Crime Story Diary (Needs Motivation)

Story 1: Martha's Job

Sabon Birni, Sokoto.
16th September, 2002.

Martha eyes opened to the threathening rays that snuck though a broken cemented brick. She blinked twice, gazed again and peeped through the cracked wall. Probably a lizard or a frog lived there. It didn't scare Martha, she just hid outside her parent's compound with her younger brother-Jerry, by her side.

"9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1....Can I come now?" Job, their father asked, mimicking a childish voice.

Martha's style of playing showed her gentle nature. On most days, she helped her mum with the chores and cared for Jerry like a second mummy. The small one. In contrast, Jerry always had an attitude of indifference.

"No, Daddy!" The kids replied in chorus, amidst withheld laugh.

"Don't come!" Jerry added.

With their voices, he knew exactly where they were. Right on the other side of the fence. Their mother, Sarah, did the laundry in front of their small house. It was a one-room apartment, but the family was a happy one.

Jerry, the five-year-old boy with chocolate brown skin and scanty eyebrows, hid behind Martha, his elder sister who was just eight. "Dad is coming." He whispered, and they fled.

Job was about to step out of his compound to find his children when a loud knock came out of the blue.

"Who is that?" He asked politely and paused. Job's wife gazed up in concern, towards her husband. Someone kicked the closed gate, and it fled open at once.

By the gate stood seven soldiers with serious faces. Six hefty men and one lady. The six men had guns while the lady had sharp knives stuck in her pockets. They were all in rough khaki uniforms, mixed in navy green, back and carbon brown. Job frowned as he wondered who they were.

"Good morning, sir." He slightly bowed his head in greeting.

The group bursted out into a boisterous laughter that Job turned back to his wife, who was literally in shock. Sarah sensed they were dangerous people when she heard their demonic laugh from the distance. At once, she stopped washing, rinsed her sooapy hands into a clean bucket of water and wiped it on her wrapper behind her backside, to dry. Then, Sarah stepped closer to her husband by the gate.

"Keep the greetings to yourself, Mr! You haven't paid your taxes in the last six months!"

"What taxes?"

"For security and living here. Do you think we will guard you and your family for free?" A man with thick beard raised.

"God guides my family and me. I don't owe you anything." Job made clear.

"Hmm..." The man who seemed to be their leader nodded in understanding. He opened his cigarette case and lit one while he smoked. "It has been six months since you started living here. You better comply with us or face the consequences. We will complicate things for you."

His last words came as a warning. Job frowned to their unexpected visit and rude attitude.
"What do you mean?"

"We dropped the third warning last week yet. You turned a blind eye?" He exhaled, blowing out the smoke, his chin hung up.

"What warning? I will inform the police about this!"

"It's best you stop talking now because everyone else pays us, including every single neighbour, and... the police force, let alone you, a non-indigenous. Either you pay us right now, or pack out of this town." Another replied to the leader. He had a huge scar across his face.

"Are you threatening me in my own house?"

The soldiers proceeded, without paying attention to what Job just said. They punched the wooden door through its heart and walked through it. Their boss deeply nodded, pouting while smoking gave him an authoritative air. "Search the entire place!" He ordered, replaced the cigarette between his lips.

With a pinched expression, Job dropped on his knees and begged, instead of leashing out his anger.

"I swear, there's nothing on me. How dare you barge into my house like this?"

'Kpoh!'

A burning filling overwhelmed Sarah and she yelled.

Job's voice rose in fear as his attacker placed a gun on his head.

"Who are you to speak at Mustapha, like you are his equal?" The scarred faced man spat.

Job touched his head, and it bled. He struggled. His vision blurred as he tried to stand up to gain stamina, but Mustapha pulled the trigger on him this time.

'Kpoh!'

Job dropped dead.

Sarah's heart soared and limped down into the pit of her throa. As burning urge overwhelmed her. "Help! Somebody help my husband is dead!" She yelled, yet it seemed as if she had suddenly lost her voice to the fear of their presence.

'Kpoh!' Another bullet struck Sarah from Mustapha's gun.

Her body fell to the ground, the warmth of life was stolen by the icy embrace of death. The impact of her limp, lifeless body synced with the silent wails of her children, who watched from behind, who watched closely, with hope for a different outcome. If she would somehow, overcome.

Five years old Jerry sprinted over, forgetting the fatigue in his swaying legs from the ongoing battle. Desperate to find any remaining flickers of life in his mother's body, he stormed into the compound from his hiding place, but met with the stony silence.

"Mummy!" He squeezed his eyes shut and screamed.

The soldiers bursted out into another unexpected laugh... As if the boy and his entire family were mere entertainment.

Looking back at them, tears shone in his little red eyes. Then a single tear ran down his cheek. With heavy breaths and grinding teeth, it was bold on Jerry's mischievous face that he wanted revenge, but in a blink of an eye, Mustapha snapped his fingers. The scar-faced man caught Jerry like a chicken, hit him hard in his stomach, then beneath his jaw. Martha watched, petrified. All of this shook her, as she cried silently in terror of watching her five-year-old brother being beaten up by a thug. A jerk against the well and Jerry tripped down like a knockedout button.

Mustapha glanced at his wristwatch and pointed his gun at the young boy. Jerry's eyes welled up with morectears treatjening to spill. Mentally, Jerry begged for his life to be spared but the pride in the gang's eyes made him not to. They just shot his parents. When Jerry realised it was already too late to hide or get away, he just shut his eyes tight, whimpering.

'In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ...'

'Kpoh!'

Thick red blood slowly dripped down his forehead, amidst which scrapes and bruises covered. Jerry died.

Mustapha dusted his khaki jacket off and stood upright. Disgusted, he smashed the burning cigarette under his boot. His predatory eyes studied the environment as he faced Bintu, the only female soldier.

"Clean up this mess!" he signalled his crew that they move to the next house, as he turned his heels and stepped out of the compound.

Once they left, Martha watched, making sure none caught sight of her. She hurried to her dead family. Her dad-Job, her mother-Sarah and her junior brother, Jerry, whom she so much loved and adored. The appearance of the bullet hole in his head horrified her.

Amidst the tears, Martha's teeth grounded as if the words were difficult to say.
"Why? Why did you run? I'll miss you, Jerry." she gritted in fury.

Stuttering, haltering breaths escaped Martha as she controlled her pain and shock. She clenched her fist, took off the local bead their parents gifted Jerry on his fifth birthday a month ago and tied it over her wrist. Snivelling, Martha knew this was the worst day of her entire life. One thing she was clear about was that they were terrorists disguised as soldiers.

The feeling of hate clouded Martha's thoughts. With stormed eyes, she left Sabon Birni and never to came back.

Author's Note:

Hello guys! I just wanted to inform you that, this is not the end of this story. Martha's revenge is a gathering storm. This story continues in our next update so, stay tuned. Have a blessed week ahead. Happy Good Friday.