chapter one

The eagerly awaited nationwide ASUU strike had, at last, come to an end. It had been a harrowing experience for many, with some federal and state universities barely halfway through their second-semester exams when the strike hit. However, Munachi was among the fortunate few for whom the strike was just a distant storm cloud. Her school, FUTO, had managed to conclude its semester exams before the turmoil began.

As she made her way back to school, Munachi couldn't contain her elation. The holiday had been so dull and drawn-out that she had incorporated prayers for the absence of ASUU strikes into her daily routine.

The bus ride from Wetherel by Emmanuel College to Ihiagwa was surprisingly smooth, devoid of the usual traffic snarls. She disembarked at the bustling market square and hailed a motorbike taxi. After some spirited haggling, the bike rider reluctantly agreed to ferry her and her luggage to her destination for a mere two hundred naira.

The day was slowly drifting into night, with a darkened sky embellished by the radiant glow of the moon. Munachi clutched a small box tightly to her chest, guarding it as if it were a priceless treasure. Inside the box lay her monthly allowance, something she held dear. The chill of the harmattan breeze whipped across her face, causing her to shiver. She regretted not wearing a thicker sweater; the weather was bitingly cold, and riding on the bike only intensified the sensation.

Straining her eyes, she tried to make sense of her surroundings, cursing herself for leaving her glasses at home. This place seemed unfamiliar, and a sense of unease began to settle in her chest.

"Oga, where are we going?" she inquired, tapping the bike rider on his shoulder.

The man responded with a nonchalant tone, "Aah! You too dey fear; na shortcut."

Reluctantly, Munachi nodded and continued to peer around, but her discomfort only deepened. Her instincts screamed at her, urging her to demand that the bike rider stop, but she dismissed the warnings. Then, suddenly, they veered into a desolate, overgrown area. There were no signs of civilization—no shops or houses, just dense, forbidding foliage. The bike rider came to an abrupt halt, and Munachi's heart raced.

"What's happening?!" she blurted out.

The bike rider dismounted, and she followed suit, her anxiety escalating. "I don't know, it seems like the bike has broken down," he said.

Panic set in. Munachi berated herself for not heeding her instincts earlier. The realization hit her like a freight train—she might be in grave danger. She had heard unsettling tales at school about bike riders collaborating with local thugs to rob or harm students, and now she found herself potentially falling victim to such a sinister plot.

Munachi desperately reached for her Nokia torchlight phone to call for help, an eerie feeling crept up her spine. Just as she was about to dial a number, the tranquil evening was shattered by the sudden emergence of three menacing figures from the surrounding undergrowth. Two of them brandished gleaming daggers, while the third clutched a menacing gun.

Fear gripped her, causing her to take a hesitant step backward, contemplating another retreat. The one holding the gun, with a voice that sounded like a raspy, worn-out agbero and an overpowering odor of cheap Igboh cigarettes, barked out a chilling command.

"No even think am," he growled, his words sending shivers down her spine.

Despite the terror coursing through her veins, Munachi stood her ground, unable to tear her eyes away from the unfolding nightmare. One of the men with a dagger began rummaging through her luggage, greedily searching for valuables. The other leered at her with sinister intentions, his tongue darting out to lick his lips. Disgust welled up within her, and her heart raced as she prayed fervently for a savior, someone to rescue her from this horrifying ordeal. The thought of being violated was unbearable.

"Guy, this babe hot," the perverted man mumbled, ogling her lecherously, while the one with the gun and the bike rider shamelessly appraised her.

"Go find ashawo," the gunman dismissed him callously.

For a brief moment, a sense of relief washed over Munachi, but it was short-lived. The pervert lunged at her, attempting to forcibly tear her clothing. She fought back with all her might, wondering why the man with the gun didn't intervene. Meanwhile, the other thug, who had been rifling through her luggage grinned as he saw what was going on.

"After you oo!! No be only you go enjoy am (you won't be the only one to enjoy her)"

Munachi's desperate screams reverberated through the eerie night, but they only seemed to further enrage the bike man. In response to her cries, he delivered a brutal, stinging slap that sent shockwaves of pain and disorientation through her. The force of the blow weakened her grip on her clothing, and she felt her top slipping from her fingers, giving the pervert an upper hand in his sinister pursuit.

Tears streamed down her cheeks as she continued to plead for mercy, her voice quivering with terror. She cast a tearful and imploring glance toward the gunman, but his heart remained as cold as the night air. With an unsettling detachment, he relinquished his firearm to the bike man and vanished into the impenetrable thicket, leaving Munachi to the mercy of her assailant.

The pervert, a menacing shadow in the dim moonlight, had already forced her to the ground and was ruthlessly attempting to strip away her dignity. Munachi's heart raced in her chest as the boundaries of her worst nightmares seemed to blur with reality.

It was at the darkest, most hopeless moment that a miracle descended upon her. A sudden blaze of car headlights pierced the obscurity, casting an unexpected and unwelcome spotlight on the unfolding horror. The thugs, caught off guard and panic-stricken, hastily retreated into the concealment of the nearby forest.

Munachi sprang to her feet, the adrenaline coursing through her veins like a lifeline. She waved her hands frantically towards the approaching vehicle. The car screeched to a halt, and a young man, seemingly in his mid-twenties, leaped out.

"Are you okay?" he inquired, genuine concern etched across his face as he assessed her disheveled state.

She nodded fervently, relief washing over her in waves.

"Get into the car," he ordered, his voice carrying an air of unwavering authority.

Munachi didn't hesitate. All she desired was to escape this nightmare, regardless of whether it meant entrusting her safety to a stranger. She settled into the passenger seat, her eyes locked on the stranger as he swiftly assumed the driver's position.

"Lock the door and don't open it for anyone except me," he commanded sternly, a sense of urgency in his tone. With that, he dashed off into the same direction the thugs had fled.

As Munachi sat trembling in the safety of the car, her mind raced. She wrestled with a whirlwind of emotions, grappling with the harrowing "what ifs." What if the stranger hadn't arrived in the nick of time? The sheer terror of the thought sent chills down her spine.

Munachi still trembling from the recent traumatic encounter, jerked up as a knock on the door shattered her thoughts. She cautiously peered through the window, only to find the same young man who had rescued her. Her fingers trembled as she quickly unlocked the door, an unspoken trust forming between them.

"They got away," he said with a sigh of frustration as he settled into the driver's seat and started the car. "Where are you going to?"

Munachi wrestled with her uncertainty. She didn't know this man, but he had been her savior in a time of dire need. She felt compelled to answer him.

"Eziobodo," she replied, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Are you a FUTO student?" He turned to glance at her, his eyes assessing her appearance.

She nodded, suddenly feeling exposed and vulnerable in her half-naked state, clad only in her bra and trousers.

In a surprising act of chivalry, he let go of the steering wheel and swiftly removed his black polo shirt, extending it toward her.

"Put it on," he said gently.

Munachi accepted the shirt with a quiet "Thanks" and donned it, finding some comfort in the borrowed garment.

"Where in Eziobodo?" he asked, attempting to break the awkward silence that had settled in the car.

"KK's Villa," she replied softly.

Nodding in understanding, he fell silent once more, pondering the strange turn of events.

"I'm sorry for what happened," he blurted out suddenly, his voice tinged with genuine remorse. It surprised him as much as it did her, not knowing what had prompted the apology.

His words seemed to trigger something within Munachi, and her tears began to flow anew. She couldn't control the flood of emotions that surged through her, her chest heaving with each sob.

Sochi, feeling completely out of his depth, struggled to find the right words to comfort her. He awkwardly reached out and placed his hand on her thigh, patting it in an attempt to provide solace. By the time they arrived at KK's Villa, Munachi had cried herself to exhaustion, her sobs fading into a fitful slumber.

"Hey, we are here," he gently tapped her, trying to rouse her from her sleep.

She looked around, disoriented, and realized they were at her lodge. She expressed her gratitude and stepped out of the car, feeling a mix of emotions and still not quite ready to reveal her name.

"I'm Sochi," he introduced himself with a warm smile.

"Thanks," was all she managed to say before she walked into her lodge. As she closed the door behind her, Munachi couldn't help but reflect on the mysterious stranger who had come to her rescue. Sochi, a name etched into her memory, a reminder that sometimes, even in the darkest moments, unexpected heroes emerge. Only time would reveal the true significance of their chance encounter.

Meaning of some words

ASUU_ academic staff university union.

FUTO_ federal university of technology Owerri.

Iheagwa _ a place in Owerri west that is close to FUTO

Agbero _ thugs

Igboh _ weed

Eziobodo _ a place in Owerri west in Imo state ( eastern Nigeria) that is close to FUTO

Sochi _ only God

Munachi _ me and God.

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Thanks for reading
Gina Cosmas.