The Alpha Maze

Chapter Two

Thirty minutes later, after I left Sarah and George I found myself in the captain’s office, the captain of regiment 09, I was standing beside other three soldiers as the captain addressed us.
‘you all are to escort general Parkinson to the guest house, you remain with him on guard till tomorrow evening when he would be escorted to the airport, is that taken’
‘yes sir’ we yelled.
‘he leaves by 5pm today, so at 5pm, report to the head quarters’
‘yes sir’
‘dismiss’
We saluted and left the office. there was still enough time before five so I decided to have a walk around the field, which I did for a long time before sitting on the bench to watch as soldiers paraded the entire base with their riffle hanging over their shoulders.
Few minutes to five , my radio beeped.
‘tree too wun, twenty minutes to 5pm, report to division’
‘roger, tree too wun is proceeding. Out’
I said and walked to the 09 division, on getting there, I saw the other three soldiers getting themselves ready, they were putting on their bullet proofs, and their helmet, i picked a bullet proof from the piles in the room and wore it and then took an helmet before grabbing a riffle from the many arranged in the wall.
After dressing up we walked out of the room and headed for were a new Chevrolet SUV was parked, I sat at the front while the others sat at the back, and we drove off to headquarter which was about two miles from the division, when we got there, we came out and stood around waiting for the time to hit 5pm, and when it finally did, the general walked out from the door, and we escorted him to the car which he was to ride in. I opened the back door for him and he entered, I didn’t returned to the car we brought, rather I sat at the front of the car and we drove off to the guest house.
It was dark when we got to the guest house, a bit pass 7pm, If I can still remember, the bulb light at every corner, illuminated the compound making the flowers and the water fountain sparkling, when we pulled over at the parking lot, we rushed down from the cars at once. the other soldiers took guard around as though excepting the enemy’s attack, while I opened the  door for him, I saluted as he step down.
he walked to the door of the guest house where a young looking man wrapped neatly on a fine suit, stood to welcome him.
We stood guard throughout that night, and the only thing I thought about was Sarah, I was not quite happy and I couldn’t tell why,  it might have been the fact that I left without any message that I would be staying for a day, if it was that I would be unhappy for no reason, sincerely I can tell you that Sarah was quite used to me staying for days, weeks and even months, what does she except dating a soldier who was still in the stage of being sent on stupid mission mostly?, but I wondered that night if it may also be the fact that I didn’t spend a enough time in the restaurant with her and George, I  just couldn’t tell, but the fact still remains that I was always unhappy when ever far away from this girl, but i tend not to accept it, instead I  look for excuses around.
The following morning we stood guard in the compound, till it was evening, when the general came out,  we saluted  at once and as usual I walked him to his car and opened the door for him, and we drove to the airport.
From the guest house to the airport was about an hour and when we escorted him to the passenger’s lodge we stood guard around him until he finally  boarded the plane.
It was dark when we got back to the base, trust me the military base was  a place with less light, it was totally dark. We pulled over on our division, we went to the weapon room and took off our helmet, our bullet proofs and returned the rifles. Then we jabbed hands with each other before going our separate ways.
Still not happy, I decided to visit Sarah,  her apartment wasn’t so far from mine so I took the pleasure of walking that evening, the air was cool and most time I tend to like the night, the way the cars moved around with their lights on, the way the people move around, the way lights from the shops made the night glittering.
‘knock knock’ I said aloud when I got to the door of Lucy’s house. ‘knock knock’ was the usual way I announced my presence. and I tend to like it that way, it gave her the impression that I had arrived. A few second later she swung the door opened, and threw herself on me. For the first time I manage a smile. There was something about her presence that made me smile; that made me happy; that filled my heart with joy, so permit me to say I was unhappy because I was too far away from her.
When she finally pulled herself off me, she held me by my hand and I shut the door as I walked behind  her to the dinning,
‘welcome…good to see you’
‘you don’t know our glad I am to be here’ I said.
‘I was about having dinner’ she said and walked to the kitchen.
The room was bright, despite the tick darkness outside, she had lit up candles all over the dinner room which made it had a lovely view. as she served me dinner a while later her engagement  ring shone brightly and seeing it gave me more joy.
‘I am sorry for not telling you I will be staying for a day, you know, it was urgent’ I said eating with great rush as if had a time limit, a whole day escorting and guarding the general wasn’t a joke, you we agree with me If the church of ‘praise Jesus the lord is might’ had ever asked you to fast.
‘I wasn’t bothered anyway, I knew you might be staying for a couple of days when you didn’t come back yesterday, fortunately you only stayed for a day’
After  dinner together, I thought of  resting  at the sitting room before leaving for my apartment, Sarah was clearing the table and from time to time I stared to her, most time she didn’t see me staring, but whenever she saw me, she would smile.
After clearing the dining table she walked to the sitting room and sat close to me.
‘I want to talk to you about George’ she said, and I couldn’t tell why my heart stopped biting for a few seconds, I turned to her but she wasn’t smiling.
‘what about George?’ I asked
‘he asked me out’
‘what!’.