TAKEN

[19]

"Dozie is dead." Nurse Dima announced immediately after she entered the room.

But my attention was not towards her. My gaze was on the shadow that stood by the door a minute ago.

"Hello?" She snapped her fingers in my face. "Penny for your thoughts?"

I snapped away from the door and looked into her face with a furrowed brow. The young girl was still in my arms, whimpering softly.

"Didn't you see her?" I asked, taking a closer look at the door.

She was as confused as me. "Who?" She asked, reverting her focus to the door.

I shook off the thought and gently moved the girl to lay on the floor. I grabbed the walker and began making my way up.

"Where are you going?" She asked. Distracted by the girl on the floor, "Who is that?"

For a second, my eyes flashed at the girl and she looked up at me at the same time. My heart melted at the state she was in, but a more urgent issue was calling me to it. So, I began walking towards the door.

"I've got no idea." My voice echoed in the room as I continued to struggle my way to the door. "Guess I saved her from herself."

Nurse Dima ran towards me, halting my walker by resting her right hand firmly on it. "Tell me, what's going on?"

"You mean the girl or my adventure towards that door?"

Unrelenting, she blocked my path and stood in the way. "Both."

It was still early to tell her what I saw and honestly, there was no easy way to lay my burden at her feet.

I didn't want anyone diagnosing me with one of those mental health conditions. "You won't believe me even if I told you." I finally blurted out after winning the war in the courtroom of my mind.

"Try me." She argued.

I assessed her for a second and pushed my gaze towards the door again...searching. "My mother..."I began.

Now her attention was rattled. "Your mother what?" Her eyeballs almost popped out of the sockets. Whether by fear or intrigue, I couldn't tell.

"She was here!" I stuck my face towards the door emphatically. "She was standing there a second ago.

The Nurse swirled in the direction of the entry door and her gaze fell back on me after her two-second investigation. " Nah! No. I just came through that door and there wasn't anyone there, except for the police officer who just walked out."

"Then let me see for myself!" It was more of a plea than a command.

"And I am telling you there's no one there. Maybe?" Her gaze stayed on me, with her arms across her pink, dusty scrub.

"Maybe what?" I looked up at her expectantly.

"Maybe, you need a little rest. Your mind may be playing games on you." Her hardened stance softened and she placed her left hand on my shoulder, then subsequently took a stand by my side and out of my view. "See, there's nothing there." Her fingers pointed at the damaged door way which now had sharp edges because of the way it was ripped from its hinges.

It took a few seconds to convince me before I abandoned my adventure and we went back focusing on the girl on the floor. "She's one of the victims."

Her gaze fell on the girl who had curled herself into a fetal position. "She alleges that the army guy, Brigadier Musa also raped her."

"No!" Horror washed all over her face, followed by a wall of tears in her eyes. "Not possible! This little girl?"

I nodded regretfully. "She's not even above thirteen!" She let a few tears descend her dusty face, followed by a shade of anger and disgust.