the wrong shortcut
Blown by the light autumn breeze, my skin felt dry even though I was driving slowly. I was then a government official in rural publishing. Dad accompanied me to work when he was free, he enjoyed the scenic beauty of the countryside and the fresh air. We stopped for a while at a small refreshment stand for coffee. He often took the wheel at this crossroads. Two paths diverged in the woods, he took the shortest route, the least traveled to get there on time. He drove as cautiously as possible on the rough and bumpy road. Suddenly, he said, ‘look what’s coming’. The car was moving downhill fast, we didn’t know what to do. We could see a barricade made of tree trunks to block the road and make it inaccessible.
Dad made a sudden U-turn to get away, but it was too late. We could see armed men a few meters away. ‘What a clever arrangement,’ he murmured. We knew we had entered the wrong area. If we moved, they would start shooting. An armed man accompanied by three others stepped forward to snatch the car keys. Dad had already hidden it and raised both hands in surrender. The man directed us out of the car into the valley. As we walked through the valley, we saw victims tied up with a strong rope. A planned kidnapping for ransom was obvious at this point.
The armed man politely asked for my bag and smartphone. He checked my shoes to make sure he didn’t have any weapons hidden in there. Satisfied, he asked me to get into the vehicle that would soon come. He knew that he was in serious trouble. It was scary to hear the sound of an approaching vehicle. I felt numb. The vehicle stopped and we could hear a familiar voice yelling at us to get out, otherwise it would be difficult to escape.
Since I was the only one left untied, I started up the steep slope to see who it was. My heart jumped with excitement at the sight of Uncle Morris, an Army officer on patrol with four soldiers armed with automatic weapons. I started walking uphill. The rest under trap warned me not to walk forward as they could shoot me in the back and it would cost them their lives as well. I didn’t listen to them and kept going. Dad encouraged me from behind. Luckily no shots were fired and we narrowly escaped the ambush.
Since we were a few miles from the ambush point, we heard three gunshots, perhaps out of anger at a failed mission. My superiors transferred me to a different place. Although the experience was life threatening but adventurous. Dad was so heroic that he didn’t know it until that day. I thank God without whose will no one can touch a single hair on your head. I appreciate the military for the daily risks they take and the sacrifices they make. My regards to them.