THE EXETA

Two legs moved rapidly in the night. One a male and other a female. The male held a bag that apparently resembled a brief case that housed valuable belongings. They were running for their life, as that was the only shrewd thing to do at their moment. The Police with all their units were after them. Bullets and police vehicle moved following the two targets, as the sirens of the vehicle also added fuel to the fire. The bush the two were running through did not seem so bushy for them as their adrenalin rush had neutralized the pathway.             The police closed on. Haplessly, the man had three bullets hit his shoulder and abdomen. He staggered a little and pulled back. The girl saw her colleague was in danger. She then moved to him to coaxed them to run. But strength was weathering from the body of Anoi the man. Naki the lady watched on still conscious of the police trailing them. Naki tried to lift Anoi up as they kept on moving. The sound of the siren and the torchlight of the police seemed not to be diming – the police were not letting them go free without an encounter. Gracefully, they had some few minutes to emerge from the forest hoping that will be their time of salvation. But as we all did not expect, two bullets also moved with great precision and stroked the legs of Naki, she fell down. Blood began to ooze. Anoi then moved to her and tried to apply pressure on her wound so she did not bleed to death. The police were still not giving up, they are closing in. Anoi was quickly able to bandage the legs of Naki. She seemed fit again. She looked into the eyes on the man who have loved her the just way she was, and it hurt her that, if they did not survive this, it was going to be their last time together.             “Quick Naki…move ahead, take the brief case, I will divert them.” Anoi said still holding the worn-out body of her lover and partner in crime.             “No Anoi…you promised we are going to make it alive together.” Naki sobbed still hurting.             The police were still closing in as they two were having to them the conversation of their life.             “Yes…but you have to go, with the case, we are the only ones left of our men. The money is now ours. I need to sacrifice so you can escape.” Anoi coaxed Naki who still looked on adamant. “Hurry the police is coming.” With that last bellow, Naki rose to her feet, and moved into the high way. Anoi then lighted an artificial light that drew all the police to his side. The torch lights and the bullets started to move in his direction of Anoi again as he continued bolting. This time the police was getting him at close range and they gave him a warning from the announcer.             “Freeze! if you want to leave, there is no escaping from this.” But Anoi was is in his own world. He had been in the business of armed robbery for the past seven years and had encountered worse case scenarios than this. A fickle command of the police was not enough threat to wade him of his original intention. He continued to run as the police men followed him. Alas! he got to a cross road, just near a tall bridge. He went further to take a look at the depth of the sea. There was no hope for him anymore. He then stopped running and begun to ruminate what options he had of escaping.             At the same time most of the police had now assembled just some few minutes in front of him and were ready to pull the trigger, if he proved recalcitrant. The Chief of Police then stepped forward with his short gun.             “Anoi…it is over! surrender and this will end.” Anoi as usual was not moved by those words. Instead, he started to run again, posterior to where the police have assembled. With this misdemeanor, the chief had no choice but command they shot to kill. Upon the command, many bullets flickered to the direction of Anoi as he took all in, his agility to move dwindled, as he was being paralyzed by the bullets. But he was still not going to die as a coward, he moved nearer to the bridge and used the last energy in him and leaps over the barricade of the bridge and fell straight into the sea.             The Chief and the rest of the Officers moved quickly to the edge of the bridge hoping to catch the last glimpse of his miserable life. But as they got nearer, they did not see any remnant of him. They all then bowed their heads in shame and moved away. The livid Chief then bellowed again.             “What are you looking at…find the girl.” With that the units dispatched on the look for Naki.             Naki on the other side, havd been able to move far away from the scene. She looked to the direction were the love of her life had sacrificed his life for her. Now left dejected and stranded, she contemplated what to do with the money in the brief case. She cried all her pain out, as she did not anticipate the corollary the night’s operation to be macabre. Indeed, this had been a red-letter day for her – a day she will never forget. After she had shed all the agonizing tears, she moved away in the direction totally away from the police.     -------     This world was not the normal world we knew. In the mist of the clarity, a sudden chaos erupted. A man in a dark apparel was running after a man in golden apparel. The encounter looked so real and arcane. The man in dark apparel suddenly morphed into a dark circular energy and the golden man also morphed into the golden energy. They all then ended up at a large arena, more like an ancient Rome coliseum. In this arena, there where are no spectators but only one thing -- a white-greenish ball of energy that glowed and radiated so much beauty. This white -greenish ball of energy sat in the middle of the arena. For some reason we do not know, the two opposing energies found themselves at the opposite sides of the white-greenish ball of energy. The dark energy then begun to augment, increasing it radius, so did the golden energy. The two energies now moved towards the white-greenish ball of energy. The two opposing energies increased their circumferences -- minimize the radiance of the white-greenish dark. Surprisingly, instead of them, moving closer they rather moved around the white-greenish ball of energy trying hard to swallow the white-greenish ball. The struggle was chaotic as the white-greenish having had enough of the dramatic struggle from the two energies, with a great force, the white-greenish energy shot up its green radiance vertically to the skies, generating shock waves that incites an earthquake - making the arena shake. With that a young boy awoke from his sleep.             “Wake up…wake up Simon it’s half past six o’clock.” The voice that called Simon’s quickly dashed out to Simon’s room. Simon who had woken up already was staggered a little on his bed as he tried to remember the very arcane dream he had just had. What the hell was that? What is the meaning of the dream? Simon ruminated as he rose from his bed to prepare for school.  The Frimpong Manso house was situated in a cool vicinity of Swan lake North Kaneshie. It was a model gothic architecture that spanned more like seven acres of land. The exterior designs were all furnished with a luster coating that gave the building an endearing personality and look. Inside the building had demarcations -- the living room, the kitchen, the study or library as they called it, which was used more during the vacation and the different bed rooms. The master bed room for Mr. and Mrs. Frimpong Manso and other four bed rooms.             Simon occupied one bed room and her little sister also occupied the other. The other was also occupied their maid and others were free for emergency situations. After the normal family bathing morning, the whole family converged at the dining table to have breakfast and share blessing before each departed to their work. Doctor Theresa Frimpong Manso was a heart surgeon at the Korle Bu teaching hospital and someone who really loved her job. But there was one thing that she loved more – her family, her children. Dr. Clarence Frimpong Manso was a theoretical physicist - a lecturer at the University of Ghana, Legon and also very passionate about his work. Together, they had two beautiful children - Simon and Lilian.             Simon was the handsome, intelligent and an introvert guy who only took pride and glory in books. A trait he took form his father. He was in his second year in Senior High school. Lilian was the agile one who was not so docile like Simon. She was the plain one who will not tolerate any nonsense. She was in her second-year Junior High school. She had called Simon from his surreal dream that morning. Theresa finally prayed for the family and the breakfast incepted. It was a tradition in the house that no one talked while eating. One could only talk before or after eating. After eating, Lilian as usual broke the silence.             “Mom…my school bag is tearing; can I get a new one?” Lilian sobbed.             “Of course, you will…but not until next term, you can end this term with the one you already have.” Theresa replied. Lilian was not so satiated, but she had to take that in.             “Hello Simon… what took you so long to wake up today?” Theresa smiled at her son. Simon looked on transfixed. He had no idea what her mother was talking about.             “Nothing happened mom…I just overslept last night…”             “Simon always sleeps late, he loves to study more than even eat.” Lilian added.             “I think that is good Lily, for a future physicist like Simon, he needs to learn to study into the night. “Clarence supported.             Theresa had never been in support of his husband deciding the future for their son. She felt there was more time for Simon to explore what person he wanted to be in the future himself. Almost done with breakfast, Simon added. “Last term, I came second, I do not want a second place this term. And, our teachers will be selecting the best students for the National Math’s and Science Quiz soon, and I want to be part.” Elation adorned the face of Simon’s parents, they were both happy to hear that from their son. “Wow… I will be very happy to see my son on TV.” Theresa complemented. “Don’t worry you will be chosen, am not sure your school has a better student in place of you,” Clarence retorted. “At least who can stand Simon who has finished his physics text book four times already?” Clarence laughed. Lilian also brewed in with a surprising look to her brother. Simon looked unperturbed by that. That was not something he really fancied though it kind of gave him the consciousness of being the savvy student. “School is vacating in two weeks’ time, so it’s more like exams is around the corner and this time I am leaving no stones unturned, “Simon commanded. Lilian was not happy with that, at least she wanted to be the one to spill the news. “Ah!... Simon, we promised I will be the one to say it.” Lily sobbed. Theresa looked at her daughter she did not get her plight. She then turned to Lily with her face altered to the kind that showed that, she was bored – but not angry. “Lily your face… smile -- a smiley face is a magical face. Do not let any situation let you frown your face. You are beautiful Lily, and I like it that way.” Theresa coaxed her daughter. Clarence looked on at her daughter. “So, what can we do to make it up to you, Lily?” Lily was not neutral, she was not okay with what Simon has done. “Ice Cream for me, and me alone.” Lilian commanded. Simon started to laugh, “Okay that sounds fair, Ice cream for you then?” Clarence inquired.         After the family had finished their breakfast and shared the days fellowship, they were all now ready to depart to work and school. Clarence and Theresa took the front seat of Clarence’s black 4x4 Volvo. Simon and her sister now all in elated mood took the back seat with their school bags, nicely dressed for school. The gate was opened by the maid. The car then roared to life and it moved slowly and flawlessly exiting the compound of the Frimpong Manso house. The maid closed the gate and placed in the lock. She then moved to her normal daily routine of washing bowls and doing some diminutive cleaning and cooking. He name was Margaret. At least that was what the family knew, and she had been recommended to the Frimpong family by a friend. She had been doing the work for the past 3 years and have not had any regret. The Frimpong Manso family were a lovely family who treated her good. She had grown to love the kids, Simon and Lilian like her own and gave Clarence and Theresa the accorded veneration. But recently, Margaret had received an anonymous call form a man calling himself “Zade” some few minute ago, telling her they he had information on someone she will be very interest in. And the only way they could talk was to do it point blank. The person then severed the conversation not giving her the chance to ask questions like. Who are you? What do you want us to talk about? How did you get my contact? But as fascinating as it was, this caller had been able to mention her original name - Naki before she had altered it to her current name Margaret Ansong.             The conversation with this Zade or whoever he called himself made her so nervous of the possibility that, may be someone from her past was trying to reach out to her. But to think of it, who will ever want to reach out to her. Born into a family were her father was a staunch alcoholic, she was the fourth child of seven children. Her mother a petty trader always argued and fought with her father for him to stop his wretched way of spending all that he got on alcohol to help her take care of her their children. But that did not change her father as he continued his alcoholic life style till his demise. And after, most of their children had to go their way to make life for themselves.             Life was never easy for her also she did not have Senior high education she had moved around doing menial jobs just to survive. One-day, fate dawned on her side at the place she was working - chop-bar. A man came to eat with his friends and her beauty was an element that incited further interest in the man to know more about Naki. He gave her contact and after three months she was ushered into the world of armed robbery where she met Anoi, the only one among the men who treated her well and she fell in love with him. And from that day, they had gone on a lot of serial operations and had made quite a good amount of wealth.             As a good daughter, Naki used to go to her mother and shower her with gifts after they sat and had minute conversations. But in all, her mother never got to know the real source of her riches. After the incident that took the life of Anoi, Naki had promised herself to live a good life now. Having taken some of the money from the brief case to alter her identity, she had kept the rest in the bank and had promised to return to it only when the need arose. She had then moved on to live a simple life as a bar attendant and alerting people she will be very glad to take on a job as a maid. Her boss at the bar had come to her one day to give her the news that an opulent family needed a maid - bingo! And that was how Naki now Margaret had found herself in the Frimpong Manso house.             Now as she stood at the sink doing her daily washing of bowls, the name Zade did not click or resemble any name from her past. But the Zade caller had called her buy her original name – Naki and that was the irony of the matter. The last message the Zade caller left was that, he would contact her with the time and venue for their meeting soon. So Naki was waiting. She was eager to know who this Zade really was.