Thomas Fox.

RUN! RUN!!

         Well... there will sometimes be a time of setbacks and a bit of anger in your life, that was exactly how every one in Badagry felt. Older men and women could be seen sitting outside their homes with bent fingers supporting their heavy heads that have already been filled with pains and dejection. The entire village was in a shamble. Our neighboring villages were not left out they voided their minds into pondering.
         The chiefs have let us down. Everyone chorused with their heads shaking in agreement.

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    "We strike from the northern side of the villages, while some of us move to the eastern part. You all know.....,". The white men started their scheme of attack to get all their bargained deals carried out at once. Besides the thought "the chiefs had already collected the items given for the deal".  At once.., they matched out to carryout their schemed plot without any obstacle.
  
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     Father called out to the entire family to go and complete our work on the farm. Pa' Fagbemi joined us in going to the farm. Other families also joined in also to go and complete what they left behind yesterday. Many amongst us also carried with them weapons in case the situation on ground went out of hand.
     We got to the farms safely.  Everyone went into his own farmland and started to toil his hands. Our family wasn't left out. I helped father in doing the ploughing, while mother and my elder sister did the planting.
      Everyone "had his ears on deck" in case the chiefs and the white men were up to no good. Soon the entire fields were filled up. Everyone came out to ease themselves off the thinking of what issued during the meeting yesterday.
     For awhile.. everywhere was silent. You could hear only the sounds of ploughing tools beating the soil and the plants, the sounds of walking feet's brushing through the plants. But all this came to a pause when...
      There were terrifying sounds of what we all thought was the gun. Soon we could also hear the same stamping feet's of men running towards our direction. Just then a young man who was also ploughing us in the fields, out of fear took to his heels running for his dear life. It wasn't too long he started his chase he fell to the ground.., dead'.
      Everyone scurried up and down in fear that the dreaded gun bullet might hit one of us. My family and I rushed into a bush with some broad leaves which helped hid us from our attackers.. We all exclaimed silently "Ah" as we saw Baba' Fagbemi dropped dead to the ground., tears slowly drenched down our eyes filled with fearful cries.
        Who's there ?. Exclaimed one of our dreadful attacker as he slowly walked towards our hiding place. I could see fathers nonstop sweat as they hurriedly rolled down his face as if though a 'waterfall'. He then used his fingers to wipe off the sweat as they went directly into my eyes giving a sharp itch as I exclaimed loudly in pains "Ah"..., this...our attacker heard as he knew for sure someone was there as he walked more confidently towards our direction. I held mothers arm so tightly in fear. Just then father vented his masculine agility on our attacker as they both fell to the ground. I watched father as he wrestled with our attacker. This gave confidence to other village men who came out venting theirs with 'kicks and blows.. then we took to our heel's.
        Run! Run!! Chanted mother as we ran for our dear lives. We we're halted by a loud cry.. We turned back to see who it was.., Alas!!! It was father... My heart gave a heavy pain to my spine as I watched father fell to the ground like a lifeless tree waiting to be burnt... Mother wailed loudly as she ran towards fathers still body 'shaking and turning fathers body but all to no avail.., she reigned curses on his killer as she was dragged by the hand and bounded by heavy chains. She pulled herself violently as she was stopped by a deafening slap in the face.
        Before we could realize ourselves and get back on track running we we're halted by three huge soldiers who gave a heavy blow to my face as I exclaimed loudly in pains. I was pulled up to my feet roughly, bounded in chains and handed over to chief' Adebisi's guards. To the seashore with them exclaimed one of our village guard. I looked up in fear 'that was the place of no return' I said in my heart. The Badagry river was our place of destination to be sold off into slavery. I turned if I could see mother but no she was no where to be seen. I was alone amidst other unfortunate men, women and children. I was just seventeen years of age.
     Men, women and children were wailing. As we walked through bush parts I sighted amongst the bushes people who out of fear hided themselves amongst them. I thought 'what life awaited me in the future'.