MARRED

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE - THE AWAKENING

There was the loud sound of a gunshot and then, silence. "Useless bunch. All of you!" He spat again.

"Now listen up. Finding that boy is the only way any of you will remain alive. Do you hear me? Find that Diplomat's Son, or await your death!" He roared.

The scurried footsteps came again. Had he just shot someone dead? I doubled the hand on my mouth to prevent any whimpering sound from coming out by placing my hands over hers, onto my mouth.

At that point, I made another du'a, silently. The same one that Prophet Yusuf had made.

My Lord, Creator of the heavens and the earth! You are my Protector in this world and in the Hereafter. Cause me to die as a Muslim and join me with the righteous.

There was a flash of light above the tunnel. And I the hiss of a snake. I felt my friend's hand press harder against my mouth and the gnashing of her teeth. What was she doing? She held my mouth and she made sounds.

The footsteps were deliberate as they approached the tunnel.

I was now very worried. I felt her feet against mine, pressing harder against the ground. After a while, the flashlight just above us faded away and the footstep retreated. Then my friend's hands slipped away from my mouth, and she said, "It dead." Her voice was slurred. "But... we...have to leave...in this night."

"You are bitten." I said in fear.

She humphed. "Long... long ago." She confirmed.

I must have really overestimated her. She was just a girl for Allah's sake.

"Where?" I made to rise, but she gasped.

"Les go out fest. Iya...Olu will use the snake to remove the poison."

She was right about that, I couldn't help if we remained here. So, I stood to my full height. The exit of the pit was not so far from my head and so I reached out.

It was my turn to ask her "Can you walk?"

"Me? I can carry you sef." She struggled out.

That she still had that sense of humour baffled me.

"Let me take you out," I told her, and suddenly, the pain in my leg did not matter anymore. In fact, I couldn't feel it anymore. I was a boy scout. It wasn't hard to climb up and down the walls. Even smooth ones. But I needed a push. She was not in a state to help me.

I had to do it. By myself.

"What's your name?" I asked suddenly.

She scoffed. "Call me Girl. My former name is bad luck. I change it later."

I will give her a befitting name when we got out, In shaa Allah. If she really had no place to go, maybe we could go back to Abuja together... first, survive Ahmad. Survive. Get both of you out of this place.

I tore out my shirt and wrapped each piece around my hands.

"What you are doing?" She asked, dazed.

"Saving us." I answered simply and began to use my nails on the walls. There had to be a softer side. The side with the whole in the block. I found them all in no time and smiled. Well, my scoutmaster did get a few things right.

Without any more delay, I began to climb the wall, but came down again.

"Listen. When I get up, I will untie these ropes and extend them to you. Can you hold it?"

"Yes. But if I correct, morning is close to reaching." She said. "if you go straight, Oloye boys will catch you. That one is kill, not sell o." She warned.