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John and the Children Trafficker

By Olatunbosun Adetula (Nigeria)

Chapter 10

           
                 CHAPTER 10

John stayed awake all night, in the night; he was able to devise a plan. He tapped Alli gently and told him the plan, Alli was frightened, and they spoke in a sotto voce.
“But, it can't be possible John, try to think" said Alli in a frightened voice.
"It can be possible" said John in confidence.
"You know, we were given a number tag, supposing they count us and we were not complete"
"Supposing they didn't count us." said John.
"But still it's impossible"
"Calm down your nerve, Alli, like I told you, I won't wake up tomorrow, look at those crate over there, there I’ll hid myself.” said John in confidence.
"What about the key, how’ll you get yourself out?”
"Don’t worry about that, this morning, as the three guard hurried to meet Madam Patricia, I took one of the key."
"What about the gate, you can't pass through it, it is locked twenty four hours" said Alli nervously.
“Don’t bother your head about the gate, it will soon be deserted, I’ll rather look for a way of climbing it."
The bell was rung exactly six a.m. the deafening sound makes the children cringed. Many of them rushed quickly out of the dormitory they were intercepted by the guards.
Outside a large truck was already waiting to convey them to Ibadan, one by one they were ordered to enter the back of the long yellow painted trucks. The children rushed inside like lost sheep; there was a window for ventilation.
John remained on the bed and saw the whole place deserted, quickly he went beside the crate, he opened it and jumped inside, and the caretaker came to check inside the dormitory, he found the whole place deserted.
When John heard the banging of the gate, he came out of his hiding place, everywhere was in darkness as he stepped inside the factory he looked around but silent like when one is in a graveyard echoes deep inside the factory. John was surprised to see the caretaker coming toward the factory he wondered what he was finding, many questions puzzled his mind. Has he been found? He quickly hid himself. He saw Bruno rushing into the dormitory, he has forgotten something. Bruno brought out the case where he had hidden himself before, it contained several tools, John thanks his star that he didn’t see him, and later he saw Bruno lifted the crate outside.
John came out of his hiding, he brought the key from his pocket, he unlocked the door, the door flung open in his face, fresh air scrubbed his face, he looked at the gate, lots of thin iron were constructed around it to make it strong, these provide a lot of step for him to put his leg on, he decided to climb.
John climbed the gate with all his strength, he reached the top and from there he jumped down, in fear he started running, the whole place was silent and deserted, he kept on running, he saw a mango tree, he was so tired that he rested under it. Later he jumped up, he had regained his freedom. He remember his friend, he decided to act fast in order to rescue them.
John saw a car coming from the deserted road, he wave at it and the car stopped beside him. An old man of around seventy years old was the one driving the car, he was surprised to see john alone in the middle of the forest, he open the door and John sat beside him.
"Where are you coming from boy, you look awful." said the driver.
"I was coming from that building over there." said John; he got to know the man name as Charles.
"That building, that's impossible, how did you get out of there?” said Charles surprised.
"Somehow, through a bit of mother luck." said John smiling.
John told him all what happened inside the building. Charles told him how lucky he was, John wanted to go home but it was Charles who advise him to go to the police station.
Time was getting to 10 a.m. when Charles swerved the car into the police station. John hurried out, the first person he met was inspector Jimmy, but he could not recognized him. John introduced himself.
Inspector Jimmy took him inside his office. John explained everything that happen to him, he told him about the fleeing truck. Inspector Jimmy went outside and order his men to pursue the fleeing truck, more than fifty police officers quickly went into their car and went out in search of the fleeing truck, inspector Jimmy radio the police checkpoint along the Ibadan express road to look out for the truck.
Inspector Jimmy took John home in his car. John quickly rushed inside, his mother was shocked and surprise to see him, she cried and his dad hugged him. Alli parent came, they asked for Alli, John told them what happened. Inspector Jimmy rung Mr. Peter, he told them that the truck had been found, all of them quickly went to the station.
The station was jam parked with lots of people, pressmen, who came to catch a glimpse of the children and also to report them. The children were coming out of the truck one by one. Alli was the last child to come out, he was limping, his parent saw him and they rushes to him. They cried together.
The five suspects were handcuffed and led into the prison amidst booing by the crowds; the police prevented them from being lynched by the mammoth crowd. The inspector general of police was called, he thanked John for his brave exploit, and he told them that the culprit would be punished.
Inspector Jimmy promised to unite the children with their families, he thanks John once again. Alli and his parent went home. John parent were very proud of their son.
The following day, John was invited to the city police station; he was able to identify madam Patricia, uncle Junaid was arrested in Benin republic.
Madam Patricia was sentenced to life imprisonment, uncle Junaid to ten years, Bruno, Maria, Razor, Sunmi, and Bambi were sentenced to ten years imprisonment with hard labor. Rosco died in an accident.
John was given a federal scholarship up to the university and an automatic job after graduation. Alli was given a state scholarship.
On the school assembly, teacher Steve told the pupils what John and Alli did, the pupils were excited, they clap for John and Alli,the headmaster was proud of them, he shook their hand, the government officials came with gifts and the headmaster handed it to John and Alli.
At the closing hour, as John, Alli, Tade and Emeka were going into their class, they heard a voice, when they looked behind them, they saw Tope, the lean boy and Alli and John left Tade and Emeka and rushes to meet him, they were surprised to see him they hug and discuss for sometimes.
Later the boys went home in a happy mood.