THE UNFORTUNATE OUTCOME!
By Chidiebele Samuel
It was 2.30 in the afternoon and I needed to be back from bank in 30 minutes. As I crossed the junction heading towards the road to my bank to get a new ATM card, I was visibly nervous. The town has seen a spike in Islamist terrorists inspired attacks in recent weeks targeting mainly civilians. Not far from here, 2 weeks ago, a suicide bomber in a tricycle detonated his bomb killing scores and injuring many more. Many of the injured are still being attended to by my team. As a matter of fact, I actually saw some of the injured today, during my ward round.
I am always uncomfortable leaving the security of the hospital premises where I work and also live. There is always the general feeling of unsafeness outside the hospital wall as you never know where the next bomb will be detonated. However, I really needed to be in the bank today. My ATM card has expired and I need a new one for my transactions.
Policemen were in front of the bank gate, screening people for unwanted devices before being allowed into the bank premises. I joined the queue waiting for my turn to be searched and allowed into the bank. To my right, about 10 meters, were a number of cars also undergoing similar screening.
Suddenly, there were shouts and elevated voices. The driver of a brown Toyota corolla was refusing to roll down his door window, apparently talking to himself. Two more security men came in shouting for him to open his door and raise his hands up both elevating their guns and pointing towards the man. Within seconds, one of them shouted: “take cover; take cover!’’
All these happened within a twinkle of an eye and my brain still trying to process the information it was receiving. It was as if I was in a movie set and in an unreal world. “Is this how people become victims of explosions, I asked myself?”
I was fixated and didn’t know how to react, at first. Then came the adrenaline rush and I started running but it was rather too late!
A loud bang came almost immediately, the ground shook under my feet. I was enveloped by mixture of blood, sand, darkish materials and smoke. I could feel myself being lifted up and ultimately falling on my face hitting my forehead to the ground in the process. I wanted to move my limbs but it refused to move an inch. I wanted to scream but also couldn’t find my voice. As I sank into oblivion, I finally muttered in fear and resignation: “please help me lord” and finally darkness.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, locales, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental
©2018
Dedicated to memories of Dr Kachy, Dr Abdullahi, Pharmarcist Justice and numerous other fallen health care workers in North east. They made the ultimate sacrifice in their efforts to improve the health of ordinary Nigerians in North East. They are truly the UNSUNG HEROES.
