Unexpected Trouble - S01 E09

Story 2 months ago

Unexpected Trouble - S01 E09

Read Story: SEASON 1 EPISODE 9

Unexpected Trouble Episode Nine

Livinus was thrown back into prison like a sack of rubbish. The moment he entered the cell, he lay down without saying a word. His body was weak. He had no strength to fight. The pain in his chest had returned, and his breathing was heavy. He no longer felt like eating. The food given to him remained untouched. His cellmates noticed something was wrong. "Livinus, are you alright?" one of them asked. But he gave no reply. His eyes stayed shut. He was breathing, but it was slow and difficult. Something terrible was happening to him.

By evening, Livinus had stopped moving. He didn’t open his eyes. He didn’t respond when they called his name. One of the prisoners went to knock on the iron bars to call the attention of the warders. "Officer! Livinus is not moving! Please come!" The warders came and stood by the door, watching him from outside. One of them turned around and walked to the office of the prison boss to give him the update. "Sir, that prisoner they brought back from the hospital, he has collapsed," the warder said.

The prison boss didn’t look bothered. He picked up a file and started flipping through the pages. "Let him die there. Didn’t I tell you people not to disturb me with that boy’s matter again? If he wants to die, let him die quietly," the boss replied and waved him away. The warder returned to the cell and told the others, "Oga said we should leave him." The prisoners looked at one another. They couldn’t believe what they just heard. They knew Livinus needed help. They were angry.

The prisoners began to shout. One of them picked up a metal plate and started hitting it on the bars. Another joined. "We say no to wickedness! Help him! Help him!" they shouted. More prisoners joined in. The noise grew louder. The warders became afraid. They didn’t expect the prisoners to react like that. The noise was spreading from one block to another. It sounded like a riot was about to start. "If anything happens to Livinus, we will scatter this prison!" One prisoner shouted. The authorities had no choice.

The prison boss stood up and came out of his office. He was not smiling anymore. He didn’t like the way things were going. He signalled the medical team and said, "Take that boy back to the hospital now. If this thing gets out, we are finished." Within minutes, Livinus was carried out on a stretcher. He was taken back to the hospital. His hands were cold. His lips were dry. The doctors were ready. They placed him on oxygen and started treatment immediately. He was still alive, but just barely.

By the next morning, Livinus opened his eyes. He couldn’t talk, but the doctors were hopeful. One of them told a nurse, "If he was brought in one hour later, we would have lost him." The nurse nodded. "He’s a fighter," she said. Livinus could hear them, but he didn’t have the strength to speak. He blinked slowly and turned his head. He knew he had escaped death again. He was thankful. All he wanted now was to be free and go home. But he knew he was still far from that.

Uche was already at the hospital when the doctors confirmed Livinus was stable. He felt relieved. He stepped outside and called the lawyer. "Sir, Livinus is back in the hospital. He almost died again. The prison authorities only brought him back because the prisoners started protesting," he explained. The lawyer was silent for a few seconds. "Thank you, Uche. I know what to do next," he said and ended the call. That afternoon, the lawyer stood in front of cameras once again. He had more fire in his voice this time.

"This is no longer about justice. This is about wickedness!" the lawyer said. Journalists listened carefully. "My client, Livinus, was dragged out of the hospital and taken back to prison in the middle of treatment. The prison authorities collected bribe from certain people and tried to kill him. If not for the protest from fellow prisoners, he would have died," he said. One of the journalists asked, "Are you saying the prison boss was bribed?" The lawyer replied, "Yes. And I have reasons to believe it was from Melinda’s parents. They want to kill my client."

The press conference spread like wildfire. It made it to the evening news. Social media users were already talking. People were beginning to see that something was not right. Even those who had judged Livinus in the beginning were starting to wonder if he was truly innocent. Pressure returned to the prison management. This time, it was stronger. Government officials were calling. Human rights groups started asking questions. The prison boss was summoned for explanation. The spotlight was back on Livinus, and it was shining brighter than ever.

The next day, the prison authorities sent a team to the hospital. They met with the doctor. "We want to know how long he will stay," they asked. The doctor replied, "He is not leaving here until we are sure he can walk on his own." They couldn’t argue. Livinus was placed under close medical observation. This time, they allowed him to rest. The lawyer made sure of that. Uche visited him and sat by his bedside. "You’re going to survive this," Uche said. Livinus nodded weakly. For the first time in weeks, he believed it.

From that moment, Livinus’ recovery became faster. The doctors were amazed. One of them said, "He has the will to live." Another added, "He’s no longer fighting the sickness alone. The world is watching." Livinus lay on the bed quietly. He thought about his father, who had died without seeing him again. He thought about Melinda and what truly happened that night. But most of all, he thought about freedom. He wanted to walk out of that hospital not as a suspect, but as a free man. And for the first time, it felt possible.

To be continued