Escape From Sambisa Forest

Eleven

It wasn’t long before the bumpy wheels of the army camouflage truck found a more solid grip on the smoothly tarmacked road. The road widened and the bush receded on either side.

             They had been driving in silence until they mounted the smooth road, and the first thing Hafsat said was, “I’m sorry, Jabal. I put you thru all that.”

             She gently touched the side of his face with her slender fingers.

             Jabal remained quiet. The touch of her fingers felt soft and warm against his skin.

             Hafsat realized what she was doing and quickly took her hand away.

             “You are mad at me, aren’t you?” She insisted.

             Jabal shook his head negatively.

             “I – I was just thinking, how we are going to have part ways soon.”

             “How do you mean?” Hafsat asked, a lump in her throat. She realized that her most dreaded moment was fast approaching. The moment when they will inevitably have to part ways.

             “I mean, now that we have left Sambisa, you are fairly safe now. You and Asabe. The earlier we dispose of this army truck, the better for us.”

             “Where will you go?” Hafsat asked. “You have no home to go to. And I doubt if you will go to the police.”

             Jabal shook his head.

             “Police, never! What do you think that the Police will do for me? Charge me to court, of course. No, I will not go to the Police. I will think of something, don’t worry.”

             After a moment, Hafsat brightened. An idea was running in her head.

             “Look, Jabal, why don’t you come with us?” Hafsat asked, looking invitingly at Jabal, who refused to meet her gaze.

             “’Us’? Who is ‘Us’?”

             “I mean me, Hafsat. Come with me to our house. Anybody asks you, just tell them we are brother and sister, or cousins, or something like that. I’m sure that my mother would be pleased to have you stay with us.”

             Jabal remained thoughtful.

             “I’ll consider it,” he said.

             They continued to drive in silence, and without meeting any other vehicles on the road at this time of the moon-lit night. They passed a small settlement that was quiet and fast asleep, and twenty minutes later, drove into the quiet, nearly deserted community of Chibok.

             “That’s the road to our house!” Jummai said excitedly, pointing at the oncoming an intersection.

             Jabal slowed the truck sufficiently enough to make the left turn at the intersection indicated by Jummai, but missed his timing and the rear off-side wheels ran into a small ditch with a bump that nearly threw the truck on its side. 

The truck bounced back on its four wheels and they passed several mud houses before they finally made it to the front of Jummai’s family home.

             Everywhere was quiet and dark, excepting for the fading moonlight.

             “Thank you, very Jabal,” Asabe said as she opened the rear off-side door and stepped down. She stopped beside the passenger door. “Thank you Hafsat. When shall we see again?”