“My friend I’ve told you to come tommorow in the evening. Don’t disturb me” the police man replied obviously irritated.
His response stung me as I and Femi stood staring down at him from where he sat idling away on his phone.
“But oga sir we just told you we were redirected from Ojota division to come table our complaints here.” I persisted. “It’s unlike her to spend the night outside home”
“This is the last time I’ll say this. Come tomorrow when it’s up to a day to file your case. Now leave my office.” He was done with us.
We left the police station and headed back home. It was past 2pm and mama wasn’t back from church yet. For the next 30 minutes Femi kept calling friends and relatives to ask for Tope’s whereabout but the answers were the same; no one had seen her after she boarded a bus from the park yesterday evening.
Mama returned from church visibly worried and immediately asked if Tope had been contacted.
“No mama, not yet” I managed to say.
She eased herself down and sat on the pavement with a dejected look, her legs stretched out, removed her hair tie and tossed her Bible to the side.
“Toni where is your sister?” she asked with years already flowing from her eyes. “What has happened to her?” She asked, her voice faltering amidst sob.
I sat next to her in an embrace,assuring her Tope would be fine. Her cries only intensified and I had to fight back tears from my eyes, had to stay strong for her. To think of what might have happened to my younger sister; no. Neighbours and close relatives gathered around to console and assure mama Tope woul show up eventually but mama went on like the worst had happened already.
The night was long and gloomy with no respite and morning painfully slow to come. Mama cried, prayed and sang all night for her Tope. I only hoped God heard her cry; the cry of a grieving mother.
Morning finally came and with mama a bit calm I hurriedly prepared to get to the police station as soon as possible to lodge an official complaint when Femi ran into the house screaming my name.
“Toni! Toni!! I just got a call from an unknown number. Tope has been found. We have to go now”
“Eh? Where? Where is she? Who…”
“Toni let’s get going now there’s no time” Femi interjected.
I followed him out of the house at break speed before mama could ask to come with us. Femi couldn’t answer my questions so I stopped asking and kept hoping for the best with my heart in my mouth. It was a hospital and there was police presence all around. I counted 5 hillux. A man sat on the ground in handcuffs and not far from him was a body barely visible. My heart broke and I could swear I felt Mama’s grieve intensify at that moment.
Tope had been found…dead and mutilated. Her private part missing. She was in severe pains and suffering at the moment of her death as her contorted grimace showed.The suspect was the driver of the bus she had boarded that fateful evening. He claimed to be innocent of the crime…but don’t they always say that?
The news got to mama long before I could find the courage to go home and tell her myself. She wailed uncontrollably. No one could restrain her. No one could. The hawk had taken her chick and not even the farmer can stop her from grieving.
We buried our dead days later in an unmarked grave so her spirit knows there is debt yet to be collected in this world. Justice would be served. It might not be righteous but it would be swift, unforgiven and uncanny.
A soul was given, a pact with the devil has been struck and there’ll be no mercy even in death.
DEATH COMES FOR US ALL.
FOR_THE_DIGNITY_OF_LIFE
®Lawrence_Writes★
Elevate With Lawrence 