Afloat E. 8

“A mind is like a parachute. It doesn't work if it is not open.”

― Frank Zappa

___________________

I remember it was a moonless night and the route was darker than I had anticipated. Refusing to be bothered by the stillness and eerie shadows of the giant grasses swaying to the gentle breeze, I pulled out my phone from my denim pocket and turned on the flashlight to make out the fading foot path. Memories of my brother and I running home from school along that path filled my mind with nostalgia. Alex and I had great moments as kids. He was my brother, best friend and bodyguard. It was hard for him to leave the community when he had to take over the family business and other changes he preferred to keep to himself.  

My foot caught against a lose stone,I lost my balance and caught myself before I could fall. It was all the Chairman's fault; I mumbled and blamed him for reneging on his myriad of campaign promises one of which was that he would transform the community and brighten our streets with solar lights. The villagers who had refused to be swayed by other gift bearing politicians fell for his promises and their votes counted. It had been several months after the election and the only street that got lit was the road leading to the Chairman's house. So much for campaign promises. I sighed and continued my slow walk. 

I must have been walking for some minutes, I don’t really know for how long because I was focused on getting home before giving in to the threatening diarrhoea or whatever it was that was making my stomach vehemently claw at my insides, when my light caught the silhouette of a lone figure walking towards me from the opposite direction. I felt the urge to flash my light at whatever was approaching, but felt it would be rude so I kept  it on the path and tried to move to the side to create enough space between us so whoever it was would pass easily but the figure stopped right in front of me. 

My heart skipped several beats as I instantly pointed the beam of my torchlight upwards at a sneering face. Before I could react, cold hands grabbed my elbow and my bag slipped off my shoulder and crashed to my feet as the most ear-splitting scream tore out of my lips and filled the space between us. Wrestling my arm free of his grip, I threw the phone in my hand at him and made a dash for the tall bushes along the route. 

The scream and my action must have come as a surprise to him because when I looked back, nobody was pursuing me. Not ready to stop running, I fled further into the bushes that tore at my exposed skin. I was out of breath and quivering when I saw the abandoned buildings where I sought refuge.

BACK TO PRESENT

I cried silently as the sound of crickets, mosquitoes and frogs breeding in a nearby pond filled the cool night air and my alert ears. I was alone, exhausted, food for the aggressive mosquitoes who feasted on my skin and shaken by the reality of my situation. The tale was no folklore. The organ hunters were real! What if they had captured me? My body trembled with that thought. I peered around but could not make out anything in the darkness. The thought of finding my way home was diminished by the fear of wandering back into the waiting arms of whoever had grabbed me. I had seen his face before, and I could swear he appeared like someone I had seen before. But where? I tried to push my brain to recall but it was no use. Giving up, I wondered what time it was as thoughts of my mother raced through my mind. She would get sick with worrying about me and my brother was not in town to keep her company. Fresh tears seeped out of my swollen eyes and ran down my excreta designed face. 

"God, please help me...." I murmured a silent prayer.

NEXT