Devon drove his car slowly while blaring music. He was disappointed. He was in the mood of be hanging out with a girl. Take her out, eat, drink, and catch fun. He had a weakness for those creatures. He was addicted to their company yet he never got attached. But all the three girls he had tried to reach out to were not around.
It was a few minutes after 7:00 PM.
He saw some muslims going to mosque. He grimaced at himself. He had not prayed for almost a week. What was wrong with him? He was an ingrate. God created him, gave him life, health, wealth and blessings he could not count but he could not spare twenty- five minutes out of twenty four hours in a day to perform salat.
Yes. Combine the five daily prayers, it would not exceed twenty-five minutes. That was 1.7%. He shrugged. He would think about it later again. But for now, he needed some fun.
He drove to a beer pub and got himself expensive wine. While he drank and smoked, he remembered that he was a medical doctor and knew the effects of smoking in details. This was a ticket to death land.
Well, to hell with that!
He could not wait to build his hospital. His father had promised him that. But he also wanted to work for a government hospital for a while to gain more experience. He could imagine himself in the coat, looking all serious as he attended to patients.
He chuckled.
He may even get married. Marriage? Damn! He had never really thought about it. Could he bring himself to love a woman and marry her? Love was important in a marriage, right? Okay, he was getting high and this thought about marriage was a result of intoxication. He bought another bottle and after two bottles, he knew he was high. These were strong wines. He told himself to stop. It was dangerous to drink while you drive. No! Drive while you drink. No! What was the meaning of DUI again? Damn! He was inebriated.
He would just go home and sleep. No more woman for the night.
As he got on his feet, he balanced himself, felt his head swirling and his vision looked kaleidoscopic. He did not know if to walk or wait.
He began to move, staggering slightly. He hit a chair, said sorry to the chair and moved on. He felt nausea. He rarely puked after drinking but he felt so different today.
He got to his car and got in. He lit a cigarette and rested his head on the headrest for a while. Unknown to him, lurching in the dark was Zina.
She was dressed in black leather pants and top. She had being stalking him and this seemed to be her chance. He was drunk.
As he started his car, she wore her helmet and got on her Harley- Davidson bike. Her dangerous eyes on the car. She felt her bile rise, the harsh words he had rained on her resonated. As he moved the car, she waited for a few seconds and rode after him. It was payback time!
Zina rode after him with a keen interest and excitement. Her pistol was silenced. She hoped he was driving to his rented house outside the camp. That would make it easier for her. This may be her second. First it was Engineer Hassan and now Doctor Devon. Well, they were both threats to her life.
She saw the car leave the road abruptly. Where was he going to? He pulled up the car and sat still for a few minutes. She had stopped the bike while she an idea crept into her head. Her pistol was silenced. She could just ride to his car, the car window was open, send two bullets to his head and just leave. She would have long gone before he his body was discovered.
She then saw him open the car door, came out of the car and walked groggily to one of the shops by the roadside. He was going to buy something. After about ten minutes, he came out of the shop. This was her chance. She would let him get into the car, then take a fast ride towards him and shoot him. This had to be settled now. She started her bike, brought out her gun and waited.
She began to move the bike as he walked to his car. She had it times and there was no way she was going to miss him but she saw him stop and turn back. It was the shopkeeper who had called him and ran after him.
“You left your milk sir.” She said.
“Ohhh, thank you.” Devon said and collected the milk.
Zina could not stop the bike to avoid getting noticed. She had to ride pass him. Damn! She just lost a golden chance. But that was just a chance that was lost but not the entire night. She would have to finish it tonight. She stopped the bike ahead of him, hoping he would not notice her.
Devon started the car and continued his journey. He was eager to get home and immerse his body in warm water in the tub. He drove pass her. He never intended to sleep in the camp today even when he had no company.
Immediately he drove pass her, she continued the trail. She had put on an effort to keep the distance at range.
He was eager to get home. He was not going to have a bath anymore. All he wanted was to sleep. He had too much weed, and wine.
They were on a lonely dark road. He was not heading to the camp but his guest house. This was her luck.
She could feel the excitement. It was time he met his quietus.
Devon felt his eyes close, he opened them, but he felt his grip on the steering wheel loosen. What was wrong with him?
The car was getting out of control. It seemed the road was splitting into two. Was this magic? Or a new civil engineering breakthrough. He grabbed the wheel firmly. He began to whistle tunelessly and forgot the loud blaring music.
Now he saw the single road turn into a double lane. This was sweet! He decided to choose a lane. Which? Okay, the one on the right hand side. Things on the right side were better, right? He turned the steering wheel but that was a result of his illusion. In reality, he just left the single lane and drove off the road.
He heard a bumping sound before the car began to summersault.
Zeeman saw the car summersaulting. She doubted if he was still alive. She did not think he wore a seatbelt. She was right because the car hit a rock and the door burst open to fling him out. She could see him in air, at the mercy of gravity, in a projectile motion.
The car finally came to a halt before a promontory overlooking a bay. Devon was more sober now. He hit the ground and rolled on the ground until he reached the cliff. He was going to fall down the cliff. He stretched his hand and grabbed edge. He hung there. He could hear the sound of moving water beneath. It was deep and he wondered if he could survive such a fall. He did not have the strength to swim and the water seemed to have a strong current.
He hung there. He could not shout. He was still drunk. The sound from the tributarywhich went further to meet the bay scared him.
It was dark. He tried to move up but he could not. He was getting weaker and he knew it was only a matter of time before he dropped. His arms ached. He could feel a pains all over his body from the crash and blunderings.
Prak!
The part of the edge he held broke off. He quickly used his other hand grab another part before he held balanced himself. This was only a delay of the inevitable.
Prak! Prak!
This time, both parts that he held broke off and he lost grip. He was going down but a slim hand grabbed him. He opened his eyes and thought it was an imagination. He saw the silhouette of a girl dressed in black outfits. What was she? Was she real?
She was lying on her stomach, supporting herself by hooking her legs to a heavy stone.
“Come up!” she said.
Zina? Devon wondered. He tried to move up. She did not have the strength to pull him up by herself. He had to support her but it seemed he was too weak to do that.
“Help!” She screamed, still holding on to him. “ Somebody help!”
He shrill cry receded into the cold air of the night and echoed.
“I-I can’t make it.” He said. The moon cast some light on his face and she saw the glitters in his eyes. “Let me go.”
“No! I can’t.”
He forced a smile.
“I- I am sorry, neighbour. I totally forgive you. I will die with your gesture in my heart.”
“Shut up! You won’t die. Stay strong.”
He felt strength drifting out him. He was having problems trying to keep his eyes opened.
“Once..again…I am- Mah-“ He lost his grip, she tried to grab him but it was too late. She could hear his loud scream echoing as she saw his figure getting smaller as he moved further down the high cliff. Within those few seconds she watched him fall, she pictured the first time she saw him. A slaphappy bloke with a vivacious personality. She could now see those handsome features of his that she had refused to admit.
A guy who risked his neck to save them for nothing in return. She remembered his cosmic smiles. No! She had completely forgotten that she was on a mission to kill him. Now, she wanted him more alive than anyone else.
She heard the lound splashing sound as he fell, and the voice went mute.
“Oh no!” She burst into tears. “Why did you have to leave, Devon?”