Thou shall not steal

8

~MURDERED~

As they dragged me down the rocky, hilly path to the gutter by the roadside, more people joined the raging crowd. Some people joined in as spectators, instigators and others took their turn in throwing rocks at me or beat me with s plank.

The rocks weren't pebbles, hefty rocks that dented my skin, releasing a gush of my blood. I could already feel a dent on head close to my eyes, my face, my arms, my back and my thighs. Some people used planks with tiny nails that pierced into my skin with every hit. Then they dragged it down my skin so it opened up streams of blood.

I wept in vain as rock after rock was thrown at me. Dust and blood oozed down my face, blurring my vision and preventing my escape. The pain of every blow made me beg desperately for help but, no one would heed my cry. In short, I doubt anyone could hear my whispers of my innocence, considering how loud their own voices were.

I blinded by my blood, I could feel the palms of people ripping off my clothes till I stark naked. I put my trembling hands over my body, trying to cover my private parts.

"What is she covering?" I heard, just before someone's hand pulled away my hands away and tied them up behind me. They pulled the rope down and tied my legs too. I shouted when the rope pressed down on my swollen feet.

"Shut up!" I heard from behind me. The person loosened the rope on my feet and fastened it again, and tighter than the last time making me cry harder.

I was naked, hurt and afraid.

Suddenly the beating stopped, although I could still hear the curses from the bystanders. No one made an more moves at me.

"Nma!"

I knew that voice anywhere. It was the voice of my mother and never in my life was I so pleased to hear that voice. I scrambled in my weakness to rise up to my feet to my savior.

"Nma! Nma! Nma! Nma!" Mother continued to shout. I couldn't see anything but, I was sure she was running towards me.

"Madam, don't go there—"

"Ah!" I gasped loudly interrupting the stranger. My outburst was as result of the sting and coolness of some petrol being poured on me from my head down to my feet. I gagged at the intoxicating smell but not for long.

The odor was quickly replaced by the blazing heat of fire over my back.

"Nma!" I could hear mother scream.

I screamed and I rolled over, this gave them access to pour more petrol over the front of my body. I cried as the fire increase all over me. I have heard fire burns in the past, but, it was no match for the pain that consumed my body in that instance.

The fire ate right into my flesh through the blood pounds on my body. It ate right through my hair like it were a polyethylene bag, opening my scalp up to them as they poured on more petrol. Thankfully the fire ate away the bonds on my hands and feet. I ran my hands over my body and even rolled over in the sand in an attempt to quench the fire.

I rolled around until I fell into the empty gutter behind me. I crippled myself from the fall but the pain of broken bones didn't bother me like the fire on me. I would've given anything to stop the fire.

"Nma!"

I heard mother shout.

"Nma!"

I heard her cry. I couldn't battle the fire anymore, I simply gave into it by this time.

"Nma!"

Where her last words to me, the day I died.