It was pouring heavily, and it didn’t
look like it was going to stop anytime
soon. The security guard held the door
open for him, as he walked onto the
downpour. No vehicle in sight. A few
minutes a blue Camry appears out the
corner, opposite the hospital. The
driver honks twice, as the doctor walks
towards the cab. The driver unlocks
the door as he slides into the backseat
placing his briefcase gently beside him.
“Oga Good evening” the driver greets
with a hint of Yoruba accent. “Where
to?”. “Sheraton” he replies with his
gaze still fixed on the window, as the
car drives off. Through the rear mirror
the driver looks at his latest passenger,
and not for the first time today or
even this week, he formulates a scam
to fit his backseat victim.
The doctors gaze has now shifted to his
hands, still trembling, like the cloudy
skies outside. His mind runs through
all the possible scenarios, trying to
figure out other ways he could have
avoided her death. In his Fourteen
years of medical practice, he had
never lost a life let alone take one, and
that’s saying a lot giving the fact that
he served in the Biafran Army during
the war. He’d saved lives that were
already lost, held limbs together with
nothing but bandages, alcohol and
hope. But today, not even with the
hospital equipment and staff valued at
billions of naira at his disposal, he
could not save the girl. She was only
Three years old. There was no choice.
A shimmer of tears, barely visible roll
down his cheek bones onto his full
white beards.
The cabs rolls onto a steady halt
opposite the entrance of the
hotel.”Your fare is twenty thousand
naira Oga ” he says with a crooked
smile spread across his dark face.
The doctors’ expression quickly, shifts
from hidden grief to visible anger. His
mind flashes to the moment she was
brought in, how could so much blood
be in such a tiny person he thought to
himself as he examined her. The nurse
said that the victim was on her way
back from school when she was
snatched by some unsuspecting
persons. Fortunately, someone found
her but it was too late. Her clothes
were torn as she floated in a pool of
her own blood, barely breathing,
hanging on by a thread.
His eyes were red with rage as he
looked at the driver through the rear
mirror. He glances at his briefcase,
picks it up, places it on his laps and
flips the latch in one swift move.
“Its men like you that are the problem
with this country. We the hardworking
citizens work tirelessly day and night,
toil sometimes selflessly, only for
scumbags like you to come and snatch
it away. You give excuses, by saying
life dealt you a shitty hand or you just
blame it on your corrupt leaders. And
then you when you’re caught and it’s
your turn to face the music you all sing
the same tune, I had no choice… Well
not today, for today you have an
option.” He had barely finished his
sentence as he drove his scalpel into
the lower rib cage of the driver as a
cry resembling that of an injured dog
escaped from his lips. With his hand
still firmly on the handle, he leaned
closer and put his lips closer to his ear.
” I have just inserted my scalpel into
your lower ribcage, and if not treated
quickly your lungs will soon be filled
with blood and you will be dead in a
matter of minutes. There is a hospital
just 10mins away, you may decide to
go there so that you may receive
treatment or you can call out to the
police officer and her team who are
stationed just outside this vehicle. The
choice is yours.” And with that, he
removed the scalpel from victims side,
the quick release of the blade, caused
the blood to fall in rapid drips like the
rain pour outside. The doctor then
stepped out into the rain as the water
rinsed the scalpel of any trace of
blood. He slammed the door as he
walked steadily towards the entrance
of the hotel lobby. “Good evening
doctor,” greeted sergeant Aliyah her
words covered with the blanket of the
northern accent.” And how was work
today”? His soft brown eyes met hers
and then he smiled and said:
“fulfilling”. The sound of a Camry
engine sped off into the rainy night
with only lighting to illuminate the
dark city.*
