TAKEN

[30]

Just as I thought, A thunderous slap graced his face immediately, followed by heavy boots on his spine. A loud crack and piercing wail followed, Soon he was sprawled on the floor half dead and seriously bleeding.

"Your leader?" He continued.

The second person, A girl, not more than sixteen didn't bother to look at him. She just stayed silent, staring at the red earth sand. Offended by her mute response, he quickly pulled her by the hair and dragged her to the floor. Soon he was on top of her raping her.

I gasped at the horrific sight and shuddered to see him hit her just like the General did me. The molestation was so brutal that the girl passed out right there. My heart was already in my mouth, threatening to detach from my body.

His trouser fly was already halfway zipped to his belt button when he stopped right in front of Dima. He scanned her over and shook his head. "Are you the leader?"

Dima's stone face met his jolly evil grin. Their eyes widened in an intimidating way. "Are you the leader?" She asked him and forced her face to meet his. "Mustafa Suleiman or Jeremiah Ifemezuie which one are you?"

There was no fear in her words but I was afraid for her. After seeing what my Dad had done in just very few minutes, I knew at that point that the general was more humane than him.

He lifted an eyebrow and leaned into Dima with a smirk. "You seem to know too much for your good!" A loud chuckle followed his disdained gaze. To himself, he moved backward and tucked his flayed khaki shirt into his pants.

"Now," he rubbed his palms together. "About your first question, What does it look like to you? Who do you think is giving orders around here?" His hands were now on Dima's face, caressing it roughly, squeezing her jaw.

Dima didn't respond but flinched when he grabbed her breasts.

"Officer Zoltan?" He turned to a man standing right next to him with a pointed gun aimed at us.

"This one looks fresh and perky, but too old for me," his eyes washed over the Nurse with lustful disgust.  "Do you want her?"

I watched the other soldier chuckle and lower his gun. "If you permit me, Sir."

"Permission granted! You got five minutes!"

Without another word, Dima was suddenly being dragged to the floor, her clothes flying off like pieces of paper. Her screams and yells meant nothing, neither could she fight against the heavily built military officer.

"But Sir," one of the men in uniform called out to my Dad.

I turned my gaze towards the direction of the voice. He was not more than twenty and lanky.

"What is it, Samuel?" He asked nonchalantly.

The boy hesitated. "It's just...It's just that this wasn't the assignment." He paused. "We were deployed here to save these people!"

He had my father's full attention. "And so?" His gaze lasered sternly on the young military guy. "Hurting them," he pointed at Dima, "Wasn't part of the deal."

He shrugged and increased the pitch in his voice. "Who is your commanding officer?"

The young man's body stiffened and his right hand positioned in a salute. "You, sir!"

"That's correct! Me!" His voice roared. And in a twinkle of an eye, he raised his gun and shot him point blank in the face. The body of the officer fell backward like a log, sips of bleeding circulating where his now dead body lay.

My body shivered in fear while my hands cupped my lips. The rest of his guys braced back and stood still. "Anybody else?" He asked, waving his gun at them. No one spoke except for the incessant screams of Dima.