Hours past. The malicious experience went down the drain. I was still surprised at how easy it was for me to forget the early day’s experience probably because, I face it almost everyday. It has become part of me.

What surprised me the most was that even my mother seemed to had forgotten about the incidence. Her face now wearing a smile with no evidence of the anger and rage which clinged to her face like a leech.

I was instructed to go to the kitchen and do the dishes. I know what you might be thinking, ‘I broke a plate while doing the dishes which involved in another roind of beatings’. No. That wasn’t the case. Infact, nothing of that sort happened.

The day continued just like every other day. At this time, my dad was at home. We were all in the parlour. Me, my dad, my mum, and my junior sister called Asake although, i prefer calling her Asa.

‘The way this country is going ehn, only God can save us. Killings here and there’ my dad said to no one in particular over a mouthful of rice while watching the News on the TV.
‘Na wa o. Abi wetin we go do?’ she asked rhetorically as she shrugged her soldier. My sister and I were consumed with her phones. We scarcely had any idea of what they were talking about.

No sooner had we finished talking than we heard a loud ear piercing sound outside our compound.

Tension arose quickly out of bound. We all hid ourselves behind the sofa apart from my dad who was pacing around calling our neighbours in request of what wals happening. ‘Hello, Baba Plumber. What is going on outside? He said with an evidence of tension in his voice. Baba Plumber spoke from the other end of the call. I didn’t hear what was going on but I could tell by my father’s countenance that something is definitely not right.

The call ended and he (my Father) Put the phone away from his hear slowly.Then as his jolted back to life, ‘Iku De!’(We are dead!) he said with a bit of shiver in his voice as if, doubting his own voice. We all demanded for what’s going on. He took his time to explain to us. It was then everything began to dawn on us.

‘Everyone on your knees!’ a voice boomed from the door way. We had no idea of how they got into the compound and of course, our sitting room’s door wasn’t locked. We had no time to keep on wondering how they got in but were more concerned of our life. They were armed to the teeth. You might wonder, Why would a Robber be so armed? But wonderless, because they were not Robbers but terrorists! They had been terrorizing our community for quite sometime but that had been long ago before now and we’ve all forgotten about it. We would’ve moved to another area but,where is the money?

They rushed in what seems like thousands of them. On getting inside, without wasting anymore time, they all opened fire. First to the already depreciating sofa, next, the ceilings. The house was torn apart. Bullets buzzing around the house like a swarm of bees. The moment seems to be at pause. Another man opened fire at us. He shot my dad! Not one bullet nor two. Multitudes ofbullets feasted on him. His bloodflowing like a stream across his body. I had never seen something like that before! We all would have been shot but, another terrorist ran inside to inform them of the presence of the army. With amazing speed, they all rushed out.

We were left alone to face our agony. My mum clutched my dad's lifeless body shaking him as if to restore him back to life. I on the other hand, would've cried but, where are the tears? They were gone during the last incidence. My junior sister on the other hand, was also shot dead! Her lifeless body lying across the cold floor. Finally, I found my tears!

I was sobbing so furiously that my dad who was passing my room heard me and entered to see what was wrong. The previous beating gave me no other option but to sleep eventually giving me nightmares. He woke me up from my sleep with a lot of questions written across his face!

Only then did I knew that, it was all a dream!



© johnogunnubi