Before the story begins... Take note that the physical setting of this story is contemporary Nigeria.
He got to his feet and forced his way out of the bus. They were going to lynch the boy. He couldn't let that happen. As he got to the ground, the fat woman eyed him, obviously displeased that he did not partake in chasing and catching the person who had stolen from her. She huffed and shoved him out of the way as she got into the bus.
John stared at the crowd that had now gathered around the boy. He wondered how he would make his voice heard above the excited murmuring crowd. He took a step towards the circle when he noticed that a man had arrived with a large tyre and a Jerry can. The boy was forced to his feet.
"No.. don't do that. He's just a young boy!!" John screamed. The tyre was forced around the weak helpless boy who could barely stand on his feet. John broke through the crowd just as the Jerry can was opened. As the smell of petrol filled the air, John wondered why the police officers were not here.
"Today, he will burn so that others like him will have sense." The man with the jerry can yelled. The young boy struggled to fight his way out of the mob but he was pushed back to the center of the circle. His left foot hit his right ankle and he fell to the ground. John watched the face cap fall before the boy hit the ground. Long thick African hair sprung out of the cap.
The murmurs around him increased as the boy or girl was turned to face the sky. John's eyes widened as he saw the gaunt face lying on the floor. He couldn't believe his eyes. It was his own Oreoluwa that was lying on the floor. Six years had passed but he could never forget the curve of the face and the slant of her narrow eyes.
"Stop it. stop it. You cannot burn her?" He insisted, placing himself between Ore and the mob. She moaned and tried to get up only for her to fall right back in the mud
The man with the Jerry can eyed him. "Is it because she is a girl? We'll burn all of them."
"No. Ore get up." John crouched beside Ore's still body.
"See," The other man raiser his voice. "If you don't leave now, we'll born you with her. How are we not sure that you are working with her?"
"That's just stupid." John replied, slipping the tyre off Ore's bleeding body. Her breath came out in sharp shorts gasps but her lungs barely seemed to be inflating. "Ore, get up."
"You want to die abi. Okay, you can go and be a good Samaritan in heaven." The man poured some oil around John. John pulled Ore up, careful to avoid the oil. He knew he wouldn't be able to make it through this mob without a fight. They were hungry for jungle justice.
"Yes, and what is going in here?" A loud voice boomed. The crowd dispersed like a sunflower in a storm. Nobody wanted to enter police wahala. John himself tried to drag Ore away from the scene but he couldn't get very far as she had passed out in his arms.
He lifted her fireman style and wondered how the brightest student of 'Adegoke High School,' could end up in a place like this. Her face was already swollen and disfigured from the beating. Blood ran down her skin and painted his clothes while he marveled at how light she was. What could have pushed Ore to pick pocketing?
"Stop right there," The police man ordered. John paused, holding Ore closer to him so that her face was concealed from the huge man that walked to them. The police man peered at him with disgust. "What happened here?"
John was quiet as he watched the bus driver kick the bus into gear and speed out of the bus stop. No one wanted to be the police officer's sacrificial lamb but unfortunately for him, it had become his portion and his lot.
He had no idea of how he would explain that his secondary school mate was a pick pocket. The last thing he wanted was for Ore to end up with the police. She had suffered enough already at the hands of the crowd.
"You don't want to talk abi?" The police man cast a cursory look at the deserted bus stop. "Very well. I can see that you were about to take part in the lynching of a citizen of the state. That is a great offence. Come with me."
"Wait. That's not what happened." John said. He knew that none of the culprits or the witnesses would come to his aid. He was alone in this.
"Arguing with an officer of the law? Another great offence. Officers. Take him to the station." The police officer said. He tried to explain himself but two men latched their hands to his while the first police officer grabbed Ore out of his hands.
As he was dragged to a nearby police vehicle, he wondered why he had decided to be involved in Ore's matter. She had, as always, brought him bad luck. He was forced into the back of the police pick up truck. As he sat on the wooden seat, he wondered how to get out of the mess he had created. The last thing on his mind as the truck speed towards the station was the meeting that he was to lead that morning.
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