WEEPING OCEANS (A Short Story)

Mere looking at the countenances of the new set of prisoners, that just were confiscated by “the runs boys’ as my accomplices, their captors, preferred to be called, I could not but shake my coconut sized head in pity for these ones, that were soon to be hosted by mother earth for a period of eternity.

I almost forgot what I was told to do, as compassion gripped my heart, threatening to pull off anything identical to inhumanity. My first attraction was a pregnant woman, clutching tightly to her baby which my instinct told me could not be nothing less than a year old, who unlike other babies seemed to find solace in looking at her mothers’ eyes, instead of weeping out her eye ball, something other babies in the group accepted as part of life since their reaching our ‘den’, maybe, she knew crying the whole of river Niger wouldn’t bail them out, I thought.

Turning to take my leave, I felt a hand touch my leg, but on looking down, an unfamiliar sight greeted me as my eyes locked up with that of a hefty man, who I suppose would be in his late thirties, with both hands rubbing each other, he seemed to be pleading for something.

“What do you want from me’ I spoke with a voice that masked my compassion.
“Please oga, I”m sorry to disturb you, shey I feel get igbo wey I feel sneeze’ he said.
I was left to opt between laughing and shaking my head for him, but chose the latter as I gently walked away, feeling sorry for his sickly condition.

‘Give me janja na, even if una wan kill person, shey you…’ he shouted as his voice melted into obscurity, with each step I took away from him.

“Kay, it’s time you come for the transfer”. A voice blared through the public address system.
Soon I found my leg as if in hypnosis, heading toward the direction of the voice, my heart quake at the thought of the implication of the words, I could not gulp down the thought of having my human heart exchanged for a friend’s own. What will happen to my love, my compassion, and every other thing that made me human, I asked, leaving the evening wind to answer my questions.

Entering the surgical ward, where I was soon to undergo what determines my behaviour for the rest of my life, I was motioned to go lie down on the bed, for the next line of action, I need no telling twice, as I lay myself down on the bed with eyes closed.

“Well, Kay, today been your 10th years here, as our custom demands, you will be given a citizenship heart’ One of the surgeon said.

I actually did not remembered that my abduction had took that long, but taking a safe journey through memory, I remembered the round face of my drop dead gorgeous wife, who now would think I’m nothing but a passing tale, and now, all of my feelings for her had find its place in the wind.

“Your hands on your necks, if you move, I will blow your heads.” A familiar voice said.
Opening my eyes, I was aghast to see that the man I thought to be a smoker was a detective, and soon we were rounded up and arrested.