Justice, Law and The City

22

The unthinkable, unfathomable evil happened on Tuesday 5pm at the UNIBRACE main gate. The government of Nigeria switched off the lights, gunned down innocent peaceful protesters, and carted the body away.

The Governor said, "One injured."

Our sources claim 5 are dead and 14 are injured. More report on this is incoming.

20 OCT, 2020 ǀ BEFORE 5PM

There was a curfew set that fateful day and it felt quite familiar. Faith wanted to stay back. Her body ached and she was trying to adjust to the changes the new life growing in her brought.

She picked her phone to call Toyin, Boluwatife and Edna that she would sit this one out but decided against it. She dragged her jeans up her butt, jumping as she did so and suddenly feeling conscious of the baby fat that already appeared on her edges. She always thought that in pregnancy she would be a late bloomer but the signs were showing so early. She suddenly wished Hope was here and beside her.

When she got to the main gate, the crowd was innumerable. She called the girls asking where they were. Once she found their location, she met up with them just because it was something Tammy would want her to do.

By 4pm, the crowd started singing the national anthem and then by 5pm the light in the main gate and streets started going off and the next sound was that of screams and at first, she stood transfixed at a spot, the scene too familiar. She moves only when a body in front of her falls to the ground and he looks like Tammy, both of them bearing the same lifeless eyes she ran to God knows where, the crowd pushing and people running for their lives as more dropped. She didn't know how but she caught herself overtaking people. The only thing she had on her mind was to protect Tammy's legacy that was growing inside of her. It was the last prove that he was here.

*****************

The house was dusty, everything the same as it was when they left for Toyin's party – clothes hurriedly flung here and there. She sneezed, her eyes getting red and itchy. She wasn't sure if it was the dust, the baby or because she was crying. This life! One day, she was in the arms of the man she loved and the next day, he was gone. She wanted to hate him for leaving her, for not taking her too, but she hated herself more because she was the one who left him. Truth was, she would've gone with him in a heartbeat if he asked.

The kitchen held memories of her cooking in his oversized Tee while he told her all about his horrible engineering lecturer, Mr Alonso. He loved her pancakes and they would run around as she tried to save some for herself. She remembered how deep his voice sounded and the vein that would reveal themselves on his forehead as he laughed. She always told him it looked like the 'River Y' that parted the Nigerian coat of arm.

She brought her hands quickly to her mouth swallowing the big sobs along with the memories. Tears found their way to her cheeks easily. "I'm sorry, so sorry I left you. I shouldn't have. I'm sorry. Oh God. Oh Tammy...I can't believe that you're gone. I can't believe that I'll never hold you in my arms anymore. I miss you...I'm sorry. Oh God, I can't believe I killed him. We should've stayed at the hotel, I wished we lodged." She ranted wishing that she knew better. She folded herself into a corner of the room rocking herself and hating that she was alive.

It was when her phone vibrated did she wake. Her eyes dry and scratchy. The ID said Hope. She answered.

"Faith, where are you? Are you okay? The girls are looking for you."

She sniffed. "I'm fine." Her voice was grouchy and groggy.

"Are you okay? You've been crying? Where are you?"

No reply.

"Where are you?"

"I'm at Tammy's apartment." She answers breaking into tears and now it is Hope's turn to keep silent. "I miss him, Hope. I'm scared. He gave me morale, Hope. He said he'll never go. I killed him. I killed the man I love."

"Hey, don't say that darling. You did no such thing. It's not your fault darling. No one controls life sweetheart and he did not choose to leave, something very bad took him."

Faith is crying and Hope knows she shouldn't, that she should be strong for Faith, but she finds herself crying too.

"Why did God not stop it?"

"I'm sorry that I'm not there for you. I wish I was."

Faith's crying is down to a sniffle. "Why don't you come and stay with us, you know my mum misses you?"

"I miss her too."

Hope heaves a sigh. "Think about it okay. Promise me you'll stay safe?"

"I promise."

"Be happy." A foolish thing to say. The line goes dead.

****************

Hopes stares at the phone and clutches it to her chest. "Why did God not stop it?" The question resounds in her ears. She saw the news. She saw the people running for their life. Her people. "Why did God not stop it?"

The news anchor confirmed that 8 were dead and 18 injured. She expected the protest to go haywire but not in this way. This felt like a conspiracy – like a game of checkers. Were the lives of people so easy to be discarded by the government? Who gave the order?

All these questions spun in her head and she screams, falling to the ground. Father rushes over to her, catching her halfway before she hits the ground. "They're killing us dad." She cries. "They're hiding our bodies. Their children are older than us but they don't care. They're still killing us."

The warmth from father's hand feels warm. Did Faith feel this warmth? Was Tammy hugging her now as she slept? Was he dropping wet kisses on the bump he put in her? She broke from the hug as she sent a text to the group chat and immediately it marks read. They would be safer there.