Deadly as trust

Twenty-five: Miriam

The past few days had been a series of investigations.

I had been told that I was going to face the law. Honestly, I didn't care. There were worse kinds of fate.

I thought it was much better than having to sleep with drunk men every night. I prefer death anyday to that.

I tried to make out what was outside the cell I was detained in, it had a kind of stuffy feeling and a kind of unpleasant smell lingered in the air. My seven inmates we're asleep, all women — thankfully.

I couldn't sleep. I had given up but I couldn't erase the hurt I was feeling. I caught myself crying sometimes but then I had to live with some things.

Things did not normally look up for me. I was on the verge of crying and I felt I could as well just cry because there's was no point holding it back.

I rested on the wall pulling in a deep breath as a tear rolled down my cheek. That was when I heard a knock on the cell door.

At first I thought I was hearing things but the sounds went on and on. I cleaned up the tears and tried to make out figures in the darkness.

"Who is there?", my voice was shaky I didn't know if it was because I was crying or because my heart was racing upon realization that the sounds were not part of my imagination.

I wouldn't lie that I was scared. I had heard stories of people who were in cells. Although to me, detainment was not as bad as actually being in prison, it was still in a cell and I couldn't rest.

The what I saw next was light, bright light. I used my hand to cover my eyes. I couldn't make out the person who was obviously pointing a flashlight at me.

I tried scooting back but I already felt the hardness of the wall. Then I heard whispers. I tried to bring my hands down a little and squint at the direction of the light. All I could see were outlines of men in what seemed like uniforms.

Then it hit me that it was a policeman, scratch that, policemen.

Before I could process what was going on, the sounds of iron scraping iron and clanging came to my ears and then, still with the flashlight pointed at me, the cell was opened.

"Get out.", at first I thought I didn't hear well, then he repeated it a little louder.

I scrambled to my feet all the while still blocking my eyes and slowly left the cell.

It felt a little cooler outside the cell but I wasn't sure why I had been let out so I didn't feel comfortable at all.

I put my arms around myself when he eventually stopped pointing the flashlight at me.

"Why am I outside the cell?", I voiced my thoughts.

"Shut up and come this way.", was the reply I got instead. I didn't say anything though. One of them came behind me as the other one led the way with the flashlight.

The place looked worse in the dark. It reminded me of a horror movie. I tried to keep my eyes at the feet of the person in front to avoid looking elsewhere.

With each step, my heart kept pounding and I began to think of the possibilities of what was going to happen. Suddenly, the possibility of death came to my mind.

I had heard stories of inmates and detained people being killed from people at the brothel, I shuddered.

A kind of fear had come with the thought and I almost shook my head, it was easier to say that I wanted to die because I had been betrayed, even with my life, but to actually pull the death thing... I shuddered again.

The fears increased, I didn't want to die.

"Where are we going?"

"Shut up and keep moving.", came a cold reply.

I stopped.

The stubborn part of me was finally taking over.

"Comon will you move?", it sounded like a threat from the person behind me.

"If you're not ready to tell me where we're going then I'm not moving."

I was rewarded with a slap from the person in front that sent me halfway to the floor. I held my cheek in pain but couldn't stop the scream that left my mouth. I sucked in air after that.

Don't cry, don't cry, don't cry.

"See, let me tell you, it's just better you don't make noise here, it's just better you make this thing easier for yourself. Don't allow me to release something on your body.", the one that slapped me shouted.

It was stupid that somebody was making noise while telling me not to make noise. My cheek was still stinging from the slap.

I stood properly and gave him my dirtiest look. I had the urge to do something but I decided not to, I wanted to see what he would do.

He tightened his grip on the flashlight and kept walking. I followed with my brain working on what to do eventually.

We came out of the building, to the backyard. I hadn't been there before and my senses were in high alert.

Was he going to kill me here?

In the moonlight, I scanned the fence to see if I would be able to scale it. It had rusted barbed wires on but I knew they weren't going to electrocute anyone.

"Wait first, let me call him.", the one who was standing behind me finally said.

When he brought out his phone to punch the digits, I took a deep breath and used all the strength I had in me to kick one leg of the one who was holding the flashlight.

He wasn't expecting the impact so he fell hard and screamed. Then I took my chances. I ran to a part of the compound and hid.

My brain started processing plans fast but none proved futile. I heard footsteps coming towards me and I froze.

I tried to run away but a pair of hands grabbed me before I had barely made it out of the place where I was hiding.

A hand was clamped over my mouth.  A another hand held me tightly to a well-built body while I tried to struggle and scream.

Then somebody stepped up in front of me, pointing a gun to my head.

I felt tears prick my eyes — so, this was it. My heart beat faster as fear was pumped into my bloodstream and I tried to struggle more while the person holding me gripped me tighter.

"I've gotten her.", I heard him call out as a few more people began to gather.

At this moment my mind went to Jide and a tear left my eye. I eventually stopped struggling.

It was game over.