Must Read: The Cartel (18+)

Episode 7 years ago

Must Read: The Cartel (18+)

JANE DUKE
She knocked on the gate after the Major drove off to meet up with the party waiting for him. “Who’s that?” The voice of one of the police officers guarding their residence thundered from inside the compound.
“Jane.. It’s me Jane” She replied Calmly
“Who?” The officer repeated again with leaving his position.


From inside the compound their personal security and gate keeper moved towards the gate but was shouted at by the same officer saying “Peter don’t open that gate if the person can’t answer”
“Open the gate Oga Peter.. It’s me” Jade replied calmly in Efik now knowing who was behind the gate.
“Madam Jane.. It’s that you” Peter replied happily recognizing Jade’s voice.
“It’s me” She replied smiling at the elderly man as he threw the smaller gate open for her.



Calmly she walked in saying a casual “Good evening” to the two police officers who had quickly stood up to see if it was truly her. They both didn’t know her because they were only recently drafted there by the commissioner of police after she was kidnapped. Peter on his on part started singing God a praise song in their local Efik language as he quickly locked the gate and followed Jade towards the main building. The police officers too surprised at the turn of events quickly followed the Peter as they all left their post.


******


Dr. Duke was on the phone talking to the police commissioner who then promised to send more men to guard their house that night and that he’ll be there the next day himself.
“You say where dis they take you to? How did they find you?” He asked Jade taking a seat opposite his wife and kids.
“When I woke up, I was in the midst of other girls and for the next days we were locked up in that particular room. Twice daily we were fed but nothing else was done all we saw were men brandishing guns around us. We didn’t know if we were to be sold into slavery or used for rituals….” Jade began but was interrupted by her mother
“God forbid my child being used for rituals or slavery” Her mom said interrupting her. “It is not your portion. It will never be the portion of any one of my children. You shall not die prematurely. The devil is a liar. My God is alive that’s why He brought you back unscathed” She continued not letting Jade answer her father’s questions. All the while she held Jade close to her b0s0m in what was a bear hug.



She continued singing God’s praises in tears while Jade’s younger siblings who sat next to Jade also struggled to touch her.


She just wouldn’t let her off her hands as she felt she would go missing again. Though she had eventually delivered her own biological children (a set of male and female twin) five years after she Jade was found at their doorstep, she still treated Jade like her biological and only child. The birth of the twin was attributed to the arrival of Jade and the fact that she completely ruled out mothering her own biological child leading to a rest of mind.



She and her husband had at the last minute jettisoned the operation but opted to treat the tumor in her womb again that year. The tumor never appeared again and a few years later when she was told she was pregnant having suddenly fainted one evening, she didn’t believe. Jade was like her backbone and pillar having grown fond of girl.
“For the next week, one girl would be picked and we never saw her again. Finally on Friday night they carried what was the remaining 5 of us and led us outside into a boat with our hands tired behind us. No one dared them because they made it clear you would summarily be shot. That was when I realized we were on an island of some sort. The whole place was very dark and silently I began to pray while most of the other girls were crying as the journey started..”Her mom interrupted again
“Yes my daughter. And God answered those prayers.. That’s why I always teach you children to pray but you like sleeping during prayers” Her mom said with reference to her younger siblings
She continued when her dad asked her to with a wave of his hand “After about 20 minutes, we then suddenly saw beams of bright lights being pointed towards the boats carrying us.



One of the men asked us to lie down quickly on the floor of the boat as the boat came to a stop.



Next thing we heard was the sound of another boat approaching with the occupants of the other boat asking some questions in a language I haven’t heard before. And before we knew what was going on, someone on our boat opened fire on the approaching boat and seconds later all we heard were heavy and scary gunshots. Three of our kidnappers were shot as the other quickly jumped into the river leaving us behind..” Mom interrupted again
“They’ll continue to run my child. They’ll never find peace. You are God’s own child and those children of darkness have no power over you… Hehehehehehe” She laughed mocking the devil
“The men in the other boat entered our boat and saw us. They untied us and took us in theirs to another place after collecting whatever they could find in ours including the guns of the dead men. They asked us some questions about the men and we told them we were kidnapped and they told us we were to be sold of for different purposes. They kept is in their camp that night and Saturday afternoon we were blindfolded and led into their boat to our surprise. We started begging and crying but were shouted at to remain quiet. After a long while on the boat we were asked to remove our blindfold that was when I realized we were obviously in rivers state or Akwa Ibom. But I was sure it was rivers since I didn’t understand the language.



The men carrying us told us once they drop us at the jetty, we were on our own and shouldn’t say anything about who rescued us both should quietly find our way home. As we were about leaving, one of them who had been given instructions came down and told me and another girl from owerri to follow him. He took us to Portharcourt and put us in a hotel saying he had seen me on Tv and all.



He left us with some money to get food but suggested we stay there because they might be looking for us. That is the group who kidnapped us. Being scared, we obeyed and again he looked very friendly. It was from there I called you with his phone. So today he first took the other girl to her place in Owerri before driving me Calabar. He just left as soon as he dropped me at the gate” She ended the tale again having told them the first time when she came into the house
“We thank God for your safety my child.



Tomorrow we’ll go and check you up in the hospital. Don’t know what they were feeding you people with” He said as he stood up from his seat
“Daddy I’m fine” She insisted again saying she didn’t want any attention
“Are you doctor? Until a doctor says you’re find, you’re not” He said telling her she had no choice which she knew.
“Honey come lets pray o..” Her mother called out to the dad who just left them
“What about Vicky’s parents?” She asked her mom when her dad answered that he was coming.
“They fixed her burial in her village for this coming Friday” She told her


******


The next day she sat behind with her dad on his way to the hospital. Someone called him and they both talked for a few seconds with him thanking the person.
“That was your mom’s brother in London. I asked him to look for a good university for you.


We’re transferring you from here” The day turned and said to her
“Huh…?” She bloated out surprised before adding “I’m not leaving Calabar o. The time I wanted a foreign university have passed. I’ve already started here o. Was it mommy that came up with this idea? And you are decided for me?” She replied her dad matter of factly
He knew she meant what she just said because she hardly talked to him that way. It was actually her mom’s decision during the night to send her out of country and for some reason he had just kept quiet.
“So that you’ll go missing again and give your mother a heart attack right?” He asked calmly in a bid to support his wife
“Dad I’ll be fine. Even if it’s to move back home for now” she said
“This people must be joking” She thought in her head. She is far from the Jane they both knew.