? Has he killed my mother first? Gedeng! My heart skips a bit as I slowly raise my head dreading the fact that my mother is dead. Even though we're at gunpoint I still don't want to see my her slowly succumbing to death as his face pales every elapsing minute. He should've just killed me on the spot and then mom. If she's dead then I have no cause to live in this cruel world. It'd be better if I join her but not gentlemanly– soldierly. I jerk myself up with the resolution to bring this despicable creature down with me even if he blows up my brains.
"Mom!! How can you be dead please wake up?" I wail vigorously with bitter-red eyes as I stand up to go to her but to my surprise she open her eyes. "I'm ok son!" She pouts but traces of panic could be seen in her face .
I'm confused , did I not hear a gunshot? Was it an illusion? But it can't be, I was in my perfect senses. I am not that sick to fall into hallucinations every time.
Thump! A heavy thud like a tree falling sounds in the room. I turn to look at that damned thing that has fallen but what I see nearly makes me bolt away in fright.
The man is sprawled on the ground dead , saliva drooling from the corners of his mouth, eyes rolled around as if he was terribly agonized at the moment of his death. Two gaping holes on his head , with bullets lodged in them, sprinkle out blood ceaselessly. His pistol is lying squarely by his side as if paying homage to its master. What's wrong ? Did he end up shooting himself ? ..Did he misjudge his direction unwittingly and the bullet came ramming into him? Or did he feel so depressed and committed suicide?...cough ..cough.. That's not logical either because even though he was so so , his mind was working perfectly well. So what the hell happened to him?..
Catherine looks just as confused as me. Slowly, I straighten up to examine the anomaly in a subtle manner.
No sooner had Catherine rose up from the floor than the door blew open carrying in a gust of wind.
Subconsciously, we try to retreat but a hoarse masculine voice echoes stopping us in our tracks ." Follow me!"
He's attired in a blue tactical vest , heavy Under Armour Valsetz RTS 1.5 Side-Zip Tactical Boot that smears the floor with mud , a badge hanging about on his puffed-up chest, navy blue trousers and sunglasses that covers a pair of shrewd eyes - I instantly know that he's a cop.
" Did you kill him ?" I ask motioning towards the dead body that still oozes out fresh murky blood dying the carpet ruddy.
"Yap , just to save you .Now let's be off . The day has been brought forward due to the Espionage Mercenaries coming to know that we're planning to interrogate you." He groins morbidly as he makes a U-turn towards the doorstep.
He rests his right hand on the top of the grill door and moves his hands in what seems like a pantomime.
For a moment I exchange disconcerted glances with Catherine.
I can't help but suspect that this is another shenanigan meant to lead us into another trap , not forgetting the fact that the Police is even infiltrated by the ranks of Jakachinja Clandestine Organisation. After a series of the traumas I've encountered so far , I'm but starting to feel sceptical about everything around me.
Catherine nods at me - a sign that she has acceded to follow him.
"Aren't you coming? It's dangerous to stay here for another minute longer."The tall sturdy-looking man narrows his eyes in slight annoyance as he sees the hesitation in us with his keen redoubtable eyes. He looks strong for his age perhaps in the age bracket of twenty-and-twenty-five-years only that he has a completely of-the-wall look.
We step out of the duplex and Catherine bolts the door behind us.
"So am I going to file a report, right now?" I ask as we cross the sidewalk with weeds pushing through the crevices . The sun is now ablaze pelting mercilessly on the jostling West Minster Street. A group of students giggling foolishly as they stroll to school gets into the direction of my argus eyes. I miss school - a life in the fast lane indeed , away from the rigidity of life outside it. It is peaceful in there even if it's for a day , even if we're stuffed with mountains of work.
I occasionally look behind me. I am still having butterflies in my stomach, imagining that some Jakachinja ruffian is stalking us. This people are too scary , they even own such high-tech guns.
The sound of buses and cars claxoning about in the fuss of early morning activity fill the air.
"Yes, because the Daily Eagle managed to catch wind of the news and publicised it , hence drawing in the attention of the gang ." He draws in a deep breath of air before turning to look at me sympathetically." We are sorry for jeopardising you and your mother. It was a gross on our part."
I can't think of the right words to reply to those morose words instead I continue scuffing on the dusty sidewalk trailing behind him.
I swing my head stealing a glance at Catherine whose face is now looking at the ground. I don't know what she's thinking right now but I can deduce that she's worrying over how we will find another apartment to reside in now that our whereabouts have been traced.
My stomach growls and I remember that I have not eaten a morsel of food since last night . Hunger is broiling me but I suppress it with a regal gait and my right hand caressing my stomach as we fleet through the streets.
I watch as the cop steps mincingly over the puddles while I jump in tandem , occasionally stopping to give a hand to Catherine when she shows signs that she's having trouble jumping over them.
We arrive at the junction that looks like a foyer connecting three streets which are direct antipodes of each other in many ways.
Boparke street is mostly a vast space of land filled with agricultural and farming activities – the source of all groceries in the market. While it is largely a farming land , Athousand Street is on the other hand a mass of dilapidated buildings that serves us the root of the criminal activities in the county. It is mainly crammed with destitutes and ragamuffins.
West Minster is colourful , with towering handsome buildings and the stronghold of Oyugis county. It is the dream of many urchins but sadly the patrol police never allows any blotch in the street's landscape. This is how the social status of the county is sequestered.
" Have you considered moving in to another place?" The cop says turning to look past me at Catherine who seems to be lost in thoughts.
"Mom?"I shake her off.
"What's it?" She looks at me in genuine confusion.
"He's talking to you." I point at him as he stops in his tracks to fish out a buzzing phone from his pocket.
"Will you be shifting to another apartment? Since you two have been trailed down." He utters not making a single eye contact with Catherine , his attention on the phone scrolling on it.
"Um....I'll consider that–" Before Catherine could finish her piece , he jerks abruptly with a solemn face.
"Quick let's go." He says in a hoarse voice as he starts to walk hurriedly. I am puzzled but there's no time for thinking about that.
We skitter over the cobblestones wrestling the crowds of people with our bodies as the sun batters us with overwhelming torridity.
A tall lordly four-storeyed Romanesque building with the words ;Oyugis Central Police on the banner hanging on its white walls stands grandly barring our way , with a well manicured hedge skirting around it and a gravel driveway running into the vestibule.
This is my first time in a Police Station and it feels like a deserted place with hardly any souls around its premises except for the personnel who are working in it.We pass through the reception without being stopped after he had exchanged knowing glances with the bumming-around receptionist.
He leads us into a building next to the locker rooms which I guess is where I am going to write a report. The interiors are outright handsome and labyrinthine that you could be lost without a guide to take you around.
We step into a stately office that's seems to monopolize other buildings around it.
"Good morning Riendo and my two lovely witnesses." A bulk of a man with deep set ocean blue eyes lodged into sunken eyes and a smiling face greets us . He rises from his swivel chair to jut out his crinose hand in a nice-to-meet-you mime.
"Good morning." I say thrusting my hand in his rough one. It feels rough and rugged. He proceeds to greet Catherine and then stops to wave at the cop next to me because the distance seems too long to cover for a handshake. That could also mean they're acquaintances and have no formalities whatsoever.
"I got them already under hostage and I killed the ruffian." Reindo says as he fishes out an AMT lightning pistol that looked like the ruffian's one.
Wait , how did he take it? I thought we left it in the apartment? .... Cops are really this formidable...Wow I have to be a cop when I finish school.
" You did well, not bad." He nods his head approvingly as he crouches down to his snug seat.
"A report says that a few days ago the Espionage Mercenaries broke into Oyugis Primary to kidnap a teacher but they didn't succeed. I want you to investigate who the teacher is and why they are trying to abduct her. I'll be sending five more auxiliaries to back you up. Now go."He orders and raises his left hand in a dismissive signal to Reindo. He seems to be the head of this station.
I think that the teacher they're talking about can be Miss Garie but about the part that our school had been broken into. Why have I never had of that? And this also raises another question : Why has she been absent from school that day Rodgers died? Maybe I'll see her in his Rodger's funeral next week but honestly I really miss her. Though I hate to admit it. The school is reminiscent of a cemetery yard if she isn't in school.
"Yes sir!" Reindo turns to the door and in a second his figure blurs in the maze of buildings outside.
My head is really throbbing and even standing seems to be a hassle to me. Catherine is no way feeling better.
"Hey sit down there on those two sofas. Waltz!! Waltz!!!" He calls as soon as we slump in the sofas in the conference room that look a little cozier than home. A young man adorned in an apron dashes in nearly tumbling down.
"Bring some food for my visitors."
"Yes sir." He is off just as quickly as he had come leaving a trail of dust lapping about the cool afternoon air. A slight breeze whistles in the alder trees adjacent to the conference room window.
" Are you Jeff?" I hear my name as I almost dope off. He looks at me appealingly with a pen intertwined in his fingers lying on a script
"Yes sir." I bob my head in what seems like an approval gesture. He scribbles something on the script which I think should be my name.
The aproned young man who barged in a moment ago comes in as a rejuvenating aroma stemming from a tray laden with foodstuffs filters the air. Saliva almost slabbers from my mouth.
He puts it on the table and with two laconic words : enjoy yourselves , he hops out.
"Eat to your fill . After that I want you to write down all that you can recall from that incident in. A doctor will also be coming for you in two day's time and that means you'll be returning here." Swinging on the swivel chair , he says as his fingers darts about on the keyboard of a workstation.
"A doctor? What do you mean sir?"
I ask puzzled. Do I look like am really that sick ? That even a stranger has already noticed it?
"Ooh sorry I mean a hypnotherapist. By the way call me Inspector Ian."
"Ok ." I say in a muffled tone as I munch excitedly on a drumstick. I know I'm making a pig of myself because Catherine shoots me a death glare but I don't give a hoot. I can vote a thousand times for such a good cook . The hunger that had tortured me some moments ago has been allayed considerably. Thanks for the super meal. My strength is now back.
" What did you mean by a hypnotherapist Inspector Ian?" I ask now realising that he had uttered some incomprehensible vocabulary in my moment of bliss.
"Umm...it's a doctor who simply makes you remember some things by hypnotizing you..." He defines it but the explanation doesn't work either because I'm even confused the more . Nevertheless , I manage a smile and nod at him to show my feigned enlightenment.
After tucking in the delectable meal and crowning it with apple pies a la mode , the aproned young man enters the conference room and disappears with the tray and plates.
" Here , write what you saw and don't worry if you can't recall some details because I already know you've some memory problems due to frequent swoons that's why you'll be returning two days time for hypnotherapy." Inspector Ian chuckles pointing a document at me. I realise it's my medical records.
"How did you get that? " I gasp in disbelief eyeing him warily.
"From the Hospital Agency, something wrong?" He smirks his lips.
"No.. nothing." I can't believe that they even have my medical records. This is too fearsome and a complete breach of privacy. Nevertheless I compose myself .
"Then go ahead and fill in the paper."
"Sure."
With Catherine by my side , I finish putting down all the indelible details of the incident on the paper.
We wave goodbye to Inspector Ian and begin lumbering along the streets. Fortunately, he promised us that we will be safe in the hands of a cop he will be dispatching. The bad thing is that even the most subtle of things brushing at me nearly scares me to death. Not because I'm unreasonable.
We walk along the streets while I occasionally look around me as our shadows are appearing and disappearing ominously as clouds that portended a deluge hover about in the sky. After a few minutes , we enter the place I will never want to be. The opposite of a haven taking into account all that has happened from the moment the sun had sent it's first streak of light.
The street looks hazy from the windows laden with droplets of rain that pelts mercilessly leaving streams flowing along the sidewalks.