"Oh my god! Gladys, what have you done!" Mom screamed, immediately placing her right palm over her mouth while staring at my father's bloody lifeless body.
"And you!"Mamas voice roared, startling us all. That same gun was pointed at my mom who against all instructions refused to sit back where they were treating her. "I'd never forgive you!"
"I'm sorry, " My mom pleaded, looking at Mama who unlike her, had tears streaming down her face. They'd both lost a man, one man that made their lives and our lives miserable.
Slowly, from the corners of my eye, soldiers were circling her. "Calm down Gladys." The senior officer beckoned. "We will rectify everything peacefully."
She didn't budge.
"Put the gun down and lift your hands Ms. Gladys." The officer commanded her again, although his tone was quite polite.
"Don't think I will leave my businesses to you." She hissed at my mom, ignoring the men in uniform who snaked up around her. "You can always carry on with your petty stealing group of hungry pickpockets and rapists!"
"Rape what?" I probed, eyes glaring at my mother.
Slow breath whooshed out of her mouth, followed by the tired hanging of her hands and slumped shoulders.
"Mom?" I called, "Say something!" I was totally freaking out.
Mom sighed," and gestured a stop sign at me with her left palm. "Not now Linda, please."
Then her face lifted and she locked eyes with Mama's. "For the sake of Jeremiah, can we not fight now?....Please."
"Please, put it down.." I begged, ignoring the burning questions at the back of my mind and the guilty verdict I was about to unleash on my mother. "It's not that serious, we," I focused on Mama while pointing at everyone around me. "I'm sure we'll make it work.....whatever it is."
A loud scoff followed my comment, then she aimed the gun pointed directly at me. "Not serious?" She barked, widening her gaze. "Even you are one of those people who wrecked this business with your busybody and over zealous self!"
"Seriously?" I lifted my head to look her in the eye, despite the sight of the gun. "You stole me for heaven's sakes!"
A disgusted scowl filled her angry face. "Oh come off it! You are not the first to be taken!" She mocked. "This is my life work, worth billions of Naira and you make it sound as if it's worthless!"
Her eyes blazed as she set her targeted gaze at me. "Plus, it was your father who kidnapped you by proxy."
"Gladys," Mom waded in, noting the argument was getting heated. "Look this way please," her fingers waved up at Mama. "Just focus on me, because this is just between you and I, And we can settle it amicably."
"Of course it is worthless!" Ifediora chipped in, her voice overshadowing my mom's. "Anything that reduces people's dignity, robes them of their future and integrity is useless. Any business that stems from fraud and blood is as useless as you!"
Instinctively, I rushed at my sister, covering her mouth forcefully. "Please, speak not!" I managed to slide in whispered warning in her ears, but her eyes were defiant and confident.
"Leave me alone! She barked. " If I perish, then so be it!" She pulled my hands off her arms. "Fear of death is for the weak and truth is for the spirits and the living, and as long as I live, I will always fight evil!"
"Arrh! Ifediora, shut up already!" I cautioned, frustrated by her outburst. Here we were trying to keep Mama from killing us all and she was busy mouthing off.
"Please," My gaze went back to Mama, I rubbed both palms together in a plea. "She is sorry."
I watched Mama's chest fall slowly, followed by a long deep breath, then she moved the trajectory of the gun and pointed it back at my mom.
From the corner of my eye, I wondered why no one was bold enough to grab her and tear that gun off her hands, better still end it...kill her.
Although, I would have preferred if she was captured alive. Someone must answer for those crimes. Carlos was closer though, slowly moving his steps.
"Please," I heard my mother plead again.
But Mama's gaze was sudden blood shut, jaw clinched and hands tightly held around the gun. She washed her gaze over my mom in disgust. "That doesn't pay for the damages done to my business and family!"
"NneEze, bikozie! (Please)." Mom pleaded again. "We can settle this, please."
"Easy for you to say, when you have all your children standing with you and these vultures waiting to capture me and send me to jail!" But, it won't happen, it won't be me going down alone!"
Ifediora unceremoniously released a quick shot and everyone tensed. Even Mama shuddered at that sound. My head gazed back at my sister and I was about to give her a dress down when I caught Mama's gun swiftly aimed at my mother in absolute determination.
From the look on her face, plus her finger firmly placed on the trigger, I knew, my mother was next. Before my mind could comprehend what was happening in that split of a second, my body swiftly already tossed itself in front of my mom, shielding her.
Quickly, I took her and swung her around, my back facing Mama. I held my mom firmly in my hand, both of us staggering at the force of my sharp movement.
Suddenly, there was a burning, A sharp pain in my gut. A feeling as though something passed through me and pulled me away from myself.
My hands weakened around my mother's body. Slowly, I let her go and placed my hand where I'd felt the pain. My abdomen.
It was red.
Soaked in blood.
When I curiously lifted my fingers in my line of vision. It was copiously painted red.
"I...." I breathed, swallowing hard out of shock. Something regurgitated upwards to my mouth. I wondered what because, I'd not eaten that whole day and not even a sip of water.
"Linda!" The shock on her face mirrored mine.
"Mom?" I whispered. Knees were getting weak unable to carry me.
Almost immediately, my weight weighed heavily on my legs. "M....mo...mom?" I knew that any moment I'd be kissing the floor.
In few seconds, I heard my body thump the earth floor and the sky tumbled in confusion. "What.. is -- hap-pening?" words slurred out of my mouth in a daze.
Mom's face fell into mine and kisses filled my face. Her tears washed me too. "Linda, please, biko - don't do this!" Her hands ran over me, shaking me.
"Linda!" My sister let out a shrill scream that got me scared even in my condition.
"Linda!"
Her voice continued to call me, apprehensively.
Then something dropped like a wet heavy log. The screams from the camp forced me to manage to look around. But what fell wasn't far away from me. Matter of fact it stared at me from a bloodied head.
It was her.
My terror, My torment.
The grim reaper of my destiny.
The lone old woman who took away my innocence and sold it to the highest bidder. The one person who showed me a higher level of cruelty.
Mama's gaze stayed fixated on mine, full of streaming tears. Her sequenced black dress glittered in the night. Her hair disheveled and face full of fear.
Slow long gasps followed her stare while her body jerked all over. "I'm sorry." She mouthed weakly.
Tears filled my eyes while trickles of blood rolled off my mouth. Another startling scream came on again, and it was Ifediora standing over Mama and putting another bullet in her chest.
"Die in pieces!"
"Ife..." I stuttered, raising my hand, waving her over. "Ife..diora, don't!" But the deed was already done. Mama was more dead than me. Her turmoil was over and her journey just ended. Whether she was at peace now, no one would know.
My sister, still with tears cascading down her face, rushed towards me, placing her hands in mine. My mom was busing cry-praying, while Dima had magically materialized before me and doing everything to stop the bleeding.
But I knew it was a wasted effort. Even if she managed to succeed, it was still
meaningless. I'd already lost the will to fight.
In spite of that, my mind was still functional, determined for justice. Although this was an easy way out for Mama and my father, I still so desperately wanted to prove that these killings, kidnappings and traffickings were not just some faceless group or gang.
The culprits were not ghosts, instead they were and had been people who had sworn to serve and protect us. Those in the higher ups, those whom we voluntarily voted for. And if in the long run, my mother committed any of these alleged crimes, I so willingly wanted her to pay for it.
It was no longer my call. Someone else had to do it for me because tomorrow is infinite and more young women like me would become victims and people like Mama will continue to thrive.
I passed in and out of consciousness. One minute everything was blurry and in another minute, it seemed as though I had a twenty- twenty vision.
If I didn't know, I thought dying was painful but all along I'd also been in and out of it, it really was a choice, to feel or not feel pain. Of course there was pain, but I choose not to acknowledge it.
So I mustered courage and held my sister's hand, stealing that minute when my mind and vision seemed intact to speak. "Promise me..." My eyes searched hers which was filled with tears. "Promise me you'll keep fighting, helping people like me."
Ifediora nodded. "But nothing will happen to you. "Her shaky fingers wiped her face and tamed her quivering lips. " Nurse Dima and the medics are trying their best."
Tears walled my eyes and I nodded. "Promise me." I insisted.
A hovering Carlos had joined the meeting. "Ifediora is a good recruit. She exceeded expectations when Nigerians' secret teens enforcement hired her." He patted her on the back. "I'm sure she won't disappoint you."
My eyes dimly widened in unbelief, but it was too late to ask questions. Everything suddenly began to burn and hurt. My eyes dizzied over, and blurry images of different shapes of moving objects danced in my vision.
I shuddered at the chill and warmth that coursed through my system. A sharp pain sipped through my body and continued to seat on my abdomen, back and legs.
My right hand comforted my tummy, wishing the dull ache away. That whole region was wet, sticky and warm. Soon, it slowly dispelled and I shut my eyes and whispered my name.
Linda, you came and you conquered.
"Stay...." A sober voice said. An image hovered over my face but I couldn't make out what it was, but the voice came again. "Stay with me."
"I'm tired." I confessed.
Warm hands ran over my face gently. "Please, stay."
"Mercy?" I half opened my eyes, recognizing her voice. The shape of her head nodded and a sniffle followed.
"You'll be fine." She said, looking me over. "You're a fighter, so fight!"
"You came?" I asked the little girl Dima and I rescued at the hospital.
Her warm hands with another which I knew was My mom's held me in their palms. " I saw the news and with Nurse Dima's help, I got here on time.
"News?" I tried to get up.
"Don't get up, save your strength." She wiped more trickles of blood. The camp was now swimming with news people, medics, military and a whole bunch of people.
"How?" I still wanted to see what was happening, even if it was foggy.
"Well, when Nurse Dima sent the SOS text. I contacted her standby, including the news agency.
In my heart I was happy, very happy. I couldn't ask her more because, words were becoming too difficult to say. So, I smiled and squeezed her hand, whispering, "Good."
"Stay still Linda. You can't move now, we've given some pain meds that should make you sleep." She gave me her widest grin, squeezing my shoulders gently. " The bleeding stopped." Her eyes searched mine in expectation. " So rest."
I blinked and sucked in shallow painful breaths. As she continued to speak, her voice kept me conscious and soon the fog lifted and her face and the others came into view again.
Her face had tear line marks as though she'd been crying while working to save my life. Mama's body was still there, stone cold, eyes piercing.
I turned away from that image and focused on my friend.
"Thank you." I muttered. "You...you've shown me...so much love in a very shot time."
"Don't... " she spoke hastily, her nervous hands trembled in mine.
Choking cough filled my lungs and I coughed out forcefully. Fresh warm liquid sputtered out of my mouth. Blood was flowing violently out of my mouth now, and it felt as though I was drowning.
"Please Linda, hang in there." Nurse Dima pleaded, staying her hands on my abdomen. But it was useless, I could see the liquid sipping out of me in large amounts.
I reached out and held her hand. "It's... okay." I whispered, finding every word difficult to say.
Her head shook and her eyes blinked away from me. "Don't do this please," quick sobs jerked her shoulders and soon everyone was weeping.
"I am not losing you!" Dima declared.
For me, I wish that was true, but my body was slowly detaching from my soul. A transition, I found scary and exciting.
Painfully, I managed to suck in breath. It felt as if something was making sure I took shallow breaths. Whatever it was was stuck in my throat and tightened around my chest.
"We saved - them." I reminded her. The cough was back and more red fluid flowed out of my mouth. "We ....did it!"
Her gaze dropped and a nod followed. "And we'll do it again, only if you fight." My weak fingers gave hers a squeeze as much as I could muster.
" I can no longer fight... but you and .....Ifediora." Whizzed breath paused my my words. "You can now fight for me and for other teenagers in captivity." Oxygen was denying me its life giving breath and I knew it was just a matter of time when could no longer breathe.
"Save them... As much as you can, please." I pleaded.
Dima nodded, pulling me into her arms, away from my mom who'd been holding me and confessing how much she loved me.
"Linda, please!" Her broken voice called unto me.
More voices followed her cue and screamed my name one after the other. I heard them quiet alright, but it sounded like an echo, fading away from the light....
Away from love
From Hate
From torture
From viciousness
Like the shattering sound of a broken glass, it stilled when it's pieces had settled where they may.
Then silence.
Absolute peace.
I took my last breath of life and journeyed into another unending world, ruled by silence and nothingness. Whether I flowed or swirled like the whirlwind, I didn't know because right here, it didn't matter anymore.
My name is Linda.
I came, hoping to conquer, but they conquered me.
Now, you too can conquer them.
THE END