The Survivor E14: Robbed!

The passengers screamed, with the armed gang, yelling at them to be quiet. Oro road. Oh, no! That lonely road! Of course! 

Seyi's head spun inside her skull. Her money was in her bank but she had twenty thousand naira cash in her bag. That was her house rent. She also had her credit card in the same bag. Although, luckily and wisely, she hadn't put the bag in the car trunk. It was the bag with her, on her lap. The bus was in chaos. Seyi's hand shook nervously behind her head. But at that, her brain ran fast. She looked closely at the gang. Most of them were young, but they were well dressed. And they had guns, not cutlasses. That probably meant that they were after the passengers' and drivers' money and devices. She had only one device, and her money was in her bag. 

She could see that the robbers had started to raid the boot and the passengers. She had a minute or less to figure something out. It didn't take her a lot of seconds later, though. She discreetly hid behind one of the passengers while not being too suspicious either. The bus like many other buses, was dented and old. She used that opportunity as she hid her money and credit card in a tight space inside the seat she sat on. There was little probability that the bus would be taken away too. She tucked her credit card in her shoes. Her whole body was vibrating. But somehow, she managed to keep herself calm. Finally, she tossed her phone away from her. That was just in time as the person in front of her got pushed out of the bus. 

"Th-they are in the boot." She stammered. Maybe she added extra effect to her voice but, she wanted to sound convincing enough. The gang member shouted to another to take her to check her bag out. 

Organised criminals. They probably wanted no one to escape. Seyi stood up willingly when the member dragged her up. 

"Which one is yours?" The man asked as he pointed to the bags on the floor. Shakily, Seyi pointed to her two bags. 

"What do you have in there?" He asked.

"Clothes..." She said, pointing to the first bag. "Food stuff." "I'm a student." 

The man laughed. "Obviously." "Where's your money?" 

"I don't have money with me." She stammered. 

"Huh...." The man nodded as he paced about, his gun cradled in his arm. Everytime, Seyi's eyes moved there and she would recoil with a shiver. The man turned back to her. "I see. Hmnnn... So... how were you intending to pay the driver?" 

Seyi flinched. She hadn't thought of that. The man, on seeing her face again, laughed. 

"O shock e abi? (It shocked you, right?). I don't like liars. Or people who don't cooperate. Get up!" 

O Lord! No! Seyi prayed fervently. 

He pulled her up rather roughly by the arm. 

"T- Smoke!" He called. Seyi guessed that must be a superior. And she dreaded what might happen next. He pushed her forward with the butt if his gun, muttering things about uncooperative people. He knelt her down on the floor beside one other man, keeping her hands on her head. She shivered now, outwardly. She prayed hard.

"Give him your money if you love your life." A husky male voice told her. It was the man beside her, the bus conductor. Seyi shut her eye tight while she thought; And would you spare me from paying you again after that? 

It was a part of the money her mother loaned. And no matter what, she would keep it safe. Suddenly, a rough hand pulled her up. 

"Hey!" It called- the voice. That must be the T-Smoke. She feared what he might do to her. 

"Do I hear that you're not cooperating?" He asked. "Answer me, girl." He snapped. She turned to him. 

Well, she had anticipated seeing a mean, heavily armed middle aged man. But she was surprised when she saw him. He wasn't old or even middle aged. He was actually just a "small boy". Probably about her age. Maybe a few years more but he certainly wasn't what one would see in a description of a gang leader. His expression was hard. It scared her so, she answered quick. 

"I-I didn't understand, sir." She said. She couldn't say that she was sorry. That was most likely to fuel issues. She was sorry meant that she accepted that she had money and was keeping it. And, it might infuriate the man. But, her mind searched frantically for excuses. The man, surprisingly, didn't question her. Instead, he grumbled about how insignificant her matter was and why it was being tossed to him.

He threw the cigarette he had been smoking on the floor beside her. 

"So, what did you say is your problem? Can't you see everyone is cooperating?" He demanded. Seyi kept her gaze fixed to the dying cigarette butt on the ground. 

"Hey, baby, look." He held her chin abd turned her head towards the direction of a tent by the bush. It was dark, but she could make out the silhouettes of two men, beating a man on the floor. Another girl was being manhandled and hit severally on the face because she was struggling with one of the gang members. Seyi pitied her. Why be rude to someone with arms? But really, it scared her a lot.

"You see them..." The man pulled her face straight again. "They are being uncooperative." 

Seyi looked down, guessing that this was a perfect time to apologise now. And she said sorry quietly. The man laughed out loud. Seyi knew that she must gain the man's sympathy so, she started to cry. 

He looked at her and shook his head. "What do you want?" He asked.

"Pardon me." She said.

He shook his head and laughed again. "Where are you from?" He demanded.

"Erule Ogota."

"Hmn." He nodded thoughtfully. "I see." Then he hit her with his gun. "You're a lucky girl. First because you are very beautiful..." Her skin crawled. Oh no!  "...and second because you come from my mother's hometown. I had guessed from your face, anyway. It's your people who have such stubborn features."  Then, he hit her again. "Get up! And get out!" 

She stood up slowly, in shock. Had she just been released? And without being searched too. It seemed like jazz. But she moved fast when she left. Her mother's head wasn't asleep.