Matt....

September 1995.... Somewhere in the Niger Republic......

I spend most of my days trying to figure out the best way to organise a break out for Sarah and her mum. Some days, the thought of them leaving really scares me because all I think about is if I will ever get to see them again if they leave. I'm sure her mother doesn't like me and she won't allow us to see ever again. Even if she does, I don't think they will stay in the country long enough for us to be friends and I do not yet know how to use a telephone and even if a telephone can communicate at that distance, or if I will be allowed to travel to go see them. But sometimes I think positively; like what if saving them makes her mother like me? What if she likes me enough and decides to take me with them? That way we could be friends forever and live together in a free and happy country. She could teach me about their history, how America is, all the things I see on the television. We could be best friends forever and live happily ever after. That motivates me to want to find a plan faster. That and the amount of sadness I feel everytime I remember how it was to hear her cry.
 So far, I have tried to get everything together. I thought about trying to sneak them out during the night, but the guards are always posted outside and 01 threatens them every day that if anything happens to the prisoners, he will kill them for it. So they took the job, as if their lives depended on it because it did, so it was impossible to sneak them out. Today I decided to be the one to take their food to them so I could have some time to see Sarah and talk to her, if only for a little time. I got there and I could tell she was happy to see me, although her mother didn't seem that way. As I got into the cell and gave them the food, Sarah instantly welcomed me with what passes for a smile in a godforsaken cell.
  "Good morning", she said.
  "Good morning" I responded. "I hope you're doing well today?' I added.
 Before she could respond, her mum cut in:
  "You said you could get us out of here. Has there been any progress?"
 Her abruptness startles me a bit, but go straight to the point and tell her how it is.
  "I can't take you guys out of here because of how tightly guarded this place is."
  "What about making a call? I'm sure you guys have a way to communicate with people outside here, like a telephone or something." She asks
  "No one is allowed to talk to people outside. The only people we can communicate with are people in the village far ahead and they know what is going on here but they're too afraid to do or say anything to help."
 I noticed her face getting disappointed and knowing I wanted to impress her, I quickly added:
  "The only one who has a telephone is the leader of this place -01. and he keeps it in his private quarters, it will be very difficult to take it from him."
 Suddenly, she draws closer to me and holds me in a way that makes me both happy and embarrassed at the same time. She holds me and starts rubbing my head and says my name for the first time:
  "Do it for us, Efe. I know you like my daughter; you can have her anyhow you want. Anything you say, she'll do. Just help us steal the phone."
  "I don't want your daughter like that, I just want us to be friends and I would like to go with you guys so we can be friends forever." I said.
  "Get us the phone and I promise we'll all leave here together and you and Sarah can be together forever." She says.
 With obvious joy on my face, I nodded assuredly and started planning how to get them the phone.

...... I'm going to America.....

Days past and I finally figured out where 01 keeps his cell phone: on his person at all times. He even takes it into the bathroom because I've heard him making calls in the bathroom, talking to his generals and trying to do negotiations on the phone. I have no idea what he seems to be negotiating, but whatever it is, it seems to be worth a lot of money, because whenever he talks about it, he always says it is enough to settle him and his boys and set up his own independent country. I have no idea what the cost would be, but I have to assume that it takes a lot of money to set up an independent country. Every day that passes is another day that I can't get closer to getting the phone. Days turned into weeks and it still wasn't freeing it up.
Today was one of those social nights where everyone gets out and have their usual party. Today I didn't feel like joining anyone because I didn't want anyone or anything to take me close to where Sarah and her mum are, because I know tonight is one of those nights where the guys around go over to the cells and force themselves on her and her mum. I'm always powerless to stop them, especially since what happened the last time. Since then, 01 has been keeping a very watchful eye on me and making sure I go nowhere close to them and particularly on nights like this. And nights like this always get me sick to my stomach and today was no different. I think 01 noticed because I was summoned into his quarters today. As soon as I got in there, I was greeted by the smell of alcohol. It felt so strong, my eyes started to water as soon as I got in there. I walked in and I saw him wearing just trousers without a shirt and as soon as he saw me, he gave a signal to everyone else to leave. As soon as we were alone, he spoke
"Why are you not part of the celebrations? Wouldn't you like to mingle with the rest of the boys?"
"No." I replied. "I don't feel like celebrating."
"You really should learn to relate with more people around you." He added. "These boys are your family now. They are all you have in this world. They are all you know now, all you will ever know. So you had better start joining in so they can like you. They already don't like you after the last stunt you pulled when you killed one of your own. It is only by my grace that you are alive."
"I don't care if they like me or not. I don't like any of them." I said, looking unbothered.
With a raised brow, he said,
"Is it because of the little white girl? I thought you did what you did because you wanted her to yourself but they told me you rejected the chance when it was offered to you."
"I do not want her to myself, I just knew what they were doing was wrong," I said.
"Perhaps your taste is just different," he said with a grin that sent chills down my spine.
"What do you mean?" I asked.
He said "Come closer", before which he took off the trousers he was wearing and then proceeded to sit in his armchair naked.
At that moment, I felt emotions that seemed to go between curiosity, embarrassment, confusion and fear as I proceeded to walk towards him. Then he asked
"You know how to suck on a straw, right?" I nodded yes. He continued; "I want you to do that on my instrument, but do it while moving your mouth up and down." He said while pointing at his genitals.
I immediately looked up at his face in disgust as he said that. How would he want me to put my mouth on his organ? That is the most disgusting thing I have ever heard. I shook my head and was about to take a step back before he sprung up and held a knife to my throat.
"Do you want to die?" He asked. I shook my head and he said "You better do what I ask or you're dead. I'll kill you and no one will even ask, because around here I'm God and I am supreme and you know that. Now your supreme leader has a job for you, do it obediently or you die."
At that moment, I was gripped by so much fear that I couldn't move, I couldn't fight, I just stood there obeying his every command as he dragged me back to the chair and sat down, then he had me kneel before him.
"Open your mouth," he commanded, and I obeyed and he held the back of my head and pressed it down, so that his organ was pressing against the back of my throat. Then he roared "Come on boy, suck!" As soon as I closed my lips, he held on to my head with both of his hands and started pushing my head up and down. I could barely breathe because every time he pressed my head down, it felt like his organ closed up all my air pathways and I was gasping for air when he pulled it back, but before I could get enough air, he pressed it back. He kept doing it more, with each stroke getting faster and deeper. I wanted to scream stop, but I could barely breathe, let alone speak. He just kept stroking and grunting like a pig playing in mud. I managed to roll my eyes up to look at him and all I saw was his head tilted back and his mouth wide open, just grunting away. I tried to push myself away but his grip was too strong. I tried to wiggle my head free, but everytime I tried, I felt the knife handle pressed against my head and it was too painful to move. I just knelt there helpless. 
After what felt like forever, he let out a loud groan and I felt a warm liquid drip down my throat with some of it spilling out my mouth. With that, he let go of my head and started panting like someone who had just run through the jungle. All he said was "That's how to please a god" and he slept off."
In the midst of my tears and anger, I saw the knife on the floor as it fell from his hands when he dropped it. I picked it up and was about to stab him in the throat when something caught my eye. It was his cell phone just lying on a stool right next to his armchair. I wrestle with the options I have before me; either I take the phone and run off to save Sarah and her mum or just kill him and end all our suffering. My heart races as I contemplate the choices I have. If I stabbed him right now, he might wake up screaming and alert everyone and that would mean I would die too, because if his words are to be believed, he is the only one keeping me alive and if he dies, so do I. I make my choice and grab the phone off the stool and walk quickly to the cells.

......... I'm coming Sarah......