The Rain in April

Secrets

Chapter 15

DAY 7

Eric sat still as Dauda drove the car into the barracks. He didn’t read the newspaper for a more pressing issue occupied his mind. This was the first time he was going to work after what happened in Butamwa four days ago. Somehow,he felt responsible for what had happened in the village. If only he had selected the right men for the job, all these wouldn’t have happened, but he had no option now but to live with it, to live with the fact that he was responsible for the death of many innocent people. He immediately filed a request for a break and the Lieutenant Colonel had granted it, permitting him to stay at home for a week. But something sprang up, causing him to cut his break short. He got a call from the junior officer he had told to check on a girl, Ama Williams. The junior officer, Alex told him during their telephone conversation that the girl was never in custody and there was no record of her in the displacement report. He told his wife what the young man had told him hoping it would calm her nerves but instead, it grew worse, she started coming up with theories of Ama being dead. He immediately telephoned the office asking for Dauda to come and pick him.

“These past few days have been crazy, Eric,” The Lieutenant Colonel said as Eric walked into his office.

“I know, Sir.”

“No, you don’t.” The man stood up from where he sat and Eric noticed the man’s hands were shaking.

“You don’t because you are not the one on this chair,” The Lieutenant Colonel said, pointing to the black leather chair he sat on.

“I understand, Sir,” Eric admitted, not in any mood to argue with the man.

“What surprises me the most is the sudden deaths of other senior officers in the country? The deaths of top politicians and yet the Major-General is doing nothing about it.”

The man burst into a weird laughter before taking his seat.

“Yesterday, Colonel Alfred was killed. This morning; I got a letter from the office of the Major-General, ordering me to recommend you for the rank of a Lieutenant Colonel,” the man said, placing his shaking hands on his table.

“They are covering it up like it never happened.”

Eric moved uncomfortably on his seat, he could not believe his ears, surprised why he was being considered for the rank of a Lieutenant Colonel, at this pressing time; as much as it sounded like good news, it was worrisome, why now?

“I don’t trust anyone now, not even my men,” the Lieutenant Colonel stressed, relaxing his back on his chair.

Eric looked at him, the man had lost it, he was worried and afraid because officers like him were being killed and nothing had been done about it.

“Things will get better soon,” Eric managed to say.

“Oh… better, when I am dead? When you assume the seat in whatever place you would be in charge, keep telling yourself that,” the man said, waving to Eric to leave.

“One last thing, Eric,” the man called as Eric approached the door.”

“Don’t trust anyone, not even the closest men to you,” he advised.

Eric sat heavily on his chair thinking, things were happening so fast, the riots and the killings had escalated more than they originally bargained. It had spread all over the country. Despite the efforts of the army to control the crisis in the capital, it had still sprung up. Many soldiers even encouraged civilians to pick up weapons and get rid of the Tutsis living among them. On his way to the barracks this morning, he and Dauda had encountered a group of young boys, carrying sticks and cutlasses and matching around the streets, yet in the midst of this, he was about to be promoted, to be given a responsibility he wasn’t sure he could carry. He was about to be promoted to a post most senior officers now see as a curse. But all these were not the reason why he was at work today; he came to find out what actually happened to the girl Ama Williams, the young girl he employed to work for him at home, the girl his wife had been worried about. Eric was so wrapped up in his thought that he didn’t notice a small white envelop on his table. He looked down and saw it, he was shocked and his face turned into a furrow. He looked around his office as though he knew someone was spying on him before he picked the white envelop. He locked his office since four days ago when he filed in for a break and was surprised to find the white envelop on his table, how it had got there was a mystery. He immediately opened it and took out a brown sheet of paper which was neatly folded. He slowly unfolded it, few words were written in a rough and bold manner.

WE WERE THERE, WE KNOW WHAT YOU DID, AND WE SAW YOU.

He immediately sat up and took a closer look at the brown paper he was holding.

“We were there, we know what you did, we saw you,” He repeated, trying to make sense from what he just read.

He looked round again before picking up the envelop, it was not empty and he turned it over as quickly as possible, a small badge fell out of it, he picked it up and looked at the name inscribed on it and immediately dropped it on the table.

“No… this can’t be happening.” He buried his head in his hand. He stood up, folded the white envelop before pocketing it. He placed his shaking hands on the table and leaned forward. He was in a mess and had been discovered; he wiped his face with the back of his left hand as sweat gathered around his forehead.

“No!” He exclaimed as he straightened himself before hurriedly leaving his office.

“Sir,” Alex called, walking up to him as he emerged out of his office.

"What is it, Alex? I have no time to spare,” he said, trying to hide his shaking hands.

“It’s about the girl, Ama Williams. I did more research, she was among the casualties.”

“What do you mean by casualties?” he asked, taking a step closer to Alex.

“She was r***d and was later discovered to have committed suicide.”

“What?” Eric was shocked.

“I’m sorry, Sir,” Alex apologized, lowering his head and walking away.

“Sir, you sent for me.” Dauda emerged from behind him. Eric turned immediately and looked at Dauda, his mind still recovering from the shock.

“Sir!”

He looked at Dauda for some seconds before snapping out of his shock.

“Yes”

“Is everything alright?” Dauda asked with concern on his face.

“I am fine.”

“You sent for me, Sir,” Dauda reminded.

“Yes; you remember the operation I led four days ago, to Butamwa, the operation where we lost a soldier.”

“Yes, Sir, I remember,” Dauda answered, brightening up his face.

“Good, I need you to check on the men who I took on the operation, I want to know those who reported to work today. Get their names from the operational desk.”

“Ok, Sir,” Dauda saluted before turning to walk away.

“One more thing Dauda, I don’t want them to know that I am checking up on them.”

“No problem, Sir,” Dauda smiled, walking away.

**********

Eric sat by the car park watching the flowers that grew on a pot placed at the center of the park. The Lieutenant Colonel was right, the man had imposed fear in him, Eric now feared to sit in his office, if a letter could mysteriously appear on his table, then anything could happen. No one could be trusted.

“Sir,” Dauda said, coming from behind. Eric stood up and immediately turned towards Dauda, his hands folded into a fist.

“Are you sure you are alright, Sir?”

“Yes…yes,” Eric nodded, looking at Dauda who still had the worried look in him.

“Did you get the information I asked you to get?” He asked, placing both of his hands on his waist.

“Yes, Sir, everybody reported today except for two soldiers, Andrew and Joseph. Andrew called in sick but Joseph is yet to report.”

Eric looked away for some few seconds before turning to Dauda.

“Give me the car keys,” he said, alarmed.

“Hope all is well, sir?” Dauda asked, looking confused.

“Give me the car keys, Dauda,” Eric ordered.

“I said give me the car keys,” he repeated, this time louder and impatient.

Dauda handed the car keys over to him; his expression was full of worries as he watched Eric hurry towards the parked jeep.

“I can drive you to where you are headed, Sir,” Dauda said in one last attempt to convince Eric.

Eric got into the car, He ignited it and without waiting or looking at Dauda, who was still confused over what had just transpired, drove off. He had one destination in his mind, one place all these could possibly lead to, HOME.

Run, run, run, no one knows where the enemy lay