ON THE RUN (EPISODE 2)

Her thought ran wide like an internet search engine, thinking where her husband had hid the key. She really wanted to clear the guilt in her heart as quickly as possible. Flung the wardrobe open, ransacking each piece of cloth one after the other. The key shouldn't be far from this cupboard, or perhaps this room. She looked around, confused, where else could this key be. The laundry basket in the bathroom, her next search point. Out of his many cloths she could pick, without any doubt, she drew out his camouflage trouser; one she found a stick of cigarette in its pocket after he promised he’d quit smoking, three months ago. And alas, it produced a jingling sound. Quickly, she dipped her hand inside one of the pocket and pulled out the bunch of keys. She threw the trouser around her neck, peeking at every key in the bunch, and wondered which of them matched with the keyhole. She smirked, having realized the key to the drawer.

It slipped out of the pocket. A fluffy blue paper just like the carbon-copy of a bank teller. She cast aside the trouser around her neck, and reached for the paper that fell from its pocket. While walking to the drawer, she drowned her attention in the paper, leaving no detail ignored. She paused. Her eyes rolled very fast, from the heading to the signature. She swiftly turned the paper over, hoping to meet more details, but met it blank. The content of the paper swerved her mind away from her prior, pressing intention. She still couldn't believe all she had read, as she sat on the bed, having a deep thought.

She took a glimpse at the time, hoping the hour for another lengthy conversation with Ireti hadn't passed. She hissed, disappointed that the time had elapsed for a toll-free call, 4:32 A.M.

“Ireti was a good friend after all. Guess she had even seen the future before asking me to seduce that—that-that monkey.” She hissed, got hold of her phone, and dialed Ireti. “I just can’t believe this. Imagine what Sanmi hid from me all these days.”

No response, Ireti was asleep.

“Nawa O, this girl don sleep. Who can I even call sef?” She laid on the bed, still scrolling through her phone contacts. “Cynthia? God forbid, everybody will hear my gist before I even wake up. Dorothy, Funke, Funmi, Gbemi... Abeg jor, Ireti is just the only surest person I get for here. Till tomorrow jare.”

She slept.

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

The city was very cold and dusty, most especially the suburb the soldiers where camped. They were all dressed like eskimos, with thick gloves, mufflers and head warmers, all to fight the malevolent weather. As they dealt with physical attacks, likewise they did for the unseen. The rebels attacked unannounced, leaving the soldiers standing on their toes. Married to their rifles, some took a break off to sleep having finished their secondary assignment.

Sanmi, who was the officer on duty at the time, stood in front of the camp gate with some other fellow. He was the most senior officer in that gathering of eight. With his rifle slung around his neck, he ordered three soldiers to patrol eastward, two westward, one remained in front of the gate as sentry, while he took the last with him.

“Get your rifle cocked.” Sanmi instructed the soldier.

“It’s already cocked and ready, Sir!”

“Are you sure the safety catch is on rounds?” Sanmi halted to confirm it.

“Rounds and ready to be fired, Sir!”

“Good. Let’s go.”

They glided northward, through the bush, trying to defend the premises from any unforeseen action. The chirping sound of the crickets, coupled with the rustling sound produced as their boot crunched the dry leaves on the ground, momentarily deafened them. Pow! They had entered enemy’s ambush?

“Get down!” Sanmi charged.

They laid flat on the ground, wondering where the shot came from. He knew they had been seen, but not certain about the strength of the enemy, as they only heard just a shot. Crawling like lizards, they moved towards the direction of the shot.

The flames chocked them. But they remained behind a parapet, approximately 200 meters away, watching the rebel dance around the fire. FN rifle, AK47, SMG and GPMG, were all the rebels unknowingly showed off, as they rejoiced.

“Hey, have you ever attended a sniping course?” Sanmi asked, with a face hoping for a yes.

“Yes Sir!”

“What grade are you?”

“Four Sir!”

He hissed and got his gun ready; a grade four sniper wasn't good enough for the task. Placing his elbows firm on the parapet, he stuck the butt of his gun in between his shoulder and his chest. Then, he narrowed his eye, peeping through the backsight aperture to the foresight tip, aimed at one of the rebels. Pow! He squeezed the trigger.

Amid confusion and roaring, the rebels rallied around their fellow that dropped dead. Written all over them, rage, as they forcefully advanced, opening fire towards Sanmi’s direction.

“Oga Sir, they are advancing towards us.” The soldier became nervous, twitching uncontrollably.

“I know. We’re gonna engage them as well.” Sanmi replied. “All we have to do is...”

Thud! A bullet fired at them sunk in the parapet.

“Sir, please let’s retreat.”

“Shut up and fire that metal you’re holding.” Sanmi bellowed. “Now!”

They attacked the rebels. The rebels kept advancing towards them. They held their ground, behind the parapet, rapidly engaging them. Not minding how many of their fellows they had lost, they persistently pressed forward. Ninety meters was far too much the distance that separated these angry rebels and Sanmi, fifty would be accurate.

“My rounds are finished Sir.” The soldier muttered to Sanmi.

“Mine too.”

The rebels got closer.