A BLEEDING NATION - CHAPTER 4: TERROR IN THE SHADOWS

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJzGsD7E8nJ

Chapter 4: Terror in the Shadows

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmWSb3KIjjd

Fear had become a language every citizen understood.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmzrEdZrCGQ

It did not matter whether you lived in a crowded city or a quiet village. Whether you were rich or poor. Whether you were young or old.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXnYnTQaMMO

Fear followed everyone.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUmB6qAXkxH

It traveled on lonely highways.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1zV4iZbr0d

It hid inside forests.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW5MEStCLbU

It slept in abandoned buildings.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡayk7Jof1Fu

It waited in the shadows.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMypZ10h1gE

And when it struck, it left behind pain that lasted forever.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLAqoe0JHvA

Three weeks had passed since the disappearance of the children from Umudara.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVdqFTNdJ0v

The nation had moved on to newer headlines.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZgKtRy6KLj

New scandals.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWeFE7NtBl4

New political arguments.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQQvqYrpZqb

New tragedies.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx3c4mOI9NI

But the parents of the missing children had not moved on.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHPiEiZuy78

Every morning, they woke up hoping for news.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb7MJHln9Rb

Every night, they went to bed with tears in their eyes.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwkRwX6k2Xm

Daniel couldn't forget them either.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtNYsslQMiv

Their faces haunted him.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtmgpZtyiFd

Their voices echoed in his thoughts.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRdOmxmeG2t

The more he looked around, the more he realized that the country was drowning in fear.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgQAsylGLc8

Not because the criminals were stronger than the people.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy8fWS7Qq9O

But because the people felt abandoned.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrP9GwmZChh

Abandoned by those sworn to protect them.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2qZGvyAllS

Abandoned by those entrusted with power.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFkp3WfY1Ii

Abandoned by leaders who spoke about security from behind heavily guarded gates.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtz0w8a4Jdo

One afternoon, Daniel sat in a small restaurant watching a television broadcast.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPTsFQSedbq

The news reporter spoke with a serious expression.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ00d7x20Hgc

"Another village has been attacked in the northern region. Reports indicate that dozens have been killed and many homes have been burned."

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0oPHhKpo08

The restaurant fell silent.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEaxhkIGdhQ

Nobody looked surprised.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJTXURCxHKi

The customers continued eating.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEy9tCVJdoI

Some shook their heads.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmOmTBS5na4

Others ignored the report completely.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVxdW5nE50G

Tragedy had become ordinary.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJrY1yTmPOj

Death had become routine.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6t2v0VFzyQ

The nation had become numb.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWooNCW4tAk

Daniel switched off the television and left.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGcuWVMNUKI

Outside, life continued as though nothing had happened.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGAxICNRFu1

Buses moved through traffic.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFmOLtnQ2Qx

Street vendors sold food.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcfbZpyEr8I

Children played football beside dusty roads.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNK1TqkDQAn

But beneath the surface, fear remained.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKerD2CUqFd

Always present.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpsO8GbHQEB

Always waiting.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFFDjQVfJsY

---

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ78JZ1zgy6a

Several hundred kilometers away, in the village of Kachiri, the people were preparing for bed.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQS9rE5oZm0

Farmers returned from their fields.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMnw1ZBgueT

Women cooked evening meals.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz4zNoUJ6jW

Children gathered around lanterns to finish school assignments.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4zkVLAIzO5

It seemed like an ordinary night.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfzJgjADZFY

Until the shooting began.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg9QyagdoYI

The first gunshot echoed through the darkness shortly after ten o'clock.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY03zoOjons

Then another.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7RzTklOgQN

And another.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlRBRQYjfSH

Within seconds, panic swept through the village.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpvYw4bF42i

People ran from their homes.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqtRQf5Ts4r

Mothers grabbed their children.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDPWlqi2nrv

Fathers searched desperately for places to hide their families.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡej0bPax69K

The attackers emerged from the shadows like ghosts.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡayDTJBTIZC

Armed.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN8ml64ORdb

Organized.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG4T9iNeUjG

Merciless.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxhl0ppAJnN

They moved from house to house.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡslpqZZrtjf

Burning.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQMv1kxDZxW

Destroying.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG2Q3yPDbE7

Killing.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfXyqr0FcjL

Anyone who resisted was shot.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM3zRXY6ne4

Anyone who tried to escape became a target.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNe6LnfGNXL

The village became a battlefield.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDOvffge7v6

Screams filled the air.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVEbNPPgDGc

Flames lit up the night sky.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0kSIZt856w

Children cried for their parents.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKE2y54gLja

Parents cried for their children.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN8b0TgBuof

By dawn, the attackers were gone.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ35IM8laP0I

What remained was devastation.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCSgEDNkkvs

Burned houses.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBywrQEid08

Destroyed farms.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2c1XRJPgB8

Broken families.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2W6bKj81SO

Fresh graves.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh1CqG5m7gh

The survivors walked through the ruins in disbelief.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFKXsuk96zO

Many had lost everything.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbMi2wvXYFC

Some had lost everyone.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZmlFao2kkn

---

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlcm9Exo5f4

News of the attack spread quickly.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWQyZgIuxRC

Government officials condemned the violence.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxnIO6IIvIz

Security agencies promised investigations.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTmn45OrAJm

Politicians offered sympathy.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTUJ8KI4Pev

But sympathy could not rebuild homes.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVan7hTSjVy

Sympathy could not bring back the dead.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYk4wpeqhgZ

Sympathy could not erase trauma.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4z6pwUtObO

For many citizens, words had lost their meaning.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡib5ZCTyVYH

They wanted action.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjocVD6U6uS

Not speeches.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPA7D6VJ7wj

Not excuses.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5DZXNPwE5i

Action.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ95JNTdK70S

Daniel traveled to Kachiri with a humanitarian organization days later.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI84zFTa7K6

Nothing could have prepared him for what he saw.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc5RU1JiLZK

Entire sections of the village had been reduced to ashes.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoUtONFymRg

Families lived under temporary shelters.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv29Z4THjG8

Children wandered around in silence.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0sZ0DQ68S4

The laughter of youth had disappeared.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoUuelbvQbs

In its place was grief.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdKHQskgjNG

He met a young boy named Ibrahim.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIcMCnXaRzp

The boy looked no older than twelve.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQP3rlbHE7d

Yet his eyes carried the sadness of someone much older.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoF2SeTgijQ

"Where are your parents?" Daniel asked gently.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9cUtuldHxO

The boy lowered his head.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkihCwDfPed

"They were killed that night."

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpp4WhF6sQ8

Daniel's chest tightened.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡey3vGmVHUx

"What about relatives?"

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIC9mhxhn7y

"My uncle survived."

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqOyVWlcN0n

The boy pointed toward a man sitting beneath a tree.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4NrjFUeMbe

Daniel stared at him.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGMznOuNjJV

No child should have to answer questions like that.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6yxlpFatbf

No child should have to carry such pain.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHjojXbImPR

Yet thousands did.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4KnBctkoUf

Across the country.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9AsWMEigV5

Every single day.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8IHZf0yi5R

---

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYnIxeZAkvL

That evening, Daniel sat with village elders.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHqs3bD1Vx7

The conversation lasted for hours.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJWkghFWFq4

One elderly man finally spoke.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ1ydz12mL2

"The terrorists are not the only problem."

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5dw0A506Tj

The group fell silent.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd0mtUrhWYa

"What do you mean?" Daniel asked.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAdKKjd5ECf

The old man sighed.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡosk0aTH4CR

"The problem is that our lives no longer matter to those in power."

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXNdAYHLtWO

His words hung heavily in the air.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsquqZMgZpy

"We bury our dead."

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRfj0lZheW1

"We rebuild our homes."

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6WuY449tLR

"We survive alone."

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1Whaak8q73

"And then politicians arrive during elections asking for votes."

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZIqlu0bBCh

Nobody disagreed.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSDR2uYx0rQ

Because everyone knew it was true.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIPOvFKCAKw

---

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt911l2wNyP

Later that night, Daniel walked through the village alone.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU2s98M9OKG

The moon illuminated the ruins.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡijkaLcjK9G

The smell of smoke still lingered in the air.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrZp2Z1uwC2

He stopped beside a burned classroom.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZQW3EdFxTI

The blackboard remained standing.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgCCmLsGdbE

Everything else had been destroyed.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYLpcx6fLXZ

Books.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTVcP0dYlUi

Desks.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJjA3Tdc1EJ

Dreams.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJiGFWfpLds

Gone.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡklwnhHbKi6

Daniel stared into the darkness.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCYcykPjhXG

For years, the nation had blamed terrorists.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnkjrsTccJh

And rightly so.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXckMd8dm5P

But another question troubled him.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0K7OQt9TsO

How had things become this bad?

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFEvmEMaf34

How had insecurity grown so powerful?

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ09QyYhw0Mc

How had corruption weakened institutions meant to protect citizens?

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6kZhgVlctO

How had greed stolen resources that could have strengthened communities?

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5pvBpGCFnW

The terrorists carried guns.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnB0W121TEh

But corruption had helped create the environment where terror thrived.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYMudaruh8d

The shadows were deeper than people realized.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkGe6IuKtLW

Much deeper.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTnuJUd5O39

As the cold wind swept through the destroyed village, Daniel understood something important.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs8oMW7oWEQ

The nation was not only fighting armed criminals.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8XSIwxzN8U

It was fighting years of neglect.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQYrVzFMrDi

Years of selfish leadership.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYKUUDSr6O5

Years of broken promises.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4VAI9aZVMw

Years of silence.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZUIb04WSpX

And until those problems were confronted, the shadows would continue to grow.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYU1O12AgtM

The terrorists would continue to strike.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAHWuAjiEvR

The innocent would continue to suffer.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNMQUF0Iaej

And the nation would continue to bleed.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSDJg1w7s3t

But Daniel was no longer willing to look away.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm6TBjDv34u

The truth was dangerous.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtvK9Zpvumm

Yet someone had to tell it.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡReL1v42ZQC

Someone had to step into the shadows.

29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe73ZHc5onv

And he was prepared to pay the price.29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ35YWWUCLAK

ns216.73.216.204da2

Reading Theme:

Font Size:

Line Spacing:

Paragraph Spacing:

Load the next issue automatically