QUARANTINED EPISODE FIVE
QUARANTINED
The phone was on loud speaker, Jane, Brian and Grace overheard every word that was said. Rose thought she was in dreamland. She looked at Jane. They stared at each other speechless, thoughtless but with two questions on their minds. Why and how? Things were happening so fast. Glooms of doom were soaring and roaring hard.
Glooms of doom were soaring and roaring hard. “I have to go and see what happened to my brother,” said Rose. “I will go with you!” Jane jumped in. This was bad news for Brian. He did not want Jane to go out. He thought Jane was risking her life for a man that to him never cared for her. He tried to stop her but Jane’s mind was made up. She was not going to sit back. Her daughter had been involved in an accident. She rushed in her bedroom, took her black jacket, put on the brown sneakers that James had bought her on her previous birthday and came out to meet Rose who at the moment had put their differences aside.
“Jane, you know you don’t have to do this!” pleaded Brian. “Brian, you should never mingle your resentments where my daughter is involved.” Jane’s hands were feeble. Her heart was beating fast. Grace tried to hold her left hand. But Jane pretended to be strong. Her heart was dying. She could not imagine the loss of her daughter.
The three ladies left the house and disappeared in the darkness. They walked for a few meters, there was no single human being on the road. Jane thought of requesting an uber only to realize the curfew. But she didn't care. They walked for a few more meters. They heard a car approach them, it stopped a few meters ahead of them. Rose was almost screaming only to find out that it was Brian. “Get in!” Said Brian as he opened the left back door for Jane. Jane was surprised. “You came for us!” she asked Brian as she leaned her head on Brian’s chest. “I have to be here for you. You are my responsibility; please get in before the police find us here.”
They drove along Manyanja road and joined the Outering road which connects to Jogoo Road. There was no car. Brian was driving fast but with his eyes carefully fixed on the road. The other three set their eyes on the road side in search of any sign of accident. They approached City stadium and they saw two St. John ambulances. Beside them, there was a green police land cruiser. Brian slowed down the pace of the car.
“Afande, simamisha hiyo gari!.” Jane heard a voice shout from her side. Four police officers appeared and signaled Brian to stop using their old dim torches. “Habari afande!” Brian greeted the police officers who were not concerned with his greetings. “Kijana unaenda wapi, uko na TV au radio kwako, unajua saa hizi ni saa ngapi, toka kwa gari haraka na upige magoti!” The officer ordered without giving Brian a chance to explain himself. “Kwanza hauna face mask! Wewe uko na shida nyingi.”
“Mkubwa,” Brian tried to explain but he was silenced with a electric slap followed by sporadic kicks in his stomach. “ Nyamaza! Wewe unataka kupigania na afisa. Hehe! Leo utaniambia rangi ya mkojo wako.” The police officer said as he took the car keys from the ignition. He saw a wallet on the side pocket of door, secretly grabbed it and, realized there were other people in the car. “Alah! Afande, hii jambazi imebeba wasichana hapa!” The officer shouted.
“Tumbo chini. Yani sisi tuko hapa kwa baridi na wewe unaenda kujienjoy na malaya , wa!wa!wa! kwanza ni watatu!” The second police officer said as she ordered Jane, Rose and Grace to get down. All the tree girls were in a stupor. They did not understand what was going on. “Our friend was involved in an accident, that’s why we are here!” Said Brian. “ I said quiet. You think you can fool us. Nani, ata kama nilifika form four, niko na akili kukushinda my friend. Kichwa chini!” shouted the third officer. “Huyu mjinga ameona ambulance hapo mbele ndio anataka kukudanganya. Take them in the land cruiser. Watapelekwa quarantine.” Said the first police officer who appeared to be their commanding officer. Jane was disturbed by the fact that the police officers failed to understand the simple message Brian was trying to pass to them.
“What kind of treatment is this? You people are so cruel. My child and her father have been involved in an accident and you cannot listen to us but call us prostitutes!” She shouted as she tried to resist to get in the police car hence causing a scene. A female police officer pulled the other officers aside and tried to talk to them but the other officers refused to listen. The fist officer walked to Brian who was crawling on his stomach in pain.
“Wewe kijana, jifanye tu hapo umeumia. Amka.” Brian tried to wake up but he could not lift his legs. He was growling in pain with blood stains on his face. Rose looked at Brian, she too refused to get into the police car. She ran to him. “ Afande, nilikwambia hii yote ni malaya ya huyu maabusu.” Said the commanding officer. They were all forced to get in the car. The commanding officer slowly walked to the car while looking at Brian. “ Are you seeing the problem these ladies have put in?” Brian looked at Jane. To some extent, the officer was right. “ Sasa utanunua chai ya ngapi bwana?” The police officer asked. Jane realized she had not carried any money with her. Rose and Grace too had no money with them. Brian told them not to worry.
“I have some money in my car; I will give them so that they can release us.” He consoled them. Brian’s words were a consolation to Jane and Rose. “Okay, do you see that officer standing at the electricity post, go and give him thirty forty thousand Kenya shillings.” The officer’s words hit Brian and the ladies’ ears with shock. Where on earth did the officer think they would get such an amount of money? Not during the corona pandemonium. Brian tried to bargain with the officer but the officer could not change his mind. “Please sir, we are looking for my child. Please take whatever we have and allow us to go. I beg you please. If you need more money, please give me your number I will send you after I have found my daughter.” Pleaded Jane.
The officer asked Jane to get Brian’s wallet in the car. She quickly came down and dashed to Brian’s car which was across the road. She got to the car, searched for the wallet but did not find it. She went back to the police car, “Brian, I cannot find your wallet. Are you sure you had it?” Said Jane
Brian was surprised. The officer looked at Brian, held his shirt and pulled him out of the car. He believed Brian was playing with his mind. He beat him up mercilessly and threw him back in the car and ordered two police officers to drive them to Makongeni Police Station. Just as the police car was driving off, Jane saw the red pullover that belonged to Princess.
Alongside the pullover were sneakers that resembled those of James. They were the same type of sneakers she was putting on. She tried to convince the police officer sitting with them but the idiot gave her a dead ear. The police cruiser passed by the ambulance and Rose saw James being carried in the ambulance. Jane and Rose called out for the police to release them but no one bought their story.
The police were convinced that the ladies had cooked up the story to escape the wrath of the curfew. They could not prove anything because Jane and Rose could not present any identification document. This was an idiotic thinking by the men who were supposed to protect the lives of the innocent. By this moment, Brian was unable to speak because of the hard nosed beating he had received. Grace moved to the far corner and coiled herself like an infant snail. She looked outside; she knew it would be a long precarious night full of anguish and struggle. They were the only ‘culprits’ of the night. The police station was a stone throw away. “How many are they?” An officer was heard asking.
The car stopped, Brian was helped to come down because of the pain he was desolating to. He was separated from the rest. It was decided that Jane, Rose and Grace be taken to the Quarantine at Mbagathi that night. It was almost 9pm. There was no documentation done. Jane knew it was all over.
She would never see her daughter again. She cried out loud calling out Princess’ name . One officer tried to calm her with a slap but the crying became louder. She thought that would let her go, she was wrong. Though human, the officers are trained to be heartless, without any mercy. Rose understood it all, that whatever trick she would do it was not going to work. Their fate had been sealed by the police officer. They were going to be put in isolation for the next 14 days at their own expense.
It was a horrible thought, but it was going to happen. She knew she would never see her brother James again. She saw him bleeding, and with the health system in her country, James and Princess had zero chances of survival.
Going to the quarantine facility was not a bother to Rose at this time. Only two people were on her mind, her lovely elder brother and her beautiful niece. James was her guardian. He was always there for her. Now he was gone. She was afraid of what she would tell her father to whom James was the apple of the eye. The news would kill him. Fresh images of her brother being carried to the ambulance coiled up in her fizzy eyes. She could see the envisions of James’ body lying helpless on the ambulance bed, with blood oozing out profusely as his eyes glued on his daughter. Yet, there she was being driven to self quarantine. How cruel was the system. She cursed the police officers, she despised them.
The police car was moving quite slow but the sirens were off. They passed through Uhuru highway heading up to Haile Selassie roundabout when they found a black Volkswagen car with the government number plates. The driver alighted to find out why the car was packed in the middle of the roundabout only to find out it was a puncture. “Hey, what are you doing here at this time with a government vehicle?” Asked the driver. The man who was repairing the puncture stood up, looked at the police officer and continued to change the wheel. “Kijana!” he called as he kicked him. “Nimekuuliza swali and you're ignoring me!?” Said the officer with much anger written all over his funny looking face because of the dis-configured nose he had with floppy ears. He took out his handcuffs and held the man. “What do you think you are doing?” asked the man as he tried to push the officer away. “I am arresting you for breaking the curfew rules and then drag you to the quarantine facility.” Answered the officer.
“Is that how you are treating the people?” Asked a voice while opening the back left door. It was the President’s chief of staff and head of public service, Mr. Alfred. The handcuffs dropped off from the officer’s hands when common sense hit him and rudely alerted him of the grievous mistake he had made. Kicking the security personnel of the chief staff! He knew his career had come to an end. “Is this how the innocent citizens are treated?” asked Mr. Alfred. He walked towards the police land cruiser, peeped inside the car and proceeded to the rear side of the car. “ Who are these people and where are you taking them?” He asked. The officer said he was taking them to the quarantine facility. “why?” asked Alfred. The officer tried to explain but Rose interrupted. “Sir, the officers did not listen to us.”
“And who’s that bleeding?” asked Alfred with great concern. It was Brian who lay on Jane’s laps. Rose explained everything that had happened. Alfred ordered the second officer to bring Brian down only for Alfred to realize it was his nephew. “Brian!” Alfred called. He tried to wake him up but no, Brian was gone. He had succumbed to the spiteful beating by the police!
Glooms of doom were soaring and roaring hard. “I have to go and see what happened to my brother,” said Rose. “I will go with you!” Jane jumped in. This was bad news for Brian. He did not want Jane to go out. He thought Jane was risking her life for a man that to him never cared for her. He tried to stop her but Jane’s mind was made up. She was not going to sit back. Her daughter had been involved in an accident. She rushed in her bedroom, took her black jacket, put on the brown sneakers that James had bought her on her previous birthday and came out to meet Rose who at the moment had put their differences aside.
“Jane, you know you don’t have to do this!” pleaded Brian. “Brian, you should never mingle your resentments where my daughter is involved.” Jane’s hands were feeble. Her heart was beating fast. Grace tried to hold her left hand. But Jane pretended to be strong. Her heart was dying. She could not imagine the loss of her daughter.
The three ladies left the house and disappeared in the darkness. They walked for a few meters, there was no single human being on the road. Jane thought of requesting an uber only to realize the curfew. But she didn't care. They walked for a few more meters. They heard a car approach them, it stopped a few meters ahead of them. Rose was almost screaming only to find out that it was Brian. “Get in!” Said Brian as he opened the left back door for Jane. Jane was surprised. “You came for us!” she asked Brian as she leaned her head on Brian’s chest. “I have to be here for you. You are my responsibility; please get in before the police find us here.”
They drove along Manyanja road and joined the Outering road which connects to Jogoo Road. There was no car. Brian was driving fast but with his eyes carefully fixed on the road. The other three set their eyes on the road side in search of any sign of accident. They approached City stadium and they saw two St. John ambulances. Beside them, there was a green police land cruiser. Brian slowed down the pace of the car.
“Afande, simamisha hiyo gari!.” Jane heard a voice shout from her side. Four police officers appeared and signaled Brian to stop using their old dim torches. “Habari afande!” Brian greeted the police officers who were not concerned with his greetings. “Kijana unaenda wapi, uko na TV au radio kwako, unajua saa hizi ni saa ngapi, toka kwa gari haraka na upige magoti!” The officer ordered without giving Brian a chance to explain himself. “Kwanza hauna face mask! Wewe uko na shida nyingi.”
“Mkubwa,” Brian tried to explain but he was silenced with a electric slap followed by sporadic kicks in his stomach. “ Nyamaza! Wewe unataka kupigania na afisa. Hehe! Leo utaniambia rangi ya mkojo wako.” The police officer said as he took the car keys from the ignition. He saw a wallet on the side pocket of door, secretly grabbed it and, realized there were other people in the car. “Alah! Afande, hii jambazi imebeba wasichana hapa!” The officer shouted.
“Tumbo chini. Yani sisi tuko hapa kwa baridi na wewe unaenda kujienjoy na malaya , wa!wa!wa! kwanza ni watatu!” The second police officer said as she ordered Jane, Rose and Grace to get down. All the tree girls were in a stupor. They did not understand what was going on. “Our friend was involved in an accident, that’s why we are here!” Said Brian. “ I said quiet. You think you can fool us. Nani, ata kama nilifika form four, niko na akili kukushinda my friend. Kichwa chini!” shouted the third officer. “Huyu mjinga ameona ambulance hapo mbele ndio anataka kukudanganya. Take them in the land cruiser. Watapelekwa quarantine.” Said the first police officer who appeared to be their commanding officer. Jane was disturbed by the fact that the police officers failed to understand the simple message Brian was trying to pass to them.
“What kind of treatment is this? You people are so cruel. My child and her father have been involved in an accident and you cannot listen to us but call us prostitutes!” She shouted as she tried to resist to get in the police car hence causing a scene. A female police officer pulled the other officers aside and tried to talk to them but the other officers refused to listen. The fist officer walked to Brian who was crawling on his stomach in pain.
“Wewe kijana, jifanye tu hapo umeumia. Amka.” Brian tried to wake up but he could not lift his legs. He was growling in pain with blood stains on his face. Rose looked at Brian, she too refused to get into the police car. She ran to him. “ Afande, nilikwambia hii yote ni malaya ya huyu maabusu.” Said the commanding officer. They were all forced to get in the car. The commanding officer slowly walked to the car while looking at Brian. “ Are you seeing the problem these ladies have put in?” Brian looked at Jane. To some extent, the officer was right. “ Sasa utanunua chai ya ngapi bwana?” The police officer asked. Jane realized she had not carried any money with her. Rose and Grace too had no money with them. Brian told them not to worry.
“I have some money in my car; I will give them so that they can release us.” He consoled them. Brian’s words were a consolation to Jane and Rose. “Okay, do you see that officer standing at the electricity post, go and give him thirty forty thousand Kenya shillings.” The officer’s words hit Brian and the ladies’ ears with shock. Where on earth did the officer think they would get such an amount of money? Not during the corona pandemonium. Brian tried to bargain with the officer but the officer could not change his mind. “Please sir, we are looking for my child. Please take whatever we have and allow us to go. I beg you please. If you need more money, please give me your number I will send you after I have found my daughter.” Pleaded Jane.
The officer asked Jane to get Brian’s wallet in the car. She quickly came down and dashed to Brian’s car which was across the road. She got to the car, searched for the wallet but did not find it. She went back to the police car, “Brian, I cannot find your wallet. Are you sure you had it?” Said Jane
Brian was surprised. The officer looked at Brian, held his shirt and pulled him out of the car. He believed Brian was playing with his mind. He beat him up mercilessly and threw him back in the car and ordered two police officers to drive them to Makongeni Police Station. Just as the police car was driving off, Jane saw the red pullover that belonged to Princess.
Alongside the pullover were sneakers that resembled those of James. They were the same type of sneakers she was putting on. She tried to convince the police officer sitting with them but the idiot gave her a dead ear. The police cruiser passed by the ambulance and Rose saw James being carried in the ambulance. Jane and Rose called out for the police to release them but no one bought their story.
The police were convinced that the ladies had cooked up the story to escape the wrath of the curfew. They could not prove anything because Jane and Rose could not present any identification document. This was an idiotic thinking by the men who were supposed to protect the lives of the innocent. By this moment, Brian was unable to speak because of the hard nosed beating he had received. Grace moved to the far corner and coiled herself like an infant snail. She looked outside; she knew it would be a long precarious night full of anguish and struggle. They were the only ‘culprits’ of the night. The police station was a stone throw away. “How many are they?” An officer was heard asking.
The car stopped, Brian was helped to come down because of the pain he was desolating to. He was separated from the rest. It was decided that Jane, Rose and Grace be taken to the Quarantine at Mbagathi that night. It was almost 9pm. There was no documentation done. Jane knew it was all over.
She would never see her daughter again. She cried out loud calling out Princess’ name . One officer tried to calm her with a slap but the crying became louder. She thought that would let her go, she was wrong. Though human, the officers are trained to be heartless, without any mercy. Rose understood it all, that whatever trick she would do it was not going to work. Their fate had been sealed by the police officer. They were going to be put in isolation for the next 14 days at their own expense.
It was a horrible thought, but it was going to happen. She knew she would never see her brother James again. She saw him bleeding, and with the health system in her country, James and Princess had zero chances of survival.
Going to the quarantine facility was not a bother to Rose at this time. Only two people were on her mind, her lovely elder brother and her beautiful niece. James was her guardian. He was always there for her. Now he was gone. She was afraid of what she would tell her father to whom James was the apple of the eye. The news would kill him. Fresh images of her brother being carried to the ambulance coiled up in her fizzy eyes. She could see the envisions of James’ body lying helpless on the ambulance bed, with blood oozing out profusely as his eyes glued on his daughter. Yet, there she was being driven to self quarantine. How cruel was the system. She cursed the police officers, she despised them.
The police car was moving quite slow but the sirens were off. They passed through Uhuru highway heading up to Haile Selassie roundabout when they found a black Volkswagen car with the government number plates. The driver alighted to find out why the car was packed in the middle of the roundabout only to find out it was a puncture. “Hey, what are you doing here at this time with a government vehicle?” Asked the driver. The man who was repairing the puncture stood up, looked at the police officer and continued to change the wheel. “Kijana!” he called as he kicked him. “Nimekuuliza swali and you're ignoring me!?” Said the officer with much anger written all over his funny looking face because of the dis-configured nose he had with floppy ears. He took out his handcuffs and held the man. “What do you think you are doing?” asked the man as he tried to push the officer away. “I am arresting you for breaking the curfew rules and then drag you to the quarantine facility.” Answered the officer.
“Is that how you are treating the people?” Asked a voice while opening the back left door. It was the President’s chief of staff and head of public service, Mr. Alfred. The handcuffs dropped off from the officer’s hands when common sense hit him and rudely alerted him of the grievous mistake he had made. Kicking the security personnel of the chief staff! He knew his career had come to an end. “Is this how the innocent citizens are treated?” asked Mr. Alfred. He walked towards the police land cruiser, peeped inside the car and proceeded to the rear side of the car. “ Who are these people and where are you taking them?” He asked. The officer said he was taking them to the quarantine facility. “why?” asked Alfred. The officer tried to explain but Rose interrupted. “Sir, the officers did not listen to us.”
“And who’s that bleeding?” asked Alfred with great concern. It was Brian who lay on Jane’s laps. Rose explained everything that had happened. Alfred ordered the second officer to bring Brian down only for Alfred to realize it was his nephew. “Brian!” Alfred called. He tried to wake him up but no, Brian was gone. He had succumbed to the spiteful beating by the police!
The story gets more interesting as usual..eagerly waiting for the next episodes.
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