The Bodyguard

My name is Ackim, I was born in Zambia, twenty eight years ago. Born from a Soldier and a humble house wife. When I was 20 years old, my father sent me to go and train as a soldier in Ndola Mishili Barakas. In the second year, twenty of us were held captive in the deep forests of Congo.

After five years, I escaped! Yes, I did. But it seems my life is used to the dirty games. I saved the life of a damsel who is always in danger and I'm completely stuck with her.

I still need to find my family, but the offer I've got here is too huge to be declined, and with it, I think I can still search for my family.


It is getting more complicated by the day! Oh Damn! I can't even keep my eyes off her, yea, I know what you're thinking, that's right, but I've got a job and I'm gonna get rid of anyone that comes near her and still find my family.

I am the BODYGUARD.....

Get ready for this Action/Romance story..

By

Tisa Phiri

Source - https://youngicee.com/2019/06/the-bodyguard-action-romance-thriller.html

The Bodyguard - Episode 1

By Tisa Phiri

I looked around just to make sure no one was watching me, the tall trees and green grass did me favour. It matched so well with my green patched combat. Slowly patting the way through the tall grass ensuring that I created little noise. Moving quickly on my stomach with my hands supporting me, I made my way through the tall grass and I sighed as I reached the thick bushes.

Spotting a big tree a few meters away, I rushed and climbed up swiftly. As soon as I settled up in the branches I saw other soldiers, my persuers running my direction. one of them shouting

"let's go he went this direction!"

"yes sir!" the others answered.

I looked straight on top his head as he stood direct under me, smilled to myself,

"I got you bastard!" i screamed in my head. If only he was chasing me alone without 30 other soldiers I could have shot him, blowing his brains out. But I had to take it easy if i was to escape from the hell I lived through the past 5 years of my life.

My name is Akim, I was born in Zambia, 28 years ago. I am the 4th born in a family of 5, born from a Soldier and a humble house wife. My father was a gallant soldier but due to his misbehaviour he never got promoted passed the rank of a sergeant.

When I was 20 years old my father sent me to go and train as a soldier in Ndola Mushili Barakas.

__

In the second year of our training as a commando, our camp was attacked by the rogue soldiers from Congo who took 20 of us in captive and held us in the deep forests of Congo.

News went by in Zambia that we were all killed in the line of duty.

General loko, who was in charge of the rebels had for the first three months subjected us to torture until all our energy to fight back eloded. All of us lost hope of ever returning to our country besides, when we were driven in the back of the trucks the day we were captivated our heads were covered in dark clothes hence we could not even identify clearly the direction of our country.

Within the first year of slaverly in the hands of the rebels who made us do all kinds of dirty things for them . Including kill people in the villages as a way of fighting back at their government. out of the 20 captivated from Zambia, 5 died of malaria. luckily I survived and lived on. With each passing day I lost my sense of humanity and lived by orders like an animal.

One day however, I woke up with a new vibe and dream of escaping. I told my friend who refused profoundly..

"am scared" he told me,

"what if they catch us, you know they will kill us without hesitation"

"well" I told him..

"unlike you I better die trying because staying here is the same as being dead"

So I went on planning my escape for 2 years. I managed to mark a few tress we had passed through from the city. I however planned to escape to the boader from there I would probably find my way to Zambia.

So here I am being persued by general loko and other soldiers. I had hidden a gun in the bushes and packed some water bottled in my bag. I also stole some tinned foods and hidden them. I had escaped in the night as everyone was asleep killing the guy who was on guard.

But the dark night made it so difficulty for me to move fast. I was lost and went in circles the whole night before it was dawn, one of the rebels saw me by the river and he shouted..

" there he is..!" When I heard the shout I was taken by surprise but I manged to ran and hide as they chased after me.

I looked at the general as he paced around under the tree I was hiding in. my own breath felt like I was making so much noise to be heard down there. I looked at him as he walked away following the others who went different directions searching for me. I knew being caught would be the end of me . praying to survive this hell and make it to my country even if i had no idea where I was going.

I waited for 2 hours more before I climbed down and started running as fast as my feet could take me, the heavy boots on my feet being the only sound I heard as they hit the ground.

After going for almost 20 kilometres i came to a small stream flowing in the east direction. My inner instincts told me to follow it as there is always some people living near where water was.

It was almost getting dark when i first came into contact with a human being. I hid behind the bark of the tree as I heard male voices coming my direction. Passing were two farmers carrying their hoes, "coming from the fields i gues."

I sat down to rest after taking the bottle of water from the bag and drinking it rapidly, putting my head on the bark of the tree and fall asleep. I needed to rest before proceeding.

To be continued

You can read more episodes here - www.youngicee.com/category/the-bodyguard

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Oyinprince:


Welcome. Kindly mention more people to join

The gurus in the house izaray, Ann2012. LightQueen is on sabbatical though.

Oyinprince:


Welcome. Kindly mention more people to join

oga oyinprince wetin we do nah?
Abeg go update us for STALKED BY D MAFIA ooo,

no lemme vex tell scar make e send henry ooo

by d way, you hardly update on FB again

Treasure17:

The gurus in the house izaray, Ann12. LightQueen is on sabbatical though.

izaray:

Lol. Cause you guys are on every literature thread if I'm not exaggerating. How are you doing?

Treasure17:

Lol. Cause you guys are on every literature thread if I'm not exaggerating. How are you doing?

I'm fine, trust you're good too

izaray:
I'm fine, trust you're good too

Absolutely. Thanks.

Interesting story

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Ride on

The Bodyguard - Episode 2

By Tisa Phiri

I woke up and looked at my watch. I had slept for almost 2 hours by the tree, the cold wind blowing and making my body feel some chills. I wiped my eyes, looking around it was getting dark. I grabbed my bag from my back and pulled the loops I had tied to close the bag and removed a small tin of baked beans. I didn't like the taste of the beans but my hunger surpassed my taste buds, gulping the water from the bottle, I felt a bit stronger than before.

I walked a few steps to the small path and looked both directions before lifting my legs and continuing on my journey.

I knew if I covered some good miles before dawn I would probably be at the boarder to Zambia.

"God willing I would cross over to the Zambian side by morning." I thought to myself.

I was not sure which part of Zambia I was to emerge from, my estimation was either North western or parts of the copperbelt province.

I walked and trotted the entire night without stopping, that was the good part of undergoing some hard training in the military, it was difficulty to train and do as ordered but now it had come in handy. The act of perseverance was embedded in me and surrendering easily wasn't an option.

I had to kill a couple snakes that I spotted first with the flash light I held in my hands. I knew general Loko was probably still searching for me but I made sure I walked the opposite direction of where him and his man went.

With every step I took my strength diminishe but I staggered and moved on. Hours later, I saw some small lights ahead on the ground slightly higher than where I was. some thunder and lightening lit the surrounding blinding my sight a bit as I stomped my boot on the stones.

"I have to get to the light and maybe get some shelter from this rain.." I whispered to my self gaining momentum.

After dragging myself for what seemed like a day. I saw the lights closer after an hour. The thundering and lightening continued. I looked up the sky, the dark clouds were slowly moving back wards. I smilled as I remembered what my mother would say when there was too much thundering and lightening before the rains, she would say.. "when there's so much of cracking and lighting in the clouds, it never rains. especially if the occured before the rains."

I smiled at the thought of my mother. I was sure by that time she had started forgetting about me. it had been 5 years and since we were reported lost and probably killed. I was mourned and an empty grave dung in my honour.

With the way I was looking, I was sure no one could even recognise me. My hair had turned to be like that of a Rastafarian. The heavy beards on my cheek also contributed to making me look like a wild animal, no wonder I avoided the small village houses all my way and as much as I could hid from the people. I was certain I would send them running all directions with just a glance at me. Even the colour of my green combat had turned to brown or some colour between brown and dark green.

I kept my mind busy thinking of home and how it was back before this happened to me.

I was one of the most known recruit, my good looks and vibes got me lots of girl's attention, even though I wasn't as tall as my young brother, girls loved my charm and middle height.

However, I played around with them but my heart belonged to my lovely eastern girl. Chimwemwe, the time i was in the commando training after being selected from the best soldier recruits to proceed and train as commandos, she had just completed her grade 12. I had plans of marrying her after she had completed her college. Chimwemwe always told me she wanted to do a teaching course. I loved her and missed her a lot. I did miss her a lot especially the first 2 years after we were held captive, but with the days and weeks and later on months passing, I felt being disconnected from most of my physical feelings. I decided to switch off my emotions in order to survive the harsh environment I was subjected to.

The lights I was seeing where now a 100 meters away from where I stood. Coming out of my own thoughts, I smiled and felt relief upon seeing light coming from a shed. I slowly moved forward searching the surrounding with my eyes as I crawled towards the fire. I didn't want any surprises so I held my gun and pointed it forward ready to fire in case of any strange thing happening.

I was about to ran to the back of the small house in the middle of what looked like a farm, I couldn't tell for sure since it was so dark and I had switched off my torch.

"Hey come and stand here for me" I heard a hoarse voice call out from the entrance of the house. I saw a man's dark shadow move to the house and the one who called walked towards my direction. I lay flat on the small bushes holding my gun..

I was almost standing to hit him when he stopped and pointed his manhood releasing water at an angle slightly on the left of where I lay. I watched him moan in satisfaction and the light shown slightly in his face as he turned to go revealing his bold head. His loose jeans pushed a bit down his buttocks and on top was a heavy sweater.

I looked at him as he walked.

"What ever those men are doing here" I thought to myself

"Is dirty." I had a strange feeling and chill in my skin, my military instincts confirmed my suspicions.

I turned to walk away trying to avoid any confrontations with the bad guys again. but a few steps, I heard a female voice screaming and shouting. I Stopped for a while and listened on as the voice cried softly and begged to be left alone.

Shaking my head I turned to continue.

"Akim, its none of your business" I told myself, but the loud scream that followed caused me to walk back.

To be continued

Read more here - www.youngicee.com/category/the-boduguard

Nice one op. This story gat me glued to ma phone. And please how can i get the full story?

do4luv14:




oga oyinprince wetin we do nah?
Abeg go update us for STALKED BY D MAFIA ooo,

no lemme vex tell scar make e send henry ooo

by d way, you hardly update on FB again

I believe what you're referring to are the links been shared on Facebook. I've been quite busy and I only noticed recently that the plugin that automatically shares to Facebook got disconnected

Hasseenoh:
Nice one op. This story gat me glued to ma phone. And please how can i get the full story?

You can just follow on www.youngicee.com/category/the-bodyguard

Treasure17:

The gurus in the house izaray, Ann2012. LightQueen is on sabbatical though.

Thanks for the mention

The Bodyguard - Episode 3

By Tisa Phiri

I silently went back to the small house avoiding being spotted by the guy standing by the door. Peeped through the window and there she was, a coloured girl tied to a chair her hair ruffled and looking like it was blown by the wind all over her face.

I watched the guy I had seen near where I hid stand before her and screamed at her.

"shut up! Now you bitch! or I will send you to your grave..."

" please my father will give you whatever you want just let me go now" she cried.

I looked at her and felt for her, I was brought up and trained to respect a woman and whatever i did, I would never deliberately hurt a woman. Seeing the man in that room slap and hit that poor woman made me furious. I couldn't tell what had transpired but I wasn't going to stand and watch that psycho mistreat a woman. Before I could talk myself out of it, I charged forward my gun pointed forward. I took some quick but silent steps towards the front, bowed a bit and saw a clear view of the man by the door.A strip of smoke emerging from his mouth. he held a cigarette and it seemed he was enjoying the effect it was impacting on him.

I looked further away and spotted two other guys seated in a shed the opposite side their backs towards me, making some calculations, I knew I could take down the man by the door without making noise and slip into the room. I had to be careful as four against one would not work so good for me if i didn't play it well.

Slowly I stepped forward, I held the man by the door and he tried fighting it but i was quick, I twisted his head like I learnt from the military how to put out someone without killing them. Slowly i lay him down and checked on the guys in the shed. Their faces where still turned the other way, satisfied, I pushed the door slightly and walked in. The woman saw me and I held my finger on my mouth to silence her. The guy before her had his back turned to me.

Before he could turn to look at what the lady was glancing at, I held him from behind and he tried fighting back. I didn't give him an opportunity to produce any more noise, so I slid my small knife from my pocket in his throat. placed his dead body down as blood flowed down creating a pool around his back.

The woman looked at me her eyes filled with fear.

"who are you?" She asked shaking.

"please don't kill me.. please.. "

"shshshshs" I whispered to her.

"I just want to help you and if we have to escape this place alive I need you to do as I say okey?" I asked untying her hands which were tied to a chair.

"okay " she nodded her lips still shaking..

I held her small hand and slowly opened the door, after I was satisfied the guys in the shed were still in the same position, I pulled her out and ran to the back as fast as she could go. Just then, the guy by the door winced and shouted making the friends startle and went to him.

"what hapened here? " one of them asked the guy on the ground.

"the girl !" he shouted.

"Damn it! " They shouted back and one of them ran towards the back and another went searching in the front. I quickly led the woman to the bushes and asked her to lay flat down. I saw the man look around and when he realised it was quite, he went back running.

"where did they go? " he shouted..

Some minutes later I raised the woman and told her to ran as fast as she could. I follwed behind as we ran further away from the house not even knowing where we were going. I could see the way she was running that she was a fast runner. If i wasn't as fast I could have lagged behind. I really don't know what inspired her speed, whether it was fear or it was just in her to ran.

She stopped after we covered a reasonable distance, to my surprise longer than I anticipated a woman to go. Panting, she leaned on the tree. I stopped before her..

"are you okey? " I asked her..

"Who are you and why have you come to my rescue? Who sent you? Was it my father? " She asked me. Though it was a dark night, i could tell her eyes were on me. I was sure she was wondering how a man in a combat looking like one from the dept of the forest was doing saving her life..

"Well," I finally told her..

" my name is Akim and no i wasnt sent by anyone. i just happened to be passing by and saw those guys holding you there, my instincts told me to help you and I pray to God I have not just made the biggest mistake of my life" i added serously..

I indeed hoped I hadn't burried myself in more trouble rescuing the woman I didn't know and had no idea why they held her.

"anyway" I thought to myself..

"I did what I could and I would go my way"

She sighed..

" thank You Akim"

"you saved my life. Am Paula.. " she added..

"What did you do for them to hold you like that in such a place? " I asked her.

"I don't know but i think it's about my father's political issues or something. I was just held as a bet."

"oh I see" i looked at her..

"anyway, you are on your own from here. I also have my journey to Persue and I don't plan on tagging you along, you can stay here till morning and find your way back home. I have to go before dawn. I need to cross the boarder."

"Wait !" she called me before I started moving.

"you can't just leave me here in the dark alone. where are you going? I can go with you and what boarder are you talking about? Where is this place?" She was now panicking I sighed..

"my dear, we are somewhere near the Zambian boarder in congo. I should cross before morning. so you have any idea how you got here?" I asked her..

"Oh no don't tell me am in Congo. I have no idea cause i was brought here unconscious, that explains why my father's men have not found me those bastards crossed the boarder, this is hell I can't believe this is happening to me. Do you have any phone? " She asked..

"no I don't and I have to go. If you are coming lets start walking now and by morning, you will head your own way.. "

"Okay thank you" she nodded as she walked behind me. I switched on my touch and lit the way. I pointed it on my hand and checked the time. It was almost 03am.

After going for a mile I noticed Paula was lagging behind..

"you are tired, we can rest here" I indicated searching the area around the tree. she sat down and hugged her self. I noticed she was cold, I looked at the sky and the clouds had cleared.

" It would not rain until hours later" i thought to my self..

I sat next to her and she moved closer.

"am scared" she whispered.

"It's okey" I told her

"we will be fine, there's nothing to fear, even snakes are hiding from the cold they won't come out." I felt her shoulders shiver with the cold, removing my heavy combat jacket I covered her.

" hope you won't mind the stench" I joked. I felt her shoulders relax she had smiled.

"thank you Akim" .

I smiled too and couldn't help feel that she felt safe, leaning her head on my shoulder after some minutes she fall asleep.

My mind went back relieving what I just did. It was risky but I felt good about my act. It had been long since I did something I was proud of. Leaning my back on the bark of the tree I fall asleep.

To be continued
Read more here - www.youngicee.com/category/the-bodyguard

Akim and Paula i wish you duo a peaceful sleep sha

Op thanks for the update

Interesting stuff. Thanks for the update.

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Am following fa

Wonderful and interesting Keep it up

The Bodyguard - Episode 4

By Tisa Phiri

I woke up as the early morning breeze touched my skin leaving my body feeling chilly, next to me was the woman i rescued the previous night, Paula. I watched her soft movement as she breathed. I could bet she was tired all the beating and shouting she was exposed to by those mafias probably grabbed all her strength i thought to myself as i watched her long face.

Her skin looking pale, probably because of the cold and the stress too. I took advantage of the moment and analyzed her. She had a slim and long face, her nose a bit pointed out making a shape of a well curved wooden doll. Her thick lips with a faint red color, with the silky hair in her head a little bit messed up,but still tied in a pony tail. She was definitely beautiful. I presumed she had a mixture of Asian and African blood. Everything about her face was like a white person, only her skin which wasn`t as white as that of the whites.

"Well Ackim" i sighed,

"of all people you had to rescue a colored girl." I moved her away from my shoulder she leaned on and slowly placed her head down. She slowly opened her eyes and woke up with a start realising obviously that she wasnt in a luxury bed, but in the thick forest, with a stranger.

"Hey! sorry i woke you up" i said dusting the leaves from my back.. "its okey," she responded her eyes wide open,

" i was so tired and i slept so much forgetting my situation" she grinned as she stood up removing my combat jacket hanging on her shoulder.

"yeah we have to start off and if we are luck, we might find people ahead and ask exactly where we are, from there you will probably find your way back home" i added looking at the sky trying to read the weather, hoping it wouldn`t rain. But my wish was in vain as the clouds were already dark and in minutes it would start raining.

"Yeah sure, thank you" she paused obviously she had forgotten my name..

"Ackim" i reminded her.

"yeah" she let a weak smile exposing her white and sharp teeth.

"thank you" she continued.

"you saved my life and if God willing we make it out of here alive, i will see to it you are well compensated" she told me as she removed her brown leather boot she wore on her feet and hit it on her palm to remove the small stones and soil that had entered inside.. i watched her feet, her nails well manicured and painted red. she however had a few bruises on her feet.

we stood closer to the tree as the rain started falling. I suggested we waited there until the rains stopped. The big and thick leaves gave us at least some shelter. Even though a few drops of water still reached us. I handed her a tin of fruits as i opened the last one from my bag..

In total, i had stolen 6 tins from the camp, meaning for the past days i was running i only eat 4 tins. I looked in my bag and removed the two bottles of water that had remained, handing Paula one.

"that is all we have left" i said.. gulping on my own water..

" we have to make it on time or you wont survive this jungle" i sighed as the water made its way to my stomach.

The rain stopped finally and we started our journey.

"so tell me who exactly you are and who your father is. In short, try to explain the details of what is going on in your life." i asked her as i watched her walk in front of me her skin jeans colored with some dirty, as her small behind moved side to side.

"well " she begun,

"its a long story, but it seems we have the whole day ahead of us after all," she chuckled...

"My father is a business man and politician too, we just moved in to Africa, i mean Zambia" she paused.

"some 8 years ago after my mother died in Asia, as you can see am a mixed blood. My mother was Asian and my father is Zambian. so when mom died dad couldn`t stay any longer that side so he decided to come and invest here in his home country. it was easy for him cause he already had investments running and also he sponsored a lot of politicians here. so when we moved here, he developed some sudden interest in politics,

the fact that, that would cause him to withdraw some of the privileges to the politicians and also that he has more wealthy, he is a threat to some old politicians and someone is trying to take him down, am not sure how, cause my father and i rarely discuss politics at home. somehow i was caught up in this mess and here i am, am not even sure why they kidnapped me..if my perception is correct or not,am not sure "

"Hmmmmm i see," i finally sighed when she stopped talking,

"being rich isnt that funny after all" i added with a laugh.

" i thought you guys had less problems but i guess we all have challenges uh.."

" yeah Ackim" she let a laugh, "everyone has their own issues to face.. "

"Now i know " i sighed,

"so what do you do yourself?" i asked her as we walked on approaching a clear valley ahead.

"I am working with my father`s company, am the chief Executive in one of the mines he has over 80 % of shares, on the Copperbelt"

"where is that?" i asked when she mentioned Copperbelt. I was hoping that would give me a hint of which side of the country we would head.

" Solwezi" she answered

"well great" i giggled,

"that means we are near. I dont think they could have held you far away from Solwezi and the fact that those guys where speaking some sort of Bemba with a tone of Kaonde, it means we sure are close " i told her..

We came across a village and seeing the man we had stopped to talk to my heart rejoiced, up until that moment i didnt realise i already crossed the boarder. The elderly man was kind especially after seeing how tired Paula looked. He offered as a meal and water which we gladly accepted. After talking to him and asking him some questions, he told us we were a few meters away from the road going to the town. We thanked him, though my kaonde wasn`t so good i was able to grasp most of the things he was saying.

With our bodies energized we matched down to the road as i explained to Paula about myself and how i got where we were. I don`t even know whether my parents are still alive and where they must be. I told her the time i joined the Commando, my father only had 2 years to his retirement day.. we came to a gravel road and sat down as we waited for a vehicle to show up.

"I wish we had a phone," Paula said weakly.

"Things could have been easy from here. I could have contacted dad or someone to come pick us up."

"well we have none my dear" i shrugged removing the jacket. The sun was now shinning up in the clear sky and it was getting a bit hot. Paula was quite for some time looking at me from head to toe, i caught her glaring.

"What?" I asked looking at myself.. "am i that bad?"

she smiled widely.. "you are okey given the circumstances." She smiled. I shook my head.

An open van stopped an hour later, i rushed to the driver and told him we needed a lift. Pula offered him some money telling him he will be paid well if he gets us to town.

"This is it then," i told her as we sat in the back of the open van, the bumps moving us from one side to another.

"what is?" she shouted on top of the noise from the engine.

" i mean from here we part ways." i told her dodging a small branch ahead as the van moved to the side of the road swaying the pothole ahead.

"No," she responded seriously,

"you need to clean up and get some other clothes before you go on to your city. i will see to it you are comfortable before leaving" she added..

"that`s to thank you for saving my life...."

"Okey then!" i shouted back.

" lets do that..."

To be continued

Read more here - www.youngicee.com/category/the-body-guard

Ride on Oyin

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The Bodyguard - Episode 5

By Tisa Phiri

3 hours later, we reached the town of Solwezi. I had visited the small time years back, my uncle, mom's brother once lived there before he passed on. At the time i was only 10 years old. I could still remember a few places though there was some great improvements and the small town was growing. I guess it was the coming of the investors in the mines.

Paula, told the driver of the open Van to drive us to one of the lodges she said belonged to her father. Immediately we walked to the reception the lodge workers came running to welcome and greet her. "what happened to you Madam?" One of the workers asked her.

" are you okey? Can we help you with something?" He asked her tagging behind as we walked in the long corridor heading towards the rooms.

"Yes" Paula answered..

"tell the accountant to pay the driver of the Van outside and please call someone to the office right now."

"yes mam" the guy responded turning to go back after giving me a dirty glance.

Paula led me to a wide office with good looking furniture and neatly decorated cream white leather chairs behind a mahogan table.

An air con direct on the left of table..

"this is where I work from sometimes when I want to take a break from my busy schedules." she told me as she removed her boots.

"uuuhhhh! " She screamed as she tried to step on the floor. I noticed the blisters were worse than I had seen earlier.

I giggle in my head, thank God I was a black person, it would take the whole week of walking for me to get such blisters on my feet.

"You need to be checked by a doctor" I suggested as she sat in her chair looking really exausted.

"not Now Ackim. I need to wash off this dirty on me and then make a few calls. Am not sure what's going on with dad. So I won't risk exposing myself yet until am certain this is under control." She sighed tired.

I nodded in agreement..

"I think I can use a bath too" I spoke up still standing. I saw how people looked at me at the entrance, surely I was a real mess.

"Oh yeah, sorry Ackim" she sighed.

"look at me, am busy thinking of my problems forgetting you too need to be taken care of, am sorry.. " she added.

I smiled..

"it's okey, i understand. just show me the bathroom I get to it already "

She lifted the land line in the room and dialled some number..

"Shila come over to my office " she called on the phone. A couple of minutes later a tall and dark girl with a well shaped body walked in.

"Show my friend a room which is vacant and give him whatever he will ask for, make sure he's comfortable." Paula added as the girl led me out of the office. she looked at me with a disgust look but I ignored her. who would blame her anyway, my body had not touched any water for the past 4 days except that of rains which even made it worse. I could bet I had a stench. I even wondered how Paula had manged to stay close to me as we walked together.

Shila opened a room two doors from the office we left Paula.. "there's water and everything you need to get cleaned up" she explained, Still avoiding any contact with me.

"Thank you" i smiled and immediately regrated it, she made a face of disgust and walked away almost holding her nose.

The feel of the warm water in my skin was so wonderful. I took all the time i had scrubbing my skin. I had to get rid of the dirty I was feeling and had felt for almost 6 years. If i didn't escape I could have lived under the command of general Loko for 6 years the follwing month.

After almost two hours of being in the tab scrubbing myself, I finally emmerged from the water and went to look at my self in a mirror. I slowly held my face.

"oh my God" I whispered, i could not believe how I looked. only an inch of my face was visible, my hair was long and tied, the moustache had grown covering three quaters of my face. I looked at my self for a few more minutes, a tear dropped from my eye as I recalled what I had been through. I however was not the cry type, so the tear disappeared as soon as it fall off my eye and it was dry again.

"Thank God am alive" I whispered.

It was the only prayer I could say over the years, either thank God for my life today or thank you God for the food. I never went beyond that. I guess I was forgetting every other prayer my mother taught me and what I learnt from church.

I was gone thinking about my life when I heard a soft knock on the door. I wrapped a towel in my waist and walked towards the door. A short guy stood by the door, he smiled at me..

" I have been told to come help you with your hair" he mentioned showing me the shaving machine in his hands.

" of course, thank you" I nodded indicating him to come in.

The guy did his thing and all the while we both were quite. He finished and asked me to look in the mirror..

"great work!" I exclaimed seeing my face clear and the moustache well treamed and shaped, leaving a very thin linning which defined my chin, revealing my thin lips. My head was clean and well shaved too. I could confess I looked like a different person, the people who saw me before could not identify me at first sight of my change.

In an hour I was done cleaning myself and I put on the new clothes another worker handed me. I wonder how Paula managed to give them accurate sizes to my clothes and shoes. I wore a pair of black jeans and a long sleeved body top which defined my bulged muscles. If not for the small vest I put inside the top could have exposed my pointed small nipples.

what I did everyday of my life was a drill and I needed no gym to get a perfect body shape.

Paula come by later and she stood by the door quite for a few minutes checking me out.

" wow! " She exclaimed.

"you look um..mm good" she murmered. I let a smile..

"it's almost like you can't believe am the same person you saw an hour before" I added standing from the bed I had lay back on.

"Sure I can confess you look different" she chuckled.

"let's have some real food" she suggested leading the way out. she looked great in her small dress and high Heels, even though she didn't have a well outlined Zambian woman shape, she looked perfect in her dress which revealed her round hips.

we sat in the corner of the restraunt at the lodge as the waiters served some hot dishes of food.

Later that evening she suggested we rest and see the way forward the next day. Laying on my back I immediately fall asleep, the comfort of the bed making it easy to relax. After 5 years and some months of being in the bush it really felt more than great.

To be continued