A TRIP TO HELL
"Into The Heat"
I was stirred awake by a nudge. It was Banle who had hit me with his left shoulder why he was fast asleep. I frowned. "Can't his body just sleep when he sleeps?". I checked my watch, the time was 4:07 pm. We'd been travelling on the highway for more than four hours. I looked around the bus. Half of us seemed to be asleep. I looked to my left. There, beside me, she sits gently, gazing out at the forests through the window of the speeding bus.Let me confess this outrightly. Irene is the only reason I'm on this bus. I am one of those Christians that have not really found a genuine reason to go to church every Sunday. In fact, it was just two Sundays before this trip that I was in church - after five months of absence. I had gone to church that day because my friend, Tony messaged on Facebook that he had an i-phone for sale. I arrived the church premises around 12 noon, I half expected the service to be over by then. Unfortunately, it was not. I could hear the announcer reading out the announcements like he would rather spend his whole day in church. I peeped in and located an empty seat. I quickly crept in and sat -faces staring at me like they had never seen a latecomer before and I stared back like "come and beat me".
"Lastly...", I heard the old announcer read, "youths who are interested in going for the youth excursion have just one week left before the registrations closes". I was not aware there was a youth
excursion but it's not like I cared. "Have you paid for the excursion?" Asked a very sweet angelic voice behind me. I slowly turned. Praying the question was directed at me. It wasn't. It was just two very beautiful ladies having a conversation. The one who had asked the question was unimaginably gorgeous. She was dressed in a very smart pink gown and had a black hat on her head. The gown was not so tight but it was fitting enough to clarify that the girl has a nice "figure-eight" shape. She had no make-up on - and she was this beautiful! "No", the other girl replied. She was not as beautiful as the initial but she was a head turner herself. "These girls must be new members", I thought to myself. If we had girls like this in church, why would anyone stay away for five months. ,"I don't think I'd be going", the second girl continued. "I have a date fixed for that weekend." "Hmm. Who is it this time?" "Irene, leave me, biko (please)". They both giggle. Suddenly, I was distracted again by the voice of the announcer. I felt a slight anger. "Did this man not say 'lastly' some minutes ago?" "So what about you?", the second girl asked Irene, "are you going for the excursion?" "Sure." Irene replied with a gracious smile, "I won't miss it for anything" "Me too", I quietly said to myself with a grin.
Irene brings out her phone takes a picture of the huge hills as the bus speed past them. We have not even exchanged a word. By the way, I registered for this excursion that very day and I was so fortunate that I got a seat next to Irene on the bus. For the past four hours, sitting here beside her, I have struggled to find a way to start a conversation with her. She has been totally quiet. Although I am in no hurry. This excursion shall last for three days and we have all the time. But I desperately want us to start talking right here on the bus. I stare at her again. She's still busy with the passing hills. The sight seems to fascinate her. "They're beautiful, aren't they?" I finally manage to start a conversation. She turns. Smiling as always. "Sure they are". "I wish I came with my camera" "Oh. You have a camera?" "Yea" "I'm a photography student actually", "Oh. That's great". Now I wish we could just change the topic or end the conversation. I lied. I have no camera. I just wanted to sound cool."So what brand is your camera?" She continues. I can foretell where this is going and it's not cool. "Sony", I said abruptly. I know nothing about cameras but I'm sure Sony makes almost everything make-able. "What model?" This is it. I immediately begin to cough. Fake of course. I make the cough look so serious and persistent she opens her bag and offers me a bottle of water. I drink graciously while she stares at me pitifully. "Sorry ehn, maybe we should talk later". I nod in agreement.
Suddenly the attention of everyone moves to the other side of the road. People were shouting "Jesus!" "Lord have mercy" etc. I looked through the window, it was a disturbing sight. Dead bodies, about nine or more are arranged side by side. All the bodies soaked in a pool of unified blood. We drive by slowly. Gripped in cold fear. Suddenly, Bro. Emma, nicknamed 'Prayer Warrior in Chief' bursts into highly energetic singing accompanied by thunderous clapping "it is well, it is well, it is well, in the name of Jesus, it is well with our soul today" Many others join immediately in the chorus. Irene does not. She seems to be lost in thought. Perhaps she's meditating. "What a terrible accident", someone retorts behind us. "It's not an accident", Irene whispers to me. I stare at her. Confused. She look like a very innocent but ignorant little child. "It's not an accident", she reasserts. "There is no vehicle around them". "Doesn't matter", I finally voice my opinion. "The vehicle might have been towed away". "Seriously? They'd tow a vehicle and leave dead bodies like this on a highway?". She's right. I feel so stupid to have said what I said. The bus comes to an abrupt stop. I look ahead, it's a barricade. There are about seven to ten soldiers. "Out!" One of the soldiers yell at our driver as if they had personal grudges against each other. The driver quickly packs some particulars from his dashboard and jumps down as he walks up to the soldiers. One of the soldiers seem to ask the driver a question he could not answer. Suddenly, another soldier lands a very hot slap on the driver. The slap is so strong the poor man lands on his butt.
We remain in the bus in confusion and watch the drama unfold. Like a scene from a movie, a third soldier yells "fuck you!", at the driver. The soldier pulls out his gun and fires straight at the poor man, blowing his skull open. Tense silence. For about five seconds, I seem to lose consciousness. What just happened? A soldier just shot our driver to death. Some of us scream. Some gasp. I cannot even remember mine. We are all shaking now. All of us in the bus. The soldier who had slapped the driver whisper something to the one who had shot the man. Suddenly, the latter turns at us, cocks his gun and barks "everybody get down!". I should never have come on this trip. Never!.