I followed behind her like a puppy would follow its mother. I seemed to hop along, “so what’s your name darling?” She sipped her chocolate, “name is Svetlana…” “Svetlana,” I repeated with an additional, “gorgeous name.” She smiled again as she continued to walk away.
I followed her, “you know you are an excellent shot. It’s too bad about what happened. I really thought you had him.” “Me too, you know I tried out for the Olympics one time. Oh, what year was that again…this old memory of mine.” She giggled, “Old, you don’t look old at all.” Yakov continued to follow her as they walked towards the abandoned tents of merchandise and souvenirs. “You’re sweet to say that.” “You know it’s weird I have or should I say had a brother like you. His name was Yakov, never met him before he was…he was…well let’s just say he was a very bad boy.” “Mhm,” replied Yakov not even giving the slightest bit of attention to Svetlana. “You know I should say you are by far the prettiest thing that I have ever seen.”
“Yeah, well I take after my mother. My father after all…well, needless to say he’s more than an important man.” She laughed a little as Yakov hadn’t been paying attention again. “So, would you maybe want to go out with me sometime? I know a great bar down the street that serves the smoothest vodka.” Svetlana turned bright red and turned from him. “Oh, jeez I would Afanas. I
really would but I don’t think I could. My father said he needs me back in the capital and to tell you the truth. I have a brother with looks just like yours and it would be just too weird.” “So, you’re saying no?” She nodded and placed her hand on his shoulder. “I am sorry Afanas. It was great meeting you, but I do have to go.”
She gave a final look and turned from me. I watched her move slowly as I felt a rage building inside of me. The rage that had gotten me into trouble many times before. It was the same feeling I got when all those prostitutes either turned me down for being too young or not having enough money. She disrespected me and I hated disrespect. I was the son of Joseph Stalin and I always got what I wanted…always! I felt my teeth grit in anger as I watched her walk away further. “Wait, wait, wait,” I ran towards Svetlana as she gripped her red dress in nervousness, “um, yes?” As I approached her, I watched her eyes twinkle up at me. I wanted her more at that moment than before. I watched her lip’s part slightly as I couldn’t help but notice every movement even when her tongue slightly traced her lips.
I could sense the seconds ticking and I looked around cautiously. “I just wanted to know are you sure? I’ll take you to a nice place and everything!” She shook her head, “that’s sweet but like I said it’s too…” WACK… I punched her square in the face completely blindsiding her.
She collapsed backwards as I quickly grasped her before she fell. I glanced around noticing nobody around still and began to drag her into one of the canvas tents. I dropped her and realized that this tent had been serving beer. I heard a groan and realized that it had not come from Svetlana. I gazed up noticing that I had dragged her into an already occupied tent. The old woman stared at me as her big green eyes grew wide with terror. “She passed out, do you have any water?” My tone seemed to confuse the woman as she gazed at me for several moments. It was a look that I had seen many times before. The look of “who are you fooling?” I decided to
put more panic to my statement. “Water, do you have any water please?” The old woman seemed to accept my false sense of urgency because she turned from my sight searching the tent.
In that second, in that split second is where I made my move. I withdrew from within my waist the knuckle knife that I had procured long ago. When the older woman turned back around her mouth barely had time to open before I plunged my knife deep within her stomach. I placed my hand over her mouth to keep her from screaming. I eased her down onto the ground. I continued to look wildly among the other shops and hoping that the desertion would last.
I placed her on the ground and gazed over the counter. I saw people starting to come back down the small pathways between the many tents. I made my way over to Svetlana who began to stir silently. I made my way over to her and placed myself between her legs. I lifted her dress up and ripped off her under garments. They tore easily as I watched her eyes blink several times. I began to feel myself slide into her as the realization of the event was finally coming to her. She opened her mouth to scream but I placed my hand over her mouth. I slid my knife close to her neck, “if you say a word, I promise you I will slit your throat.”
Terror filled her eyes the entire time. She didn’t move or say a word as I pounded away at her. People walked by and the crowd seemed to be growing thicker. It would only take a curious somebody to peak over the counter to see Svetlana and me. She closed her eyes as tears began to pour out of them. The ecstasy of her was hard to bear as I felt her energy fill inside of me and mine into her. She gasped slightly the harder I pushed and soon it was over. She cried the entire time and seemed too shocked to speak as my hand released from her mouth. “Now you will always remember me won’t you Svetlana?” She didn’t respond nor move an inch. She laid there like a frog that had been hit by a car. Her eyes bore into me, “y-y-you have no idea w-
what you have just done do you? You will regret this…” “How will you get revenge when you will never see me again?” I quickly slammed my elbow across her face knocking her out with one blow. I left her in the tent with the dead older woman, only to be discovered later by the event staff.
(June 1941)
I remembered the day that I received the 23rd Guard’s Army. It was the day that my life had changed and changed forever. It was the day my life ended. Svetlana had been right when she said that I had no idea what I had done. I was in a bar when the soldiers came in. They didn’t speak a word as they just marched right in and grabbed me from behind. I tried to fight them off and even knocked one of them across a wooden table. However, they overpowered me as I yelled loudly. “What the hell are you doing?” They dragged me out of the bar with every bar patron staring in shock at me. “Do you know who the hell I am? When my father finds out…” Just before the bar door closed, I heard one of the guards shout at me. “Who do you think sent us?” They placed a black bag over my head and threw me in the trunk of a car.
It took twenty minutes before the car stopped and I was hauled out of the trunk. I was brought into a building and brought up a flight of stairs. I struggled the entire way until I was thrown forward. Losing my balance, I stumbled and fell to the floor. “I’m going to kill…” I felt a hand grab the bag over my head and remove it. I looked up ready to pounce on the first person I saw. To my horror the wrinkled mustached face of a man that struck fear in every man in the country stared down at me. “Fa…father,” I whispered as his face turned beet red and he looked ready to kill. “Don’t you dare call me that!” I felt helpless curling on the floor underneath my father’s towering figure. “Do you know why I brought you here?” I shook my head quickly.
Stalin kicked me square in the stomach. I coughed violently, “If you weren’t my son, I would have you shot! You have been nothing but a problem for me since the day Colonel Kakava returned you to me. Nothing but problems and you know Yakov death solves all problems…no man…no more problem…and you will cause no more problems for me.”
“Father, I…” I rose to my feet, “I have no idea what you are talking about.” Stalin slapped me across the face without hesitation. “Do you have any idea of who you took advantage of last year?” “But father I…” CRACK… he slapped me across the face again. “You do this all the time, control Yakov that has always been your problem. You rush into things without thinking about the consequences! How many times, how many times Yakov have I had to bail you out from the Gulag?” “But father I…” CRACK… “I am debating whether I should put a bullet in you and end this whole problem.” “But father I don’t understand…” but my voice fell when I saw the problem. Out from a door behind the wooden desk came a woman that I least expected. She had black hair and a young face. The bruises that I had given her were unnoticeable. My father was advancing on me and grabbed me by the throat. “You insolent little shit! You raped my daughter!” I shook my head barely able to breath. “N-no I didn’t, I would never!” “NO, you did you shit!” “Svetlana, what is…” Stalin moved in closer, “so you DO remember her Yakov or is it, Afanas?” I shook my head, “I didn’t know she was, I would never…” “BUT YOU DID YAKOV, YOU DID!” My father threw me away and I crumpled to the ground. “She is your stepsister you insignificant little fuck! Prostitutes and hookers are one thing but this, this!” “Father, I would never disrespect you or our family. I didn’t know that…”
CRACK… I felt my father’s beefy hand rake across my face again.
I yelled this time clenching my teeth as my anger was beginning to boil inside me. I knew that I couldn’t lay a finger on him. He was the most powerful man in the country and
feared above all. “What the hell am I going to do with you now Yakov?” I watched my father begin to pace back and forth staring at me the entire time. He ran his fingers over his mustache deep in thought. “I can’t keep an eye on you all the time I would need somebody to do that.”
His hand moved down to his chin as he continued, “you have disgraced me, our family, and nobody with honor would ever accept this disgraceful position even if I ordered them.” I continued to rub my cheek as I tried to take a glimpse at Svetlana. She looked scared as she continually looked up and then back down to the floor. “I have it,” Stalin smiled and gave a loud whistle adding a quick, “guard, guard!” One of the soldiers that had brought me into Stalin’s chambers came forward and clapped his boots together. “Bring me Komdiv Iosif Popov,” the guard clapped his feet together and gave a quick salute. He turned and ran from the room leaving me standing there. “Father please,” he pointed his finger at me, “don’t you father me Yakov! After today I don’t want anything to do with you…nothing!” Svetlana came forward,
“you’re not punishing him!” “SILENCE,” he yelled loudly, and Svetlana fell immediately silent.
It took only a minute before I heard the double doors open and two sets of boots entering the room. They marched past me in a rush. I saw the guard that originally took the order and next to him a man that had pepper gray hair with a leathery face. He had a green military suit and gave a superior, “Komdiv Iosif Popov reporting, did you call for me?” “Yes, Komdiv I did.”
Stalin showed a grimace at the sight of him. “Komdiv, I find myself in a bit of a situation that I am hoping you could rectify.” Standing perfectly at attention, “I am at your command!” “I see that you are trying to regain your honor and needless to say you need it. After your cowardly retreat and lack of participation during the civil war.” Komdiv Iosif didn’t twitch or move,
“so…” My mind began to talk to itself but immediately gave a confused “huh?” When my father quickly asked, “you are still in command of the despicable and disgraceful division that
you call the 23rd?” “Yes Commander,” Stalin moved forward, “that company is a disgrace just like you. You’re a pack of mongrel dogs and if you didn’t have so much military experience. I would have shot you a long time ago!” “Yes Commander,” Komdiv Iosif repeated almost robotically. “Komdiv, I am instilling my son Yakov to you. You will watch him and see that he works in the 23rd Guard’s Army. Any slip ups I will kill him and then you. Do I make myself clear?”
Komdiv Iosif, if possible, stood up straighter. “Yes sir…” “I don’t wanna see or hear from him again. You will work him until he earns some of his honor back. You will receive orders from Colonel General Nikolai Kosygin. You both are disgraces, and it should only be fitting that dogs’ stay in a pack…and…” Svetlana came forward, “that’s it you’re banishing him…” Stalin raised his voice higher cutting her off immediately. “AND…” he shouted as Svetlana coward like a dog. He turned back to me, “since you have scared my daughter. I must equally scar you.” “What, what do you mean?” I watched him nod at the guards as they grabbed my arms and forced me down to my knees. I tried to fight them, but they overpowered me. I saw the glimmer of a knife and half of the world would always be a mystery to me from that day on.
The Dongola Miso
[Candidate: Raska Mukasa Ongwen]
(Present Day)
The jungle night sang with the songs of its diverse ecosystem. The monkeys serenaded the moon as a light breeze seemed to shake the leaves. Men and children could be heard by their campfires, sharpening machetes, clicking gun chambers, and fixing their different weaponry.
Raska lay on his hard cot staring at the moths flittering in and out of his canvas tent. The sweat ran down his bald head as he clenched his beaded necklaces with closed eyes. A light clicking could be heard in the distance as the fires continued to crackle. If the monkeys didn’t keep you up the bats and insects would. Raska’s arms ran across his face as his leather and rope bracelets scratched him in the process.
The clicking sound began to grow louder as the wind began to pick up. Raska’s eyes opened in terror now realizing what he was hearing. He knew that sound, and he had heard it once before. The clicking grew louder as he heard his fellow soldiers beginning to shout in a panic. Guns began to click as chambers were being loaded. There was electricity in the air, a storm was coming. Large spotlights could be seen as loud machine gun fire began to rain over the once sleepy camp. Raska leapt from his bed almost stepping on several syringes in the process. His many beaded necklaces and bracelets rattled as his hand reached for his AK
sloppily painted in the colors of their paramilitary army, red, black, and blue. He grabbed a sliver cross with an additional baby pacifier on it and slid it over his head. He gave the sign of the cross whispering, “God be with me in my time of battle.” Just before leaving his hut, Raska
noticed the table of Brown-Brown, a burnt spoon, an empty round, a lighter, speckles cocaine, and a dusting of Heroin. Screaming could be heard outside as Raska gave a quick growl and leaned forward taking the final inhale of the Brown-Brown. Brown-Brown contained only two ingredients, cocaine and gunpowder.
Opening his curtains of grass, he saw his youngest soldiers retreating for the safety of the jungle. Raska’s eyes rose to the sky as machine gun fire came from the helicopters flying above.
Ordering his soldiers to fire, he lifted his gun and began to open fire upon the closest enemy.
“There aren’t that many you cowards!” A rocket was shot from another helicopter which took off with a SCREECH! A hut on the far end of his camp exploded into piles and pieces. “You mother…” Raska screamed as his gun couldn’t seem to empty fast enough. His bullets ricochet off the windows merely denting the tough armor of the black helicopter.
A bright spotlight shone down upon him. His magazine clicked empty as he pulled out another as quickly as humanly possible. The whir of the helicopter’s mini-guns rained bullets upon Raska’s youngest recruits, who returned fire uselessly. Another shriek of a missile and another hut exploded into dust. “You cowards,” yelled Raska as he turned his weapon on the running child soldiers. “Desertion,” he yelled as his finger inched on the trigger. The boys had almost made the tree line when lights began to appear in the forest. The white lights of machine guns fired forming like dots in the dark tree line. Raska watched the line and could trace it around half the perimeter. The children fell to the ground some still gripping their own triggers firing blindly into the ground or air. Shots sunk into the Earth sending dirt to spread across one boy. The boy called out for help before his twitching finger released from the weapon.
Raska pulled back the chamber and heard his weapon load. He ran to a sandbag lined foxhole and joined several other children. They huddled on the ground firing wildly at a hovering helicopter. Two of the children reached over and threw a grenade up at the helicopter.
It left their fingers as the mini-gun sang its death song. It seemed nowhere was safe as the children were filled with bullets until they collapsed back on the ground. One grenade flew off course and tumbled backwards before landing into an ammunition dump. The explosion destroyed the last drivable vehicle in the camp.
A soldier no older than ten sat crying into his muddy machine gun. Raska grabbed his arm, “fight you coward!” A loud explosion could be heard as the other grenade had blown out the front windows of the cock pit. The helicopter whirred dangerously as it pulled off to the side.
Raising up from the foxhole another helicopter charged forward and chopped his personal hut down. The fire that had once kept him warm was soon smothered by the collapsing grass roof.
He began to fire again screaming loudly into the night. He heard another loud explosion, which sent a group of his soldiers flying through a mountain of flames and falling to the cold Earth.
Limbs littered the ground as Raska saw to his horror soldiers emerging from the jungle. Their guns were raised as they shot the survivors and killed the children who wept in the remaining huts. They moved in closer as Raska watched one soldier reach their bloody hand up to the oncoming enemy. His voice was near death as he whispered “p-please d-don’t shoot.”
The solider pulled the trigger as the rest of the advancing hoard moved closer towards him. A helicopter now whirred high above him as the bright spotlight fell on him again. He turned around as his army lay broken and defeated. He stood alone as more soldiers exited the jungle and encircled Raska in a circle of death. He watched as the soldiers moved through the huts uninterested in the pleas of the wounded.
A voice came over a loudspeaker on the helicopter, “surrender Raska!” Raska raised his head towards the helicopter. His empty machine gun still clenched tightly in his hands. “Lord’s Resistance never surrenders!” Raska threw his machine gun down and withdrew a pistol from his belt. “Your company has been annihilated, so surrender!” A still crying soldier clenched his gun tightly as his face seemed wet after a rainstorm. “You’re a spineless coward,” the child sobbed harder into his gun. “You don’t deserve to be in this army! You’re unworthy to be in MY company. The 23rd Company is the best and we don’t die cowering like dogs!” Raska gritted his teeth as he grabbed the crying soldier. His arm wrapped around his throat as he pointed the pistol at the child’s head. The army encircled the foxhole as all guns were raised at him. “Let me go, I want to go home! I want my mom!” The child’s whispered plea to Raska was barely audible. The helicopter flew to a grassier location and began its descent. Raska dug the pistol into the child’s temple. Grabbing the child, he spun around yelling “let me go or the child gets it!” The soldiers did not look concerned as the child whimpered into Raska’s arm.
“Raska most of your company is and has always consisted of children. What is one more life lost today?” Raska focused his eyes on the speaker. The oldest soldier with the most medals. The man who had lowered his weapon slowly advancing towards him. “The overall majority of your entire guerilla militia is in fact children.” “We are not a militia! We are an army…a movement!” The soldier had no fear in his eyes as he said, “some would even dare to call your movement a cult.” Raska gripped the child tighter as a slight panic began to press on him. Any man that did not fear him was a man that needed to be calculated. “They are fools…mindless fools who believe my father is the devil. God will forgive me for the blood I spill. So, I can live with it…can you?” “I have been fighting you and your father for many years Raska…now, drop him!” Raska gave one last grip of his young soldier. Slightly disgusted with
this soldier that held a First-Class rank in his company. Raska’s finger inched on the trigger as he knew his father would have discarded him like a paper cup.
The mystery soldier took a step forward, “please Raska, let the child go! He needs to go back to the family you stole him from.” “You automatically assume that I kidnap my children?
They join willingly to fight…to fight for a cause, a purpose!” The soldier took another cautious step forward and over his right breast pocket was stitched a name, Sgt. Monka Nsibabmi.
Monka’s hand now rested close to the pistol held snuggly in his holster. “He only joined because you killed his family…where was he supposed to go?” Raska took a step back and he heard the surrounding machine guns CLICK with tension. “Anywhere…he could have gone anywhere, but he CHOSE to come with us! They ALL chose to come with us! You UPDF’s are all the same!
We are not terrorists! We wish only peace and unity for all of Uganda.”
The night had grown silent as the helicopters rested on the other side of the military camp. “It was foolish of you to return to Uganda Raska. You should have known that you would eventually be caught again.” Monka fell silent as another man approached the group. This man was dressed in a fine black suit and had white hair that mimicked the color of silver. He had a silver mustache under his nose and stood with such a high demeanor that he might have stepped into a used Port-o-potty.
The silver fox gazed around at all the sweating soldiers that surrounded Raska before his eyes landed on him. He looked unimpressed and almost disappointed. “Oh, Raska how you have changed. I’d expected you to have grown a little more since our last encounter,” he said it with disgust. “You are senile old man now let me go!” “Oh, I am terribly sorry Raska, but I must look different without a vehicle on top of me! I still sometimes sit back and can’t believe
this. THIS man before me is the man that has been hitting my diamond mines and convoys. A so-called boogeyman and the man that killed your brother Monka. And haven’t…haven’t you been given the job of tracking Raska’s father down for Uganda too?” “I know who you are Sgt.
Monka! You look different in the pictures I have of you. Now be a good little soldier and let me go or I swear the child gets it! And YOU, I don’t know who you are or what you want but I am not going to be captured by the foreign United…Nations!” He said the last part with a thick sarcasm. The old man stared down at the crying child. “Oh, please at this rate we are going to be here all night.” The suited man unbuttoned his jacket to remove a silver pistol. A gleaming white handle could be seen, “Ivory,” snarled Raska.
The man actually smiled, “why…my, my, my, Mr. Raska Ongwen you surprise me! And after what you did and have been doing, I didn’t think that was possible.” Raska’s arm tightened around the child’s neck, “I won’t say it again let me go!” The silver fox raised his gun quickly,
“enough with the child!” The gun was raised high and then a loud BOOM as Raska felt the child go limp. He watched his last line of defense fall as all guns raised at him. Raska’s hand twitched on his pistol, “don’t be foolish Raska!” Monka gave an arrogant, “no Mr. Rosenberg Raska is not a foolish man! He’s smarter than he appears.” Mr. Rosenberg smiled wildly and gave a delighted, “good that is just the man I need.” Mr. Rosenberg waved his pistol, “bring him inside! I need to have a word with him.” His retort died in the night air, “and what if I refuse? I don’t break bread with the likes of you.” Mr. Rosenberg paused and said “you certainly enjoy the company of my diamonds though. Now, why don’t you sit down with the man behind them.
I daresay few can say they have.”
Monka’s eyes moved from the dead child crumpled on the ground to Raska’s pistol.
“Drop the weapon first Raska…” “And what if I don’t Sergeant?” “You’re not foolish…don’t
make me out to be a liar in front of Mr. Rosenberg now.” Raska gazed down at the seemingly useless pistol and then back up at Monka’s sweating face. He gave one final huff of reluctancy and dropped the pistol. “There you go,” exclaimed Monka and waved him to follow. Raska was brought to the large hut that his men had been using for a makeshift dining area. The only building left somewhat standing. Monka shoved Raska into a chair as he stared down at him.
“Take a seat, you’re going to be here awhile.” Gritting his teeth, “you’re lucky your men are here.” Raska waved towards the armed men who lined the wooded bullet riddled walls of the hut.
Monka pulled up a sagging chair, “and why is that Mr. Ongwen?” Raska leaned forward onto the table and heard guns raise in defense. Fearlessly Raska whispered, “because I would cut off your hands and feed your tongue to the dogs.” Mr. Rosenberg walked through the open door,
“AH HA,” sneered Raska. “Here comes the master now,” Mr. Rosenberg straightened his suit jacket and took a seat in the remaining chair. “You are a very surprising man Mr. Raska. I must admit on our way over here, I thought about our last encounter and your little company…”
“LITTLE COMPANY, we’re part of the Lord’s Resistance ARMY you sniveling little shit! The Lord’s army can never be stopped! My father is Joseph Kony and when he finds out!” Mr.
Rosenberg laughed at Raska’s comment, “Sgt. Monka here tells me that your father barely knows of your existence! Do you know how many kids he has? Your father gave you the 23rd Company out of mere pity and nothing more…look at it…look at what I did with it. I was able to completely wipe out your little army.” He waved his hand to silence Raska’s protest.
“Alright, I apologize your…Company” he sneered. He continued, “look at how fast it was annihilated! The disorganization melts the very mind! However, I do find one piece of your background very interesting… the supposed illegitimate son of Olapa, huh? Must be nice to not
only be the son of Joseph Kony, but to be the illegitimate son of the Goddess of the Moon. That must give you a real power fix, huh? That’s why you do this isn’t it? That’s why you jumped our convoy that day?”
“Apparently my disorganized troops were able to slaughter your convoy. It seems I have made an impression.” “Now, now Mr. Ongwen let’s not get carried away! You only made away with a million of my diamonds in all. Where was that again Monka?” “Burundi,” he said with a sneer of hatred. “And how many men was it? This old memory can’t remember what happened six months let alone a couple years ago!” Mr. Rosenberg turned to Monka who stood glaring at Raska. “Approximately 32 of my soldiers were killed including my brother!” “Am I supposed to remember him or something…” sneered Raska. He leaned back in his chair with an arrogant smile. “You killed my brother you arrogant shit!” “There was only a couple diamond job that I pulled in Burundi and if your brother was at one of them. I technically never laid a finger on him.” Monka began to grit his teeth, “No but YOUR THROWING CLUBS DID!”
Sarcastically wiping Monka’s flicks of spit from his face Raska’s murderous gaze never wavered. Mr. Rosenberg was staring at Raska’s silver cross with an added baby pacifier. “I believe that is your calling card is it not? It is rumored that it belonged to your mother.” “Spare me, I spent your diamonds to help our cause. So, why haven’t you killed me Sgt. Monka? Are you just a coward like your brother?” Monka slammed his fist on the table in an utter rage. “My brother was no coward! I’ll kill you!” Raska didn’t flinch as Monka launched himself across the table. Mr. Rosenberg was able to grab Monka’s shoulder, “easy Monka easy! You were at least thrown from the jeep. I had it fall on top of me!” Turning towards Raska Mr. Rosenberg smiled
“as you can see Sgt. Monka here is out for blood and if it wasn’t for a certain situation. I would put a bullet in your head now and it would not be for just the good of all mankind! It would be
for everything you’ve done, and all that you have taken from me.” “So would I,” added Monka who sat fuming next to Mr. Rosenberg.
Mr. Rosenberg twirled his mustache, “I am afraid that Monka does not feel so strongly about this next offer of mine.” “Offer,” I asked trying to hide my curiosity. "Well, you have three options, and you can choose.” “There should only be ONE option!” “Easy Monka,”
repeated Mr. Rosenberg patting Sgt. Monka’s twitching arm. “You can be shot right here and now, tossed with your child soldiers and left to be discovered by a nomadic herder.” “Ok,” I responded staring at Monka’s piercing stare. “Two, we can turn you into the United Nations and they could hang you for your crimes against humanity. Third, you could take the mystery box.”
“Mystery box, what the hell…” BAM… jumping in his seat Raska saw Monka seething fist clenched on the table. “I want to know how my brother died in Burundi first! Forget your stupid options Rosenberg, I want answers and I am going to get them whether he wants to give them or not!”
(June 1997)
[Harold Rosenberg]
“Mr. Rosenberg the convoy is leaving in five.” I smiled greedily wanting to take a selfish look at the diamonds before I sold them off to the public. A public that would never understand true beauty. A beauty that came with an ultimate curse and at the ultimate price. “Thank you Bob, I can take the month's harvest to the plane myself and save you the trouble of sending it out.” Bob, his General Field Diamond Excavator of Burundi shook his head, “it’s against your own policy sir.” “I MAKE the policy Bob. Oh, if I could promote you any higher, I assure you I would.” Bob laughed, “yeah, I guess so boss, very well! I’ll see that the briefcase is in your jeep
when you leave. Will you come by for the next supply?” Shaking my head, “no, I’m just doing a random checkup that’s all. I won’t be back for a year. If anything changes let my secretary know.”
We had barely made it a mile down the dirt road before my curiosity got the best of me.
“I’ve just got to see this month’s quota. I almost dropped my drink when Bob said that they had exceeded expectations. “Oops, there I went and almost did it again!” My drink jiggled in my hand, “Mac can you please slow down! You’re going to spill my Cognac!” The military jeep rattled, “sorry sir it’s the bumpy road.” “Very well, very well,” I sat down my Cognac and began to open the briefcase. “You shouldn’t open that sir especially not out here.” I smiled gazing at the man dressed in a bright green jungle camouflage sitting next to me. “I know I hired you and your brother for security Monka but you should loosen up! We have a convoy of soldiers at our disposal and we’re still near the mining area. Besides your brother is running this convoy isn’t he…” “Well, Mr. Rosenberg…” “Isn’t he,” I repeated as Monka finally nodded his head. “Yes, he is the best in Burundi.” “You see,” I took the briefcase and opened the lid with a loud SNAP!
In the case were some of the most rugged diamonds I had ever come across. “They will need to be shaven Mr. Rosenberg.” “I know Monka but look at the potential…truly breathtaking.”
The jeep came to a screeching halt as the diamonds rustled in the large security briefcase.
“What’s going on? What’s the meaning of this? Mac we are in the middle of the jungle.” “Sir the truck in front of us has come to a complete stop. The water truck in front of our jeep began to creep slowly forward and then stop again. Hopping on his walkie-talkie Mac gave a boisterous, “Unit 1, Unit 1, what’s the hold up?” Monka began to reach under his seat and pull out a small sub-machine gun. “Sir, I am going to need you to put those down under the seat.”
“Unit 3, Unit 3, I got an unidentified masked figure standing five yards up the road please
advise.” Mac held the walk-talkie tight in his hands as Monka’s brother Deo’s voice came on.
“Unit 1 I’ve dispatched soldiers to your location…” “Unit 3, suspect has made a sign of the cross and now presented a visible weapon!”
I gazed around the water truck to see a turbaned up masked figure beginning to open fire upon the water truck. “Shots fired, shots fired, get down, sir…” Monka was pushing me down in the seat as the soldiers from directly behind us began to surround our position. “Establish a perimeter and Alpha group engage hostel!” Deo seemed to know how to handle his ambushes.
As three soldiers began to make their way to the front of the water truck, gunshots continued to rattle into the dense jungle.
Shell casings began to rain over me as Monka began to fire blindly into the jungle. Mac was reaching under the seat when the window from his jeep shattered under the number of bullets. Mac took several bullets as glass flew over his body. “We’re surrounded!” Deo was screaming over the walkie-talkie. I gazed up over the door and saw children waving machine guns at us firing every bullet at every vehicle wildly. “Grenade,” yelled a soldier as a loud explosion sent dirt to rain from the very sky. It sounded like an action movie as more grenades fell and exploded around me. They were sloppily thrown, and people were screaming in pain.
“Get us out of here! We must get the diamonds out of here!” Monka pushed a dead Mac out his door firing blindly into the forest. “Hold on Mr. Rosenberg,” he yelled as he made his way around the water truck. The jeep scrapped the entire side sending sparks to fly over the door.
“HURRY MONKA,” I felt a panic beginning to rise inside me. We didn’t get far until I saw a child standing underneath a large leafed bush holding a RPG that seemed to weigh him down. I knew that I would have nightmares on the child’s smile before the rocket launcher screeched and
clouded the area around me. I hadn’t even warned Monka as the side of the jeep seemed to have been hit by a charging hippo.
The jeep flipped onto two wheels and then completely over. I gripped the side of the jeep and held on as tightly as I could. Everything seemed to have grown dark as I awoke with the jeep door being ripped open. The light was cloudy as I saw a dark figure reaching into the jeep.
“Mon…Mon…” My voice was weak as my eyes tried to gaze towards the front seat. I saw Monka lying in the dirt. He seemed unconscious but apparently breathing. I felt a large object unhinge from underneath the crushed seat and realized that it was the briefcase. “M-my…diamonds,” I whispered as the man yelled back “not now they are mine or the LRA’s I should say!” My vision began to clear as the man become more distinguishable. It was the black turbaned man that had started the onslaught. I couldn’t tell if anyone was still alive or not.
But I tried desperately to reach for the briefcase as the man snatched it away. “Get off, get off it, you have enough money!” The turbaned man removed his mask and yelled, “you enslave my people here and now their efforts will help to free their enslavement!” I stared up at him as he moved out the crushed jeep door. “Gather the men and let’s get out of here.” “W-Who are you?” The mysterious man turned to my upside-down figure. The seatbelt now seemingly cutting through the lower half of my body, “23rd Company…LRA, you should know us by now Mr. Rosenberg…see you soon and have a good day!”
The man laughed manically as he moved away from the jeep with the briefcase clenched in his hands. I saw tiny pairs of legs move past the jeep and soon the crunching of bushes. The once loud area was now as silent as the grave. I thought my mortality was a sure thing. I laid there for hours feeling my body growing colder and weaker. I wasn’t sure when the security group would come from the diamond mine. Although, I hoped it would be soon. As I laid
underneath the jeep, I knew I would never forget that man until my dying day. The one thing about me is that I never forgot and never forgive a thief.
(One Hour Later)
[Raska Mukasa Ongwen]
The jungle surrounded the 23rd Company as a man was thrown at Raska’s feet. Smoke curled thickly from his cigarette held between his fingers. Raska instantly knew who it was,
“well if it isn’t Deo Nsibabmi…thought you were with the Ministry of Defense? I didn’t expect to find you in Burundi…and escorting a million-dollar diamond transfer.” The man was sweaty as his green uniform seemed to cling to his underfed body. His nose lay flat as he his face displayed the many bruises and cuts from the stocks of my soldier’s automatic weapons. The children circled around Deo as he sat cowering under the many stares of my army. “Raska,” he snarled as his eyes tried to take in the full effect of the situation. “Why have you done this?
Why have you captured me? If my brother finds out he is going to send an entire army to find you.” “I told my soldiers to bring me somebody for a little fun and apparently during the raid my men have stumbled upon you.” Deo wiped his forehead as he gazed around at the children who struggled to hold their heavy automatic weapons. “Men,” he exclaimed trying to hide a smile.
“Rhese are your soldiers? These children drag me into the jungle and bring me to their commander. A man who hasn’t even reached manhood himself!”
“I am 28 years old Deo! You sure do have a lot of balls for a man in your current position!” “Well since you brought me out here, I can assume that you have a purpose. If you wanted to kill me your ‘men’ should have done it during your poorly executed ambush. My brother warned me of you.” “Ah, so you must be brothers with Monka, correct? Yes, that makes
sense, doesn’t it?” “I am and he speaks very highly of you stealing millions in diamonds.”
Raska withdrew his cigarette, “I can assure you that all of those were made by my faith in god…only he helped those diamonds fund our cause.” “So, all your intelligence has been just a stroke of luck?” Raska flung the lit cigarette at Deo and withdrew a black army knife.
“Our crusade is more than militaristic! We have a religious purpose. WE are the chosen people!” “I could yell right now and have my entire squad of PROFESSIONAL soldiers come over the hills and slaughter all of you like the children you are!” Raska gritted his teeth and grabbed the front of Deo’s shirt, “just like your brother, never knew when to shut your wise ass mouth!” “Well go on Raska,” he stared down at the tip of the army knife “cut me!” Raska almost couldn’t help but smile. “You really have a mouth on you, don’t you?” Wagging the knife underneath Deo’s chin “if I didn’t need you.” “What do you need me for?” “Well, I am glad to see that you are listening.” He tapped the blade against Deo’s cheek. “I need you to get EVERY diamond even the ones that we missed and put them in that little old field over the next hill there.” He pointed towards a large hill containing a large patch of trees. “Place them there and walk away…that’s all.”
“Over there,” Deo pointed, “and if I refuse?” Sticking the blade threateningly into his cheek Deo gave off no fear. “Very well, I see your point.” He knelt there as if he was thinking on the matter. “You know that’s a long walk Raska. I have a better idea.” “What position do you think you are in to even make me an offer?” “I don’t know the fact that you are all talk when you want something. My brother told me about you Raska, greed…greed is your downfall.” “All talk…you think I am ALL TALK! Today’s actions don’t speak for themselves?
Deo, Deo, Deo, you can never have enough money, now do it, or die!” “You’re not going to kill me just like that! You know that I am not bringing you all the diamonds that I was put in charge
of protecting.” Raska smirked “Deo just think of me as the African version of Peter Pan.” The knife went straight through his shoulder, and Deo squealed like a pig clenching at Raska’s bloody hand.” “You will bring the rest of the diamonds Deo…” “I’ll see you in hell!” Spitting quickly in Raska’s face, he began to smile. “I am not afraid of death my men will come and…”
“Then I guess I better cut you quickly!” Sliding the knife across his chest Deo let out a scream of pain. Raska reached down and cut both his Achilles tendons. “Squeal for me piggy,” Raska’s eyes were wide with pleasure as he motioned for his child soldiers to retreat into the jungle.
Lowering their weapons, the children scattered into the surrounding trees. “Well, I guess you are going to live after all.” Leaving Deo howling holding his useless ankles Deo yelled out in utter rage. “I…am…going to find you and hunt you down!” “Well, when you’re able to stand again come find me I’ll be…” Raska waved his knife at the thick jungle surroundings.
“Around,” he smirked and followed his fellow soldiers into the thick green vegetation.
The marching of feet ceased as a bleeding Deo lay curled among the black dirt. “HELP,”
he screamed loudly as he clenched his ankles. “HELP ME,” his voice screamed as voices could be heard in the far distance. “I am over here!” He yelled almost glad that it would take his soldiers a minute to find him. The pain was unbearable, but it was something that kept him alive. Trying to block it out was another story. His mind began to race, why would a ruthless killer like Raska allow him to live? Raska didn’t put much time or effort into convincing him to get Rosenberg’s diamonds. After all, his brutality was renowned through Africa. Except for another man rumored to exist in Kenya, Mwai Njenga. He was part of the Kenyan Mafia. To be known for your brutality in Africa was saying something.
“Deo, can you hear me” came from the familiar voice of his youngest Lieutenant, “over here!” Deo’s yell echoed as the Lieutenant gave a loud, “Major Deo is over here!” The bushes separated as the Lieutenants hands were immediately on him. “Oh, Deo who did this to you?”
“Raska,” Deo whispered through gritted teeth. “Where did he go maybe we can still catch him.
He might still be close by!” “Close by,” Deo repeated but his brain began to wrap around those words. “Close by,” he repeated to himself as he felt somebody examining his wounds. “Close by, yes Raska would be close by,” he said slowly to himself. A little THUMP could be heard softly hitting the grass. “Raska is close by!” Deo shouted pushing away the Lieutenant, “GET
OUT OF HERE IT’S A TRAP!”
“Grenade,” yelled one of the men as a large explosion sent several of Deo’s soldiers flying in the air. Machine gun fire erupted from the trees easily suppressing the encircled troops.
The troops fired blindly but the crouching children were able to put five bullets in each soldier.
The soldiers couldn’t lower their weapons in time to adjust their shots to the appropriate height.
All of Deo’s soldiers fell dead as the gunfire came to an abrupt halt. Soon Raska stood over all the corpses. He motioned over the bodies “check for money or anything of value…take their weapons too.” I heard running footsteps in the distance, “more are coming so grab what you can!” The children ransacked the bodies withdrawing money and anything of value. “We need to get a hold of the rest of the diamonds,” said the youngest of Raska’s child soldiers. “I know don’t worry we will get them some other time.” Raska led his children out of the pile of bodies and withdrew from his pocket a different silver cross. The silver cross was wrapped with a baby pacifier similar to the one dangling around his neck. He snarled as he threw the duplicate cross on top of the pile of bodies. “Just one more thing,” Raska reached behind his back and withdrew
a throwing club. “I’ll be sure to give your brother Monka your best,” raising the club he sent it crashing down onto Deo’s head with one loud, CRACK!
(Present Day)
‘Tell me what happened with my brother Deo!” Raska leaned into Monka, “he died like a sniveling coward.” I knew my comment would send Monka over the edge, “I’ll kill you!” He raised his hand, but a wrinkled hand seized him around the wrist. “No, I need him you fool!”
Mr. Rosenberg looked angry, “I need him in top physical form!” “Top physical form,” I repeated. Mr. Rosenberg’s eyes raised, “yes…you will need to be for the job I have planned for you.” “What exactly do you mean?” “Why don’t I explain that on the helicopter after all we have a plane that you need to be on.” “A plane is that part of your mystery box” nodding Mr.
Rosenberg replied, “Yep, we have quite a journey on our hands. I have gotten permission for a snatch and grab. Nobody is going to miss you, care about you, or even know that you are missing.” “Where are you going to be taking me? I thought I had options.” Smiling Mr.
Rosenberg replied simply, “this IS the mystery box my friend. I need to get you to check in my dear boy.” Monka grabbed him, “My dear Monka, he has got to be at the check in…in ten hours from now! My lord how time flies!” “Get your hands off me…get away from me…where are you taking me?”
(November 1984)
“My darling son, wake up...wake up!” I tossed slightly as I felt somebody shaking me.
“Mom,” I said, but her boney finger pressed against her lips. “Shh my sweet, you need to come with me now!” “But mom,” she hushed me again and dressed me quickly. “You must be very quiet Raska very quiet, ok?” I nodded, “mom what’s going....” “Shh,” she repeated. She picked
up a small tan satchel and put it over her shoulder. Taking my hand, she slipped out the hut door and emerged into the small village. It was dark and small fires blazed as the tribe seemed to be sleeping. We moved with stealth making our way through the grass and down a hill. We walked farther into the night until the village disappeared from our view. “My son we need to leave this place,” “but mom I don’t want to go.” “Hush my love, the tribe is no longer safe for you.” Her once kind face was now stricken with terror. Her blue eyes were watery as she ran her hand over my cheek. “Now stay here Raska...stay here, I’m going to go fetch the rest of the supplies.”
She stood up, but I grabbed her arm in protest. “Please mom I don’t want to...” Her finger traced my lips again. “Raska my love the tribe is not safe for you. They have banished you. However, some plan on even killing you. Here take this my son...” Reaching into her faded red dress she pulled out an envelope. “If anything happens to me, I want you to take this letter to your father.” “You said that I…” She grabbed my shoulder and dropped the satchel.
She stared deep into my eyes, “I know that I said you had no father, but you do...you do Raska.
If something were to happen to me go to anywhere in Uganda and ask for Joseph Kony.” “But mom how am I...” She hugged me deeply, “Raska your father is very famous, and somebody will take you to him. Now wait here and I’ll be right back.”
I watched her retreat back to the village and disappear around a hut. Everyone had said that I was special. Everyone called me “Olapa’s gift to the world”. Why did they want to kill me? I clenched the letter tighter and wished that I could read it. There was a slight chill in the air as the letter started to shake in my hand. The minutes seemed to drag on and my mother had not returned. I didn’t know if I should continue to obey her rules. I sat there until out of nowhere a horrible sight fell onto my gaze.
My mother was being dragged by what looked like the entire tribe. She began kicking and screaming, “NO LET ME GO!” I felt a fire burning in me, and I wanted to rush after her. I had no weapons and nothing to help her with. My legs seemed heavy, and I couldn’t move. I watched them drag her away. “RASKA RUN,” my mother screamed into the night. I heard a man yell, “where is he? Where is the cursed child? Banishment is not good enough for Olapa’s bastard!” “RASKA RUN AND SAVE YOURSELF,” her screams were blood curdling. They chilled me down to my soul. “Ngai is punishing us! He must be given back. He has brought doom to us all!” I heard the Laiboni shake his beaded walking stick at her. He pointed to a large pit, “she has brought this famine unto us.” “RASKA RUN,” I heard her screams penetrate my entire body, but I couldn’t move.
“He must be close Laiboni!” “Well, find him Meitami find him and bring him here!” I watched as men began searching the surrounding area. “He must be close Meitami if she is calling to him. He must be given to Ngai or this famine will destroy us all. Ngai is angry...very angry!” I saw the men grabbing torches and continuing to search for me. I watched as they drew nearer to me. I felt tears leaving my face, and my mother pleading for me to leave. I wanted to kill them all. I began to retreat deeper into the grass. Soon, I gave one last look to my mother before turning for good. I heard her screams for miles until I reached the river. I saw in the distance a very faint fire and her cries were no more. I was alone in the world and had nowhere to go. I had only one choice if I wanted to survive. I had to find my father.
(April 1985)
I must have walked hundreds of miles. The days passed in long stretches as I felt the months cling to my weather-beaten body. My mother had been right about my father. He was a
very famous man and many people that I came across knew who he was. The Uganda Police Force or UPF even picked me up once. I easily escaped them and made my way into the city of Kira. A farmer advised me strongly to go back home but eventually told me that my father was there. I made my way into the city and news of my search must have reached him. A man approached me outside of a grocery store and asked, “are you the one in search of Joseph Kony?” I nodded, “yes, he is my father.” The man was puzzled by this but after several minutes of my story took me to him. My father was staying in the back of a local bar.
“Mr. Kony this boy here claims to be your son,” leaning back on his bar stool he removed his cigar. He stared down at me, “SON...another one?” He laid his cigar down in his ashtray and arose from his stool. He towered over me, “what the hell do you have in your hand there boy?”
I forgot that I had been clenching the letter my mom had given me. I raised it up to my father with a shaking hand. “Mo...mo-mom...gave it...t-to...me...t-told me...t-to...give it to y-you.” He snatched it out of my hand with a loud SNAP! “What’s the matter with you boy, you stupid?” I shook my head, “you can talk right?” I nodded my head as he opened the letter with such veracity completely disregarding a picture that fell to the floor.
I watched his eyes travel over the letter as he read every line. When he reached the bottom, his eyes returned to me. “Where is your mother boy?” I lowered my head, “they took her. I-I don’t know where she...” “You can’t be my son!” I bite my lip as his eyes seemed to pierce right through me. He looked mad and wild as if the story had been a fabrication. “My mom said…” “YOUR MOTHER WAS A WHORE!” His shouting seemed to shrink me down several inches. “WASHING HER CLOTHES IN THE DARK AND ALL ALONE! She was practically begging for it when my men and I took care of her.” He stared down at me again and snapped at the guards, “take him away!” “But you’re my father! I’m your son! Please, I need
you to take care of me!” He nodded to the guards, and they released me. “You’re NOT my son boy!” I nodded feeling my eyes growing watery, “and I can easily prove it.”
There was anger in his face and his eyes showed no compassion. The minutes ticked by as he continued to stare at me. WACK... his hand slapped across my face. I toppled to the ground as the guards began to laugh. He picked me up and punched me square in the face. I crumbled to the ground again as he started kicking me. He repeatedly kicked me over and over stomping onto my head. His military boot collided into my stomach. I didn’t think the beating would ever stop until he picked me up. He threw me at the table knocking over several items. I saw a fountain pen fall before me. “You can’t be my son! Where’s the fire? Where’s the ANGER boy?” The guards all laughed and nodded their heads in agreement. “You’re nothing!
Now, why don’t you run back home to your whore of a mother!”
He turned from me as I felt tears falling down my cheeks. I felt my stomach boiling in anger, and a rage that I had never felt before. I grabbed the fountain pen and charged at my father. He turned just in time to see me stab him in the leg. “AHHHH,” he screamed as his protection had been taken completely off guard. He fell backwards and collapsed onto his bar stool. “My mother is not a whore!” The guards rushed forward, and one withdrew a pistol. He pointed it at my head and prepared to fire when my father yelled, “wait, wait, hold up there!”
Pulling the pen out of his leg he tossed it onto the bar floor with a scowl. He marched towards me and grabbed my arm. He pulled me close and stared into my face. His brown eyes gazed into mine, and he seemed to be searching within them. “Well, I guess you are my son.” He released my arm and stared down at me. “What is your name again boy?” I rubbed my stomach as I gave a weak, “Raska.” He rubbed his chin, “Raska what am I going to do with you? Yes, what am I going to do with you?”
The sun was bright in the sky as I polished my AK. I heard yelling in the distance and knew that it was related to me. I wiped the cloth over the wood stock and marveled at its beauty.
I heard the marching of boots as they approached my hut. I knew that I was in trouble. The only question was what was it going to be for this time? I ran the rag over my AK one more time before I saw a figure pass by my makeshift window.
The curtain opened and there stood Vincent Otti the Deputy Leader under my father. He had been put in charge to watch over me. However, he was just as bad as my father. He was a bit smaller than him but much older. His skin was sunken and was a clear example as to how the jungle and war can age you. His brown eyes were wild and wide as he stared down at me. “You little shit, what have you done?” I glared up at him, “I’m afraid that I have no idea what you’re talking about.” He reached down to grab me, but I threw him off. “You know exactly what you have done!” I raised the AK towards him, but he quickly knocked it away from me. Despite his age, the old man still had much fight left in him. He reached towards me, and his hand caught me around the throat. “Get...off...me,” my words were garbled as my hands tried to pull him from my throat. “How many times Raska? How many times have I beat you for your insolence?
How many times have I whipped you in front of all those soldiers out there?” “Fuck...you,” I choked out when his fist sunk deep into my stomach. I fell to my knees coughing loudly. “You have stolen diamonds from Rosenberg and the worst part of it all is you already sold them!” “I...
money...needed…weapons.” “You’re not in charge Raska!” My eyes rose to him, and I saw his foot connect with my stomach, “oh...god.” “You have really done it this time, and I will make sure you pay for it boy!”
Grabbing me by the back of my neck, he dragged me outside and threw me in the middle of our camp. “You want to fight Raska? You want to lead these soldiers? Well, you’re going to have to prove it.” I stood up still clenching my stomach as I watched Vincent snapping his fingers like my father did. He was pointing to several of the older boys. They grabbed any makeshift weapon that they could find. Six soldiers surrounded me, and each had their own weapon. Four had sticks, the largest boy had a machete, and a boy that I had come to know as Dominic was holding an ax. They circled me as the sixty other troops cheered loudly surrounding us all. “Raska I have whipped you time and time again! It clearly has done no good. Maybe this will…get him!”
One soldier charged at me with his stick. It flew past my face, and I caught it with my bare hand. I slammed it back into his face. I kicked another advancing child and twirled behind him. A machete began to dance around me cutting nothing but air. I caught his arm and sunk my fist into his chest several times. I threw him into two other boys as an ax handle came and hit me in the back of the head. I fell to my knees as the numbers were clearly overwhelming to me.
“That’s it Dominic takes his head!” I looked up at Dominic as the sunlight beat down on his back. He stared down at me and then back at Vincent who kept yelling, “do it...take his head boy!” He glared back down at me and astonishingly pulled back. He shook his head, “he has learned his lesson sir.” Vincent pointed his finger at Dominic, “that is not your call boy! Now take his head or I will have yours…and his!” Dominic glanced down one more time at me and then threw the ax to the ground. “YOU...you’re just as insolent as he is! Fine then you both can die... together!” He pointed to a small boy about the age of seven and motioned him towards us.
He carried an AK like mine but much dirtier. “You there I want you to shoot them like the dogs they are!”
The little boy turned to us, and I recognized him quickly. His name was Okot, and he had accompanied me on my mission of stealing the diamonds. The same diamonds that I was being punished for. “Okot don’t do this, you’re on my side remember? You pledged your loyalty to me not him!” Okot bite his lip and returned his gaze back to Vincent who was yelling wildly,
“shoot him boy! Shoot them both, do it...do it now!” I reached my hand up to the boy, “don’t do it Okot just give me the gun. Give it to me and let me take charge. I’ll put you and Dominic at the top...show me your loyalty now.” Reluctantly the little boy bit his lip and handed over the gun. I snatched it just as Vincent unholstered his pistol yelling, “TRAITORS!”
It was moments before shots were fired until a military jeep came around the corner.
Vincent turned to the jeep and then back to me. “We’ll see what your father has to say about all this!” The jeep pulled up, and I watched my father get out with that usual stern like scowl. I had not seen him in several years. He removed himself from the jeep with a growl. He was followed by two other soldiers no older than me. There were three other boys in the back all crying with their hands bound. He removed his shades as he stared at me and then at Vincent. “What is the meaning of this? What is going on here? Why is that boy holding an AK at you like that?”
“Joseph your son robbed a Rosenberg...” “Son,” he said loudly staring at him. “What son, I have no son here with you.” Vincent nodded, “yes, yes you do. He’s right there...you...you told me to...watch over him.” He turned to me, “boy lower your weapon if you know what’s good for you.”
I lowered it and stood up straighter on my feet. “This here is my son?” Vincent nodded as my father approached me. “You...you’re my son? What’s your name boy?” “Raska,” he tapped his shades on his chin for several seconds before he gave a loud, “AH YES Raska! You are the son of Abbo am I correct?” I nodded as he continued to tap his shades on his lips. “I
have many wives and have taken many women to my bed. What was her last name again?”
“Ongwen,” his smile widened, “ah yes, yes, yes, yes, now I remember. I haven’t seen you in years my dear boy. My have you grown from that little boy that was brought to me in that little bar. Now tell me what seems to be the trouble going on here? Why is this happening before me?”
“I want to lead this company,” “LEAD!” My father yelled sarcastically. “You, you’re not ready to lead anything boy! You don’t live for the fight! You still possess fear in your heart.” “I don’t have any fear! I am ready to lead for you. I am ready to be a soldier for God to replace Vincent.” I watched my father shake his head, “you’re not ready.” “I have been ambushing Rosenberg Diamond escorts and using them to further our cause already. If that is not proof enough...just give me a chance. Give me a chance and I will prove that I am ready!” I watched my father straighten his mustache in deep contemplation. “A test...a test...you want a test?” I nodded again as my father gave a simple, “so be it. But first I have to see if you are ready for a test.” “Anything, I’ll do anything!” “I like your spirit boy.” Vincent walked towards him, “Joseph he and a group of soldiers have been attacking Rosenberg’s diamonds. He is splintering this group with his disobedience. Rosenberg’s security force, and the Uganda People’s Defence Force are going to hunt us...” “Silence, they will not find us out here Vincent get ahold of yourself Corporal!”
My father began to yell at the soldiers now sitting on top of his military jeep. He pointed to the brick wall of the school. The three children in the back seat were dragged towards the wall and turned to me. They were young and very malnourished. “You see these pieces of cowardly filth?” I nodded and he continued, “We found two of them trying to run away from this
company. The other one would not follow my orders and refused to fight in a combat situation.
They are all cowards, and they’re to be disposed of immediately.”
I stared around at the soldiers and the tension seemed to be growing thick as the humidity. “This is your test for me?” He shook his head, “no this is to see if you are capable of taking the test.” I stared at the three young boys and then up at my father. “They’re just children you can’t blame them for being scared.” “Blame them for being scared...this is Uganda boy!
Manhood comes at an early age here!” I stared at them again and watched the tears falling down their cheeks.
My father moved closer towards me, “do it boy! You said you would do anything to be a leader. If you really are my son, you would have the stones to do it.” “I am your son! I just...I can’t do that...I can’t...” “COWARD,” my father yelled and slapped me across the face. I fell to the ground as he started kicking and stomping on me. I felt his boot kick my stomach, stomp on my head, and kick me square in the face. I thought the beating would never stop until his soldiers pulled me to my knees. He clicked back his pistol and walked to the first boy... BOOM!
The second boy cried heavily, “please don’t...” BOOM… and boy number three fell to the ground sobbing uncontrollably. “Look at this coward, if you want to die in the dirt,”
BOOM... BOOM... BOOM!
Dropping the magazine from his pistol he picked me up off the ground and marched me over to the jeep. He slammed me against it and snapped his fingers wildly at one of his soldiers.
I couldn’t find my breath as I felt a sharp pain in my lungs. He pulled my face up, “you see this boy? You see this?” He was holding a medium baggy filled with a light brown blackish powder. He scattered it over the jeep. “I’ll give you courage boy! I’ll give it to you.” He
slammed my head down into the powder. He laughed the entire time as he dragged my face back and forth into the powder. “Yes, that’s it boy! That’s it breath it in now...breath it in deep!”
I felt the powder entering my nose and mouth. I coughed several times as my father laughed manically. I could hear the other soldiers laughing too. He pulled me away, “how did the Brown-Brown taste... good?” He threw me to the ground and pointed at me, “now THAT
will give you courage.” I stared up at him and felt a burning sensation running through my body.
My father laughed for several more seconds before I heard him say, “pick him up! That’s it pick him up and tie him to a tree out there. Let’s see if he finds his courage overnight.” I felt arms pulling me up and beginning to drag me away, “you better find your courage tonight boy! I dare say the wildlife here can be awfully frightening.”
(Seven Hours Later)
I felt my eyes open slightly as something cold was dripping down my body. I tried to move my arms, but I couldn’t. They had been tied behind a tree. My father’s orders had been fulfilled. The moon stared down at me as the monkeys crooned to it. The rain trickled down my entire body, and I felt it penetrating deep within my very skin. The drugs that my father had forced into me were wearing off. I felt the rain beginning to pour down harder as the wind began to shake the jungle trees. Lightning cracked the sky and illuminated my surroundings. I wasn’t anywhere near the local village. The soldiers must have dragged me out further than I expected.
I tried to move my legs, but they were also tied together.
I wiggled as hard as I could trying to get free, “come on you bastard!” I tried to shred the rope against the tree as the rain began to pour harder. The cold wind began to penetrate through my wet clothes. I felt a cold chill run down my body and knew that I had to get free as quickly
as I could. I wasn’t going to die out here, no not like this. I struggled with the ropes cursing with every useless movement.
CRACK… a branch had broken somewhere in the distance. “Hello, whose out there?” I couldn’t hear anything outside of the wind howling. However, I felt eyes on me as if something was watching me from the bushes. I gazed around and saw only swaying leaves and pouring rain. I shook my head to clear my face and waited for whatever was lurking in the darkness. “D-Dad...is that you? Dad, please let me go!” I felt the hairs on the back of my neck stand up as the feeling never left me. I felt my body shivering from terror and cold. “Not like this,” I said knowing that anything could be out there in the dark. It was probably a monkey. I nodded my head hearing my mind say, “yeah that’s it just a monkey.” I was about to return to the ropes when I heard another CRACK!
“Whose there, whose out there, come here and let me see you!” I heard a soft growl and knew that whatever was out there in the darkness was not a monkey. “Oh shit,” I whispered as I began to frantically pull on the rope. “Not like this, not like this, I’m not dying like this!” The ropes didn’t budge, and then I watched the bushes beginning to part as a figure emerged from the darkness. A crack of lighting struck the sky. Illuminated in that light stood a creature that I hoped I had hallucinated.
It was a leopard, and the hunger in its eyes was only surpassed by its sheer body size. I was sure death was certain. I watched it gaze around at the surroundings as if the meal presented was a trap. It snarled at me and leaned back preparing to pounce. “FUCK YOU,” I yelled at it.
It licked its lips, and I watched its paws curl into the dirt. “You piece of shit trust me you don’t want to eat me! You don’t want to eat me! You won’t even get halfway through with me before
you choke on me, I swear!” The leopard leaned back further its tail wagged in the air. Its eyes traveled over my body, “come on you mother fucker!”
I locked eyes onto it and gritted my teeth spitting wildly as I did. I growled like a wild animal, “Come on...come on!” The leopard continued to stare and then returned to its normal stance. “Come on fur ball, you’re gunna pick a fight with the wrong beast you hear me?” I growled again and snarled as I pulled on the ropes, “come on, I’m right here! I’m right here!”
The leopard licked its lips one last time and then astonishingly turned away. It retreated into the jungle, and I lost sight of it. I had found my courage.
(March 1993)
Dear Joseph,
You probably don’t remember me, but my name is Abbo Ongwen. If you don’t recall the name, it’s probably because you never asked for it. You and your men met me by Lake Naivasha. You took away my innocence and, in that thievery, you created a child.
This child that stands before you. His name is Raska and he has taken my last name. I would never send my sweet boy to you to be watched over. However, my tribe’s attitude towards him has changed. I never told the tribe about you or how he was conceived. You still haunt my dreams, and that night has left a scar rooted deep into my being. Although out of your horrendous act that you committed came my son. Due to the lack of any husband or man in my life I had committed to a lie to keeping Raska safe. I told the tribe that Raska was the illegitimate son of Olapa, and I was told to carry him. The lie worked and Raska was safe for many years.
You might not know, but there is a terrible famine and drought that has hit our region. It has caused many deaths. In these terrible times people will find something to blame for the cause. Raska was that cause. Our people believed that Ngai found out about Olapa’s secret and us hiding that secret. They believed he was cursed, and I was to be punished with him to appease Ngai. That is why he has come to you for help. If something has happened to me enclosed is a photo of Raska and me. Look upon my face, look upon his face, and see your son standing before you now. You are considered a monster to the world. Please show him compassion for he is innocent in all of this.
Abbo Ongwen
Sitting on the edge of my cot, I felt a tear escaping my eye. I wiped it away quickly as I returned my gaze to the picture held in my hand. My mother’s smiling face with her arms wrapped around my young body. We were happy and the Polaroid didn’t seem able to catch that. I never knew my father, but when she revealed his identity. I wished I was never born.
The unwanted love that he forced onto her resulted in her having me. She lied to her entire way of life to protect me. However, lies end up catching up to you and as a result I was banished. I didn’t know whether she was still alive or dead.
Th e moon was still in its waxing phase. I quickly returned the letter and picture to my pocket. My father laid down next to me as we sat outside of the village of Dimuk. It was one of the only times that my father and I had spent time with each other. The small village sat quiet as several families gathered around their fires. “Father what’re we...” but his finger ran to his lips. I turned back to the scene clenching my AK and waiting for his command. His brown eyes scanned over the tall grass as we waited in anticipation.
“The soldiers are all in place and waiting for the sign. Now listen to me and listen well Raska, over the last months you have shown great potential. Your fellow soldiers have great admiration and respect for you. I am very close to making you the commander of the 23rd Company. You told me years ago that you wanted a test. Well, this here is your test, if you do this, I will remove Vincent from command and put you in charge.” I nodded my agreement as my father gave that devilish smile, he was famous for. He parted the tall grass and motioned towards a large hut. “In that hut over there lies those two snakes in the grass.” “What do you mean,” my father gazed around the quiet village and then leaned into me. “Bobi and his wife Angella have been helping our soldiers escape. The have also been housing UPDF troops and giving away our locations to them. That whole village needs to be wiped from Africa if we are to continue the fight. They are spineless cowards and traitors to a unified Uganda.”
My father pointed to the hut again. “This is your test. You fill up the ranks and then you’ll lead them. I need you to punish those that have tried to destroy us...especially those two cowards there.” He pointed at the hut one more time. “Now, are you ready?” I gave a reluctant nod and reached into my pocket. I pulled out a little plastic bag filled with my powdered courage. My father seemed to notice and gave a sarcastic, “ah, I see someone needs a little courage.” I opened the baggy and inhaled deeply from it. I felt my eyes roll into the back of my head slightly as seconds seem to crawl by before I returned to my father.
I was about to stand up, “no, no Raska don’t use that AK. We want to make a statement.”
Snapping his fingers to a soldier next to him, I saw a weapon part the grass towards me. It was a sawed-off double barrel shotgun. “But I don’t have any...” I didn’t have time to finish my sentence when a box of shells was laid next to me. “Put them in your pocket,” I snapped back the barrel making sure it was loaded before I started to load my pockets. “The soldiers are all
ready and are ordered to follow you.” I froze, “you mean you’re not coming with?” He gave that devilish smile again. “I want you to have all the fun this time.” I smiled back, “don’t worry, I’ll make you proud. I’ll make sure that they know not to mess with the LRA.” I was about to get up when my father grabbed my arm and handed me something. “Use this on those snakes,” it was a small squirt bottle. I unscrewed the cap and sniffed it. I almost dropped it as I wretched slightly screwing the top back on it. “What the hell is it?” “It is a mixture of lion piss and buffalo blood.” I placed it in my pocket, “what am I supposed to do with it?” His smile became wider, “make it wicked.”
I gripped the shotgun and gave out a whispered bird call. I made the sign of the cross as I watched little heads pop up from the grass. I began to wave them towards the village. We slinked towards the huts under the moonlight. I waved the soldiers to my right motioning them towards the furthest huts. I waved my arm motioning the soldiers on my left to the other set of huts. I moved into the large hut just as the screams started to penetrate the sleepy village. Dogs were barking but quickly silenced. The campfire light danced over the small village as people were being shot in their beds. I was already in the hut staring down at the couple still lying in their bed. I pointed to them, “you two get out here now!” Bobi was a skinny man with long dreaded black hair, and his wife had the body of a buffalo with long hair like the grass. Bobi held up his hands, “alright man, alright just relax, ok?” “Get the fuck out here now!”
I walked them out of their hut as my soldiers were gathering all the children around the largest of the huts. I saw several men and women kneeling as soldiers surrounded them. It was pure chaos and the screams of the terrified woman seemed to blaze the fire within me. I grabbed one of the soldiers on the shoulder, “grab a couple men and tie them up...BOTH of them!” The soldier obeyed as another soldier walked up to me. “Sir, what do you want to do with the
children?” I turned and saw about twenty children ranging in age from 5 to 14. I stared at them as the girls were comforting some of the little ones in their arms. Most were crying as they waited for me to speak. I gave a reassuring smile and widened my arms with a jovially,
“congratulations you all have been given the chance to join our noble cause! I want to welcome you all to your new family. First, a test of your loyalty should be given, yes? Dominic hand me your pistol and chamber only one round.” I brought over one of the women on her knees. She was an older woman with a turban wrapped around her head. I pulled up a little boy that was no older than six. “Give him the pistol Dominic…put it in his hand!”
I turned to the group, “the old life must be washed away. Your old life of cowardice and disorder must be cleansed.” My eyes lowered to the boy, “kill her.” The little boy gazed up at me tears in his eyes. “Shoot her or we will kill her…and you.” The little boy shook his head,
“I...I...I.” “I will not say it again. If you can’t kill her then you’re no use to us or the future of Uganda.” The little boy’s hands trembled as he stared at the woman. “P-Please don’t do this,” I smacked the woman across the face, “shut up!” I pulled her back up and furiously spat in her face, “if you cared about your pathetic life then you wouldn’t have been harboring UPDF
soldiers now, right?” I let her go and returned to the boy who stood trembling, “no?” The boy replied to me by shaking his head, “very well!” BANG… BANG… I dropped both of them spilling their insides over the ground. The children screamed, but my soldiers kept them in line.
I removed the shells and inserted new ones. I felt a tap on my shoulder, “sir they’re ready.” I nodded, “Dominic please continue, when your finished take the recruits back to camp.
Rosenberg has a shipment tomorrow, and I want to make sure we’re prepared.” I began to walk away when I saw a fourteen-year-old clenching what appeared to be her baby brother. She had
beads in her braided black hair and wore a long red dress. “Dominic have the soldiers take her to a hut. I would like to get to know that one better.”
I began to walk away as the girl began to plead with me. “Please, no let me go! Let me go, you can’t do this!” I walked towards Bobi and Angella when a hand outstretched to me. It was one of the kneeling men. “Please sir, she is my daughter you don’t have to do this!”
BANG… I shot him blowing his body back several feet. A woman leapt on top of him and began to cry. Ignoring her I made my way to the tied-up Bobi and Angella. I took out the squirt bottle my father gave me, “please, please you don’t have to kill us. We haven’t done anything wrong!
Please spare my wife take me instead.” “You have done plenty wrong...the BOTH of you interfering in LRA business Bobi.”
I began to squirt the mixture onto both of them. “Oh god please, what are you doing?” I smiled down at them and threw the bottle away. “You’ll find out soon enough.” Angella was crying in the dirt, “please, please let my wife go! Please God help us, please help us!” I turned back smiling as wide as my father had done. “God isn’t going to help you! He’s on our side.
We are HIS soldiers!” I walked away commanding the soldiers “burn the village and take those children with us! We’ll make soldiers out of them all! Now, where did you put that little slut?”
(September 1997)
My mother’s face had haunted my dreams for years. She was all I thought about. Soon her letter and picture were not enough for me anymore. I needed to know what happened to her.
I needed to know if she was still out there. I had not seen my father since the night that I had taken command. I didn’t expect to see him anytime soon. My company kept Rosenberg Diamond’s flooding to him, and I never heard a word. I figured that his silence was a good
thing. I left Dominic in charge and decided to go to the only place I knew my mother could be. I would be returning home back to the Maasai village.
It took me a week to locate my former tribe. I sat outside the makeshift village all afternoon and waited until the dead of night to sneak into it. There were a couple Maasai warriors patrolling the wide village. I made my way around the huts trying to peer inside. My clunky double barrel shotgun gripped tightly in my hand as I parted the curtained grass doors. I heard snoring in several and muttering in others. After a few more times around the village, I decided that she wasn’t here. I felt my heart sink slightly and knew there wasn’t time for that feeling now. I made my way around another hut and stumbled upon a small fire. A woman sat by it and stared right at me. I felt my stomach drop as I knew I had been caught. We stared at each for several seconds. She didn’t call out for help, nor did she even seem to know that I was a stranger in the camp.
Her face was disfigured, and she rubbed her arms rocking on her log seat. I stared at her deeper and saw a stunning pair blue eyes. There was a sort of comfort in them and against all my senses I approached her. I crept closer, and her face became more visible. I furrowed my eyes and stared harder as I felt my heart drop to my stomach, “m-mo...mother?” She stared at me as I moved closer, “mom is that you?” She began to wave her arms at me and fell off her seat. She didn’t seem capable of speaking only able to make some sort of grunting. “Mom, no, no, it’s me its Raska!” She pointed wildly and started grunting again as she scurried away. I reached out and grabbed her arms. She thrashed against me trying to scream. She wrestled in my arms as I lay on the ground holding her. Finally, she calmed down and stared up at me. Her face and arms had large burns over them. The side of her face seemed smashed in as if she had taken a horrible beating.
I sat there holding her in my arms as she stared up at me. It had been a long time since I had cried. I felt the tears pouring down my cheeks. My hand stroked her chin, “mom what have they done to you?” She just laid there staring up at me. “It’s me Raska, do you remember me?”
She pointed at me and mouthed the word, Raska. I nodded, “yeah mom Raska, you remember me? I’m your son.” She pointed to her chest and mouthed the word, Olapa. I saw that her tongue was missing and most of her teeth too. I felt more tears falling as she pointed to herself again mouthing the word Olapa. She gave a pathetic little laugh as she turned to the fire. “P-please mom,” is all I could muster. I watched her wave her hand in the air like an infant playing with butterflies.
I realized why she had not come for me. I hugged her crying over her mental break as she patted me on the back. She mouthed the word Olapa and pointed to herself again. “Mom you were my Olapa.” She clapped her hands infant like and again her attention was distracted.
“I can’t leave you like this.” She smiled up at me and pointed to the moon. I nodded and she pointed to herself again. “I’m sorry mom.” I knew what I needed to do. I wished at that moment that she had died that night. “Forgive me mom,” I held my hand over her mouth. Her eyes stared up at me, “I love you mom.” I clenched her nose as I began to weep like a baby. She struggled in my arms as I held her close to me. Her nails dug into my back as she fought for her life. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” is all I could say. I felt her struggling beginning to slow, and then she fell limp in my arms. I cried over her lifeless body as the fire crackled in the background. I slowly removed her beaded necklaces and the large silver cross from around her neck. I placed them all around my neck realizing the cross was from the missionaries. They literally were like a plague onto our country.
“Who are you, what’re you doing here?” I heard a voice from behind me. I got up and turned around seeing a young Maasai warrior. “What are you doing to that crazy woman? Who are you?” He gripped his spear as I clenched my shotgun. “You don’t remember me? I am the illegitimate son of Olapa.” The warrior took a step back as he stared at me silhouetted with the fire behind me. My eyes reflected the fury inside me, and I slowly made the sign of the cross.
“Dongola Miso, Dongola Miso, Boogeyman, Boogeyman,” he began to yell as he stepped back again. “I am the Boogeyman and I’m here for your children...ALL OF THEM,” BANG!
Locked and Caged
[Chris Wentworth]
My eyes opened sleepily as voices could be heard dully in my head. They were spoken as if they were across an ocean. Swinging lights blurred in front of me as the scenery passed with such a haste. I thought my life was flashing forward. A cloud seemed to hang around my eyes as the lights seemed foreign to me. I must have been drugged because I felt groggy and very woozy too. My muscles ached with stiffness. My fingers began to twitch like a spider waking from hibernation. “We need to get him on the plane now. The Candidates must check in officially no less than four hours from now!” A soft voice spoke as I finally started to gain a little bit of my surroundings. I tried to move my arms but felt them strapped across my chest. I tried to move any part of my body but when I looked down, I realized that I was in a straitjacket.
The dolly I was on was made of a strong metal as black leather straps were strapped around my body. “Where am I,” that soft voice gave a quick “he’s waking up! We need to get him to the cage stat! I repeat the sedative is wearing off faster than predicted.” I felt the dolly crash through a pair of double doors as the air suddenly got colder. A large engine could be heard in the distance as a man yelled “thank god I thought you guys weren’t going to make it!”
“What the hell is this,” exclaimed the man wheeling me out. They pulled me upright as I looked around to discover that I was in an airplane hangar. It was larger than a mansion with a large 747 airplane in it. The airplane ramp was opened to reveal ten security cages, five on each side and a projector screen behind them all. The man’s face sagged resembling Droopy Dog.
Each wrinkle seemed to be etched with tiredness and every word seemed to come out in a whisper. “This…this is the boy? This is the son of Tammie Jo? What could he have possibly done since he was nine years old? My god, you have him locked up like Hannibal Lector! What could he possibly do to me?” I heard a voice from behind me, “don’t let his innocence fool you,
Conrad! He is smarter than probably all of us put together including every Candidate combined.
He was going to get a full scholarship to…well, it’s all in the file.” I saw the squat man throw his bony finger at the man. “Well, it’s too late now! Anyway, he needs to be checked in today…put him in his cage and lock him up good! I am going to submit the paperwork to the Gatherers for the Gamer Guide. The other Candidates are just arriving.” The man came closer to me his eyes narrowed as he leaned in to examine my face. “Why does he have a protective mask on?” A voice from behind me yelled, “he is a spitter!” His face moved closer, “my name is Conrad F. Mansbridge…can I automatically assume that you know who I am? You may remember me from very early in your life. In fact, you might know me more than any man in this hanger huh? I must admit that I expected a little more out of you.”
I stared up at him as I never gave him the satisfaction of my wisdom. He pulled away from me and I was happy to see a look of disappointment. I knew him and his wretched body.
The image of him and my mother hooking up and me as nothing more than a fly on the wall. I wanted to leap out of this straitjacket and strangle him until his life slipped before me. He waved his hand as I was wheeled towards the plane. I heard a thick clipboard hit Conrad’s hand with a loud SMACK! The men wheeled me over to a cage and transferred me over. “Alright Conrad, I need you to sign here and fill out this sheet. The application for your Candidate is due after medical and background testing has been conducted.” Before I was transferred over to the cage, I noticed a number 1 and a weird symbol. It was the All-Seeing Eye and in the middle of the iris sat a razor toothed demonic skull. They sat me down in a metal seat and strapped me across it.
Although, they did do me the courtesy of removing the Hannibal Lector mask. But when they did, I gave them a quick “you stupid pig where are you taking me? I should be back in confinement!” I gave a quick launch of spit which the guard was ready for. His hand had taken the blunt of it, “knew that was coming. For somebody nicknamed ‘The Mind’ you are one predictable mother…” He slammed the cage door shut locking me in. They walked away leaving me helpless with no way to escape. “Real knowledge is to know the extent of one’s
ignorance!” The guard left shaking his head in mockery. What was the point of fighting?
Something was going on and I had to play the cards that I had been dealt. Seems like that has all I have ever done in my life. I would just drop two cards and pick up two different ones. The only thing I could do was figure out as much as I could and be prepared for whatever lay ahead.
I watched them drag in a pale woman with long red curly hair, freckles covering her face as she appeared to be drugged. It had been a while since I had seen a woman, a real woman.
Her figure was a little slender for my taste. They strapped her down in the opposite chair and made sure she was good and tight. The guards returned with a second victim, dark skinned with a bald head. He had many hemp and leather bracelets, beaded necklaces, a large silver cross with a pacifier, and even a couple necklaces made from dried noodles. His eyes were wild with rage as he was yelling loudly, “Let me go, let me go!” He was fighting with the three men that were trying to imprison him in the steel cage. “Where’s Rosenberg, tell Rosenberg I’m going to kill him! You can’t kidnap me! People will know I’m missing! My father will have your heads!” They slammed him down on the metal security chair. “Let me go…I’ll kill you all!
COWARDS, tell Rosenberg that when I get out the only mystery box, he is going to get is the one that is going to blow him to pieces!” He continued screaming at the top of his lungs as he was chained down to his seat. “Too scared to fight me like men are you, nothing but spineless western cowards!”
The three guards retreated, “Tell Rosenberg that I’m going to cut off his hands and cut out his treacherous tongue, LRA will never go away!” One of the guards yelled out, “yeah, yeah but Mr. Rosenberg didn’t turn you over to the United Nations. You should be thanking him.”
They walked away, “well then where am I going? Hey, don’t turn your back to me, where am I going?” The guards continued to walk away, “hey where are you…” “They won’t answer you.”
The mystery man glared at me and gave a growl more like an order. “Well then you tell me white boy where we are going huh?” I shrugged, “but it ain’t going to be Manhattan.” “M-man, what…” I shook my head, “never mind.” I hated explaining myself to idiots, “What’s your
name?” “What’s YOUR name white boy?” He snapped at me as he began to tug at his straps. I smiled watching him struggle. Look at that idiot wrestling with his straps like an animal would wrestle with peeling a banana. “HEY white fish in my country when I ask a question it is answered!” “Well, we aren’t in YOUR country! So how about if you help me out and we can both get out of this mess!” The man dropped his task with the straps as he stared at me. “And how is my name going to help you? Now if you have a key in there that would be useful!” I stared at him as he gave a defeated “Raska, Raska Ongwen.” “As in the Raska Ongwen from the Lord’s Resistance Army?” “What about it,” he snapped. “You mean the Dongola Miso? One of the sons of Joseph Kony? The Raska that holds position twenty-three on the UN’s Most Wanted list?” He shrugged “I don’t know! I don’t really care for western news or news that is not relevant to the fight.” I nodded, “I quite understand. I have always had a problem with the mass media too.”
I watched them walk in a small Chinese man. He had a goatee surrounding his mouth as his short black hair sat as thin as silk on his head. No struggling or fighting, he obeyed the guards like a dog obeying his master. He didn’t look muscular, and his scrawny body was held by only one of the two guards. They brought him to another empty cage and began to strap him down. “So, who are you then white boy? Who is the girl there?” “NO TALKING,” yelled one of the guards. “And what are you going to do? I dare you to come in here! I’d love it if you came in, oh please do!” The guards ignored Raska as they closed the cage to the silent man and left again. The Chinese man sat still as a tree and stared out the fenced cage. He sat like a dog would sit waiting for his master’s command.
“My name is Christopher Wentworth, but people just call me ‘The Mind’.” Raska began to laugh, “‘The Mind’, HA HA…‘The Mind’!” I glowered down at him, “I am an Elder with DMI!” Raska continued to laugh before he replied, “college boy this right here is for the big dogs! So let me know when you get your nuts back!” “It stands for Dead Man Inc. you insignificant little shit! I’d put your fucking mind in the cellar where it can rot alongside your
pathetic little army of children!” I turned from him, “and who is the dumb ass? I have an IQ of 186 and that was my lowest score! I got a perfect score on my ACT AND my SAT! You stupid bitch could you even find your dick?” “Who you calling a bitch? I should come over there and TURN you into my bitch! I have no idea what the ACT and the SAT are, and I don’t really give a…” I gave him a sarcastic “REALLY, I never would have guessed!” “Alright,” he snapped
“where do you think we are college boy? If you think you’re so smart, what do you think is going on?” I shook my head “I don’t know but they’re coming back.”
“Unhand me,” came a panicked man’s voice as he began to wrestle with his captures. He had a brown handlebar mustache, broad shoulders, and had four large gruesome scars lining across his face. “LEFU,” he cried at the top of his lungs. “I swear if you hurt her, if you hurt one hair on her…LEFU!” The guards looked as if they were trying to subdue a raging bull.
“LEFU,” the man yelled again as they tried to chain him down to the chair. “I swear if I don’t see my dog unharmed then Lord Otto will need all the protection he can afford!” The handcuffs clicked as the guards backed out and shut the cage door, “give me her you lousy…” “Man will you shut up!” Raska’s frustrated comment was met with a “who exactly are you?” “Annoyed by your constant yelling, which by the way I find extremely useful given the current situation!” The new man gave a glowering look as he turned to the ramp. “Tell Lord Otto that if I don’t see Lefu soon I am going to spend my entire life tracking and hunting him down!” The man growled as I asked, “so who are you?” The man began to tug at his straps but finally realized defeat.
“Name is Jacob…what is going on? Who are you people?” I stared back as Raska had begun to tug at his straps again, “how did you get here?” Jacob stared at me as he seemed to dwell on the subject. “I was at a client’s chateau and was offered a cup of tea. I must’ve gotten drugged. All I remember is being dragged on a private jet until I was slapped into cuffs and brought here, which I don’t understand.” He turned back to the door, “LEFU,” he screamed again as Raska gave a mocking “Lefu…Lefu, you’re acting like a fool!” Ignoring his comment, I dwelled on my thoughts. “Hey buddy… hey Chinese guy you gunna sit there the entire time in
silence. Fine…Raska how did you get here?” Slamming against his straps as Raska appeared frustrated. “This guy Rosenberg…” “You mean Rosenberg Diamonds, Rosenberg?” Raska nodded and continued, “took out my entire company, captured me, placed me in cuffs, several hours later…walla!”
“Don’t you steal diamonds from Rosenberg, you know to fund your rebellion?”
“REBELLION,” Raska yelled. Sweat began to form on his greasy face and bald head as he looked murderous. “LRA is no little rebellion! Our war has the blessing from God himself!”
“Yeah, yeah but you do, right?” “So, what if I do…what business is it of yours?” Raska tried to stand as he looked at me with murder in his eyes. “You know white boy in Uganda questions are never asked! So why don’t you bite your tongue before I tear it out!” “LEFU,” cried Jacob louder than ever. “Will you shut the fuck up? Do you expect whatever a Lefu is to respond back…Jacob, Jacob…OOOO, BLECK!” I began to laugh at his sarcasm, “And what’re you laughing at white fish?” I shook my head, “for being such an idiot you entertain me…I’ll do my best to look after you.” “I ain’t your bitch white boy! This ain’t prison. This is the big time not the big house. If anybody is going to need protection, it’s going to be you…from me.” I laughed again as Jacob gave a quick, “better watch out mates they are bringing somebody else aboard.”
Sure enough, the two guards were bringing somebody else onto the plane. This one was sedated. As they carried in a dark-skinned man except, he was very tall, had black hair tied into small points with many small braids, and looked like a man who had done his share of work in the past. The guards chained him down to the sit and then slid the gate closed. They exited down the ramp as I stared at the man dozing softly. His head rested against the metal cage. “So, who brought you here white boy,” asked Raska. I tried to ignore the question as I stared at the new occupant and then back at the sedated woman. But I heard Raska about to ask me again, “I don’t know but my guess is a man named Conrad Mansbridge has something to do with it.”
Raska shrugged as Chris answered his confusion, “He runs prisons in different states, Maryland for one. He and my mom had a thing.” “How do you not know everything I thought you were
‘The Mind’,” this caught my attention. I turned to him. “I was in prison! You think I can just get my hands on anything! I’m locked up 23 hours of the day and I don’t read mainstream newspapers or watch television. Who are you to talk to me like that? I was taken by force you went willingly!” “They offered me a mystery box and had a gun in my back the entire plane ride!” “You’re that stupid Raska that you let them take you. I don’t know what happened, but I assure you I would rather die than think they had a hand over me! I am a God to this world, a true blessing that people have deemed a curse! You…you’re nothing more than a stain on my shirt.” I watched Raska launch at the cage door. His face smashed against it as his teeth were barred like a wolf. “I am the most dangerous man in Uganda and if I ever get loose from this cell, I’m going to kill you. You better watch yourself white boy!” “I’ll keep that in mind…hey Chinese boy! HEY, I’M TALKING TO YOU!”
I gave up and turned to Jacob, “Hey, Jacob?” He turned to me “who are you? Do you have anything to contribute to this like names?” “Names,” he repeated looking confused. “Who brought you here? How’d you get here?” Jacob turned from me and stared out into the large airplane hangar. “I told you already, but now that you mention it, I don’t know any of you.” I pointed to Raska, “that’s Raska, LRA member…” “I SPEAK FOR MYSELF WHITE FISH! I don’t remember putting you in charge!” I ignored him as I continued “I’m Chris Wentworth an Elder in DMI.” I heard Raska grumble “little shit didn’t even add my rank or title but no you have to add yours.” “Will you shut up Raska…and that guy over there won’t say or do anything.
He just keeps…sitting…there, doing nothing.” Raska bared his teeth again and yelled “who do you think you’re talking too? This isn’t prison anymore! They are going to let us out sometime and when they do…I’m going to skin you!”
Jacob gave a shrug, “I don’t know what DMI is boy… and why are you asking such frivolous questions? Because all I can tell you is that I was brought here by a man named…” I whispered “Lord Otto? You shouted it in your ranting. I ask because I want to know.
Knowledge is power my friend they should have taught you that in elementary school. I want to
know because I am…I mean WE are being played. I AM the chess master…never the pawn and any information can help. If you don’t have any information or wish to contribute, I can guess, which mostly ends up correct anyway.” He turned back to me as I turned away smugly knowing that I had caught his attention. “I am guessing by your rants that Lefu is something precious to you, definitely not a woman.” Raska gave a small laugh. “I believe Raska was on the right path before. It’s probably an animal most likely a dog. Judging by your ruggedness and safari like ensemble you don’t look like a man to want to keep human companionship.” Jacob stared deeply at me as I continued, “oh it probably might be a major reason to keep the beast now, but your animal’s original purpose was protection.” “You know nothing about me or Lefu!” I smiled wider as I continued, “by your reaction I would guess that I am on the right track. So, if you need protection, it must mean you go to dangerous places, correct?” Jacob snarled “my god just get on with it dear boy!” “A hunter,” he turned as I added, “given the current backgrounds of us I would say that you weren’t a normal type of hunter…a poacher?” He turned back to me,
“I don’t have to answer your questions now leave me alone boy!”
Jacob turned back to the ramp as more footsteps could be heard. A new person was screaming as she thrashed in the arms of a large guard. She had golden blonde hair and was strikingly beautiful. She made the red headed woman seem less breathtaking. As I watched the rage in her face she screamed, “VOU astard Yoseph! I should’ve ade zure vou vere ed da phirst dime vou zmall icked astard!” She sounded Russian as another guard came to try and grapple with her. “Why is the sedative wearing off on the Candidates?” The woman began to claw over the guards as they threw her in the metal chair and were able to wrangle the straps on her. The guard began to inspect his shredded uniform, “God damn it, why weren’t you sedated more?” I watched the woman’s face contort in a murderous stare. “Vou vouldn’t ven dare jet ear e!” The guard laughed as he walked away, “lady I could knock all your bones out your body with a slap of the hand. However, in less than a day you won’t remember any of this or any of the other Candidates here. So, sit back and enjoy the ride.” “Vat ide…vere I’m going? I due ack en
courd in a kouple dayz! Eple vill know I mizzing. Huesos…I alking don’t valk avay rom… Idi na xuy husesos!” The guard was long gone as she screamed, “don’t vou know vhose I am? I’z ze Black Vidow!”
Laughing as I heard her gutter mouth sling Russian insults at the guards. I nearly felt my heart skip a bit. I blurted out “HOLY SHIT!” My laughing had now turned to disbelief at the current “newspaper” cover girl. “You’re the Black Widow?” She turned to me as her cherry lips seemed to pout as she snarled, “Vat of et?” I shook my head, “The Russian Black Widow…I read about you in the papers.” “Whoa, I thought you don’t read papers white fish?” I turned to Raska and snapped, “if it comes my way, I catch it! True knowledge is the information you possess.” “What the hell does that mean,” growled Raska as I turned back to the woman.
“You’re Nicole Romanov?”
I lowered my head in confusion “this, this all doesn’t make sense, any of it!” More footsteps could be heard as she snarled, “IZ Nikki Que Ball…let e out!” Two different guards were carrying in another sedated person. This man had on a blue jumpsuit as they hoisted him into the seat and shackled him in. I read on his uniform, California Department of Corrections.
He had slicked back blonde hair as his face stood out like a vulture. He had smugness plastered on his face that could only be recognized with the snidest of people. “What does his name read,”
I asked Jacob who stared out the cage not even remotely interested in anything going on. It almost seemed as if he had given up, lost without his companion. “Jacob,” I shot at him.
However, he still didn’t budge. “Raska tell me if there is a name there, will you?” Raska gave me an angry, “FUCK you white boy!” I heard footsteps coming up the ramp again and they were now escorting a calm man with a blue sack over his face.
I watched in surprise as the prisoner willingly walked into his cell and almost helped the guards lock him into the seat. They slid the gate closed as the man just sat there, “hello?” The man didn’t move as I repeated “hello?” After a couple seconds, “what the hell is your problem I
know you’re awake. Oh, great they caged up another talker…very helpful!” He turned to seemingly look directly at me. “Hey, what are you deaf? HEY!” I sat there frustrated and speechless as I watch the guards bring in another man. He was sedated and dragged into the cage. He was an average dark-skinned man with shoulder length dreadlocks of different colors mostly red and blue. He was sweaty with large string like bumps on his face and seemed to have a permanent sick look to him. The cage door closed as the guard walked away one bellowed
“CABIN IS FULL. All candidates are loaded, checked, and counted and ready to be taken to check in.”
I stared around at the other nine members six awake and three asleep. “Nikki,” I turned to the attractive woman, “how’d you get here?” She looked surprised, “vat vou ean ow I git dere? Iz don’t ev’n know vou eople.” “Look who brought you here,” she tried to run her hand over her face, “vat…mi x-usband, Yoseph…vhy?” “Don’t you see,” the rear ramp of the plane began to close as the engines began to rumble to life. The noise was almost unbearable as Chris screamed, “we are all connected!” “VAT,” she screamed as the ramp door closed. “We all have a purpose, a purpose for being here!” The plane began to move as I continued “we are here for a reason.”
A voice bellowed from behind me, “INDEED you are right Mr. Wentworth!” I turned to see a bright light burst from the opposite end of the plane. It shone on the projector screen on the opposite wall. The man that I had seen upon my entrance of the hanger sat talking to us on the projected screen. “I am becoming very pleased with how you have grown Chris. Unfortunately, I cannot answer any questions at this moment. It would break the rules.” “Who the hell is that?”
Raska shouted as the man said, “Hello Candidates and welcome to Paris. I would like to welcome you all to check in on this glorious Oct. 24th morning. My name is Conrad, and I am here to tell you that you all have been selected for a very special competition.” “Competition,”
repeated some of us. “I cannot tell you anymore until you have been officially weighed in later today, had your background checked, submitted to a medical examination, and due to some pre-
existing conditions medical enhancement to ensure eligibility. However, I can tell you all to sit back and relax. You’re going to be on this flight for quite some time.” He reached over and was about to push a button when he said, “I must also tell you that escape is meaningless. Your security and safe arrival on this flight is our main priority. I would spend the next hours finding some religion and come to peace with whatever god you worship. After all, in a couple minutes you all will not remember any of this…release the gas!” “Screw you,” yelled Raska as Conrad disappeared off the large projection screen.
The projector shut off as the plane began to pick up speed. A soft whooshing sound came from the vents within the plane cargo hold. I gazed around and whispered loudly, “gas!” “Ve’re aking off” Nikki said trying to remain calm. The plane roared louder as I felt the ground leave us. “Hey Mind, if you’re so smart how about getting us out!” I smiled at Raska, “I like your enthusiasm but I’m afraid they searched me really well.” Raska wriggled in his straps, “I know somebody owes me a dinner!” He wiped his nose on his shirt as he asked, “so what should we do?” I leaned back in the metal seat as I stared at all nine occupants. “YO, I’m talking to you!
We’re going to start breathing in this gas soon! I…can’t…break…these…straps, do you have a plan?”
“I thought you were going to kill me if you were to get free?” “Oh, I still am once I get free, but that doesn’t mean we can’t work together to get out. I’ll tell you what I’ll give you a five second head start.” I gave a sarcastic smile, “that’s IF I don’t set five traps to snare your ass.” Raska tilted his head back and laughed, “you’re alright boy, you’re alright. Although, I know a coward when I see one!” I shrugged “maybe one day I can show you how wrong you are?” “So, like I said you got any plans…anyway out?” I shook my head “so what are we going to do?” Raska stared back at me as I tilted my head back starting to feel the gas take it’s intended affects. I yawned softly feeling my eyes close. “We wait and see my loudmouth friend.
We wait and see.”
Day 1
10/31/2005 - 8:00 a.m.
Team #1
1. Jacob Harnett
2. Christopher Wentworth
3. Raska Ongwen
4. Nikki “Romanov” Dzhugashvili
5. Yakov Dzhugashvili
Team #2
1. Mwai Njenga
2. Aednat McShane
3. Anton Koppe
4. Hakeem Rashard
5. Kiyoshi Sugiura
A Howl on the Wind
[Jacob Harnett]
My eyes twitched open as the sun rays seemed to fry my irises. I raised my hand to try to block the sun when I felt something clatter to the ground. I tried to turn and felt something sharp dig into my back. I began to pat at the ground like a blind person looking for his cane when I felt something firm. I grabbed my Safari hat and placed it on my brow as I tried to shield myself. I opened my eyes to discover that I was in an open field. However, when I raised my head further, I discovered a broken-down playground. I began to dig my hands into the dirt as I tried to shake the slight sluggishness that seemed to have come over me. I couldn’t remember anything from the last couple days. They were a blur to me. I remembered a lot of shots being given and my blood being drawn other than that blackness. I tried to rub my head trying to put the pieces together.
Trying to stand as my hand caught something firm and solid. I looked down to notice a Marlin 39A Rifle lying next to me with a bandolier of bullets. I grabbed for the rifle and discovered that it was real and loaded. I had no idea where I was, but I was glad to have a weapon with a belt of bullets. I clicked back the chamber and examined it over, “what a piece of shit!” It was easier in Africa whenever I got low on ammo Lefu was always there to protect me.
Lefu was a weapon that was irreplaceable and valued higher above everything else. I stood up and began to take in my surroundings, deserted buildings, vast fields, and even in the distance a possible run-down power plant. I patted myself down and noticed that my vest was loaded down
with magazines for another weapon. I felt my pants pockets and found that I also had my “Beast Killer” which made a little wave of relief come over me.
“Where the hell am I?” I asked myself as I began to search around my temporary grass bed. I patted myself down again as I searched through the mass of grass and found something to make my jaw drop. In the bushes lay the gun for the numerous magazines I was wearing. It was for an AR-10 Armalite DMC with a lazar scope lying in a clump of grass. I picked it up and examined it over like I would a lover. I had only ever seen these sold by the RIRA soldiers that I had dealt with in the past. I looked at the side and found a switch, this little darling could go semi or fully automatic. What had I done to deserve such a treasure? I wrapped the Marlin around my back as I began to smile a little wondering if my mission still needed to be complete.
The only problem was where was Lefu? Everyone in Africa knew not to take Lefu away from the infamous “Nomad". The man born from the land, who brought treasures back in bloodied hands. “Lefu,” I shouted quickly hoping that her smiling face would bound through the tall grass. But as the seconds past I knew it wasn’t meant to be. Lefu had the sharpest nose I had ever seen on an animal. If she was around, she would have found me. Maybe I would need to find her?
I finally took in what I was wearing. A tan leather vest lined with magazines and green cargo pants. I picked up the “beauty” again and found her to be loaded for me too. I straightened my Safari hat and handlebar mustache as I stared at the rifle in my hand. I had to get my bearings as I stared from building to deserted building. I realized that I was in the middle of a former playground area. Tall grass had collapsed the encircling walls surrounding the area as I heard a soft moan from behind me. I raised the rifle as quick as a blink and found some other people. They looked familiar but I couldn’t place them. My mind began to dig into my
memory until something clicked, “the plane!” I felt my heart sink a little bit. Did Lord Otto think I was unable to bring this creature down by myself again? Judging by the creature’s size maybe they were supposed to be my back up? I laughed a little at this thought. Lefu and I, there was no more dangerous combination. I didn’t need their help, but on the contrary. I raised my head and stared around at the deserted and crumbling city. Maybe Lord Otto wants me to use them as bait? If this was still a mission, why would he drug me? Why would he strap me up like an animal? My mind started to recall more from that plane ride that seemed like a distant memory. I stared down at the inked up, trashy white boy that was asking all those questions on the plane. He was asleep like a baby nestled between an old slab of concrete and a rusted iron fence.
I felt a realization begin to answer some of the questions I had. “Yes,” I heard myself say
“That would make a lot of sense. The creature would need bait, but still nine other victims. I didn’t need that many, maybe two at the most?” I was about to stick my boot in his back when something clattered from the trees. I raised my rifle, “who’s there?” I felt my hands beginning to shake but being in a place that was foreign to me was not reassuring. “Damn Parkinson’s…”
My lifestyle led me down many different paths however this was a whole new side to the mountain. My finger inched on the trigger as a clatter came from behind me. My red dot of death landed on a man sitting on the broken steps of a destroyed building. He had a black eye patch and a knuckle knife which curved into a hook at the end of it. He was peeling away some foil from a military MRE when a loud CRACK and a voice came from behind me. “Don’t move or I’ll blow your brains all over the grass!” I lowered my weapon slowly as I continued to watch the old man with a graying black ponytail sit on the broken steps. He was dressed in what
looked to be an old Soviet uniform with red lapels, a Captain if I wasn’t mistaken. His red beret was like something out of a history museum. “Lower the weapon…slowly,” the voice ordered.
“Who are you? What am I doing here? What’re you doing here,” the man barked at me.
“First the plane ride with you boys constantly yapping, then all the drugging! Now, I end up in this field alone. I don’t know even know what day it is!” I didn’t have any answers for the man.
I stood speechless as I stared at a dark-skinned bald man with a red bandanna tied around his neck. His many beaded necklaces rattled against his chest and even one silver cross with a pacifier wrapped around it. His AK 103 shook in his hands. He knew how to hold it, but the man was clearly nervous. “Does it look like I have any idea where we are, but you and I are not alone.” The man looked at me confused. “What do you mean alone?” His eyes opened wide as he lowered his weapon slightly. “I saw an old man over there by those steps. Wait, I recognize you!”
Soon a smirk broke across his face as a low howl seemed to come out of him. He lowered his weapon a little more. It was mocking and dripped with sarcasm as it seemed almost as silent as the wind. He struggled with it slightly. “Leeeffffuuuu,” he said with a smirk. “Well at least your memory is good…Raska is it?” The soldier nodded, “would you mind if I raised my weapon? I don’t like being defenseless,” Raska’s smirk quickly disappeared. “I don’t think you saw anybody and judging by your fucked up face I would say that depends.” His gun raised slightly as he waved it wildly at me. I noticed from his stance it was almost as if his AK was nothing more than a long spear.
“Can I trust you Raska,” trying to stay calm as he smirked menacingly at me. “Listen boy we were both captured and drugged meaning we are both in the same boat! Don’t you see Raska
they dropped us in the middle of God knows where!” Raska’s eyes began to travel around the trees as he scanned over the falling buildings. “Pretty speech, I can tell you one thing though…this isn’t my homeland. I don’t know this place.” I began to raise my gun, “I know what you mean it sure doesn’t feel like Johannesburg.”
Raska realized his mistake and his attention was brought back, “woah, woah, slow down there Crocodile Doodee.” “It’s Dundee you idiot and I am getting pretty sick of this either shoot me or don’t…either way, I’m raising my gun and moving on.” “Oh yeah,” said Raska sarcastically. “Yeah, I need to find my dog!” “Dog” repeated Raska as I raised my gun slowly.
“What’s your name again Safari Jack,” he asked as I watched Raska’s eyes bulge watching every movement I made. “Jacob…Jacob Harnett,” I said softly. He nodded “right, I was a little out of it then. My head is still confused and cloudy. Besides you look different without several cages separating us, plus the vest and that gawdy necklace of teeth.” “Look who is talking, a pacifier seriously? I don’t know about you but the whole week has been a blur. I barely remember anything from the plane ride or after that.” Raska nodded in agreement as I clicked my gun back and turned from him. I began heading towards the location I had seen the mysterious man. “Hey where the hell are you going,” I heard Raska chasing after me. “I told you I saw somebody here maybe he has some answers.”
I arrived at the spot coming to the base of a crumbling brown stone. There was nothing there as I bent down to examine the exact spot where I had seen the older gentlemen. “Look Jacob do you have any idea what is going on?” I bent over and touched the ground running the dirt between my fingers. “Where are we Jacob,” I stood up and began to trek through the grass.
“Please Raska shut up,” “we should go back for that white boy. We might need numbers.” “If you want him, you can go back, I am going to find my dog!” I knew in that moment that Raska
had a “mouth to him” and that could either keep a person alive or lead to their quick death.
“Hello,” cried a voice from nearby. I crouched down in the ground and I saw Raska do the same.
“What is it?” I gripped my gun tighter as I listened and heard it again, “is anybody out there?” I turned to Raska, “I think it’s that white boy! What’s his name?” Raska begin to dwell on it as if he was recalling it from deep within his memory. “Chris,” he snapped his fingers, “’The Mind’…ah yes, ‘The Mind’. I feel sooooo safe now.” “Chris,” I yelled loudly. “Who said that, show yourself or I’ll start shooting!” “Coming out Chris lower the weapon!” I heard a slight tremble in his voice “W-Wh…where’re you at?” I rose from the grass seeing Chris waving his weapon wildly in the air. He was wearing the same dark blue jumpsuit that he wore on the plane ride. Black lettering on his back read D.O.C. and a large silver pistol shook in his hands. His eyes locked onto Raska and I as my rifle was raised in firing position. His large pistol shook wildly as his buzzed head glistened with small beads of sweat.
“Where the hell am I,” he said terror clear in his face. My red dot hovered over his heart,
“lower your weapon and maybe we can figure that out together.” “I know you,” Chris said as he turned lowering his weapon slightly, “Raska?” I saw Raska lower his AK, “its Chris, right?”
Chris nodded as he turned back to me, “J-Jackson, Ja-Jacob?” I nodded, “you just woke up?”
Chris nodded as he lowered his silver pistol even more. His handle was pearl white and was covered in something I had been selling for over a decade, ivory. I lowered my rifle as well as we walked towards each other. “What have you guys got on you?” Chris’s question puzzled me
“what do you mean have on you?” “Well, I’m a prisoner why would I be free in the middle of a deserted city holding my father’s old Desert Eagle.” My rifle lowered all the way, “I really don’t know…have you seen anybody else?” He nodded his head, “yeah I think so some old guy running around in the forest real stealthy with a ponytail and an eye patch.” I looked over at
Raska, “told you boy!” “Oh, what does that white boy know? Maybe he just heard me? I can be stealthy!” I turned away, “yeah Raska like an elephant in a thick forest.”
We continued to stare at each other when a voice cried from the distance, “NO AY
AVAY FOM E!” I turned to the direction of the scream, “who is that?” I saw Chris shrug and Raska click his gun chamber in preparation. I flew past Chris and began to tear across the field and push through a cluster of trees. “NO et avay fom e!” I plowed through a deep brush as I saw a man slamming a woman up against the tree. He had a curved knuckle knife with a small hook at the end. His voice was rough “you should fear me girlie! Now give Yakov what he wants!” “Or you should fear me,” I yelled raising my rifle to the middle of his back. He stopped and raised his hands in the air, “back up slo…” I wasn’t able to finish when the blonde woman ran forward and kicked her one-eyed attacker square in the balls. The ancient man fell to the grass cursing in Russian every second as he crumpled into a heap. The blonde spit on the back of her attacker. “Iv vou com ne’r me agan I szear I ill cill vou!” “Are you alrig…” once again I was cut off. “Oh my god it’s the Black Widow!” Chris walked forward, “she is the girl from the plane, Nikki something!” “Vat are vou uing ere, Ver are ve?” “If that isn’t the millionaire question!” Raska’s comment was ignored as I said, “we all don’t know…who exactly is that?”
She shrugged “I ave no eye de a, I tink he as unting me. Ke yuzt rushed bevind e and dried o ape e.”
I walked to him and kicked him over onto his back. An anger seemed to grow inside me.
My deep dislike for rapists should be evident if everybody knew my painful past. “Who the hell are you…state your name! Is it Yakov? Is it Yakov? Christ you look older than you certainly move!” It was the man that I had seen before Raska distracted me. The man stood up and I was finally able to get a clear look at his face. His face looked to have seen more battles than the
continent of Europe. Jagged scars lined a crooked nose as a deep gash seemed to run across his face. He had graying black hair tied into a ponytail and inches from his hand. I saw the long-crooked knuckle knife clenched in that wrinkled hand. It did have a small hook at the end, which would in turn add more carnage with each withdrawal of it. He rose a little more as he was quicker than I had anticipated. His foot moved like lightning as he kicked my gun which shot into the sky. The old man seemed to fight like a man half his age.
BOOM… BOOM… BOOM… Raska littered the man’s former spot with bullets missing him completely. The mystery man had rolled backwards onto his feet and pulled from behind him a large silver grenade three times bigger than a normal one. He held it in two hands, fingers about to pull the pin, “don’t shoot…I kill us all!” Raska smiled, “and what the hell is that supposed to be!” Raska raised his gun higher and took aim, but I wasn’t a fool like him. “NO, you idiot!” I swiped at Raska’s gun, and he too shot directly into the air. He fought with me until he was able to shove me off. Immediately, he raised the barrel up to eye level. “What the hell is your problem? I should have you take his place!” “You’re a fool Raska…a DAMN
fool!”
Raska looked confused but the man dressed in an old Soviet military uniform stood holding the large silver grenade staring menacingly at all of us. Even Chris held his large silver Desert Eagle high at the man, “don’t be an idiot!” “I am not an idiot you…” “Just lower the pistol” I ordered. “I don’t take orders from you Jacob! I give them!” I shook my head,
“whatever just lower the gun and let’s have everybody calm down!” I turned over and saw Nikki leaning on a tree. Her black booty shorts left very little to the imagination as her deep V-neck tank top revealed maybe a little more than it should. However, her face looked anything other than warming. She glowered down at me, “oh don’t ind e I luv do zee dogs phighting ov’r
scraps.” She showed no fear as Raska advanced towards her. “Who are you calling a dog you prissy little slut?” “Woah, woah Raska,” my hand reached his shoulder as I held him back.
“Look can everybody put aside their pride and egos so we can figure out what the hell is going on!”
I turned to the wild Russian soldier, “look you can lower that now!” The old soldier looked at everybody skeptically. “Please put it down before you hurt somebody Yakov. It is Yakov right?” The man gave a little growl of acknowledgement as he lowered the grenade.
Although, he still kept it by his side. “What the hell is that anyway?” Raska’s comment seemed to shake everybody back to reality, “nerve gas…usually Sarin” barked the mysterious old soldier. “Soviet issued,” Chris stepped forward curiosity etched over his youthful face. “Wait, how does he have a grenade of nerve gas from the Soviet Union? They no longer even exist!”
Everybody looked around at each other, “what does everybody have? Maybe somebody has a phone?” Raska growled at Chris, “so who put you in charge white boy? Why don’t you tell us what you have?” Chris looked at everybody else the tattoos along his neck covered with sweat,
“fine, you wanna know what I have?” Chris began to unzip his prison issued jumpsuit and pulled out a small water bottle with a small box of matches taped to it, and a syringe filled with a strange dark liquid. “What’s in the bottle,” I asked but Nikki followed mine with “vat’s n da zeringe?” Chris seemed bombarded by questions, but Raska stepped forward, “I know what’s in the syringe…and I’ll be taking that from you, white boy!” Looking stunned Chris withdrew slightly. “My god white boy I haven’t had a taste since the day I was taken!” “No Raska if it was given to me, I obviously need it or will need it eventually. It’s not something you should just shoot up!” However, Raska had a hunger in his eyes as he advanced towards it, “give it, give it to me white boy.” Chris backed away as he raised his gun at the advancing Raska. “If I
would have known you had a treasure like that.” Chris and I both had raised our weapons to him. “Alright Raska easy, back down!” Raska scanned the area and seemed to recognize the unevenness in his current situation.
Chris backed away again as I repeated “what’s in the bottle?” Making sure everybody was still in their place he inserted the syringe back into his jumpsuit. He unscrewed the top to the water bottle and smelled the contents. “Gasoline,” he said as he stared at the matches and the bottle. I stepped forward my rifle almost trailing behind me, “and what’s in the syringe?” “Why all the questions pops? Why don’t you show me what’s in your hand huh?” Chris started to move on the advance. “Just because I am white doesn’t mean I won’t kill you where you stand just get that through your Crocodile Dundee persona alright?” “Look, I’ll tell you everything I have just let me know what’s in the syringe?” “You couldn’t tell by Raska’s greedy face…its Heroin pops!” “Heroin,” I repeated almost baffled by this. “Alright now show your cards.” I raised my rifle, “you want it to do a little dance too?” He seemed to examine me over, “what else?” I tapped the “Beast Killer” that was sheathed in a custom fitted leather holster on my belt.
“I got this shitty .22 rifle on my back too.” I did a little twirl around to show him the rife, Chris looked at me envious. “Why do you have three weapons, and all I got is one pistol? What do the rest of you have?”
Nobody seemed to want to answer first but Chris continued “now if I showed you guys you have to show.” “To tell you the truth boy I don’t really care! Now if you will excuse me!
I’ll be finding my dog and finding a way out faster by myself.” The mysterious old Russian gave a devilish smile. “Don’t you dare leave,” Chris raised his pistol again as the old soldier clenched the Sarin grenade tightly. He began motioning away from the group. “We don’t even know your name gramps!” “What are you getting at American?” “Don’t you remember ten of us were
brought on the plane ride? This means there are possibly five other people out here with us.”
Nikki began to pick at her nails, “vou’re quite moring Cazper. Vou due know dat ight?”
Silence filled the air after Nikki’s comment. Everybody glared at everybody with distrust and murder clear as day. “I know this is not going to happen but until we figure out what’s going on we should stick together. You know numbers and all.” “Oh, little Red Riding Hood is scared to be alone…BLECK!” The mysterious Russian threw his hands up in disgust at Chris’s comment. “I am out of here,” he began to back away, when something out of the ordinary echoed through the air.
BBRRIINNGG… BBRRIINNGG… “Iz dat vat I tink et ez?” Nikki’s eyes had opened wide and continued, “et’z, et’z a phone.” Chris had fear on his face as I raised my gun suspiciously. “I say we ignore it…just get out of here…all of us.” Before pressing my eye to the scope, I yelled “QUIET, everybody quiet!” I put back the scope to my eye and I knew everybody was mimicking me. I even saw out of the corner of my eye a small pistol be withdrawn from the blonde Nikki, a pink 642 Derringer revolver. She turned and saw me looking at her. “Vat, es de nly ting Iz have.” “You got something else just in case darling?” She shook her head at me as we advanced towards the ringing phone. “No movement,” I said as I began to move closer towards the ringing. My curiosity seemingly getting the best of me. Raska suddenly gave a quick, “stop!” “What did you see…give me a direction.” “No, it’s not that…look!” I removed my eye from the scope and saw where he was pointing.
Cameras littered the walls of the buildings, and some were even on the treetops. “That’s a little strange,” I was about to step forward when Raska’s hand shot out and gripped my shoulder. He whispered to everybody “It’s a trap!” I scowled “a trap…with a ringing phone?”
Raska’s comment didn’t seem to shake me. He just continued to stare in the tall grass and trees.
“How do you know it’s a trap?” Raska’s eyes were wide, “because I have set traps like this Crocodile…” He waved his hand as if he was scooping something, “draw people in…punish who come.” I scanned the area as I began to look down at the tall grass. “I don’t see anything new. It all looks natural to the terrain.” They all looked suspicious I turned to them, “watch my back, will you?”
I raised the scope and knew if something were to really go down my newfound partners would be disappearing into the thicket. The ringing grew louder as I stepped closer towards it.
My scope remained steady even though I was growing nervous. No thought crossed my mind as to where I was. The only hope I clung too was that Lord Otto’s information would still be correct. But without knowing officially everything was all speculation. Did I even still have the money? I stared up at the surveillance cameras not sure if they were even in operation.
Although judging by the abandoned city I would have to assume no. Although there was something odd about them. They seemed too modern for the time period suggested by the abandoned city. The grass folded beneath my hunting boots as I saw something lying in the dirt ahead of me.
A log was draped over the mysterious object. It looked much bigger than any phone I had ever seen. I scanned the area and didn’t see any traps. There was no sign of human interference. I bent over and rubbed my hands softly over the dirt. “No traps,” I whispered to myself. I gave a quick glance at my surroundings deciding to risk it all. I stepped into the mud, but nothing happened. The large cell phone kept ringing loudly. The grass and surrounding area remained as silent as ever. I moved closer to it making sure that my rifle was locked onto any
movement. I tip-toed closer and bent down to pick it up. The cell phone was the size of a magazine, and the screen was dark. It read: Unavailable Calling, Reject or Answer.
I traced my finger across the green button and the call was accepted. On the screen was a man that I didn’t think I would ever see again. “YOU,” I screamed when I saw Lord Otto’s wrinkled snide face. He closed his eyes and gave a girlish giggle so loud that his eyes closed in deep pleasure. His silver hair never fell out of place as his face shook in humor. He was sitting in a large chair with dark antique maroon padding. There was an ocean in the window behind him. He looked like he was on an island or maybe even a large cruise ship.
“OH Mr. Harnett if I could ever second guess any previous Candidate, I ever submitted it would be you my good man. Although I daresay, where are the rest of the members of your team?” “Team,” I questioned. This made Lord Otto give his simpering little giggle. “Why yes Mr. Harnett the other members of your team, a Mr. Raska, Christopher, Yakov, and a Ms.
Nicole. Joseph here has been sharing some amusing stories about Ms…” “IZ Nikki vou oaf!
Ow vou know bout my Yoseph?” “Oh, Miss Romanov I can’t answer that question.” “Anzer et vou…” but Lord Otto wagged his crypt keeper like finger at Nikki. “Oh no Ms. Romanov that is privileged and confidential information. I am merely here to address the rules of the Hunt.”
“Rules…” I seemed shocked only able to repeat simple words.
“Why yes Mr. Harnett rules…even the jungle has rules.” “You mean the assignment, the creature, everything you said…was a lie?” Lord Otto’s eyes squinted so tight as he teared up from all the giggling. “Mr. Harnett, Mr. Harnett, Mr. Harnett that was just your ploy…my way of getting you here. The Sponsors must first tag their Candidate and bring you here by any means necessary. All Candidates are given a ploy and drugged, or we call in DOG’s. Unless
you’re stupid enough to just get taken without a fight.” “I am not STUPID! I am the son of Kony, commander of the 23rd Company!” Raska had appeared behind me his AK waving in front of him. I had not even noticed his arrival. “Your 23rd Company was mostly children Raska!
You’re not a commander! If anything, you were a babysitter. I see by your expression that you’re surprised…yes?”
“Wait, wait, how do you know that?” “Questions, questions Mr. Wentworth all these questions! What you must learn dear boy is that you never know what is enough unless you know what is more than enough. I assure you Conrad speaks very highly of your intelligence Mr. Wentworth. However, you’re not the only person that is well read. If you really are a mind, then you should know who said that.” “What the hell is this thing you’re on anyway?” Waving his hand at Chris, “it’s called a tablet and they won’t be made public for six years or so. We want to enjoy them first. Never-the-less, I should probably get on with everything the beast will be released soon. The betting is still being finalized after all there is a lot of paperwork to sort through, a lot of money at stake.”
“So, it wasn’t all a lie the creature is real!” Lord Otto’s wrinkled face sagged slightly,
“yes well considering your previous experience the rest of the Candidates…” “Candidates,” I asked but Chris had seemed to take the initiative. “So, we are supposed to hook up with the five other... Candidates?” “That is entirely up to you but generally if Candidates wish to survive the three days. I must admit that if it were me, I would defiantly stay in a group. However, I am not allowed to sway the odds in anyway.”
The tablet seemed to shake in my hands as anger began to build. “Now if you all stop talking, I can go over the rules.” “Where is Lefu?” “I’ll get to that Mr. Harnett. I’ll get to that.
However, I must go over the rules.” “You, yo-you mean this isn’t another assignment?” Lord Otto gave an almost pitying look to me. “I am afraid everything I have said is the truth my good man. As a matter of fact, I might have said too much…now the rules.” “I…I am going to kill you!” Lord Otto gave an uninterested wave of his hand, “yes, yes, I know everybody says that!
Now listen because Ron Reid is getting close to finishing and THAT is saying something! So, I’ll make this quick. You’re allowed one question at the end so listen up. Rule number one you’re playing field is approximately 400 square miles which is encircled by a twenty-five-foot wall and environmental boundaries. This entire zone is called the Exclusion Zone. If you cross over the wall, go beyond the wall, try to remove or disconnect the C4 compound wrapped around your ankles it will immediately detonate. This will cause an instantaneous explosion and loss of both your legs.”
I turned and saw Raska looking down at his ankles noticing what Lord Otto was talking about. Around them both was a flesh-colored spongy object with small blinking chip inserted in each C4 bracelet. “I didn’t feel these…I didn’t even know they were there,” Chris began to panic as he reached down to grab the bracelet. However, Lord Otto must have seen him as his little head on the small screen gave a snide, “uh, uh, uh, I wouldn’t do that if I were you, Christopher? It wouldn’t be very smart.” “He’s a liar,” Raska snarled like a stalking lion. “This is not any type of C4 I know! It’s not even gray!” “Well, if you want by all means test it out.
However, let’s continue rule number two each of you have been equipped with four items best suited with your previous individual crimes. Irony, it seems is a funny little trickster.”
He giggled a little letting his hand fall lightly on his chest. “You each have one primary weapon, two side arms, and one special item. Which leads us to Fido, I mean Lee fuu Mr.
Harnett my apologizes. I assure you that she is out there… somewhere…roaming around like
the mongrel she is. You’ll have to just use those set of skills you possess and find her. Rule number three, anything really goes you just have to survive the three days.” “And what happens if we survive the three days?” My hands shook in such a rage as Lord Otto clenched his chest and giggled with such ferocity that he wiped a single tear from his eye. “Mr. Harnett,” he wagged his finger at the screen. “I am seriously going to miss you my good friend.” “I’m not your friend!” “Mr. Harnett nobody survives the three days that is the whole point to this game.”
“GAME,” I yelled as I heard “you call this a game,” from Raska. “Man has always loved the sport of the hunt, hunting the fox, hunting deer, hunting bears, and who better then with your greatest friends. Now that I have finished you may ask me one question.” “How do we survive?” I didn’t have time to turn to the other members behind me. Chris’s question seemed to be mutually felt by everyone because no one seemed to object.
Lord Otto stared at us all, how weird it must be to see five different nationalities, five different faces staring back at one pompous manicured old rich man. His wrinkles seemed to stretch in an ever-growing smile that seemed to stretch the width of his face. “Why Mr.
Wentworth there is NO way to survive. It’s in our very rules.” “Ok then what would you recommend we do to stay alive?” Lord Otto was not paying attention as he seemed distracted by something. After several seconds of inattentiveness, he returned to us. “I’m sorry I am told Ron Reid just finished which means your time is up. I wish you the best of luck and tuck in tight. I must go so if you will excuse...” “So, this is no assignment?” I said almost in disbelief before Lord Otto shut off the massive tablet, he gave a little giggle. “I am afraid not Mr. Harnett I wish I could say I will hear from you but…” He shrugged “ah well, au revoir, and good luck to you all. I’m sure this year will be an excellent Hunt!”
He gave a final girlish giggle and gave a couple nods to someone offscreen. “Oh yes right, right of course my friend! I have just been reminded that…and not to sound like an overused cliché. However, to preserve the sanctity of the Rule of Four policy. I am afraid this tablet does not qualify. Hench, the illegality of it.” “I’m going to kill you, you sniveling, snobbish…” Lord Otto was clearly not listening. “I suggest that if you don’t want to meet an early fate you will get rid of this tablet in ten seconds, afscheid…adieu!” And with a final wave the screen went black and a large white ten flashed across it. Followed by a nine, followed by an eight, “throw it you idiot!” The tablet seemed glued to my hands as I felt somebody rip it from them. It was tossed wildly into the grass as I felt Chris grab my shoulder beginning to drag me away. “It isn’t going to do any….” I heard a loud explosion as dirt and grass flew into the air.
The old man named Yakov was sent flying into the air sprawling over the ground.
Yakov jumped up and as quick as he had been thrown to the ground began to brush himself off. It took us all several minutes to gather ourselves together including myself. “Vat da ell vas dat,” Nikki stood trembling in her black booty shorts. “A bomb,” growled a sarcastic Raska. “This all doesn’t make any sense!” Chris seemed to grab his head in frustration. “Wait, wait let’s just make sure what Lord Otto was saying is true.” “What’re you getting at white boy?” “I mean Raska maybe this is all a collective delusion or something!” “You know I think that American education has actually made you stupid boy!” Chris walked towards Rasla, “oh yeah well why don’t we have everybody have a good old-fashioned pocket turn out.” “I agree I think to assess the situation everybody should.”
I turned and looked at everybody. Yakov crossed his arms in defiance. I glared at him,
“am I supposed to be frightened of you, a mere hunter?” “No,” shouted Chris as he moved towards Yakov, “but you should be afraid of me!” Chris raised his Desert Eagle and pointed it at
Yakov. “Why don’t we start the fun with you?” His eye patch was something I had seen only on Somali pirates during my travels in Africa. Yakov smirked at Chris, “do you…do you have any idea of who I am?” “The only thing I want an idea of is what you are not trying to show us.”
“You all know what I have, a knife and possibly Sarin gas.” Chris was clenching his teeth in anger, “that priss on that…thing…said we each have four items! You gave us two.” He shrugged, “well I guess that answers the question of that man’s credibility.” They stood glaring at each other, Vat aboud vou CHRIZ?” Yakov said in such a snide manner his Russian accident became thick when angry. “Vhy don’t Vou have four items? All you showed uz waz tree?”
Chris began to scan himself as if he had missed something. When his hands reached his chest he stopped, “I guess my vest could be?” “Vest,” I repeated as I approached him. “Bullet proof,” he added knocking on it as it gave a solid sound.
“Interesting,” I said and truly meant it. “Now, I’m curious. I think Casper here has a point. Everybody tell us what you got, anybody got a phone or does everybody have only four items?” “Vat bout buleds,” Nikki’s eyes raised in anger as Chris gave a, “obviously not bullets just items.” Raska turned back to her, “thank you sweetie now why don’t you be a good little girl and go get me some food.” “I don’t eive enyting o anee man. I yake vat I vant!” “Alright,”
I said trying to come between them. “Look to save a lot of time let’s just all turn out what we got.”
Their seemed an awkward silence between our group as everybody seemed to size everybody else up. Nikki rolled her eyes, “I vot a lady ix orty doo revoler.” She pulled at the silver chain around her neck with a silver vile containing a clear liquid. “I don’t know vat dis es axactly…aybe poison?” We all stared at her. Chris waved his hand in frustration, “alright that is only two what about the other two?” She shrugged, “der vas a fannee back vhere I vas lying but
I idn’t tink oo rab it.” “Maybe you should have,” Chris said as Raska just smiled at both of them. “Man, I thought American woman never left home without their purse.” “I’m NOT
A’merican nor vas it a burse!” “Maybe you should go grab it,” Chris seemed to be getting frustrated at all the time that was being taken. “Vell, I vant to know vhat vou all ave!” I gave a small huff, “I’ll fill you in when you get back…promise.” I added when her scowl questioned my word. “Hey, I keep my word… always!”
She gave a soft groan and began to angrily storm away. “Well, I guess I am the only one that seems to be really packing the artillery…as it should be.” We all turned to Raska as we waited like people at an auction. He seemed to reveal every gun as if it were something like a rare diamond. “Obviously the traditional AK…I believe a 103 if I am not mistaken, beautiful wood stock and extended banana clip.” “Why is it painted in red, black and…” “Because white fish those are the ONLY colors that matter! Now, may I continue…forty-five rounds in each clip if I am not mistaken.” He smiled as he withdrew from a custom side pocket in his military camouflage pants, “sawed off double barrel shotgun.” He lifted his left hand to reveal a small glass vile of blood dangling from one of his many hemp bracelets. “How can you even tell that is new?”
With a slight pause, Raska gazed down at it and back up at me, “because it’s annoying as shit!” His arm began to reach towards his back and muttered, “I also lost my throwing clubs. I couldn’t stick them into this stupid pouch on my back in time. That’s when I saw you” he pointed to me. “White boy you look panicked when you don’t know what is going on don’t you?” Raska smiled at Chris waving his hand, “it’s alright, come stand here by the big bad wolf huh?” “Well tell me something wolf, why are five dangerous people just standing around talking? We should try to find a way out of here. So, I’ll tell you what Raska. I’ll turn out my
pocket here and all you got to do is grab it. I’ll make sure nothing bad befalls you!” “He makes an excellent point Raska and you…” I pointed to Yakov who had been slowly retreating away from the group. “Stay where you are you’re not going anywhere you hear?” Yakov laughed as he twirled his graying black goatee. “I haven’t had this much fun in years.”
A crashing sound came through the tall grass as the blonde-haired beauty came forward.
Although, she was not just holding the fanny pack she claimed. She was holding a camouflaged painted Compound Archery Bow strapped with arrows. She was also holding an old-fashioned rifle, a vest containing a small number of bullets, and two wooden throwing clubs. “Look, vat I vound!” Nikki dropped the weapons on the ground in front of all of us. “Vell I guess dat answers ze missing stuff of a Mr…” She waved her hand as she seemed to have forgotten Yakov’s name. “My clubs,” yelled Raska rushing forward and sliding them into the pouch on his back. “What was your other item,” unzipping her fanny pack she pulled out a small metal squirt bottle filled with a clear liquid. “I on’t know vat et es, zmells fonny zough.” Chris walked over as she twisted off the top of the bottle. He inhaled the aroma from within the bottle and backed away coughing. “It’s acid, Fluorosulfuric if I had to venture a guess.” Nikki gave a flirty little smile as she tossed her blonde hair to the side. “Ow do vou know dat?” He shrugged, “I figured if they are giving us all these weapons they might as well give you the most lethal acid, right?” Disappointment filled her face, “oh, ya I juess zo.” She turned looking bored again and began to lean against a tree.
“Since we are all going to be working together, I think everybody should introduce themselves. After all that Lord Otto said we should stay together…be a team. We can’t all stand here in a dick measuring contest.” I shouldered my rifle, “well I don’t know who put you in charge white boy. I don’t follow anybody and since there is no more money involved. There
is no more reason for me to stay here.” I gave a small salute and began to walk through the tall grass. “Wait, where the hell are you going?” “I work alone Casper. I work alone.” I heard everybody following even Raska yelling, “don’t make me gun you down Safari Jack! I know a runner when I see one. If anybody should be following anybody you should all be following me!
I got the best weaponry of all!”
I began to gaze over the grass and look for any signs of activity. “You think you scare me Darkie? I am the Buka, and I’ll make you…” “Make me what, you’re going to make me walk the plank Russian!” I even felt myself laugh and nobody could make me laugh like Lefu. I sighed hoping she was out there somewhere. “Where are you going?” I bent down and saw a twig broken in a half. I touched the soil and felt a depression. I stood up and smiled, “I am going to get my dog back.” “And den vat,” asked Nikki.
I turned back and saw her face as Raska was still trying to push around Yakov. “I am going to kill the man that took my dog!” I pushed forward hoping to find something when I heard Raska grab Chris. In a scowling whisper, “don’t think I forgot white fish. I’m getting that Heroin by the end of today…even if it means taking it from your dead hands. You get me boy! I become less rational when I have been off that Brown-Brown for God knows how long!”
“Hey, hey Mr. Harnett,” I heard Chris coming up behind me. “Name’s Jacob you best do well to know it and remember it.” “Yeah whatever…what was Lord Otto talking about on the tablet? He mentioned a creature and that you have tangled with it before?” I stopped walking and turned around to face him with a scowl. “Well now isn’t it obvious boy! He is a liar! He is lying about this…about everything!” “But what about your necklace of teeth…about everything
he…” “I DON’T CARE BOY! He is a liar! I don’t know anything about any creature, and I don’t know about anything that is going on. Now I am going to find my dog!”
Teeth and Claws with Bloody Paws
[Kiyoshi Fukudo Sugiura]
I woke up to the sun just beginning to wish the world a great morning. A silent soft wind played through the tall grass. I had not slept in a very long time. Insomnia was always a cruel mistress. I began to rise off my stomach as I stared down at a white suit that seemed cut from the finest designers. Whoever dressed me knew that I enjoyed the finer things when allowed. I gazed around and realized that I was in the middle of a courtyard. The grass was tall, and it was hard to make out the rock wall which seemed to surround me. The once cobbled street was cracked and almost vanished under the large grass. I stood and started dusting off my suit. I had on a black button-down shirt that felt like fine silk. The dirt came off easily as I stared down and found myself a nice white and black bowler hat. I picked it up and dusted it off too before sliding it over my head.
The hat and suit seemed to be custom made for me. I opened the suit jacket to pull out my familiar tool of destruction. White gold finish with an ivory handle, the .45 Berretta still shone brightly in the orange light. But how did it get here with me? I screwed the silencer on the pistol. It shone like it had recently been cleaned and polished. It looked brand new as my fingers slid naturally into the grooves. I finally put it back into my jacket and was about to search over the rest of me when a soft moan could be heard through the trees.
Deciding that the best place to be in a foreign territory was not in the middle of an abandoned courtyard. I ran to the edge of a particularly decrepit looking building and waited. I watched and scanned my surroundings over the tall grass. I continued to watch letting the wind
lightly play over my face. “Damn this insomnia,” I heard my mind say again. The last week had been a real blur to me. All I remembered was doctors, blood tests, a possible plane ride, and a hospital. A woman stood up a couple of feet from where I had been laying. She had a sheet of red hair and freckles. She was wearing a black beret with a black scarf around her neck. She quickly pulled it up and covered the lower half of her face. “Irish guard,” I heard my mind whisper. I saw her raise a gun that I had never seen before. I knew there was something different about this, about her.
I watched as she began to examine her outfit, camouflage pants, military boots, an Irish flag bandanna around her hand, a bullet dangling from a necklace, and a black shirt. She patted herself down but didn’t have much time to search. She kissed the bullet quickly before raising the gun scope to her eye. Her gun appeared to be the most sophisticated sniper rifle I had ever seen. However, I saw what she was aiming at, “HALT!”
A dark-skinned man stood with his hands slightly raised in surrender. He had small dark sunglasses, and his dark hair was tied into small points with many small braids. His beard was tied into multiple small braids which reminded me of icicles. He lowered his shades, “whoa slow down their girl!” “Who are you? Where am I? What’s going on around here?” “Hello,”
came a voice from directly behind her. A man was walking towards them with a gray antique looking machine gun hanging from his shoulder. His gloved hands were raised too, “who the hell are you two? What the hell is going on? Why am I not in my cell? Why am I in my old uniform?” “Look boy just lay down the weapon, before you hurt yourself!” The dark-skinned man was moving closer, “HOLY CRAP! I haven’t seen a spook as big as you in a long time!”
“Spook,” growled the dark-skinned man as the Irish woman lowered her rifle. “You two know each other?” They both shook their heads, “So what are all three of us doing out here?” “Four
of us,” shot the white boy which caught the woman’s attention, “four?” The uniformed boy waved his hand at a crumpled up body ten feet away from them. She turned back to him, “and who are you?” “I’m Anton Koppe, Supreme Commander of the Fourth Reich.” “Aednat,” they walked towards a crumbling concrete fountain. Anton raised his hands higher in the air as the large dark skinned male past him. “Please don’t touch me…” The mysterious black man moved away from him, “Don’t push me kid, don’t push me or else you’re going to bite off more than you know.”
The three of them moved towards a dark figure lying crumpled in a patch of dead grass. I watched Aednat pick up the body and throw it over the rock wall. I saw that the body was a male. He had long different colored dreads mostly red and blue, which clashed with his long black trench coat. Removing myself from the building I began to slink through the grass trying to move closer. It was getting difficult to hear them talking. I moved like a tiger through the grass flanking them from around their backs. “I know nothing,” I heard the new man yell in protest. “I just woke up from you shaking me! I don’t know where we are!”
I removed my pistol and burst out of the grass they had never heard me. I was the ghost and my reputation always preceded me. My pistol clicked and they all seemed to freeze in the spot as they slowly turned around. I had gotten the jump on them, and they all seemed surprised.
We all stared at each other, and I motioned my gun to ground. They all stared at each other as I motioned with more ferocity. “Why don’t you tell us what you want us to do?” Aednat’s comment seemed to die in her throat when the large dark-skinned man removed his black sunglasses. “I knew a retard like him back in Nairobi, used to wave his hands idiotically like you. I cut them off and now he is extremely clear with his messages. Maybe, I should do the same?” I opened my own mouth to show them the absence of my tongue. “Wait,” said Aednat
whose rifle hung low, “can I just ask you one thing?” I stood there holding my aim as my vision never left the four individuals in front of me. “Do you know what is going on?”
I stared at her as if I was analyzing the question. But after a few brief seconds I shook my head. “So can you just lower the gun. We are all in the same situation, right?” I stared at her, “can we try to figure out what is going on around…” She stopped when something unnatural sang through the air. “Is that a…” she stopped when she turned to the two dark skinned males. The taller broader one finished her statement, “a phone?” I lowered my pistol as Aednat looked at all four of us. “We got to find it, maybe we could call for help? Maybe we can get the hell out of here!” She began to sprint towards the ringing, but a hand reached out and grabbed her arm. “First off can you take that scarf away from your face? Second, I can’t let you do that…” Anton was gripping her arm tightly his fingers clenched tightly in dark leather gloves. His dark gray Nazi uniform was something out of a history museum or a reenactment.
His gray hat had a weird emblem on it, a skull with two cross bones. He had a runic insignia on his lapels, two SS bolts. “I am or should I say was currently on Death Row and now I am out here, free. I don’t want to go home. I don’t want to go back. I don’t want to be found. I have an army to raise and a war to continue. I have an empire to recover.”
The taller dark-skinned man approached both of them as his necklace of canine teeth jingled softly. Anton released Aednat with a warning little stare. “I am sorry, but I don’t care about your opinion. After all, I don’t associate or speak to your kind. I mean look at you you’re not even a real person. You’re a spook and nothing more!” The man’s face contorted as he reached over and grabbed Anton by his collar. “My name is Mwai! I am the Black Wolf you racist son of a bitch! I am the leader of the Mungiki and I should cut you to pieces. Who the
HELL do you think you are little boy? You wanna play war? I’ll SHOW you war! I live war EVERY day of my life!”
“Get off, get off of me, you’ll dirty my uniform,” brushing Mwai’s hands off him. His face twisted in an utter bewilderment, “the audacity! I am Anton Koppe Supreme Commander of the Fourth Reich. Supreme Group Leader of the Waffen-SS Werewolf, which means I am a COLONEL General! Who are you? You are a nobody. You are Mwai with your dirty unpolished military boots, torn up tan military clothes, necklace of teeth, and face like the dirt I killed back in California. No uniform, no medals, no dignity, no class, you call yourself a leader? I mean YOU lead MEN off to war? You’re a disgrace! Your entire organization is a degraded stain on the very word. If you answer that phone, you’ll just be another insect squashed underneath my polished military boot.”
Snapping his holster Mwai’s fingers traced over the handle to a large machete in the side of his military pants. “This right here is the difference between me and a polished boot. Real winners are left standing little boy. You think you know war…” Snapping his head mockingly towards Anton, “you, know…nothing, NOTHING about war! You wanna play war little white boy, here…let me show you why they call me ‘The Butcher’.”
“Look…” Aednat jumped between them both. “Jesus guys, please there is no sense killing each other yet. I say we answer the phone.” Mwai growled as he clenched his teeth in anger. His fingers gripping onto his machete handle. Anton just smiled smugly up at him. His hands crossed behind his back “you know what I did to the last darkie that messed with me and what is mine? I shot her then him and burned their family, all of them…alive!” Anton quickly gripped his ancient machine gun clearly ready for a fight. “I am not some homeless person in
your capitalist country white boy! Clearly you don’t know who I am, or the havoc that I can bring down upon you …and all with just a wave of my hand.” The phone began to ring louder,
“I have taken many men like you my dark-skinned friend and killed them like nothing more than common dogs in the streets.” Mwai continued to stare down at Anton almost bewildered by the boy’s actions.
This Mwai was a dangerous man, and more than the boy knew or realized. Mwai began to move like a wolf around him smooth and stealth like. He towered over Anton like a bear would tower over its crying victim. However, the victim showed a superior smugness and superiority that I had only seen in the bravest of bosses. “My very name strikes fear in all hearts across the great continent of Africa. NO DEBT goes unpaid, I’ll take anything I want, and I want everything!” He raised his machete high into the air. “If I want your head…I’ll take it,”
his teeth clenched in such anger. “You would die before your blade fell.” Anton’s hand was holding an authentic German luger towards Mwai’s stomach. “You see my darkie friend everybody falls under the Sieg Heil.” “Gunna shoot me with a mere cap gun,” “ENOUGH YOU
TWO!”
I watched Aednat lower her hands and retreat to the other dark-skinned man that I had nearly forgotten about. His eyes were wide as he stared around at all of us. His face was covered in papules, but a large spaghetti like papule ran from his lip to the side of his neck. I watched Aednat raise her hi-tech rifle up to her shoulder as she scanned the surrounding area.
“No movement,” she whispered as she turned to me. “Listen, I know that we don’t know each other. Although, I need to know if it is a trap or something. We are all in the same situation. I need and am going to answer that phone. So, I need to know that you aren’t going to try anything funny…all of you!” Everybody seemed to look around at each other. “Mungiki don’t
have allies, Mungiki stand with Mungiki only.” Mwai returned his sunglasses to his face and stood upright as if he was about to be sculpted by Da Vinci himself.
“I would say under the circumstances you could at least make an exception.” I watched her turn back to me. “You…are you dangerous?” I nodded, “are you going to be a problem if I go and answer that phone?” I paused and then shook my head a fraction to each side. I could see a slight second of relief flutter over her face. She turned and stared at all the rest of the people. “Let this be a warning if any of you do something to upset me. I will make sure you all go with me.” And without another word she turned and began to make her way through the grass. She crept with such precision as the ringing phone continued in annoying repetition. “It’s somewhere north approximately 400 feet away,” she said gripping the handle of her rifle tighter in her bandanaed hand. I clicked the safety off as I saw a look of disgust appear on Mwai’s face.
He stared at Aednat and then back at me as he gripped his machete handle tightly. “You came at me with your safety off! You got a lot of balls! I could have cut you like Crab Rangoon boy!”
I didn’t even smile but when I followed Aednat to the ringing phone I saw Mwai’s continued look of disgust. I made my way through the grass as the three other members of our party stayed behind. We moved closer until I heard Aednat’s soft, “over there I think I see something!” I saw her scope adjust automatically as she stared at something vibrating in the bushes in front of us. She moved closer as a loud CRACK could be heard behind us. The three remaining members of the group had been following us the entire time. They were lined like an Oreo as Anton stared up at the two dark ends. They both looked murderously down at him. I wanted to smile at the sight of that racist bigot fearing for his life in a sea of minorities.
I turned to see Aednat was already reaching into the bushes and withdrawing a phone the size of a small magazine. She brought it in closer to us looking confused, “what is it?” I took my finger and motioned her to slide the green icon that read, ACCEPT CALL. Her eyes seemed to do a double take realizing that I was missing many fingers before sliding hers until a screen appeared like a television. A man with droopy cheeks and skin tanned orange like a carrot appeared on the screen. He was smiling jovially at all of us. He had large sunglass with lenses tinted to the faintest brown color. A gold chain hung from his neck as he sported a bright Cabana shirt. He had a large black push broom mustache and as his vision focused on the two of us, he revealed a set of the brightest white teeth.
“HELLO, my friends,” he bellowed in such jubilation. His arms were outstretched as the screen seemed to retreat to reveal a large scoreboard behind him with a mass of people underneath it. Papers raised high as people were scrambling like it was the stock exchange.
“My name is Ron Reid Edwards. Yes, yes, THE Ron Reid Edwards!” He lowered his sunglasses and glared up at Aednat. “And I am sorry my dear but due to the circumstances I am afraid that I can’t sign any autographs for you.” He gave a wide smile as Aednat turned to me utterly confused. “But where are the rest of your friends everyone must attend when Ron Reid speaks…bring them over, quickly now quickly! I promise I will not bite!”
Everyone seemed to look at each other as Ron waved his hand, “hurry my friends hurry I don’t have all day.” The three other people joined us and soon the five of us gathered around the screen. “There we go,” he smiled when he stared at the five of us. “Have you all introduced yourselves?” We all began to look at each other as he seemed to shake his head a little in disappointment. “I am sorry that you all aren’t getting along. You will need to if you are going to survive the three days.” “Survive,” Aednat said as he continued to smile. “Oh yes mujer, you
and nine other individuals have been chosen for a most extraordinary event.” “What the hell are you talking about,” growled Mwai who was now clenching a gun that I had come to very well.
The AK 74 was the primary commodity that I had to sell for my master. “What I am talking about Mwai is that you and your friends have been chosen for the Hunt of 2005.” “What hunt,”
asked Aednat but frowned when Ron wagged his ringed finger at her. “I am sorry I can’t answer that question. You wouldn’t want me to spoil the fun now.”
“FUN,” Mwai yelled clicking back the chamber to his AK. “You call this fun? I have a kingdom to return to! My people need their leader! Fun…come out here I’ll show you how I have fun!” Ron’s smile vanished quickly. “Mr. Mwai in the grand scheme of things you are nothing more than a speck of dust on the shoulder of my shirt. Your family is a joke! Your leadership helped destroy a once feared little mafia into a fractured little pissing match unworthy of me even to flush down my toilet. You couldn’t even keep together a piece of IKEA furniture.
If you even knew what the hell that is in that third world shithole you live in.”
Firing his gun into the air Mwai was screaming at the device in an absolute rage. “My father destroyed the family! Now why don’t you come down here you little shit! Come out here, come out here right now, and quit cowering like the little bitches I bed! You think you’re tough…” I watched Ron shake his fists at us smiling at Mwai. “Good, good my friend, yes…seize that anger and use it! Use it in the fight, that is what will help you win…ferocity!”
It seemed he had finally gotten to the topic of discussion which he thoroughly enjoyed most. “As I have stated my name is Ron Reid Edwards and I nominated myself to address you fine Candidates today. I am the Sponsor of Hakeem over there. I am here to give you a taste of what you all could have achieved had you taken the road I always chose.” He raised his head as
he removed his shades. “To seize any and every opportunity that this world provides by any means necessary…ain’t that right my old friend Hakeem?” He returned his gaze to the screen and returned his shades to his face, “sleep is for the weak my friends. Sleep is for the dead.
Since I am limited on time and constantly hounded about my…resume.” He said the last part with such indignation. “I have a limited matter of time with you, but at the end you will get to ask one question.” “What’s this fool talking…” “Shhh…” Aednat stared up at the towering Mwai whose eyes seemed to bulge out of his skull as if he had never had somebody disrespect him like that before. “Irish, I don’t know who you think you are talking to but…” She shook her head in frustration, “will you shut the fuck up and let him speak Mwai. Some of us want a little information. Some of us want to get the hell out of here!” Ron Reid began to jovially chuckle as he walked away from the windows and move down what appeared to be a hallway. “Get the hell out of here she says, did you all hear that?”
He wiped a single tear from his eye as he said, “Aednat I have a feeling that I am going to miss you. Gordan made a wise move sponsoring such a wise woman. I think I am going to see a real contender in you. Anyway, my friends you must last three days.” “Three days,” repeated Aednat who stood up caressing her sore knees. The group gathered closer around Aednat almost like we were friends watching television. I could only imagine how dangerous the others were.
The most confusing of them all was the white boy dressed like a World War II Nazi soldier. I always tried to consider myself a history buff. After all, history was all I ever was able to read on my “off time”.
Ron’s attention was drawn to a mysterious figure off camera. “Yes, yes, I will hurry.
Yes, my dear boy please you can’t silence the words of Ron Reid they are here for everyone to enjoy!” Returning to the five of us he smiled “Forgive me…you all have been given four items,
one primary weapon, two side arms and one special item. Each item you possess have come to know well and some I dare say a little too well.” We all looked around at each other. “It’s too bad you all aren’t bonding as quickly as I thought you would. You would think that even the evilest people in the world must bond together in situations outside their norm. I hope that is all this is…your squabbling and bickering.” And as his face tilted down a genuine site of disappointed came across his face.
He stepped through a pair of glass doors as he came out onto a deck of a ship. It was the largest ship I had ever seen. “I am sorry I am speaking too much,” his smile returned as the vision of the sea surrounded him. “Let’s get straight to business…you have three days to survive plain and simple, fight in a group or die alone. That is really your call.” The Nazi Anton stepped forward, “and what happens if we survive because I plan on spending my entire life hunting you down and bringing war to your very doorstep!” Ron’s teeth seemed to stretch up to his ears as his smile grew wider. “Oh, Anton that is good but our vacation only lasts three days.
So, the Hunt must last three days.”
“What’s this around my legs Ron?” The dreaded man was beginning to pull at what looked to be a flesh-colored ankle bracelet. “What’s this blinking light,” Hakeem exclaimed starting to show his anger. “Oh,” Ron said slapping his forehead. “I almost forgot! That my friend is an ankle bracelet strapped with a new type of artificial gel that is molecularly similar to C4. Approximately enough to blow off both your legs causing your eventual death by blood loss. I suggest not fiddling with it. Your playing field is approximately 400 miles long surrounded by an outer wall with proximity and remote sensors that are triggered by the blinking lights. Do I really need to explain what will happen if you cross that wall?” “GET IT OFF,”
yelled the dreaded man. “OH, Hakeem my old friend please I really wouldn’t fiddle around with
that if I was you. The molecules stability must be in a constant state of electrolysis. It can be very temperamental…fiddling with it is not a wise decision.”
I turned and watched all five of us look around at each other again as Ron continued.
“Now, you may ask me one question my friends you deserve the knowledge that Ron Reid has acquired. I always believe in helping the downtrodden even if they are the evilest people.” Ron stopped as he lowered his eyes, and an unknown person was talking to him off camera. “I know but they still get the question anyway I just…” He stopped as he raised his sunglasses. “I’ll deal with you later fool! Now, my friends what is your question?” We all stared at each other. “I am not evil! I believe in a cause. I kill for my country’s independence and unity!” Aednat looked angry, “that’s not a question mujer!” “Fine, what would you do if you were in our shoes?”
“What the hell is that? Mwai doesn’t follow! Mwai leads and I want to ask the…” Ron Reid began to talk so loud Mwai’s words were choked to a silence. “My dear Mujer if it was me, I would hunker down and work as a team. Although knowing you all…you’ll probably cut each other’s throats before tonight.”
Holding his hand high Ron smiled to an unknown off-screen speaker again. “I know I’m wrapping it up tell the Speaker I’m finishing now,” turning back to the screen. “I am sorry my friends the creature is being released in a few minutes. Now ignore the cliché line but this tablet will self-destruct in ten seconds. Remember three days after that boom!” And with a final little salute he gave a jovial little smile, and the screen went completely black. A giant white ten flashed then a nine, “throw it!” Aednat acted like she didn’t need to hear Anton twice. She threw it like a Frisbee as everyone took off in the opposite direction. It was odd seeing all five of us running from something so small. I didn’t have much time to dwell on the subject. The ground seemed to rumble beneath me as I felt something push my entire body forward. I
cartwheeled into the air and fell on my back as dirt rained like little droplets of dew. I covered my face and after a couple minutes the soft wind could be heard again.
I rose from the grass and rubbed my back looking around at all the people in my group.
The information that Ron gave did not make sense. It didn’t seem to fit in with what was going on. This only could mean one thing to me. The man that I had lowered my weapon too that night that seemed so long ago. The man named Pascal that told me he could fix my debt had lied to me. I reached down and saw that bracelets were wrapped around my ankles also. It looked foreign and uncomfortable, but it didn’t feel like anything at all. As a matter of fact, I wouldn’t have even noticed it if I hadn’t had my attention brought to it.
“WHO THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?” Mwai was raising his machete again high and pointed it at Aednat. She gripped her black rifle in anticipation. “I am going to cut your freaking head off! Nobody and I mean NOBODY speaks for me especially a woman! It’s time you learned your place!” She nodded with a smirk, “oh yea well come a little closer and see where I place you.” “I break women every day just for stepping in my way but for you I plan on cutting off your head…ripping out your tongue. I give orders and I demand my questions be answered not yours!”
Aednat tapped her finger on the trigger, “you know for a man that talks so big I don’t really see any balls to back them up.” The machete swung higher and with bulging eyes he brought it swinging down. A pistol hit the back of his head with a CLICK. “Alright their darkie that’s good enough,” Mwai froze mid-swing. “I knew you were a sniveling coward pointing your gun at the back of a man’s head. I’d have more respect for you if you pulled it in front of me. Figures, whites looking out for other whites.” “OH, I assure you that this isn’t because you
are a spook. You’re just the bad bully on the block, but sometimes, we must do ugly things to complete our mission. I need you alive so I can get out of here and continue my fight. Whether we like it or not we are all stuck here and if we want out…ALL of us! I will need big gorillas to help for whatever is coming for us.”