SEVEN (7)

The maginos

They threaded upon many plants destroying some as they went. Ripen berries splattered open in collision with their fast pacing leg painting them in numerous colours while also hydrating their skin. They did not stop, not even a second to take a deep breath. They ran like mad people not minding were they went neither what could be in front of them. Fedo held Sandy firmly trying not to run too fast so he would not hurt her. She followed steadily too trying to keep to his pace.

They ran for about five minutes or thereabout and were already getting tired. They knew they had to find safety soon else they would be greatly endangered, because they would no longer have enough strength to fight whatever was chasing them.

God answered their prayers and they soon found a huge rock by the side of a mountain. At that time Sandy was really exhausted and was coughing severely. She slowed down so greatly that Fedo had to carry her on his back. He went straight for the rock and asked Sandy to climb. He then supported her to the top, first with his hands then with his shoulders and then his head. He then moved back a little bit, ran towards the rock and sprang up with all the strength he had left. He gripped the rock halfway and struggled to get to the top. He was able to move up just some few inches before his strength started failing him. He wanted to give up but Sandy grabbed one of his hands trying to pull him up. It was not as if it helped but he was grateful because it made him decide to keep pushing up. He was trying his possible best to keep going up when he felt something or someone grab his thighs.

Chuks and Vincent ran with Ify in between them. soon they came to an open space, a dead end, a cliff. They looked down and saw a stream of blue waters. They immediately turned back in respect of their last courage to face whatever it is was that was chasing them. They stood and watched the bush behind them but nothing came forth. They waited some more minutes and still nothing. Ify was about to say something but stopped. They all listened carefully and began hearing some sound again. Dry bush rustling and bush been brushed against. They stood fixed to the ground waiting to face their fate. Ify held the hands of the men beside her terribly scared and physically shaken. The men in return held her in love, consolidation and hope.

The sound kept approaching , amplifying every second. At last it was close enough. Vincent was very fast. Fast enough to let go of Ify, Spring up and push the man to the side to avoid letting him fall off the cliff.

“you really scared me", Fedo told him lying on the bare rock lazily. Emeka had been running with Osas but later could not find him. He looked around everywhere but saw no sign of anybody. Nevertheless he did not stop running until he saw figures of humans. He ran even faster and with all his strength he grabbed Fedo's thighs and thrusted him up.

“thank God you came fast", Fedo said again, “i would not have made it".

“seriously", Emeka replied giggling, “what about adrenaline?".

“am so tired", Sandy who sat down using one of her hands to support herself spoke for the first time.

Emeka decided to sit too remembering that he was tired too the moment Sandy mentioned her own condition.

They were like that for some couple of minutes before Sandy and Emeka joined Fedo in his lying position. They all thought about Vincent, Chuks and Ify but did not want to talk about it. They wondered what could have happened to them.

Some few more minutes later, they began hearing the sound of movement in the bush again. Sandy and Emeka raised their heads up suddenly upon hearing the movement. The sound resumed and this time even more louder.

“Fedo, Fedo", Sandy called taping his chest but twice but no reply. She did it louder and harder again upon discovering that he was asleep.

He rose up in alarm and assimilated what Sandy told him. He quickly sat up and watched were the sound was coming from. He knew they were safe or unsafe on the rock depending on what the threat was and so did the rest, but coming down was never considered an option.

They kept eyes on the spot waiting and expecting, partially scared and different thoughts running through her mind.

And swish something or rather somethings came running out of the bush, moving as fast as the can, but which was not fast at all considering the run even while exhausted.

“oh my God", Fedo muttered.

“Ify! Chuks!", Sandy screamed trying to gain their attention. It was just enough for the runners to notice the rock of safety.

When they were close enough to the rock, Vincent and Chuks took Ify up and raised her towards the people ontop.

“what is chasing you guys", Emeka asked as he and Fedo received Ify with both hands.

“hurry and get them up before your question answer itself", Ify replied him before she was safely up. Next Chuks and Vincent helped Osas get up.

The sound continued as though other people were going to come out of the path they had. the noise was approaching very smoothly and fast. on getting Osas up, Vincent and Chuks streched forth their hands to their mates. Osas and Emeka layed flat on their bellies, held Vincent's hand and pulled him up with all their strength.

Fedo, Sandy and Ify did same for Chucks and soon he was raised enough to climb up on his own. By now the noise was really close and terror was filling Vincent who had not seem to have much progress with climbing up. When Chuks finally got up, all attention went to Vincent but it was too late. The predators had already popped out of the bush. Two of them looking as terrifying and as dangerous as they should look if someone took something that belonged to them. Everybody held any part of Vincent hand that they could and they pulled him up so fast and with so much muscle so that he bruised his abdomen, thighs, knees and feet against the rock. The two predators spranged up very determined not to leg their last and only catch go. They spread out their claws and hewed them towards his body, Their teeth widely displayed going against his feet wanting to make sure blood flowed out of them no matter what. Their eyes very anxious and their whole body excited.

But their whole determination, strength, calculations, anxiety, Excitement and will went into thin air as their prey went into safe distance not much few inches away, but just enough to bring their whole expertise to nothing.

******

“sailing eagle come in, do you read, sailing eagle come in do you read me?", He blared into the mic, which he almost covered with his palm, for exactly the three-hundreth time, though not In row. and he was not taking count.

He took off the headset he had on and smashed it into the floor. He was frustrated. Okon paced the floor of the communication room before his colleague Tunde.

Tunde himself had his had supporting his large jaw and from his expression, looked very unhappy.

“whatever had they done to my ship?", Tunde asked not expecting to receive a correct answer from Okon who had not been on the yacht at the time of its disappearance.

“we should actually be more worried about what had happen to them", Okon replied him.

He moved towards the mic again but decided to move away to avoid futher destruction.

“can I ask a question?", Tunde asked.

“its questions you have been asking all this while", Okon replied not turning to face him.

"what is your reason for destroying all this headset?", Tunde asked.

Okon grunted and went on to take up the three headset he had destroyed and disposing them. Then there was silence again.

“maybe they wrecked", Okon suggested but Tunde did not agree with him on the base fact that they had lost communication with the yacht a long time before their GPS stopped detecting the yacht.

“i am calling in 141", Okon stated settling into a chair and picking up his phone.

“yeah please do".

*******

He sat pondering on the fact that he would have been dead seconds ago. He had had a narrow escape and that had really affected his ego. He did not try to do anything else other than sitting, thinking and saying silent ‘thanks' to God.

The rest stood facing the beast, looking down on them and their armed masters from their elevation. Numerous men standing with different weapons, very primitive and vauge looking stood by their animals patting and stroking them while they watch the intruders with keen interest.

The both party watched each other with fearlessness and anger wishing they new what each other was thinking.

Fedo was first to speak.

“who are you!?", he roared and why are you chasing us with tigers!?", he said the latter sentence more angrily. Then suddenly a small Axe appeared In his hands. He and his friends were half surprised and half scared but the other party did not seem to care. The leader of the Tiger-men stroked his goatee beared and replied them saying.

“we are, the MAGINOS".

©Stories of Ease

Godwin Samuel