chapter five
1160 Words
CHAPTER 5: THE HILLS REMEMBER
The room was silent except for the soft rustle of bags being packed.
Amina and Amaka moved quickly, saying very little. Daniel's instructions echoed in their minds: One small bag each. Only essentials.
Amina folded a few changes of clothes for herself, Tolu, and Zara. She carefully slipped their birth certificates into a side pocket, added the little cash she had managed to save, a bottle of medicine for Zara's frequent cough, and the worn brown teddy bear her daughter refused to sleep without.
Across the room, Amaka packed a few clothes, her identification card, some bottled water, and a small flashlight Marcus had handed her earlier. Every item she placed into the bag reminded her that opening her home to Amina had changed all of their lives forever.
Near the bed, Tolu quietly tied the laces of his old sneakers. He didn't ask questions anymore. His young face had become far older than his ten years.
Zara hugged her teddy bear tightly, watching the adults with wide, uncertain eyes.
"Mummy," she whispered, "are we going somewhere far?"
Amina knelt and gently brushed the little girl's hair away from her face.
"Yes, sweetheart."
"Will Daddy find us there?"
The question pierced Amina's heart.
Before she could answer, Daniel stepped into the room.
"No," he said firmly. "Not if I have anything to say about it."
His calm voice filled the room with a confidence that none of them had felt in years.
Daniel looked at the two bags and gave a brief nod.
"Good. Travel light. It gives us options."
Marcus checked his watch.
"We need to move."
Daniel walked to the window and carefully lifted one corner of the curtain.
The street looked quiet.
Too quiet.
His instincts told him someone was still watching.
Without taking his eyes off the road outside, he spoke.
"We leave in five minutes."
CHAPTER 6: THE WATCHERS IN THE TREES
The gravel road wound deeper into the hills, disappearing beneath a canopy of towering trees. The farther they drove, the weaker the mobile signal became until every phone displayed the same message:
No Service.
Daniel finally relaxed his grip on the steering wheel.
"For the first time today," Marcus said over the radio, "we're outside their electronic reach."
Daniel didn't answer immediately.
"They'll adapt," he said at last. "People like Chidi always do."
The farmhouse came alive as evening settled over the hills. Chickens wandered freely across the yard while the smell of fresh stew drifted from the kitchen. It was peaceful—almost too peaceful after the terror of the past few days.
Mama Grace served bowls of hot rice and vegetable soup on the long wooden table.
"You'll all eat first," she insisted.
Amina hesitated.
"We don't want to be a burden."
Mama Grace smiled warmly.
"My child, burdens don't knock politely before arriving. They simply arrive. Tonight, you're family."
For the first time in weeks, Amina felt tears that were not born from fear.
---
Tolu ate quietly but kept glancing toward the windows.
Daniel noticed.
"Still watching the exits?"
Tolu looked embarrassed.
"I just... don't want anyone to surprise us."
Daniel gave a small approving nod.
"Good habit."
Marcus chuckled.
"He's starting to sound like you."
Daniel's expression remained serious.
"I hope he never has to."
---
After dinner, Zara wandered into the sitting room with her teddy bear.
An old wooden piano stood against one wall, its surface worn with age.
She gently pressed one of the keys.
A soft note echoed through the house.
Mama Grace smiled.
"That piano has been here longer than I have."
Zara giggled and pressed another key.
For a brief moment, laughter returned to the farmhouse.
Amina closed her eyes.
She had almost forgotten what peace sounded like.
---
Outside, Daniel began his inspection.
He circled the farmhouse slowly, checking every window, every fence post, every path leading into the surrounding forest.
Marcus joined him carrying a flashlight.
"You really think they'll find us this quickly?"
"I don't know."
"You don't sound convinced."
Daniel stopped beside an old mango tree.
Someone had stepped there recently.
The mud still held a clear boot print.
Fresh.
Very fresh.
Marcus crouched beside it.
"Could belong to a farmer."
Daniel shook his head.
"The tread pattern is military."
Both men exchanged a silent look.
Someone had been watching the farmhouse.
---
Inside, Amina tucked Zara into bed.
The little girl wrapped both arms around her teddy bear.
"Mummy?"
"Yes?"
"Is Mr. Daniel a soldier?"
Amina smiled faintly.
"I think he used to be."
"He's very brave."
"Yes."
"Can brave people get hurt?"
The question lingered in the quiet room.
"They can," Amina answered softly.
"But brave people don't stop protecting others."
Zara nodded sleepily before drifting off.
---
Near midnight, Daniel remained awake.
The security monitors Marcus had installed displayed images from hidden cameras around the property.
Everything appeared still.
Then—
A tiny red light flashed on one screen.
Movement.
Daniel leaned closer.
A figure slipped silently between the trees before disappearing again.
He immediately picked up the radio.
"Marcus."
"I'm awake."
"North perimeter."
"I'm on my way."
Within seconds both men were outside.
Rain had begun falling again, masking every sound.
Daniel switched off his flashlight.
"Why are we walking in the dark?" Marcus whispered.
"So they can't count our numbers."
They followed the narrow trail leading into the forest.
Twenty metres ahead, Daniel suddenly raised his fist.
Stop.
Marcus froze.
A thin fishing line stretched across the path at knee height.
Tripwire.
Daniel carefully traced it.
The wire disappeared into nearby bushes.
Marcus slowly pulled back the leaves.
A small motion alarm lay hidden beneath them.
Not an explosive.
A signal device.
"If we crossed it..." Marcus murmured.
"They'd know exactly when we left the house."
Daniel quietly disconnected the battery.
"They're getting closer."
---
Several kilometres away, inside a parked SUV, a man lowered a pair of night-vision binoculars.
He spoke calmly into his radio.
"Target confirmed."
Another voice crackled back.
"Visual on the woman?"
"Negative."
"What about Daniel?"
The man smiled.
"He found the alarm."
A brief silence followed.
Then the reply came.
"Good."
"We wanted him to."
The radio went dead.
The watcher started the engine and disappeared into the darkness.
---
Back at the farmhouse, Daniel placed the disabled alarm on the kitchen table.
Amina stared at it.
"What is that?"
"Our warning."
"You mean they were here?"
Daniel met her eyes.
"They've already found the hills."
The room fell silent.
Mama Grace slowly folded her hands.
"So..."
"They're coming."
No one spoke for several long seconds.
Finally, Tolu broke the silence.
"What do we do now?"
Daniel looked around the room at the frightened faces depending on him.
His voice remained calm.
"We stop running."
Outside, hidden among the trees, unseen eyes continued watching the farmhouse.
And somewhere in the darkness, a camera shutter clicked once.
The hunt had entered a new phase.
- Writer
