in the rise of the dark

hunted

At first we thought it to be from doctor Akatugba, maybe happy for us, or killing some scathed beings, we'd contemplated coming back to render them some help. Then it came in sounds different to there's. The woman asked us to seat on the floor of the boat, as soon as we did, she raves the machine to the topmost speed, firing to the highest meter. The boat was virtually flying, to the point that we could barely hear the sound of the machine, and the bullets sounds wasn't clear. The most we could hear from it, is like a sound from an infant bicycle, and repeatedly same sound flew into our ears. The gunshots did not stop, until we got away from the bush path of the sea. Then the woman slowed down the boat, and we realized how badly the boat was hit.
- if we can manage to port Harvey, then we may found a boat -
- what is port Harvey? -
One of the guys that board the boat with her ask. His English though clear, but one can easily tell that he is not one that patronizes speaking the language that often.
The woman continue to move the boat, and how come the engine wasn't that noisy this time, still it is moving. We had to result getting the water off the boat.
- port Harvey is in Malabo -
I was shocked to my marrow, Lotanna himself jumped up on his foots, screaming out in wonderment.
- malawhat, malawho -
- what is wrong with you guys? -
Uche, was looking at me and Lotanna confused, and not understanding what's happening. Ebere, who couldn't stand on her feet, holding the boat as a walking aid came to me.
- what is it, what's happening, are we going to die? -
Emeka, who look less concerned, sat by the side, crossed his legs, paradoxically asked, if Malabo is in South Africa, Egypt, Morocco, America or Europe.
- please, this Malabo is it in Asia, Australia, Antarctica, where is the place and let's get going, my concern, we must not sink, I don't know how to swim. Am sure to be the first to go or, what is Malabo? To my ears it sounds like a food. -
- madam! -
I gently and quietly, honorably called the woman, who by now was laughing at us, grinning widely as she answered me.
- Malabo, is that not Equatorial Guinea? -
- of course it is, you know the place? -
I was shocked at the chorus that followed that question, as if we have been practicing the answer. The woman didn't help matters, in fact, she even made it even more worse than it can ever be.
Bursting into a catapulted laughter, she wobbled a bit with the machine, then gaining back the controlling of the machine she announced to us.
- welcome to Guinea -
- what? -
- yes! The Equatorial land of Africa -
We were all dumbfounded, I was still believing that I would somehow bend a corner and the next thing finds my legs back in Ede-ukwujiafor, or better still in Ubaha-afor, where I will be able to trace home again.
- you this Cameroonians can be funny, was I too fast with the boat? -
We were like Cameroonians? Does this woman know what she saying at all, is she kidding me? Cameroonians? Are they not suppose to be a francophone people?
- my name is Monique, once again welcome to Equatorial Guinea. -
There was a kind of unholy silence after she introduced herself, we just were looking at each other, but this silence is frightening. My instinct can't lie to me, not now that am in a high spirit. I told the woman to see if there can be a place where we can hide with the boat.
- we are in the middle of the sea my young man -
- can we run this boat again? -
- then we would need to refill the tank, the gas is low, I was trying to manage it. But what is the matter? -
Before she could complete her question, we saw like four boat coming at us on a high speed.
- that is the matter -
She started the engine, not yet though on the top speed and asked of who can be refilling the tank why she controls the boat. Definitely not me, I can't swim, to be sincere with me, the waters scares me like death itself, no one answered her, then who can hold on to the machine was her next demand, but no one was ready to.
- if they catch us, they'll for certain throw us all into this water that you guys are afraid of -
My stamina on the boat is just damn too bad, I can't even stand for a minute without falling ten times. But believe it, Emeka did, he was trying to, I didn't even know when he started. The feeling of oil on my skin caused me to look up. He was struggling to pour the stuff, because of height issue. I tapped on his back, he lowered his head, and I offered to help. He gave the container to me, the look on his face was like not pleased. I whispered on him to hold me and he did. I poured the gas into the tank and amazed at the brightness of Monique's face, she laughed at me as I poured the substance into the tank. She gave the cover to me with her left hand. This guys are with guns and are closing up on us. I covered the tank, and was trying to feel Emeka's hand, in order to make him release me to come down, but couldn't feel his hand nor any part of his body. It wasn't funny at all, I was frightened to my bone marrow, knowing that Emeka was no where near me. I wanted to jump off to the floor but couldn't, I was shaking all over, then I couldn't come down, my fear was that if I try coming down I may wobble off into the sea, and that, if I jump to land on the floor, before landing, the boat might have sped off. So I got stocked there , and was just looking on, hanging on to the reality.
- we are turning -
- why? -
- they'll be glad we continue straight -
- I don't get it -
- if we continue straight, we will be heading to no destination. -
- so what are we going to do -
- are you okay? -
Before I could answer, she turned the boat, facing the three boat on our tail.
- get down -
At once, as I got down from the edge of the boat where I was. Monique, squeezing her face in rage, and fiercely contempt, raves the engine to it top gear, and fires toward them, on the top of the speed it can provide. I was scared!
From about a hundred meters away, she sped toward them, in an intolerable high speed, I believe they were scared at that, and believed she has a plan. All I could do was to peep, she threw the empty gas container at one of the boat, but before then, they separated to avoid us ramming into them, that must have cost them a lot, or, it is an experience trick Monique have over them, because the wave from our boat and splash from our boat wobbled their balance, and like on a rollercoaster, we bent away from them, flying on a high speed.
.          .          .          .         .
- this is not a port madam -
- if we had gone to port Harvey, they'll get us, they are not ready to let go, and they know port Harvey is the next port, I am working with your plan, you asked if there's a place we can hide with the boat -
We hurried off into the bush, after alighting from it, Monique stop the engine even before turning, then the boat swam deeper into the bush, stopping with the aid from the bare land and, bushy path.
- why are we running. -
- they will search for us, if they can't find us, when they arrive at port Harvey -
Emeka led the hurry as if he know the ways, Ebere was following him up, the way fogs do themselves. We traded the bush, till we could see houses ahead. The joy in us knew no boundary, not until we found ourselves in the midst scathed beings.
One of the guys who joined us with Monique, this guy has been dumb ever since the journey, he did not talk to anybody, he was just shivering as the boat flies, and found no one worthy of being a friend, not to say talk to. He follows up like one under the instruction to escort us, like a bodyguard would, but this bodyguard is the one been body guarded. At once as the scathed surfaced before us, he ran away shouting.
- esprit, esprit, esprit -
The other guy, broke off a wood so does Monique who had already picked a stick on the floor, but our other friend, who was retreating kept shouting at us, with fear.
- courir, courir, courir esprit, courir esprit. Mort gens, courir. -
He ran into one of them, and fell flat with it, and about good number of them gathered him, as he began to ask for help.
- aide, secours, aide, secour, -
He was asking us to run that they are spirits, calling them dead people.
Instead of going straight at the chests I sliced at them round firstly, then follows up with stabbing at their chests. The floor was muddy, our shoes was squelching, and one could tell why the French speaking dude could not found his foot, when he fell with the scathed. Ebere was smashing at the heads of the scathed, but it was having little or no effect on them, though it helps in pushing them away.
- aim at the neck or the chest my girl -
We gained good ground, making our way through to the houses we saw.
- that is port Harvey ......... -
She screamed something and I would not hear it, because I concentrated much on saving us. Then she repeated what she said again, this time very clearly, because I have been waiting for her to ask again.
- are you married?
I was taking aback, who is this woman, with such question, in the midst of such tension, can she be serious? She was never bothered by a thing, never tensed, always relaxed. A kind of replacement for Amaka or what, she is good at what she is doing, she even have the time to correct someone, but age must be the reason she's slower. We got to the walls of the houses, rested our backs on it, as we stab away at the few number of scathed remaining and coming at us.
Just one of it left, instead to run for it life, it did not but was still coming with a whole lot of vibes and aggression. Monique ran to it and shank at it, turning to it back, then as it wanted to turn and face her, she smashed at it head, with the wood. As if when in a weapon class, she clears the legs from the ground, and stabs the chest at once.
She left the wood in the chest of the scathed.
- when he was a human, he ran into his esprit, now he will not run away from us -
She slaps her palms on the walls of the building, and gave it a long kiss.
- yeah boys! This is port Harvey -
It's getting real dark, and to be careful we must. Quietly we got to the frontage, it was a mini port, more or less like a private port. It must have been a classy place for the rich, but not a living soul was found.
Monique, signals us to come over, the three boats had been here and was leaving. Their engines was switched off, why the move quietly flashing their torches into the bushes. We watched until they disappeared.
Monique took us to Malabo, telling us a lot about herself. She was a Guinean navy trained in South Africa, this woman was brave. She was one of a group of soldiers who planned to unseat the Guinean government, as she puts it, their leaders selfish interest, she was to head the navy, if they had succeeded.
The guy who was to be the vise president leaked everything, because, according to him, there was no tangible reason to unseat the government, but just for a selfish interest. The guy who was to topple the government, wanted to do that because, the President was his junior in school. Everyone was asleep but me, Uche and the other guy.
- if a guy like that topples a government, he will surely be a bad President -
- his mentality is bad Monique -
- he named all of us involved, the supposed vise president, and now is one of the President's right hand man. Why they hunt for us. -
Monique have three children, she was a widow of a late lieutenant. As we got off the boat arriving Malabo, at about twelve midnight, she began complaining seriously of a deteriorating health. As we walk into the extremely silenced city of Malabo, I signalled others to slow down. I do not trust her anymore, her voice, the tone of her voice began to betray her, and I made it a point of duty to ask her questions. Then she began to wobble speaking gibberish. Then she stopped, I signalled everybody to stop as well, after I did. Then she turned facing us, her face was already so pale looking, with pustules on them, wow! In such a short time?
She groaned, and began clawing like when a hyena wants to attack a prey. I don't want to take chances, so I stabbed straight at her chest.
What was wrong with what went wrongly with Monique, was that, she would not make it to her children, that she longed so much to see again.