Ayida-Weddo and the Tales of Heroes

She looked back and could see a truck in the distance. She had no choice; it was still far enough that they might not have spotted her yet. She turned to the trees off the road and ran to it. She hurried off the dirt road and got behind a ceiba tree. It was large enough for the trunk to cover her silhouette while the rest of the foliage could provide cover.

She put her back to the tree as she stopped to catch her breath. She was never more exhausted in her life. Running on pure adrenaline, she managed to escape her captors but for how long?

"They couldn't.....couldn't have seen me.....God help me," she said quietly to herself. She could only hear the wilderness ahead of her. Birds were chirping, singing, and the rustle of animal life in the far, far distance of the forest.

Her breathing was slowing down, her feet were bruised, her legs were screaming her to stop. She ran for a good two miles to the best of her abilities.

"I won't let.....them capture me," she said to herself. "I would rather die than go back. I will do it if I can."

She wrapped herself into a ball and pressed herself to the back of the tree with her butt resting peacefully on the ground floor.

Suddenly she heard the truck as it got closer and closer. She dared not look as she could listen to it get loud enough that it continued to drive forward. Then she heard it slowed down as the brakes squeaked and grown as the truck was slowing to a stop.

"This is it," she quietly said to herself. "They either saw me, or they didn't. Two rounds left. One bullet for one of them and if need be one for me."

The truck was about fifty feet away from her. It was a makeshift pickup truck with a machine gun mounted on the back of the bed. They were a common form of armed vehicle during the war when armored cars were not present. Easy to use and ferry into battle even if they lacked armor. There was a man on the machine gun as he looked around. The passenger of the truck got out as he held an AK-47 in his hands. He looked around in the road and forest. Zoe could barely hear the men as they spoke to one another.

"I think your imagination is getting ahead of you," said the passenger to the driver.

"Keep looking around a little bit more. There is no way she could have made it this far," said the driver.

"I didn't see anything behind the truck," the machine gunner said with a shrug. If she is hiding in the forest, it will take forever to find her."

"We better find her.....General Thunder Dirt will have our heads if we don't find her or at least kill her," the passenger responded.

"What do you want us to do? Search the entire forest?" The driver asked.

"I am not in the mood to go checking behind every tree. Let nature take her. Fuck her," the machine gunner replied.

Zoe stayed absolutely quiet as she knew she was not far from them. All she had to do to survive now was wait for them to leave.

"Fine, I have an idea, though," the passenger said as he lifted his gun and aimed it straight up. He pulled the trigger of AK-47 twice as two rifle gunshots echoed through the forest. It scared Zoe as she remained still.

"I figure, if the General is ever listening, he might have heard those two shots. We will just tell her we shot her dead. You will just have to back me up on this."

The driver shrugged. "Sounds good to me. What about you back there?"

The machine gunner nodded as he let go of the tripod mount. "Yeah, ok, we got her."

The truck revved up as it began to move again. It began to make a U-turn on the dirt. Before she knew it, the vehicle started to drive away again.

The forest was quiet once again. Zoe cried as she felt relieved. She lost her pursuers, and for everyone that wanted to pursue her, they assumed she was dead.

"I will stay here for ten minutes and wait for any more signs of searching in case they ever return," she said to herself. "I need to catch my breath so bad. They truly thought I couldn't make that run, ha."

She sighed to herself as she looked at the revolver and dropped it to the ground. She took a look at her arm and could see the bruises from the man that assaulted and forced her down. She felt pain in her lower extremities as her adrenaline began to wear off.

"I am thankful that the man that raped me did it a day after my period. Otherwise, I might be having his child right now. At least.....I hope. God forgive me for killing him. I had to."

With a system in anarchy, Liberia was a typical haven for rape and pillaging. Women in Liberia were often used as secondary soldiers and forced prostitutes to the soldiers around them. Zoe was just another case of this scenario. However, her training in shooting and firing a gun would save her life and livelihood. She was considered one of the better female soldiers in her group, or in this case, was.

She closed her eyes as she fell asleep, hearing only the sounds of nature around her.

*******

She awoke as her eyes revealed a darker landscape around her. It was sometime around seven o clock in the afternoon. The sky was getting darker as the sun was setting. It would be a good time for her to move soon. She hadn't considered the idea of waiting to run at night, but she didn't know she was that exhausted.

Without hesitation, she stood up, wiping the dirt from her butt as she picked up her revolver and stuffed it into her pocket. She looked back at the road. It seemed all quiet just before she fell asleep.

"Time for me to move again," she said to herself.

She began to walk to the road as she took a good look at her surroundings again. There weren't many signs of human life around her.

"I was so close to making it to New Bapa. I must get there before it's fully dark. Ugh....I wish I had a machete or something."

Her feet hit the foliage as it eventually gave way to the opening of the road again. Before she knew it, she walked to the village ahead of her. She could see some lights from a distance. She looked behind her and saw no signs of traveling or movement. She was in the clear to head to the village.

"I shouldn't run to the village with the coming darkness. If I run in and they have a sentry watching the road, then I will only spook them and risk getting shot or killed. Best to walk up at a normal pace, see if anybody is watching, and just let them know who I am. Is that the best idea, though?" She continued her walk down the road. "Just as well possible that New Bapa is controlled by General Thunder Dirt as well or at least have sympathizers. I don't know what to do. I have no choice but to just press forward."

Time started to pass slowly for her. It was a ten-minute walk in what would have taken a couple of minutes to reach by running. She was tired of running, though. She put her hand to her stomach as she felt her hunger pains. If she kept going at this rate, she would start to get weaker and weaker till she collapsed or got caught. Eventually, her foot sandals finally stepped at the outside of the village as the dirt road tilted into the village. She could see a series of primitive thatched houses and stone/clay-made buildings similar to her home in Kahnla. Both villages were never big to start off with. They could hold up to fifty to a hundred people at the max.

A boy that looked no older than twelve saw her first as he walked up with an old bolt action rifle. He was ready to aim it at her.

"Stop!" the child yelled at her.

There was nothing Zoe could do but look at the child. Even a child with a gun was dangerous in this environment. It was best not to provoke him any further.

"Please, don't shoot. I mean you no harm," Zoe told the child as she took a good look at the kid. She lied, of course. She would not have hesitated to shoot if the child was aiming the rifle at her, and she could draw her revolver quickly enough. For her, this was basic survival now.

"Where do you come from?" the child asked in a typical West African accent.

"Guinea.......," Zoe lied again. "I come from Guinea. I wanted to check up on my family here." She was not far from the truth as the border of Guinea was not far from this place, and it would not have taken much to get to there, but it would still be a walk from the area.

"Liar," the child told her.

She didn't want to tell the child this as it could create more problems, but she had to bring her case forward to prevent an issue. "I was dropped off at Kahnla. I wanted to check up my family here."

The boy gave a questioning look at her. He went and aimed his rifle at her. He stood at a good ten feet from her. "I don't believe you."

There was suddenly a heavy voice that came from the stone house near the both of them. It carried much weight and seemingly halted the tension in the air.

"That is enough, children." It was a deep voice, both soothing and different to Zoe's ears.

Zoe took a look at the home where the voice came from as the child went and lowered his rifle and looked in the general direction as well. It was getting dark as Zoe could barely make out a man in red robes. He was very different from the other men she had seen. He had a light skin complexion. He looked like he never came from Liberia or Africa itself. He was to her not a white man but something else. He was bald, simple in looks; it was as if he came from another side of the planet itself. He wore the same sandals that she did as well. To Zoe, he had some sort of aura to him that glowed to her eyes. It outlined his silhouette with a very faint light. She felt no fear towards this man.

The child himself calmed down perfectly as he watched him. Zoe watched as the man came up to her calmly and extended his hand towards her. Zoe felt inclined to shake the man's hand.

"What is your name, child?" he said with a Pakistani accent. His voice was soothing to her, calming her reactions and any fear that she had.

"Zoe....my name is Zoe, sir."

"A beautiful name, Zoe. You can call me All. What are you doing out here at this time at night?"

She was going to lie, but she felt no malevolence from this man. She looked at the boy and then back at the man dressed as a monk. "I was running for my life. I came from the nearby village of Kahnla a little north from here. A warlord has taken over there and using it as a base.....I fled from my home."

The monk approached her and slowly put his hand to her head. He closed his eyes as if he was concentrate. Zoe, again, felt no fear towards this person. It was as if the man himself created a calming effect towards those around him. It was an odd feeling. She was not familiar with the people from where he came from or even the style of clothing that he wore. Zoe began to close his eyes as well as she felt some sort of energy course through her body. It felt incredible as it felt like a sense of warmth and belonging.

"You have a weapon of violence. Give it to the boy."

She reached into her pocket and held it in the direction of the boy. The boy then took the gun from her hand.

"Now, Tim, take your gun and hers and put them away, we don't need them, and we never will."

The boy nodded as he ran into his small home and put the guns away under his bed.

"Who are you?" she asked him with her eyes still closed.

"I told you before, child, my name is All."

Zoe felt something as she stepped away from his hand. He slowly opened his eyes as hers looked at him. "You are not who you appear to be."

The monk gave a small smile to her. "Why do you say that?"

"I see a glow coming from you. It's like.....some sort of energy coming from you. I have never seen it before."

"What is it that you see?" the monk asked as he gave a bit of surprise on his face.

"It is like some sort of........," she shook her head, snapping herself out of the trance she was in. "Wait, I am trying to escape. I need food, I need water, I was trying to get away from a warlord. I have been attacked and need help."

The monk went and took her hand. "Come to my home. I will provide you with what you need. You are safe here, child. Forgive Tim's actions; I am thankful that you did not hurt each other. I told him he doesn't need to have weapons of violence here......"

Zoe nodded. "It is ok. I admit he wasn't scary enough for me to draw my gun on him......" she put her other hand to her head as painful memories ran through her head.               "I.....need help."

"I will help you, child," All responded as they walked with their hands wrapped together. "You are safe with me, I promise you that."

"Thank you All. Thank you."

Tim, the boy, ran back to join up with the monk as they stepped up to the door. It was a simple wooden door that connected to a stone house. It had only one window on the other side. There were a series of simple bed mattresses that lined the floor.

As Zoe stepped inside, it suddenly seemed more significant than it was as the door closed behind them. It was almost like she was stepping inside some small temple monastery. At first, before she stepped in, she saw simple stone walls connecting to a stove, furnace, and beds. The moment she stepped in, the colors of the walls changed. It was almost as if what she saw on the outside was an illusion of some sort. The moment she stepped in, she saw for what it really was. There were candles lit everywhere, lighting the inside of the large room.

"What do you see, child?" All asked her.

"I see red carpet, candles lit all around me; I see a statue of some fat man sitting on.....a shrine? I see the beds at the same corner. I still see some sort of energy coming from you."

"What are you talking about, Zoe?" The boy asked her.

"I see it right in front of me. How do you not see it?" She told the boy.

"It is because he can't see it, my child," the monk replied, looking at her. "I am surprised you have the 'sense.'"

Zoe swore she heard the sounds of distant chimes in the....whatever she was in. She again felt no threat towards her. She went and had a seat on the ground. She breathed a sigh of relief. The monk then picked up a bowl that was by the stove. She swore it had nothing in it as he handed it to her. She took a look, and there was assorted fruit on it.

The boy quickly got on one of the bed mattresses and watched them.

"What does he see?" she asked him.

"He sees a simple home. He sees me handing you food. He sees you eating."

For Zoe, the moment she saw an apple, she bit into it. She grabbed a peach from the bowl as well, as she was practically inhaling the apple as she chewed vigorously into it. The monk then went and had a seat by the shrine and turned his back to her. He said nothing else to her as she ate and ate.

"Thank......thank you," she said with a mouth full of food.

The monk's eyes closed as he began to meditate. He almost seemed to be ignoring her. He then sat cross-legged as he put his hands to the sides of his legs. He placed the palms of his hands to his knees and focused.

Zoe felt like she had only one thing to do, and that was to sit comfortably. She was safe, and nothing else mattered. The candles, or at least what she was able to see, lit the room nicely. She watched All as he meditated at the statue of the fat man. After having her fill with the fruit, she went and climbed on one of the empty mattresses in the corner. She had successfully evaded the people who wanted to bring more harm to her and found refuge with this mysterious man. The question for her was who he was? There was certainly more going on than she knew about. For her, it seemed like a miracle had happened, but only time would be her true guide of what this person really was. For now, she had but one thing to do, and that was to close her eyes and fall asleep.

Chapter 3: Later that day, on August 15^th

The jeep came to a stop at the checkpoint. Sergeant Thomas was starring down an armed pickup truck with a couple of men armed with rifles. He recognized them as LURD rebels or Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy. He arrived at the very edge of the city limits of Monrovia. The men were blocking various people that were trying to get out. The very act was dangerous for some as they risked getting shot or killed for those who weren't already. With the temporary cease-fire, however, many were trying to use the opportunity to get out. The act itself meant that Thomas had to wait his turn for the checkpoint to finally approach him.

"Are you trying to leave too, white man?" The rebel looked at Thomas as he sported an AK-47 in his hands. He said this with a man that was perched on a pickup truck with a machine gun mount on the back as he wore sunglasses.

"Yes," he replied.

"Where are you heading to?"

"I am heading to Yekepa on the other side of Liberia."

The man with an AK-47 looked at Thomas with a stern look. Thomas took a good look at the surroundings and could already see a dead body not far from the truck. It looked like the body had been there for a couple of days. He was already used to seeing dead amongst the way as the shelling from the artillery was hitting random areas in the city. With the cease-fire, there was a bit of a sigh of relief obviously from the population.

"Why are you heading to Yekepa?" the guard asked him.

"I have been hired by LAMCO to go and survey the iron mines in Yekepa and check on its status."

The guard went and turned around as he walked up the machine gunner to discuss his words. Thomas went and took a look at the other members in front. One of the five soldiers appeared to be young, very young like he was the age of ten as he sported an assault rifle.

Thomas himself was shocked to see a child a member of the army. He knew it is true. Pro-Taylor forces and Anti-Taylor forces were using child soldiers. The reports he heard even suggested worse of what happened to these kids. It was a crime what they were doing, but there wasn't anything he could do about it.

The child was looking around as Thomas looked back at the two that were talking.

"Alright, you may go. Beyond this point, however, you are on your own. There will be more of us along the path. Once you get beyond Kakata and Gbarnga, you will encounter war factions that change their allegiances continuously. You are traveling on your own risk."

Thomas then saw the man go near the truck and took a can of brown paint. He then pulled out a paintbrush and dipped it into the paint can. He then slapped a line of brown paint on the hood of his jeep with a wet paintbrush before he put the can back down. Thomas noted that many of the LURD soldiers wore these brown shirts that often even said "LURD" on them as a way to identify themselves from one another. The brown paint was a way to let everyone know that he was allowed to pass the checkpoint and that anyone could see the line drawn on his jeep so that he was not a foe from a distance.

"Move along," he signaled to Thomas. Without hesitation, he stepped on the gas pedal as he reached near the city limits of Monrovia. He remarked as he saw many more soldiers parked along the side of the road. Some men, women, and even kids were all armed with various weapons. All of them watched him as his jeep drove past them.

"Such a beautiful place, yet the countryside is being torn apart," he said to himself. "My lie worked."

From what Thomas knew, Yekepa was initially a paradise on the other side of Liberia. Liberia was known for some exports, and one was Iron. An iron deposit was found by Nimba Mountains, and a joint venture corporation of American, Swedish, and Liberian was established there. Prior to Samuel Doe and the Tulbert Administration, it was a bit out of nowhere, and a community was established. White people and the native population cohabitated relatively peacefully, or at least what he knew of, of course. He could have been wrong on that. The first civil war destroyed all that. Most of the population left, and those that remained fought each other or plundered the area. The morning operations ceased by the end. Now it is just a shell of a town.