Okene, Kogi state.
The well-used SUV jeep turned from the dusty street into the main road leading to Okene town and slowed a bit. No point drawing unwanted attention to the car by driving above the speed limit. Haram bit his lips the hundredth time and scanned the cars around them for any sign of the police or the newly dispersed joint task force.
Nothing suspicious.
He stroked his nonexistent beard and discovered yet again that he had removed the 6-month growth of beard just yesterday as a result of this assignment. He felt odd not wearing a beard, which he had worn for much of his adult life. His partner, driving and focusing intently on the traffic like his life depended on it, was unusually quiet. Who wouldn’t be when your assignment was to drive a jeep loaded with enough C4 to blow up two city blocks into a local church.
Haram and Sura his friend and partner had complained for weeks about getting a chance to be involved in the fight for Allah against the infidels but had not expected the chance to come this soon. Sura took a deep breathe and looked at his watch and frowned. They were running late.
He stepped on the gas lightly and the car picked up speed. Timing was important in this business. The point was to get as much infidels as possible killed in the explosion. No point going up in a blaze of glory without anyone accompanying you. He frowned at the thought and picked up more speed.
Haram stared at him and the speedometer.
“You are going too fast Sura. Slow down or the security forces will suspect us.” Haram spat bitterly.
Sura ignored him completely and floored the accelerator. The car sped past other vehicles, the horn blaring to warn them to get out of the way.
Haram’s eyes widened and he stared at Sura. “Are you out of your mind Sura? Slow down or I will call Mallam Shehu this instant and tell him everything.”
Haram waited a few more seconds and reached into his pocket, brought out his phone and began to dial. Sura glanced at him from the corner of his eyes, spotted an intersection ahead and drove the car to the side lane and hit the brakes. Haram almost went through the windscreen and the phone he was holding hit the dashboard and clattered to the floor of the passenger seat.
Haram lost his temper and punched his long time friend in the face. Sura returned the favour with a well-placed kick to Haram’s midsection. They clawed at each other inside the confined space of the car as each man tried to subdue the other. In the bid to gain the upper hand they completely forgot the bomb in the booth of the car and their target, The Lord Chosen church which was just a few meters from where they were parked.
The bomb eventually went off in an earth-shattering explosion far away from the target church, raining debris and charred human flesh for yards.
The only victims, Sura and Haram.
www.witnesslounge.blogspot.com, @witness_MV, deblaqsheep@gmail.com
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