Story: A Girl Like Amanda… Episode 15-17
A Girl Like Amanda., Written By Jake Sam.
Episode 15.
Two years ago.
FirstView Bank Plc.
“Hurry up Farouq, the cops are everywhere.” Amanda said to a man who is behind.
“A minute.”he said as a bag of money fell from his hand and poured on the floor.
He gets up and starts running to the van but is cut short by a bullet that got his leg. He shouts in pain, Amanda got off the van and run to him.
She tries helping him up but a bullet hit his stomach as he stumbles down, when Amanda look behind him and see a off duty police officer inside the bank with a pistol in his hand, Amanda shoots back at him but he ducks right in time to dodge the bullet, he opens fire back at Amanda who is dragged away by Michael to a nearby pillar.
“Let’s go, his gone.” He says to her and seeing the police van approaching.
“We can’t just leave him.” She said to him as she tries to come out of cover.
“We don’t have a choice, look their van is almost here, we have to leave now we have the chance. He’s already been shot.” He said, she looks at Farouq and mutters a “am sorry” before she and Michael leaves him for the van and disappeared from the bank premises.
In horror, he watches them leave him for the cops.
Amanda wakes up as she feels a pain, she tries touching her head but soon realize she’s tied to a chair and by her side is a tied up Victoria.
She tries breaking free but is unsuccessful with the ropes.
She looks around to see if she could see her captors but sees no one.
“You’re awake.” Victoria said getting her attention.
“Yea, what happened?” She asks as her head aches the more.
“You were knocked out.” She replied her with a ‘are you okay’ look.
“Yea, I know. By who?.” She asks again as she struggle with the ropes.
“What do they want?” She said.
“I don’t know Amanda, they keep asking me about Michael.” She said tirelessly.
“Michael? What do they want with your brother.” Amanda asks confused.
“We could tell you though, but we’re gonna have to kill you.” A voice startled them from behind as two masked men walks into the kitchen.
“What the f–k do you want?.” Amanda angrily yell at them.
“Michael. It’s simple, we want Michael.” Of the men said.
“Not possible.” She said.
“Why’s that uh?.” The man asks again.
Amanda keeps quiet and looks at Victoria.
“Tell me Elektra or you prefer Amanda?” He laughs.
“You know me?.” Amanda questioned.
“I sure do Amanda.” The man said as he squat down in front of her.
“I don’t know you.”
“You do, but you just doesn’t know it yet.” He said to her.
“I highly doubt it.” She said looking at Victoria once again.
“Really, then maybe I should take this off.” He said as he took off his mask.
With shock in her eyes she couldn’t believe it, the person standing in front of her is Farouq.
“How are you here right noandL She asks not sure if she was seeing correctly.
“That’s not for you to know baby doll.” He smiles at her as he touch her hair.
“Now where is the bastard that left me for dead.”
“He is dead.” She mutters out and Victoria looks at her shocked at what she said.
“So you really don’t know Amanda?” He asks her laughing.
“Is he really dead?.” Victoria asks her sobbing.
“I think your friend here is lying and that has some deadly consequences.” He cuts in as he pulls out a gun and shoots Victoria in the chest.
“No!!!” Amanda scream out as Victoria falls down gasping.
“You see, you’re the cause. Believe me, nothing personal.” Farouq said to Amanda as he points the gun directly on her forehead.
“So good to see you… But good bye” He says as he twitches his finger on the trigger.
“Well, can’t say much cause when am through with you, you’re gonna regret why you didn’t die two years ago.” She stated angrily.
“I highly doubt it.” He said as he pulls the trigger. . .
Episode 16.
As he pulls the trigger, Amanda pulls her weight backwards as she falls down just in time breaking the chair and freeing herself as the bullet flew passed her head, he points the gun at her again but she sits up too fast with a stick around in her hand, she swings fast on his hand making him loose grip of his handgun, with her hands free, she unties her leg, the other masked man try to attack but she swipes him off his feet, he tries getting up, she kicks him hard on his face, Farouq rushes her with a knife in his hand, she swiftly maneuvers his move with her hand, she holds him in a bear hug as she nods him, he shouts as he uses his leg to break free from her hold.
‘You’re still good Amanda, am gonna give you that.” He said as he touch his nose, its bleeding.
“Less talking, more fighting.” She run towards him, he plunges the knife at her but she slides under him as she brush him, he fell flat on his face, she climbs his back in a sleeper hold, the other masked man gets up and holds her too in a sleeper hold.
Farouq slashes her hand with his blade, she pushes him forward and swiftly turns the other guy over her head, she punch his face, she didn’t stop as she keeps punching him.
‘Bang’
A bullet graze her left shoulder, Farouq fired at her again but she rolls out in a knick of time, she unstraps the masked man’s gun and shoots Farouq in the head, killing him. She stand up and shoots him three more times and shoot the masked man lifeless body.
“Ah, it hurts so d–n much Amanda.” Victoria’s suddenly said from behind her as she struggle to sit up.
“You’re alive, thank goodness.” Amanda exclaimed happily as she crawls her.
“Is my brother really dead?.” Vicky asked weakly.
“That isn’t important right now Vicky, I have to get you to a hospital right away. You’re loosing alot of blood.” She laughs as she hold her in tears.
“Just answer me Amy, is Michael dead?.”
Amanda couldn’t answer the question so she nods with her head.
Vicky suddenly screams out in pains.
“What happened Amanda? How did he die?.”
“I don’t know Vicky, am trying to figure it out.”
Victoria keeps quiet then said “Where’s the body?.”
Her question left her dumbfounded as she didn’t know what to do. How could she tell her that she doesn’t know where his body is, how can she tell her that she was told she took his body away but she knows she has to tell her the truth, at least his sister needs to know but she couldn’t just say it no matter how hard she tried.
“His been buried, his friends buried him.”
“His friends? You and I know he doesn’t have much friends aside you and Alex.”
“Alex? Who is Alex?.” Amanda asks wondering. Michael hadn’t mention any Alex to her, not even once.
“You don’t know Alex…?” Victoria suddenly coughs making Amanda realize she is in dire need of medication.
“Skip that aside, am taking you to the hospital right now Vicky, can you walk?.” She asks her.
“I think so.”
“Good.” She assist her to her feet as they both headed for the door.
Twenty five minutes later.
Meridian hospital.
Amanda paces round the hallway outside the emergency room for like ages, she hopes Vicky is alright as she is restless.
Soon a doctor came out of the ward, Amanda quickly walked up to him.
“Doctor is she alright?.” She asks silently praying in her heart.
“Yes, she has 70% of survival, the bullet didn’t do much damage but thank God you brought her in when you did.” He said to her, Amanda exhale heavily.
“Thank you doctor. Can I see her now?.”
“No am afraid not, she is resting right now so you have to let her rest. Follow me please.” He says as he walks away.
Amanda followed behind as they enter his office.
“What really happened?.”
“Arm robbers, they shot her and me.”
“Yea I can see that. You both are very lucky my dear.”
Amanda smiles.
“Doc, can I ask for a favor?.”
“Sure go ahead.”
“My friend lost her brother recently and I believe the people who killed him are after her, and right now am the only one she got.”
“What about her family?.”
“All dead.”
“Oh my word, so how can I be of help?.”
“My place isn’t safe for her right now so I want you to accommodate her for six days let me prepare for a new place for her. Don’t worry about anything, send me your account details and I’ll send you twenty million naira for her upkeep.”
“You don’t have a problem with that. Does your know about this?.”
“Am afraid not, that’s what I wanted to talk to her about. I’ll be gone before she wakes. I’ve destroyed her phone so when she wakes up, call me with your phone.” She gives him a piece of paper with her number on it.
“Don’t worry, I would love to help out.” He said to her.
She stood up and left the hospital, she drove to her home and and took some of her clothes, she is going to the village. She didn’t feel safe any more.
Taking a few belongings, she drove out in her jeep.
She made the transaction for the doctor before leaving Lagos city that day.
Episode 17.
The drive to the village was a rough one as there were road traffic from Lagos down to Amanuke.
It was dark when she got to the compound but there was light in the compound, her headlight flashes over the compound as some children we’re seated on a mat across the yard while granny was seated on a plastic chair telling some stories.
Soludo sees the light and looks behind him, he immediately stands up from the group and run to the car as he knew it is Amanda.
When she parked the car at a car of her building, she came down and Soludo screamed out with joy of seeing her, he jumps on her immediately and holds her tight at her waist.
She giggles and smiles at him.
“Aunty you left without telling us, I was getting worried.” He complains.
“Am sorry my dear, had an important call to attend to but am here now right?.” She says disengaging from the hug as he nods his head smiling, the rest of the children ran up to her quickly as they all hugged her including Ositadinma. She pats each of them on the back before holding Soludo’s hand in hers as they all marched to where granny sat looking at them.
She squats down on one knee and greeted mama.
Mama suddenly smiles and drag her to a hug.
“Why will you disappear like that without telling me ehn my jewel?.”
Mama questions her.
“Am sorry mama, I had an important business to take care of in the city but am partially with it for now.” She politely said smiling.
“Look at your dimples, but that isn’t an enough reason for going without telling me, I was worried about you.” Mama said as she places a hand on her shoulder.
“I know mama and am sorry, I promise not to do it again.” She sweetly says to her as she holds mama in a hug.
She stands up and face the children before opening her hand bag and brings out a wad of one thousand naira note from it, she gives each of them two thousand naira except Soludo who gives three thousand naira, some of the children mumbles at what she did but didn’t say anything about it, most of them ran to their different houses to show their parents.
Mama Soludo and Mama Tobenna came out from their home and you welcomed her.
“Chai, my dear you’re back. You left without telling us.” Mama Tobenna says in smiles.
“Yes aunty, am back now.” Amanda responded.
“You’re welcome my dear, how was the city?.” Mama Soludo spoke out.
“Thank you aunty Oluchi, and the city is okay.” She said.
“In fact, aunty Oluchi and aunty Philomena I have something for you two.” She said as she puts her hand inside her bag searching for something, she soon brings out as mama Soludo and mama Tobenna mouth were wild open in disbelief.
Amanda handed them one hundred thousand naira.
“Jesus, my God will bless you Chimamanda, may everything work out for your good.” Mama Tobenna blessed her as mama Soludo echoed an ‘Amen’.
“Please, you are family so I can assist you in anyway I can.” Amanda smiles at them both.
“Mama I brought you something,” she says as she brought out a bracelet as she wore it on granny’s wrist.
“I love it my jewel, thank you.”mama says happily.
Amanda quickly went to her building and drop her belongings before taking her bath and soon joined mama and the children as they listened to granny’s tales of the moonlight.
They all became a big happy family that night, with Soludo by her side, Amanda has gotten the past events yet she couldn’t ignore the feeling that she was in danger but with her grandmother by her side, she felt peace.
READ NEXT: Story: A Girl Like Amanda… Episode 18