A BLEEDING NATION - CHAPTER 5: TEARS OF THE INNOCENT

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmRwWv01EwO

Chapter 5: Tears of the Innocent

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFcHmDmd9Ks

The cemetery sat quietly on the edge of the town.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡivI86nO0gM

Rows of fresh graves stretched across the red earth.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmyX77RBGlS

Some were marked with simple wooden crosses.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA1doYLDVSK

Others had nothing at all.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6YK1JXDocY

Just mounds of soil and memories buried beneath them.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkrxawRKIIG

The wind blew gently through the silent field as mourners gathered around another grave.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAIZqBoXR9b

Another funeral.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ670OJcrzPK

Another family destroyed.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqo69mT6vGY

Another innocent life gone.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTPOKVSKNa4

Daniel stood among the crowd, his hands buried deep inside his pockets.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlwwgMfZhPQ

He had attended too many funerals in recent months.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoT5qVwFLxo

Far too many.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxyF7bsIRM7

Every week brought another tragedy.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpzc3Lc1asL

Every week brought another victim.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk7OMF7uzSE

And every week, politicians offered the same speeches.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7JFmAjJKFe

"We are investigating."

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIVi3zN1CcF

"We are committed to security."

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ72fnO85lRd

"We are working tirelessly."

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbkiyVcB929

Yet the graves kept multiplying.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQMpKfzmzvD

The people kept suffering.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzZj4ScqWFV

And the nation kept bleeding.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAsvNFO13oH

At the center of the gathering stood a woman dressed in black.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMwmYnO5GTb

Her name was Esther.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR3aPUBGQSD

Her son, Samuel, was only eight years old.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcQSsLWBQlS

He had been killed during a crossfire between security forces and armed criminals.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqReZm0CB08

A child.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLw2HuZOg4K

An innocent child.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ153SMIFkWH

A boy whose greatest concern should have been school assignments and football matches.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJKA1B4kKSv

Now he lay beneath the ground.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm2As4pSCO6

Gone forever.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFhS8ONvqn1

The priest concluded his prayers.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV1BupDjOSh

The coffin was lowered.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3Pi4PeZr7U

The sound of Esther's cries echoed across the cemetery.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ6y2YMrAqi

Many people lowered their heads.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmiGiYz9l7K

Others wiped tears from their eyes.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbVz1yZNjhf

Even the strongest among them struggled to remain composed.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV7LXWRgV52

There was something particularly painful about the death of a child.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9kwe3KyLVc

It felt unnatural.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP9bKTmYXJg

Cruel.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhVYWsvlA9Q

Unfair.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrgWlGfbJkR

Samuel had done nothing wrong.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6EcduagdeX

Yet he had paid the ultimate price for problems created by adults.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlNX4i877yk

The same adults who claimed to be leaders.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9EoPuuDDpu

The same adults who claimed to be protectors.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9897M8dQM4

The same adults who promised change.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtyF28Vh6EM

---

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZBhuJTkGsn

That evening, rain fell heavily across the city.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdnmsyP7JXL

Daniel sat inside his room listening to the sound of water striking the roof.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuVC4dQfKLt

His thoughts remained with Samuel.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbA0Dl72p5V

With Chiamaka.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe8zQKFAssp

With Ibrahim.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRmRIWRtumK

With the countless victims whose names never appeared in newspapers.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtEqxJqRaVq

The forgotten victims.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4QnoUXMb7s

The invisible victims.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYSvezfGUA7

The innocent victims.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡol8ZUuiD33

People often discussed statistics.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt4J0RpUq0P

Twenty killed.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡapOaHaIYK7

Thirty kidnapped.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbKrxSoeO2Q

Fifty injured.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNWt7dGKu1k

But statistics hid the truth.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc0fHeJ08uN

Behind every number was a face.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡftd7528KHt

A family.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHvqeP9K9a1

A dream.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmgffnaeltB

A future.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8SPfKtt9yF

Samuel wasn't a statistic.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO7jDooBSWN

He was a boy who loved football.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpgJEruJxe0

A boy who dreamed of becoming a pilot.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7bsJUwDvjB

A boy who would never celebrate another birthday.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhqNKCN0TFy

The realization made Daniel angry.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWTueZG3HVA

Not because tragedy existed.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtuBhm1VLDA

Every nation experienced tragedy.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS68o76tq9v

But because so much suffering had become preventable.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN5Nf1NW6Su

Corruption had stolen resources meant for development.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnTI95Ogeup

Greed had weakened institutions.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ70y4rHWv2w

Self-interest had replaced service.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6Lki91wahf

And ordinary people paid the price.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6gI7WFpoh1

---

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfhlkw3xvMT

The next morning, Daniel visited a government hospital.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtgJF7ReIhQ

What he saw there shocked him.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIsXIjzESuZ

Patients filled the hallways.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlW90Bb2nYa

Some lay on the floor because there were no available beds.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRT8dFbQm36

Others waited endlessly for treatment.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwxOilPlXcB

Families struggled to afford medicine.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnQoffHUfjQ

Doctors worked tirelessly despite limited resources.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxNHCsAnQGj

The building itself seemed exhausted.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC8eDE9Ual6

Peeling paint covered the walls.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡob67lw56cf

Broken equipment sat unused in corners.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡynBJXAxquA

Leaking ceilings revealed years of neglect.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM83piNQgly

Daniel walked past a ward where a young girl sat beside her sick mother.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWu3sjD1kTF

She couldn't have been older than ten.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy13hv5YHrJ

Yet she carried herself like an adult.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjcpUflCzwL

She held her mother's hand tightly.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ45WsgupTDP

Refusing to let go.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWacQLbPElh

Refusing to show fear.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4qOJFwN4AD

Daniel approached gently.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWM6NOEEgIP

"How is your mother?"

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNZbINv6ZCs

The girl looked up.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3LvzbZI6wt

Her eyes were tired.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡInCXyKt95E

"She needs surgery."

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo1SrdWPGCN

"Will she get it?"

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnYy8UXd965

The child hesitated.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoWohY2Pstx

"The doctors said we need money."

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSSoTHQ08vA

Daniel felt his heart sink.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx06t1t7PaG

Money.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgpfQfqrNkM

Everything seemed to come back to money.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqCHXrnQuec

Not because the nation lacked resources.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCbvLAW3Y0q

But because too much of it disappeared into the pockets of a few powerful individuals.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡphBoJWR36U

Money meant for hospitals.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlDtyrtxiEq

Money meant for schools.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf4MD8Nomhi

Money meant for roads.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRlIu8aAWpl

Money meant for security.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxd9m5UC2Gh

Stolen.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3vHEWrGqBS

Lost.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLaSORXL0Fp

Wasted.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyXzQzLG5of

Meanwhile, ordinary citizens suffered.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2vriAoJKVp

---

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡriJQAXYWft

Days later, another tragedy struck.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk8oD7Lvjj8

A school bus carrying children was involved in an attack on a rural road.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDvJ2yHdPiS

Several students were injured.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5q0bSVROnI

One teacher was killed.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6v8SfWaCYx

Parents rushed to hospitals.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGqQaP0mzg7

Families filled emergency wards.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHmD6DkK21g

Fear spread through communities once again.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTaawafTyZh

Television stations covered the incident.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwdiODYCREO

Government officials expressed concern.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ8Tp8l44MN

Citizens expressed outrage.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMfWMwMzpFd

Nothing changed.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoc5UgK37bZ

Daniel watched the coverage with growing frustration.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2Q9hL8Rzt7

How many tears would be shed before action was taken?

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD0jiGOxmJH

How many innocent lives would be sacrificed before someone accepted responsibility?

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQSbBUnsVgM

How many dreams would die before leaders remembered their duty?

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXhxPcbCSh5

No answer came.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwwCp6tSV4Z

Only silence.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiZqVWVB5cI

The same silence that had followed countless tragedies before.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFpS89v8X8B

---

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF1sEUz4oBT

That night, Daniel walked through the streets alone.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOEdfldFhbT

The city lights flickered around him.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2akLE8lOMy

People moved in every direction.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjhyS1EUv9j

Some rushing home from work.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9Bol7Y5lYw

Some searching for food.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXPnxIIfC09

Some simply trying to survive another day.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsRr8JzSF62

He noticed a young boy sleeping beside a closed shop.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLLPGfKTOu4

The child couldn't have been older than twelve.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVd4HtDwybr

A torn blanket covered his body.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYlGbd9eKbp

His face was dirty.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrFfUnd374T

His stomach was empty.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv8hxDQIie6

Yet he slept peacefully.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0lAqvU9FxE

Perhaps because exhaustion had finally defeated hunger.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvAh9a5oRKw

Daniel stopped walking.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6haMLYsSO2

The sight broke his heart.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJIp9xWIktc

This child should have been at home.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkc6pdcurfu

He should have been safe.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3c9IZbeZ81

He should have had opportunities.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXcTZNSapGy

Instead, he had become another victim of a system that had failed its people.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6WiMa0uHus

Another innocent paying for the mistakes of others.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3Kk5SMkUu0

Another tear in a nation already drowning in sorrow.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyiSVwo2TXv

As Daniel looked around, he realized something.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDMWJFVlZaQ

The greatest victims of corruption, insecurity, and failed leadership were often those who had no power at all.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm60YvTvVze

The children.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8wswhGYaJV

The widows.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡchQnfQbzyz

The poor.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNENFGr2Rj3

The forgotten.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQrgBsbFEJj

The innocent.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZmAyLsXDb5

And their tears were slowly flooding the nation.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWJoSyyslQ5

Tears of pain.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd14EduU5am

Tears of hunger.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtQPrk7X8mL

Tears of fear.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIH2OM6eZBJ

Tears of broken dreams.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCvXTMzlZoz

Tears that leaders rarely saw.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHNQXpL45b2

Tears that newspapers could never fully capture.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9t9zuK80m3

Tears that stained the soul of the nation.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBW9BulRN9M

Daniel lifted his eyes toward the dark sky.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4KMaEB9TUz

The stars were hidden behind thick clouds.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWeo9R1QCIc

Just as hope often seemed hidden behind suffering.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlRFwYgLRYv

But deep within his heart, a small flame remained alive.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7PUCGpHfph

A belief that one day justice would come.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBwKYSxrhpv

A belief that one day the innocent would no longer suffer for the crimes of the powerful.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr3jRTJnXRY

A belief that one day the tears would stop.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS4tjZkdtni

Until then, however, the nation continued to bleed.

78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuuT2IQEWWu

And the innocent continued to cry.78Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvT7pfUy90m

ns216.73.217.139da2

Reading Theme:

Font Size:

Line Spacing:

Paragraph Spacing:

Load the next issue automatically