TAKEN

[28]

Our steps halted immediately at the sound of that dreadful voice. Stiffened with fear, we barely moved our bodies, but I spoke softly to the Nurse. "We must keep moving!"

"But they'll shoot! She whispered back.

"Not if we run!"

"Then you have a death wish!"

"So, suddenly, you are afraid of death?" I tried moving my head towards her.

"I said, Do. Not. Move!" That command came again, this time, more forceful and full of dread.

We stiffened again, my hand firmly leashed onto Mama's wheelchair.

While we argued, Mama was shaking her wheelchair, hitting it to get attention. She didn't stop there, she unleashed a loud wail. "H..e...l..p!"

Her voice vibrated through our fears and startled us at the same time. "Quiet! Will you?" Dima hushed her as a sudden tremor of fear laced her every word. I thought she was silently crying.

"Hel... up!" Mama yelled again.

Footsteps began running towards us. They were heavy, hard on the floor. But it was only one pair of footsteps. So I knew it was only one person coming after us.

As those footsteps got closer, without another thought, I ran off with Mama still hooked on the chair and fled the scene, running through the hallway, hoping to make it quick and get back to the others.

More footsteps came after me, I knew the Nurse was behind me. "Run Dima!" I called over my shoulders without looking back. Mama kept screaming and fighting to keep me from running away with her.

I'd gone for maybe two minutes when I heard two gunshots. Someone yelped, followed by a big thud. My escape came to an abrupt stop. Swiftly, I turned to see Ifechi and Dima on the floor.

"Dima!" I screamed, wishing my foot could walk over there but I couldn't move because a man was running towards us.

Blood was dripping from the women and I was just confused about what to do. Was about to go for Dima when I felt movement behind me, swiftly, I turned and saw the huge man slowly walking towards me, gun drawn.

He was all tall, covered in black attire, muscles threatened to rip out the clothes he had on. Helplessly, I watched him race closer to the two women on the floor, he kicked them and none of them moved. He smiled and exhaled.

Then his eyes moved toward me. "You," he barked, his gun raised pointedly at me. "Hands up!"

Quickly, I lifted my hands, facing him while backing Mama. My body shook from head to toe. He was now way past Dima and Ifechi's bodies. And in front of me, he stood, smirking away, self-satisfied.

Without another word, he roughly pulled my hands behind me, securing them with his large hand, and then called out to the old woman.

"Mama!" He robotically swerved his right hand above his ears in a weird military salute.

The woman's eyes turned towards us and scanned him slowly with a reluctant spiteful gaze. And for a moment, words stayed buried in her mouth. Minutes later, her head went down slightly in acceptance after pushing out a loaded sigh off her lips.

"Are you okay?" His stiffened body relaxed into his disfigured suit. The man's voice, however, was calm and polite when he spoke to her.

A hiss followed his question as the old woman suddenly let out a bark. "Took you long enough!" She forcefully readjusted her position on the chair, beating at it frustratingly while waving an angry finger at him. "So don't you ask me how I'm doing!"