Yasmin gave a pot full of water to
Aisha, who was her neighbour. It was just before dawn, the sun rays shone
through the trees. It was such a beautiful morning engrossed with the
sensational chirp from the sunbirds that even the girls did not notice that
their time was at the river was running out.
"Yasmin, we have to go prepare for school, or else we
will be late for class," Aisha said as she balanced her pot on her head.
"Okay, I hear you, Aisha, one minute I fill my
pot," Yasmin said.
The two girls are in the same class
at Matopeni High School. They were among the top students in their class since they took their first test. A special bond was
then created between the two. One evening as they left class they learnt that
they were even neighbours and from that walk home, it struck them that they
would be friends for a long time.
“Did you finish the Math assignment?” Aisha asked Yasmin.
"Yes, I did it even before I left class yesterday.
There is usually a lot of work to do when I get home. Most of the time I finish
my assignments before I leave for home." Yasmin said as she stepped up the
riverbank. "Let's go home and get ready for class. I cannot wait to sit in
Mr. Wachira's Math class." Yasmin said as she adjusted her pot.
The two girls went up the small
trail up the main road. People could be seen walking up and down in their daily
endeavors. Everyone seemed to be in a frenzy, busy calculating, and planning
schedules for the day, it seemed promising Yasmin, and Aisha hurried down the
path as the sun shone her rays that burnt through the morning mist and dew.
They walked in anticipation of a new day in school. Yasmin strived in school as
they struggled to put food on their table, Aisha, on the other hand, was from a
well-off family, nevertheless, she took her studies seriously as her father was a doctor working at the local
hospital. Yasmin's father was a soldier in the armed forces since he was a
young man. His expertise especially with the sniper rifle has earned him
military stars catapulting him to the rank of Major commanding a battalion of
soldiers. Yasmin had two younger siblings who she cherished and helped them
with their homework in the evening. The girls could now see the grass thatched
roofing of their area of residence. They parted ways and they were to go to
school in the next five minutes.
Water was a problem in the area of
Nyamiso; it was a common problem for both the rich and poor. Yasmin's mother
liked her daughter very much, as she did not show any inappropriate behavior
whatsoever. Her father had already gone to work, and her mother was waiting for
the kids to get ready for school. At the local barracks, they were getting
ready to launch an attack on Jihadists from the neighboring country. Yasmin's
father as a Major had a duty of navigating the troops through the forests into
the war zone. He always prayed that he would not meet his maker as he served
his country, he thought of it as a peaceful transition into the sprit space. He
climbed into the 4 by 4 cruiser and roared the engine to fire.
“Alright boys, follow protocol discussed and avoid any
exchange of fire,” Major Khalid commanded as he waited for the other cruisers
to lead the way. He opted to be the last vehicle in the convoy as he suspected
something was wrong. He eyed one soldier who seemed off. He was a bit calm as
compared to the rest. The mission was a high-risk one and confidential. The
soldiers were on high alert and this one seemed quite off. The trucks moved
slowly in a single file into the trees and bushes enveloped them, they were
leaving Nyamiso and approaching Kasaguyu forest. The forest was right next to
the border between the two nations. Chivadi had been facing civil wars since
the government was overthrown by the armed forces back in 1987. It was the duty
of peacekeepers to secure reconciliation and give power to the required
authorities. That is what Major Khalid intended to do. It was his duty to bring
peace to the people of Chivadi. Engines purred as they tried to keep it low in
case for the sake of spies just in case. The drive was forty-five minutes to
the surrounding of the border.
“Are the M-16s loaded?” Major Khalid asked his lieutenant.
“Yes Sir, we added some AK-47s together with some flash
bangs, we thought they would come in handy in the ambush.” The lieutenant said.
"That is wonderful. I see at the college they did train
you well. The flash bangs are the best in setting up an ambush." Major
Khalid said.
It was around 7:42 a.m., the mist
was clearing away, and the morning sun was beginning to scorch. Yasmin and
Aisha were in class already waiting for their class teacher. Most of the
students were seated already as some others played around in the classroom. Mr.
Wafula came in as he put his books on the teacher's desk.
"Good morning class?" Mr. Wafula said as he
cleared the chalkboard.
“Good morning teacher,” the whole class answered in unison.
The teacher then sat behind his
desk and asked the students to write down notes. Mr. Wafula was a middle-aged
man who had considerably done well during especially in his young years as a
teacher. His signature look was a beard and a checked shirt. He always wore a
checked shirt to school every day every term of the entire school calendar. As
class was in session, they heard a loud bang outside about a kilometer away.
Yasmin felt a chill run down her spine, with the very fact of her father
commanding a battalion. She hoped him well and put her thoughts back in class.
She had overheard his father mentioning to her mother that he would be gone for
a few days. Wait, the border is a couple of miles from the town. Yasmin
realized this and her feet began to shake. Could it be the rebels defeating the
army? The very army that won the civil war 6 years back. A civil war that was
so critical the victims’ names were put on a wall in the city centre. Aisha
noticed the distraction on her friend’s face and elbowed her: As the class continued
another loud bang, this one louder than the first one but much closer. However,
this one came close in less than a mile away. Mr. Wafula rose up and went to
the door to check what was going on. Outside, a massive cloud of thick smoke
rose in the air. Gunshots were heard, the rumble of the guns could have placed
the types as AK-47s’. This roar of the numerous bullets in the air caused a
wild stir in the school. Mr. Wafula came back in the classroom heaving up and
down shutting the door behind him.
“Everyone under your desks!” Mr. Wafula said now removing
his pullover and throwing it to the ground. Some students saw as if their
teacher had gone bzzzrkk!
into the room and asked the students to remain
quiet and hide under their desks. The teacher left the class heading in the
direction of the staffroom. Close to half of the school was at the gate
screaming pushing their way out of the gate. Yasmin and Aisha were stuck in a
corner speaking in low tones.
“What do you think is happening outside?” Yasmin asked
Aisha.
"I do not even want to think of what is happening
outside. All I know is that I am safe in this classroom, Mr. Wafula should join
us until we get information about what is going on." Aisha said trembling
in fear.
They lived in a small town. From the school the students could see the beauty of their community and got to be part
of their cultural heritage In short, they guessed the trucks were military trucks as they were used to seeing soldiers. Yasmin
was glad the chaos would subside, and they could finally get a copy of what was
going on. Little did she know that the rebels had ambushed the army trucks as
they were heading for the border: Little did she know. All of a sudden,
gunshots were heard at the gate of the school. Twaa. Twaa. There were screams all
over the place, as hell broke loose. It then dawned on the students especially
Yasmin and Aisha that something was amiss.
“What is going on outside?” Yasmin asked her friend.
“Probably the worst, with the screams and the gunshots, I
doubt those are the army," Aisha concluded.
“If they are not the army, where is the army?” Yasmin asked
almost shedding a tear realizing instantly that her father was the Major
leading the battalion.
Mr. Wafula could be heard having a
conversation outside, but it seemed as if he was on the receiving end. The
unshakeable frame that could not be bent whatsoever. However, they could hear
him whimpering as if it was the last straw. Twaa! Silence then engraved the
compound. No more pleads, no more cries. Heavy boots hugged the cold floor as
they kissed the doors wide open. The doors, on the other hand, smacked the
walls with such velocity one could tell the agitation of the boot wearer. It
seemed as if the classes were empty; the students had scampered to safety as
soon as they heard the gunshots at the gate. Only one room was full, one bad
decision of Mr. Wafula.
The door
flew open and what came in made the students yelp out in fear. A long-bearded
man with an Arafat covering his head stormed into the room. A smile cracked his
dry face as he waved outside, a signal to the others. Other roughed up men
entered the classroom. Immediately they saw the scared students hiding under
their desks, they all burst into a jeer of laughter. Yasmin was holding onto
Aisha's hand with such firmness that Aisha had no other option but to do the
same. Maybe it would ease the anxiety and the fear gripping them. The men were
armed with AK-47 rifles and had magazines strapped on their chests in a
crisscross design all the way to the back. They looked scary. One of them
raised his rifle and shot in the air. Chaos erupted as everyone tried to get to
the door. Yasmin and Aisha too were not left behind, luckily, they were the
first to get up and rush to the door. Well, a sad fact is that they were the
only ones that made it out of the classroom. The remaining students will have
to be a story for another day.
“They will never try to ambush us again. These two lucky
girls will become my wives.” One of the rebels said cheekily. From the look of
things, he was the one giving out orders. Yasmin and Aisha at the time were
sobbing uncontrollably both begging for bullets. They wanted to die as heroes,
never to live crawling on their knees but to die like the heroes they learnt in
school. That was the main deal for the two girls at that moment. They were
shoved in the truck as the rebels shot in the air as a sign of victory. The
girls saw Mr. Wafula's lifeless body lying across the footpath leading to the
staffrooms; it was a horrific sight for the scared girls. As they left the
school compound, Yasmin was running into an aura of hopelessness. She wondered
if these ruthless bastards too had killed her father. She let out a breath of
despair as she prayed to Allah to keep her father safe, dead, or alive.
"Where do you think they are taking us, Yasmin?"
Aisha asked with a voice so small that the ants would respond.
"Maybe they are taking us across the border; one of
them said that we would become his wives," Yasmin said almost gasping for
air
. In the truck, they were heavily
guarded by the rebel troops. Coincidentally, they had become one of the most
prized possessions for the rebels that day. How they lived their lives was a
matter of survival: A matter of life and death, as they had taken the oath as
they graduated from becoming civilians to becoming soldiers. Such a scenario
would be detrimental to the society as these soldiers were not afraid of death.
Almost everyone had fled the town centre for fear of death by the gun-wielding
rebels. Groups of rowdy youth barricaded some of the roads with stones and
barbed wire and were chanting war songs armed with machetes. Such a situation
proved the youth to send chilling threats to the rebels at first. Nevertheless,
swords and machetes were no match for the AK-47 machine guns the rebels had.
The rebels shot live bullets in the direction of the youth scampering them in
various directions. This gave the rebels a slim chance to get away as the youth
started hurling stones at the truck. The rebels sped off with such speed
leaving a cloud of dust behind, almost choking some of the youth who scampered
for their dear lives.
In the vehicles, the girls wished
they could vanish into thin air just like in the fairy tales. This was not the
case, by now they were leaving the village headed for the thick forest. The two
girls watched the road disappear in dismay as they left their beloved home,
heading to an undisclosed area. A place they had never been before. Yasmin at
least had left the town in one of the monthly trips they shared with her
beloved father. They got deeper into the bush when they passed the wrecks of
the army trucks.
“They thought we were not aware of
their ambush…I bet they got served with their own medicine.” One of the rebels
said chuckling.
At this moment the girls were now
aware of the torment awaiting them, they would become wives to these murderers.
Oh! What a terrible thing to befall girls especially of their age. Cases of
girls gone missing were common in the village. Rumormongers claimed the hostages
left for Chivadi and became sex slaves to the wealthy rebels. Apparently,
stories went round they live the luxurious life and were more in touch with
young maidens. Kasaguyu forest was so thick that rescue missions were near a
joke. The two girls would go through the same fate as the other victims. They
got through the forest without much of a disturbance. Everyone was quiet, the
pushing of pistons and shock absorbers were the only sounds that creaked every
time the truck jumped over rough potholes the sandy road offered. At the
border, the vehicles stopped.
The army vans had fallen into a
trap as they headed for the border. It seemed as if there was a mole in Major
Khalid's battalion. It was a top-secret affair, which was confidential, for the
past month. Major Khalid and his sergeant were the only people who were aware
of the mission until yesterday night. Furthermore, the mission started at
precisely 3:00 a.m. That was the time they were loading the trucks with
explosives, guns, fuel, and ammunition. Thirty minutes later, they had fired up
their engines and headed for Kasaguyu forest. At that time, the army and the
few citizens with gun licenses handled the security of the border towns.
Because of the porous borders, the two nations created. Wakanda, on the other
hand, was trying to save its people at all costs. The operation Major Khalid
led was supposed to capture the rebel leader Abdi Karuum. He had been on the
army’s most wanted list for a long time for crimes against humanity. They had
missed multiple chances to assassinate him as he too had military skills.
The three Toyota Landcruisers came
to a stop after a 30-minute drive. The girls started shivering, as they could
not imagine what was waiting ahead of them. They knew nothing, which only led
to more depression on their side. They had never been to this region before,
which made them even more frightened. Almost immediately, the back door of the
Landcruiser opened, and a rugged man with a large beard reached his hand out in
the direction of the girls. Yasmin hesitated at first, but after a few seconds,
she reached out too as she rose to her feet. She stepped out of the van and
what she saw almost shocked her. Aisha seeing Yasmin step out of the truck
unharmed, she too reached out and climbed down the truck. What she also saw
amazed her; she thought they in some deserted place then into some dark room.
No, that was not the case. They were in a well-built town full of modern
infrastructure. One had to wonder how could that be possible: In the middle of
the desert? A town stood right there in front of them.
"Start walking; you two are
fortunate the boss likes you both. If it weren't for that, I would have taken
you in as my wives." The rugged driver said closing the driver's door.
Yasmin led the way. It had been
like this for so long. Ever since they met, it has been Yasmin finding
solutions and leading the way. She was a born leader, a daughter every father
would be proud to have. In school, her company was among the diligent. Always
working hard, most of the teachers were fond of her. The men were welcomed warmly
as if what had just happened to Yasmin and Aisha to be normal. This angered
Yasmin who by now was sure that her father was dead. What of her mother and siblings,
were worried sick upon learning of what had happened at school? Aisha was calm now,
she had to catch a breath, and some water would do her good. They had been on
the road for over eight hours; she wondered how Yasmin was not thirsty.
“Can I get some water please?”
Aisha asked the man standing beside her.
“A minute, as I told you earlier
you two have become the most important people we have had in a long time. The Wakanda
army had previously ambushed the rebels six times. It was a first time the
rebels managed to successfully set up an ambush. They were all in a jovial mood
as they greeted what seemed to be their family. The girls later learnt that
among the rebels, three of them were brothers and understood the warm welcome.
An elderly woman pierced Yasmin's gaze with hers as they locked eyes, they
seemed to know each other, yet they had never met before. Yasmin looked away
and began surveying the area. She was now determined to run away at the
slightest chance she got. She was even ready to leave Aisha if she was for the
idea of getting married to the rebel Abdi Karuum. He seemed as if he was a hero
among the people in that particular area. It was obvious when he saluted some
passers-by a couple of times as they were standing outside.
“Shall we get into the house?” The
Commander said as soon as he noticed the two young girls attracting attention.
It was a small town. A situation
where everyone knew the other and a stranger easily spotted. They all entered
the large door and found themselves in a well-decorated room. Yasmin was now
scared. How could such people live in such luxury yet they turn into murderers
within the flash of a second? She became puzzled and pinched Aisha on the elbow
to make sure she also noticed the luxurious items. Maybe she had already opted
for the nasty option of marriage. Yasmin had to come up with a plan to escape
such atrocities. It was not her cup of tea. She was used to the quiet life, the
slow sweet life. They walked across the room and entered into another room
where they found a dimly lit corridor. The girls walked down the dark corridor
with faith being their only sight. Aisha sensed something was amiss and gave
out a yelp and attempting to run in the direction they had come. Within a flash
of a second, she received a head-butt from one of the rebels sending her
sprawling sideways. Yasmin then rushed to assist her friend realizing that they
had been too comfortable around the men. The girls then heard the clanking of a
metal door at the end of the corridor. Yasmin's instincts were right; these men
could change into brutes any time they felt like. A cold shiver ran through
Yasmin's spine. She was now determined more than ever to escape.
“Push them in till the wedding
celebrations tonight. We shall drink and rejoice till dawn.” The master rebel
said grinning highlighting some disfigured dental formulae.
The girls stumbled in the cell like
a sack of potatoes off a moving lorry and kissed the cold floor as they both
yelped in pain. Aisha felt something warm touch her. She shrieked letting out a
sound like that of a raccoon. Yasmin undoubtedly guessed they were not alone.
“Who’s there?” Yasmin asked in a
shrill voice.
“It’s just us, good to have some
company, where you from?” They heard a small voice coming from the far corner.
“We are from the neighboring
Wakanda. What about you guys?” Aisha asked curiously wanting to know who else
was in the small cell and its environment.
"We are local girls. Our
parents were unable to pay money to the rebels. Thus, they took us as
compensation. We have been here since the start of the year waiting for the
monies to be paid." The frail girl said.
“And what is your name?” Yasmin
asked.
“I am Farida, that is Pazia over
there,” she said in her frail voice.
Yasmin
and Aisha looked at the other end in awe. They thought they were only three in
the small cell. However, they hoped that the marriage ceremonies would start
soon as they could no longer stand the small cell.
"Hey, guys?" Pazia asked
in a shrill voice.
“Hey Pazia, “Aisha answered. “ It
seems you two have been around for some time now I am so sorry about that.”
“We were abducted from our school
by these brutes. Now they want to wed us,” Yasmin said. “In any case, I will
agree to that over my dead body. Am sure by now am the only member of our
family that is living. I would rather die a heroin and join my family in
heaven. “A troubled Yasmin said.
They heard footsteps coming from
the corridor, and they all kept quiet, contemplating what would happen if they
made noise. Aisha could contemplate that, by now, her head had stopped
bleeding, and she covered the wound with a scarf. A roughed up man opened the
massive door and yanked Yasmin and Aisha out of the cell.
“It’s time my friends. I suppose
you are familiar with the wedding rites in this side of town.” The man said.
Yasmin and Aisha kept quiet as they
walked up the dark corridor. They were now conversant with the house. They maneuvered
their way around the corridors until they entered a room and found the leader
of the rebel group.
“Wait, what happened to this one?”
The rebel leader asked in awe.
“She tried to run away sir.” The
roughed up man said.
“Oh! Then you did her right.
However, I cannot marry damaged goods. Take her back to the cell. “The rebel leader
ordered.
The girls could not believe it.
Aisha was going back to that small cell. Back to those two frail girls. The
rebels too would starve Aisha into a needle. No. Yasmin had to act fast if she
was to save her friend. What Yasmin did next put everyone in the room into
shock, even the rebel leader gasped for a second: Yasmin ran towards the rough
man, snatched away his AK-47 rifle, and put the muzzle on her head.
“Let her remain here with me if at
all you want to marry me!” Yasmin said as if thunder was in her throat.
The rebel leader was struck in awe.
It had been some time before he had seen such bravery.
“Okay young blood, have it your
way. Your friend will remain as you wish. “Abdi said with satisfaction.
Abdi saw some speck in the eyes of
Yasmin, a speck women in the area did not have: A speck of bravery and will. He
saw a modest wife out of Yasmin, or so he thought. Yasmin could not believe
what she had just done. The AK-47 rifle still in her hand, everyone was tense
with no idea what would happen next. Funny enough, no one else had a gun in the
room. Yasmin was trembling realizing that this was the second they were waiting
for since they entered those filthy Landcruisers in Wakanda. She raised the gun
in the air and fired a few rounds in the air making everyone scamper for
safety. The rebel leader himself had misjudged the girls. Yasmin was indeed a
soldier’s daughter, the daughter of a Major. Realizing that time was not in her
hands, she had to act fast if they were to escape. Yasmin ordered the rebels to
lay on the floor: A taste of their own medicine for once, what a sweet revenge.
“Aisha! Tie their arms and legs as
fast as you can.” Yasmin said. “You, Come over here! Yasmin ordered the leader
who by now was in a state of confusion and could not believe what was
happening.
Yasmin staggered with rage. A rage
that came from watching her teacher and fellow students perish under the hand
of the man in front of her. Abdi (rebel leader) was trembling, as he knew
Yasmin would lose her cool and splash his brains all over the floor. Aisha
having finished tying the men rushed to Yasmin's side: Ready to fight after
seeing how brave Yasmin was and how she had stepped up a few seconds ago.
"It was you who killed my
father, Major Khalid!" Yasmin shouted in fury already cocking the gun
ready to end Abdi. Upon hearing Major Khalid, Abdi’s blood froze. That man had
troubled him ever since he had joined the rebels. The Major had killed Abdi's
father during his tenure as the rebel boss. Now Abdi's blood became hot. He
attempted to rush at Yasmin, snatch the gun, and kill Yasmin on the spot for
being the Major's daughter, but Yasmin pointed the gun nozzle towards his
chest, a clear indication of the thin line between life and death. He would
avenge his father's death with more honor.
“Get the keys to any of the
Landcruisers. It’s about time we got out of here Aisha.” Yasmin said pushing the
nozzle on the back of Abdi.
Aisha took the keys from the
pockets of the roughed up man and kicked him on the crotch.
"That is for the head-butt,"
Aisha said as she hurriedly left leaving the man groaning in pain.
Outside, people had gathered for
the wedding ceremony but were dumbstruck after they saw their leader been
whisked into the Landcruiser by two small girls, one of them carrying an AK-47
rifle. Aisha opened the driver's door and hopped in. Yasmin and Abdi sat at the
back seat; gun still pointed at Abdi, who could still not believe what was
going on. Aisha fired up the engine and stepped on the gas pedal leaving an
enormous cloud of dust behind.
“You know they are right behind us,
don’t you?” Abdi said as he let out a chuckle.
The chuckle earned him a head-butt
from Yasmin who was not in the mood of playing any games. She knew he was
right. Nevertheless, she only wanted to cross the border. Maybe, by now they
would have soldiers guarding the border after the intrusion by the rebels.
Aisha stepped on the gas, and they saw the town disappear behind the dust.
“Aisha, make sure we get to the
border.” Yasmin encouraged Aisha.
As they approached the dirt road
leading to the border, boom! The car was in mid-air. They had stepped on a
landmine put there by the Wakanda Army. They had seen the Landcruiser from afar
approaching the border and were not taking any chances. The occupants of the
vehicle lay hopelessly on the ground as army trucks approached the scene.
Yasmin could not recognize the broad shape of his father as he carried her into
an awaiting ambulance.
“You will be okay my sweet
daughter.” Major Khalid re-assured her daughter.
Yasmin realizing it was indeed her
father tried to warn him of the incoming rebels.
“They are coming father.” She
whispered.
Major Khalid understood the
message.
"Place more landmines on the
roads; we are expecting company boys." Major Khalid said.
The truck carrying the Major was
the last one, and after seeing what had happened to the other two trucks, they
hid in the bushes. Major Khalid upon returning home and learning that his
daughter was missing, he went into rage and vowed to slaughter all the rebels.
Yasmin instead had proved herself as she had captured the most notorious rebel
leader of that time. He was nothing less but proud. Nevertheless, he had a job
to do. The girls had been taken to the nearest hospital and Abdi was in the
hands of the law. What a day. Major Khalid said to himself. As he was
contemplating on the events of the day, he heard another boom. He was lest
assured that the day was getting better and better. Finally, they had got rid
of ghost town, for good this time. The army marched into the small town and lay
claim to it. Yasmin had proved herself a hero. She was gifted with the Elder of
Burning Spear Award from the President. Yasmin and Aisha had become role models
to girls in their community and nation. They visited secondary schools
throughout the following year empowering young girls to embrace education and
at the same time assist each other just as they did at their time of peril.
Yasmin’s father smiles every time he remembers her only daughter seized the
most deadly terrorist in the region of East Africa.
END
