Haidar Jega
Nigeria

If anyone had informed me that my father would be dead today. I swear I will not believe it. I will even have to slap them. But today here I was standing beside the cold corpse of my beloved dad. He was lifeless, with a deep cut on the neck. My father was slaughtered like an animal. Not just my father, but Hamza as well. He was with my father in the vehicle and he was brutally killed. Hamza was shot five times on the head and six times on the neck. The murderer seemed to be having fun while killing them. He even shoots my dad in the leg as well. As for the driver, he was nowhere to be found. I could only imagine the fear my father might have felt. The agony. My poor father. Tears streamed down my eyes again.

"Haidar we must take him to the cemetery now. It's getting late" I heard the chief imam of our palace say. I blinked the tears in my eyes and swallowed the huge Lump in my throat as I watched my dad get carried away. My sister Fatima, Zubair, and little brother were devastated. Fatima had to be put on an IV Drip due to the shock she had experienced. My mother was really sad and expressed her pain by coming to see us. My mother lost it when she saw his neck and how it was cut open. I mean who wouldn't cry? It was a dreadful sight.

And Lailah, she cried. She cried when she saw my Dad's body. She was waiting for me outside to accompany me to the cemetery. Though she will not enter into it.

The Boys had moved with my father's body but I didn't have to carry my feet. My heart felt very heavy, I couldn't move. Neither could I control my tears as they streamed down my eyes.

"Prince Haidar, Aren't you coming?" I heard Lailah say. I turned around to see her standing next to the door. She looked really sad and I could see great pity in her eyes for me.

"I'm coming," I said. I wiped my tears as I took calm strides toward her.

"Crying will not solve your problem, Your highness, you have to be calm. For your family" Lailah advised calmly. I turned to her and said, "I'm sorry, I never knew this was how it felt to lose a father." I simply said before walking away with her following behind me.

The minute I got to the parking lot, I saw my father's body being put at the back of a Hilux. "Imam, I want to sit at the back with my father," I said to the elderly man before me.

"Don't worry Haidar, the boys will sit with him. Don't worry yourself your highness" The imam said.

"He is my father, I have to worry," I said. He breathed in and out and sighed.

"Okay, Your highness. Jikan, open the back of the Hilux for the King" He said. I felt a pang in my heart at the mention of the word King. I was going to have to take my father's throne. I was going to become the king of the whole northern district. The king of the north as they call it. I was going become king Aliyu Haidar Jega the 7TH. My heart did a tumble as I sat on the bench in the Hilux.

"Your highness I have to sit with you" I heard Lailah say.

"Women don't follow men to the burial ground. Go inside young girl" The old Imam said.

"Baba, I'm his bodyguard. Where he goes, I follow." She said very calmly.

"My dear..." I cut the Imam short.

"Iman Kasim, let her come with me please," I said.

"But my King..." He said. I cut him short again.

"I'm not king yet Iman Kasim, Lailah is like a daughter to my father. Just let her sit with him, she won't follow into the cemetery, she'll sit in the car" I said.

"Okay, My Prince." Iman Kasim smiled. I knew he wasn't still okay with that but that was his business.

Lailah easily climbed into the Hilux. She took a seat next to me and smiled at me. She then looked at my father's corpse and said. "He's going to find peace, your father is a very kind-hearted person" She placed her hand on my arm that lay on the bench. I smiled at her and nodded. Taking in deep breaths as I stared at his wrapped corpse. Indeed life was nothing, and within seconds you could lose it all. The ride to the cemetery was a bumpy one but we got there safely and my father's body was immediately buried according to Islamic rights. His life on earth was over and all I pray for is for him to continue his journey in the world of the dead safely. In sha Allah.

*~*

Immediately I got to the palace I went straight to my place in the palace. Lailah also left for her room. I wanted to take a shower and maybe cry in there a little. I wanted peace and nothing more. I took my clothes off calmly. A loud notification from my phone interrupted me. I had left It in the room all through the day. I wasn't in for any calls.

As I suspected, I had 509 missed calls. And 90 was from Nailah, while two were from her mother. I was shocked, I even forgot I had her mother's number. I met Nailah's mum while I was schooling in Canada where they resided. She's a beautiful Nigerian lady and happens to be in her early fifties. She's Hausa Fulani and fair in complexion. As for Nailah's dad, I know nothing about him other than he was the owner of the great empire Nailah ruled as CEO. They were rich, stinky rich.

Another thing that caught my eyes on my phone was a voice message from my late dad. Of course, I was quick to save and play it.

I played it and my dad said "Haidar, my son. I love you a lot and I'm proud of you. Right now I'm about to be killed but I ran to the bush in other to send this to you. Please protect yourself and make sure you survive. But most importantly, take care of Laila. Her life is in danger and he'll not rest till he kills her and you, my son beware of..." Before he could speak. A bullet was fired and all I could hear him say was "Lailaailah" And then I heard him scream. Tears had already filled my eyes by now.