Chapter 5
Douglas was worried. He kept on thinking about what he would do to avoid Scorpion. One day, he went to the village market, located near a post office, to buy a wristwatch. Incidentally, Scorpion went to the same market to buy a necklace. After buying the wristwatch, Douglas was about to leave when he suddenly collided with Scorpion. Scorpion growled and quickly drew a dagger to stab Douglas, but Douglas disentangled from his grip and started to run. Scorpion quickly returned the dagger and pursued Douglas. Douglas ran into a bush and some yam tendrils hooked him. He fell down and started to untie the tendrils. Scorpion approached him and brought out the dagger again. He wanted to stab Douglas straightaway. He targeted his chest, but when he was about to stab, Douglas rolled to the right and the knife pierced the soil. Immediately, Douglas gathered and threw a handful of moist soil directly into Scorpion’s eyes. Scorpion got up, staggered and hit his head against a thorny tree. Douglas untied the tendrils hurriedly and fled. He almost collided with a large snake, which was descending from a tree, when he took a narrow bend. Scorpion finally removed the soil particles from his eyes. He resumed his pursuit but was unable to catch Douglas.
“Well” he said, “tomorrow is another day. This guy must not know our secrets and get away with them, he must not. He must either join us or die” Scorpion concluded.
Douglas continued to run and suddenly bumped into a very old, wrinkled and gray-haired woman on a lonely pathway. She was returning from the market and she was carrying a basket containing all sorts of foodstuffs. The old woman looked at Douglas and mistook him for one of the thieves terrorizing the village and who usually waylay and rob people on their way to or from the market. Douglas mistook the woman for a fiendish fairy from old moonlight tales. Quickly, he then turned and took another direction, running for his dear life. The old woman shouted and alerted the villagers that she had seen and caught an elusive thief. The villagers gathered promptly and were agog to see who the thief could be. Some men quickly sharpened their cutlasses while others with outdated guns released some bullets into the air. Some young boys dashed for branches of tress and heavy sticks. In a moment, the villagers assembled, but they were disappointed.
“Haa, old woman! What kind of nonsense is this?” one of the men asked.
“Do you mean to tell us that you didn’t actually catch the thief before you alerted us?” another man asked. A smart boy hissed and said:
“This impish woman has made an ass of all of us. Let’s get out of here, the disappointment is certainly exasperating”
The old woman started to abuse the villagers, first to the boys and then to the men:
“So none of you hopeless good-for-nothing useless idiots could bend down and pick my things for me?”
“What!” the boys shouted. “You called us hopeless good-for-nothing useless idiots?” The old woman hissed, coughed, spat out a copious amount of foul-smelling sputum and turned to the men:
“And you drunkards, can’t you go and search for the thief or do your strengths only lie in beating up your wives?”
“What!” the men echoed.
“This is an insult, a very big insult. Look, this woman is crazy. She is crazy and abusive” a young man said. An elderly man sighed and said:
“Well, let’s leave her. I guess she has lost her way”
“It’s you that have lost your thinking, stupid man” the old woman retorted.
“What? You called me a stupid man?”
“Yes, you are a foolish and stupid man”
“You called me a foolish and stupid man?”
“You are a foolish, stupid and useless man”
“You called me a useless man?”
“Yes, that is what you are”
The elderly man shook his head and left the scene.
“I suspect this woman might be a fairy” one elderly man concluded. Then they hissed
disappointedly and left the old woman.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
Jude was severely punished because he revealed the gang’s secrets to Douglas, a non-member. More so, Bullet, the gang leader told him that he must bring Douglas to their hideout single-handed, though he later asked Isabella and Scorpion to assist Jude in bringing Douglas to the hideout. Isabella was a tall, curvaceous, beautiful and fair-complexioned young woman. She is indeed the queen of the gang. Bullet was a heavily bearded, dark-complexion, red-eyed, brawny and angry-looking dangerous man. Inside the hideout, which smelled awfully, were some gang members. Some of them leaned against a wall while some sat on the floor. Some were smoking cigarettes but some were drinking aromatic schnapps. Some minutes later, another gang member came in with a heavy bag of bullets and handed it over to Bullet. Bullet nodded, shook hands with the member. He emptied the bag and started to sort a heap of bullets.
“Isabella, as a result of Jude’s stupidity, a lad had gone into the world with our secrets. What do you think?” Bullet said after a while.
“We shall deal with him accordingly” Isabella replied.
“Good. You answered very well. But how can he be arrested and brought to the gang or killed outrightly?”
“Leave that to Scorpion and I, then give us some days” the queen answered. Jude heaved a sigh of
relief.
“That’s great” Bullet said. “But make sure you carry out the assignment maturely”
“That’s a small assignment. We shouldn’t be taught what we should do” Isabella and Scorpion
said.
“Okay, you have just twenty-four hours to act”
“That’s alright, leader” Isabella said.
“Now, off you go!” Bullet commanded.
Jude, Scorpion and Isabella then took some bullets and left the hideout but Isabella later told Jude to go back to the hideout. Then they planned how they would arrest and apprehend Douglas and concluded that the assignment would be carried out the next day at 4pm.
The next day, Isabella and Scorpion met at a junction as planned. Isabella was also scantily dressed as planned. They exchanged some slangs and left for Douglas’ house. When they reached the place, Isabella entered the compound while Scorpion went and hid behind some banana trees. Douglas was playing a radio cassette inside his room when he heard a knock.
“Who’s that?” he asked.
“Douglas, it’s me” Isabella replied with a mellifluous voice.
Douglas smiled, turned down the volume of the radio set and opened the door but he could not recognize the unknown visitor. Isabella greeted him, smiled, forced her way into his room and sat on the bed.
“Hi girl, who are you?” Douglas asked after a while. Isabella smiled. Douglas looked at her and said, “Well, you are welcome. What do I offer you?”
“Nothing” replied Isabella. “But you don’t need to pretend as if you don’t know me, Douglas. Do you mean to say that you can’t recognize me?”
Douglas was baffled though he and Isabella had met before. They used to go to the moonlight games together during their childhood days. They also attended the same primary school. However, Douglas could not recognize Isabella, and he didn’t know she was a member of the gang.
“Well, you are welcome once more but…I – I don’t seem to recollect how we met but …anyway, what is your name?” Douglas said.
Isabella started to laugh. She adjusted her hair and crossed her legs.
“I can’t tell you my name because you know my name”
“I don’t”
“Have you forgotten?”
“It’s like”
“You are just pretending”
“I’m not pretending”
“Anyway, you will know my name when the time comes”
“When the time comes? What does she mean by that?” Douglas thought. Isabella could imagine what he was thinking about.
“Well Douglas, I am Isabella” she said.
“Oh!” Douglas exclaimed, “You are welcome, Isabella. You see, I couldn’t recognize you…oh it’s been quite a long time, a very long time indeed. You’re welcome once more. Honestly, I have been wondering who my beautiful visitor could be. I must confess, you are getting more and more stunning everyday just as a chick grows more and more feathers everyday”
Isabella smiled and adjusted her hair again. She shifted her handbag a bit and confidently felt a pistol inside the bag. Douglas looked at the handbag and complimented:
“Isabella, the colour of your lovely dress matches with the colour of your handbag. You must have a very good dress sense” Douglas flattered. Isabella beamed with smiles coquettishly.
“Please can I have a cup of water?” she asked.
“Yeah sure” Douglas said. Then he selected the cleanest of the cups on his table and went outside. Isabella picked up Douglas’ photo album and started to glance through the pictures. Shortly, Douglas returned with a cup of water. He was delighted to see Isabella glancing through his pictures.
“Oh, you are glancing through my pictures?” he said.
“Yeah. You look good. The pictures are nice and pleasing to my eyes. They are bright and lovely” Isabella complimented coquettishly.
Douglas smiled. He sat beside Isabella and picked a magazine.
“Oh won’t you come and explain the pictures to me, Douglas? Since you came back, I’ve always wanted to come and have sweet fun with you” Isabella invited.
Douglas was pleased. He smiled again and came closer to Isabella unhesitatingly. Isabella then playfully and tactically drifted from one end of the bed to the other. At last, she seduced Douglas! However, before Douglas could act, Isabella pretended to pull down her panties, midway, she paused and asked:
“My dear, please where can I go and urinate?”
Douglas opened the door quickly and pointed to a certain direction. Isabella got up and said: “I won’t waste time”
Douglas was already nursing an erection gleefully; he said smilingly, “Alright, I’ll be waiting” Isabella then went outside and signalled Scorpion.
“Scorpion” she called silently, “the game is about to start” “Oh, really?” Scorpion responded.
“Yes. Now get ready, I want you to bump into the room in the next two minutes. Do you hear me?” “Yes, queen”
Isabella left and went inside the room where Douglas was waiting.
“Hope I didn’t waste time?” she said.
“You wasted a lot of time. I’ve been waiting for ages” “Oh, I’m sorry” Isabella apologized softly.
“Well, love is patient and patience is a virtue” Douglas admonished.
Isabella smiled. She lay on the bed and supported her head with a pillow. Then she closed her eyes and whispered:
“I love you, Douglas”
“I love you too” Douglas replied.
Isabella then held Douglas’ hands gently and mumbled:
“You can do with me whatever you want, Douglas. Make love to me, it’s been a long time…” Douglas was greatly aroused. He wanted to act immediately but in a second, Scorpion dashed into the room as planned. Douglas was astounded when he saw him. Scorpion started to laugh. He drew his dagger and said to Douglas:
“Mister, there’s nothing you can do now. I mean nothing. You can run but you can’t hide”. Stroking his bearded chin impishly, he continued “You can’t know our secrets and get away with them. You can’t! It is either you join us or you lose your life. So, choose one and don’t waste my time” Douglas instantly lost erection, being greatly confused and dumbfounded. He looked at Isabella questioningly. In a moment, the queen got up, opened her handbag and brought out the pistol. Scorpion quickly brought out his pistol too. He wanted to shoot Douglas straightaway but the queen ordered him not to do so. She laughed for a long time and then said to Douglas:
“Guy, do you think you can know all our secrets and get away with them? No way, guy, no way! You must follow us to our leader or you lose your life, period. Oh! You even have the effrontery to think in your head that you can possibly have sex with me? You probably don’t know the vagina is a trap!” Douglas was still confused, speechless and petrified.
“Mister man”, Scorpion continued, “You think you’re a sharp guy, right? No, you’re not. Again, it is either you follow us to our leader or you lose your life. Now, be fast: which one do you choose?”
Douglas did not utter a word. He did not even know what to say. Isabella waited for Douglas to move but he did not want to move. She hissed angrily and said:”Scorpion, it’s over to you”
“Alright, queen” Scorpion said. He kicked Douglas mercilessly in the groin and said: “Guy, let’s move! Time and tide wait for no man, nigger”
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
Inside the hideout was Bullet, the leader of the gang. He was smoking a cigarette and stroking his hairy chest when Douglas was brought in. There were also some gang members inside the hideout.
“Bullet” Isabella said, “Here’s the runaway guy that went into the world with our secrets. The mission was a smooth and successful one. Before I forget, he even had the temerity to think he could have sex with me. What a fool! He didn’t know my vagina is a tool, a trapdoor to the underworld” then she handed Douglas over to Bullet, like a sacrificial lamb to appease infuriated gods.
“That’s great. I like successful assignments” Bullet commended. He turned to Douglas and said:
“Young man, you are here at last. I don’t have much to do with you. It is just that you will henceforth, after the rituals, become one of us or else you die, period. So, like I said, I don’t have much to do with you now. Do you get that?”
Douglas was silent, speechless and confused.
“Do you get that?!” Bullet shouted, snarling like a dog.
“No, no sir” Douglas muttered at last. Bullet laughed him to scorn and lighted another cigarette.
“Scorpion!” he shouted.
“Yes, leader” Scorpion answered from a corner.
“Come here quickly!” Bullet ordered, “Now, teach this lad a little lesson; he is proving too wise and smart. Just let him feel the tip of the iceberg before we start the rituals”
Like a ferocious bulls, Scorpion pounced on Douglas immediately. He attacked him with heavy blows. He slapped, kicked and punched him mercilessly, virtually turning him to punching bag. After that, Bullet ordered Black Axe, another gang member, to beat Douglas.
“He must understand that we are not here for moonlight games” he said.
Black Axe pounced on Douglas and attacked him as a tiger would to a lamb. Bullet nodded and laughed merrily as Douglas was being beaten. At last, Douglas was so much beaten that streams of blood gushed from his lips and nostrils. He looked at Isabella but she only sighed and shook her head.
“Young man, have you now decided to join us or do you want to die?” Bullet asked after a short while. Douglas was too weak to speak. He was feeling pain all over his body. The leader lighted another cigarette and ordered another gang member to beat Douglas for the third time. After that, he repeated the question:
“Young man, have you now decided to join us?” Douglas was now in intense pains. He was groaning and practically out of breath. The stream of blood from his nostrils joined with that from his lips and dripped from his chin like raindrops. After some time, Douglas gnashed his teeth, shook his head severally and answered very regrettably:
“Yes, sir”
Quickly Black Axe kicked him from behind and ordered him to say, ‘yes leader’.
Bullet repeated the question and Douglas answered, “Yes, leader”
The leader nodded and said, “That’s good” Then he lighted a wrap of Indian hemp. Surprisingly, the queen started to feel pity for Douglas who had been beaten to a pulp. She approached him, brought out a white perfumed handkerchief, wiped his tears and patted him like a baby. Douglas sighed and started to cry. Isabella started to cry as well. Finally, she wiped her tears, patted Douglas again and said:
“Douglas my dear, please endure. I understand how you feel but you see…you can’t just go away with our secrets – that was the bone of contention and, according to our rules, such a person would either be killed or be brought to join the gang. So, my dear, please endure. We are not against the world but are fighting to survive. Yes, we are here for a special kind of game – it’s just a risky game of bravery, brainwork and agility and not a puerile game of hide-and-seek. So my dear, while in Rome do as the Romans do”
A brief ritual was then performed and Douglas was finally and fully initiated into the gang. He was nicknamed “Dougler”, later changed to ‘Doug’ and finally to ‘Dog’. Now, this is where the Story of Douglas actually started.
