Goldfish Bowl

Chapter 22

Alisha was pacing the floor of the poorly lit police station when Godwin and Nehemiah burst out of the office of the Inspector-General, the former was cursing furiously under his breath while the later just looked exhausted.

Alisha felt a pang of pity for him. Over two hours ago, she had called him out of the blue because she didn't know anyone else to call and he was the only lawyer she knew. Godwin had been taken away from them and they'd had to follow him on a commercial bike and luckily, he hadn't been taken to one of those remote stations that SARS often took their victims to to harass and beat them, maybe they hadn't because Elisabeth had threatened to scream bloody hell. Rhoda had threatened to film the whole thing all while telling them that if they wanted to detain him for no reason then they should be taking him to a proper station not one of their hideouts.

Alisha had just shaken like a leaf and stayed silent as the grave, while she hadn't been sure that the SARS officers would have actually shot them, it was frightening when she thought they would.

It made her wonder if August had been scared when death met him, did he regret it somewhere in the afterlife?

Nehemiah was in full fury mode as he cursed out the officers on night duty behind the counter, the SARS officers who had arrested Godwin were still in the Inspector's office, getting a tongue lashing. Sadly, Alisha knew they most likely wouldn't get anything more than a slap on the wrist before they were sent back into the field to harass others, she wouldn't even be surprised if the Inspector was in on their illegal activities and benefitted from the spoils.

"You'll be hearing more from me." Nehemiah sneered to them, slamming his fists on the concrete counter, making the sleepy officers jump and quake in their boots.

"Just leave them alone," Godwin said to Nehemiah, he looked shaken by the whole ordeal despite the bravado he feigned. It was when they were driving away from the station did Godwin let his shoulders slump and shake in the car.

"That was crazy." Rhoda piped from the backseat, leaning forward. "I can't believe they had guts to arrest him because he had his hair in dreads and wore ripped jeans, as if it is the national school uniform for yahoo boys, those same yahoo boys that pay them off behind everyone."

Elisabeth hummed in agreement, she was rubbing Godwin's neck, he shuddered with each touch before prying her hand off neck and settling them gently on her lap.

"Well, this isn't the first time and it certainly won't be the last and our government is so fucking useless that they give those crooks so much power and let them carry guns around too." Nehemiah shrugged, eyes focused on the road.

"So you think SARS should be dissolved?" Rhoda asked, back in the police station, Alisha had discovered that she was in her second year studying political science and had now converted her comic book blog into a political blog where she ranted about the injustices of the government.

When Alisha had asked in a bid to distract herself, Rhoda had answered; "There's just so much that needs to be said that no one is saying, I want to do my part."

Alisha had felt ashamed that she had turned her eye away from it all, she had promised Rhoda that she would subscribe to her blog. Now as she sat, her head was already racing through words and verse for a poem she had been trying to finish weeks ago.

"I don't think so, I know so, it's not like they do their jobs, and even if they're some good ones out there, it's not enough. Although a petition isn't going to end those shits, we're going to have to do more about it, raise more awareness until our voices are all they can hear." Nehemiah's voice grew more passionate as he spoke and Alisha was sure that he would have been gesturing with his hands if they hadn't been on the wheel.