LEGEND OF DEATH'S ASSASSINS

CHAPTER 14

“Any destination yet?” Bella turned or so Nadi thought, for the darkness that enveloped them made it impossible to discern her actions at the moment.

“Nothing yet. But maybe we would leave the country after all.”

“Leave the country?”

The question in the girl’s voice made Nadi wonder if she had elevated her left brow this time or the right.

“Yes, of course,”

Nadi muttered, trying to sound uninterested. The initial plan was to get out of the village and into the city. But now he just could not say for sure. Maybe moving out of the country won’t be a bad idea after all. It would be a new adventure and a new life on its own. Moving out of the country would be a new way to start over, away from his past and all the curses his father had laid down for him.

“And which country do you have in mind?” Bella asked.

The amusement in her voice was all the indication he needed. She was not convinced or impressed in the very bit. And speaking about the country…

Nadi raked his head until he could feel his hair burying itself into his nails. He had not given it much of a thought and the reason was solemn because he had never been outside their village or country before. He had spent all his life in the village, fishing or being abused for not knowing how to fish. The first and only time he had left the village was the day the Jangos had sent him to the President’s villa. To invoke fear. But that was a long time ago. Say four years or five years back. He had been young and naïve, and foolish too.

“Can’t say for sure,” Nadi said and tossed the hospital gown into the water, “But, maybe Nigeria, or South Africa.”

Bella laughed

“And how much do you have in your pocket to get us across?”

“Well,” Nadi bit his lips. This trip was a foolish and unprepared one. If only he had planned his steps. Perhaps he would have gotten some money from his notorious friends who were owing him. But now…now he just could not say for sure. “We should get to the city first. Maybe I will find a job or something to do to earn money.”

“Or you could just steal bread and burst your way through any barrier,” Bella shouted.

She was frustrated. Nadi could not say why, but he knows it has something to do with their parents and the way they have treated them.

“You think I did all those stuff on purpose?”

“That’s what you keep telling yourself, Nadi.” Bella shrugged and returned her attention to the sea, “You keep telling yourself that you are in for a good course. You keep giving yourself excuses on how things should be. But in the real sense, you just love doing it anyway. It’s your nature.”

Nadi’s brow elevated towards his eyebrow. Bella has never spoken so vehemently about his wayward life before. Not with such anger and hate.

“Where is this coming from?”

“Of course you think I am not making sense,” She chuckled and released the throttle. “I think you are lost, Nadi, and I will not get into that city with you. Not like this.”

Nadi swallowed as the boat began to drop its acceleration. He looked over the horizon and for the first time, saw the numerous lights that dance on the vast body of darkness. It was beautiful, looking at it made him remember the constellation of the heavens on a warm night. If he had a camera, he would have taken the picture.

“I want something new, Big bro. This is a new city and a new people. I want something new. You must promise to be better when we get into that city.”

“I can’t make such promises,” Nadi scowled. “This is who I am, you either accept it or head back home. It was your idea of coming after all.”

“Don’t make this about me, Big bro.”

The boat rocked to the side as Bella sat down heavily and folded her hands on her breast. “when will you learn to listen? Just tell me when?”

Nadi rubbed his brow and sat down. The boat had stopped moving and the gentle wind continued to whisper in their ears. Any other night, Nadi would have complained about the cold. But, he was too pissed off to care, he was just tired of people telling him what to do and what not to do.

“Bel,” Nadi snuffed, “There is no remedy for my wretched life. This is who I am. There is no change for me. At least, not now. My life is messed up; it has been so for a very long time. And if you think I am going to change because you are here with me, then I think you should head back home. I am doomed Bel, there is no redemption. The world hates me, my name is like a stench they would gladly get rid of. And you know what, it's fine. I am not trying to live for anyone, I am going to live my life to the fullest. My life starts here.”

“You see that,” Bella stood up. The strength in her voice made Nadi lift his head in her direction. There was something in them. It was that awe and grace that he had heard once in the hospital, after the Jango incident.

“That’s your problem, Nadi. You keep thinking this life is for you. Don’t you know how your failures affect me or the people around you? You think Papa and Mama hate you? Have you seen the way people look at them in the village meetings? Which parents would want their child to be a bad example? Answer me. Do you know how many times Mama has been chased out from the village women’s meetings? All because of you?”

Nadi shrugged. The hair on his skin was on their feet now. He has never thought of these. The people around him? No, he had lived the last sixteen years trying to bind his life with his own will and how it would please him. He has never for once considered the people around him. But, now…it was hard to tell. The hollowness in his heart right now could only be filled by guilt. He had messed up. For the thousandth time.

“Do you know how many times I have been threatened, because of you? Nadi, answer me.”

Nadi stood up. Bella’s voice was resonating with an anger he had only seen in their father. But there was something else about the girl. Something about her eyes. He couldn’t say for sure, but as she continued to scream and pour out her indignation on him, he saw the glint. It started first like some little spark, but the more Bella continued to talk, the more her eyes continued to glow with some strange blue light.

“B…Be…Bella” Nadi stammered, “Your eyes, Be…Your eyes Bel. It…is…glowing.”

“What do you mean my eyes are glowing?” Bella shouted, “All you care about is yourself. How to enjoy your life and live it to the fullest. You’ve never paused for once to consider the people around you.”

“Bella, your eyes are glowing,” Nadi said, more urgently this time. He tried to make his way towards the girl.

“Don’t even come near me. I have heard enough of all these—” Bella screamed as she tripped over the edge of the boat and fell into the river.

“BELLA”

Nadi did not think or pause to think as he hurried towards the direction and jumped into the sea. Bella was in trouble and all the muscles in his body acted to help her. But until the water engulfed him, did he realize the grave mistake he had made. Bella could swim, but Nadi on the other hand, could not swim, he could not even make a perfect stroke.

Someone was calling his name. Was it Bella, Nadi tried to listen, but his lungs were already burning and the vast water body that held him did not help matters. He struggled to beat the water, at least the way he had seen other people do, but that was to no avail. He was going to die. Maybe he was destined to die by drowning after all.

The struggle took eternity, Nadi could not say for sure. Time and space was hard to comprehend, especially, now that he was being pulled into the waters, down and down to the bottom of the sea. He could hear a whisper in the dark. No, it was not dark. This place was too bright or too bluish to be described as dark. The whisper was subtle at first, and was calling out his name. He tried to answer or to call for help, but the water that rushed into his mouth held his lung, and began to choke him.

He struggled and struggled, but nothing was working. He was destined to die by drowning. This is the end. This is the miserable end his father had foreseen for him.