Abducted
17th December, 7 p.m.
The wild wind swirled the dust from the ground and swayed the branches of the trees. Rain showers followed soon after, making the roads muddy and dangerous. The thunder that accompanied it roared like a hungry lion in search of prey.
Father Piero sat in his living room, his attention fixed on the TV screen before him. What was on the news was a lot more important than the wild weather raging outside.
The reporter was saying, “There are only a few days left before New Year’s, and the rate of murders still keeps rising, promising to make this year one of the worst this island has seen. Yesterday, another life was taken away.
“The partially-burnt body of a man of African descent was discovered near the Poreto forest by a farmer. This latest victim was tied to a tree. He was wearing jeans and a blue t-shirt. No identification was found on him. The police have yet to identify the man, who has become the 491st victim of murder for this year. WCB police station is requesting information from anyone who might know his identity.”
“There is yet another case of domestic violence. The mother of two children was rushed to the hospital after her drunken husband chopped into her hands with a cutlass. The woman is in stable condition but might never be able to use her hands again due to deep tissue damage.”
A sudden rush of wind found its way into Father Piero’s humble dwelling; without warning, the rain was slashing through his living room. Lightning streaked across the firmament and lit up his surroundings for a moment, especially the part of the wall where a huge cross hung. Father focused his attention on it and made the Sign of the Cross.
“Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner. Have mercy on our nation.”
Then he rushed to the window and shut it. He looked at the empty street, and at his friend Miguel’s two-story white house across from him. Miguel had to leave his family alone when working night shifts, so Father Piero always watched his house, like a loyal watchdog making sure that his owners are safe.
Hmm. Miguel isn’t at home yet. I told him to change his night shifts to daytime ones. But then he would have to stop his night adventures! Which he refuses to do. Lord, please put some sense into him.
A lightning strike illuminated the sky once more. Father Piero’s keen eyes noticed dark shadows flying in the sky. His forehead wrinkled as he struggled to figure out what those dark masses might be. His body was suddenly overcome by shivers.
Why am I feeling as if something weird is going to happen? I do not like this peculiar sensation at all! Lord Jesus Christ ,have mercy on us sinners.
He flinched nervously, crossed himself again, and closed the curtains. Then he sank back into his armchair.
Sheila, Miguel’s wife, sat on the bed while her two children snuggled under the sheet in her spacious, cream-colored bedroom. She was reading ‘The Brave Mouse’ to them.
“And the courageous mouse lived blissfully ever after,” she said, and put the book on the bedside table.
Thunder clapped and echoed in her bedroom, sending shudders into six-year-old Nadia’s body. She seized her brother’s hand.
“Mummy, I’m afraid. Please come and lie next to me,” said Nadia, as her body flinched.
“Princess, what are you afraid of?” asked Sheila, a smile forming on her face.
“Thunder. It makes a frightening and eerie noise.”
Her mother caressed the child’s head.
“There’s nothing scary about it. It’s just a hollow sound.”
“Mummy, why is Daddy taking so long to come home?” asked 10-year-old Ronnel. With his short height and slim figure, he could pass for a child of seven.
Sheila glanced at her watch. “His night shift isn’t over yet.”
She picked up her cell phone from the bedside table and tried to call him, but his phone just kept ringing.
Why isn’t he answering? He sure has been behaving oddly lately.
Her thoughts were interrupted by Ronnel’s voice.
“But he never worked so late before. Now he comes home after we fall asleep.”
She leaned towards him and tousled his short black hair.
“Nosy parker. He used to have morning shifts, but now he works evenings.”
She turned off the ceiling light, leaving the wall light over the bed on. Then she lay down on the bed between her children.
“It’s late now. So please close your eyes and try to sleep.”
Nadia hugged Sheila and put her head on her chest. Then she lifted it up and looked at her mother.
“Mummy, can you please read another story?”
“No, no, no. Put your head down and sleep.”
Nadia lay back and closed her eyes. Sheila hugged her and they lay quietly together until they all fell asleep.
At 4 a.m., feeling unwell, Miguel left the police station and slowly drove his Mercedes-Benz home. While he was in the police station, he managed to run to the toilet a few times. He had hoped to stop by his usual place after work, but the stomach bug halted his plans. As he drove, he rubbed his belly with one hand.
No boy I can’t go there like this.
His eyes kept closing, and he fought to stay awake, trying to focus on the road ahead of him.
I shouldn’t have eaten peppery doubles.[1]
He glanced in his rear-view mirror and saw a speeding jet-black cargo van drive up behind him. Its windows were heavily tinted, hiding the driver as well as the passengers.
Miguel pressed the lock button on the door. Then he touched his pistol, which was lying in the storage compartment.
I should stop that car and issue a speeding ticket.
The cargo van tried to overtake him from the left side of the road. Miguel pressed his foot on the accelerator and drove to the left lane, ending up right in front of the van. The driver of the other car reduced speed and changed lanes. Both vehicles stopped in front of the traffic light.
“Hey, man! Are you rushing for a date with a hot chick?” shouted Miguel, trying to get a glimpse of the driver.
As soon as the light changed to green, Miguel turned his car to the left, drove between some houses, and then parked his car in front of his gate. When he got out of the driver’s seat, his cell phone fell on the wet asphalt and rolled under the car.
“Oh, shit!”
He stooped down and reached under the Benz.
The van came to a halt five houses away from Miguel’s. The driver and one of the two passengers got out of the van and cautiously observed the area. They wore black gloves and masks.
One of them was a woman named Candice, or Candy, and the other was a man by the name of Leroy. He had lost an eye and now wore an artificial one, so he was better known as Cyclops. They were armed with Beretta pistols loaded with 14 rounds of 9mm ammunition.
The tall and thin Cyclops pointed at Miguel.
“Let’s go and get him before anyone sees us,” he said.
Errol, whose nickname was Kingpin, stayed inside the van. He touched his beard and then rolled down the window.
“Remember, we need her alive and unharmed!” he said.
“What about Miguel and his little bastards?” Cyclops inquired.
“You gonna kill dem all. It’s payback time.[2]”
“No! You gave me your word that you wouldn’t touch Miguel,” said Candy, as she adjusted the mask on her face.
“Because of him my brother locked up and we lost millions. Police should know that they can’t push their noses into our business.”
Kingpin hit the steering wheel, and when he did, a white plated-gold skull ring, encrusted with diamonds, caught Candy’s attention.
“No bossman[3], buh yuh..,” protested Candy.
Kingpin seized her hand and squeezed it tightly.
“Whey yuh say?”[4]
“Aye-yah-yie dat huttin![5]” said Candy.
“I will not tolerate the slackness. You had better use some brain. It became rusty!”
He let go of her hand.
“It won’t happen again!” she blurted out.
Kingpin paused for a second, his hand on his chin.
“Leave him alive but slaughter his children in front of him and burn down his house. Let him stand outside and see his house being destroyed. After that, his life will be worthless.”
I will exterminate him myself, like a cockroach, at a later time.
“Hey, don’t forget this!”
Kingpin pulled out a plastic bag with a soaking-wet rag in it and handed it to Cyclops.
Miguel pulled his cell phone out from underneath the car. Soaked to the skin, he pushed open his gate and ran towards the door. He searched his pants pockets for his bunch of keys, but they weren’t there.
They might have fallen out when I looked for the cell phone.
He rang the doorbell nonstop.
“He’s by the door now. Get him!” ordered Kingpin.
Cyclops ran toward Miguel’s house and stepped into his yard.
Kingpin lifted a black bag from the passenger’s seat and handed it through the window to Candy.
“Take it and go! Don’t do anything stupid.”
Candy grabbed the black bag and ran. Kingpin rolled up the window and leaned back in his seat.
These two chupidy [6] have no brains at all. When all of this done, I will get rid of them as well, especially her. She’s getting too soft.
As Cyclops ran, he pulled the rag out of the plastic bag. He stopped out of sight of the gate, climbed over it, and crept up behind Miguel. He wrapped his right hand around Miguel’s throat and tried to put the rag on his nose.
Miguel pushed Cyclops’ left hand away from his face, at the same time hitting him with his elbow and trying to turn around. However, as Cyclops’ grip tightened around his throat, he began choking. With both hands, Miguel clutched at the hand that was taking the life out of him, which allowed Cyclops to put the chloroform-soaked rag over Miguel’s nose. With all his might, Miguel kept trying to pull Cyclops’ hand away from his throat.
Miguel blacked out. The thug dropped him on the ground by the door.
Candy ran up to them, out of breath.
“Is he okay?”
“Stop worrying about dat, gyul, and focus on finishing de work or dey guh kill we.”[7]
Cyclops rang the doorbell as his accomplice’s eyes darted over at the neighbors’ windows.
“Damn it, I’m soaking!” she said loudly.
“Yuh dotish owwa?[8] Someone might hear you,” whispered Cyclops. Candy noticed that his hands were shaking.
The doorbell chimed impatiently, filling the whole house with its disturbing noise. Ronnel opened his eyes and lay staring at the ceiling for a moment. Nadia sat up and looked over at the bedroom’s door, her eyebrows raised. Then her attention shifted to her mother.
“Mummy, Mummy, wake up! Daddy came!” Nadia cried, as she shook her mother.
Sheila opened her eyes as Ronnel got out of the bed.
“What happened?”
“The doorbell is ringing,” said Ronnel.
Sheila rose and rushed out of the bedroom. As she got to the stairs, she noticed her children following her.
“Go back to your own rooms!” she said.
She left them standing on top of the staircase, and hurried to let her husband in.
Why can’t he open the door himself? Is he drunk again?
Ronnel glanced at his sister.
“Go to your room!” he told her.
“I don’t want to stay alone. The lightning might enter my room and burn me,” said Nadia, as she grasped her brother’s hand.
“Don’t be silly. Lightning can’t burn you.”
Nadia pulled Ronnel’s hand. “Let’s go,” she said.
The children returned to their parents’ bedroom instead of their own. They lay on the bed under the sheet in hopes that their mom and dad wouldn’t make them leave.
Sheila opened the front door without looking through the peephole. Before she could react, Cyclops rushed inside. Sheila screamed and ran for the stairs.
“Help!”
She had gripped the rails of the staircase and was taking the first step when he caught at her hair.
“Help me!” she screamed again. The lightning struck again.
“Ah chut nah!”[9]
Her plea for help echoed in the children’s ears. They quickly jumped off the bed but found themselves frozen in fear. It felt as if they were glued to the floor. Their eyes swept the room, looking for a place to hide. Then, at the same time, both ran to hide behind the curtain.
Cyclops pulled back on Sheila’s hair, forcing her to come down a few steps.
“If one more word come out of your mouth, I will buss[10] your brain to the pieces,” he said, pointing the Beretta at her head. He glanced briefly at the kitchen’s entry.
His partner in crime entered the corridor, carrying a black duffel bag. She dropped it on the floor.
“What to do with Miguel?” she asked in a shaky voice. “Someone might notice him.”
Dear Readers the rest of the book can be bought from Amazon.Please do leave your review on Amazon and Goodreads. This book covers an important topic of human trafficking.
[1] Trini doubles are chickpea sandwiches-made of bread called bara and filled with a spiced chickpea filling -channa.
[2] You going to kill them all. It is payback time.
[3] Boss man is a male leader. No boss man but you…
[4] What did you say?
[5] Ouch that’s hurts.
[6] Stupid person
[7] Stop worrying about him, girl, and focus on finishing the work or they will kill us.”[7]
[8] Are you stupid or what?
[9] Shut up
[10] Burst
