Chapter 31

CHAPTER 31

(Very early the following morning, Janu and Sarku leave for town. Janu had called up a friend to help them act as Sola. They left Timo to watch the kids, while Egoh is still weak from the wound on his hand. He had being given some sadatives which they found in the first aid box, in order to help him sleep with the pain in his shoulder.

Bola on the other hand, is getting weaker. She's being having her asthmatic attacks and has not being given an inhaler.

Bolu loves his only sister so much and hates seeing her like that. He's desperate. He wished there was something he could do to help his sister. He had seen his mother running helter-skelter looking for inhaler whenever Bola has an attack. Once they lacked an inhaler in the house and all hell was let loose has they had to rush Bola to the hospital. The experience was unforgettable for Bolu thereby making him pay more attention to his sister whenever she has an attack.

Sola and Lekan always make sure there's an inhaler in almost every corner of the house, since she inherited the sickness from her father whose own is even more serious than hers, but manages it with the help of his wife and doctor.

Bolu is still wondering where their mother is. The absence of their mother is one of the reasons why Bola is so unhealthy. He kept patting Bola...)

BOLU : Bola don't worry. We will be alright.
BOLA : (crying)...Bolu where's mummy?..(Choking)
BOLU : sorry....I don't know where mummy is?
BOLA : (crying)...I want mummy...
BOLU : please stop crying nau....mummy will soon come.
BOLA : has mummy gone to call Daddy?...(Choking)
BOLU : I don't know....stop talking so that you won't choke.
BOLA : I want mummy....(Crying)
BOLU : (holding her)...it is okay...(Then he hears their abductors voice coming from outside the window)....sshh! (Whispering)...Bola wait let me hear what they're saying...(He creeps near the window to listen to the conversation...)
1st VOICE : where is Janu?
2nd VOICE : he has gone out with Sarku?
1st VOICE : to where?
2nd VOICE : he has found a girl to help us do the thing.
1st VOICE : what thing?
2nd VOICE : didn't you hear they've gotten in touch with the man? He has picked his call finally.
1st VOICE : haa! Alas! Thank God.
2nd VOICE : he said he wants to talk to his wife and kids before he will send the money and since you've killed the woman, we have to look for someone to act as her.
1st VOICE : are they bringing the girl here?
2nd VOICE : I don't think so o. I think they'll make the call there.
1st VOICE : okay.
2nd VOICE : wait sef, what did you do with the woman's body?
1st VOICE : Janu and I dropped the body by the roadside. So it will look as if she was hit by a car.
2nd VOICE : okay. And the kids keep crying that they want their mother.
1st VOICE : most especially the girl....(Hisses)...I'm just waiting for them to tell us their father has given the money...
2nd VOICE : what will you do?
1st VOICE : kill them of course!
2nd VOICE : haha why?
1st VOICE : because they've seen my face. Remember it was Janu and I that went to pick them....
2nd VOICE : that's true...(Standing)...Omo, I dey hungry, I wan go find something to eat...
1st VOICE : me sef they hungry...abeg buy something for me when you dey come back...the drug still dey work on me. Once I eat finish, I go still sleep.
2nd VOICE : okay...just let me come back before you sleep. You gats watch those kids.
1st VOICE : (laughs)...those small rats? They are nothing.
2nd VOICE : just watch them...(leaving)
1st VOICE : I'll check them later, I'm sure they'll still be sleeping.

(On hearing all that Bolu became really scared. He goes back to Bola, whispering...)

BOLU : Bola, stop crying...(Thinks for a while)...we have to run away from here....(looking around)....all of them have gone out. It’s remaining only one of them. So we can run away.
BOLA : (looks at her brother)...but how?
BOLU : don't worry, I'll think of something...(Starts thinking of some of the action movies he watches with his Dad.)....if only we can get to call Daddy.
BOLA : but Daddy forgot his phone at home.
BOLU : yes.....but I'm sure Daddy is back home now looking for us. So if we can call him he will come and get us....(Thinking)...but I have to think of how we can run away...(he thinks for a while)...okay Bola, listen to me very well, I will pretend as if I am sleeping, okay?
BOLA : okay...(Listening to her brother)
BOLU : then when the man comes inside, you will tell him you want to poo-poo, then he will take you to the toilet. Now listen when you get to the toilet, me, I will go out and jam the door. When I jam the door, and he hears he will come and check what happened, so when he comes, you quickly come out and run away, you hear?
BOLA : but what if he locks the door?
BOLU : yesterday, when I wanted to go and we-we, you were sleeping. He didn't lock the door.
BOLA : okay...but I don't know the way out...
BOLU : you run towards the door opposite the toilet....(Pointing towards the direction)....I think that's the sitting room and there's another door that leads out of the house from there, you will see it when you get there.....it’s from there they brought us inside here... Don't worry I will be waiting for you.
BOLA : okay.
(Being a three bedroom flat, the sitting room has a door that leads out of the house. While entering into the house from the main door through the sitting room, there's another door exactly opposite the main door in the sitting room, which leads to the passage. Immediately one steps into the passage, the door to the kitchen is on the left, while that of the master bedroom is opposite the kitchen door. Next is the door where the abductor kept their hostages, on the left and the second bedroom on the opposite. At the end of the passage is the door that leads to the bathroom and toilet meant for the other two bedrooms, apart from the master bedroom which has its toilet and bathroom in the room.

Being a child, Bolu's calculation was wrong, he had forgotten that it’s not possible for him to creep out without Egoh seeing him, except if he comes out immediately after Egoh and Bola leaves the room, provided Egoh does not look back.

Remembering what he just heard from their abductors again, Bolu is anxious to leave…)

BOLU : ...you know what?.... we should not wait. They may come back..... Bola, go and knock at the door now. If the man should come tell him you want to poo-poo....
BOLA : okay. Don't forget what I told you....once you enter into the toilet don't poo-poo just wait, once you hear that the man has left just come out straight.
BOLA : okay.
BOLU : be smart okay. You know your inhaler is not here, we have to get home and take your inhaler before you get another attack.
BOLA : okay....
BOLU : now I'll pretend as if I'm sleeping. If he asks you if I'm sleeping say yes, okay?
BOLA : okay…
BOLU : Now go to the door and knock....

(Bolu lies down and pretends to be sleeping, while Bola goes to the door to knock. It took a while before Egoh comes over to unlock and open the door...)
EGOH : (seeing Bola standing at the door)...what is it?
BOLA : I want to we-.....I want to poo-poo.
EGOH : (looks at Bolu)....is your brother still sleeping?
BOLA : yes.
EGOH : oya come....(pulling Bola by her hand out of the room, closing the door gently in order not to wake Bolu up)...let's go...(He takes Bola to the toilet. As he was opening the door for her to go in he hears his phone ringing....)...shit! Who is that now?...(Turns to Bola)...oya enter inside and poo-poo. I'm coming....(He goes into the master bedroom to pick his call.

Meanwhile, Bolu stands up immediately after he noticed that Egoh had closed the door. He walks towards the door gently and opens it, peeping out, as he was about coming out he hears the phone ringing and then Egoh's footsteps coming back and he goes back inside.

When he noticed that Egoh had entered inside the master bedroom, he comes out. At the same time Bola also comes out and he waves at her to follow him.

Bolu managed to locate the door that will lead them out of the house and himself and his sister runs towards the gate.

Egoh talks for a while on the phone and decided to come and check if Bola had finished. He gets to the toilet and knock at the door...)

EGOH : hey...have you finished?....(Hears no reply)...hey!....(Opens the door and was surprised to see the toilet empty)....haha...where is she?....maybe she has gone back to the room....(Walks towards the room where the kids were kept and opens the door. He sees the room is empty)....Jesus!....where are they!....(Runs outside the house but couldn't see them anywhere)....Damn it!....(Running towards the gate)....





Ep 32b


(Meanwhile, Sarku and Janu got to the place where they were going to and went into the girl's room. They explain everything she needs to do to her....)

JANU : Janet, please I know I can trust you that's why I'm coming to you.
JANET : but wait Januri, what is it all about? Why do I have to act like you kidnapped me?
JANU : don't worry, I'll explain later. Just make sure you do it well.
JANET : okay. But what's in it for you? You guys will have to see me nau...
JANU : come on Babe, you be my person nau...No worry, I go see you when the deal clicks.
JANET : sure?
JANU : of course nau, trust me.
JANET : okay o. So na wetin I go say nau?
JANU : the man name na Lekan. So you'll just be saying pay them their money please. You can say they are torturing us or something.
JANET : okay.
JANU : you can even be crying sef, to make it real...
SARKU : (cuts in)...even if she doesn't cry, she can sound like she's crying.
JANET : okay no problem...
JANU : (turns to Sarku)...oya call the guy nau.
JANET : (surprised)...are we doing it here?
JANU : yes nau....where else?
JANET : ha, the neighbours, won't they hear me crying?
JANU : there's nowhere else for us to do it. Just do it here without alerting your neighbours nau...
JANET : okay...wait...(Goes to close the windows)
JANU : now get yourself ready before we make the phone call.




(Meanwhile Lekan could not sleep throughout the night. He kept wondering what could happen to his wife and kids, wondering if they are alright and what may have happened to them since he has not heard anything from the kidnappers till now. He was busy pacing in the sitting room when his phone started ringing. He picks it up...)

LEKAN : hello?
CALLER : hey, is that Lekan Davies?
LEKAN : yes.
CALLER : good...someone wants to talk to you.....(Another voice Sobbing)....Le-kan please give them whatever they want! Please...
LEKAN : (wondering why the accent didn't sound familiar).....wh...what of the kids?....hello! Hello!
CALLER : (Another voice)....hey, that's your wife. If you want her and your children alive then do what you were told...
LEKAN : hey! What of my kids? Let me speak to my ki....hello!...hello!....(The line went dead)...Damn it! Bastards!....but....(thinking)....that voice, that voice doesn't sound like Sola's voice....Sola never called me Lekan, she would rather call me "mine" since that's her father's name....she has always said it made her feel she's dating and calling her Dad by name....no, and the ibo accent..."Le-kan"....that's definitely not my wife!....(Pacing)....what should I do now?...(Thinking of what to do)…what do I do? God please help me….this doesn’t sound like my wife….and why didn’t they allow me speak to the kids?




(Meanwhile, after making the call as told by Henz, Sarku knew its time to call Henz back.

Andy, on the other hand, is at Henz's office, he had come around even before the bankers resumed for work that day. He is very anxious to finish what they started and get it over with. Both him and Henz wait impatiently for the kidnappers to call them back. Immediaetely their call entered Henz was glad, he picks it up quickly...)

HENZ : yes how far?
CALLER: he has spoken to the woman sir.
HENZ : good. Very good! Just wait for my call. I'll tell you what next to do.
CALLER :  okay sir.
HENZ : (hangs up and turns to Andy)....the next thing now is to tell him where to transfer the money.
ANDY : good! Things are working out as planned...(Bringing out a piece of paper)...here is the account details....(Giving it to Henz)....
HENZ : okay...(Bringing out the new phone and dialing Lekan's number again)....hello
RECEIVER : hello?
HENZ : now that you have confirmed we have your family, take down the details of where you'll transfer the money.... account name Joan Silva...(Waits for him to write it down)...then the account number is 0063745233. Just transfer the money back there. Everything.
RECEIVER : not until I talk to my kids too.
HENZ : what do you mean? Haven't you spoken to them?
RECEIVER : I only spoke to my wife. I need to know my children are alright too before I do anything.
HENZ : fine you'll talk to them. Just make sure you transfer the money immediately after, if you want us to return your family to you....(Hangs up)....
ANDY : what did he say?
HENZ : I don't know why those boys didn't allow him talk to his children...(He brings out his phone and dial Sarku's number again)....hey! Why didn't you allow the man talk to his kids?
RECEIVER : oh....you told us to allow him talk to his wife not his children...
HENZ : you are so dumb! When he said he wanted to talk to his kids you should have let him. Now he said he won't send the money except he talks to his kids!....(Hisses)...you better call him back and let him talk to his kids so that we can get this thing over with!
RECEIVER : okay sir. I'll do that now....
HENZ : call me back immediately after doing that!....(Hangs up)....I don't know why I ended up giving this job to these fools for Christ sake!
ANDY : you're right! They are really fools!
HENZ : if the bastard can return the money today, we should just return his family immediately before he throws tantrums.
ANDY : yes, but make sure my money is intact first.
HENZ : definitely!





(Meanwhile Lekan is still in deep thought. He thinks of what to do next....)

LEKAN : damn it!...I have to be careful about this issue...the woman I spoke to was definitely not my wife....do this people really have my family?....am I sure....if they have them why not let me talk to them?.....I could send all their money back but what if I do so and still can't find my family?...I need to know exactly what to do....(Thinks for a while).....okay, let me wait for them to call me back so I can talk to my children first and then I'll return all their money....(Hits the table)....Damn you Lekan! You shouldn't have kept that money away....I have to talk to someone about this....(Thinking of who to call....)





(It’s almost 9am in the morning, the sun is out fully, though the rainy season is not over yet, but it has not rained for about a week. The road to the house where the Davies’ had being kidnapped is very rough and crooked.

Timo had left the gate unlocked when he was going to have breakfast, so Bolu and Bola ran to the gate, found it unlocked and moved out quickly.

The road to the bungalow ended right in front of the house since there are no other houses around. From the house to the express, one will have to walk to the end of the lonely street that leads out of the house, then turn right and left again, walking straight down to the main road.

When Bolu and Bola got outside, they saw the crooked road...)

BOLA : (panting)....Bolu, where are we going?
BOLU : I don't know too...but let's keep going, we will get to the end of the road and see someone.
BOLA : But where will we go?...(trying to catch up with her brother’s pace)
BOLU : huh...I can't remember...let's just go…(pulling his sister along)
BOLA : okay...

(Bolu and Bola hurried into the bushes refusing to walk on the road path. Bolu could remember watching an action movie with his father where the main actor had to walk in the bushes and he had asked his father why. Lekan had told him that the main actor had to stay away from the road path, firstly because he his enemies may be coming from any direction and walking on the road will make it easy for them to see him and secondly because his footsteps would be seen easily if he walks on the road. Bolu was quick to remember this when he got out of the house and kept to the rules. Quickly, moved into the bushes which is quite wet.

Bola did not understand why they had to walk in the bushes…)
BOLA : Bolu, I can’t walk here. The grasses are itching me…
BOLU : I know. But if we walk on the road those people will see us…daddy said when the enemies are chasing someone in the bush that someone should not walk on the road.
BOLA : okay….(trying to push the grasses away with her other hand)

(Even though it was difficult for them, the kids managed to walk in the bushes, in order to hide away from their abductors.)




The sun had risen, as Egoh came into the compound and started checking everywhere for the kids, thinking they hid away behind some of the thing kept in the compound, thinking the gate had been locked by Timo. After checking briefly, he runs towards the gate and saw it unlocked. He ran out looking for the kids, as he runs down the road. He got to the end to the street and looked right but found nothing. Knowing the kids could not have gone too far, he went back to the house and searched again, then came outside and started checking the bushes around the house.

Timo had gone to a market nearby to eat and was returning when he saw Egoh confused and agitated searching the bushes...)

TIMO : what is it? What happened?
EGOH : the children, they are gone!
TIMO : what! Are you mad? What do you mean they're gone?
EGOH : look, let's just look for them first before Sarku and Janu comes, because, if not, they will have our heads for it.
TIMO : shit!!!...(Starts searching the bushes)...but wait...where do we search? Because I didn't see them when I was coming.
EGOH : that means they couldn't have gone far...
TIMO : that's not the thing. What I mean is where could they have turned? Could they have gotten to the road that leads to the express? Or how do we know where they turned?
EGOH : though I know they can't know the road but...wait...let's just walk towards the road that leads to the express.
TIMO : chai! You're so dumb! How would they have known the road?...after all it was dark when we brought them here...
EGOH : haa...that's true o...(Looking at the road)....you said you didn't see them when coming abi? Where did you come from?
TIMO : I went towards that village area to eat nau...
EGOH : okay, then we go towards the expressway, since you didn't see them...let's go and check then....
TIMO : but the road is far o. I can bet they can't walk down to the express road, it’s still far...
EGOH : moreover, Sarku and Janu should be on their way back, they may see them.

(Meanwhile, Bolu and Bola had managed to get to the end of the road through the bushes and were tired of walking in the bushes, so they started walking on the road when they saw that motorbikes are passing on the road.

Bolu and Bola are looking at the road at which they are walking and are afraid of what will become of them. Bolu has being a courageous boy right from his infant age. Things that would scare his mates made him laugh. Whenever his uncle wears scary facial masks and growls at him, he would laugh at his uncle, and so, his parents had known he willl turn out to be like his father, hardly afraid of anything or anyone.

Bolu holds his sister firmly as they kept running as he had tried stopping one of the bike-riders passing by but they ignored him. He knew they are now walking at a place where it will be easy for them to be seen so he tired as much as possible to keep running with Bola, though, knowing this is not good for his sister due to her infirmity, he kept urging her to moving on as it will soon be over even though he doesn't know where they are going. Little did he know that they are miles away from lagos.

They kept running and walking and whenever they hear the sound of a car or a motorbike approaching, they would hide inside the bushes. He would use his hand to cover up Bola's nose in order to guide the dust mites from entering into her nostrils. They kept looking right and left not knowing where the path leads to.

At a point, Bolu noticed that the motorbikes are going towards a particular route. They started walking towards that route, believing it will lead them to where people are. Bolu’s intuition was right. The motorbikes were coming from the nearest village, bringing out those whose workplace is along the express road.

Due to the continuous dust mites, Bola had another asthmatic attack again and could not keep walking. Bolu didn't know what to do, he laid her down on the grass holding her tight, as she started panting and grasping for breath. The dust mites had managed to enter into her nostrils and is now affecting her. He laid her down and goes to the road to flag down a bike or a car.



Meanwhile Egoh and Timo are still searching for the kids. After searching for a while to no avail, they asked the few passersby if they had seen the kids. About two people directed them to where they had noticed two kids walking alone and they keep walking towards the direction. Quickly, they stopped a motorbike to take both of them.

Since Bolu and Bola had being on the road, only about five motorbikes had passed them by. Now that they need one badly, none is coming. Bolu kept walking towards the path where he had seen the motorbikes coming from, hoping to see and beg one that his sister is in danger but saw none.

After a while, he saw one coming from a distance and flagged it down only for him to see that the person sitting behind the driver has a bandaged left arm and is wearing the same clothes as Egoh. He started running away. He did not run towards the place where he had kept Bola, but took another direction running into the bushes with the hope of leading them away from his sister.

The two men saw Bolu and asked the bike driver to follow him but he refused saying he can't risk his only motorbike inside the bushes, so they alighted from the bike and started running towards Bolu.

Not totaly sure of where exactly Bolu took, they decided to split at a point so as to cover more area.

Egoh could not run as fast as Timo on the path he took. He later remember not seeing Bola with Bolu, so he walked back towards the path where they had seen Bolu coming from and kept searching anyway. He later started hearing the sound of a little girl gasping for air and traces the location where it’s coming from.

Bola's attack is worsening. She had being having those attacks since the night they had being abducted and its now more frequent. The cold bushes had wet her clothes and the dustmites from the racing bikes had entered into her nostrils.

Egoh found her lying on the floor almost lifeless. He grabs her, forcing her to stand up and pulls her towards the road. Bola is already exhausted, taking her towards the dusty path will only worsen her situation.

Egoh drags her towards the road all the same not caring the situation the little girl is in. When he got there the bike driver had gone. He took out his anger on Bola, dragging her mercilessly on the road.

Timo later sighted Bolu and goes after him, running as fast as he can. Bolu looked behind and saw Timo and tried as much as he can to run faster. Then he started hearing the sound of cars passing and wonders where all that is coming from but kept running anyway. He knew he would be safe once he is able to get to the road, even though he doesn't know where it is.

Bolu kept running as fast as his legs could carry him. Unknown to him that he had gotten to where the express road is. He ran out of the bushes without seeing an on-coming car. The car brushed him away.




Pastor and Mrs. Allen were on their way back to Ibadan when they noticed the tyre had gone flat. Pastor Allen was driving on the fastest lane when he heard the sound. Gradually, he moved to the second and then the last lane looking for a place to park properlywhen all of a sudden something came out of the bushes. It was too late to press the breaks. They had collided with whatever it was before he was able to stop...)

TONIA : Jesus! What was that!...(Looking back, but the jeep had a tinted back shield)...honey please park, we have to check whatever it was...(Still trying to look back)....
PASTOR : yes I will...I just hope it’s not a human being.
TONIA : may be its an animal or so. Because I couldn't even see it well...just park here let's go and see.
PASTOR : yes...(Parking the car)....

(Pastor Allen parked the car and quickly, he and his wife walked towards what they had brushed seeing it’s a child...)

TONIA : (looking at the body she runs towards it)...my God!...Jesus! Jesus! Jesus!....
PASTOR : oh my God it’s a child...(Running towards the body, he could see it’s a boy)....oh Lord please save him for me...he must not die...
TONIA : (getting to the body)....Jesus!....(Crying)...please flag down a car, let's take him to the hospital quickly...
PASTOR : (trying to flag down a car)...oh Lord please save him...(Saying the prayer in his mind)...he must not die Lord please...

(They flagged down a car and Tonia took the boy to the hospital while her husband waited behind to change the flat tyre.)


To be continued...