ON THE RUN (EPISODE 15)

The chirping sound of the cricket filled their ears, as the breeze blew peace to their troubled souls. Sanmi and the General paced further into the forest, increasing the distance between them and the rebels’ camp. They were both exhausted.

“Hey, let’s have some rest.” The General suggested, but sounded more like a command.

“Okay Sir.”

The General reached for the tree right behind him, he sat down and leaned his back against it. Sanmi remained on his feet, not sure if it was a good idea to sit, or rather stand alert.

“Hey Sanmi, come and sit here.” The General called.

“Okay Sir.” Sanmi walked to the General and sat beside him.

The General let out a deep breath, and then adjusted his back, propped against the tree. “Where are the rest soldiers? And how come you were captured? Were you on patrol or what? Who decoded the signals they sent?”

Even if Sanmi was a modern-day computer, with the highest functioning RAM and an extremely fast processor, he wouldn't recollect all the questions the General had streamed out. But he tried answering the ones that lingered on his conscious.

“I was ordered by the battalion commander, just after the signal was decoded, to fetch some soldiers and go in search of the rebels’ hide-out.”

“What was the content of the signals, because I couldn't understand a thing? Was that hausa? Or what language was that?” The General added, even when the prior ones were yet to be answered.

Sanmi rolled his eyes at the General. “Sir, the signal was sent in Didinga and...”

The General interrupted. “Didin-what? Which kind of language is that?”

Sanmi sighed. “It’s Didinga. And a soldier helped translating it.”

“Ahn ahn, is the soldier from Sudan?”

“No, he happened to understand it, but Sir, how come you entered their ambush?” Sanmi asked.

“I wondered too. I just saw those useless boys coming out from left and right.”

Sanmi interrupted. “Ahn ahn, weren't the escort at alert?” A smile tugged his lips as he had successful turned the table.

“That’s a question I’m not sure of. We were almost at the main camp when it happened. It was a quiet one. Any attempt to attack them would send all of us to our early grave. I still can’t imagine how those tiny boys got those weapons. GPMGs, RPGs, Grenades...”

“I wonder too Sir.”

The General gave a loud yawn, mindless that they were still on the run. Sanmi chuckled and that caught his attention. “What? The way I yawned?”

“No sir.”

“Then?”

“Just thought of something.” Sanmi said, still smiling.

“What?”

“I just imagined that even a General doesn't want to die.”

The General grinned. “Oh, I see. Who wants to die? Who, tell me who? Nobody wants to. Or do you?”

“God forbid sir. Me that I just got married.” Sanmi smiled.

“You just got married?”

“Yes sir.” Sanmi cracked his knuckles.

“When was that?”

“Last month sir.”

“Seriously?”

“Yes sir. Twenty third of April.”

“That’s a week ago?” The General asked, stunned.

“Yes sir.”

“That’s serious. Your wife would be missing you so much.”

Sanmi smiled. “That’s the sacrifice she would have to pay for me. All that I’m doing is all for her.”

“Can see you trust women so much.”

“No sir, I trust my wife.”

“I don’t trust mine.” The General said, slowly.

Salewa’s thought flashed his mind. “But why sir?”

“That’s a story for another day.” The General yawned. “I’m tired and I need some rest.”

The General drifted his back away from the tree and laid on the ground, on the dry leaves. Sanmi pondered on the last words of his boss. He wished he could pull a call through to Salewa, to rekindle his trust in her, but his phone dwelled with the rebels. After some minutes, the gentle breeze sent him far into the dreamland.

***********************************************

Even when she perceived that Dede would be fast asleep, Salewa still forged on. She inched slowly and thought what would be Dede’s response towards her because she’d assured him nothing of such would happen between them again. She got to his and knocked, but no response. She knocked, softly, again and still she got no reply. She placed her ear to the door, hoping she’d hear a sound, perhaps his snore. She heard nothing. Salewa’s life was becoming miserable by the second, her head banged and her body begged for warmth.

“Ok, he is pretending not to hear me knock abi. I don’t blame him. Not his fault.” She said under her breath and then walked back to her room.

Dede, who sat on the sofa, watching a foreign music video in Ireti’s sitting room, didn't know that he was already in for it. Though Dede’s eyes stay fixed on the television, his mind ransacked Ireti’s wardrobe for the dress she’d promised him. He sipped the juice he was entertained with, waiting patiently for Ireti, who was in the bathroom, taking a shower. Dede stood to his feet, strolled around the sitting room, feeding his eyes on the picture-frames that hung on the wall. Ireti had a nice family and she seemed to be the oldest of three girls her parents bore. Dede concentrated more on Ireti’s family picture and then wondered why Ireti was still single. He shrugged and continued moving around.

Ireti had changed a lot of things in the house. The color of the wall, from green to cream, the curtains were now fluffy and long, unlike the short thick ones that proved difficult to wash. Dede nodded in approval at the pleasant changes he met since his exit some months back. The aquarium Ireti bought recently caught his attention. He knelt before it and watched the lone fish swim around.

Ireti tread softly into the sitting room, but Dede was too engrossed to notice. She cleared her throat and he turned around. He stood to his feet, slowly, and tried to compose himself. He shined his eyes like a cat who have seen a fish to steal. Ireti wiggled closer to him. Her long curly hair flicked foward, covering the sling of her silver nightie. Her lips were clear, smooth, and soft. She licked and bit her lower lip. Dede shifted his gazed to her lower body, as Ireti purposely turned around, provoking his desire. She was confident of her selling point, the softer, rounder parts of her. Didn't matter if he looked from the bottom up, or the top down, he like what he saw. Ireti twisted her behind towards her room and Dede followed her, not waiting for the green light.

She held the hem of her nightie, hauled it up in a slow motion, then removed it completely. Dede seemed to be in another world, as he stood almost drooling. Interest replaced curiosity and the temperature outside hitched up a notch. So did strategic body parts. He dipped his hand in his pocket to be ascertain of the presence of his shield. He grinned. Now, in her peach G-string and a rose patterned bra, Ireti walked to Dede, who stood by the door. He smiled. She returned his smiled, paused, and slapped him.