“Burn it down!! Burn it down!!!

I said Burn it all down!!!”.

Rage had me wrapped round it's fingers, I felt this burning sensation inside me, my whole body was about to flare up.

Never have I acted this way, never have I felt this way, but here I am about to tear down a whole city. Who could have thought a timid girl like me could do such. Look were life brought me.

“Nothing’s in this life, this life got Nothing!!.”

************************

It was November, deep in the dry season, the kind of morning when the harmattan spread across the streets like a white blanket. The fog was so thick you could hardly see a car a few meters ahead. The air felt sharp and cold against my skin as it swept through the tiny cracks in our windows. My dad and I lived in a small self-con apartment on the streets of Lonlo. It wasn’t fancy, it wasn’t big, but it was home. We weren’t rich, but we lived comfortably enough to get by, sharing simple routines and quiet evenings.

Dad worked as a secretary at Antonov Holdings. His salary wasn’t impressive, definitely not something people bragged about, but he always made sure I never lacked anything important. He carried his responsibilities with a calm strength I admired. That night, we had jollof rice and suya for dinner – his favorites. But the harmattan had already gotten to him. His voice sounded blocked, and he sniffed every few minutes, rubbing his nose with the back of his hand. The cold had hit him hard.

“Take this,” he said gently, handing me some money and a small paper with scribbled names of medicines. “Please get these from the convenience store before they close.”

“Okay, Dad,” I replied, already worried about how weak he looked.

I went to my room to grab my phone and the gate keys. As I walked through the corridor, I heard him speaking on the phone. His tone was low, sharp, not like his usual soft voice. It sounded like an argument. Curiosity got the best of me, and I paused, tilting my head toward the door. On the table beside him was a brown file with the name Vinco boldly printed on it. The name meant nothing to me. “Who could that be?” I whispered. For a moment, I thought about staying to listen, but I shrugged it off. Dad rarely fought with anyone. I pushed the thought aside and hurried out before it got too dark.

The store wasn’t far, so the trip didn’t take long. But as I walked back home, something felt off. I heard strange sounds from inside our house – muffled voices, things shifting around. “Is Dad watching TV?” I muttered, trying to convince myself everything was normal. But something in my stomach twisted uneasily.

When I stepped inside, the air felt heavy. The light in Dad’s room was still on. That alone made my heartbeat quicken. He never left his light on before going to bed. It was one of his many little habits.

Then I heard it – a harsh voice, deep and unfamiliar.

“Where’s the drive and the money?” the man growled.

My breath hitched. I froze for a moment, gripping the bag in my hand. Carefully, I inched toward the room. The door was slightly open. Through the gap, I could see shadows – three men. They hovered over my dad like predators.

“Leave now, or I’ll call the cops!” Dad shouted, though his voice shook.

One of the men laughed. “Shut up, old man. You call the cops, you die,” he warned, stepping closer.

Another man pushed my dad to the ground as if he were nothing. “Mr. Vinco gave us strict orders,” he said. “Find the drive and the money, or kill him.”

I felt the world tilt. Vinco. The same name from the file.

“You’ll get nothing from me,” Dad said, even in pain – still brave.

The man in front raised his gun, smirked, and whispered, “To hell.”

He pulled the trigger. The gunshot shattered everything.

The sound rang in my ears. My body went numb. I watched as blood spilled from my father's mouth, warm and red, soaking into his shirt. My hands trembled uncontrollably, and the medicine and cup I held fell to the floor with a sharp crash that exposed my presence.

“Dad!” I screamed before I could stop myself.

All three men turned sharply.

“He had a daughter,” one said with a wicked laugh.

“Get her!” another barked.

My heart exploded with fear. I ran – stumbling, shaking, blinded by tears – chased by the monsters who had just murdered my father.

And that was the moment my life changed forever.