UNDER 168 HOURS [BOOK 1, 168 HOURS SERIES]

Chapter 56: Rejected Meat

"He's a boy baba. I think he'll be better off than that girl. Akin ni!"

"And who asked you to bring a boy?!" The harbalist fired. "A girl's blood and flesh is more powerful when it comes to making ritual!"

"But baba... The caught us red handed, we had no choice. The one with the scar across his face suggested

"Shut up idiot! Who asked you to talk?!"

"Ah! Parago!! Just because you're the leader doesn't mean you're the only one with rights here!! The other hissed.

"What?! How can you insult me like this in public. Is it because I accepted you in and feed you well. Just because I picked you up from the gutters, now you have the mouth and mind to speak to me in this manner?! See monkey banana o!"

"We for no leave that girl now, aswear! na you fault-"

"Hey! E.. e don do you ooo!" The third one finally talked. And it turns out that he's a stammerer.

"You guys should shut up else, I won't do any more charms for you yours again!"

"Spoiler! Spoiler Spoiler! How many times I call you?" Parago, the gang leader asked. But spoiler didn't reply him. He just hissed away.

"Okay now, Make we reach house first now, your own be kuli-kuli." He hissed at him and faced the harbalist.

"Ehen baba," Parago turned to the harbalist. "What's the way forward?"

"Let me see his face."

Mute, the stammerer and Spoiler, the stubborn one lose the sack and unveiled Idris's face.

"Audhubillahi Mina shaytani Rajim!" He screamed at the people, standing before him. It was so terrifying that he immediately closed his eyes with both palms.

"Hey... You.. bebebeeetter shut up now ooo. Before I f..fffire your head!" Mute threatened, pointing a gun to his head.

"Leave him now! Spoiler rolled his eyes at him."

The harbalist worked towards Idris.

"He seems like a unique child." She started at him for a while, then he held his teary face closer to his as if he was admiring something or studying it.

"Then he blushed him away as if it was poisonous."

"This boy has no luck! He's badluck and he's empty?!"

"But baba... We've suffered to even bring him here. Let's use him like that baba. I know you can do it."

"It's just three days left for you! If you don't perform the secred ritual before three day, you'll all die. One after another. You'll get caught for robbery and you'll be shot dead!"

"Buh I thought you purified us with the babys blood we first brought now. You assured us that no bullet would ever-"

"That has expired and you need another purification!"
He widened his yellowish bulgy eyeballs at them. "You better take him back to wherever you picked him from else.. if he dies here, his blood would be on your heads and it's another I'll luck so take him back and bring me a girl child!"

Tie him back! Parago commanded and left the shrine in anger, turning his back again before leaving. Others followed his the same way.

"Imagine! Stupid children! Bringing poison to my shrine! the habalist hissed and continued his reciting incantions.

***

They dropped Idris to the hard ground. It's clear that the tree of them where angry with the fact that they'd wasted their time bring him there, the first place.

"Wetinn we goo... goo do now?" Mute asked.

Spoiler quickly untied the sack and pointed his gun to him.
Idris shivered and begged the three of them to spare his life.

"Leave him alone, spoiler! The leader commanded. Spoiler immediately took away his gun."
Parago squart beside him and grabbed him by the collar of his shirt.
"I'll have liked you this night your I'll luck to us anyways. Just get lost!"

"What? Sir... What did you mea-"

"I said get out of here!!" Parago shouted at him with fire in his eyes.

Idris quickly ran away, lost in the bush. The angrily entered their vehicle and zoomed away to get another prey for their sacrificed.

The poor boy was so scared. They stood alone, barefooted in the bush. He regretted ever leaving home at the first place. Only if Zainab was here with him, he might feel better.

He walked and walked through the bush till he finally got to the tailed road. It was so dark and scary. What he saw at the shrine that evening was frightening, and he seemed to hear voices of innocent baby cries as he walked through. Not knowing if they were true or not, realistic or not.

He cried alone as he walked through. Too tied of walking, he heard voiced of people calling his name but there weren't anybody.

As if it was a nightmare

***

Words and Translations

-Akin ni: He's a strong one.

-We for no leave that girl now, aswear! na you fault: we wouldn't have left that girl there. I swear, it's you fault.

-Audhubillahi Mina shaytani Rajim: I seek refuge with Allah against Satan the cursed