CHAPTER 2
1436 Words
The Convocation and Return to Pretoria
The overwhelming joy in the atmosphere on a bright and beautiful morning in the city of Stanford was palpable.
The climate took special interest in the event of the day, ready to render assistance in any way it could to ensure the graduation ceremony of the Stanford University graduating students was a success.
Some of the graduates were pulling themselves for photographs before, during, and after the event of the day.
Maria, Joyce's best friend, said to her:
“Come, let's take some pictures.”
“I don't know when I will see you next.”
“Same here, friend” Joyce replied with excitement.
Maria is also an international student of Stanford. She will be traveling to her base in Czech after the event.
After taking pictures together, Joyce pulled Maria to her to meet her parents and the people that came with her.
“Meet my friend Maria”, Joyce told her parents.
“How are you doing Maria? Nice to meet you.” Mrs Lauryn extended a hand of love to Maria.
“Where are you from?” Mr Desmond inquired.
“I am from the Czech Republic”
“Are your parents here?”
“Nope, they could not make it here.”
“Wahoo! We are here for you anyway".
“Thanks dad.” Maria felt welcomed.
Joyce graduated as the best student in her faculty, and the top 3 best students of the school in her set, and so she is well known by her faculty lecturers.
"You made us proud sweetie, we didn't expect any less though.” Mr Mike praised his daughter.
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Stepping down from the jet on arrival at the Pretoria airport, Joyce reacted to the weather.
“The weather isn't as friendly as Stanford.”
“Welcome home” Clara replied with a smile.
“Sure, there's nothing we can do about nature.”
“Thanks for being there for me, Clara.”
“It's a pleasure to be connected with your family, Joyce.”
“Would I have ever thought that I could get to the US in my lifetime considering my background?”
“Not just getting there, but I went there in style”
Joyce interrupted her.
“Stop!”
“Stop this Clara!”
“You right off yourself too soon”
“I have always told you that you are in safe hands with my family.”
“I don't want you to talk about being privileged to be connected with my family anymore.”
“Because we are also privileged to live in affluence as we do”
“And dad constantly tells me that we are here to make an impact on people lives."
“I understand you, Joyce, but I need to say such words, so I won't forget where I was coming from.”
Joyce, while petting her, said, “It's okay, but I want you to be more relaxed.”
“Sure, I am. But I need it, Joyce.”
Meanwhile, one of the drivers at the Pretoria house has been asked to come take them home with a limousine car that can take everyone home in one sweep.
On their way home, Mr Mike asked Joyce, “what are your plans now that you are done with your first degree?”
“You already know dad?”
“Really?”
“Yes dad.”
“I don't think I remember.”
“Oh dad! How would you not?” Joyce spoke to her dad rhetorically.
“I recall that we discussed a lot of plans before your admission, but you may have changed your plans, especially now that you are a graduate.”
“No dad. The plan is the same.”
“That you will enroll for your masters and afterward go for your PhD, right?”
“Correct dad”
“Would you mind my line of business and investments after your studies?”
“I mind dad.” Joyce responded reluctantly.
“Why?” Mr Mike asked.
“I have plans to become a tycoon in the real estate field after my PhD”
“But I plan to be halfway through it after my second degree.”
Suddenly, distressful gunshots interrupted their conversation.
People were running helter skelter for their lives.
Like in a movie, a black Prado jeep was trying to intercept their journey.
It was obvious that they were the target.
But the driver kept driving regardless.
“Stop the car!”
“Stop!”
“Stop!”
The kidnap gang members were shouting at the driver.
But because it was a bulletproof car, the driver ignored their threats.
“We don't know their plans, let me keep driving.” The driver told them to relax.
"If you see a police post, please turn in there immediately." Mrs Lauryn told the driver.
"Yes, yes, please do that." Everyone in the vehicle backed Mrs Lauryn's statement to the driver.
“Can someone dial the distress code?” Everyone was echoing it, but no one was bold enough to take the phone to do what was necessary except for Uncle Tom and Mr. Mike
Mr Mike tried to be strong.
He tried to calm everyone in the car, especially his wife, Mrs Lauryn, who was holding him so tight, not knowing what the turn of event will be.
“The car is made for stuff like that, please relax.”
The gang members stopped shooting in the air and directed the gun at the driver's side.
It was obvious they didn't want to harm anyone in the vehicle except for the driver.
“You are dying today.” Those were the threatening words from the gang members to the driver.
They obviously felt the driver had stressed them out.
When the gunshots couldn't reach the driver, they aimed at the tyres with their sophisticated rifles.
After they had shot at the tyres, in no time, the car started slowing down.
The driver knew that might be his end.
So he opened the door himself.
He kept pleading while raising his two hands high up, looking for the best position to lie flat on the floor as a sign of surrendering.
“Please don't kill me”
“Please don't kill me”
“Please don't kill me”
Without hesitation, the driver was shot twice in the head, and he died on the spot.
“Please spare us, I will give you anything you want.” Mr Mike was pleading with them in fear.
Everyone was half dead on the floor.
"Who is Joyce?” Anelka asked for Joyce.
“I…I am…am Joyce." Joyce identified herself in fear.
“Stand up”
They were all thinking about what the problem was and why they were asking for Joyce.
Mrs Lauryn was troubled where she was lying flat on the floor.
She was thinking about what her daughter has in connection with them.
Suddenly she stood up when it looked like she was about to be whisked away.
“Please leave my daughter, she is the only one I have.”
“Woman, stay away,” Akuna, one of the gang members, replied.
“You can't go with my daughter.”
“Instead, take me and free her.”
Uncle Tom called his sister Mrs Lauryn by her name from where he was lying flat. “Gracia, stop arguing with them.”
Everyone on the floor also joined in warning Mrs Lauryn to let the gang members have their way.
“Allow them.”
“Mummy, please allow them”
Anelka warned Mrs Lauryn “madam, don't provoke us to do what we don't want to do.”
“We didn't come for you, cooperate”.
Anelka c****d the gun, threatening to get rid of Mrs Lauryn if she would not get out of his way.
“Please don't kill my wife!” Her husband, Mr Mike, screamed where he was lying flat.
“Dear, please let them go with her, we will give them what they want to get her back.”
It was obvious that Mrs Lauryn could not afford to allow her daughter to be taken away by the gunmen and that she cared less about her life.
Karae, one of the gang members, said to Anelka, “this woman cannot survive it, you will have to do what is necessary now.”
“We don't have time”
Anelka finally pulled the gun hammer back and c****d it to the rear.
Immediately, the jeep they came with zoomed off.
- Writer
