Fight or Die

A week passed and nobody was taken out or brought in.It left them in a state of calmness and anxiety.

“Whats that smell?” Aisha asked,wrinkling her nose while looking around. Naeto and Ify chuckled.

“Are you really asking that question?” Naeto rhetorically asked as Aisha’s eyes zoomed in on the culprit.

Obviously, their ‘defecationaire’ as pronounced by Zubi, one of their female mate.

Locked in the room along with them, the ‘defecationaire'; a bucket with a lid, given to them by their captors to answer nature’s call; was a constant source of irritation and odour. It was kept at a corner of the room as far away as it could be from everyone.

It was a circular room, not small but not big enough either.

“Who’s the next person to take the 'defecationaire' out?” Aisha asked, a bit too loudly for the rest of their mates benefit.

“Who else?” Philip threw back.

Aisha narrowed her eyes at him as everyone stared at Philip. His answer was clear.

“What do you mean by that?” Aisha asked, daringly.

Aisha was one of the few that stood up to Philip.The rest were: Naeto, Jide, Ebuka, Tobi and Blessing. Although, Fireboy; his real name he refused to give; also one of them; liked to brag, it was obvious to an observant eye that he was also scared of Philip.

Out of the six, it was Blessing Philip was most scared of. The event that had made that happen was a laughable one.

As usual, Philip had tried to scare Blessing into submission when she was newly brought in, as he did to all ‘new-comers'. Blessing who had quickly gotten irritated had warned him off severally but Philip, the strong headed person he was had refused to listen until Blessing had given him a slap, so loud, it had resounded off the walls. Philip had steered clear off her afterwards.

“What do you think I mean?” Philip drawled.

Once in a week, the ‘defecationaire' was taken out and disposed. By whom? One of them, captives! Great news! Except the blessed person was blindfolded all through!... and held at Gunpoint!

But it was much better. At least they got to feel fresh breeze and take a walk to release tension in their legs.

There was a disadvantage. Two times, two girls who had been the ‘chosen' ones at their respective times, had gotten raped. The next day,the girls were taken out and never seen again.

“I don’t know. You tell me.” Aisha sat up, folding her arms, a challenging look on her face.

Philip didn’t respond and as Ify expected, it made Aisha angry.

Aisha scoffed then spoke, ”Let the time come. We'll see who would win between lion and the snake.”

Philip burst out laughing. A loud humorless dry laughter.

“So you're the lion or what … the snake?” he asked amidst laughter.

Aisha rolled her eyes, ”isn’t it obvious?” she retorted.

“You guys should stop making noise. Someone is trying to have peace of mind here.” Fireboy cut in.

Philip instantly snapped his head to him, his look of mockery turning to that of disgust.

“Mr fire fire, who hit you for head?” he insulted.

Fireboy stared at Philip defiantly,“ Did I call your name?”

“You wouldn’t even dare.” Philip challenged proudly.

“Phi-li-po watsup?” Fireboy drawled out.

“It’s okay!” Tobi quickly intercepted as Philip mood hardened, “Before another fight would start. Its okay!”

The room fell silent again with the usuals happening. Philip, glaring daggers at Jide, whom he seemed to hate with an unexplainable passion; Jide pretending not to notice. Minor chitchats going on, Aisha making subtle insultive passes at Philip and Naeto finding solace in her, Ify, at the same time, drawing her out.

A light pinch on her cheek drew her out of her reverie. She turned her head, a small smile on her face, to look at the expected person beside her.

“Stop staring.”

She looked back at Philip whom she had been staring at. She found his character amusing.She turned back to him, a sheepish smile on her face.

“It was unconscious, I promise.” she said,innocently. He smiled at her, saying nothing else. He had withdrawn back into his shell.

“They should have put a t.v here. What do they expect us to do in this boredom?” Aisha asked, a slight frown on her face.

“Are you kidding? A t.v?” Lizzy snorted, a few feets away from them.

Aisha sighed, ”I’m bored.” she admitted.

Nobody replied her again. It was mostly always that way. As soon as a conversation started, it ended almost immediately except fights.

She, Aisha and Naeto were mostly always the exception. They talked and talked and talked; about everything; their lives, family, friends, school, feelings, everything and anything.

The day ended in silence, everyone retiring to the floor for the night; the usual calmness the night brought descending on them. Their captors only took out people during the day. So therefore, the day was spent in anxiety, fear, tension and it seemed like they could only breathe when night fell.

The night wasn’t exactly quiet. Muffled sobbing could be heard in the room but Ify had no idea who it was. She was sure it was that of a girl.

“I don’t know why they bother.”

Startled, Ify turned to Aisha. She had not known that Aisha was still awake.

She could barely make our Aisha’s silhouette even if they were lying side by side, Naeto on her other side. They never said it but it was obvious in their actions since the day she became friends them that they were protecting her. Sometimes it sickened her, most times it made her feel loved.

“What?” Ify asked, whispering.

“I don’t know why they bother with the tears”Aisha yawned; her voice, a sleepy drone; the muffled sobbing in the background.

She continued, “It just wastes the little strength they have and at the end, nothing changes... They still die."