Alive in hope in GOD

“I have a feeling the same fate will go to anyone that opposes me.” Philip bragged, later in the day.

Nobody responded. The food man had come and gone already and the fight for food had begun and ended.

It was obvious that no one had the zeal to fight, well except Philip, but that was the only food they would get for the rest of the day, so they struggled; surprisingly with even more ferosity. Naeto returned with more marks as proof.

“Less people, more space.” Philip continued, stretching his legs and cracking his knuckles. He had marked out a spot for himself and no one was allowed to trespass.

“Shut up!” Ebuka barked with visible anger.

“What kind of person are you?” A situation like this and you’re talking nonsense.” Blessing reproached, irritably.

Blessing was someone you could term as ‘mother nature'. In schools, the mother nature award was given to the person with a big heart; the generous strict person that acted like a mother. Coupled with that, though she was sixteen, she had the facial and bodily features of someone far older. You could assume she and Philip were agemates perhaps even older.

“Freedom of speech.” Philip announced.

Ify shook her head at Philip's attitude.

“So childish.” she thought. How could he be so insensitive and wicked.

She noticed everyone staring at her and she stared back, questioningly.

“So she can talk?” Philip sneered,speaking in pidgin.

Ifu blinked, confused at the insult.

“Like you’re not childish.” Naeto,who was sitted beside her, spoke; rolling his eyes.

She realized she had spoken out loud.

“Philip, hold it.” Aisha, who was sitted beside Naeto, quickly warned as Philip made to reply. Philip hissed, turning away from them.

“I didn’t know I spoke out loud.” Ify spoke. An apology, she was not sure. Not like she was afraid of Philip, she just preferred to live a quiet life.

“Its fine. You can’t keep in all the anger everytime.” Aisha replied, reassuringly,”Besides, you were right. He's a twenty year old baby.”

********************************************************

“Yeah.”Ify laughed, running a hand, self consciously over her natural cornrows, ”I’ve always wanted to try colour pink but not like the whole hair, just the edges.”

Aisha squeezed her face, ”Pink bawo? My parents would disown you. Black or brown, shikina!”

Naeto laughed with them as she and Aisha discussed braids, artificial braids. They were huddled together at their spot, talking quietly. It had been 5 days since Tobi was taken away. Two others had also been taken away since that time but to the glory of GOD; she, Aisha and Naeto still remained… and Philip.

As much as she wanted him out, the fate that awaited all of them made her pity him despite his bad character.

“If you know how badly I want to lose this hair eh?” she sighed, itching her hair.

“Don’t scratch lice everywhere oh.” Aisha joked, ”I’m not even bothered about my hair. It’s already condemned.”

Aisha had on Ghana weaving,big ones to be precise,with black attachment. It was very rough and old.

“Like I had already planned the hair I was going to make for the holidays.” Ify reminisced, ”Big braids, either black and pink or just plain black or plain purple or blue or… okay I was not sure yet.” she giggled, seeing the incredulous look on Naeto’s face.

“Girls.” Naeto muttered, a slight smile on his face.

“Girls.” Aisha mimicked, sticking her tongue out at him. He glared at her then reached out to pull one of her weaves. Aisha reacted quickly, slapping his hands off.

Ify smiled, watching them. Sometimes she got jealous of their easy rapport; they had been friends already long before she came and she sometimes felt like an intruder.

“Your hair's not that bad.” Naeto commented, turning to face her. He pushed down her head slightly then turned it sideways. His fingers lingered a little longer before leaving her face. She tried hard not to blush.

She shrugged, glancing around the room before looking back at him.

“It’s about two weeks old.” she replied.

“Schools would already be writing exams now.” Aisha commented.

Ify nodded in agreement.

“And Neco.” Naeto added, a sad smile on his face.

Aisha looked confused then oohed “Oh, I forgot you’re in Ss3.”

“But you finished your WAEC, right?” Ify asked him.

He sighed, leaning back against the wall, ”No, I had one paper left.”

They all stayed silent.

“I think you can use 8 papers, I think people do it or you'll write G.c.e.” Aisha suggested.

(NECO,WAEC,G.C.E are exams written in Nigeria to gain admission to a tertiary institution)

“If we're ever going back home.” Naeto muttered.

Ify slapped his arm, irritated. He and Aisha stared, shocked at the impulsive act. She was the reserved one.

“Of course we're going back home. Are you going to kill us here?” she admonished.

“Sorry.” Naeto muttered, his shocked look not abating.

She looked away from them, bringing out her wristwatch from her Jean trouser pocket. She was blessed that her captors had not seized it along with her other properties when she was taken.

2:56pm.

As a Catholic, the time meant something to her; it was almost 3:00pm, Divine Mercy hour.

She wasn’t used to the prayer said at that time, the Divine Mercy prayer. They rarely said it back at home but she could faintly recall the words,

“For the sake of his sorrowful passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world.”

And then something about the “Body and Blood, soul and divinity of JESUS CHRIST…”

2:57pm.

“Why are you people still looking at me?” she asked when she looked up and noticed Aisha and Naeto’s gaze still on her.

“Nothing.” they said together, looking away quickly. Aisha laughed as she stood up then gave a quick wave before moving to seat with Lizzy a few distance off.

2:58pm.

Ify reached into her Jean pocket a second time and brought out another property of hers that the kidnappers hadn’t taken.

Her Rosary.

A miracle.

She had barely prayed it since she was brought there. She noticed Naeto’s eyes still on her and she felt shy. She shrugged it off. She didn’t know the Divine Mercy prayer but she knew her Rosary and she knew it well.

If they were going to make it out, back home, they needed the assistance of MARY, the Mother of GOD, they needed her perpetual assistance and intercession to GOD on their behalf; her Rosary needed to be her best friend.

“You’re going to pray alone?” Naeto asked, after watching her make the sign of the CROSS, the symbol of every Catholic.

She looked at him.

“You know how to say the Rosary?” she asked, taking a quick look at her wristwatch.

3:00pm.

She could remember him telling her that his mother was a Catholic and his father a Pentecostal and that he didn’t attend either of his parent’s Churches. He barely even went to Church.

She found that very weird.

“I know some of the words”

She nodded. She watched him make a sloppy sign of the CROSS and she hid a smile. It felt good to have a partner, someone she could relate with. She had hope that the heavens would hear them and they would get out of their horrible situation, alive.