Incarcerated

Incarcerated

ERNEST CHILONGA

Incarcerated by Ernest Chilonga

Fiction: Crime

Copyright © 2017 by Ernest Chilonga

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. No part of this publication may be reproduced,

or stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic,

mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without written

permission of the publisher

Table of Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Also in the series

About the Author

Other works by the Author

This is for my parents

CHAPTER 1

Days had turned to months and it was now a year since the trial of Rodrick Cajmath had first been presented before Judge Larry Puthwith. Standing in the booth, to Rodrick, had became almost as lonely and tiresome as it was seeing the courtroom crowded each time he was on trial.

Rodrick looked at the door, today he was in early. He stood there and watched people come into the courtroom. A lot of familiar faces doted around in a dense crowd of people. At least my friends have not deserted me, he thought when he saw Adaf and Moses, his two close friends before the accusation, come in as they had habitually done all of the times he was to be on a hearing.

Coming into the courtroom, Moses smiled up at him whilst he walked towards a seat-- a front role seat close to Rodrick.

Optimistic today? Moses asked.

Optimistic? he thought. He had been optimistic every other day to be utterly disappointed at the end. He had seen witnesses he thought could speak good of him but turned out to be against him for reasons he didn’t understand. Rosenda’s father, his uncle Makusa, and the police officer all testified against him in court. But today a key witness was to be brought in and he thought her testimony would render the others’ pale in comparison. He knew without a shadow of doubt that she was on his side and would testify in his favor.

Yes, Rodrick responded.

To the far end, at the complainants side, right on the front seat, Adaf flopped into the chair and casually raised his hand to waive at Rodrick. Rodrick waved back in joy that at last he would be cleared of the accusations and go home, continue with his high school, and leave behind the incident which had engulfed a year of his life; freezing his other life out. That incident he was in, which was the main reason he would repeat the freshman year of his high school despite the fact that he had started school late and was going to turn 20 the next day.

The thought of his birthday caught him off-guard, he had not thought of it until then and had hardly celebrated it. His birthday would come and go during his three years’ stay with his uncle Makusa and aunt Mamosa. The last time he had celebrated it was when he was back in the countryside with his mother and father a few months before they died.

I promised myself to be strong, Rodrick whispered to himself when the thought of his mother and father came to mind. Still there was also the thought in the back of his mind that he did not recognize then, the thought which was persistently making his eyes watery. He remembered most clearly when the image played itself in his mind. I will take care of you and protect you, his uncle had said as he took Rodrick from the bodies of his dead parents and when he had brought him to the big city he said, I will never make you feel the lose for your parents because I will be the best parent I can be for you. Rodrick thought that his uncle had betrayed him. He had not offered him moral support and worse, he had testified against him for whatever reason, Rodrick was unsure. He knew that his uncle could not afford the bail money and therefore understood why he was still in the prison cells, commuting of course, accompanied by copes in the patrol car to come to his trial. What he could not understand was why his uncle, his own family did not stand by him. Tears rolled from his eyes without him noticing.

Don’t cry, Moses said.

Rodrick realized that he was crying and he quickly wiped off his tears with his hand and smiled back to Moses. I will be strong. After all, this is the last of the trials, after today I am going home, he reassured himself.

People started coming into the courtroom fast now. More people came in and Rodrick surmised it was time for his trial. He looked up and checked the clock which was opposite the judge’s panel and it read 8:15, only fifteen minutes remained before the judge would come through the judge’s door and all would stand up and the final trial would start.

At the door, more people came in and then the Njobvus came in. They were accompanied by Rosenda their daughter, Rodrick’s only hope. She was teary and from time to time could wipe out the tears from her face with a handkerchief in her hand. The Njobvus made it to the complainants side to join Adaf. Rodrick stared at the family but mostly at Rosenda. He hoped that she could at least look up at him. And she did. He held a grin on his face. It had been a long time since he had last seen her-- seven months ago, he reasoned unsure of himself. But when Rosenda looked up at him she wept all the more, not exactly what he had expected. She was bothered, he could not put his fingers on the why but decided to settle for ‘she cares for me and can’t stand to see me being treated like a criminal.’ At least someone from that family sees me for the innocent man that I am. As it stands I can’t care less what her family thinks, he thought.

08:28...08:29.. He now watched the clock to get this over with. He however tilted to look at the opposite direction, diverting his eyes, from the clock and what he saw sank his heart. At the door where the judge was supposed to enter from came three men, two in a similar military uniform and one in a different uniform but military all the same. It had a resemblance to the dark blue scrappers’ uniform he had once seen on TV. Rodrick recognized the man despite a year of his not seeing him. It was Canicius McCalister, the policeman who had arrested him and was responsible for the tortures he had endured in the prison cells. And even though he had heard from inmates in the cell that Canicius had been relocated somewhere else, he was sure Canicius was still the one responsible for the tortures even now when he would go back to the cells. The man just hated him. Fear shot up the head of Rodrick as he caught eye sight of Canicius, who was fat and heading his way together with the two men whom he had come with. Canicius maintained eye contact with Rodrick and smiled at him as he came closer and closer to him. Despite the distance which was between Canicius and him, Rodrick instinctively walked a step back and hit the small prank of the booth he was in. He tucked both his hands to the back of the booth as Canicius finally came closer to him that he was beside his booth now.

Canicius looked up at Rodrick whilst he maintained his smile; The two men stood behind Canicius as if to protect him.

You are coming with me today, Canicius said.

Rodrick could not concentrate with Canicius by his side. He stared to the side, away from Canicius, each time fear shooting right through him. I will get out of here, he thought as if to counter the words of Canicius. I know Rosenda will make sure of it. He looked at Rosenda and calmed himself but he could only think to himself, he dared not to confront Canicius, the man who was staring up at him and appearing to the general crowd as though he was uttering pleasant homings to Rodrick.

Rodrick was caught in fear and self-reassurance that he did not hear when the judge came into the room and only heard when the call to sit down was announced.

The trial thus began. It took over an hour and when the time came for Rosenda to testify. She too, to the disappointment of Rodrick, testified against him and he watched as she left the witness stand in tears. He too was in tears, his only chance had betrayed him also.

There is still a chance, he thought. The jury will see how innocent I am despite everyone. I am still a school boy and I believe they are mature enough to see that I could not have done such a crime. He looked up to the judge as his lawyer kept speaking in the background.

His lawyer had brought in several good witnesses in favor of Rodrick. His friends Adaf Njobvu and Moses Farang had testified in his favor and now his school teacher and his principal, Rodrick thought he could be spared after all.

The lawyer too, even though not bought by Rodrick was compassionate and spoke well in favor of Rodrick. The state has done me a great favor. If not for this lawyer they provided me with, my chances of coming out would be minimal, he reasoned.

After the lawyer had put on a good presentation and speech, the judge dismissed the hearing and set the judgment for 12:30 that afternoon.

Rodrick looked around as the people started going out after the judge had left. Rosenda too, without glancing up at him, left with her family. Uncle Makusa and Aunt Mamosa were all smiles as they too left the courtroom.They didn’t even say hello to Rodrick. When all were gone including his two friends, only one remained with him, Canicius McCalister accompanied by his two goons.

Canicius who was well in his thirties smiled at Rodrick once again. His smile had a twisted look like he was ready to inflict pain once more onto Rodrick.

Rodrick cornered, thought of overcoming his fear and looking at the man who was beside him, but the viscous stare of the two men behind Canicius warned him not to.

What did I ever do to you? Rodrick asked.

Whoever is feeding you nonsense--I am your friend, Canicius said.

But Rodrick could not be fooled easily. He knew Canicius for what he was. He knew that Canicius liked butchering people, at least him, for he had heard others in the prison cell describing Canicius as goodhearted and understanding. Rodrick remembered when he had first met Canicius. It had been on a Monday morning when he had been abruptly snatched from school by two police officers to the total dismay of his class teacher and of his classmates who sorrowfully looked out the windows as he was dragged along. Unaware of what he had done, he was dragged by the belt of his school sky-blue trousers by one officer and by the chain of the handcuffs he had been wrist-cuffed by another officer. And as if that embarrassment had not been enough he was taken into the police station. That was where he met Canicius. And before he could utter a word to ask what was going on, the rough wrist of Canicius had slapped across his face and blood rolled from his nose washing the white-shirt uniform he had worn.

I am here to teach you good values. To make you into an ideal citizen, a good one, Canicius said and looked back to his goons right boys? but they did not respond to him and he continued now rather ruthlessly at Rodrick. He dropped, from his face, the fixed smile he had maintained while everyone was leaving the courtroom.

Canicius leaned closer to Rodrick and Rodrick suspected that he was on tip toe. He walked a step back before he hit the back of the booth as before. Canicius then held his arm so hard that it hurt.

As I told you. You will be coming with me. And I promise you, your stay with me will be most painful, Canicius said emphasizing the last word as spurts of saliva, from the force in words, touched Rodrick’s cheek.

They sure know how to infuriate him. They didn’t answer to deliberate his anger and they knew he would vent that anger on me, Rodrick thought whilst he maintained his press on the back of the booth. He decided that the goons behind Canicius were as ruthless as Canicius was and were, most importantly, not on his side too.

He looked at Canicius who kept talking and threatening him. Seeing that it was a lot of time before 12:30, he resolved to endure his torment.

You will regret ever coming to know me, Canicius continued. Rodrick kept quiet. What did you think. That you could get away with screwing their daughter? Canicius asked Rodrick who had been quiet for over thirty minutes.

Rodrick was tired of hearing the same story for over a year and it seemed people had decided not to see that it was not true. Though he had decided to keep quiet until the judge came in, the last question by Canicius made him betray his promise.

I did not do it! Rodrick exclaimed in the face of Canicius, an echo of his voice came back to him. Why can’t you people understand that and just leave me alone, Rodrick said as tears formed in his eyes and stated rolling out. He slowly sat down in his booth. I did not do it, he said slowly to himself, his breath formed a white moisture on the side of the booth he was facing, before fading away as quickly as it had formed.

I know you didn’t, Canicius whispered. Rodrick looked up in surprise to see a wide-smiling Canicius in time before seeing him raise his head from the booth, whilst he maintained his grip on the sides of the booth, and cautiously check if he was within anyone else’s earshot before