CHAPTER 17

It has been four days since Dorathy's period was over. She was still totally unaware of how Mikel helped her ease her pain because before she woke up, he had left the room. She had had to go back to the camp and join others and had watched two people leave The camp after their ransom money was paid. She wondered why her parent were taking so long to pay her ransom so that she could get out of the jungle.

It had been nine days and yet there was no news from her Family. She had told Ahmad several times she wanted to speak to her family to know why they are stalling. She has even promised to convince her parents on their behalf to pay on time but Ahmad kept being either evasive or Kept giving a series of excuses.

Dorathy watched saw how the others got the chance to speak to their parent and love ones to hasten for the payment but her turn to speak on the phone never reached. Even when she asked Ahmad how much was wanted that she had two hundred and forty two thousand dollars in her account and could try her best to make a wire transfer, Ahmad had given her a silly excuse that the only money they needed must be from her parents and not from her.

Dorathy had grown angry and had requested to speak to the leader but all her effort to get audience with Mike had proven abortive. She hardly ever saw him, and even when she did, he was neither passing by in a distance or disappearing into the forest for his usual walk.

The days continued and she noticed that Sandra started feeding them less and lesser eve when the men gathered the firewood and the women in captive prepared food for the entire camp. Sandra made sure that non of the captives gets a piece of meat and would give them food that could barely satisfy them since she's the one in charge of food sharing.

One night, after Sandra had shared the jollof rice that had been made, Onome (the woman with her daughter in the park) who had been restraining her self from challenging her finally could not hold on anymore despite Dorathy's effort to stop her. She took her plate of rice and walked to Sandra who was now scooping the much leftover into a cooler she always hid in her room so that she could enjoy it.

When Sandra looked up after Onome loomed over her with displeased look, she straightened up and asked coldly. "Ehn ?"

"This food is too small....it won't be enough for my daughter and i"

At first, Sandra had a good laugh, looking at Onome in disbelief. When she was done laughing, she asked. "Wait., what did you just say?"

"I said that this food is too small for me and my daughter" Onome stated boldly.

Sandra gave her a hard look. "Kai " she bit her lower lips wickedly as she shook her head slowly. "The nerve! Una see wetin see finish dey cause so?! (you see what over familiarity causes?!)." She said to some of the guys, her colleagues who were close eating and watching. "Una see wetin see finish they cause?n!" She yelled, gesticulating with the big spoon at Onome. "This na why e good make we dey treat this people like animal but una no hear".

"I'd really appreciate if you add more for me , please" Onome said, ignoring her words.

"Add more?" Sandra asked.

"Yes, please"

Sandra chuckled wickedly. "Oliver twist! Shey you know that you are very stupid? Shey you know abi?"

"Please, I'd appreciate if you stop the insult. You are a woman like me and i want you to understand that children need enough food for proper growth. My daughter has been starving for months, her stomach aches every night while she sleeps. Do you know how distressful it is for a mother knowing that i can't give my child a proper meal even when there is enough to go round" Onome complained.

Sandra stood up now in an intimidating manner. "And so?!" She raised her voice now. " come, its like you have forgotten where you are!" She gestured with both hands at the bush surrounding them. "Do you think that this place is a charity home? If not that the boss made the rules that favors you fools, who are you to talk to me, not to even have the audacity to ask for more food! Food that you can't even afford"

"But is we that cooked it , not you"

"How about you pay up your ransom and get out of hear, hungry lion! We can't keep feeding mothers of gluttons!" Sandra snapped at her face.

The words struck Onome and her eyes narrowed in anger. "For your information, my child and i didn't ask to be here! You and your men kidnapped us! We weren't given more of a choice"

"Then maybe you should have died with others in the bus because you are totally useless to us anyway! We had called your family several times but they were unable to raise something tangible despite being sorry for your miserable life and reducing it to one million!"

"Well, its not my fault that you chose the wrong person to kidnap" Onome retorted. " and Am not going to banter words with you, say whatever you like, all i need is some food!"

"Where have you ever heard of good food being shared to victims of kidnapping?" Sandra angrily asked.

"News flash, i have never been kidnapped before now"

"Just get out of my face right now or i will even take this food i had been generous to you" Sandra spat. Unable to tolerate her any longer. "One more word from you and that little brat of yours will go to bed hungry" She threatened.

Onome's eyes narrowed in anger and she took two slow steps to stare at Sandra in the eyes. "Listen, you can call me whatever you want". She began in a low cold tone. "What I'll not tolerate is calling my daughter names. She is everything to me and even though you all have put her through trauma at such young age, she doesn't deserve to be going through any of this".

"And what will you do if i call her anything i want?!" Sandra remained daring. "Just look at her". She gestured hand over Jane who had been sitting in Dorathy's arm. "She will make such a good a whore like her mother. no wonder her father doesn't want her, she's a bastard!"

Sandra had barely let the words out of her mouth when Onome drew her hand far back and struck her on the face. The hot slap really sent enough stars and darkness before Sandra's eyes, making her stagger back. Sandra slowly lifted her head with her hand on her cheek which felt so hot from the slap as she glared at Onome in shock. "Did you slap me?!"

The sudden and unexpected assault had cause the men Tuga, and Pascal to spring to their feet in alarm. Even Dorathy, Jane and others in the small enclosure had risen to their feet and Jane looked terrified for her mother.

"And I'll slap you again if you dare call my child a bastard! That girl had been through a lot already, you have no right to make it worse!" Onome yelled.

Sandra Dropped the spoon now and longer at her after slapping her plate of food out from her hand. Grabbing her by the hair and the two women began to fight. Without hesitating, Dorathy rushed to the scene just as Pascal and Tuga did, Trying to tear both women away from each other. Onome had ripped Sandra's too already, while Sandra had scratched her on the neck, living bleeding bruises.

The ruckus barely altered the others and the other men and Ahmad and the other men rushed to the scene just as Sandra broke loose from Tuga's hold and pounded on Onome, screaming, cursing, and pummelling her since One was particularly restrained by pascal and could barely defend her self not attack back.

"brr