Rescue Mission II

Three years ago was when I first played the knight game. Our parents had always warned us not to walk that path that has thick forests on either side of it alone lest we get kidnapped.

Jane and I had been told about the game by a student in school. He explained that it is a type of game in which knights would catch and kill a monster who is disturbing his kingdom. The monster could be a thief, a ferocious spirit, goblins, and whatever thing the gamer wants his villain to be.

The knights would wield weapons like guns carefully crafted from carton boxes or papers, swords meticulously made out of wood, then armors of damaged flat plates, and boots of fastened nylons.

That was I fell in love with the game of the knights and kingdom villains. I decided that day that I would defy my parent's warning and journey to the kingdom of the knights that very evening.

I called Jane after school that day and we made our way to the knights' land. It was as I had envisioned, it was a fascinating game, and luck being on my side, the gamer put me among the knights so I could eliminate the villains.

I could remember how Jane and I eliminated the thieves though they keep getting back on their feet, it was an endless cycle. I would hide behind a box, wait for the right moment when a thief would cross my path, point my gun at him and at the same time shout 'PO! PO! PO! till he falls feigning death.

These were the thoughts that came to my mind few minutes ago as I hid behind a tree close to the roadside awaiting the vehicle and Jane. It was a feeling of deja vu; in the knight game, I wield a gun made of carton boxes but right now, I have with me a real gun, though it was small and looked like the one we made out of cartons, this is real, loaded with bullets and unlike the 'PO! PO! PO! I shout, it has its own voice and if I shoot someone, unlike in the game, they might not get back up.

Unlike the game, where our swords are wooden, I have a sharp knife that can cut through anything and no armor but plates this time around but a bullet vest, tightly worn on the black clothes I was putting on, and lastly, I was putting on a light and perfect-sized boot.

The sounds of vehicle braking to a stop jolted me back to reality, and I realize this mission wasn't going to be a knight game, it wasn't going to be all smooth but I'll save Jane.

Few minutes after the vehicle braked, the men in the vehicle came down and made their way to the tree so they may push it away. It was time for me to make my move but just as I was about to, three other men came down from the vehicle heavily armed and they each stood on every side of the vehicle.

Three men had initially gone to push the tree off the road and with the three who are standing guard, that makes it six of them. It was getting harder. Just as I was still thinking about how to get to the back of vehicle and open it without the three guys seeing me, Geo told me through the device that Cara has dealt with the man at the back.

When I looked at the back of the vehicle, the man who was standing there few moments ago had vanished. I quickly moved away from where I was hiding and sneaked to the vehicle. The black I was putting on and my light foot skills made it so that my steps were completely silent.

When I got to the vehicle, I brought out the things which Cara had used to teach me to pick locks. They are two long pins, I would insert one into the hole of the lock and make it split a layer of the lock while using the second to push the lock open. The method is simple to the ears but very hard to master.

I followed what I have learnt and the lock was open in no time. This was where the other men noticed that something was happening but at this point, Geo and others were already upon them. The men who went to push the tree off the road also joined their colleagues in the battle.

I heard Geo shout to everyone to take cover and protect themselves as the guys were shooting sporadically. While all these were going on outside, I opened the lock and ready to enter so I could find Jane. I expected the other ones to run for their lives immediately the door opened but they seemed to either be too weak to move their legs or have simply resolved to let fate do its thing.

Jane having previous knowledge of our plan, quickly stood up and make her way out of the van. I told the rest of the girls that I was there to save them and that they should run away before the men who were still engaged in battle outside return.

As Jane and I stepped out of the vehicle, the other ladies ran out as well and it alarmed the men who now shifted their focus to our side. I ran with Jane into a side of the bush to take cover because the men were shooting at the girls who were trying to run as fast as their legs could carry them.

When Geo and the rest received the information that I already have Jane with me, they retreated and make their way back to the van following different directions so the other men could lose them. I was already at the van with Jane when the others returned. It seems the mission was a success as everyone looks fine and without injury.

We decided to enter the van and leave the place immediately since men could still be on our tails and Geo would also love to return to the base as soon as possible.

Just as we entered the van, Dad who entered last fell on his knees, and was already going to fall on his face. We rushed to his side, raising him before he could reach the floor. Blood was oozing out of his lower back, he has been shot and seems to have been bleeding for some time.

Cara quickly got the first aid box and began to apply a lot of things to his back. At this time, I was already on my knees crying, because it looks as if he was already dead and we were just making useless efforts. As Cara began the treatment, we heard gunshots coming from outside and it seems the men were going to be upon us.

Nate quickly start the car and aped out of the bush. After applying a lot of things, and doing some other things I don't know, Cara raised her head with tears in her eyes and before she could say anything she was already bawling.

Right then I knew it was over but still I needed confirmation because it was still surreal.

"He lost a lot of blood," Cara said amidst tears.

"He has stopped breathing" Cara screamed.

That moment, I lost control of myself, I looked at Geo who was standing not too far from where Dad laid, he too was crying, Jane who we just rescued couldn't hold her tears back and Nate soon pull over after driving far enough because he too could no longer it in.

I imagined how mum would feel when she receives the corpse of her husband, I wonder how she would cope without Father, who would help us when we need money to get things, how are we going to live. I've dreamt that I saw Dad in a pool of his own blood and I allowed him to be brought into this mission. I blamed myself for everything, for letting my Dad to die for no reason, for making my mom a sudden widow and the prospective problems she would have to face alone. I blamed myself for everything.

As I sat on the floor, crying and not intending to stop, I realize how Geo felt when he saw his sister sold off and his brother killed, I said to him then that I felt his pain but honestly, I didn't. Maybe I'm just feeling it now and perhaps a greater pain.

I can't stop asking myself myriads of questions, how am I going to live without Dad, what will happen to me hereafter? I looked at Dad's body which laid still on the mat, I stood up and walked to his side, I placed my head on his chest but I didn't feel it beat.

It's surely over now. I dropped to the floor as I remember the last words he said to me just before we went to rescue Jane;

"Mase" he said "whatever happens, know that I love you so much and I will always do so if anything happens to me, make sure you are happy".

I didn't take those words serious because I never expected something to happen to him but here he is, lying down as if he's just taking a nap and would wake with a little tap on the feet. But those feet are cold.

The tears never stopped flowing and I never want it to stop, I wish to punish myself, I wish I could just die a d follow him. I remember a song I heard at one funeral and I sang it out loud, with tears and mucus sliding into my mouth, and the others joined me as I did. It was Dolly Parton's 'In The Sweet By and By'

~There's a land that is fairer than day ~

~And by faith we can see it afar ~

~For the Father waits over the way ~

~To prepare us a dwelling place there~

~In the sweet by and by ~

~We shall meet on that beautiful shore ~

~In the sweet by and by ~

~We shall meet on that beautiful shore~