PROLOGUE
The sermon came, the pastor spoke confidently about love, there was silence in the church as every person listened carefully but then suddenly somebody's phone rang out loud, he pulled out his phone, another phone began ringing then another person and another person and another, murmuring and fear filled the church instantly and Goodluck could see it, he wasn't surprised because he had already been told… just outside in the northern entrance stood something sinister staring at the church, the only thing separating it from the church was the deep swamp but the swamp wasn't stopping him.
"Oh no! He is here again" the lady beside Goodluck said
"Who is here?" Goodluck asked
"The terror of the village" she said; Goodluck wanted to see what it looked like, Goodluck's phone too began ringing, he pulled the phone out and all he saw on the screen was "Calling…" there was no phone number, not long voices became noise and suddenly all the phones stopped ringing and everyone was silent; Goodluck observed those who had eyes closed tightly and praying, suddenly a voice startled everyone with a shout…
Weeks earlier…
Lagos, Nigeria
A Radio station dropped a shocking update in English
"Ray Power! Ray Power! 100.5… Ray power!… Good Morning Lagos, My name is Remi Gideon and I bring to you the news of the day… Strange earthquake rocks Orodo in Owerri, Imo State and the police force and other emergency units have been unable to gain access into the disaster affected area, all efforts made to contact other police stations within the disaster affected area have proved negative, the police force have decided to send in helicopters to survey the area for damages and information… more updates coming in shortly…"
11:00am
Police Headquarters, Abuja
Inspector General of Police's office
An officer walked into the office and salutes
"Yes? Any positive news?" IG asked, the look on his face was clear curiosity for information
"Negative Sir, none, the second helicopter sent in has not returned" the officer reported; that wasn't what the IG was expecting to hear
"Jesus Christ! What is going on?" IG said then looked at his wrist watch
"The second helicopter entered there by 9am" IG said
"Sir we have no idea what is going on"
"Well, send another Helicopter and this time no landing" he said
"Yes sir" he saluted and left…
PRESIDENT'S OFFICE, ASO ROCK, ABUJA
The President speaking to an Army General
"General what is going on in Owerri?" President asked
"Your Excellency we do not understand, we have sent in police helicopters but they never returned, we sent one more and it returned with even more mysterious information" General said
"What information?"
"There is not a single sign of life neither did they find the previous helicopters" General said and the President sank into his chair; his worries were more than just the missing indigenes of Orodo
"General send your soldiers by foot" President said
"Your Excellency, there is not a single road into that village"
"Then find a way in by all means" he said raising his voice slightly in frustration
"Sir there is none, the only foot path which we are not certain of is through a swamp forest known as the evil forest and from that swamp path it would take the soldier two to three days to get into that village"
"I don't care how many months, send a battalion to find out what happened in there" he said
"Ok sir"
"Look General this is more than one problem, in that village is one of the biggest hospitals established by the American government and it is run by American doctors and nurses… 30 minutes ago, The President of America called and he sounded really disappointed… they plan on sending their men over in 48hours if we have no reasonable information about what happened and this will cost Nigeria a lot"
"Sir we will put in our best but I strongly believe that the American government can help us here" General said…
WASHINGTON DC, America
"Mr. President you sent for me" General Kane said as he walked into the office holding his cap in his hand; General Kane was a man in his early 70s
"General Kane" the president shook his hand
"Please" President gesticulated to the chair as they both sat down
"You heard about Nigeria?" President asked
"I was briefed" General Kane replied
"I need men to go to Nigeria… the situation there is way too mysterious for the Nigerian government so I need us to put our hand to it and see what we can dig out"
"Missing people… I saw the news this morning" General Kane said
"Not just missing people, everyone is missing, they do not know the situation of Americans trapped in there, and search helicopters went missing on touchdown… at first I thought it could be a terrorist attack but I think I am wrong"
"Doesn't look like a terrorist attack to me…" General Kane said as he thought for awhile
"I might know someone who can handle this but he is retired and may not want to get involved" General Kane said
"We are talking about lives here General… he should be interested" President said, General chuckled
"That doesn't changed the fact that he may not be interested" General said
"So what exactly makes this person good enough?" President asked
"He always come back with his men, no casualties" he said
"Listen General Kane" the President adjusted his seating as he moved forward
"If this soldier can get this done as you say then get him onboard already and I will personally see that himself and his men are settled in millions of dollars" The President said
"(Smiles) Money doesn't move him either" General said
"Then what?" the President said as he leaned back to his chair
"Well… he is just a different man… I'll get back to you sir, I will personally speak to him" General said
"You have my word… just get him to do it" the President said
"I will sir" General Kane got up, saluted and left…
Lagos, Nigeria
Goodluck was in his room putting his properties together; he neatly folded his army uniform and puts it inside the bag. He noticed his mother at the edge of his room door dressed in white shirt and wrapper round her chest staring at him, the look on her face was not happiness but an expression that showed that she didn't want her son to go on this trip
"Mummy don't stand there staring at me, you know I have to go" he said after a while of silence
"It's a choice" she replied
"This is a military assignment and I have been called so I must report to base" he said while packing
"Did you hear what they said is going on there?" she stood at the door with folded arms
"Mummy you and I know people talk too much, it's not what you think"
"I have a bad feeling about this… this is a spiritual problem in Owerri"
"Mummy please just let me be" he said as he finished his packing
"Goodluck, ever since she passed away… Mummy!" Goodluck interrupted his mother immediately and she went silent. He knew who she was about to mention but he didn't want that
"Please don't talk about her" he said
"(Sighs) Goodluck, you need to give yourself time to heal and I know that being in the army is not the way to go about it" she concluded then walked away.
Goodluck stood there with an angry face, he looked at his room one last time then left.
He got a flight and headed to Owerri and reported to the military base, he placed a call earlier to his friend who met him at the entrance of the barracks in a car, he drove Goodluck to the base and while in the car they discussed
"Bro what is happening exactly?" Goodluck asked
"They didn't tell you?" Peter said
'Tell me what? I was just asked to report in Owerri, I have seen the news na"
"Bro this is worse than we thought oh… two helicopters have vanished since yesterday till now"
"So I heard" Goodluck said
"Today another helicopter crashed in there" Peter narrated
"But wait oh, is it that there is no way into Orodo anymore?" Goodluck asked
"Omo there is no road; as I speak to you there is a big gully that separates us from that town"
"Jesus Christ"
"See this is not scientific bro, this is beyond the physical, as I speak to you soldiers have taken over the road leading to Orodo because of the crowd of people trooping to go see the damages"
"Why exactly have they called us? Me I don't want to go in there oh" Goodluck said, Peter looked at him then laughed
"When commander send you tell him no na" Peter said as he returned eyes to the road
"I hear America is coming to help" Goodluck said
"Don't mind those white, them dey do shakara for us… before you know it now they will ask us to approve Homosexuality before they help us"
"Peter calm down" Goodluck laughed
"No serious na… forget about them we will sort this out" Peter assured…
Getting to the base they got briefed that they will be sending them into Orodo, Goodluck didn't like the idea at all but he knew he had no choice, he was a soldier and it was his duty to run to the face of danger…