The joy of returning home was indescribable. Leena felt as if it was a dream as she stepped into her house after so many painful days.
Days of hopelessness and slavery. Taken away from your home, family, education or career, friends and dreams was something no one would ever want to experience.
It was a miracle she was not sexually molested. Most of the girls got molested. Some had children and they were still there,
The family reunion was exhilarating. Her friends and family members kept trooping in to felicitate with her,
Among the first callers was Adam, her fiancé. He had lost a moment and shed tears of joy.
So after a while, life went on. A new date was fixed for the marriage that ought to have taken place a two days before she came back.
The wedding was postponed and a new date was fixed.
Leena had a secret. The thought of Mufty was stuck with her. She could not take him off her mind.
He was a mystery and could not understand why he had a strange phobia towards women.
That was she did not know the reason behind his phobia for women.
It started since the Beeba saga.
He had fallen off the cliff but was lucky to have held on to a rock. He had lifted himself up and survived. It was from that day he decided to dedicate the rest of his life to God.
He left Kano and moved to Maiduguri. He began to attend Mallam Muhammadu Yunus’s islamic lectures. Muhammad Yunus was usually harsh on the government systems and condemned them vehemently.
He talked about unemployment, corruption, debauchery and said it was all caused by the Western
influence.
“The white man brought education to us just to destroy our religion. He had said. “ The worst thing that has happened to us is western education. What we need a land strictly based on the Shari ’a system. If every government thief has his hands cut off, there would be less corruption. It is the system that allows men to sleep with married women…..”
And that part had hit Mufty, who was still Mangal then, like a tornado.
He began to see truth in what the Mallam said. The Mallam was using facts to deceive people and he fell for it. It happened at a time when he was desperate to serve God, seek for forgiveness and pay for his crimes.
This was how he got closer to them and became a part of them. When the Mallam was constantly arrested, he told them that they had to fight back or the voice of truth would be buried. He said there was no revolution without bloodshed.
Mufty was part of those trained as soldiers. Unknown to him, he was being led into an insurgence that would shake the world.
The relationship with Beeba made him develop a phobia for women. He got mad whenever a girl touched him mistakenly. He never got aroused by a woman, or even had the intention of getting married.
He felt he was the worst person on Earth after destroying a home. But Leena never knew any of these.
All she knew was there was something about him that had stuck to her. There was something about him that made her want to be with him. It seemed she was in love with an insurgent.
That was crazy!
Why did she crave for him? Why did she want to see those manly eyes again? Why did she just want to hear his voice again?
She felt he was a man in need of help. He had lost his mind and soul. He had no right to write himself off. She did not know what he did in the past, but there was nothing god does not forgive if you sincerely repent while you were still alive and not at the verge of death.
He saved her live and the lives of many girls. She wanted to save his. She wanted him to come back to life.
But could she do this when she may probably never see him again?
She lived with this for three months. Even as her wedding preparation went on, she only feigned to be happy. If she had to do anything for Mufty, then it had to be before she got married.
************
Mufty lay in his room with his hands crossed over chest when he heard the noise. He got up abruptly and went to the door. He opened the door and saw three of their men standing.
“Amir wants you now.” One of them said.
The tone of the call did not sound good. He knew sooner or later they may find out that he was no more loyal. His saving grace was his illness. He was on bed for two months and that saved him from going for any operation. They thought it was his HIV crisis.
“What is going on?” He asked.
“Amir needs you now.”
“Just a moment.”
“He said now.”
Mufty eyed the man who was talking.
“I know you are acting on orders but be careful how you talk to me.”
The man smirked.
“I would have been scare a few months ago. You have lost it Mufty. You are no more the dangerous Mufty but a soft pillow…..”
Boob!
Mufty threw a punch straight to his eye and the man yelled. Before anyone could stop him, he grabbed a short metal pole and slammed it on his head.
“Stop it!” a thick loud voice echoed.
It was Jahl.
Mufty’s eyes had gone red and vicious. The man was rolling on the ground, screaming, “my eye, my eye, my eye, my head….”
He was bleeding profusely.
Jahl smiled. This was a good sign. The violent potential was still in him. The mercilessness could be seen in his eyes.
“Ashiru, take him to the medics.” Jahl said. “Come here Mufty.”
Mufty was still breathing hard. He walked after Jahl.
Jahl stopped before the door to a room he called Palace.
“When was the last time you saw your wife?”
Mufty frowned.
“The day I went on the failed mission.”
“Hmmmm….it was you who failed but not the mission. Allah was with us and the enemy was taken but I still gave you the credit. I can see that you have bounced back. The Nigerian government knows we are serious now and the military have become more serious. But they can never win us. In fact, the military fear us.
While you were down, we attacked an area in Maiduguri and we killed twelve military men. We had a one million man march through the town and they could not do shit. Can you see that god is with us?
I want to make my first video tonight and I want you to be there. No more hiding! I only fear Allah. We have established the jihad and it is high time they knew who we are. But there is a big problem. A problem that makes me doubt your loyalty and you know what disloyalty brings, right? Beheading or slaughtering.”
Mufty said nothing. There was no scintilla of fear in him. Jahl had wondered if there was anything that ever scared him. Sometimes, he felt Mufty just wanted to be killed. That was a good quality of a jihadist.
“Come inside.”
He followed Jahl inside and got a shocker.
There was no doubt; the girl tied up like an armed robber about to face a firing squad was Leena.
************
Kamal sat behind a desk going through some files. He was confused. He had interrogated virtually all of the girls that escaped five months ago but got a similar story. They could not locate the camp but it was in Kabari Forest.
It was one of the biggest forests in Nigeria. It would take years to explore that place. Then the man who was said to have facilitated their escape worried him. From the girls’ perspectives, he was a nice guy
.But to the law, he was a potential suspect. How did he find them? Why did he not report to the appropriate authorities? Who was he? Where was he? Why did some of the insurgents address him as ‘sir’ before he killed them? Where did he get the truck he had used? Why was he wearing a mask?
Then the latest report he just got which he none of the girls ever told him before: he made the rest escape and took two along with him. The description of one of the girls match
And when Leena was found, she was with another lady, her child and an infant.
Leena had said they walked to that place. That was a junction close to the main road and the insurgents would never have a camp close to that place.
Had someone dropped them in a car? Was it the man who had saved them? Why would the girls refuse to talk about him? Did he threaten them?
Out of the girls that escaped. Leena interested him most after his latest discovery.
He picked his phone and dialled.
“Hey Derrick.”
“Captain. What’s up?”
“I think we still need to comb Leena Idris. There are developments.”
“We just got a report that she has been kidnapped again. Her fiancé made the report. They had gone to a confectionary and he went in to get some snacks. Just ten minutes and she missing. An eye witness said he saw a man pushing her into a car with a gun.”
Kamal crinkled his hard face.
“I don’t get it. I need more details. I will come over there right away.”
***********
“What is going on here?” Mufty snarled and the astonishment turned into rage. “why is she tied up like this?”
“You have no right to question my actions or judgements.” Jahl turned at her. “You are part of the girls that escaped. Why were you found here?”
Leena was glad to see that Mufty was alive and still around. Her efforts would have being in vain if she found him absent.
“I came back.”
“Why? That means you now your way here. You must have told the law where we are.”
“If I wanted to do that, I would have done that five months ago. I guess I am the only one among the girls that can locate here.”
“That means you are the only one who deserves to die now, huh?” “Am I alive?” she said. “Why do you think I came back? Who wants to marry a girl who is HIV positive? He infected me so I want to die with him. You people took me away from my world and now I can’t live outside this place.”
Jahl kept interrogating her but she gave him very smart answers. He made them untie her and asked her to go with Mufty.
Immediately they left, he called two men.
“This camp is no more secure. We would move to Madina- Mujahid. Meanwhile, put an eye on her. I am beginning to think of executing Mufty. Since this girl came into his life, he has not being the same.
One of the men smiled. Mufty was intimidating. He would be glad if that cold bastard was killed.
********************
“Why did you come back?” Mufty said angrily as they got to his cabin. “Do you know what you are doing? Why? I risked my life to get you back to your life and you do this?”
She had expected to see this reaction.
“I came to take you away.”
“Take me away? Are you insane? You are on a suicide mission. They will plan to kill you. Who said I want to leave? Why don’t you stay away from me? Anyone close to me is prone to death, can’t you see that?”
“I will leave but I need you to just answer one question…”
“What?”
“I understand why you are angry. I just want to know…did you forget me?”
“How can I forget you….” He paused. He did not want to admit that but it was too late. She saw it in his eyes. He was glad to see her. “Yes, I forgot about you. I don’t think of anyone.”
“I could not forget you. I risked my life because I had to see you.”
“How did you make it here?”
It was just one day she woke up and took the biggest decision in her life. She knew it was a very foolish idea, something everyone would consider a suicide mission.
Everyone? Yes, that included her.
She began to learn how to ride a bike. After one month, she became a very good rider. She made a blueprint and got her accomplices.
Five months later, just a few weeks to her wedding day, she put the plan to work.
On that fateful day, she called Adam to come and pick her from her friend’s house.
Adam had seen her elegantly dressed in a green gown. She looked so beautiful he felt so proud of himself to have her.
They were in his car when she said she needed ice-cream. When he went inside, one of her accomplice came and they walked down the street.
She did not tell him why she was doing it. She gave him ten thousand naira for the show. He was following them on a bike.
She was one who also staged the man who said he saw her being kidnapped.
That was how she started her journey to Kabari forest. She had her provisions on the bike, plus extra petrol as she embarked on the dangerous trip.
It difficult to find the camp because there were no straight roads.
But she saw a truck pass, she his and began to follow the truck. It was at one point she was arrested by their guards. She said she was Mufty’s wife so they took her to Jahl.
Mufty was speechless. He could not talk for a while.
“Why?”
“I don’t know. I know a lot of people will say that I am fool. I know but I just could not stop myself. I am sorry.”
“But you need to be happy and happiness is out there for you.”
“Happiness is not about you alone but also about those that you love. I could not find happiness out there while you are here. It is insane.”
He was silent again.
“But you are hurting those you love out there. Your parents will be worried and prone to hypertension. You can’t do this.”
“You are right. I am confused.”
“The first thing we will do is to let them know you are safe.”
“How? My phone was seized by them.”
“You came with a phone?’
“Yes but a new phone with no single contact or information about me.”
“Good. I will let you use my phone. I have a line that cannot be traced to me. do that first and then…..I will plan on your escape again.”
“I am not leaving without you.”
“What?”
“You are coming with me or else I will knock your head.”
He gave her a sharp glance and he chuckled.
Mufty chuckled!
It seemed the act was very strange to him.
“What are you?” He asked. “The other time, you made me smile and now this. What do you want from me?”
“I want you to have your life back. You are too good to be here. You do not have the bright to condemn yourself totally. Please leave.”
“I told you that I have a terrible past….”
What past? Someone killed the Prophet’s uncle and annihilated his body but he repented. Did you do that? You are alive so you have the chance. Please.”
“What about your fiancé? I thought you would have been married by now.”
“Not yet.”
“So if I leave here, where do I go to? There is nothing for me out there. You will get married soon and that will be the end because…..I don’t talk to married women.”
She saw an irritation as he mentioned he word married women.
She gave him a look and their eyes met. They did not speak but something happened at that moment. Mufty felt as if a strange entity just took over his body. He felt different and somehow uncomfortable. It was like trying to force the new being out of him.
“I think you have being sent to punish me.” He said.
“How?”
“To fall in love with you and you leave. I think I deserve that.”
She had not expected this. Okay, in reality she knew it was going to be a difficult one. She was betrothed and her weeding was just a few weeks away. Plus this was an insurgent who had abducted her. How was she going to present him?
No but there was a bigger problem. She was not ready to let him go.
“I am not leaving.” She said and blushed. “ Let me have the phone.”
She typed Adam’s number. He picked it.
“Adam.”
“Leena? Is that you?”
“Yes.”
“Where are you? Did you escape? Who are they? What….”
“Adam…”
“Yes.”
“I have something to tell you and I need your help.”
“Wait. Are you safe?”
“I was not kidnapped Adam.”
Boom!
“What?”
“There are things I want to tell you…….”
*******
Thank you very muggy