Not A Dream (The Revelation)

“What do you think? Our men are well trained and taken care of. We are ready for action.” Bola continued her tutorials after our tour.

“Why did you bring me here?”

My voice sounded hoarse and strange. My eyes flashed with indignation and I saw the smile fade from Bola’s face. She stared at me with a subtle hostility and I felt my fears dissipate.

We were alone behind one of the numerous thatched huts strewn all over the massive ground. Tall trees and a huge hill obscured and shielded them from sight. Fierce looking young men with automatic rifles guarded the main gates. A dozen men who appeared to be soldiers were being trained in the open and they hardly noticed us during the tour.I stared at the red and black flag flapping on a pole behind her and it suddenly dawned on me that I was in a rebel camp.

“What is this place? Bola, are you out of your mind? This is a criminal offense! You are training terrorists for heaven’s sake!”

“Calm down Nikky. It’s not what you think.” She gestured towards the camp; “I will explain everything to you later. Right now I need you to meet someone. Please.”

Calm down? That was the last thought on my over active mind. All I wanted was to bolt out of the camp, to run till I was far away from Bola and her group of terrorists. I knew the penalty for Treason and that Bola was ignorant of her acts. In reality, I didn’t want to be indicted for a crime I knew nothing about.

“I have seen enough. Just take me back and we will pretend that today never happened.”

She closed her eyes, slowly shook her head and took a step away from me.

I was tired of the whole drama. I should have followed my instincts. I should have said an emphatic No to Bola’s request and saved myself from all the stress. I thought with consternation.

I needed to get out of the camp and I sensed that fighting with Bola would not get me a speedy exit, so I decided to change my strategy.

“Bola if we leave now, I promise that you will not be charged in any way with planning a revolt against the government. I shall ensure that nothing happens to you.”

She unsnapped her handbag and pulled out a cigarette packet with a gold plated lighter. Her hands shook slightly as she lit one of them. She dragged the smoke in and slowly puffed it into the air.

“I did not follow you home the other day after our drink. Our meeting at the supermarket was not a coincidence.” She confessed with a slight grin;

“We have been trailing you. We know everything about you; your career, your relationships, your family, when you eat, when you sleep. Everything. I led them to you.”

An overwhelming chill ran down my spine and my body suddenly became too heavy for my legs. Bola turned back to face me. Her flaming eyes pierced through my cold glare and tore down my last shred of courage;

“All because I felt you would understand. Your activism at camp was my source of inspiration. I changed my identity, left my kids, quit my job and changed my lifestyle all because of this cause.” She grated ominously.

“No one can stop this now, not even you and you must meet this man. Nikky you have no choice.”

I knew I was finished. As we marched off towards one of the bigger huts and the strange man Bola was willing to die for, followed closely by another batch of armed and muscular young rebel soldiers, I willed myself to wake up from the lingering nightmare.