I opened my eyes and found myself in the midst of crying ladies, all tied up. I tried to figure out where I was; last I remembered I was in a bus on my way to work. I felt a sharp pain on my wrist; I had obviously been tied up for long. I sat up startled and confused trying to wrap my head around what was going on. The sky was dark and there was a big burning fire in the middle of the open ground where we sat. I looked at the fair lady beside me, looking like she had seen a ghost, "what's going on?" I asked "where are we?" she did not respond, she just stared deep into space muttering words that sounded like a prayer. I shifted my gaze to two hefty men as they approached us; the ladies began to tremble as they came closer. "Can somebody please tell me what is going on?" I was becoming really scared. "We are all going to die!" one of the ladies responded. The two men came and picked the fair lady; she screamed and begged as they dragged her to a well. We all watched with fear, "what are they going to do to her?" I asked the lady lying down to my left, she looked at me weeping and pointing to the direction of the well. I looked towards the well and that was when I knew we were indeed all going to die. The men asked the fair lady to kneel and in a split second her head was cut off from her neck. Blood gushed out from her like a running tap, one of the men picked up her head and placed it in a sac. My eyes almost came out of my socket, I couldn't believe what I had just seen. I started to scream at the top of my lungs; the lady to my left got up and covered my mouth. "You better don't scream or you will go next." I looked at her and started to cry, this could not be happening I said to myself.
I had only seen situations like these in our local movies, I never in a million years would have thought that it would happen to me. I tried to stay calm but I couldn't, I did not want to die like this. I counted the ladies still seated on the floor; eight in number excluding me. I needed an escape plan; I wasn't going to die without a fight. One of the men came out from an inner room with a cutlass in his hand and walked slowly towards us. "Not again" I said to myself, my bladder suddenly became full. I needed to ease myself but I couldn't get up, I sat still with my face in my palms hoping and praying he wouldn't pick me. He bent down in front of me and rose my head up with his cutlass and I felt my spirit leave my body. "You this fine girl, your own go be tomorrow morning. Na me go personally comet dis your fine head" he said laughing. He got up and stood beside the burning fire. "Tomorrow we go continue; now everybody go sleep. I no wan hear noise o and make nobody try mago mago." He walked away tapping his palm with the cutlass laughing hysterically. I laid down on the floor trying to figure out an escape plan. I needed to be as far away as possible before dawn.
Everywhere suddenly became quiet, I sat up and looked around me, and all the ladies looked asleep. None of the hefty men were in sight; this was my chance to make a run for it. I gently loosened the rope used in tying my wrist with my teeth, I got up gently, and tip-toed silently, looking for an exit route. It was dark and I couldn't see my way but I continued hoping I wouldn't step on anything or anyone. My hopes were quickly dashed as I kicked a stainless cup; I stood still praying that no one would wake up to the sound of the cup falling on the ground
"Who be that?" a deep voice called out. I ran as fast as my legs could carry me without looking back, I couldn't see anything in the dark forest but I continued not minding the wet long grasses hitting my face. I wanted to stop to catch my breath but I couldn't, I did not want to get caught. I kept running even though I did not know where I was going, I wasn't going to die, not now, not tomorrow. I heard the heavy footsteps behind me as I ran; I started to cry but it didn't stop me from running. At the pace I was running, I felt my heart was going to stop but I did not care. Suddenly I noticed a bright light; I ran towards the light hoping it was a means of safety.
"Annabel!" that was the sound of my mother's voice. "Annabel!" I felt a tap on my back. "Annabel wake up! You will be late for work" I jumped up from my bed with sweat dripping all over me.
"You were obviously having a bad dream" my mum said.
I looked around for the ladies who were tied up with me, but they had all disappeared. I took in a deep breath and gave my mum a hug. "It felt so real mum" I said still shaking.
"Well, it's over now, go and prepare for work" she said as she walked out of my room. I looked up and whispered a thank you prayer; I was so glad to be back to reality.
