CHAPTER 3

Reluctantly accepting his reality, Hamza immersed himself in his chores. Upon completing his work, he donned a pair of weathered headphones, immersing himself in a downloaded free beat. The music coursed through him, igniting a passionate spark for singing and melodies he couldn't suppress, leading him into spontaneous freestyling.

Around 6 p.m., as Hamza wrapped up his day's labor and headed to inform his boss, he was greeted by a taunting voice.

"Hey, BAKI!" The words were accompanied by mocking laughter. He sighed, the weight of familiarity settling upon him as he brushed off the insults. His boss's residence wasn't far from the farm, but just as he entered the premises, three deafening gunshots shattered the air.

Shouts and screams reverberated through the farm, panic seizing everyone in its grip they shouted . As chaos unfurled, Hamza hesitated in the face of terror, contemplating his next move. Then, his boss urgently called his name, snapping him into action.

"HAMZA! WHAT ARE YOU DOING THERE? Come quickly!" His boss's voice pierced through the turmoil. Without hesitation, he crouched low and joined his boss under the table, trembling with fear, his sole focus on protecting his younger sister, Zara, from impending danger.

Time seemed to stretch endlessly as the wailing of women outside intensified. After what felt like an eternity, about 30 minutes passed, and the ominous sound of approaching footsteps drew nearer. Amid the voices, Hamza recognized one of them—it was Aminu, one of the individuals who had taunted him earlier.

A stern command sliced through the tense air, "CHECK EVERYWHERE!! Kill the adults and capture the children before the military arrives."

Cursing Aminu in his thoughts, Hamza dreaded the thought of his little sister arriving at the farm, especially under these dire circumstances. Suddenly, the door burst open with a violent crash, and the footsteps approached, stopping right in front of their hiding place.

With a deafening roar, the table was overturned, shattering Hamza's last hope of escape. Bracing himself for the worst, he steeled his nerves, anticipating the chilling sound of gunshots. However, to his astonishment, a new command rang out, instructing him to stand and move.

Hamza's eyes fluttered open, and his heart pounded with a mixture of dread and despair. To his left, his boss lay on the ground, a gruesome sight, bloodied from the gunshot wounds inflicted earlier. An overwhelming wave of anguish welled up within him, escaping his lips in a horrified cry.

But the nightmare was far from over. Aminu, the bearer of cruelty, wore a sinister smile that sent shivers down Hamza's spine. In his grip, he clutched the gun, its menacing muzzle pointed directly at Hamza. With deliberate menace, he advanced toward Hamza, the twisted intention of finishing what he had started etched across his face.

Then, in the next instant, a deafening BANG! Reverberated through the air Hamza's boss lay lifeless. The realization struck Hamza like a thunderbolt, and his world plunged into darkness as the butt of a gun struck him.