Chapter 15

"We have all trip with us, am all ears."

I gave him my cute puppy dog eyes, anything that can get my mind off my current predicament is worth listening to.

“You might not like it since it’s almost the same as yours, it might reopen your closed wounds," he begged me to let it drop, but being who I am, I couldn’t let it be

 it’s either he tells me or I die from suspense.

“Now you’ve piqued my interest, it’s only fitting if you tell me, I promise I won’t feel sad, but I might if you don’t tell me." I pouted.

Any sane human that have passed the same ordeal as I wouldn’t have time for chitchat, well like I said , any sane human which unfortunately, am not.

He sighed “her tale and yours aren’t the same. I don’t like talking about it, it brings up buried feelings.

Am sorry but I can’t tell you now, I might someday."  he looked pained at the admission and I let it slide.

If he's not ready to tell me, I can't force him to do so.

I wouldn't like it if someone forces me to say something I don't want to say.

We both walked on towards Haji town since it’s obvious we have one destination to follow.

“I didn’t get your name earlier. " I would have flipped myself upside down if it was to be possible.

where are my manners?

Grandma must be rolling in her grave this instant.

He hesitated for a minute, I was almost suspicious of his behavior.

“It’s Mond and yours?" his left dimple was prominent, his smile reminds me of a that of a person I know, but I can’t recall who the person is.

Since I saw him cooking, I’ve felt a sense of familiarity with him. It’s as if I know him or better still, I’ve met someone who looks exactly like him before.

“Miguel." I shook his outstretched hands, a gentlemanly thing to do.

“What are you going to Haji for?" I asked. 

he looked up on surprise“I thought I told you  I was going  on a camping trip?"

Oh.

That's right. I’ve already forgotten about that tidbit of information.

“We were supposed to meet up at Nazi river, but I was left behind when I couldn’t keep up with their speed. Haji is our second meet up location, am hoping against all hope I don’t miss them again like I did the Nazi river.

I haven’t been  to Haji before that was the reason I lagged behind," he looked back at the vast river.

We’ve been walking for hours with his compass guiding us, I could have sworn we are taking the same route I took when I escaped, but when I voiced my concern, he showed me the compass still pointing forward.

“We’re on the right track," he swore.

hours later, we still haven’t reached our destination.

“is the compass broken or what? You promised we will be at Haji in no time, but it’s been hours since we left and we still haven’t seen any sign of civilization talk more of the town."

I voiced my frustrations.

"The sole of my feet are blistered and it doesn’t help the fact that am barefooted." my feet were red in exertion.

He looked up at the setting sun and down at his watch which is thankfully working.

“we will be in Haji in no time." he reassured me.

A light bulb clicked on in my head “how can you be sure we’re on the right track if you haven’t been to the town before?”

I can recall him lamenting on the fact that he couldn’t keep up with the others he was with, based on his unfamiliarity with the town in question.

He whistled lowly as he scratched his hair, but before he could answer the question, we heard voices coming towards us.

"His not far from here, keep looking,"  Bulky's voice drifted nearer.

Mond having read the fear on my face, took my hands as he dashed towards a cluster of trees.

“I can hear movements ahead of us, check the areas!” shorty shouted.

Mond isn’t stop neither did he look back, when we were safely at a far distance, he stopped to get his breathe.

“who are those people?”

He looked around frantically as if to make sure we’re really alone.

“my….. kidnappers” I managed to breathe out, my nose trying it’s damnedest hard to get air into me.

“We need to hide, we’re not safe." I wanted to protest, my legs too heavy to lift.

“we have to go, now!”

He dashed into the thick forest, he must have ran for minutes before realizing I wasn’t at his back.

Retracing his steps back from where he started, he saw me slumped on the floor, “Miguel, what’s wrong with you?”, he whispered yelled, “ we have to go”, h looked around to make sure our pursuers are not in close range.

“I can’t Mond, you’ve to go. Just leave, it’s me they want, go ahead and meet your team. They might be lenient with me, but I can’t say the same about you,"  I pleaded as I made a shooing motion for him to continue on.

A strange look passed his face, but before I can’t deduce the meaning, it vanished the same way it came.

“I can’t leave you behind, we’re in this together and I will stick with you for as long as it will take to get you home," he bowed with a determined look on his face.

He knelt down and motioned for me to get on his back, I was almost embarrassed about the state am in, but a look on his face made me rethink my embarrassed state, he rose up and adjusted himself to my weight.

“are you comfortable?” I nodded too embarrassed to talk, it’s one thing to rely on a stranger and another to talk about it.

He surprised me when he turned and started walking towards the opposite direction from where he was initially walking towards.

“why are we going back?" I asked alarmed.

“that’s not the right direction," he must have hit his head on a tree while running.

He shook his head, “no we’ve been heading towards a wrong direction before now. We’re heading towards I direction we would have walked on had I  been in a right frame of mind”.