The Missing Girl And The Monkey,
Nneka is a very beautiful little girl who is smart and wise. She is only seven years old, but her parents treated her like a princess. Her father is a rich man in the city of Port Harcourt. He had cars, houses, and many workers. Every morning, Nneka’s driver would take her to school in her own small car. Nneka loved going to school. That morning, she wore her neat school uniform and waved at her mother before entering the car. But no one knew trouble was coming for Nneka.
The driver started the car and the drove out of the compound on their way to school. They drove for a few minutes. The road was quiet and cool. Nneka was singing one of her school songs when suddenly, a big black jeep came from nowhere and stopped in front of their car. The driver quickly matched the brake. Three men jumped out from the jeep. They were holding guns. The driver became afraid.
“Please don’t shoot.” The driver said. One of the men shouted at hime and slapped him.
“Come down now!” The gang leader said to the driver named James. They dragged Nneka out of the car. The driver begged but they didn’t listen to him.
“Please, she’s a small girl! Let her go!” The driver said. But they pushed him away.
The kidnappers carried Nneka into their jeep and drove off fast. Nneka was crying and shouting but they did not stop the car. They drove faster.
“Please, I want to go home. Let me go home to my mummy. Who are you and why have taken me by force?” She said in an emotional voice.
“Shut up, small girl. Your father is very rich. He will send us money soon.” The gang leader said. They drove for a long time. The road became rough and lonely. They passed many trees and bushes until they reached a thick forest. The place was very quiet. Birds were making strange sounds. Nneka held her small school bag tightly. She was very afraid.
“Why has these people taken me? I’m just an innocent little girl. Why will they take bring me into this big forest? I’m afraid.” Nneka said.
When they stopped, the men led her to a small tent inside the bush. The place looked like they have been living there for some time. There were mats, plates, and cooking pots.
“Sit here.” The gang leader tells Nneka. Nneka sat down quietly. After some minutes, they brought her fried rice and chicken. She was surprised but she refused to eat. She was afraid that the food might be poisoned.
“I will not eat until you tell me why you brought me into this bush. I’m innocent. I have not done anything wrong to you.” Nneka said.
“Do you know your father’s phone number?” The gang leader asked.
“Yes, I know it.” She called the number from her head. They quickly dialed it and called her father.
Nneka’s father started crying when he heard his daughter’s voice on the phone.
“Daddy, I’m afraid. Please, don’t allow them to kill me. We are in a big bush. This place is scary. Please, come and carry me,” she said with tears. One of the kidnappers collected the phone with force.
“We want fifty million naira. If you don’t send it in three days, your daughter will die.” The gang leader said. Then they ended the call. Nneka sat quietly and looked at the forest. She is terrified but she was ready to do something to escape from the kidnappers.
“ I will escape from this place. I am not staying here forever.” She said to herself.
That night told Nneka to sleep. She was hungry but still, she still refused to eat anything given to her.
“If you don’t eat, you will die.” The gang leader said but Nneka did not care. She smart and she knows that she is worth more to the kidnappers alive than dead. They took her into the tent and showed her a place to sleept.
“Your bed is inside the tent,” the gang leader said. She lay down but didn’t close her eyes. The men also went to sleep in another tent. Soon, she began to hear their loud snoring. She waited a little more. Everywhere became silent. Then she stood up quietly.
“I’m going to escape. These men will not collect any money from my father. I will run away and go home.” Nneka said to herself. She looked around. Nobody moved. She tiptoed out of the tent. The fire was almost out. Her heart was beating fast like drum. She started walking into the dark forest slowly.
“God please, cast a strong sleep upon these men. They should not wake up until I have escaped. They should continue sleeping until the morning.” Nneka said. She was afraid. As she was walking, she saw one of the kidnappers sleeping with his gun on his chest.
“I will take his gun. I will use it to protect myself.” Nneka said. She has seen people use guns in some of the movies she watched. She decided to take the risk and carry it. She went to where the man was sleeping and picked the gun and then queitly walked into the deep forest.
“Thank God I have escaped from that place. I know they will look for me when they wake up. I must walk faster.” Nneka said.
The forest was cold and dark. Nneka didn’t know where she was going, but she kept walking. She was afraid of snakes and wild animals, but she decided to be brave.
“God, please help me. I don’t want to die. I want to go back home to my parents.” Nneka said. She passed tall trees and dry leaves. Her school shoes and uniform were dirty. Sometimes she stopped to listen, thinking she heard footsteps, but it was only the wind. After some time, she began to run. She wanted to go far from the kidnappers’ place before morning. When she became tired, she stopped under a big tree and sat down. She soon slept off.
When morning came, Nneka woke up. She felt weak and hungry. She has not eaten anything since she left house the previous day. The forest was quiet, but she could hear birds singing. She looked around and saw something moving. A big hyena came out from behind the bushes. It was staring at her with red eyes. Nneka was terrified.
“Oh! God! I know this animal. It is dangerous. Is this how I will die? God, please, I’m too young to die. Send someone to help me.” Nneka said.
The hyena came closer to Nneka. She screamed.
“Help! Somebody help me!” But there was no one there. The animal opened its mouth and made a strange sound. Nneka began to cry.
“Please don’t eat me,” She said, but the hyena didn’t stop. It was getting ready to attack her.
Suddenly, Nneka remembered that she has a gun. She still has the gun she took from the kidnappers. She lifted the gun but she didn’t know how to use it. She pointed the gun at the hyena who was approaching dangerously.
“Move back or I will kill you with this gun.” Nneka said, but the hyena paid no attention. Nneka struggled to shoot the gun but it did not go off because she did put it into the ready position.
“Oh God! The hyena will eat me! I’m about to die.” Nneka said.
But just then, a big monkey jumped down from a tree. It made a loud noise that distracted the hyena. The monkey picked up a stick and threw it at the hyena. The hyena turned and looked at the monkey. The monkey shouted again and beat its chest. The hyena became confused and slowly moved its attention to the monkey. The monkey quickly climbed down, grabbed Nneka by her small arm, and lifted her up. In one jump, it carried her up the tall tree. The hyena tried to climb, but it could not. It made a loud sound and walked away slowly.
Nneka was shaking when she looked at the monkey. It was big, brown, and had kind eyes. The monkey kept Nneka on a branch of a tree. She thought it would hurt her, but it only sat beside her and looked down.
“Thank you.” Nneka said to the monkey. The monkey looked at her again. Nneka began to cry.
“Thank you, monkey. If not for you, the hyena would have killed me. Now, can you help me get home to my parents?” The monkey didn’t say anything. It only touched her hair gently as if to comfort her.
Nneka remained on the tree with the monkey. The forest was calm and green. Birds were singing, and the wind was blowing softly. She looked down and saw how far the ground was. She was afraid to come down because she remembered the hyena from the morning.
The monkey sat beside her and watched her quietly. It looked friendly. She wished the monkey could understand her language.
“You really saved me. Thank you monkey.” Nneka said. The monkey only nodded its head, as if it understood. The day was moving slowly, and the hot sun was now shining through the leaves above them.
As the day went on, Nneka’s stomach began to make noise. She was very hungry.
“Oh, I am so hungry. What am I going to eat in this bush?” She said. The monkey turned and looked at her. It seemed to notice her problem. Nneka didn’t know what to do. She wished she could see her mother. She started crying quietly.
“I want to go home,” she cried. The monkey came close to her and touched her hand. It looked into her eyes and then jumped from the tree suddenly.
“Where is it going?” Nneka asked, looking around in fear. “Please come back, monkey.”
Nneka sat alone on the tree for several minutes. She was afraid the monkey would not come back. She looked around the forest. It was so big. Trees were everywhere. She could hear the sound of animals in the distance.
“Monkey, where are you? Please come, I’m afraid.” Nneka said.
Then she heard a sound above her. She looked up and saw the monkey returning. It was carrying a bunch of ripe bananas. Nneka was shocked. She smiled. The monkey climbed up and placed the bananas beside her.
“Oh, thank you!” she said happily. “How did you find banana in this big forest?” She quickly peeled one and ate.
The banana was sweet. Nneka ate slowly and smiled at the monkey.
“You are so kind. I don’t even know your name. Maybe I should call you Momo.” Nneka said. The monkey jumped a little and made a happy sound.
“Yes, I will call you Momo. You are my friend now.” she said. After eating, she felt stronger. She looked down again and saw how deep the forest floor was.
“Do you live up here every day?” she asked the monkey. It nodded its head. Nneka laughed softly. “I wish I could climb like you,” she said quietly.
That afternoon, Momo started moving from one tree branch to another. Nneka watched him with surprise. He was very fast. Then the monkey stopped and waved to her, as if saying, “Come and try.”
“No, I can’t do that. I will fall.” Nneka said.
But Momo kept showing her. He came back and pulled her gently.
“You want to teach me?” Nneka asked. The monkey nodded. Slowly, she tried to move from one branch to another. She was scared.
“I can’t!” she said. “Yes, you can,” she told herself. After many tries, she finally moved to the next tree.
Nneka began to laugh. “I did it!” she shouted. The monkey clapped its hands together like a person. Nneka was happy. She tried again and again. Soon, she was climbing small branches easily.
“You are a good teacher,” she said. The monkey jumped around in excitement. For the first time since she was kidnapped, Nneka felt happy. The fear inside her heart became smaller. She forgot her pain for a while. But when she looked down again, she saw the dark forest floor.
“I want to go down now. I want to rest there for a bit.” She said.
The monkey quickly pulled her school bag and dragged her back. Nneka was surprised.
“What is it?” she asked. The monkey pointed down, where some strange footprints were seen near the trees. Nneka looked closely and shouted after she saw a big snake.
Days passed. Nneka and Momo became close friends. Every morning, Momo brought her fruits. Sometimes mango, sometimes pawpaw. They played on the tree and slept side by side at night. At first, she found it hard to sleep on trees. She thought she would fall, but as time went on, she strangely started adapting.
Nneka talked to Momo like a person. “When I go home, I will tell my parents about you,” she said.
“They will be happy to meet you.” She said. But far away, trouble was growing. The kidnappers were still searching for her. They called her father again.
“We want our money,” the gang leader said.
Her father replied, “Let me hear my daughter’s voice first.”
The kidnappers were silent. They could not give him Nneka’s voice because she was no longer with them.
“We can’t talk to her now,” the gang leader said quickly.
“Then I will not pay you one kobo until I hear her. I want to be sure she is alive” her father said and cut the call. The kidnappers became angry.
“That small girl has caused us trouble. We must find her. She cannot be far.” They carried their guns and entered the forest again. After walking for hours, they came to a place and saw signs that made them believe Nneka was not far.
The kidnappers looked around carefully. “She must be near,” one of them said. They stood directly under the tree where Nneka and Momo were hiding.
Nneka covered her mouth with her hand.
“Oh God! The kidnappers are here.” She said I her heart. Her heart was beating so fast. The monkey looked at her and shook its head slowly, telling her to stay quiet. The men saw their gun under the tree. It was the gun Nneka took when she was escaping.
“She was here,” their leader said. “Search around!” They started looking everywhere.
“Please God, they should not look up. I don’t want them to see me.” The monkey quickly closed her mouth to stop her from talking.
Nneka and the monkey remained on top of the tall tree. The air was cool, and the forest was quiet, but Nneka’s heart was not calm. While on the tree, she could see the kidnappers moving around below. They were still searching for her. The men were talking in low voices, looking everywhere. Nneka held her breath and pressed her back against the tree.
“They are still here.” She said. The monkey, Momo, placed a hand on her shoulder to calm her down.
“Please, let them go. I’m afraid. I don’t want them to catch me. I don’t want to go with them. I want to stay with you Momo.” she said in her heart. Her eyes filled with fear. But the men refused to leave the place.
The kidnappers walked round and round the big tree. They had already seen reasons to search the area further because there are evidence that she is there.
“She is here. We must not leave this place. We must capture that girl. If we don’t capture her, we can’t make money. Let us search carefully.” The gang leader said.
Minutes passed and the men refused to move away. They were stepping on dry leaves and looking under bushes.
“Oga, maybe she ran away,” one of them said. But their leader shouted that the search must continue.
“Keep quiet! She is around here.” The leader said. Nneka’s legs began to feel pain. She wanted to change her position a little, but she was afraid. She prayed silently in her heart.
“God, please don’t let them find me.” She said. The monkey held her arm, as if telling her to stay calm. The forest wind blew gently, shaking some branches. The men didn’t notice. They were too busy looking around the ground. They did not look up. If they slightly look up, they will see her.
Then something happened. Nneka moved her hand without thinking. Her fingers touched some dry leaves beside her. One of the leaves fell from the tree and went down slowly, turning round and round in the air until it landed on the ground near the gang leader’s feet. The man looked down at it. At first, he ignored it. But when he looked up, he thought he saw something move. He narrowed his eyes and stepped back a little.
“Wait!” he said suddenly. “Something is up there. Something is on top of the tree.”
The leader looked carefully at the branches above. The sunlight passed through the leaves, making it hard to see clearly. But then he saw a small hand holding a branch.
“There she is!” he shouted, pointing upward. “That’s the girl! She’s with that animal!” The other men looked up and saw Nneka and the monkey.
“Ah, we found her!” they said. Nneka’s heart jumped. She held the monkey tightly. The leader smiled wickedly.
“So this is where you’ve been hiding,” he said. “You thought you could run away from us? Now come down before I shoot both of you!”
Nneka was shaking, but she refused to come down. She shouted, “I will not come down! If you want me, come and get me yourself!”
The leader laughed loudly. “You think I cannot climb?” he said. He turned to one of his men and ordered him to climb.
“Idris, climb up there, go and bring that girl down.” The leader said.
“Oga, the tree is too tall.” Idris said.
“Climb up now or I will shoot you instead!” The leader shouted. Idris sighed deeply and started climbing. The tree was very tall and rough, but he was strong. He pulled himself up slowly, holding one branch after another.
Nneka held her breath and looked down. The man was coming closer.
“He is climbing!” she said with panic. The monkey bared its teeth and made a loud noise.
“Don’t come up! If you come, I will push you down.” Nneka shouted. But the man only laughed. “You can’t stay there forever, small girl,” he said. He was getting nearer.
“Momo, what do we do?” Nneka asked. The monkey’s eyes became red. It waited quietly, watching the man’s every move. Idris finally reached their branch.
“Now, I got you,” he said proudly. He stretched his hand to grab Nneka’s leg.
But before his hand could touch her, the monkey jumped suddenly. It landed on the man’s face like lightning.
“Ahh!” the man screamed. The monkey began to scratch his face with its sharp nails. Blood poured out.
“Help me! Help me before I will fall. The monkey is dealing with me.” he shouted. He tried to push the monkey off, but it held him tightly.
The monkey bit the man’s ear and cut it off. The monkey tore his shirt. The man kicked his legs wildly.
“Oga, help me! My ear is gone! The monkey is biting me.” He shouted again. But the leader was below, shouting, “Hold her! Don’t fall!”
The monkey scratched harder. The man was crying now. He could no longer see clearly because the monkey’s claws were covering his eyes.
He tried to grab the branch, but his hand slipped. He tried to hold himself but it was too late. The man lost his grip completely. He screamed as he fell from the tall tree. The monkey quickly jumped back to the branch beside Nneka. They both watched helplessly as the man hit the ground with a loud sound. The forest went silent for a few seconds.
The kidnappers rushed to where the man fell. “Idris! Idris!” they shouted. But he didn’t answer. Blood was all over the ground. The leader bent down and touched him.
“He’s dead,” he said in a low voice. The others stepped back in fear. Nneka was still shaking on the tree. She couldn’t believe what just happened. The monkey held her hand again, trying to calm her. The leader looked up angrily and shouted at her.
“Nneka, you will pay for this, girl! You and that useless animal!” But Nneka didn’t say anything. She only held the monkey tightly as they jumped to another tree.
The sound of the man’s fall echoed through the forest. Nneka held her breath. The monkey, Momo, was still beside her, watching the men below. The kidnappers were shouting and confused. “She killed Idris!” Their leader cried.
“No, the animal did!” another shouted. The leader raised his gun in anger.
“Stay there, you little witch!” he shouted. But Nneka didn’t wait. The monkey touched her arm and jumped to another tree. Nneka followed quickly, holding the branches tightly. The men below opened their mouths in surprise.
“Ah! She is climbing like a monkey!” one of them said.
Nneka was moving fast now. The monkey showed her where to place her feet. “Don’t leave me, Momo!” she cried. “I’m afraid!”
The monkey looked back and made a soft sound, as if saying, “Keep coming.” They climbed higher, then jumped to another tree. The kidnappers ran below, chasing them.
“Don’t shoot her!” their leader shouted. “We need the girl alive!” One of them raised his gun.
“But what about the monkey?” he asked. “Shoot the animal!” the leader said. “Oga, if I shoot, I may hit the girl,” he said. “Then don’t shoot,” the leader replied angrily.
The kidnappers reached the second tree where Nneka and the monkey were hiding. They looked up but couldn’t see clearly because of the leaves. The leader pointed his gun and shouted at Nneka.
“Come down now! You cannot hide forever!” He said.
Nneka didn’t answer. She was breathing heavily, holding a thick branch.
“Please, Momo help me.” Nneka said. The monkey watched the men carefully. The leader turned to one of his men who was still remaining.
“You, climb that tree and bring her down,” he ordered. The man stepped back quickly.
“No, Oga. I cannot climb. You saw what happened to Idris. I don’t want to die,” he said with fear in his eyes.
The leader frowned. “What did you say?” he asked. The man replied, “I don’t want to die, Oga. That animal is evil. It will kill me like it killed Idris.”
The leader became very angry. “You are refusing my order?” he asked. The man knelt down. “Please, forgive me, Oga. I cannot climb.”
Without saying another word, the leader raised his gun and shot him. The sound of the gun echoed through the forest. Nneka screamed. “Why did you kill him?” she shouted. The leader looked up and said, “Anyone who disobeys me must die!” The other man standing beside him began to shake.
The leader turned to the last man. “Now it’s your turn,” he said in a cold voice. The man started begging.
“Please, Oga, don’t shoot me. I will climb. I promise.”
The leader nodded. “Good. Go and bring that girl down.” The man started climbing the tree. His hands were shaking, but he didn’t stop.
“I don’t want to die,” he said to himself. Nneka watched him climbing.
“Momo, he’s coming.” Nneka said. The monkey moved closer to her. The man finally reached their branch and looked at Nneka. “Small girl,” he said, “let’s go down quietly.”
Nneka shook her head. “I’m not going with you,” she said. “Leave me alone.” The man frowned.
“If you don’t come down, I will drag you,” he said. He tried to hold her arm, but the monkey jumped between them.
“What is this?” The man shouted. The monkey showed its sharp teeth and made a loud cry. The man became afraid.
“Stay back, animal!” he shouted.
“Please, don’t hurt my friend. Leave the monkey alone.” Nneka said. The man ignored her and tried to grab Nneka again. The monkey was faster. It moved like lightning and gave the man a heavy knock on his head.
The man shouted in pain. “Ahh! My head!” He held his forehead and staggered. He screamed, but the monkey didn’t stop. It picked a dry branch from the tree and broke it into two. Before the man could regain his balance, the monkey raised the branch and hit him again on the head.
“Oh God!” the man cried. Blood started running down his face. The man lost his balance. His hand slipped from the branch. “Help me!” he cried. The leader shouted from below, “Hold the tree!” But he fell straight down.
The sound of his fall was loud. The forest went silent again. Nneka closed her eyes. “Oh no,” she said softly. “He is dead.” The monkey came close and held her hand. The leader looked down at the lifeless body of his man. He was now the only one left. His eyes turned red with anger. He looked up at Nneka and shouted, “You little devil! You and that stupid animal have killed all my men!”
Nneka started crying. “I didn’t kill them. They were the ones trying to hurt me,” she said. But the man didn’t listen. He was very angry.
The forest was quiet again except for the wind blowing through the trees. The leader pointed his gun up. “I will not let you escape again. You have killed all my men. I must catch you.”
Nneka and the monkey were still on the tall tree. The place was quiet, only birds and insects were making small sounds. The kidnappers’ gang leader was the only man left in the bush. He had refused to leave the place. He stood under the tree, holding his gun, and looking up from time to time. His face was hard and full of anger. He wanted to catch Nneka at all cost.
“You think you are smart, abi? You must come down one day,” he said, talking to himself and watching every movement on the tree.
He wanted to climb the tree but he was afraid. He remembered how his two men had died. One fell and broke his head, and the other one was killed by the monkey. He looked up again and saw Nneka and the monkey sitting quietly.
“I will not die like my men. Let me wait here. Hunger will bring her down.” He sat under the tree and leaned on his gun.
“You cannot stay there forever, girl. You must come down when you get tired or hungry,” he shouted.
Nneka looked down and saw the man sitting under the tree. She was scared. The monkey sat beside her, holding a bunch of bananas it had hidden earlier in a small hole in the tree. Nneka smiled weakly when the monkey brought the bananas and gave her.
“Momo, you are my best friend,” she. She peeled one banana and ate.
“At least this will keep me alive for now,” she said. The monkey nodded as if it understood her. They both ate quietly and watched the man under the tree.
The day was moving slowly. The sun was very hot. The gang leader removed his shirt and used it to wipe the sweat on his face. He was getting tired. Flies were disturbing him. He sat down, leaning his back against the tree. His eyes started closing.
“Let me rest small. She will come down soon,” he said and closed his eyes. He wanted Nneka to think he was sleeping. But truly, he was only pretending. He had a plan in his mind. He wanted to deceive her and the monkey.
Nneka looked down again and saw the man lying under the tree. His eyes were closed. His gun was beside him.
“Momo, look. He is sleeping. This is our chance. Let’s go.” Nneka said. The monkey looked too. It nodded quickly.
“We will move very quietly,” Nneka said. They both started climbing down from the tree slowly. Every sound of dry leaf scared her, but she continued. She was very careful, watching the man and making sure he did not move.
When they were close to the ground, Nneka whispered again, “Just small more, Momo. Then we will run.” The monkey moved first, then Nneka followed. But immediately their feet touched the ground, the man opened his eyes and jumped up.
“You are going nowhere. You think I was sleeping?” he shouted and grabbed his gun. Nneka screamed. She and the monkey started running as fast as they could. They ran between trees, through the dry leaves, and across small bushes. The sound of their feet echoed in the quiet bush. The man laughed as he aimed his gun.
“Stop there!” he shouted. “If you move again, I will shoot you!” But Nneka did not stop. She kept running.
“Please, God, help us,” she said as she ran. The monkey ran beside her, jumping over roots and fallen branches. The man became angry. He lifted his gun and fired a shot. The sound of the gun echoed across the bush. Birds flew from the trees. Nneka screamed as she heard the gunshot. She turned and saw blood on the ground. The bullet had hit the monkey.
“Momo!” she screamed. The monkey fell to the ground, bleeding. Its body shook. Nneka knelt down beside it, crying. She tried to lift it but blood was already covering her hands.
“Please, stay strong. Don’t die on me,” she said with tears in her eyes. The monkey looked at her weakly and tried to move its hand. The sound of the kidnapper’s footsteps was getting closer.
“Get up, we must go!” Nneka said as she lifted the monkey with her two hands and started running again. The mokey was big and heavy and difficult to carry. It was even heavier than Nneka.
As she ran, she was crying. “Please stay strong, Momo, I don’t want you to die,” she cried as she held the monkey close to her chest. The forest seemed endless. She didn’t know where she was running to, but she refused to stop. The sound of the man’s footsteps was still behind her. The leaves brushed her legs. The monkey’s breathing became weaker.
“Please don’t leave me,” she whispered again. The sun was going down slowly as she disappeared deeper into the forest, still holding the wounded monkey.
Nneka was already very tired. Her legs were weak and her body was overwhelmed with hunger.
Her clothes were dirty and torn. She was still helping the monkey to walk . The monkey was bleeding from the leg where the bullet had touched it.
As she ran slowly, she kept crying. “Oh God, what do I do now? I can’t lose you, Momo,” she said. She stopped for a moment and looked at the wounded monkey. She thought of dropping it and running away to save her own life, but she quickly changed her mind.
“No, I can’t leave the monkey. This monkey helped me as well,” she said.
She looked around the forest. Everywhere was silent. The trees were tall, and the ground was covered with dry leaves. Her body was sweating.
She breathed heavily and wiped her face. “You saved me, Momo. You fought those men for me. You even risked your life. I can’t abandon you now.” She said.
The monkey blinked weakly, as if it heard her. Nneka tightened her hold on Momo.
“Even if I die today, I will not leave you.” She said.
She started walking slowly again, not knowing where she was going.
As she moved through the bush, she suddenly saw something ahead. It was a cave, hidden behind tall grasses and stones. It looked dark, but it also looked like a place to hide.
“This place can protect us,” she said. She quickly dragged herself and the monkey into the cave. The air inside was cold. She sat down on a rock and placed the monkey beside her.
“Don’t worry, Momo. We will rest here,” she said in an emotional voice. She held the monkey close and listened. Then she heard footsteps again.
The sound of the footsteps made her heart beat fast. She froze. The kidnapper was walking around the place. She could hear his heavy boots on the dry ground. He was calling her name.
“Nneka come out! You can’t hide forever! I will find you!” He said.
His voice echoed in the forest. Nneka covered the monkey’s mouth gently, afraid it might make a sound.
“Please, keep quiet, Momo,” she said. The man kept moving around, but it didn’t occur to him to check the cave. Nneka stayed still, holding her breath, praying silently that he would go away.
Minutes passed. The place became quiet again. Nneka slowly removed her hand from the monkey’s mouth. She looked down and saw blood on its leg.
She started crying. “Oh no, you are bleeding. The kidnapper shot you” she said. She tore a piece of her dress and used it to clean the blood.
“Please don’t die, Momo,” she said, weeping softly. The monkey was breathing slowly. It tried to move but couldn’t.
“It’s okay. Don’t move. You need to rest.” Nneka said.
She sat beside the monkey and kept pressing the wound gently. Her heart was full of fear.
She looked around the cave and discovered they were still in danger.
“We can’t stay here forever. He may come back.” Nneka said. But she was also afraid of going out. She didn’t know if the kidnapper was still hiding somewhere. She closed her eyes and prayed again.
“God, please help me. Show me what to do.” After some time, she noticed something. She could no longer hear any sound of footsteps outside. Everything had become quiet.
“Maybe the kidnapper has gone,” she said to herself. She waited for a few minutes before standing up quietly to check outside.
Nneka came out carefully. She hid behind a tree and looked around. The kidnapper was nowhere to be seen.
“He is gone,” she said in relief. She ran back inside the cave.
“Momo, we can go now. The man is gone,” she said.
She helped the monkey stand up, but it could not walk properly. So she held Momo again and started walking slowly out of the cave. The sun was already going down. She needed to find a road or someone who could help her before it became dark.
As she walked through the bush, she suddenly saw someone ahead. She looked well and she was shocked. It was her driver.
“Driver, Is that you?” she asked in surprise. The man turned quickly and smiled.
“Madam Nneka! I have been looking for you!” he said loudly. Nneka almost cried out of relief.
“Thank God! I thought I would die here,” she said. The driver ran to her and held her hand.
“Don’t worry, madam. I brought a car. Let me take you home,” he said. Nneka smiled weakly and followed him.
As they walked away, the driver looked at her and smiled again.
“You are lucky I found you,” he said. But deep inside him, his mind was dark. He was not truly happy. He was part of the kidnap gang. He was the one who told the others where Nneka would be that day she was kidnapped. He is an informant to the kidnappers.
“This girl doesn’t know me. I will use her to make money. I will take her to the kidnap gang leader.” He said in his heart.
Nneka was very happy as she and the driver finally walked out of the forest. She has been in that bush for many days, running from danger. Now, seeing her driver made her feel safe again.
“Thank you, sir. You came just in time. I thought I would never leave that forest alive.” Nneka said.
“It’s okay, my dear. I thank God I found you. Your parents will be so happy to see you again.” The driver said. Nneka smiled and hugged the wounded monkey in her arms.
“This monkey saved my life,” she said.
The driver looked at the monkey with surprise.
“You mean this animal?” he asked.
“Yes. His name is Momo. He fought the kidnappers and protected me.” Nneka said. The driver wss surprised.
“Then Momo is a hero. You are lucky to have such a friend.” He said. He even helped her carry the weak monkey.
“You are very kind,” Nneka said, feeling safe and grateful. She had no idea that the man who looked so caring was part of the same people who kidnapped her in the first place. She had no idea she was walking straight into another trap.
As they continued walking through the narrow forest path, Nneka told him everything that had happened. She explained how she escaped in the night, how the monkey lifted her into a tree to save her from a hyena, and how the kidnappers kept chasing her. The driver kept nodding and pretending to be surprised.
“Ah! Those wicked men. Thank God you are safe now. When I they kidnapped you that morning, I went to look for you.” He said. Nneka smiled and said, “My father will reward you for caring for me.” The driver smiled and said nothing.
After some time, they finally came out of the forest and saw the open road. Nneka’s face brightened. “We made it!” she shouted joyfully. “We are finally out!” She looked around and breathed in the fresh air.
“Thank you, sir. I can’t believe this is happening.” She said.
“Yes, we are safe now,” he said, hiding the evil plan in his heart. As they walked toward the roadside, Nneka held the monkey and said, “Momo, you see? We will soon get home. I will tell my parents everything you did for me. I will take you to the doctor.”
But as they got closer to the roadside, Nneka’s smile slowly disappeared. She saw a man standing by a black car, leaning on the door. Her heart jumped when she recognized his face.
“Wait! Sir, stop! That man over there is one of the kidnappers! He is the one that chased me in the forest!” Nneka said. She started dragging the driver’s hand, trying to pull him back. The driver laughed.
“No, Nneka. You are mistaken. That man is not bad. He came to help us.”
But Nneka was shaking her head. “No, he is a bad man!” She said.
The driver pretended to look surprised. “You don’t trust anyone again? This man is my friend. He came to help us reach the town.” The driver said. But Nneka refused to move.
“He is lying! That man killed his own men in the forest! He wanted to shoot me!” She said. She started crying and dragged the driver again.
“Please, don’t go near him. Let’s go back.” Nneka says. The driver looked at her and sighed.
“You are afraid for nothing. Just relax. We are safe.” He said. But deep inside him, he was afraid the girl might suspect the truth.
The gang leader, who was by the car, smiled when he saw them.
“You did well,” he said loudly, walking closer. “You brought her, just as we planned.”
Nneka froze. She turned to the driver with wide eyes. “You see? I told you! He knows you!”
“Don’t shout.” The gang leader said, “Bring her quickly. We will take her to the new place in town. Her father will pay this time.”
Nneka screamed, “Please, somebody help me! They want to kidnap me again!”
The driver tried to calm her down.
“Stop shouting!” he said in a low voice. “You will only bring trouble.”
Just then, a loud police siren sounded in the distance. “WEE! WEE! WEE!” It was a police patrol van passing on the main road. The noise startled both the driver and the gang leader.
“Police is coming!” the gang leader shouted. He quickly stepped back from the road. The driver dropped the monkey he was carrying and ran to meet the gang leader.
“Let’s go before they stop!” he said nervously. The gang leader nodded quickly. The sound of the siren was getting louder and closer.
They both ran to the black car. The engine started loudly. “Get in!” the leader shouted. The driver entered the car, and within seconds, the vehicle sped off, raising dust behind. Nneka stood by the roadside, holding the weak monkey and watching as the car disappeared into the distance.
Nneka heard the sound of the police siren from far away. She stopped walking and listened very well. It was coming closer. She smiled because she has heard that kind of sound before in cartoon videos where policemen came to save people.
She looked at the monkey beside her shared her hopes.
“Momo, that is the police! They can help us! They will take us home.” She said. The monkey looked weak but tried to move. Nneka quickly stood by the roadside and began to wave her hand, hoping the police van would see her and stop.
The police van was moving very fast. The siren was loud. Nneka waved harder and shouted, “Help me! Please stop! Help me!”
But the van did not stop. It just zoomed past her and the monkey. She almost cried.
“Oh no, they did not see us. What will we do now?” She said. She bent down beside Momo and held it close. She was about to cry when she heard the sound of the van reversing. The noise of the siren stopped. She looked up quickly with hope.
Inside the van, one of the police officers had told the driver that he saw a small child by the roadside.
“Driver, stop! I just saw a small girl by the road,” he said. The driver asked, “Are you sure?” The officer said, “Yes, I am sure. She was waving her hand.”
The driver then stopped and reversed the van. The other policemen looked through the window as the van moved back slowly. They all wanted to see the small girl the officer was talking about.
When the van stopped, they saw Nneka standing by the road with a monkey beside her. One of the officers opened the door and stepped down.
“My child, what are you doing here? Where is your mother?” A police officer asked. Nneka looked up at him and tears filled her eyes.
“Please help me. I was kidnapped. They took me into the bush. I ran away with my friend.” She said. The police officer looked confused.
“You ran away with your friend?” he asked. Nneka pointed at the monkey. “Yes, this is my friend. The monkey is my friend,” she said.
All the policemen came down from the van. They surrounded Nneka and looked at the monkey.
“This monkey? How did this happen?” The police asked. Nneka started explaining everything that had happened. She told them how the kidnappers carried her into the forest. She told them how the monkey helped her to escape.
“This monkey helped me. It fought one of the kidnappers. It saved me. Please help me take it to a doctor. It is sick.” She said. The policemen looked at one another. They were all surprised and touched.
The police officer who first saw her said, “Don’t worry, my child. We will take you and your monkey to the hospital.”
“Thank you, sir.” Nneka said.
The officers helped her and the monkey into their van. Nneka sat quietly beside one of the policemen and kept patting the monkey. It was breathing slowly but still alive. The police driver started the van again. They drove straight to the veterinary hospital in the nearby town. When they reached there, a doctor came out to attend to them immediately.
The doctor took the monkey inside the hospital. Nneka waited outside with the police. She prayed silently that the monkey would not die. After some minutes, the doctor came out smiling.
“The monkey will be fine. It was weak and hurt, but it will live.” The doctor said. Nneka jumped up with joy.
“Thank you, sir! Momo, you will be fine!” Nneka said.
The police officers were also happy. They smiled at her and said she was very brave. After that, the doctor gave them the monkey, and they went back to the van.
The police decided to take Nneka home. When they reached her house, her parents ran out crying. They hugged her tightly.
“My daughter, we thought we lost you!” her mother said.
The police told her parents, “We entered the bush and fought the kidnappers before rescuing her.”
Nneka looked at them. She knew they were lying, but she kept quiet. Her father thanked them and gave them N3 million. Everyone was happy that Nneka came back alive and safe. The monkey was sleeping in Nneka’s hands.
But later that evening, something strange happened. Nneka was in her room when she heard a knock. She opened the door and saw the driver standing there. She was shocked.
“You! Why are you here?” She asked. The driver looked scared.
“Please, I came to beg you. Don’t tell your parents or the police what I did. Don’t tell them I was behind your kidnapping. Please, protect me. I don’t want to lose my job or go to jail. I am sorry for everything.” Nneka just stood there quietly, looking at him.
The driver stood before Nneka, shaking like a leaf. He looked very sorry for what he did.
“Please forgive me. Don’t tell your parents or the police. I didn’t mean to harm you.” He said. Nneka looked at him quietly for a while.
Then she said, “I forgive you. But don’t ever do such a thing again. Kidnapping is evil. You could have destroyed many lives.”
The driver knelt down in gratitude. “Thanked you her. I will never do it again.”
“Go home, and change your life.” She said.
Days passed, and Nneka’s life returned to normal. She became very close to the monkey. Her parents allowed her to keep it as a pet. They called it Momo. Nneka loved Momo so much. Every morning, she went to the backyard to play with it.
Her parents even built a small zoo in their compound. The place was fenced with strong iron. There were beautiful trees inside. The monkey jumped from one tree to another, happy and free. Nneka always smiled whenever she saw Momo playing.
Every day, Nneka fed the monkey with delicious fruits. Sometimes, she brought bananas, mangoes, and pawpaw. Momo always danced when it saw her coming.
She would laugh and say, “You like food too much, Momo!” The monkey would hold her hand as if it understood her words. Her parents were very happy to see her smiling again. They were grateful that she survived the horrible experience. Her father decided to throw a party for her.
“We must celebrate our daughter’s safe return. We will invite people from far and near.” He said.
Her mother agreed. “Yes, we must thank God. What happened to our daughter was terrible. We must let everyone know how God saved her.” So they started preparing for the party. They bought new clothes for Nneka. They decorated the compound. They called friends, neighbors, and even police officers. Everyone was excited. The whole town heard about the celebration. People said they would come and see the brave girl who survived the kidnappers. Nneka was shy but happy. She couldn’t wait for the day to come.
Finally, the day of the celebration arrived. The compound was full of people. There was music and food everywhere. Children were running around happily. Momo was also there. After they had eaten and danced, Nneka’s father took the microphone.
He said, “Today, we are here to thank God for saving my daughter’s life. We are also here to hear her story.” Everyone clapped their hands. He turned to Nneka and said, “My daughter, come and tell them what happened.”
Nneka took the microphone and stood up. The crowd became quiet. She looked at her parents, smiled, and began to speak. “My name is Nneka,” she said. “I want to tell you what happened to me. That day, I was kidnapped when I was going to school. They took me inside the bush. I cried and begged them to leave me, but they refused. I thought I would die there. I did not know that God had another plan for me. I was very scared.”
She continued, “In the bush, I saw a monkey. At first, I was afraid of it. But later, it became my friend. I called it Momo. When the kidnappers were sleeping, I escaped. The monkey helped me. We ran deep into the forest. We climbed trees. We hid under leaves. I was hungry and tired, but Momo stayed with me. One day, one of the kidnappers saw us. He tried to catch me, but Momo fought him. The man fell and hit his head on a stone. He died there. I cried, but I knew God was fighting for me.”
The people were shocked. Nneka continued. “After that, I kept walking until I met my driver. I was happy because I thought he came to help me. I did not know that he was working with the kidnappers. He took me to the road where the leader was waiting. But before they could take me again, a police van passed by. The sound of the siren scared them, and they ran away. The police stopped and rescued me. They took Momo to the hospital and took me home.” Everyone started clapping.
She paused and looked at the crowd. “But I have something else to say,” she said. Everyone became silent again. “My driver who took me to the road was one of the kidnappers. He is here today. He came to our house that night to beg me not to tell anyone. I forgave him then, but I must tell the truth. Evil should not be hidden.” People began to murmur and look around. The police officers at the party stood up quickly and arrested the driver immediately. Later, he was taken to court and sent to prison. Nneka and Momo lived happily ever after.
