The Collection

It was one of those days. Working late, because I was forced to. I was leaving the organization and my boss felt it important that I should know who is boss. She never liked me, worse still, I was really good at my work. The gap I was leaving could never be filled. She knew it. I knew it. The project I was working on could have earned her a big promotion, until I made the announcement. She was never going to forgive me for that. I couldn’t care less. I had big dreams and I knew I could not move up in that organization.

I left the office, tired and burnt out. I wondered how I was going to wake up early the next day to come back. I was almost considering not coming back, then I remembered I needed a clearance letter from them for my next job. I had to. That night’s supper was bread and water. At least the peanut butter and jam added some ‘spice’. I was almost considering adding some beef cubes or tomato sauce. The life of a bachelor. If my mom found out, she would have move me back to her house and force fed me.

My phone buzzed. It was a message sent to me by Stevo, my best friend. I opened it. It showed people seated somewhere enjoying themselves. I had to pause it. My hunger was too much. I had to eat. The reason why I was resistant was because I didn’t want to wash any dishes. Anybody got time for that. I bought myself some beef, finally I can use the beef cubes. I had some flour for Ugali. All I needed was some mboga, then I saw fries. That was it that day became my ‘cheat day’. Not that I was cheating anybody but myself.

As my fries were being packed, Stevo sent me another video. This one showed three men approach a random guy and slapping him. They dragged him away from the camera. It was on a street and had been shot during the day. The first video, the two people who were seated were also slapped and dragged away. For some strange reason I started receiving videos from my other contacts. It was a phenomenon happening across different places. People being approached, receiving their recommended dose of a hot slap, then being dragged away. Nobody explained what was happening. Others even shared the video twice.

The people who conducting the slap and drag wore yellow overalls with a skull sign on their backs. My phone rang. It was my mom. She must have known I was buying something I was not supposed to. She was a psychic who knew my life better than me. I used to ask her what manner of sorcery she was using, which was followed up by a good beating and a good talking to.

“Halo”

“Halo Allan. Are you alright?”

“Yes, I am mom. How are you?”

“I am OK. Have you received these videos people are sharing all over social media?”

“Yes, I have. Is there something about it?”

“The people in the news are saying that the people are known and that you should be careful about them. I know you don’t watch the news. If you see them, run away. OK, baby.”

“Mom! Stop!”

“OK, I love.”

“Love you too mom.”

“And don’t buy those fries.”

I just laughed and she cut the call. I received my package, made a joke with the cashier and left. Before I arrived at my gate, I saw my neighbor leaving his car walking to his house. As if on cue, three yellow suited people rushed to him. He received his slap and got dragged away. I paused, stunned. My hunger had disappeared. My recovery was short lived, because I heard shuffling and rushing of feet towards me.

It had been awhile and I was not sure how long I would be able to, but I decided to run. I smacked the first one with my bag of fries. I almost paused to have a moment of silence. What a waste. I shoved the second guy’s hand and shoved the third guy and ran in the opposite direction. For some strange reason they decided not to pursue me. I must have run too fast. This was strange because of the irregular heavy breathing I was doing. My heart almost skipped into my throat (cliché much). I stopped to catch my breath. I heard feet again, which made me run again. I was running on the main road therefore there was not that many obstacles on my way.

There weren’t that many people outside. It was around 10 PM, so that answers that. I had to go back home. I don’t know why, but I had to. Something told me they were like those monsters in the closet, who would go away once I covered myself with my blanket from head to toe. I had my phone with me. I tried to dial. I couldn’t see what I was dialing. This was because I was surrounded. How they did it would have been a performance that would be savored for years to come. I received my slap and blacked out. They must have worked in the construction business. To slap someone until they are knocked out, that was intense.

I don’t know how long I was out, but I started waking up to the taste of sound. That ‘niiing’ sound is real. I blinked a couple of times and tried to move. My hands were tied to a chair, so were my feet. I was surrounded by more people who were in the same predicament as I.

“Halo, do you know where we are?” I asked.

“No idea.”

“OK, I guess we will have to wait for someone to tell us ‘I know you are wondering I have gathered you all here’. If someone does, I am going to have to laugh no matter how inappropriate it will be. You have been warned.”

He just looked at me like I was sick and concentrated forward. I wanted to tell him that was how I dealt with my anxiety. I was also trying to make friends. With people wearing yellow overalls with skull signs, you know this was not going to end well for us.

“Excuse me everybody. If I could have your attention. I know you are wondering…”

I couldn’t hear the rest of it. I was dying from laughing. I promised I would laugh.

“Be happy that you will be a part of this great collection. You have been chosen for a special purpose. Your sacrifice will be forever remembered.”