The Thorny Path to Europe - Episode 3

Tunde glanced at Ade at the driver's seat and couldn't blame him for having cold feet at the eleventh hour. It was normal for everyone, but he wouldn't hear the rubbish he was spewing at that time. He had been sputtering about seeing the full moon and how he saw a wall gecko. And he couldn't really blame him. The bulk of the blame would be on his father, who left him at their grandmother's place for too long a time. If not, he would have grown with the knowledge that superstitions are only made to come to reality by people's fear and nothing more.

'Here', Emeka whispered to Ade in the car as if people outside the car would hear their conversation. He stretched his hand and told them to put theirs also. Emeka exhaled loudly and whispered, 'for Libya. For Europe'.

Ade whispered and hummed his 'oya come make we go' by Tu face and someone Tunde never cared and wasn't even sure he would know.

'The light', Tunde said and Ade caught the queue and switched off the light.  Tunde coughed.

'Do something about this cough', Emeka mumbled.

They stepped out of the car and took the bags they needed for the operation. Their black clothes were truly the perfect cloth they needed for the operation

All episodes of this story can be found here >> https://www.ebonystory.com/story/the-thorny-path-to-europe

. Emeka sighed and marched off into the darkness. Tunde decided to keep quiet and only grunted when Ade glanced up into the dark sky.

The moon was full. Ade had a belief that the moon was always full only when the month was getting to the end and that could signify that one of them might end his life very soon.

'Are we doing the right thing? Are you sure we're doing the right thing?'

Emeka placed his hand on Ade's shoulder as if he was a father that was about to address his son, who was afraid of his own shadow. 'When we get home, I will buy my mother a full chicken. When we get to Europe and I make money, I will buy a cow. Big one'.

Ade hissed. Tunde stared at Emeka and felt like giving him a hard knock for saying something that wasn't relevant to the problem on ground. They marched off silently into the street. The street didn't have street lights and the power of the generator in the street seemed so bad that the noise clouded the silence of the night. He wondered how the occupants of the house slept at night. He just couldn't see himself sleeping in that place without going to the neighbour's house and fighting them for such stupidity. Nevertheless, it was to their own advantage.

The walk from the back of the house was relatively easy. Very soon, they were soon scaling the mighty fence that held the warehouse they were supposed to steal from. According to Emeka, some politicians shared a huge sum of money into different sacks and placed them at different locations because he was being probed by EFCC.

To break the door to the stipulated place was easy, making Tunde know that the earth and God wanted them to have the money. The ease with which they did it was good, but Ade kept popping his head and mumbling that they had to be fast, that he felt something bad was happening.

As they left Ade at the door to watch out for the security guard, who was known for sleeping soundly at that time, Tunde spoke to Emeka for the first time since they entered the warehouse.

'Ade is drunk on gutter water'.

'Brother, it's normal to be afraid. That will make us efficient. Remember the election'.

Tunde had to shush him at that instance because if he didn't do that, Emeka would continue talking about the university election. They just had to get the money and leave. However, they didn't have to go far before trouble began. The first thing that caused rancour was Emeka, who shouted as it was typical of him, 'this money is not complete'.

 Tunde opened his mouth as he felt like entering the floor immediately. There wasn't a way people around wouldn't hear the noise. Now, he wished they didn't leave their clothes at Emeka's place.

At least, if anything happened, he would have quickly changed his cloth and pretend to be in pursuit of the thieves and from there escape.

'What do you mean?' Tunde said after covering Emeka's mouth and Emeka nodded to assure him that he would keep his emotion in check. He opened the bag for Tunde. It was full.

'You are shouting', Ade said as he rushed from his post. 'You're shouting'.

'He said the money is not complete'.

'How will he say that? Is he alright?'

'I'm thinking so too. This bag is full', Tunde said and handed the money to Ade. Then, he helped him to point a torchlight into the full bag.

'This bag is full. Let's leave here', Ade said, closed the bag and glanced at the door. Tunde's eyes dashed to the door severally.

'Are you two blind? Two million would fill more space. This bag is too small for even one million. If this is not even five hundred thousand naira'.

'Think. Think' Tunde said and dragged Emeka towards the door. 'This is the money. We've got to go. Let's go'.

But Emeka wouldn't agree with them and he kept searching until Ade joined Tunde in pulling him out of the warehouse. Tunde would have allowed him to return to find the money because Emeka had vast knowledge about money and if he said the money wasn't complete, then it wasn't complete. Emeka snatched his hands. At the same, time the noise of the generator stopped. Tunde and Ade pulled Emeka away.

'Leave me', he grunted and restricted.

'You want to die?' Ade asked.

'Leave…' Emeka shouted as his anger got to its peak. Tunde hurriedly covered his mouth.

'Shhh! Shhh! Shhh!' Ade shouted as if he was suffering from the chronic cold. The ray of torchlight was shaking outside as if someone was trying to see if anyone was there. They all stopped what they were doing, switched off their torchlights, and waited for the next line of action. The ray of torchlight from the other end went off. Tunde raised his hands and hoped the others could see him in the night.

'Now', Tunde said and released Emeka. He wasn't ready to die at the moment. There was only one life and he preferred to use it wisely. Luckily for them, the wall was very near the door. Tunde, who was the nearest to the door, flung himself on the wall, forgetting that he had left the bag in care of Ade. He hurriedly scrambled on to the wall.

'The money', Emeka shouted and Tunde turned as Ade threw the bag of money at him. He grabbed the bag and turned just in time to see Emeka and Ade pounce on the wall before he clambered down the fence into the path that was beside the building. He sped off in the night.

'Go...Go'.

 Emeka grunted loudly and that called the attention of the guard in charge of the warehouse. The guard shouted something incomprehensible and began to blow a whistle that was soon replied by the shrill sound of whistles from different sides.

Tunde didn't want to be the recipient of whatever would happen immediately the owners of those whistles joined the pursuit. The worst case scenario was that they would tie them as it was typical of the present-day Nigerians and burn them to death. He, Ade and their father had been a partaker of such event when some thieves were caught in their street.

Even with the heavy bag, he ran off as if he was a whirlwind and would crush anyone he met on the way, regardless of the fact that he was holding a toy gun. He could have dropped it on the way, but he would prefer to hold on to everything he came along with, to avoid being implicated through them. Only death could take the money away from him at that point. He panted heavily as he ran towards the car and held the bag firmly.

'Run… Run', Ade's voice reverberated in the dark. By this time, the shrill whistles had taken up the duty of disturbing the peace of the night. And they were soon replaced by the numerous shout of men that were eager to catch at least one of them to make them suffer for the sins of others.

Tunde got to the place they parked their car and lurched forward as he opened the door. Securing a space, he hurriedly opened the other doors and switched on the light of the car. Ade's voice gave him up as he sped towards the car, panting and stomping the ground. He jumped into the car, panting and closed his side of the door.

Tunde couldn't understand the reason for what they were doing. He shouldn't have seen things the same way Emeka saw it. He probably wouldn't have agreed to come to the robbery and they might end up staying in their father's house, but that was better than what they were facing at the moment.

'Jesus. God. Emeka', Ade called as he started the car. The car vibrated and Ade began to edge forward.

'Wait for him'.

The plan was that even if the two of them were still on their way, he would have started the car. Regardless of what they as plan, Tunde still felt they shouldn't even start the car until Emeka was safely tucked into a corner in the car. A gunshot rang and Ade yelled, while Tunde scrambled to the floor of the car. Yet, Emeka kept grunting and was yelling something as he neared the door. That meant he was still alive and safe. Tunde sighed as he clapped repeatedly and gestured for Emeka to hurry.

'Get ready', Ade said as the car revved loudly.

Their pursuers got the idea that their car would aid their escape, so they took the cue and began to shout the more. Just as Emeka got to the door, two shots rang and this time one of the shots hit him on the thigh. He screamed loudly and fell flat, hitting his chest on the handle of the door. Tunde was so surprised that he couldn't tell if he shouted or just opened his mouth. Yet, Emeka's strength enthralled Tunde that he was jostled out his little trance. He plunged to action when Emeka shouted as he tried to he crawled to the edge of the vibrating car. Tunde rose from his seat and grabbed Emeka's hand. Ade released the choke and drove off. The noise of the vigilantes edged towards them.

'Ade, wait', Tunde shouted as he struggled to help a yelling Emeka into the car.

Emeka grunted and yelled as if his limbs were being ripped off his hands. 'Ade, go'.

'No. Don't...'

But when another shot rang, Tunde screamed at the top of his voice. 'Go. Go.'

The door was still opened and Emeka's legs dangled from the car; in fact, most of his body was still out of the car. Emeka screamed. Then, his screams began to break as if he was having a seizure.

Tunde pulled him into the car. However, for anyone to be dragged into a moving car, he or she must use his or her energy like that of the person pulling them. Tunde needed Emeka to put in some effort but he couldn't get the response he desired because Emeka was hanging on to the door for his life.

'Ade, stop… Stop', Tunde yelled.

Ade looked into the mirror and slowed down. Tunde dragged the screaming Emeka into the car. By this time, the light of a bike could be seen racing towards them. Ade shook his head.

'We've got to go', Ade shouted and increased the speed of the car.

'Go...Drive', Tunde grunted as he tried to hold Emeka. Then, he slammed the door shut.

Emeka moaned and mumbled, 'Go'.

Ade sped off into the night as the bike increased its speed. 'Hold on tight. I have to lose them'.

 Tunde pushed the bag of money aside. What was the money when his friend might soon lose his life because of it?

'Libya. We go to Europe'; Emeka said and tried to smile but could only spit blood.

'Emeka we will make it', Tunde said as he cuddled him. The second shot seemed to have hit him in the bowel. Even as his hands were dipped into the bleeding stomach of Emeka, he couldn't stop talking about how they were having problems because of Emeka's lack of judgement.

'This shouldn't have happened. You should have happened. You happened'.

'Tunde, it's enough', Ade shouted from the driver's seat.

Emeka was gasping for breath and blood was spurting from his mouth, and gushing from his stomach and thigh. Tunde was even confused about where he should hold.

'Tunde, we will go to Europe'.

Tunde couldn’t hold back his tear. He whimpered and continually rocked Emeka, who was lying on his laps.

'Ade, faster', he yelled.

Emeka winced again and began to drool off. Tunde could only do what he had seen in most movies.

'Emeka talk to me. Say something'.

Emeka's eyes were drooling. Tunde slapped his cheek repeatedly. 'Stay with me. Tell me something'.

Emeka smiled and ranted in Igbo.

'English!'

'I would go to Europe. We will trek. I will feel the dust on my feet. The hot sand'.

With tears streaming down his face, Tunde quivered. 'Emeka we will...Okay, tell me what is the best thing that has ever happened to you?'

'Two things. Two things. I...' He said and coughed blood. 'Uju is pregnant for me. I will be a father'.

'With Uju'.

'Tunde... Someone stole the money. That guy that told me, he had stolen most of the money. Second thing. I will spend this day with you', Emeka said and began to sing 'Tu face's See me so'. They all fell in love with the song after Ade suddenly had a liking for it and wouldn't stop singing it until they all took it as an anthem.

'If you didn't shout first...'

Emeka winced and mumbled loudly.

'Ade, hospital', Tunde shouted.

'Yes. But first, dip your hands into him. Pressed the blood down. Apply pressure'.

Emeka's face was becoming flushed. There was no way he would allow himself to give up like that without the proper and necessary things needed to make his friend survive. He dipped his hand into Emeka's blood and felt his own stomach twist. He cried and felt himself about to vomiting. His hands were shaking terribly. He couldn't stop crying as he tried to handle Emeka, who was still vibrating. Very soon, Emeka was beginning to doze off.

'Stay with me'.

'I'm here. Brother, promise me something'.

'I'll promise anything when we get to the hospital'.

'It's nothing much', Emeka said as he began to gasp for breath. 'My mother and son…'

'Anything when we get to the hospital'.

'The chicken', Emeka said and took a prolonged breathe and released it at once.

Tunde rocked him, refused to look at his face as tears began to well in his eyes, and knew what he just heard was the real thing but he just couldn't accept it within a minute. He swallowed hard and knew that his tears would soon over flood his tears gland. He couldn't talk again, so began to moan.

'You see what I'm saying', Ade said. 'Now, I must agree with you. I surely must do. This is the height of it. There is no hospital here...'

'He's dead', Tunde mumbled as he pulled Emeka nearer and hugged him. Tears dropped from his eyes as he stared unfocused into space.

'Okay, this is arrant nonsense. We need to turn back', Ade said, stopped the car and began to withdraw.

'He is dead. He is dead', Tunde's voice went from a mere whimper to a loud wail that brought Ade to the reality of what happened. Ade yelled his horror and stopped the car in the middle of the road without minding that someone might drive through.

He hit the wheel repeatedly and made the horn sound reverberated in the empty road. He wailed.

'No. Emeks. No...'

'Emeka...' Tunde yelled and rocked the dead body. He didn't even know if his body was being rubbed by the blood but for now, he couldn't help but cry into the dead body. He moaned loudly and groaned as if he was the one that was hurt by the bullet of the vigilantes. Even if they would be there for hours, Tunde wouldn't have cared as he couldn't bring himself to accept what had happened to Emeka.

'We've got to move', Ade said.

Tunde could only nod in response. The journey would be one of the worse he had ever taken. He saw the bag of money lying by his leg and kicked it away. There was no way he would be a partaker of this thing.

He hugged the corpse of Emeka and wept into it. Ade drove off and reduced the pace. Tunde didn't think of what would be done to get out of the mess they were in. He didn't think of what might be done to save them from the blood stain, Emeka's dead body, and he didn't want to think of it.

'What do we do?' Ade said.

'You know what we can do. So, don't ask me'.

'We won't have time to do anything. And how do we prove to the world that he just died'.

'We don't need to. We just have to make it look like a burglar. Then, we would wash the car when Mama leaves home tomorrow'.

The plan was easy and they did it within a short time. It was easy. Faking the burglar was easy. And in fact, getting home was easy. All they had to do was to fake that they were drunk. Their mother, in her usual manner, opened the door for them, nagged about their lateness, and decided to use that medium to tell them how wrong they were by staying up late and not only late, but also irresponsibly drunk.

She expressed her fear of how they might soon go about sleeping with women and one of those women might be the serial killer, who had spent much time to kill men and ram their manhood into their mouth. But, she allowed the matter to die like the dust that was raised by a traveller's horse.

That night, Tunde cried himself to sleep and just hoped he would be able to stand up to count the money. Ade mumbled about his moon. He mumbled about how they had refused to listen to him and how he was sure that everything happened because of their stubbornness. However, the topic of discussion changed in the morning when they met their mother in the sitting room and continued to talk about their ungodly lifestyle.

'Oh!' Ade said, irritated.

Read " Grabbing The Hot Gate " by the same author ( Akíntayo Akinjide )

. 'Let this sleeping dog lie. We need to do other things'.

'Does that mean I'm disturbing you?'

'N-' Tunde was about to say to let the matter die, but Ade cut him short.

'Yes. You're so disturbing us. When are you leaving for your shop?'

'I'm going and you don't have the right to tell me when or ask me when I want to leave my husband's house'.

'Our father's house', Ade said as Tunde dragged him to the room. He tried to restrict but a firm grip and a strong stance made him know Ade was serious.

'What's wrong with you? Hope you've not forgotten that if you piss her off she might decide not to go?'

'Let her not go. Stay at home', Ade shouted.

'You're right', their mother said. 'I'm not going anywhere'.

Tunde stared at him contemptuously and slumped on the bed. They had to wash the car before night. If not, their mother would find a reason to look at their car.

Tuesday was around the corner and with the way she was acting, they couldn't even possibly leave home to pay the money together. Ade slumped on the bed after Tunde and bit the pillow with enough anger that would have burnt a whole house down if it was fire. He hit the bed repeatedly.