No. Please no.
Gbenro’s
head suddenly began to spin and hurt at the same time. His hands somehow felt
numb and his legs became heavy as though they were tied to rocks. He tried
talking, but he couldn’t form the words. His lips quivered as he kept trying. He
couldn’t make the slightest noise as his strength was suddenly gone. Everything
seemed to slow down while his brains worked tirelessly trying to process what
had happened. Gbenro’s brain didn’t send the needed impulse to his body and so
he was rigid on the spot.
head suddenly began to spin and hurt at the same time. His hands somehow felt
numb and his legs became heavy as though they were tied to rocks. He tried
talking, but he couldn’t form the words. His lips quivered as he kept trying. He
couldn’t make the slightest noise as his strength was suddenly gone. Everything
seemed to slow down while his brains worked tirelessly trying to process what
had happened. Gbenro’s brain didn’t send the needed impulse to his body and so
he was rigid on the spot.
Shout. Shoot.
Run. Laide
Run. Laide
Blood
and sweat filled the air.Death in all if its glory was in-charge today and cared
less if it got old or young. It cared less. The sounds of guns rocked the
streets of Mushin as people scampered for safety; commuters jumped out of
moving vehicles, drivers left their vehicles running, traders left their wares,
mothers dragged their wards, some forgot they had children, husband’s left
their wives, girlfriends left their other girlfriends. It was every man for
himself. The most chaotic clash Mushin
had witnessed. Everything was upside down. Mushin was upside down.
and sweat filled the air.Death in all if its glory was in-charge today and cared
less if it got old or young. It cared less. The sounds of guns rocked the
streets of Mushin as people scampered for safety; commuters jumped out of
moving vehicles, drivers left their vehicles running, traders left their wares,
mothers dragged their wards, some forgot they had children, husband’s left
their wives, girlfriends left their other girlfriends. It was every man for
himself. The most chaotic clash Mushin
had witnessed. Everything was upside down. Mushin was upside down.
Guns. Blood.
Death
Death
Gbenrodropped
to his knees with so much force, his bones would have shattered. His entire
body shook as he hit the ground. His gunand knife seemed to weigh more than his
veined arms. He waslike a brain-dead man, someone who had lost all reason to
fight, to breathe, to live.Tears streamed endlessly from his blood-shot eyes. His
chest thumped loudly and painfully.
to his knees with so much force, his bones would have shattered. His entire
body shook as he hit the ground. His gunand knife seemed to weigh more than his
veined arms. He waslike a brain-dead man, someone who had lost all reason to
fight, to breathe, to live.Tears streamed endlessly from his blood-shot eyes. His
chest thumped loudly and painfully.
He
crawled slowly over to the lifeless body of Laide. He gently lifted her head
off the road and checked for a pulse with his quavering fingers. No pulse.
crawled slowly over to the lifeless body of Laide. He gently lifted her head
off the road and checked for a pulse with his quavering fingers. No pulse.
Laide
was dead before she hit the ground. A bullet had ricocheted of the wall into
her chest. Gbenro’s only reason for living was gone.He knew. She was his
driving force, the light to his darkness and the pole that held his shattered
life together. Gbenro’s sister was dead.
was dead before she hit the ground. A bullet had ricocheted of the wall into
her chest. Gbenro’s only reason for living was gone.He knew. She was his
driving force, the light to his darkness and the pole that held his shattered
life together. Gbenro’s sister was dead.
Yes. Gbenro, you
killed her.
killed her.
Gbenro
knew it was all his fault. His sister was dead because he was involved in the
Mushin clash.
knew it was all his fault. His sister was dead because he was involved in the
Mushin clash.
It
all started 3 years ago when his mother died. Gbenro and Laidewere orphaned.
They had no other relatives. Their father had died some years back in a motor
accident along Lagos-Ibadan expressway. Prior to his mother’s death things were
very hard for them. They barely had something to eat. And now his mother was
dead leaving him and his sister all alone. Gbenro knew he had to ensure his
sister’s life and future so he dropped out of school and took on menial jobs. While
his sister continued with her studies, Gbenro did everything he could to make
Laide happy. She was the only thing keeping him from hanging himself from a
tree.
all started 3 years ago when his mother died. Gbenro and Laidewere orphaned.
They had no other relatives. Their father had died some years back in a motor
accident along Lagos-Ibadan expressway. Prior to his mother’s death things were
very hard for them. They barely had something to eat. And now his mother was
dead leaving him and his sister all alone. Gbenro knew he had to ensure his
sister’s life and future so he dropped out of school and took on menial jobs. While
his sister continued with her studies, Gbenro did everything he could to make
Laide happy. She was the only thing keeping him from hanging himself from a
tree.
Gbenro
loved Laide with everything he had.
loved Laide with everything he had.
While
looking for extra ways to make money to pay for Laide’s exam months later,
Gbenro walked into a local canteen in Mushin. Apparently they needed extra
hands at the counter. He met with the owner of the canteen who agreed to hire
him and pay on a daily basis. Gbenrogladly agreed to the offer. He started work
immediately and within few weeks he gathered enough money to pay for Laide’s
exam.
looking for extra ways to make money to pay for Laide’s exam months later,
Gbenro walked into a local canteen in Mushin. Apparently they needed extra
hands at the counter. He met with the owner of the canteen who agreed to hire
him and pay on a daily basis. Gbenrogladly agreed to the offer. He started work
immediately and within few weeks he gathered enough money to pay for Laide’s
exam.
One
faithful day, a man walked in to the canteen and straight up to the manager
asking to see Gbenro for few minutes. The man was a regular at the canteen and
was familiar with Gbenro. He’d usually leave large tips for Gbenro.
faithful day, a man walked in to the canteen and straight up to the manager
asking to see Gbenro for few minutes. The man was a regular at the canteen and
was familiar with Gbenro. He’d usually leave large tips for Gbenro.
“Good
morning sir. My oga talk say you wan see me”
morning sir. My oga talk say you wan see me”
“Yes.
Can we go somewhere more discrete to talk”
Can we go somewhere more discrete to talk”
“Ok”
They
both moved to a deserted compound behind the canteen.
both moved to a deserted compound behind the canteen.
“So
Gbenro, I’m here to discuss business with you. I’ve been watching you for
sometime; in and out of that camteenand I’ve noticed you work extra jobs. How
do you like to make more than what you earn?”
Gbenro, I’m here to discuss business with you. I’ve been watching you for
sometime; in and out of that camteenand I’ve noticed you work extra jobs. How
do you like to make more than what you earn?”
“Very
much sir”
much sir”
“Then
I need you to do a quick job for me. I
need you to help me deliver something to someone.”
I need you to do a quick job for me. I
need you to help me deliver something to someone.”
“Whats
that?”
that?”
The
man then pulled out a little pistol and showed Gbenro. Gbenro flinched on
seeing the gun. He kept his eyes on the man.
man then pulled out a little pistol and showed Gbenro. Gbenro flinched on
seeing the gun. He kept his eyes on the man.
“Don’t
he scared nothing will happen I promise. I’m willing to pay twenty thousand for
this little errand”
he scared nothing will happen I promise. I’m willing to pay twenty thousand for
this little errand”
Gbenro’s
eyes widened as he heard the offer. He gave the gun a second look and back at
the man. Then he agreed to run the errand. And that’s how he started running
errands for the man.
eyes widened as he heard the offer. He gave the gun a second look and back at
the man. Then he agreed to run the errand. And that’s how he started running
errands for the man.
Months
later the man asked him to come over to his place. Gbenrofollowed the
description he was given and managed to get to the place. It looked like the
canteen where he worked but bigger and quiet. He looked at the board at the
entrance and muttered to himself the name of the place.
later the man asked him to come over to his place. Gbenrofollowed the
description he was given and managed to get to the place. It looked like the
canteen where he worked but bigger and quiet. He looked at the board at the
entrance and muttered to himself the name of the place.
D’s Diner.
When
Gbenro got in, what he saw wasn’t what he expected. He met other guys stacking
guns and knives and bullets. He was stunned. Then he felt a hand on his
shoulders.
Gbenro got in, what he saw wasn’t what he expected. He met other guys stacking
guns and knives and bullets. He was stunned. Then he felt a hand on his
shoulders.
“Don’t
be surprised. I own this place and everything here. I run one of the biggest
cartels in Mushin and this is just one of my bases. Even the place you work, na
me get am. Well, straight to business, I need someone like you to work for me?”
be surprised. I own this place and everything here. I run one of the biggest
cartels in Mushin and this is just one of my bases. Even the place you work, na
me get am. Well, straight to business, I need someone like you to work for me?”
“Someone
like me, for what sir?”
like me, for what sir?”
“Call
me Captain “
me Captain “
“Ok,
captain. Someone like me for what?”
captain. Someone like me for what?”
“Well,
I’ve seen you run those little errands and know what you can do. You’re what I need
here. Just think of it like this, you being my right hand man, handling the
cells. Think of the money you’ll earn. This is a big opportunity. “.
I’ve seen you run those little errands and know what you can do. You’re what I need
here. Just think of it like this, you being my right hand man, handling the
cells. Think of the money you’ll earn. This is a big opportunity. “.
Gbenro
didn’t know what to do anymore. He was here already. He needed money, here’s
someone offering a chance to earn enough. Gbenro knew there was no going back. He
thought of his mother, how she died and his sister. He was going to do it for
her.
didn’t know what to do anymore. He was here already. He needed money, here’s
someone offering a chance to earn enough. Gbenro knew there was no going back. He
thought of his mother, how she died and his sister. He was going to do it for
her.
“I’m
in sir”
in sir”
And
that was how Gbenro became one of the most feared person in the streets of
Mushin. He led D’s Diner in the absence of the boss. He ordered hits and even
carried out hits himself. He controlled
over hundred cells. He was making so much. He was spilling so much.
that was how Gbenro became one of the most feared person in the streets of
Mushin. He led D’s Diner in the absence of the boss. He ordered hits and even
carried out hits himself. He controlled
over hundred cells. He was making so much. He was spilling so much.
Some
months back, a different cartel began sabotaging D’s Diner. They were taking
out the cells one by one. Business was going down the drains for D’s. The other
cartel kept taking out key members of D’s.
months back, a different cartel began sabotaging D’s Diner. They were taking
out the cells one by one. Business was going down the drains for D’s. The other
cartel kept taking out key members of D’s.
War was brewing.
So
D’s Diner prepared for war. The armed every of their cell in Mushin. They sent
out a message to the other cartel telling them to prepare for the fight of
their lives.
D’s Diner prepared for war. The armed every of their cell in Mushin. They sent
out a message to the other cartel telling them to prepare for the fight of
their lives.
The
clash began late in the morning on Monday with Gbenro and Captain leading D’s
Diner. They kept shooting and hacking at each other and at every person that
came their way. Mushin was bloody; even the policesought protection. This was
beyond them. While people were scampering for safety and the shooting continued,
Gbenro saw his sister. He cared less about the cartel and their war when he saw
her, he had to get her to safety. As he ran towards Laide, a bullet ricocheted
and hit her.
clash began late in the morning on Monday with Gbenro and Captain leading D’s
Diner. They kept shooting and hacking at each other and at every person that
came their way. Mushin was bloody; even the policesought protection. This was
beyond them. While people were scampering for safety and the shooting continued,
Gbenro saw his sister. He cared less about the cartel and their war when he saw
her, he had to get her to safety. As he ran towards Laide, a bullet ricocheted
and hit her.
No. Please No
He
killed his sister.
killed his sister.
He
knew…
knew…
Biography:
Ogunsanwo Kazeem Adebayo, is a young
budding writer and poet. He’s currently a final year student of the University
of Lagos, from the department of Cell Biology and Genetics.
budding writer and poet. He’s currently a final year student of the University
of Lagos, from the department of Cell Biology and Genetics.
He’s an avid reader and a
storyteller who loves infusion of languages in his works
storyteller who loves infusion of languages in his works
He currently resides in Lagos State.