He Rules Forever!

When he started the killing, King Sinanda had wanted to strike terror into the hearts of his subjects. He was determined that no one would oppose him. He would rule Bamanga for ever. If he had to kill, then he would.

And the killing continued.

Once the killing began, it could not be stopped. Killing gave birth to more killing. The Special Action Unit, in their dark uniforms, black boots and steel helmets, carrying automatic weapons, terrorized all the people of Bamanga. No one was safe from them.

The people, especially the Gammans, were afraid to protest about the brutal behaviour of the SAU. When they protested at first, they were arrested and questioned. Many of those arrested simply disappeared. People stopped complaining. They did not even talk to their friends. Even their friends could be spying for Sinanda. Bamanga was full of the king's spies. There were spies in the offices, in the markets among the market women, among families, everywhere. Everyone suspected everyone else. Friends no longer trusted each other. Too many people had disappeared as a result of a careless conversation.

Although there was no curfew and the sun did not go down until seven o'clock, all the streets were deserted by six o'clock. People were not safe in their houses, but they were less safe in the streets after dark. If the SAU saw anyone out after dark, they were free to arrest that person and question him. And still people disappeared.

At first the SAU disposed of the bodies secretly. They took them far out to sea, or buried them in the marshes in the south-east or in the desert in the north of the country. But soon they became bolder. They no longer bothered to dispose of some of the bodies. Soon Port Bamanga became a city of fear and death. Some mornings two or three dead bodies could be seen lying in the streets. Some mornings it was more. People would recognize the bodies of their friends, but they could do nothing. Children on their way to school held their noses at the terrible smell.

Vultures hovered over the city all the time now. They roosted on rooftops, on baobab trees or just walked along the roads. They seemed to know that no one would come to collect the bodies. They became so bold that passers-by would turn their heads to avoid looking at vultures pecking at the dead bodies.

No one in Bamanga dared to challenge Sinanda and his SAU. He was supreme. There was nobody to question his actions any more. Although he still did not leave the palace grounds, he knew that he was king for ever. It became a song which echoed in his head. He sang it in his bath in the morning. He sang it to himself in the mirror as he brushed his teeth and combed his hair. A great king should look beautiful, he thought.

A king for ever had to look beautiful.

The End!