LEGEND OF DEATH'S ASSASSINS

CHAPTER 12

The walk back home was a quiet one. Nadi could sense the tension that hovered around Bella. She had remained quiet and had not said much. He had even tried to clear the air at a time but she had stated plainly that she was not in the mood for jokes. Something was troubling her, Nadi wished he could help her with answers, but as it stands, he was as confuse as she was. And her gift or powers, whatever it is, was something he didn’t want her to meddle too much with. Particularly, since they don’t really know what it was, it was best if they let it be. Until they find out what it is. Howbeit, Nadi was glad that she had them. They had not discussed about it too, but it was only a matter of time before she brings it up again. She had save him, twice. If she had not used the powers on him…maybe, he would be dead.

Nadi’s stomach churned when the rotten stench of the shore hit his nostril. It should be 1am or so, but it seems the fishermen and their nets have no respect for time. There were not many of them, but the few that held the yellow torchlight were scattered all over the place. Some voices were yelling orders too, while others were just chatting and smoking away what was left of the previous day.

“That’s the fastest boat.” Bella pointed.

Nadi closed his eyes and opened them again. Bella was just too smart for her own good. She was more useful than he thought. If she had not pointed it out, he doubts if he knows which boat was the fastest. He didn’t know anything about the sea. He had let his hate for fishing deprive him every knowledge he should have obtained from his father.

“If those boats are fast,” Nadi pointed towards the direction, “Which one belongs to, Isak?”

“Isak? What happened to, father or dad or papa?” Bella shook her head, “Big bro, Nadi. He is still your father too. And you won’t die if you show some respect.”

Bella walked pass. The sadness in her voice made Nadi want to crawl into his skin. What have I done wrong? He wanted to ask but decided to keep quiet. Any other day, he would have argued with the girl. Besides, it was their father who disowned and disrespected him first. What was the need of honoring someone who does not want your honor?

Nadi rubbed his hand, suddenly regretting the hospital gown he wore. He followed behind Bella as they made their way to the white boat. The last few days have been rough, for Bella at least. He would not want to push her. Not with her current mood.

“I am driving.” Bella said and inserted the keys.

“No way.” Nadi hurried towards her, “You are staying here.”

“I am coming with you. You can’t survive two minute without me. How did you even expect to pull this without me?” She elevated her head to meet his eyes, “You can’t even drive a boat. You don’t even know how to navigate the sea”

“And you do? hahaha, I laugh in Africa.”

“You know I am telling the truth, Big bro. You can’t navigate the sea and you can’t ride a boat.”

Nadi swallowed. The boat had been a contingency plan. He had planned on hiking. That was the real plan. But now…now, he didn’t know what to do. He couldn’t drive a boat and he has no money to take the public transport. The only way to finish what he had started was either to allow her come with him or…

“Fine,” Nadi spat and stepped out of the boat, “I would rather hike than allow you follow me.”

“Uh?”

The surprise in her voice hoisted something in his stomach. For some passing moment, Nadi was just glad that he had won. He would love to have her by his side but, this was the only way to keep her safe. Their parents would keep her safe. They would provide for her. She was better off without him. The village would be a better place without him. The world would be a better place without him.

“I really need to get out of this village, big bro.”

The whisper made Nadi pause in his wake. There was something else in her voice. Something unique and sad.

“They want to betroth me you know. Father had insisted I would marry Gauma, by next year. He didn’t care about my opinion. He said Gauma would make a good husband and would help boost the family’s business”

Gauma? Nadi shook his head. Of all the fishermen in the village, Gauma was one person he least expected to be interested in his sister. Even without giving thought an effort to dwell in his heart, he could see the man’s heavy mustache and the rotten brown teeth. The man was a good man, in his own way and was among the richest fishermen in the locality. But he was married. Gauma has five wives already, and if Bella joins the crew, she would be the sixth.

“Gauma?” Nadi turned. The name sounded sour in his mouth. The man is older than his father for crying out loud. What would he say if he gets married to Bella? Will that be marriage or child abuse?

“Over my dead body,” Nadi clenched his fist, “I would rather die than let you go through that hell.”

“Well,” Bella shrugged, “If you want to live to prevent that, then you have to let me come with you. Because if I stay here, father would force me. And trust me, you will live with the guilt all the days of your life.”

“And what makes you think so?” Nadi smiled despite himself.

He untied the anchor and walked back to the boat.

“Because you are a sweet brother of course. And a protective one.”

“Says the sister who would not listen to me.”

Bella laughed and gestured towards the engine. Nadi nodded and dropped the engine into the water. There were fresh clothes beside the engine too, and he changed into them before turning the engine to life

“Hey,” Came an angry yell from the man behind the torchlight “what are you doing there.”

“Going fishing of course,” Nadi answered as the man flashed the light about him.

“Fishing? But I have not seen you around here, besides that boat belongs to…wait a minute.” The man walked closer to them, “By the heavens, Nadi?”

“Just keep your distance and don’t come any closer,” Nadi warned.

Not that he would do anything bad to the old man, especially since his sister was watching. But he needed to invoke fear into the man or else he would scatter the plan Nadi had laid out.

“I saw you. You are supposed to be in the hospital. You were injured. How have you gotten so healed?”

“Just back off old man.” Nadi warned again.

The man did not argue or showed any sign not to oblige to his instructions. Despite the darkness that overwhelmed them, Nadi could almost read the fright that hung on the man’s shoulders.

“You never like fishing, Nadi and who is that person hiding behind you.”

“It’s none of your business, old man.” Nadi groaned. He gave Bella the signal to move the boat, but the girl was paying the old fisherman attention to notice.

“Does your father knows you are taking his boat?”

Nadi’s stomach churned and the irritation made him wonder why fishermen talked too much. He was about to answer the man with a smirk, when the old man started shouting, calling out his fellow fishermen who were on the shoreline.

“Move, Bella.” Nadi screamed.

Bella jerked as if awaked from a deep sleep. She didn’t wait to be reminded again though, instead, she turned the hand of the throttle and the engine roared, pushing their boat into the sea.

Nadi smiled as the winds started to sing in his ears. On the shoreline he could see the torchlights of the fishermen as they hurried to toward the first man, whose voice was no longer audible. Despite the sickling feeling of the sea, Nadi could feel the sweet sensation of triumph in his stomach. He had won. This was a dream come true. He was actually leaving home.

“Do you think they would bother to pursue?”

Bella’s voice made Nadi avert his gaze from the shoreline.

“I will love to see them try.” Nadi took a seat. “but they wouldn’t. Not while there are no young men in the fishing crew tonight. Plus, it was not their boat that was stolen.”

Bella nodded

“But what about father. Do you think he would come looking for us?”

“Not really. If they come looking for anything, it would be to get you away from me. And I will be happy if they do.”

“Happy? Jesus. They are going to betroth me to an old man with five wives, Nadi. And you are happy about it?”

“Yes” Nadi nodded, “I will like someone to crush your ego a little.”