Bleeding Hearts
1253 Words
It's a new breezy day and a special one. It's one of those days when they have to work on the farms. Everyone already had a tool or a job to do. A set of people were working with bare hands. Some did the digging and some watered the plants.
The girls were not exempted. They had more than enough manpower so it wasn't strenuous for anyone. They had already made friends and they enjoyed working together.
Unfortunately, peace wasn't in everyone. Some had violence in their genes and pulled others into their fall.
While Joe, Chuma and the rest of their clique were gisting and working, a fight started between two of Don's gangsters. They got violent and stopped using words and bare hands. One picked a cutlass and the other, a shovel. The brawl went on, the cutlass dropped, and the shovel was driven deep into the head of one. It turned bloody.
The attention of the soldiers were called and there was no need for explanation. A soldier showed up and shot the two of them dead. There was utter silence.
"Why would he do that?!", Stanley whispered.
"The soldiers don't entertain fights", Chuma replied. "They don't settle fights so we endeavour to avoid."
"That's cruel".
"Everything's cruel", Joe said.
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Everyone settled and ate. The wild norm of chasing the 'last-man-eating' was skipped, today, and they remained unusually silent; mourning ritual.
The big gates opened and some soldiers walked in, gisting loudly. Everyone looked but no one was curious. All but Stanley knew what Soko had come to do. Stanley wasn't curious, either. He was furious about the cold execution that happened earlier.
"The wine tastes different", a soldier said to another, as they sipped from small cups.
"Yes, she's talented", the other soldier replied. "Would make a good wife, too".
"Nah, she's ugly"
Another soldier joined the conversation. "You want to date one of these people and you expect her to love you?"
"I'll command respect", the first soldier said.
"And she'll stab you in your sleep"...
"As you all know what happens today... Every week", Soko addressed the people. "I'm back... This time, anyone, who beats me in a fight, gets out of here alive".
That was an attractive offer but only few were interested. A man, in his early forties, accepted the challenge and everyone moved backwards to give them space.
The man rushed at Soko with his head and arms wide open. Soko stepped aside, bent and used his left leg to sweep the man off his feet. The man stood up and rushed at Soko, again, with a clench fist, throwing a punch. Soko caught his fist, held it, and forcefully, turned his arm around. The man groaned in pain. Soko put his other hand, standing at his back, across the man's neck and forced him to kneel. The man surrendered. Though, not without a broken right arm.
"Anyone else?", Soko asked. He seemed vigorous and willing to beat someone up. They wanted freedom but they'd like to fight a weakened soldier, rather than lose an arm and still stay back in captivity.
However, there lived a man who seemed to have been silent since they got 'jailed'. He seemed to be the oldest; probably in his late forties or early fifties. He looked fit but he had some grey on his hair. He had an appearance that could make one conclude he's from a rural area. He was called Odogwu by some of their fellow captives, who didn't name him by the actual meaning of the name but by what they felt he could be called. 'Odogwu' means 'Leader/Victor' in the 'Igbo' tribe in Nigeria.
"No one, uhn?", Soko asked with threats in his hoarse voice. He walked around, looking at the men and judging their strengths with his eyes.
Odogwu whispered softly as Soko seemed to move closer to him. "He'll pass me and choose you. You can hear me.... he'll smash your head on-".
"Who? Me?", a man, who happened to be the only one hearing, replied. "No! God forbid".
"You!", he called, pointing at the man Odogwu had predicted. "What's your name?"
"Me? Donatus, sir!", he replied, panicking.
"Good!", Soko shouted, addressing all of them. "Donatus challenges me to a fight".
Donatus, knowing he couldn't talk his way out of that trouble, rushed at Soko, who wasn't ready. He managed to lift Soko but the Soldier regained control, dropping his elbow on his opponent's neck. Donatus tried to grab Soko's leg but Soko broke free and smashed Donatus' head on the ground with his feet. He held Donatus by the neck, lifted him with one hand and threw one last punch at his head. "Knockout!", he exclaimed.
The rest of the soldiers stood, enjoying the view.
"Anyone else?"
Odogwu whispered softly, again, "The ghosts are speaking again... to the wrong person."
"Stop him. He'll die", a ghost whispered to Joe. Stanley was ready to fight Soko.
"Don't!", Joe said, holding Stanley back. "You'll regret it".
"Hey!", Stanley called Soko's attention. "I challenge you".
"What are you doing?", Ada whispered.
"I'll teach him a lesson", Stanley replied, shaking his hand free of Joe's hold.
"Hold her", another ghost whispered to Joe, referring to Ada. He moved closer to her.
"Oh!", Soko said, as Stanley stepped closer to him. "We have a street champion... so desperate to leave this place, he'll combat me with lean muscles".
Stanley took off his shirt, flexing his muscles for Soko to see.
"It's not about leaving here", Stanley said to him. "I don't think anyone of us trusts you. This is about your lawless killings. If I fail, this won't go on forever. You'll get tired of these and you'll starve".
"Shut up, will you?", Soko said. "You can't change anything so fight, lose and fall back to your fellow losers".
Stanley didn't rush at Soko, like the others. Soko came closer and both stared at each other, with clenched fists. Soko threw a swift punch at Stanley's neck but Stanley caught it and got hit by the side instead. He stepped back. Soko moved closer, flinging his foot at Stanley's chest. Stanley fell back.
"That was easy", Soko said, victoriously. "You failed".
"Who said so?" Stanley replied, getting back up with a renewed strength of determination. "I never lose".
He ran at Soko and swung a leg across Soko's legs, sweeping him off his feet. He waited for Soko to get up. Soko moved closer and lifted himself off the floor, throwing his feet at Stanley's chest.
Stanley bent and slid past, avoiding the attack. Soko fell, slamming his back on the ground.
Stanley lifted him, by pulling his shirt from the back. "For the two souls you took", Stanley said and kicked Soko, from the back, into the air.
Soko managed to stand and, furiously, he took out a gun and shot Stanley, twice in the chest. The smile on Ada's face faded. Joe put his hand across her mouth to prevent her screams from getting out. A ghost had been standing there, the whole time. Joe looked at the ghost and it disappeared.
"Who's that?", Soko asked when he heard the muffled noises of Ada. Terror was boldly written on the face of everyone of them. Soko moved closer to Joe. He could read contempt from Joe's face...
"What are you looking at?", Soko asked Joe, who dared to keep staring.
A lightning struck. A thunder followed. Soko recognized the sound...
- Writer
