HIDEOUT

"Knife. "

Some shuffling.

"Tweezers. "

More shuffling.

"Press harder to stop this bleeding. "

I now feel a pressure on my leg and with it comes the pain that pulls me into consciousness.

"I just need to get this out... " A familiar voice now trails off.

My eyes flash open. I'm met with a grass thatched roofing. Where am I? I blink severally. Trying so much to ignore the pain shooting through my body.

"She's awake. " An unknown female voice says.

"Not good. " The familiar voice says distractedly.

So I start to get up but my body feels so heavy. I only manage to prop up on my elbows.

"Stay down child. I need your heart activity at a minimal. So the poison doesn't go too far. I've given you a huge dose of the antidote plus antibiotics. You will be okay as soon as we transfuse some blood into your system. Tell me, what blood group are you? "

I feel drowsy and I don't need to see my face to know my lips are dry and cracked. I feel so thirsty. I swallow but realize I don't even have saliva in my mouth. So I just rasp out whatever.

"Give her some water Waridi. " The old man instructs.

I watch the young girl about fifteen or sixteen come closer to me with a glass of water. She gently lifts up my head and helps me drink the water.

Ah, who knew water tasted that good. And my irrigated throat feels a little relieved now. I just blink my eyes in thanks to her as soon as I down all the contents of the glass and she withdraws it from my mouth. I hope she got it.

Then the old man's face comes into my line of vision. He smiles kindly at me.

"What type are you? "He asks delicately like my ears would disintegrate if he spoke harshly.

I first clear my throat severally.

" A positive. " I manage in a small voice.

My father won't be proud of me laying here weak talking like the dead!

"Oh good, I can manage that. I have some O . " The old man says quite cheerily.

Then why ask! I see him shuffle around touching this or that. Mumbling things to himself. I'm still watching him when a throat clearing makes me almost jump off the bed. It was right in my ear. I take a second to control my raging breathing and heart rate with my eyes closed and teeth clenched. When I open them I see Waridi hovering over me. I almost growl. What does she want?

"Are you in the mafia too? My big brother is. He gets shot all the time. " She blurts.

I guess I won't have to wonder how the old man knows how to treat such cases.

"Waridi that's enough. It's way past your bedtime anyways, you should get some sleep. Thank you for your help but you have school in the morning. " Her father warns dragging her out of the small house.

He then closes the door and turns to me with a small smile.

"Teenagers, they can be lose talkers. Now let's add some blood into your system, shall we? " The old man says clapping his hands together.

Why does he look embarrassed? And guilty of something.

"Just lay still. " He instructs dropping some things next to me in the small bed I lay on.

I watch him wet some cotton with disinfectant then gently rubs it on my inner elbow. He pulls slightly on my arm so it straightens up. He unwraps a needle which he gives me an apologetic smile before gently pushing it into my vein.

He does the same to his arm and I see him connect our arms with a tube. I am shocked because I thought he had some blood in a fridge somewhere that he was to give me.

"You are running a fever again. " He observes watching my face, "Hang in there. " He advises soothingly.

He then takes a small bowl from the table on the side. With one hand, he takes out some rag and wrings it. He then gently presses the rag on my forehead first then all over my face. I'm just laying there asking myself a million questions.

Who is this man? And why is he being kind to me? I don't even know his name or remember his son he said I used to play with. I wonder what he would want in return. Who even does this to anyone anymore?

Once I get to the coast where I know there's money in the safes, I'll send this old man a generous amount. I should remember to take his phone number first. Packs of having mobile money transfer system.

And I need to leave soon. As soon as it's Dawn. I hope he has some cash on him for my bus fare. Which I intend to return in hundredfold.

We are quiet just listening to the sounds of crickets and frogs through the night air. We must be close to the river since the noises sound like they are right outside the door.

I start to feel drowsy again but I have to talk to the man before I sleep. I clear my throat that feels dry again. This gets his attention.

"I have to leave at the crack of dawn. I'm headed to the Indian ocean . It's where I could lay low for a while. Do you have some cash I could borrow for my bus fare ?I would return it as soon as I get there. You should give me your number. I'll send it there. " I say to the man who had been paying extra attention to me.

He looks like he was going to say something to me but looks away. He then fishes something from his pocket. A couple of notes.

"Child, I'm not doing anything for thank you or payments. Here. "He hands me the notes, "Just have a good journey and keep safe. " He tells me with a kind smile.

I'm puzzled. People always want money.

"I'll give you my number only so you call me when you get there, understand? " He says seriously and I hesitantly nod my head.

I watch him tear a small piece of paper from an old newspaper laying on the side table. He scribbles on the paper.

"I'll call someone to take you to the bus station in the morning. For now, try to sleep. I'll have Waridi drop some fresh clothes and shoes along with toiletries for you to use before she goes to school in the morning. We bathe in the bushes near the river. " He instructs.

"Thank you. " I appreciate him.