Emmanuel

_Unsplash

Emmanuel sat quietly as his cell mates ran from one end of the prison to the other. He didn't let the commotion in the prison distract him as he placed his head in between his raised up kneels deep in thoughts.

"How, how did I end up here?" Emmanuel asked himself. He was trying to be as invincible as possible to avoid drawing attention to himself, that was the last thing he wanted in a place like this. Such attention could end up making him the prison rat and being the prison rat was the last thing anyone wanted to be in an overcrowded prison.

"Hey, will you all behave yourselves or you want me to come in there?" An officer asked from outside the cell, ready to come in and use his baton on all of them.

"One phone call, I just need one phone call" Emmanuel said to himself, contemplating if he should make the request or just remain mute and hope that some miracle happens and he gets out of here.

Emmanuel, an undergraduate had been in the company of his friends when the police showed up from no where and arrested all of them because they had some marijuana in their possession. Emmanuel had never smoked before in his life and never had any plans to but in a country like his, been caught in a crime scene was almost the same thing as committing the crime, or at least that's how the police thinks.

"I no follow them dey smoke ooo." Emmanuel said in pidgin English to the officers as he tried to explain to them that he wasn't part of the people smoking but the officers cared less.

"Shut up!" The officer yelled at him as another gave him a slap across the face. "You're a cultists, all of you and you all will rot in prison" The officer said throwing the boys into confusion. They had no idea why they were suddenly been branded cultists but none of them had the courage to utter a word after what had just happened to Emmanuel.

That was three days and no one knew where he was. His parents probably thinks he's in class studying to become an engineer not knowing he's rotting away in a prison at God knows where with nothing to eat.

"Hello sir, please can I call my people to bail me out, my family are rich" Emmanuel suddenly said out loud, his voice loud enough for the officer and everyone else to hear. He had made use of the word "rich" on purpose in other to get the police officer's attention, as money was the only language they understood.

"I will be right back." The officer said before walking away.

"Hey! Rich boy" a voice behind Emmanuel called out.

"Oh God" Emmanuel forcefully swallowed his spit as he slowly turned around to where the voice came from.

"Come here!" The prisoner ordered him.

"God help me" Emmanuel said a silent prayer as he slowly walked towards the prisoner while hoping and praying that the officer returns quickly.