BANK ROBBERY -Episode One
Feeling tired, David thought for a while and decided a short rest would be ideal before heading into the city’s godforsaken traffic where on a daily basis, he compulsorily spends three long hours of waiting and maneuvering before getting home.
Already in the parking garage, he unlocks his car; in and seated, he adjusted the backrest slightly backward, and in a relaxed manner he sat, smiling and enjoying some pictures of his twins on the dashboard, then setting his eyes on a picture of his wife, his countenance suddenly changed and the smile on his face vanished. Pain and worry seized the moment and he closed his eyes trying to shut the worries off.
Unfortunately, David unconsciously dozed off. He was exhausted from the day’s extraordinary routine. It was the last day of the month and customers’ influx was high. Being the first contact person in his branch, he was saddled and overwhelmed with multiple customers’ complaints, inquiries, and requests. He was not even opportune to observe some minutes break because of the month end pressure.
David was really tired; the gatekeeper at the exit gate could hear his snore from his duty post.
About twenty minutes after he unconsciously journeyed into sleep world, he was abruptly called back by the screeching tires of three sport utility vehicles. The vehicles were occupied by men with fierce looking faces, armed with guns and charms; and before he could process what was happening, in commando style, they quickly blocked the entry and exit gates, while shooting sporadically into the air. "Bank Robbers", he muttered, with his heart almost failing him, and just before he could draw his next breath, a voice thundered "Get out of the vehicle and lie flat on the ground. Gatekeepers lie flat too and don't move. Don't try to be heroes by doing anything stupid".
The gatekeepers quickly obeyed while David immediately got out of the car, and while he was trying to obey the last command, his identity card hanging around his neck was then noticed by one of the robbers; and before his body could hit the ground completely he was jacked up like a weightless object. Immediately, one of the robbers said in pidgin parlance "We don catch manager", but David quickly refuted the title, "Please Sir, I am not the manager". Two other robbers immediately pointed their guns at him, while they dragged him to the bank’s emergency exit point.
The vicinity which had so much life was now lifeless, traders ran off leaving their shops and goods in the open, pedestrians and motorist vanished into thin air, and in the twinkle of an eye, the whole vicinity was deserted as people had vanished to safety.
David's heart was now beating faster than any known record in history, his life flashed through his eyes, he quickly remembered his very sick wife and his four months old twins, and then the thought made him shake his head, and amidst that moment, he had questioned himself; "Why didn’t I drive home immediately? What have I done to myself and my poor little family?"
Afraid and confused, he resorted to pleading, please Sir, please Sir, I am a father of twins and I am all they have in this world for my wife is very sick. "Shut up" yelled one of the armed robbers. "Tell your manager to open the door or we‘ll kill you and blast our way in", he added with disdain.
With tears free falling from his eyes, David held the comm switch and begged the manager to open the door. His colleagues hearing his voice on the comm exclaimed and screamed, jeez! That's David. He left about twenty minutes ago.
With the comm switch still held down, one of the armed robbers who seem to be their leader said to the manager; "Hope you have called the police? We came prepared and you have only three minutes to open the door before we kill your staff, and use our explosives". Further speaking, he said, "We did not come here for negotiations and we didn’t come for sight-seeing either. So, if we have to force our way in, we will, and when we do, we will kill every staff in the branch and their blood would be on you". Then just before letting go the comm switch, one of them added, "Remember, your staff here is a father of twins, so what will you tell his twins when they grow up knowing you killed their father".
There was pandemonium amongst the staff, "Open it Sir," pleaded some of the staff, "We know the police, they will not come and if you don’t comply, David will be killed. Moreso, when they blow up the door, they will kill us too. Open it Sir, please open it, the money is insured but our lives are not". The manager was pretty new in the branch and had never witnessed a robbery incident but the staff pleading were doing so from experience.
The manager kept looking at his timepiece hoping the police would come, ignoring the threats from the robbers and the plea of his subordinates. He was troubled inside because officially the bank had long closed but there were still there. The policemen who were on guard, as usual never waits for a minute extra after the official closing time, unless they are tipped. They were the problem, they have always been and now this is happening.
Suddenly, the comm switch came on one last time, this time, David’s heartbeat could be heard on the other side, and before he muttered the word please, a coarse voice took over with a countdown… Five, four, three, two, one…Ratta-Tatta (gunshots).
Authored by me and can also be read here.