The clock is ticking, the time is drawing near
Day break and night fall, the days pass by.
I used to live in a whole yard in freedom, now am bound, tied down in this boredom.
Now I understand why Gam pretended to be sick, its now so clear to me, he did want to leave the pen.
He was fit just seconds before they appeared, it puzzled me to see him change immediately he saw the guests.
Lucky Gam, he'll be glad he didn't leave, he acted like he already knew what things would be.
Full of experience incomparable, offcourse, he's spent 2years here in Amadu's pen.
I wish I knew, but how could I? When no one ever talked to me.
I was all alone, all the while, hoping for someone to come end my mystery.
Alas it came, i saw the duo moving around us, checking us out one after the other. They where men, looking for something, but I couldn't place what exactly it was that they needed.
With so much expectation, I watched the scenes of how they sampled out all of my kinsmen, but none was fit for them, and there layed me, chewing my curd, God knows all the while I've been screaming ME! ME!!
To my direction they turned, and I saw Amadu point his rod at me, showing gesticulations, describing how big i was.
Ofcourse, I'm big ,I'm Tan the loner, why won't I be? When I all I do is eat and stare at the rest of my kin (speaking to myself).
Closer they came, now Amadu is smilling, and I was almost doing the same too, it clicked in my head, I'll be leaving this pen.
With who? I could tell, but to where? That I couldn't tell.
Will I be coming back? I had no clues, and I turned around only to see everyone's face down.
I signaled good bye, but none would reply, it was right there I knew there was something wrong with this buy.
Joy filled a part of me as I basked in the euphoria of leaving the boring pen.
In a twinkle of an eye, I was boxed inside an enclosure, and all I could see was a tiny ray of light filtering in from a tiny hole. Minutes later, I felt a halt, then I concluded within me, this must be my new home. All that filled my thought was the life of boredom at the pen, now am wishing and hoping its going to be a lot better here.
The enclosure came open, and I saw broad day light. I shook my body, and the next I felt, was a rope gliding down my neck. Uncontrollably I yelled "What is this!" I've never felt a thing around my neck before all the while I was in Amadu's pen.
Things got worse, the next was a pull, and before I knew it I was married to a tree, and there I lived for as long as I can remember.
I want to go home! I scream each day, now I'll rather get bored and isolated watching others play, than continue here,where its much worse than oblivion.
Just minutes after, it began to look like my dream was coming true, but it wasn't completely looking like what I wished for.
2 humans came approaching, and that was looking good, but with one I saw a shiny long and curved metal, this wasn't looking any way near good.
My heart skipped fast, as my heels began to crumble, old images came back to me, reminding me of the last time I saw a metal of this sort.
"It was my first day at the pen, one of us had attempted an escape, but unfortunately was hit by a car just as he made his way out of the pen. He was brought back lifeless, laid on the ground, and then that object was used to severe his head".
...I'm fine, I'm fine, I'm alive, I didn't cross the road, I wasn't hit by any car, I can move my hands and legs, look at me, look at meeeeeeee!!!!!!!!! I began to scream on top of my voice.
But the men drew even more closer, it seemed to me that my loud scream was beginning to make them feel I needed attention.
Now they drew even closer, but this time, the duo had taken to opposite directions.
This was getting less interesting and the more confusing, as the man with the shiny metal had tucked it back into his garment.
I found myself a good position, keeping an eye on the man with the metal. On several occasions within split seconds our eyeballs came in contact with each other.
I couldn't pick what it was that he was thinking, but it was clear he could read exactly what I was thinking.
RUN!!! Was the only word left in my head, and I took no more thoughts, now it was clear this episode will feature no good end.
I took my first leap, and things were beginning to look bright again, FREEDOM!!! I yelled, stretching forward my fore limbs, before I knew what, something pulled me back in mid-air.
It was the rope, goodness me! I totally forgot it was still there.
"This is it! The story ends here" I told myself, now its even more complicated, one of them has now gotten hold of my horn.
Without a waste of any more second, my fore and hind limbs were tied up, as I was left to watch the man with the metal scratch it back and forth rigorously against a big stone.
Somebody heeeeeeeelpppp I screamed, but the place was all clear, helpppppp, heeeeellllpppp I continued to scream, but the man wouldn't even look at me, he was so engrossed with the stone and his metal.
What a bad day for me, all was fast coming to an end. The man walked up to me, and placed his legs upon my horns, clutching them to the ground, as he went straight for my throat, rubbing it as if he cared. This is it, this is where the journey ends, I've fought a good fight, but sadly, I have to resign to fate.
I felt the long blade opening up the skin around my neck, right there and then I closed my eyes waiting to take my last gasp of breathe. Then I felt a kick around my waist, and I opened my eyes and saw no one around, then I wiped my eyes and realized it was daybreak, it was Amadu's trademark kick which he gave every member of the herd at dawn.
...Alas! it was again time to join the herd for our usual morning walk to eat some cold green grass.
Its The Wordsmith,
Barka De Salah.
Eid Mubarak!
"If God 'll so much value the life of a man and replace it with a ram's, WE SHOULD EMMULATE THE SUPREME GOD AND VALUE THE LIVES OF ONE ANOTHER.
Peace Upon Nigeria".
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