The LONGEST WAIT

Chapter 9

Tim's Stories' THE LONGEST WAIT

CHAPTER 9

It had been two months now since I had been in detention. During that time, I had tried by all possible means to see if I could get any information about Chisom, my wife. Up until now, I hadn't been successful. I was suffering both physically and psychologically. I was severely emaciated and rashes had started coming out of my body. I thought I was going to die and prayed to God sincerely that I should be freed. I was seriously hoping for a miracle. Without one, I would be a dead man.

Two of my cell mates had died within that period. One died of malnutrition and the other died of torture. I had been tortured twice within that period. However, instead of the torture to break me, it instead strengthened my resolve and made me hate the guards more than ever. With each day that passed, I hated them with a growing dislike, and I wished they could sleep and never wake up. One day, after haven gone into fasting for one day, the Lord answered my prayer in a way that I least expected.

The Human Rights Watch had heard that there was a prison somewhere in Libya where migrants from Sub-Saharan African were being kept in terrible conditions. Therefore, in collaboration with the UN recognized Libyan government, they decided to pay a visit to out prison. The prison guards were not very happy by the idea. However, they decided that they would oblige.

Their sponsors asked them to get a few prisoners and clean them up. These prisoners were going to be presented to the officials from the Human Rights Watch Organization. It was simply a camouflage, to make it look as if everything was okay at the prison. Fortunately for me, I was one of the prisoners who were selected. A few days before the officials showed up, we were given good food so that we would look healthy. We were also provided with good clothes so as to look good and presentable. Finally, we were warned not to reveal what was happening to us. If we did, we were told that we were going to be killed after the inspectors had left.

It was the day for inspection now. The officials had come and I was very happy that for the first time in more than two months, I was able to interact with people who behaved civilized. The inspectors consisted of five Caucasians and three blacks. Those of us who had been selected were presented to them. The prison authorities flatly refused to allow the inspectors to go inspect the cells.

"What is your name?" One inspector asked me. He was white.

"Buchi."

"Full names, please."

"Buchi Emeka."

"From which country."

"Nigeria, Sir."

"So, Mr. Buchi. What can you say about the conditions of this prison?" He asked.

That was my opportunity and I seized it. I knew I was putting my life at risk. I was quite literally going to die if I said anything the prison authorities didn't want me to say.

"Sir, to be frank with you, this place is hell. We are badly treated, we are tortured, starved and women are r***d constantly. People die here every day. We need to get out of here, Sir. Please, help us."

"Are you sure of what you are talking about?" The inspector asked. "The prison authorities have given us a contrary assessment, Mr. Buchi."

"They are all a bunch of shameless liars, Sir. We are being treated like animals. People die here every day. Please, Sir, help us. If you think I am lying, then ask the other inmates."

When the other inmates were asked the same question, instead of them to corroborate my account, they chicken-heartedly stayed mute and turned their faces away. The inspectors, however, weren't deceived. They had known all along that the prison guards were hiding something. They took down notes on their notepads and asked the other inmates to leave. I was asked to stay behind.

As I stayed back, I avoided to look into the eyes of the prison guards that were present. I knew I was already a dead man as soon as the inspectors left. However, I was ready to die like a man instead of being forced to tell a lie about the state of things in that hellhole of a prison.

The prison guards were asked to excuse us for a while. They left grudgingly, telling me with their eyes that my life was over. When I was left all alone with the inspectors, I told them everything about the place and why I had come there in the first place. By 6:30 PM, they were done. However, they couldn't go immediately because they had to wait for the UN convoy that had brought them to come take them back for security purposes. I was told to go back to my cell.

How could they ask me to go back to my cell? How could I even go back to my cell after all the things I had said, after all the secrets I had revealed. They would quite literally fry me. I had thought I was special but the fact that the officials were sending me back to my cell proved that I wasn't. I was just like any other prisoner. Therefore, I decided that the time for action was now.

I left as if I was going back to my cell but I didn't. The mistake the officials made was that they didn't ask the guards to come and take me back to my cell. I couldn't tell if they did that deliberately. So, I took advantage of that. I instead went through a corridor, looking for somewhere to hide. I had to act fast before anyone noticed that I had gone missing. Every day, around 8:00 PM, just before lights out, a headcount of all prisoners was done. So, I had to do something before 8:00 PM or my absence would be noticed.

I tiptoed down the corridor as stealthily as I could. Then I saw an open door that led to a room that looked like a storage area. I peeped inside and realized that it was indeed a storage area. To my greatest delight, it wasn't just a normal storage room, it was one for ammunitions and guns. With the melody of Protocol Breaker by Chidinma going through my mind, I collected two Ak 47s, numerous magazines, two handguns and their ammunitions, and one rocket launcher. I also got a huge military backpack I saw and put all the things inside.

I looked around me and there were several other types of weapons I could take, but I couldn't. But I couldn't carry all. I had to travel light so that when the time for action started, I wouldn't be weighed down. But there was one type of weapon that was essential to me, and I hadn't yet seen it. I saw a door that led into another room. I tested the lock and luckily for me, it was opened. I went inside and I was impressed by what I saw. There were more weapons now and I finally did see the weapon I was looking for. It was a flamethrower. It emitted liquid fire and I need it to light the place up. I wanted to cause a commotion and then escape in the commotion.

Freedom was within my reach now but my plans were spoiled when two guards walked into the place and realized that there was an intruder. They looked all around but couldn't see me because I had hidden behind a huge cupboard. Satisfied, that there was no one inside, they attempted to leave but one of them decided to look behind the cupboard and saw me. But I was the last thing he was ever going to see in his entire life. As he attempted to scream, I quickly left my hiding place and covered his mouth with my palms. We struggled for a while, but I overpowered him and broke his neck. His body became limp, and he sank to the floor, dying a cold and painful death.

The other guy who was at the entrance waited for his friend to show up but he didn't. He casually strolled back into the room to get his friend but instead he met me. I put two bullets in his heart, and he died. No one heard the shots because I had screwed in the silencer. I knew it wouldn't take long before the others noticed that two of their men had gone missing and raised and alarm. So, I had to act fast.

It was around 7:00 PM now and it was quite dark. I had to take advantage of the darkness. I had to escape that night, or I would never be able to escape again because I would most certainly be put to death. In the darkness, I sneaked out of the building, activated the flame thrower and lighted up the ammunition depot. Within a minute the whole place was alight and since there were explosive devices inside, there was a huge explosion. That was what I actually needed. I ran out of the building and hid in the dark, waiting.

The first two guards who came with buckets of water didn't have the time to empty the buckets. I stitched their bodies with the machine gun I was holding, and they both fell into the fire, never to rise again. But I was mistaken, there weren't just two of them. There were four and the other two had seen me and opened fire immediately. Of course, they missed because I had quickly ducked behind a building. From my position, I fired at the two of them. I got one and missed the other because he had fallen back behind the building from which they had come.

By now, the whole place was in pandemonium. Half of the compound was on fire and prisoners were running in all directions. Some were too weak to run and could only crawl. There were about thirty guards all looking for me. Some of them were sent to go and protect the Human Rights officials. I was standing in the dark. So, I could see them, but they couldn't see me. I waited until about a group of ten guards went into a building looking for me. Then, I activated the RPG I was carrying. I fired and the building exploded killing most of them. Some tried to get out with fire on their bodies. I couldn't allow them to suffer so, I facilitated their journey to hell by hitting them with bullets.

The remaining ones had now seen my location. They had discovered where the shooting was coming from, and they gave chase. I ran into the darkness, and they followed. But they couldn't catch me. The ones that managed to get close had their legs blown off by the hand grenades that I left behind me. They fired into the darkness but none of their bullets got me.

I was now in the dark of the desert alone. I was tired and hungry but at least I was free. But where would I go. Libya was a vast country. I had no means of transportation and the only thing I had with me was the clothes on my body and the two handguns I had stolen from the ammunition depot.

The desert cold was beginning to bite into me and from the distance, I could still see the prison, burning. I prayed and hoped that none of the prisoners were hurt. As for the guards, I wished they could all roast to pieces. I had to make a quick decision about my next move because I knew exactly what would happen when dawn reached. By morning, there would be hundreds and hundreds of men looking for me.

I had made up my mind that I was never going back to that prison. I would rather die than go back. I checked the two handguns, and they were still loaded and fine. Both of them could take a ten-round magazine each. Since I was a gunslinger, that meant the first twenty people who came close to meet would most likely join their maker. I saw a large boulder about ten meters from where I was standing. I rushed to it and sat down.

To my greatest surprise, I saw Chisom. She was dressed in rags and she was running towards me. She was weeping and falling as she ran. I couldn't believe my eyes. I ran towards her, and we met in a tight embrace.

"Chisom!! Oh Chisom, my wife. I missed you. I missed you so much."

"Buchi, you came for me? You risked your life for me. I am so sorry, Buchi. I have brought you so much pain."

"It's okay Chichi. I have found you. Let's go back home."

"Okay, my love."

I was awakened by the sound of a car. I woke up and realized that I had been dreaming. There was no Chisom around me. Vexed, I woke up and hid behind the boulder and watched to see the type of car that was coming. To my greatest delight, I realized that it was the UN convoy of about six vehicles taking back the Human Rights officials to Tripoli, the capital of Libya. With joy, I ran towards them but regretted my action immediately when one of the soldiers in an armoured car, raised his gun and pointed at me.

TO BE CONTINUED...