Chapter 7
"Thank you." I told Ahmed, Sanusi's younger brother as he handed me the Ghana-must-go bag with the plastic cups and plates.
The weekend was over and it was two days after Kauna was out of the hospital. Kaka and I got rid of the glass plates and cups as the doctor advised us to. The only person we could switch the glass cups and plates to plastic ones was with Mama Sanusi. Yes the mother of the Sanusi that died last week.
I was standing in front of her shop in the market as Ahmed handed me the bag of plastic cups and plates while Mama Sanusi sat inside the shop.
After collecting the bag, I looked inside the semi dark shop to see Mama Sanusi sitting on a stool and looking into space with her face rested on her hand. She looked very depressed.
"Is this how she has been since that day?" I asked Ahmed, recalling the day Sanusi died.
He nodded his head. He was also unhappy but he tried his best not to make it obvious.
I looked back inside and Mama Sanusi was still looking into space, without bothering about whose presence was in her shop. My eyes caught the ground not far behind Mama Sanusi and I could see a little blood stain on the wooden ground of the shop. That was Sanusi's blood as I remembered the time last week when he was brought to the shop after he was killed and left with the mark number '13' on his forehead. The remaining blood stain looked like they must have tried so hard to scrub it off but it didn't want to go.
"Try to be safe." I said and looked back at Ahmed, "for your mother."
*******
After I left the shop, I was walking on my way home when suddenly, I heard children screaming. I was around the safe westward side of the river and the screaming seemed to be around that area.
I stopped walking and looked around for where the screaming was. Then there was a little silence. The silence even scared me more than the screaming.
Before I could take another step I heard a small boy screaming for help in that same direction. I felt my chest clench and I didn't know whether to run away or help the boy. Because it felt like the killer was with his next victim.
"Dan allah!" I heard the boy's voice shout louder this time.
I shut my eyes in frustration. Maybe this was my chance to peep and see who the killer was.
I tip toed slowly to the westward river side, so that my presence would not be noticeable. I heard children's screaming this time, not just the one boy anymore. The screaming sounded more like a cheer than a horrific one.
I got to the side I could hear them and they were around the river side where women dried their clothes. The moment I got closer, I saw a group of small children pointing to one direction, some were excited while some were horrified.
I looked up at the pointed direction to see a young boy standing on a tall tree branch. What was he doing? Anybody that saw him will think he wants to commit suicide because the space between the ground and the tree branch he was standing on was very high.
"Please let me come down!" He shouted.
He was shaking almost violently on the branch and took another step, trying to walk on it. My heart was beating heavily in my chest because one crack on the branch could cause him to fall to the ground and die.
I turned to look at the cheering children. The children were back again with their stubborn form of play. The last time it was Kauna and now it was this young boy. But looking at him, he looked older than most of the children standing here.
Out of frustration I moved closer to the group of children and shouted, "Are you mad?! You're watching a boy about to kill himself and you're standing there!"
The children stood there in silence and looked back at me in fear and confusion, not knowing what to do.
"Just get lost!" I groaned and shouted. They all ran away immediately and before I could continue shouting, I heard another voice from behind me.
"Mariam!" Someone shouted my name. And I knew who that someone was. The only one person that didn't know the difference between 'Miriam' and 'Mariam'.
I breathed in frustration. Why do I always run into him at odd times?
I turned around to see Hamid standing beside the tree that the young boy was walking on.
"Why did you chase them away?" He said in a loud voice as he was standing a bit far from me.
"Why are you even here?" I asked back in annoyance, knowing about the fact that he was also watching the young boy walking on the tree branch and he didn't do anything about it. To make things worse he was a soldier. Or wait, maybe it was actually because he was a soldier, since soldiers in Mansur were fond of punishing people anyhow.
"Just come over and I'll let you know." He grinned and put his hands on his waist then gestured for me to come.
I knew I could not hesitate because he was a soldier and I needed to give him that respect. I sighed and went over to where he was standing.
"Ya Abdul!" The boy on the tree cried out to Hamid when I got closer, "Dan allah!"
This was when I realised it was Hamid punishing the boy.
"Don't worry you're almost there! Just continue and get to the end." Hamid shouted back as he clapped, trying to encourage someone that he was trying to punish.
I shook my head in disbelief. Soldiers always give the strangest and toughest kind of punishment.
I looked at the boy crying as he kept shaking and slowly taking one step on the branch. He was already at the middle side of the branch, not too far from where Hamid and I stood.
"How long has it been since he started walking on the tree?" I asked while staring at the boy.
"Probably about 5 minutes." He looked up at the tree, "He started right from climbing the tree and must finish to tail end of that branch." He pointed to where we stood, which was directly under the tail end of the branch.
God, please let me not end up with a soldier. At least for the sake of my children's punishment.
"Ya Abdul! I can't get to the end!" The young boy shouted as he was still struggling to walk towards the tail end of the tree branch, "It's too far!"
"It's not that far!" Hamid shouted back and clapped his hands, "you're close to the end!"
I watch the boy walk on the tree branch with so much terror. He looked like this was going to be the end of his life. He took another step and he leaped a little, almost falling to the ground. I jumped immediately and covered my mouth. Thankfully, he balanced himself back and didn't fall down.
"I think this is too much." I shook my head and turned to Hamid, "I get that it's your duty as a soldier to punish someone that does something wrong but whatever he did wrong, you could have given him a lesser punishment."
He turned to look at me with a raised eyebrow in a questioning manner.
"You could have given him something like frog jump or ride-your-bicycle... pick pin or... even beaten him." I added frustratedly, "But punishing someone to walk on a tree branch is just very foolish. What if he falls down and breaks his head?! How will you pay his hospital bill?! How do you think his family members will feel seeing him like this?!"
I knew none of this was my business but I was just so disturbed about this punishment.
Hamid just smiled in response, making me more annoyed. It didn't look like he was going to give any other response soon. Maybe I shouldn't have talked. I sighed and was about to turn to leave when he said,
"He is my brother."
I turned and looked at him immediately, trying to be sure if I heard right.
"You heard right." He grinned, "He's my brother and-"
"Ya Abdul!" The boy shouted as he was already at the tail end of the tree branch. That was quite fast.
He was about falling once he got to the end end and Hamid immediately went closer and the boy fell into his arms. Unfortunately when he caught him, they both fell down. I winced as I watched them stand up and dust themselves.
The boy let out a loud cry as he stood in front of Hamid. His whole body was shaking and he looked really frustrated at Hamid who was now squatting in front of him.
"Chop knuckle. You made it." Hamid grinned and put his fist for his brother to fist him back but his brother doesn't respond as he cries angrily at Hamid.
I watched their bromance in amusement, still trying to understand what was going on.
The boy couldn't control his tears and he kept glaring at Hamid as he cried.
"Sadiq is that tears in your eyes?" Hamid grinned while looking at his brother, "I thought you told General that you're a man?"
Sadiq looked away frustrated and does not respond. I could imagine the number of curses Hamid was getting in his brother's head.
"How old are you? 13? And you want to act like you're the man of the house." Abdul scoffed while raising his shoulders like a gorilla, practically making fun of his brother.
"Leave me alone." Sadiq finally spoke, and tried walking away but Hamid pulled him back.
"I'm not done talking to you." Hamid said furiously while coming eye to eye with Sadiq as he gripped his brother's arm. "Calm down and listen to me."
Sadiq stood there impatiently waiting for Hamid to say something. Looking at Sadiq, he looked more like the really stubborn brother.
"What did you learn from today's punishment?" Hamid asked.
Sadiq doesn't respond as he kept glaring at him.
"I won't let you go until you answer." Hamid added.
Sadiq breathed out in annoyance and mumbled, "That I shouldn't tell General I am a man anymore."
Hamid shook his head, "Not that one. What did you learn when walking on that rope and finally reaching the end?"
Sadiq rolled his eyes, "Not giving up."
"No." He replied.
"Then what am I supposed to learn again!" Sadiq groaned.
"If you listen to me well then I'll explain to you." He said.
Sadiq became a bit calm and waited for Hamid to talk. I just stood there, also looking forward to hear what he had to say.
"Well," Hamid started, "what I was teaching you is simple. Walking on a thin rope is not easy-yes. But it would have been easier if you didn't keep whining."
"How do you expect me not to complain when you made me walk on a tree." Sadiq complained.
"Let me finish." Hamid shushed him, "Walking on that tree is just like your life. The lesson for you is to take life one step at a time. Get over being in a hurry. You kept looking at how hard it was and how far the end of the tree branch was instead of looking at each next step that was directly in front of you. Yet you want to become a man.
"This is what I want to teach you, if you want to be a man, be ready to be patient until the time comes. First you have to be a boy before you become a man. Just grow up one step at a time and stop rushing because of how far or how long it will be before you become a man- yes you have 5 more years before you become one, but it won't kill you to wait for your turn. If you think too much about what will happen in the next 5-10 years then how will you be able to focus on just tomorrow? And the next? And the next next tomorrow? Enh? Answer me."
Sadiq doesn't respond as he stared at his brother.
"You think thinking about the next 5-10 years will solve today's problem? No it won't." Hamid added. "It's tomorrow that will solve today's problem. And only tomorrow. Not the next 2 years or 4 years or 7 years."
Sadiq still doesn't respond. Hamid puts his hand over his face and sighs.
"Just go." He removed his grip from Sadiq, "but don't think about being disrespectful to General again because you want to buy motorcycle. I hope you'll learn from my advice."
"Thank you." Sadiq mumbled before trying to take take one step until Hamid stops him.
"Wait." He said and reached into his pocket, removed a handkerchief and moved closer to his brother. He placed the handkerchief on Sadiq's face and wiped the remaining tears from his face. After he was done, he placed the handkerchief on Sadiq's hand and said, "You can go. Will let General know about your punishment."
Sadiq retreated, leaving just Hamid and I. I felt like this was also my turn to leave as well. So I turned around, hoping that Hamid won't stop me.
"Wallahi I don't know what is wrong with boys these days, always rushing." Hamid groaned with his hands over his face, causing me to stop walking, "Most of my brother's age mates are already riding motorcycles before some of mine and he is now coming to tell General that he must get him one because he is a man."
"Mhmm." I mumbled, trying my best to show less interest so that I could leave. I kept taking small steps backwards as Hamid's hands were still on his face. Before I could take the step that could make me walk faster, Hamid removed his hands from his face and looked at me.
"Do you want to take some fresh air?" He asked.
"The air is already fresh." I hesitated, "I think I should be going."
"You're always looking for a way to avoid me aren't you?" He chuckled.
It was surprising that he even noticed. He stood up and came to walk in front of me.
"It won't be long." He said, "lets just go to the river side and take some fresh air."
I was not willing to go with him but like I always say, he was a soldier and I needed to respect him. I nodded my head slowly and we both took our leave to the river side. I hope this turns out well.
We walked to the westward river side where women washed clothes, not too far from where the clothing line was. There were very few women who were sitting on the rocks closest to the river and washing their clothes.
Hamid walked closer to a big rock near the river that could contain me and him to sit on. He sat on it and I followed up to sit beside him. He sighed and there was a little silence before he finally spoke up.
"So how have you been?" He asked, turning to look at me.
"Okay." I nodded my head slowly and looked around, catching about three of the women looking at us strangely.
"Don't worry these women won't do anything to us." He scoffed, "they can insult us in their heads but who cares."
I gave a small frustrated smile in response, without saying anything.
"How's my little Kauna?" He smiled this time.
"She's good. Just taking my time to take care of her while her mother is away." I responded.
He nodded with an impressed expression, "Must not be easy. Besides I know about her and her mother always sitting outside looking like homeless people."
I turned to look at him surprised, maybe he knew something about them. "So you think they're not homeless?" I asked.
"Probably not. They never had clothes or bags around them." He shrugged, "sometimes I wonder where they really come from." He looked at me, "do you know?"
I shook my head quickly, not ready to spill anything after promising inna Hauwa not to say anything about their background.
"So who's General?" I asked, immediately trying to change the topic before he goes further to ask more questions about how I knew them.
"You don't know who General is?" He looked at me with a scoff, "General Abdulkareem? The head of the army division in Mansur?"
"Ah, yes I know him." I looked at him trying to get what he was trying to say. He looked at me and doesn't say anything then it clicked to me and it got me shocked. "He is your father?"
"Yhup." He chuckled and looked away, "you think I'll be in the army for fun."
"Wow." Was all I could say, remembering what I've heard about General Abdulkareem. He was a really strict army officer that didn't smile with anybody. Sometimes even the Defense Minister couldn't handle his harshness. "Sorry to say but I heard he is a very wicked man." I mumbled.
"You don't even know what it's like to live with him first." He snorted, "You would look for a definition beyond wicked."
I gave a light chuckle, not believing that I was already laughing at something he just said.
Suddenly silence fell and I just looked around my surrounding in boredom. I was just waiting for him to tell me to go so that I could do something better than just sit here with him.
I sighed and stared at the sky as I watched a particular rock dove flying around. Honestly, rock doves were like Nigerians, you'll find them in any country.
I rested my head on my palm and watched as the dove flapped its wings when flying and then straightened it for a glide.
"Sometimes I wonder why birds do that." I said, breaking the silence as I stared at the dove.
"Do what?" Hamid asked.
"Flap their wings and then straighten it while flying." I said, "It just doesn't make sense. Can't they just keep flapping it until they get to their destination."
He grinned and looked up at the other doves flying before he said, "My grandmother used to tell me this life proverb, 'the bird rises with a flap and rests with a glide'."
I looked at him, "Meaning?"
"The flapping is the struggle and the gliding is the rest after the struggle." He looked at me, "In order to find rest, you must first have been through a struggle."
"Is it always that necessary?"
"Not really. But when you look deeper, it is already destined to be that way."
I sighed and looked down, "I doubt I have ever had this gliding moment you're talking about. Everyday is one struggle after the other."
"Your gliding moment is probably on its way. Those will be the best days of your life."
I scoffed and looked away. Like that was possible. My gliding moment was in the past. When my parents and Mama were still around.
I stared at the flowing river in front of us and watched as some children played with the water. I glanced at Hamid who was watching them too.
"I think you should be a leader." I broke the silence, "You sound like you will make a good one."
He grinned and boasted, "That is why they call me General Abdul!"
"Of course." I responded sarcastically. I've not heard a single person call him that today.
"I am serious." He said enthusiastically, "In the next 30 years I will be the next Major-General in Nigeria. The next General Yakubu Gowon."
"There's no such thing as Major-General in Nigeria anymore." I scoffed.
"That's why I will be the first Major-General after independence." He said. "You think Nigeria will succeed for 30 more years by just having a president?"
He shook his head and chuckled, "The only way we can develop for the better is by having a military ruler."
"Is that why you joined the army?" I asked.
He snorted and shook his head, "It's because of my father."
"Must be hard for you." I shook my head. "Joining the army because of your father."
"Not really. I am actually kind of like an... intern for now."
"So soldiers do internship?" I scoffed at how crazy that sounded.
"No. General is just trying to be 'creative'." He quoted while bending his two index fingers. "He is just giving me one year to experience what it's like to be a soldier before I enrol into a military academy next year. Let's just say I'm learning all the basic skills for now, like shooting a gun and the others."
Oh wow. I just nodded my head in amusement. At least by the time you leave for the academy, I don't have to keep running into you and I can finally live in peace.
"You know, I don't even do much." He shrugged and laughed a bit, "I'm just like the 'errand' boy in the head office."
"I would love to see you doing that." I chuckled.
"You can come to the head office one of these days." He joked.
"Like it's possible." I chuckled. He laughed in response.
Once again silence fell and neither of us spoke. I looked around and then up to the sky again. I watched another bird doing the flapping and gliding thing, reminding me of what Hamid just said.
"Mariam," He broke the silence and turned to me, "how old are you?"
I sighed, knowing how much I hate this question, "15."
He opened his mouth in surprise, "15?? I thought maybe you were like... 17."
"You're not the first person that thinks I'm older than my age." I scoffed, "you know...the bigger people like me always look older than the skinny ones."
"You're not that big." He said, trying to drag the word 'that' and thinking it will make me feel better about my weight.
"I wonder if that was a compliment." I said sarcastically.
"I'm serious." He chuckled, "Anyhow. That means you're also on strike too? Because I heard most primary and secondary schools are on it at the moment."
I nodded.
"Thank God I'm done with that nonsense."
"But it's not like being in the army is any better." I chuckled and looked at him in his green camouflage uniform, "do you ever wear anything other than this uniform." I asked sarcastically.
"Of course I do." He chuckled, "I just wear it whenever I'm on duty. Which is like almost everyday."
"I see." I said while looking at him still, I looked down at his hand to see a plain silver ring on his left ring finger. I stared at it and said, "Next thing you'll tell me you're married."
He looked at me and his eyes directed to where I was looking at. He chuckled and raised his left hand and looked at the ring in fascination.
"Probably." He smirked.
"You are?" I looked at him in surprise. He was 18 and was already in the military and now he was already married as well.
"Ofcourse not." He snorted at my question. "It's just a special ring my grandmother gave me."
"Oh." I nodded my head slowly in relief. What was I getting surprised for? It's not like I was ever going to marry him or something.
"She gave it to me before she died."
"So you know what it's like to lose somebody as well." I scoffed, remembering what it was like to lose Mama.
"I really missed her." He said. I don't respond as I just stared at the water. "Do you miss your sister as well?"
That question alone made me uneasy at the moment. I just left my eyes glued to space and said, "Can we not talk about it."
"Sorry for bringing it up." He apologized calmly.
Silence fell again. I was just feeling completely uncomfortable because it was something nobody has asked me in a while. At the same time I think I was being a bit rude for not answering his question.
"You know... it was like a dream." I finally answered, "my sister... my family... they were all like a dream. It's like they never existed and I just woke up one day from a long dream."
"I understand." He nodded his head. I could tell he was looking at me but I chose not to look at him. I looked down and noticed he was about to hold my hand, probably trying to calm me down. I take my hands away immediately and looked up, pretending not to know that he was trying to hold my hand.
He doesn't say or do anything about my rejection but just scoffs and looks at the river. He took a deep sighed while I just sat there, deciding whether to leave now or not.
Before I knew it, I felt water splash beside me. I turned to glare at a laughing Hamid who just splashed the river water that was in front of us on me.
"Hey!" I scowled.
"I was just trying to lighten up the mood." He grinned.
I shook my head. Before I could say anything, one of the women sitting on the rock and washing clothes called on us. We both turned to look at her.
"The two of you! Especially this boy." She pointed at us, "This is not the place to be toasting somebody. Go back and get to your work. No wonder our children are dying, when all you soldiers would be busy toasting girls instead of protecting the society." She hissed and turned back to her washing.
'Okay' was all that came in my head. I didn't care less until all the other women around murmured in agreement. I turned to look at Hamid in embarrassment and he seemed to find it funny.
"Maybe we should just leave." I said, getting ready to stand up. He held my wrist to stop me and I turned to look at him with furrowed eyebrows.
"We should stay a little longer." He grinned, "I enjoy looking for their trouble."
"You really need help." I said sitting back down, "they'll now misunderstand and start telling everyone that you came here to toast me."
"Why do you care about what they think?" He asked as he released his hand from my wrist. "Women will think of you as something for one minute and forget it the next minute. So why bother."
He rested his hands on his laps peacefully as I just tried to think of what he just said, which was partially true.
"And besides we just came to take fresh air." He added and smiled, "aren't you enjoying it?"
"Well... I can't tell." I shrugged, still uncomfortable about the women around me.
"You could have forgotten the bag there too." He said as he looked beside me.
"What bag?" I asked in confusion then turned to see the Ghana-must-go bag that I had collected from Ahmed lying on the floor. Today would have been the death of me if I actually left that bag.
"Ohh." I gawked, "I was just taking it home."
"Is it human head you've put this time?" He joked, trying to remind me of our first encounter with the blood knife.
I scowled, "I told you I was not a killer."
"I'm only playing." He chuckled, "you'll have to get used to me like that."
He was too playful to be a soldier. Deep down I know I was not going to run into him anymore. Not this time.
I looked around, realizing I've been here for too long and I was going to start worrying kaka soon.
"I think I should really leave now." I said, hoping he'll let go of me this time.
"No problem." He smiled, "I've held you for too long."
"I guess so." I said, a bit relieved that I was finally free from the chains I was held to. I stood up immediately and he stood up after.
"I could help you with the bag." He said, while I lifted the Ghana-must-go up.
"No thank you." I said immediately, "I have to hurry now. Bye."
"It was good-"
I didn't wait for him to say his goodbye as I already turned to leave. I had no reason to rush back but I just wanted to. It wasn't bad taking 'fresh air' with Hamid but I really did not want to run into him again. I just didn't enjoy his company. I really don't want to be seen playing around with a soldier. Kaka will wonder if something was wrong with me if she knew.
Sad thing was that the more I was running away from him, the more I ran into him.
_________________
END OF CHAPTER 7