Yaw slowly regained consciousness, the blurry faces of Mariam and Queenstar coming into focus. He was lying on a makeshift bed in a small, dimly lit room. The air was thick with the smell of damp earth and cooking smoke. Yaw's body ached, and his head pounded with the weight of recent events.
He struggled to sit up, feeling weak and disoriented. "Where am I?" he croaked, his voice barely a whisper.
"You’re safe, for now," Mariam whispered back, her voice full of concern. "We found you fainted in the slum. What happened to you, Yaw?"
Yaw took a deep breath, the terror of the night flooding back. He explained how Mr. Akrobeto’s family had betrayed him. He described the harrowing escape but left out the details of his immense wealth, fearing it would complicate things further. Mariam and Queenstar listened intently, their faces pale with shock and disbelief.
"They wanted to kill you?" Queenstar gasped, her eyes wide with horror.
Yaw nodded, his voice shaking as he continued. "I was just a pawn to them. They planned to get rid of me for their own greed."
Mariam put a comforting hand on Yaw’s shoulder. "We believe you, Yaw. But we need to act fast. You're in serious danger."
Just then, a loud knock came at the door, startling them all. Mariam’s father and other family members were at the door. They exchanged worried glances before Mariam opened it.
" The police are patrolling the area. I thought you should know," the neighbor said, out of breath.
Mariam’s father sighed in relief and closed the door, but the tension in the room was palpable. The family members continued to argue about what to do with Yaw. The fear of Mr. Akrobeto’s influence and the potential reward for turning Yaw in loomed large in their minds.
Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.
Mariam and Queenstar argued passionately for Yaw’s safety, but the others remained unconvinced.
Finally, Mariam’s father rubbed his temples in frustration. "We’ll turn him in first thing in the morning. For now, he stays here. But if anything happens, we’re not taking the fall."
Mariam and Queenstar exchanged a worried glance. They knew that by morning, it would be too late.
Later that night, as the rest of the family slept, Mariam and Queenstar moved quietly through the small house, gathering supplies. They knew they had to get Yaw out of there before dawn. The risk was enormous, but they couldn’t live with themselves if they handed Yaw over to certain death.
"Yaw," Queenstar whispered, shaking him gently awake. "We’re getting you out of here."
Yaw blinked up at her, groggy but understanding. He quickly got up, his body still aching, but his resolve stronger than ever. He followed the sisters out of the house, careful not to make a sound. They led him through narrow alleyways, avoiding the main roads where patrols might be lurking.
At the edge of the slum, hidden in the shadows, was their escape: an old plantain cargo truck, its bed filled with large bunches of plantains, ready to be transported to Accra, the capital. Mariam had called in a favor from the truck driver, a friend of her father who agreed to help without asking questions.
Mariam helped Yaw climb into the truck bed, carefully hiding him under the thick layers of plantains. "Stay quiet, and don’t move," she instructed. "This will take you to Accra. Once you’re there, find a way to contact us. We’ll help you as much as we can."
Yaw looked at Mariam and Queenstar, his heart heavy with gratitude and fear. "Thank you," he whispered. "I don’t know how I’ll ever repay you."
"You don’t need to," Queenstar said, her voice soft but firm. "Just stay safe."
The truck started with a low rumble, and Yaw felt the vehicle lurch forward. As the truck pulled away, Mariam and Queenstar watched from the shadows, their hearts pounding with fear and hope. They knew they had done the right thing, but they also knew the consequences could be dire.
Yaw lay still under the plantains, the rough texture pressing against his skin, his mind racing with thoughts of what lay ahead. He knew he couldn’t stay hidden forever. But for now, all he could do was survive the journey and hope that he would reach Accra safely.
As the truck rumbled through the night, Yaw’s thoughts turned to his family. He prayed they were safe. His heart ached with worry, but he forced himself to stay calm. He needed to be strong, for their sake and his own.