Chapter 12: Chapter 12
CHAPTER ELEVEN
They wandered in the forest for two days before they reached a little town called Rambota. “We can’t enter this town with our weapons; we have to keep them somewhere safe,” Abeonego suggested, and they looked for a safe place near the cafes where they dug a shallow pit in the ground near a cave and buried the weapons.
“Our main purpose of sojourning in this town is to raise funds for our trip back to Kubuma. Is it okay?” Captain Abeonego said,
They nodded their agreement. “How are we going to do that?” Mason asked, his countenance assumed a different dimension as he strived to bare his troubled mind. “When we were on that plane, I thought our problems were over, that we would soon be with our respective families but alas what did we saw?”
“A setup, yes, it was a set up because the parachutes were removed from the compartment,” Sanjala replied. He looked worried also, “What did they stand to gain from our elimination?”
“We will find out when we get home.” Captain Abeonego answered as they marched in a file along a narrow bush path.
“Now, we are in a strange land without any iota of their customs and traditions; how are we sure we are not entering another lion’s den?” Mason asked,
“I am not scared of anything; I believe the battle is over because they didn’t know we are alive yet,” Banito said cheerfully,
When they got close to the town, they enquire from the first man they saw and gathered again to strategize, “You heard what that man said? They have a large market here so what we need to do here is to work and make a living.” Abeonego explained, “I will try and find out about how we will travel after we have settled in comfortably,
“What kind of work are we talking about here?” Banito asked, “To the best of my knowledge, we are soldiers, and I can’t see any sign of warfare here.”
Abeonego smiled, “What were you doing before you joined the army? Don’t you have a vocation?” he asked sarcastically,
“You can’t blame me. Can you?” Banito replied, his eyebrows twitched mischievously, “Five long years of warfare is enough to make one forget any form of vocation aside weapon handling.
“We won’t waste time in this Rambota town.” Abeonego snapped and made to move on, but Sanjala stopped him with his next statement, “I think we should get something straight before we enter this Rambota town. We just survived a plane crash, out of about twenty-five personnel on board. We all know it was a deliberate attempt and to the best of my knowledge, we were supposed to be celebrated for making the country proud but what are we getting?” he paused briefly as he scanned their faces and seeing he had their undivided attention, he continued. “They would believe all of us are dead so I suggest we tread carefully and not run our mouth anyhow so as not to arouse suspicion that will incur another attempt on our precious lives because we might not be lucky again. I don’t know about you but as for me, I want to reunite with my family.”
“That was well said, Sanjala,” Abeonego commented, “In addition to what he said, I want us to stay as close as possible; remember, united we stand but divided we fall. There is strength in unity; if we do not betray ourselves, I assure us that we shall soon reunite with our families and above all, we shall receive our entitlement from our government.”
They moved on and soon entered the lively town of Rambota. Where they found themselves happens to be the market which was crowded and very busy with commercial activities. The smell of smoked fish, roasted meat, and boiled rice wafted through the air reminding them of a glowing vacuum in their stomach.
A theatrical group marketing a company’s product danced on an open car park of the market while their sales representative dressed in the company’s branded tee-shirt and jeans trousers moved through the crowds with their products.
Shoppers roamed in and out of the shops, their arms filled with packages, and some whose purchases were heavy engaged the services of luggage carriers with wheelbarrows or carts.
“We should find something to eat first of all,” Mason whispered to Abeonego who turned and stared at him in astonishment.
“Where is the money we will use to buy the food, or you want us to beg?” Abeonego asked, “I have some money here actually, but we need to convert them to the local currency.”
“I am hungry, and I can eat up a whole house the way things are going.” Mason asserted as he looked around the crowded market.
“Mason, you have to behave yourself. We don’t have money for that now, maybe by evening, after converting the money with me, alternatively, we can engage in one or two menial jobs, we might have some money to eat.” Abeonego suggested, “Let us enter that shop and see what we can do.” He turned to the others, and they all trooped into a close-by supermarket. He went to see a man who had a metal plague with Manager inscribed on the table before him. The manager whose name was Grant was dishing out orders to the salesboy and salesgirl around him. He had a half-finished bottle of whisky and a glass cup on his table with a counting machine and a POS machine and sales record file. “Good afternoon?”
Grant who was on the fat side observed him irritably, “Yes, what do you want to buy? Can’t you look around and pick what you want? Anything you didn’t see on the shelves means we don’t have them now.” He spoke fast with a feminine voice that belittled his size.
“I want to make enquires, mister.” Abeonego who was unperturbed said, “I am a visitor to this town; I want to know where I can convert foreign currency to the local currency.”
“Please get out of my shop!” Grant retorted, “This place is not a tourist guide; I have a business to attend to. Get out!!”
Sanjala, Mason, and Banito wanted to reply to his abusive response with the same tone, but Abeonego signalled to them to maintain their cool so as not to attract undue attention. They went to a smaller shop where the owner directed them to the local bureau de change. They were able to convert the little money with them. The shop owner was even helpful as he informed them on how they can get their daily bread by helping people to carry loads. “You told me that your ship capsized and you want to raise money to return to your country. I will suggest you go to your embassy in the capital city or find work to do here but for now, while you think of what to do, you can help shoppers carry their loads or goods and they will pay you for the services rendered.”
“What about accommodation? Can you show us where we can get an affordable guest house?”
“That won’t be a problem; we have an affordable guesthouse around.” The shop owner took them to where they can rent carts and wheelbarrows and a cheap guest house where they can lodge. After the whole expedition, they went to eat. The next day, they started helping shoppers with their loads and they were paid accordingly. After two weeks of engaging in the menial job, they discovered that most of the shoppers were arrogant and rude. They treated people they perceived not up to their social status with disdain. They even found it difficult to pay them commensurate with services rendered. It was Abeonego who had a contrary opinion. “There was a man whom I helped carries his load for three times now; this man was very polite and generous; in fact, he looks for me each time he comes to the market and insisted I must be the one to carry his goods for him and he gave me more than the agreed price. What even surprised me most was the last time I attended to him; he gave me a big loaf of bread.”
“To every rule, there is an exception,” Mason said, “My concern now is this how we will continue to live? We can’t get anywhere with this peanut we realize from this menial job.”
“We cannot go to the embassy as suggested by that shop owner because we don’t know who wants us eliminated,” Sanjala added,
"I believe it was an attack from our kingdom; the military authorities will not want us dead after serving them faithfully," Mason observed,
"I thought as much because we never did anything to warrant us sentence to death," Banito said cryptically,
“I want us to be patience; I assure you that we won’t stay more than necessary,” Abeonego advised,
Abeonego had a change of mind when a woman slapped him one hot afternoon because her loads accidentally scattered on the floor when he was pushing the wheelbarrow conveying the goods to her vehicle. It was a hot afternoon and Abeonego who was sweating profusely tripped and almost fell when his salty sweat trickled down his eyes obstructing his view for a second. “You miserable fool, don’t you know money is not easy to make?” she had screamed at him without a word of sorry for bruising his right foot. “You can’t know because you have never amounted to anything in your miserable life, and you won’t.” He had to exercise great restraint from taking it hot with the woman but that was when he made up his mind that enough was enough. “I am supposed to be a prince for heaven’s sake,” he pondered sadly, as he observed his bruised foot which had become reddish and swollen.
“Mason is right about what he said the other day; we have to do something fast. The other time we heard what was being gossiped about in the market; they have discovered there was an accident at the seashore and very soon, the shop owner might leak our secret even though we pleaded with him; we never can tell. The people appeared not to be friendly; part of the bad blood might be flowing in his veins too.” Banito said as he stares from one to the other, a cigarette dangly between his lips. They were resting in their guestroom because it was a hot afternoon and because of Abeonego’s unpleasant encounter.
Abeonego who had his head facing the floor slowly lifted his head and cleared his throat before speaking. “I must commend you all for your perseverance and loyalty. I have made some discreet investigations, but everything requires money and I agreed with what Mason and Banito said; we have to do something fast and get out of this wicked town where they don’t have an iota of love for the downtrodden and visitors.” He looked from one to the other and stood up from the bedside; he walked near the window and looked out. He turned back and began to pace up and down the little room. “We will have to make use of our weapons.” He declared flatly.
“I have that feeling since the day that fat shop manager spoke rudely to us.” Sanjala said with sly smile. “They have the money, so it won’t pain them to part with some of it since they have shown they can’t give willingly. I’m in total support.” He added and gave a loud yawned. The others also gave their support, and they began to make plans on how they will go about it.
“I know many of the pompous wealthy ones’ houses because they are the ones who used our services most and give us peanuts with insult added. They owned the beautiful houses in the heart of the town. They don’t love each other which will be to our advantage as it will aid our success.” Sanjala explained,
“What do you mean they don’t love each other?” Mason asked expectantly,
“You know this salesgirl I made friends with explained everything to me; the wealthy envied each other and always strive to outshine each other in everything consequently, they rejoice secretly at each other’s misfortune.”
“Sanjala, you are a born criminal.” Mason said jokingly, “I didn’t believe them when they used to bring your report in those days that you stole fowls and goats but from what I witness now, it is obvious.”
“We are talking about survival here, Mason.” Sanjala replied, laughing heartily, “Those reports in the village were exaggerated and some were in collaboration with late Mark.”
The reference to Mark brought back memories to Abeonego; Sergeant Mark had been killed when they were attacked on their way back after capturing General Gazagaza. General Gazagaza’s wife, Colonel Bianca Gazagaza managed to escape from the team that went for her at the presidential villa where she oversaw the team holding Martson Dave’s wife hostage, though they rescued Mrs. Martson Dave. She and her team had laid ambush on Captain Abeonego’s military vehicles and started firing sporadically. Sergeant Mark had died in his arms after being injured by shrapnel from an explosion. Captain Abeonego’s men had repelled the attack and killed Colonel Bianca Gazagaza.
The only thing Sergeant Mark requested from his friend as he breathed his last was the care of his only daughter, “Please, Captain, help me to take care of my Barira; she is going to be alone now.” Abeonego was badly shaken.
“Mark, you will not die,” Sergeant Mark was losing much blood and to move him would complicate issues. “Abeonego, you are aware of my will which I wrote before our conscription; make sure everything goes to my daughter.”
Captain Abeonego promised to uphold everything. “Come on, Captain, we have to get going!” a soldier called out to him.
“Go on, leave me, I cannot make it.” Sergeant Mark said painfully and began to cough out blood; he convulsed and gave up the ghost. Captain Abeonego cried out in agony; he wanted to go and shoot General Gazagaza who was in chains in an armoured vehicle dead instantly but was restrained.