The b©dyguard
The b©dyguard
My name is Ackim, I was born in Zambia, twenty eight years ago. Born from a Soldier and a humble house wife. When I was 20 years old, my father s£nt me to go and train as a soldier in Ndola Mishili Barakas. In the second year, twenty of us were held captive in the de-ep forests of Congo.
After five years, I escaped! Yes, I did. But it seems my life is used to the dirty games. I saved the life of a damsel who is always in danger and I’m completely stuck with her.
I still nee-d to find my family, but the offer I’ve got here is too hvge to be declined, and with it, I think I can still search for my family.
It is getting more complicated by the day! Oh Damn! I can’t even keep my eyes off her, yea, I know what you’re thinking, that’s right, but I’ve got a job and I’m gonna get rid of anyone that comes near her and still find my family.
I am the b©dyGUARD…..
The b©dyguard – Episode 1
By Tisa Phiri
I looked around just to make sure no one was watching me, the tall trees and green gras-s did me favour. It matched so well with my green patched combat. Slowly patting the way throu-gh the tall gras-s ensuring that I created little noise. Moving quic-kly on my stomach with my hands supporting me, I made my way throu-gh the tall gras-s and I sighed as I reached the thick bushes.
sp©tting a big tree a few meters away, I rushed and climbe-d up swiftly. As soon as I settled up in the br@nches I saw other soldiers, my persuers running my direction. one of them shouting
“Let’s go he went this direction!”
“Yes sir!” the others answered.
I looked straight on t©p his head as he stood direct un-der me, smiled to myself,
“I got you bas***d!” i screamed in my head. If only he was chasing me alone without 30 other soldiers I could have sh0t him, b!owing his br@ins out. But I had to take it easy if i was to escape from the hell I lived throu-gh the past 5 years of my life.
My name is Akim, I was born in Zambia, 28 years ago. I am the 4th born in a family of 5, born from a Soldier and a humble house wife. My father was a gallant soldier but due to his misbehavior he never got promoted pas-sed the rank of a sergeant.
When I was 20 years old my father s£nt me to go and train as a soldier in Ndola Mushili Barakas.
__
In the second year of our training as a commando, our camp was attacked by the rogue soldiers from Congo who took 20 of us in captive and held us in the de-ep forests of Congo.
News went by in Zambia that we were all killed in the line of duty.
General Loko, who was in charge of the rebels had for the first three months subjected us to torture until all our energy to fight back eluded. All of us lost hope of ever returning to our country besides, when we were driven in the back of the trucks the day we were captivated our heads were covered in dark clothes hence we could not even identify clearly the direction of our country.
Within the first year of slavery in the hands of the rebels who made us do all kinds of dirty things for them . Including kill people in the villages as a way of fighting back at their government. out of the 20 captivated from Zambia, 5 died of malaria. luckily I survived and lived on. With each pas-sing day I lost my s-en-se of humanity and lived by orders like an animal.
One day however, I woke up with a new vibe and dream of escaping. I told my friend who refused profoundly..
“I’m scared” he told me,
“What if they catch us, you know they will kill us without hesitation”
“Well” I told him..
“Unlike you I better die trying because staying here is the same as being dead”
So I went on planning my escape for 2 years. I managed to mark a few tress we had pas-sed throu-gh from the city. I however planned to escape to the border from there I would probably find my way to Zambia.
So here I am being pursued by general Loko and other soldiers. I had hidden a gun in the bushes and packed some water bottled in my bag. I also stole some tinned foods and hidden them. I had escaped in the night as everyone was asleep killing the guy who was on guard.
But the dark night made it so difficulty for me to move fast. I was lost and went in circles the whole night before it was dawn, one of the rebels saw me by the river and he shouted..
“There he is..!” When I heard the shout I was taken by surprise but I manged to ran and hide as they chased after me.
I looked at the general as he paced around un-der the tree I was hiding in. my own breath felt like I was ma-king so much noise to be heard down there. I looked at him as he walked away following the others who went different directions searching for me. I knew being caught would be the end of me. Praying to survive this hell and make it to my country even if i had no idea where I was going.
I waited for 2 hours more before I climbe-d down and started running as fast as my feet could take me, the heavy boots on my feet being the only sound I heard as they hit the ground.
After going for almost 20 kilometres i c@m£ to a small stream flowing in the east direction. My inner instincts told me to follow it as there is always some people living near where water was.
It was almost getting dark when i first c@m£ into contact with a human being. I hid behind the bark of the tree as I heard male voices coming my direction. Pas-sing were two farmers carrying their hoes, “coming from the fields I guess.”
I sat down to rest after taking the bottle of water from the bag and drinking it ra-pidly, putting my head on the bark of the tree and fall asleep. I nee-ded to rest before proceeding.
The b©dyguard – Episode 2
By Tisa Phiri
I woke up and looked at my watch. I had sle-pt for almost 2 hours by the tree, the cold wind b!owing and ma-king my b©dy feel some chills. I wiped my eyes, looking around it was getting dark. I gr@bb£d my bag from my back and pu-ll-ed the loops I had tied to close the bag and re-moved a small tin of baked beans. I didn’t like the taste of the beans but my hunger surpas-sed my taste buds, gulping the water from the bottle, I felt a bit stronger than before.
I walked a few steps to the small path and looked both directions before lifting my legs and continuing on my journey.
I knew if I covered some good miles before dawn I would probably be at the boarder to Zambia.
“God willing I would cross over to the Zambian side by morning.” I thought to myself.
I was not sure which p@rt of Zambia I was to emerge from, my estimation was either North western or p@rts of the copperbelt province.
I walked and trotted the entire night without st©pping, that was the good p@rt of un-dergoing some ha-rd training in the military, it was difficulty to train and do as ordered but now it had come in handy. The act of perseverance was embe-dded in me and surrendering easily wasn’t an option.
I had to kill a couple snakes that I sp©tted first with the flash light I held in my hands. I knew general Loko was probably still searching for me but I made sure I walked the opposite direction of where him and his man went.
With every step I took my strength diminishe but I staggered and moved on. Hours later, I saw some small lights ahead on the ground slightly higher than where I was. some thun-der and lightening lit the surrounding blinding my sight a bit as I stomped my boot on the stones.
“I have to get to the light and maybe get some shelter from this rain..” I whispered to my self gaining momentum.
After dragging myself for what seemed like a day. I saw the lights closer after an hour. The thun-dering and lightening continued. I looked up the sky, the dark clouds were slowly moving back wards. I smilled as I remembered what my mother would say when there was too much thun-dering and lightening before the rains, she would say.. “when there’s so much of cracking and lighting in the clouds, it never rains. especially if the occured before the rains.”
I smiled at the thought of my mother. I was sure by that time she had started forgetting about me. it had been 5 years and since we were reported lost and probably killed. I was mourned and an empty grave dung in my honour.
With the way I was looking, I was sure no one could even recognise me. My hair had turned to be like that of a Rastafarian. The heavy beards on my cheek also contributed to ma-king me look like a wild animal, no wonder I avoided the small village houses all my way and as much as I could hid from the people. I was certain I would s£nd them running all directions with just a glance at me. Even the colour of my green combat had turned to brown or some colour between brown and dark green.
I kept my mind busy thinking of home and how it was back before this happened to me.
I was one of the most known recruit, my good looks and vibes got me lots of girl’s attention, even though I wasn’t as tall as my young brother, girls loved my charm and middle height.
However, I pla-yed around with them but my heart belonged to my lovely eastern girl. Chimwemwe, the time i was in the commando training after being selected from the best soldier recruits to proceed and train as commandos, she had just completed her grade 12. I had plans of marrying her after she had completed her college. Chimwemwe always told me she wanted to do a teaching course. I loved her and missed her a lot. I did miss her a lot especially the first 2 years after we were held captive, but with the days and weeks and later on months pas-sing, I felt being disconnected from most of my physical feelings. I decided to switch off my emotions in order to survive the harsh environment I was subjected to.
The lights I was seeing where now a 100 meters away from where I stood. Coming out of my own thoughts, I smiled and felt relief upon seeing light coming from a shed. I slowly moved forward searching the surrounding with my eyes as I crawled towards the fire. I didn’t want any surprises so I held my gun and pointed it forward re-ady to fire in case of any strange thing happening.
I was about to ran to the back of the small house in the middle of what looked like a farm, I couldn’t tell for sure since it was so dark and I had switched off my torch.
“Hey come and stand here for me” I heard a hoarse voice call out from the entrance of the house. I saw a man’s dark shadow move to the house and the one who called walked towards my direction. I l@yflat on the small bushes holding my gun..
I was almost standing to hit him when he st©pped and pointed his man-hood re-leasing water at an angle slightly on the left of where I lay. I watched him m0@n in satisfaction and the light shown slightly in his face as he turned to go revea-ling his bold head. His loose jeans pushed a bit down his bu-ttocks and on t©p was a heavy sweater.
I looked at him as he walked.
“What ever those men are doing here” I thought to myself
“Is dirty.” I had a strange feeling and chill in my skin, my military instincts confirmed my suspicions.
I turned to walk away trying to avoid any confrontations with the bad guys again. but a few steps, I heard a female voice screaming and shouting. I St©pped for a while and listened on as the voice cried softly and begged to be left alone.
Shaking my head I turned to continue.
“Akim, its none of your business” I told myself, but the loud scream that followed caused me to walk back.
To be continued
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