THE CONTRACT MARRIAGE

43-CLOSURE

OMNISCIENT

"After carefully reviewing all presented pieces of evidence, including witness testimony, physical evidence, and the arguments made by the prosecution and defence, the court hereby finds Mr Ibrahim Bello guilty of money laundering, illegal possession of weapons and mass murder, thereby sentencing him to life imprisonment with harsh labour. Furthermore, he's required to compensate the government with a fine of five million Naira,"

"Following this, the court also convicts Muhammad Babangida to death by hanging based on charges of first-degree murder. Humaira Babangida, and Salman Bukhari, charged with slander and cyberbullying respectively, shall serve five years' imprisonment and compensate Mrs Sumaira Muhammad Babangida with a fine of seven million Naira. The court is adjourned,"

They could only watch as the shackled man got lured to the aged set of poles a few metres away. Dry blood of dead bodies and battered living ones stained the cemented ground, the stench so strong they had to put on nosemasks.

The engineer halted his steps, tilting his head to address his weeping son. Aarif, along with his best friend, was the only person who volunteered to watch the execution of his father.

"Take care of your mother and sister, and tell them I met my end with a smile on my face," That was all it took for the grown-up to run to his father and wrap his arms around the man's now gaunt frame.

"You can't leave like this... You can't-" Hot tears rolled down his cheeks, trailing all the way to his father's dirty vest. Ever so slowly, the engineer returned the gesture, hands encircling his son's back.

He inhaled deeply, a futile attempt to stifle the tears that long threatened to fall. A single tear soon turned into a river overflowing. Maheer nodded at the officers who sauntered out, leaving only the three of them.

"The man of the family shouldn't cry like that, my boy should never cry like that," The engineer ran his trembling fingers through his son's hair.

"I can't stop the tears from coming," The engineer wiped his son's tears even as more of them came. Time seemed to have slowed as they maintained that position, none of them attempted to break the hug.

A few minutes later, a light knock came on the door before the two policemen announced their presence.

"It's been ten minutes. We have to carry out our duty now," One of them stated, and the engineer nodded even as his son's grip on him tightened.

"Aarif, I have to go. Whenever I cross your mind, say a prayer for me," Muhammad Babangida was dragged away by the policemen. They ascended the elevated ground and tied him to one of the poles.

"Let me take you out, Aarif. Come with me," Maheer took hold of his friend's hand, but the said man yanked it free, his eyes never straying from his father's bound body.

The engineer's gaze trailed to that of his son-in-law, and his lips broke into a smile. Maheer managed to crack a blinding smile of his own, never faltering, even as he recalled the man's words.

I won't forgive you if you shed any tears for me.

At one end of the rope was a policeman using all his might to hoist the engineer's body off the ground. Once he was a few feet in the air, the cord around his neck pulled taut. Blood slowly drained from his face as his feet began to thrash.

Aarif's cries of protest intensified, and he aimed to charge at the policeman holding the cord but was held in place by his best friend. He could only watch as his father's body slowly resigned, his breaths turning shallow until a final exhale escaped his lips.