The Rust of Words ( a Novel )
15 min readBy David Aoloch Bion
Chapter Two
In Meroe, the capital city, the King approved a budget of sixty million dollars to the rebels. This money was transferred to Axum, the capital city of neighbouring Abyssinia. The money had to be spent on the logistic, transport, relocation of the Rebels offices home.
In his base at the province, the Uncle sent the 3rd Boy to receive the money. The 3rd Boy flew to Axum. From the airport; he went straight to the bank. He checked, found the money. The money excited him. He was like poor man who wins the jackpot. He collapsed in the bank, he was rushed to the hospital, the doctors diagnosed that he convulsed of happiness.
His wife came; he was unconscious on the bed. After an hour rest, he recovered from the money mania. He opened his eyes, recognized his wife. He smiled, stood up and hugged her. His wife and he left the hospital. They passed through the bank, he withdrawn one million dollars cash. He carried the bulkiest money home. In the master room, he opened the eight briefcases, he carried the money in . The odour of Dollar bill filled the room. “Unbelievable, is this real money, real dollar?” he asked himself in hysteria, “Or have I illusion”, he added.
‘’Maan John’’ he called his wife. His hoarse voice echoed through the house.
She hurried in. She stood, looking down on him.
He glanced at her. “Is this real money, real Dollar or have I illusion” he asked.
“Why do you doubt yourself? Be confident of your senses. This is real money. You just withdrawn it from the bank”, she said
“Amazing, is wealth something nearest at the end of the war? That I who were poor is rich, I who have not counted million dollars have counted today” he said
‘’You should revisit the old saying ‘’ the poor are the dead and the rich are the living ‘’ because you can acquire the wealth as long as you’re alive, and you can’t acquire wealth as long as you’re dead ‘’ the wife concluded . She left the room while the husband still puzzled.
“What shall I do first?” he questioned himself inwardly, “I must sleep before I decide”.
At midnight, he had been hallucinating “Unbelievable, is this real money, real Dollar or have I illusion ‘’ he dreamed. The wife woke him, raised his head from the pillow “Wun John, Wun John,” she called out.
“What is it?” he asked as he woke up violently
“You are screaming, you have nightmare”, she speaks softly
He laid backward, rested his head on the pillow without uttering a word. He was obsessed with Dollars. he was haunted by the money mania . After half an hour, he dreamed again “what shall I do first?’’. He snored. His wife woke him.
“What is it?” he asked as he woke up violently
“You are screaming, you have a nightmare”, she spoke softly.
“Do not bother me, you are irritating, distressing me”, he warned
He laid back, fast slept, throughout the night, he had been hypnotizing. In the morning, he picked his Thuraya phone. He called the 9th Boy in province. He told him to search for junior officer named James Majok. The 9th Boy did not know him personally, so the 9th Boy sent one of his bodyguards to go to look for him. The bodyguard went out. He met a colleague on the path.
“Do you know someone call James Majok?” he asked him.
“Which Majok is that? there are many Majok’’
‘’He is a captain ‘’
‘’O Yes, I know him’’ he said, ‘’we play chess with him under the tamarind tree near the church everyday”
‘’Do you know his home? The 9th Boy wants him”
“I will inform him”
‘’ No, please let us go now to his home, he is needed urgently “’
The friend and bodyguard walked to Majok’s home. They walked for twenty minutes; they arrived at Majok’s home. , he was brushing his mouth with grounded charcoal and salt. This was the local made toothpaste
“Good morning” the friend greeted
“Welcome, we are fine. Is good news that you come to me early in the morning like this?’’ he asked anxiously
“The commander wants you ‘’ said the bodyguard
‘’Which commander?’’ asked James Majok
‘’9th Boy’’
‘’Really, are you sure? Are you not lost?’’ Majok said because he was skeptical.
‘’Why not? We are surest, he is looking ’’ the said the bodyguard.
‘’ Something bizarre will happen today, it will either rain in milk or the sun will lose. I am astonished because the 9th Boy do not know personally, we have been staying in the last 21 years but he has not shook my hand one day “’ he said.
‘’ Let’s go and find out, if you aren’t the one, it does matter, the foot is for an ant because ant will eat it when you die ‘’ the friend said
The three men, the bodyguard, friend and James Majok took off to the 9th Boy house. They arrived.
‘’Are you Capt James Majok ’’ asked the 9th Boy.
‘’Yes, I am, Comrade’’
“You have journey to Axum, you go and prepare yourself, and the plane is coming to airlift you” the 9th Boy ordered.
‘’ What am I going to do there?’’ asked James Majok
‘’Are you not soldier?’’
‘’Am Comrade ‘’
‘’Then, Why are you asking? That is indiscipline, the soldier is always in combat readiness ’’
‘’I am sorry ‘’, he saluted
‘’Don’t you know the commander 3rd Boy?’’ asked 9th Boy
‘’ I do’’ answered Majok.
‘’He is the one looking for you. Go and come quickly’’
Amazed Majok ran home. He was staying in the grass – thatched house with his wife and children. He lived on sorghums, bean, cooking oil supplied by the United Nations Agencies in the rebels liberated areas. On the way, he was uplifted, he talked alone; “will the plane arrive? If its fly in, it is wonderful. By God’s willing, I will visit the city for the first time”. He said to himself. He arrived to his home.
“I am going to Axum” he said to his wife.
“What?’’, his wife wondered. What are you saying?” the wife asked. She was shocked.
“I am going to Axum” he answered in relax tone
“Whom are you deceiving?’’, she asked ludicrously, ‘’only the Boys, the leaders of the Movement who have money can travel there. I have not heard a captain going there, because there are no free things there. You buy everything, you don’t have the money, Do you?’’, questioned the wife.
“The 3rd Boy, whom I worked for as adjutant seven years ago has invited me’’ ‘
‘’Alright, God with you ‘’ she said
The wife was cooking the lunch of bean, posho, before she served the food. The bodyguard of 9th Boy came running,
“Hurry up! Majok, the plane has landed at airstrip” he shouted
Majok dashed in to the house, he grabbed his nylon knitted kite bag. He came out , he beat goodbye to his family by saying ‘’ those who one time meet always meet’’ . His wife begged him to eat first but he refused that he was late. . He went to the airstrip, he boarded small chartered plane. The journey took three hours. . He came out of the plane with nylon knitted kite bag. When the bodyguard of 3th Boy saw, he was ashamed of the bag, it was too remote.
“Throw that bag away”, he roared
‘Why should I throw? It is my bag, I have clothes in it’’ Majok rejected
‘You will buy a new one ’’ replied the bodyguard
Majok succumbed in; he threw the bag into dustbin with the old torn, patched clothes and one pair of sole – broken boat. They drove home. The bodyguard gave him new clothes. His old torn clothes which he was wearing were thrown in the garbage in the backyard of the house.
In the evening, the 3rd Boy came, Majok stood up, greeted him in greatest delight, Majok was happiest like the dog who the cow is butchered in their home in village. He bowed childishly before him, he stammered as he greeted him, although he is straight talker, the boss greeted him reluctantly and went to his living room.
In the morning, he called him. Majok walked in politely. He stood up fearing to sit on elegant sofas. He told him to sit. Majok sat. He cleared his throat:
“The war is over, the peace has come, and our new, important mission is reconstruction of our country. We are establishing Autonomy in the province soon. The Movement has charged me with managing of the sixty million dollars for the facilitation and coordination of the programs before the formation of the government in July this year. I have called you here to help me in managing this money. You will control it. I want you to keep the record of any amount of money release, because, at end, there will be auditing and accountability for this money ‘’ he instructed Majok.
“Thank you, I have no glowing words to express my gratitude for the honour you bestowed upon me. God will thank you, for what you did unto me .God is ultimate thanker to good man like you, he is ultimate rewarder of good man like you. I will obey the rules and regulations as you will instruct me”, Majok confessed sincerely.
At 9 am, he and Majok went to the liaison office in Axum. He introduced Majok to the staffs. He gave him the cheque-book. Majok started the work. On the first day in the office, Majok released two million dollars to the five military administrators of five sectors in province. He placed the receipts and covering letters to the file on the cardboard as he was instructed by his boss to keep record of the money.
After four days, the 5th Boy, a best friend of the 3rd Boy came. They started to drink beer in the house. He praised the 3rd for his new role as manager of the money, he begged him.
‘’As the old friend in the struggle, what will you do for me?” asked the 5th Boy
“What do you want me to do?” questioned the 3rd Boy
“Before the war started, I had been playing in the national football team, during the war; I had been listening to sport on the BBC World Service. I am a fan of Liverpool football club. I want to go and watch my favourite team playing live in Anfield Stadium in England. I am 55 year old. I have not visited London; I want you to give me money to tour Great Britain”, he begged
‘Alright I will plan for it ‘’ he said
When the 5th Boy was about to leave in evening at around 10 pm, the 3th Boy in his drunken mood authorized Majok to give him one hundred thousand dollars. Majok brought the money and placed it on the table. The 3th Boy took the money, he handed it to him.
After he handed over the money, Majok politely ask him to write a small note to be kept in the file, the 3th Boy refused and he asked in deep, hoarse voice
‘’What is it for?’’
“For record in the file and for auditing and accountability”
“You must obey whatever I say?” he said, ‘’go way ‘’ he chased him.
Majok walked out of the room. The 5th Boy put the money in his bag. He was grateful to his friend. He congratulated him: He said they missed some stages of life during the struggle, and they should fix, fill those gaps by helping one another, and they should backtrack into their youth in entertainment, education, wealth. He said their sun has almost set. They would not live longer. If they have not died in war, they must compensate, reward ourselves with little resources available. He started to blame some of their comrades who he said are selfish, jealous and greedy, he said if one gets chance, he forgets his comrades who stands at left and right side in the battlefield during the war .
“If you can’t remember comrades, who you dug trenches with, who will you remember in your life?’’, asked the 3rd Boy, ‘’those who do not remember other comrades are dogs?’’, he insulted them , he escorted him out of the house.
Two days passed, the 3rd Boy wrote a letter, ordering the release of second bunch of money of five million dollars to civil administration of the five sectors in the province. Majok did it. He filed the receipt and the covering letter.
The offices of the Rebels were all relocated from bush, exile to province now. So the 3rd Boy and Majok took the money, about 40 million dollars to Napata, the capital of the province.
As the 3rd Boy was a generous man. He proved his generosity by spending money unlawfully. When people come to visit him, he would excessively buy for them beer . He was slaughtering a bull once a week at his home. He gave money out to anyone who comes to visit him. He was unguided in sixty million Dollars management . For that extravagance, his house was the festival scenery every day. It was crowded with drunkards, joyous relatives and friends like the market.
The 7th Boy one of his colleague came; they drank a lot of beer. They sang liberation song, they sang traditional songs. They chatted, the 7th Boy said:
“I am suffering from the bullet of 1987 battle, can’t you remember?”
“Yes, I do, it was in your head, isn’t it?”
“If I have money, I can go to Jordan for operation”
“That is easy thing, I will give you money”, he said hastily and wobbly
‘’ This is why we all like you, you are not like those educated niggards who are working for Non-governmental Organization , who howl like dog when penny fall from their pockets , you are greatest than them , the reputation of the man in the society is determined by the number of people who visit him every day ,” he exalted
‘’They are idiot, will they be buried in money or will they be buried with money? The money is not life, it is just a paper or a metal’’, he said
‘’ Call for me, Majok ‘’ said the 3rd Boy.
His bodyguard called him. Majok came. He told him to bring fifty thousand Dollars, he brought the money. The 7th Boy took it. No receipt or covering letter was written for the file and records as Majok was instructed when he started the work. The 3rd Boy was now contradicting himself, he would abide by the rule at one point and he would abuse them at another.
A week passed, the 3rd Boy wrote a letter authorizing one million Dollars five military sectors. Majok gave out the money and he put the receipt and the covering letter in the file.
One day the 3rd Boy told Majok to buy a bull, three hundred crates of beer. Majok bought them. On the second day, he told Majok to come early to his home that they have a journey on the following morning. Majok arrived in the morning; he ordered them to load the bull and the beer in the truck. He packed unspecific amount of Dollars in the briefcase. He instructed his wife to dress up for the journey too.
“Where are we going?” the wife asked
“You just dress”
“Where are we going? tell me first!’’
“If you are not going, you remain”
The wife dressed up . They got in the truck He told the driver to go to the Bridge, 500 miles from city. They drove for the whole day because the road was bad. They arrived at the bridge at 6pm evening.
They slept there. That night, the mosquitoes bit the wife. Her body itched of stinging. She scratched her skin terribly. She cried, blaming her husband why he took her to the bush like a soldier. The husband kept quiet, he continued drinking bottle of beer. The soldiers comforted her.
In the morning, the sun was rising at 6am. This was the time the enemy attacked them, then, some years back during the war. He cleared his throat, he evoked the spirit of Martyrs
“Comrades, my comrades, who were killed on this bridge in 1989. Hear me, this is your comrade, the 3rd Boy . I have pleasure to inform you that, we have liberated our land. We have defeated the enemy who killed you , we have defeated them till we pour the dust, the sand on their eyes, I have come here to inform you of our victory, I have come here to congratulate you , to honour you for the ultimate price you paid in your martyrdom and heroism, the history of our nation is not written in ink but is written in your blood.
I am sacrificing a bull to you now. I am also giving a wine. It is not old, local wine we used to drink; it is new, bottled beer. May you rest in peace. God bless you, God bless us ”.
After the evocation. The men tied the bull, they pulled it down, slaughtered it. He commanded the men to break the bottles of beer and pour the beer down. They broke them and pour the wine. After the ritual they left.
They drove to about 15 miles from the bridge to sycamore tree, the place; he rested at the time they were defeated by enemy at the bridge. He stood under it. He evoked again:
“Oh God, God of my father, I was in this forest in 1989. My comrades died in this forest but I did not die. My Comrades were killed by elephants, buffaloes, snakes but I was not injured .My Comrades died of thirsty, hunger, diseases, thorns but I did not die of them. I travelled in this bush, nothing evil befell me. We have achieved what were we searching in this bush, the money, this is your money”.
He opened his briefcase. He threw some dollars to the grass in his front. He threw some to grass in his left, some to the grass at his right, and some Dollars to the grass at his back. After throwing the money into the grass, he told his men to climb up to the vehicle. They turned to the city.
On the way his bodyguards were annoyed, they murmured among themselves. They said why he spoiled the money, when there are people who need them.
Arriving back at Napata, there was shocking news breaking. Uncle, the leader, who led the rebellion for two decade has died. People were infuriated , devastated by his death.
As it is said ‘’the family is always orphaned but the Nation is never orphaned ‘’ Despite, this catastrophe, the 40 boys, who made up Boyhood system of the former liberation Movement leadership met to elect the new leader. After long deliberation they elected one Boy to replace Uncle. And they officially called him Second Uncle – the 2nd Uncle, after the first one.
In the sideline of the meeting to appoint a new leader, the 3rd Boy, and three , closest other Boys met secretly and decided to share the remaining portion of the sixty million dollars among themselves.
At night, one day after the appointment of the new leader, the three men came to James Majok, they told him to open the office, where the money was kept. The money was 29 million dollars. they instructed Majok to divide the money into three, Majok did as they said. He divided the money; they also told him to take fifty thousand Dollars. Majok took that money as he was told. . After they took the money when they were about to leave, Majok asked them:
“Could you please write a small note so I will keep in the file?”
“Are you mad? you man , you must flexible and discipline .’’ warned the 3th Boy
“I want a note that I will keep for accountability and auditing”
“Don’t worry ‘’ said the other Boy
The three Boys left. The 3rd Boy told Majok to bring all files of document with information on how some of sixty million Dollars were spent during the Uncle time. He brought them out. He put the files, documents, receipts, covering letters, in the truck. He and Majok took the documents outside city. They set them on fire at night. All files burnt .
‘’Why are we destroying the official, governmental documents?’’ asked Majok
‘’it is not your work ‘’
‘’ Am I not be arrested, I am afraid ‘’
‘’Who will arrest you?’’
They returned to the city. They departed.
“Why does he burn the official documents now?” Majok said inwardly as he was walking alone at night to his home.
When the days of the mourning for the Uncle finished. The new leadership asked the 3rd Boy to account for 60 million dollars.
He said, he had no money. The money was with late leader. Most of Boys inflamed with the response of the 3rd Boy. They were furious with him. The new leader intervened, he stopped the argument.
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