Good evening all.

Just joined this section today. Let me contribute to the stories already posted.

Author: Michael A. Adedoyin, Writer at Pure Diamond Books (PDB)

Your comments and contributions are welcomed please: tempo, language and all.

Enjoy the story.

Thank you

"Hurry! Please come over! Your brother is gasping for breathe!"

It was 11pm. Mary, a Registered Nurse, had just retired to bed after an exhausting afternoon shift and long, tortuous hours in Lagos traffic. Having to leave the house again wouldn't even cross her mind. But this was her father calling, a widower, obviously very scared of also witnessing his son's death. She couldn't bear the pain of losing her only brother either, not to mention the agony of seeing her dad go through the same ( He had been a great single parent since the death of his wife ten years ago. )

"What about his inhaler?" Mary asked her dad.

"He used it before situation turned worse. What else can I do, Mary? Please, don't let him die; hospital is far away."

"I'm on my way dad," Mary said, trying to sound confident as she wiped tears off her eyes. "Please still arrange to take David to the hospital. I will be there as fast as I can."

Mary knew that for her dad to call that way, the situation must have really gotten out of hand and the sixteen year old boy, truly, might not make it to the closest hospital. The dad still needs a taxi to convey them there.

"Please help! Don't let my brother die," Mary called on God in desperation.

Just then a thought crossed her mind. As she dashed out of the house with her night gown on, Mary called her dad. "Daddy please check the name on the inhaler David used and let me know what you found."

"It's Seretide," came the quick response. The doctor said it ..."
" Daddy quickly look for the Ventolin he was using," Mary cut in. "See if it hasn't finished." She knew the Seretide wasn't made for emergency treatment although also used by asthmatic patients.

She then called the Lagos emergency line, 767 for help as she entered the car to drive down to her father's residence.

Without thinking, Mary took the fastest route. It was however a route even guys avoid any time from 9pm because of frequently reported criminal activities.

She had not traveled for ten minutes when she noticed a previously parked car now following her. That was when her mistake dawned on her. She had no business taking that route. She shuddered and became drenched in cold sweat...

As she attempted a quick second call to 767, she saw a man through the mirror aiming a rifle at her car. Immediately, she dropped the phone and swerved to another lane and then matched the accelerator. Just then, a thought crossed her mind to slow down but she was so scared that she kept moving the car at top speed. It didn't take her long to realize her error as she zoomed past a short link to a street with nearby police station.

She kept accelerating and swerving from one lane to the other when, suddenly,she heard loud gun shots from a shot distance AHEAD of her that told her there's no escaping. That was when she noticed a complete road block and some hefty guys in black. She had to slow down this time to park the car.

"Please Lord, forgive me all my sins. If You save me from this, I will live for You. Forgive me, help me..."

"Come out of that car now or l will blow off your skull!" threatened one of the guys in black as he directed an AK 47 rifle at her head.

She quickly opened the car door, shaking as she came out of the vehicle, holding her night gown with her left hand. A thick smoke of Indian Hemp engulfed her immediately and with the blood shot eyes staring at her, she knew the guy could make good his threat; something could just snap his brain and her head would be off for it.

The guy continued to stare at Mary as she comes out of the car. Her heart pounded heavily; she was equally embarrassed because until then she had not realized she left the house in nightie.

"Boss," the guy said to someone over the phone with a devilish smile, "I am bringing you a sexy gift. Highly endowed, front and back." Then he gave a brief hideous laughter.

By then the other guys had gathered round. All they noticed was a sudden cessation of laughter and an immediate change in countenance to an angry one as he put his phone back into his pocket.

"Some people don't have respect sha," the guy said, facing the other guys. "Imagine how he insulted me! I swear, I will not go back to that base forever." He bent down, touch the ground with his finger, placed it on his tongue then lifted it up and said, "I swear!"

Turning to Mary, "Off that thing," he yelled, motioning with his hand for her to UnCloth.

"Please, don't touch me; I beg you," Mary pleaded, kneeling down.

"Scorpio, na boss get dis kin booty o. Abeg, no touch am," said one of the three other guys. It had been their practice not to harm anyone on their operations until they return to base. Their boss may have a different opinion.

That statement however got "Scorpio" more infuriated. He realized that though he was their commander in the operation, their allegiance was still for their main boss. Within seconds, in rage, he pulled the trigger and shot the guy that spoke in the head and shot the other one beside him too. Before he could shoot the last member of the gang, however, the guy brought out his own gun and they shot one another simultaneously. It was a terrible site to behold.

Mary was shocked at how mean these guys proved to be. How could one human treat another like a lifeless object!

Quickly, she got up and entered her car and started the ignition. She almost escaped when she suddenly heard an order: "If you move, I will blow off your skull!"
It was "Scorpio" again. He was desperately trying to lay his hand on his gun again but he was so badly wounded from the gun shot at close range that he struggled in vain. Instead of an order, he should be pleading for help as he was bleeding profusely.

Mary was not ready to see what could result from his struggles. She zoomed off with the car in reverse and, when she got to the link road she passed with speed earlier on, she changed the gear and drove straight on, entering the safer street. It was a longer route back home but she had learnt her lesson: safety first, and then speed.

Finally, Mary got home safely. She knelt down by her bed and prayed, thanking God for saving her by an unexpected turn of events. Then she collapsed on the bed, exhausted.

However, all of a sudden, her phone began to ring once more and she jumped out of the bed. Her heart raced and her tongue got really dry; cold sweats ran down her spine as the call swiftly brought back the memory of her brother's critical state. Her struggle for her own life plus the exhaustion had made her temporarily forget about that.

It was her dad's call again. What would it be this time? She wished the phone could read her father's mind and then laugh or cry instead of ringing depending on the situation.
That way, she would know what to expect. As it is, however, she had to pick the call to find out what happened to her brother.
Her hands shook as she reached out for the phone. She could faint if it was a bad news- it felt like her heart was in her mouth, ready to escape from her forever.

"Mary what happened? We've been trying to call you since."

Her father's tone of voice got her confused. She couldn't figure out if the worst had happened and her brother was dead or if the family were now solely concerned about her own safety.

"Daddy, please tell me: how is David? How is my brother?"

"That is why we've been trying to call you since. We couldn't secure any vehicle but this Lagos Emergency Ambulance unexpectedly appeared. Before the arrival, however, the Ventolin you asked us to give him had relieved him..."

"You mean he is alive?"

"Yes, my son is alive and well but we are currently in Lagos State Teaching Hospital. You don't need to rush down anyway; rest very well and come tomorrow."

Is dad telling me the truth? I hope he is not just trying to prevent me from an outright sleepless night when David is... She couldn't bear the thought of the death of her brother.

"Daddy, do you know that that hospital is where I work?"

"No. You told me you work at General Hospital, Ikeja."

"Yes. That was the former name and that's still what many people call it.
"What I'm driving at is that you should let me know with certainty what my brother's state is. I don't want to cause a scene when I resume work tomorrow.
Maybe I should even come right away."

"Mary, have I ever lied to you?"

"No, daddy."

"Then believe me when I said you don't need to hurry down here again. Your brother is fine. The doctor on duty said they just need to observe him because of the severity of the attack."

She felt very relieved. She would wait till they meet before telling her dad what she had gone through.

Mary's sleep was sound that night. It had to be. It had been a long stressful day, but also a day when at least two potential family tragedies were averted, and there was no need to hurry anywhere again.
It had been a night when calls changed everything.

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