Wounds of a Man

By Agufa Kivuya (Kenya)

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

CHAPTER FIFTEEN



Back at the statehouse, Sam was playing his cards right. The president was slowly disappearing from the scene and he watched it daily in total satisfaction. Things were moving in his favor and he loved it. Now the only obstacle remaining was Akinyi and Adisa, who were the apparent president heirs. All of these had to be removed for him to be eligible heir of both presidency and the wealth.

As Sam continued with his calculations, the president was busy with shaping the future of his daughters, especially Akinyi. He introduced Akinyi to many wealthy young men but none tickled her. Not one of them caused her heart to skip a beat. Chitu the Gardner was still in her mind. For sure the first love had not yet died. The president heard a rumor of it but the first time round he decided to ignore everything. He had tried to intervene in the first place and it left a scar in his heart. Akinyi heart had slowly turned back to Chitu, who was still in prison.

Sam was not happy with the ever-ticking clock. Time was moving too fast and the campaign period was drawing nigh. The president had already made it clear and open: Akinyi would succeed him even though it remained a family issue. Sam, his chief advisor, was the first to be informed about it. It irked and burned Sam’s intestines although he feigned excitement to be able to carry out what was in his mind. The presidency was his and he was ready to go an extra mile to clear all obstacles. Akinyi and Adisa had to be erased from the world before the campaign kicked off.

The president’s doctor had just enjoyed his scrumptious lunch in his office, when Sam strode in without a knock on the door. From Sam’s look and creases on his face the doctor conjectured that things were not right. He was startled. Terse questions flashed through his mind; had the president visited another doctor? Had the president got wind of their evil plot? Had Akinyi betrayed them? The doctor had to suffer moments of agony as Sam gazed intently at him, not uttering a word.

“Uncle Sam, I am sorry, lunch is over,” the doctor said, the silence killing him inside. “How are things there at home?”

“Everybody is fine, of course - apart from the president,” Sam responded. “What about him, he hasn’t phoned for examination. Nothing more than the slow poison.”

The doctored lowered his head and said with much remorse, “Truly I regret and rue the day I injected him with the slow poison.”

“Doctor, do not cry over spilt milk.” Sam said unapologetically and then broached the main subject that brought him to the doctor’s office. “There is another deal here. As you know very well, I am the best suited to take over the presidency from Hamisi and this is not a secret to the masses. But, unfortunately, doctor impediments are emerging and I am impelled to clear them up to get there, and on this I need your help.”

“Of course, I will help you. What are the obstacles you are talking about?” “Akinyi and Adisa”

The doctor felt extreme discomfiture. “What about them?”

“Deal with them the same way you dealt with the president. Slow poison.” Sam sounded ruthless and hell bent on wickedness.

“No, not me, “the doctor objected, shaking his head.

“You have to my friend.”

“No. this time round. I refuse.”

The countenance of Sam underwent a quick transformation. “It is you to do it or you will perish.”

“I will not do it.”

“You have more to lose. First, you are guilty of murdering the president by injecting him with slow poison. If you don’t do it, I will tell the president about it.”

“You can’t do that because you are part of it.”

“Don’t be naïve, doctor. You are learned. The president will never believe your version that I and his beloved Akinyi were part of it. You know very well that, on several occasions, I have snatched the president from the jaws of various lions. Do you expect him to trust your words at the expense of mine? Open your eyes and mind.”

The doctor thought about it and gradually saw he logic in Sam’s statement. It was true the president would not believe him. In an instant, he pictured his bloated bank accounts but this failed to impress him now. Instead, tears streamed from his eyes. The blood money was mocking him. His accomplice and friend was the one bringing him down. At first, he had allowed the evil spirit of murder to take hold of him, thinking it was once and for all. But the evil spirit was back now, not pleading as at first but with threats. He was a fool to accept the arrangement in the first place. Now he realized that Sam was not the polite man he had expected him to be.

Sam was serious and evil. “I have to go now and, before I leave, I want the deal sealed.”

“Let me think about it,” the doctor responded.

“There is nothing worth thinking of here,” Sam said, threatening.” I want the answer straight away.”

The doctor reluctantly replied, “Yes. I will do it.”

“Good. you have only two weeks to accomplish this.”

Two days before the deadline elapsed Sam phoned the doctor to remind him of the deadline. Immediately after the call the doctor packed his belongings and proceeded to the bank manager’s office. The understanding manager gave him all the money in his account and, without hesitation, separated his money from the money Sam and Akinyi had paid him for injecting the president with the slow poison. The blood money goggled at him. He kept the money in a briefcase and sent it to Sam with a note of regret for murdering the president. After this he left without a trace to his destination.

Undaunted, Uncle Sam could not give up on his endeavours. He had to look for a plan B. And Olum the prison warder agreed to do it for a handsome amount of money. This didn’t scare Sam. He was willing to part with anything to pursue his dreams. He knew he would recover the money if he won the presidency. Olum had to organize again and ambush Akinyi and Adisa and shoot them dead, leaving no footsteps, and for that Sam was to do his best to link the shooting with efforts to retaliate by the Makali family.

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