...In the preceding instance, Moyo couldn’t believe she had done what she just did. It was as if a spell had controlled her actions. She wished she could take back the last 80 seconds, but there was no undo in real life. As she tried to construe the rationale behind her weird action, she stole another glance at Taj. Their eyes met and a sudden feel of contentment hugged her. Instantly she became grateful she had given in to her impulse. Since the young man was apparently too timid and shy to speak to her; he was damn too good looking not to get any help from her.
Quite frankly, since Moyo matured into adolescence, none of the numerous advances she had gotten from several male folks had appealed to her. What she desired was different from what they exuded. But in recent times, her hormones and emotions had been exerting a great deal of pressure on her and it was only a matter of time before she succumbed to it, whether or not her fantasized ‘ideal male’ showed up. By natural order, she was at that phase of her life when the desire for affection and romance were at the core of her cravings. And for the first time since those desires got awakened, here was someone that appealed to its indulgence. Now, all she had to do was play her part to make sure not even his timidity and apparent lack of ‘spine’ interjects.
The BRT bus had gotten to its drop point and passengers were beginning to file out in droves. The random exodus was dotted by shoves and pulls as the passengers hurried out of the vehicle. Their frantic mode of evacuation was probably spurred by their quest to make up for all the time they had lost in traffic. Everyone was moving out except Taj who just sat still, shifting his gaze between the cellphone in his hands and the pretty girl who had nullified his mission.
He watched as she made her way towards the exit until she turned and waved at him before disappearing out of sight.
Suddenly, his wit returned which was quickly followed by dread. The hairs on his body stood, saliva emptied from his throat as a hot sensation flooded him from inside out. “What just happened” he exclaimed in Arabic. No! He was a tough one, a soldier, someone driven by purpose, he asserted himself. What kind of spell did the young lady cast on him, he pondered. He was sure without doubt that she had enchanted him.
He had lived celibate throughout his adolescence and still retaining the status even as a young adult. He had seen and stayed around many beautiful ladies and had never spared a thought to stray or give in to their seductions. He had learnt early to subdue his emotions and sexual urges. Worldly passions and lusts did not appeal to him as there was a greater prize ahead. No earthly pleasure could possibly rival owning 72 virgins and a room in paradise. So, what must have frozen him while the lady pulled her acts? His mind struggled to find an answer.
He had failed. He had not carried out his assignment. “Have mercy on me merciful Allah” he moaned from within. And yes, Sheik Abdul! He shivered as the name popped in his thoughts. The sheik will be furious and understandably disappointed in him. They had put in so much to ensure the mission was a success. Realizing he was the only person left in the bus, he sprang up to his feet. His action had somehow coincided with the prompting from the bus driver who had just sounded out some words to him through the PAS (public Address System). Taj hurried out of the bus with a sense of uncertainty weighing heavily on him.
Now outside the bus, Taj found himself meshed amongst the sea of people distributed unevenly around the terminal. The first sight that greeted him was a group of indecently dressed ladies chattering away some vulgarities. Some distance away, a couple of catholic nuns who were about boarding one of the buses in the terminal caught his attention. As he beheld the crowd, a thought flashed through his mind. These were all infidels and there was still a chance he had not failed, he reasoned.
The improvised device was still strapped to his chest and the code to trigger it was just a cellphone dial away. He reached for the cellphone, entered the trigger code and put his finger to dial when a nudge on him from behind flipped the cellphone unto the floor. Without hesitation he stooped to pick up the cellphone, totally ignoring the bloke who had nudged him as he tried to apologize. The second his fingers touched the phone, a loud bang echoed in the air followed by the shattering of the glass window of the BRT bus that was stationed beside the exact point Taj had stood...
The story continues