The sky was on fire. A strong burst of orange flames accompanied by thick smoke.
Captain Ayo Okonkwo didn’t see the missile coming. It didn't give him much time to think about a maneuvering act. He gripped the control stick tightly with both hands. The jet’s warning alarms kept screaming like dying animals in a slaughterhouse. Red lights flashing inside the cockpit like a carnival. Just this time it brought the face of death with it. He could see smoke pouring through the engines, sneaking into the cockpit, and stinging his eyes and throat. But his hands never left the control stick. At least he could keep the nose level, find a level ground, and eject. Even though the aircraft was falling too fast.
“Mayday! Mayday! This is NAF Hawk-One going down!” He called his controller over the radio. The radio hissed, then died.
He was alone. With only his thoughts and ideas, anyone that could save him at that moment.
He looked out the cockpit in search of ground. Maybe he could crash somewhere safe and salvage whatever's left of his aircraft till he finds help. But all he could see beneath him was endless desert, broken rocks, sand, and the hot Nigerian sun.
Ayo gritted his teeth. “God, you could have given me a better way to leave this earth,” he muttered.
Then sudden flashbacks of his life flooded his mind. His family, friends, kids, and wife. His memories were cut short as the aircraft jolted sideways violently, and another explosion on the second engine.
"Eject! Eject! Eject!" He screamed like his brain came alive.
He pulled the eject handle and shot out to the sky. The parachute opened up like a big curtain in the clouds. He felt the wind against his body, and his ears rang loudly from the explosion. Suddenly, he was dizzy. He tried to stay awake till he hit the ground hard. The sand didn’t cushion him. He felt sharp pains in his ankle as he landed badly. He rolled, gasping, tasting his own blood.
Then the silence came. Followed by a blackout.
Ayo opened his eyes to the hot sun. He couldn't tell how long he had been out. But from the way his body cooked he could tell it was long. He turned to see his parachute fluttering nearby like a torn flag. And in the far distance was smoke from his wrecked jet. He stared at his wristwatch, maybe he could read the coordinates to know where he was. But it was broken.
He was alone. In the desert
He struggled to his feet and winced in pain as his left ankle cried in protest. It must be sprained or broken. He fell to the floor and tore his sleeve, then he wrapped his ankle tightly with it. With much zeal, he got up again and limped on one leg. He needed to find a house or somewhere safe. That meant hours of walking. But he didn't mind.
His throat burned and he wasn't safe out there. Whoever shut down his jet must be coming to make sure no one survived.
Like a wounded lion, he kept limping for hours with no direction, just hope. The desert flies buzzed around him. The hot sun burnt his skin. His ankle hurt. There was no one in sight for miles away. All he could hear was his own lungs, struggling to take in oxygen
Then he saw something in the distance. It looked like a lady. He got closer and there she was standing near a dying acacia tree, holding a long staff, dressed in desert robes, her face half-covered with a scarf. Behind her was a camel drinking out of a bowl.
"Hey!" He called out, waving and trying not to scare her. But she didn’t look scared to see him.
She turned. “Are you hurt?” she asked, her accent soft but clear.
Ayo nodded and dropped to the floor. “Ankle. And I’ve got no water.”
She stared at him for a few seconds. Then she tossed him a skin flask. “ I guess you're not from here.”
“Air Force,” he said, drowning himself with the water and pouring the remaining water on his face. “My jet got shot down in the sky. I just need help to get to safety and tend to my wounds.”
She looked out far to where the crash smoke was fading off. “You're going the wrong way. Bandits up north."
Ayo sat there in silence, like he was studying her. She looked young, in her twenties. But had the courage of a tiger. It flashed in her eyes.
“What’s your name?” he asked.
“Aisha.”
"You're out here, alone?. You don't look scared, Aisha."
Aisha looked at him. "Lost that part of me a long time ago. After the bandits killed Papa and Mama." She looked to the ground and drew an unrecognizable figure. "Took my brother last week. Now I'm heading south to find him."
He hesitated, his breath laced with pain and tiredness. “I'm sorry. But I need help. Just until I reach the next town and call for help.”
Aisha stood up. Held her camel's leash and dragged it along. "Keep up, we need to find shelter. The sun's about to sleep.”
With pain, he jumped to his feet and followed.
Just as Aisha said, they found shelter in a dry river bed and camped for the night. Aisha made stew from a fish she caught from the river and dressed Ayo's wounds.
They sat by the fire eating, then Ayo asked. "Why risk your life for your brother?”
She didn’t look at him. “What will you do if the only one you've got is taken? And no one’s coming to save him?"
Ayo didn't reply. He knew he would do the same thing. He had experienced the pain of losing a brother to insurgents too.
"Exactly," Aisha replied. Then she lay down in a makeshift bed she had made from tree branches she got from the river bed. "We've got a long day tomorrow. Get some rest."
They set off early the next day, reaching the edge of an abandoned village. Every part of it told the tales of ruins from war. Ayo's feet felt better. Thanks to the herbs Aisha had rubbed on it.
“There" Aisha pointed toward a warehouse in the distance. "They keep prisoners there. My brother might still be inside.”
Ayo stared at the building. Armed men patrolled the roof. He counted six. Maybe more inside. He didn't have his pistol with him.
“You can't overpower these men. They're too much," he said, his eyes locked in the distance.
“I have to try,” she whispered.
"With what? You've got no weapon.” He looked at her. But there was something in her eyes that told him she wasn't going to give up. He took a deep breath. “Fine, we'll go together. But we wait till dusk."
They waited until dusk. When half of the bandits have retired to bed. Then they moved.
Ayo crawled through the shadows while Aisha led the camel in from the other side, shouting in Hausa. His plan was simple - Aisha would confuse the guards while he sneaks in.
Two of the guards at the door came closer. Aisha kept shouting like she needed help. When they were close enough, she dropped a flash grenade Ayo had salvaged from his gear. Taking out the two guards leaving Ayo with one at the door that led inside the warehouse.
Limping, but with the courage of a soldier. Ayo charged forward with everything left in him. He slammed into the other guard with his shoulder through the door just before the guard could see him coming. Knocking him out.
He called out to Aisha. Together they got inside the warehouse where they found five prisoners chained to pipes.
"Quick untie them before the other guards wake up," Ayo said, covering their exit
Aisha ran to the prisoners, untying them one after the other. But none was her brother
"He's not here!" Aisha said, her voice laced with tears.
"What?"
"My brother. He must've been taken up north. You barely survive it there." Aisha said pacing the warehouse like she wasn't in danger.
Soon, they heard noises from outside. The other guards must have heard the noise and were awake. Running in their direction.
Ayo ran to her and held her hands. "I'll help you find your brother. I promise. But for now, we need to get out of here. They're coming."
With that, they ran outside and into the bushes. Just before the guards would get to them. By sunrise, they were miles away in a new village where a UN patrol truck found them. Ayo collapsed before he could say a word. How he was still alive, he couldn't tell.
He woke up to clean bandages wrapped around his shoulder and ankle. By his bed was Aisha.
“You're awake,” she said quietly.
Ayo nodded.
She looked at him for a long moment. Then she turned away. Ayo sat up and held her. She turned; this time, there were tears in her eyes.
"What if he's dead?" She asked.
Ayo squeezed her hand. "Then I'll make sure I avenge him. But if he isn't, then I'll bring him home."
Aisha nodded and rested her head on his shoulder.
Ayo looked away into space. He had made a promise he must fulfill. He didn't know how he was going to do it. But he sure knew his mission wasn't done until Aisha's brother was home