A BLEEDING NATION - CHAPTER 5: TEARS OF THE INNOCENT

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW3y4BqGFsh

Chapter 5: Tears of the Innocent

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoVIvpEDR7h

The cemetery sat quietly on the edge of the town.

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcnTSRQb73a

Rows of fresh graves stretched across the red earth.

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQZ8S1ywOQy

Some were marked with simple wooden crosses.

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfBbRIbatta

Others had nothing at all.

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDGqEPufAe2

Just mounds of soil and memories buried beneath them.

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIbamLm2OJS

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

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8P5rJ42xjZ

Another funeral.

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR6mT3EyXNf

Another family destroyed.

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6jehVVAfDt

Another innocent life gone.

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtiB4oZZG9F

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

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqqTpO1FSdN

He had attended too many funerals in recent months.

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡojBL06gqd2

Far too many.

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZOiscxg3KW

Every week brought another tragedy.

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0b3uJMuarz

Every week brought another victim.

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ62LzRGmHG2

And every week, politicians offered the same speeches.

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbOfV1dmzd2

"We are investigating."

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡynVUe3QtmU

"We are committed to security."

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpO9pnaYOgc

"We are working tirelessly."

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0RtvfnhD3c

Yet the graves kept multiplying.

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzmiX07OMOd

The people kept suffering.

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtJtfLEoDcv

And the nation kept bleeding.

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCwlr0ctljP

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

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡohS3fx3OuF

Her name was Esther.

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH8upBNvbWY

Her son, Samuel, was only eight years old.

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3u1pu785zR

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

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ89qz5bGhCD

A child.

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyGocahgOFV

An innocent child.

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnzifHbazaq

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

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxnnZsf1gWq

Now he lay beneath the ground.

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTkWXaB6YVc

Gone forever.

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ2cAnUwqDr

The priest concluded his prayers.

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTdMpjt7Yps

The coffin was lowered.

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaeOydA33oK

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

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ26ktAoZ3H8

Many people lowered their heads.

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZOepM8blwk

Others wiped tears from their eyes.

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx17UeuuSRN

Even the strongest among them struggled to remain composed.

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrT0WpkwXry

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

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuhh4ZI6aTl

It felt unnatural.

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOHtqBSbE90

Cruel.

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnGrXNNeuf4

Unfair.

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQwOzgXbCZ2

Samuel had done nothing wrong.

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCJ35VaNXfA

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

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhrMss44w6d

The same adults who claimed to be leaders.

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKfrbCCdZJj

The same adults who claimed to be protectors.

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRnayaHDIBi

The same adults who promised change.

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4ilFXMNzXh

---

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzijON7N6GO

That evening, rain fell heavily across the city.

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCC8E5XZolb

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

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsZWyqvUwCe

His thoughts remained with Samuel.

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFLIwUFLtSt

With Chiamaka.

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyni7i0X1w7

With Ibrahim.

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjbAklj6QPR

With the countless victims whose names never appeared in newspapers.

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB7jKDtpclu

The forgotten victims.

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTMnyB7MafL

The invisible victims.

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5XHDDssvVM

The innocent victims.

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVl3LZYKTub

People often discussed statistics.

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoEoqVbOnxw

Twenty killed.

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPJMtGarHKe

Thirty kidnapped.

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbMwjkwcqHX

Fifty injured.

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl60i7r6tr5

But statistics hid the truth.

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqXN9VogzLM

Behind every number was a face.

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyEXipZWw3M

A family.

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5vpDgbswWU

A dream.

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3o87ULgbq7

A future.

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzHhnqdGATo

Samuel wasn't a statistic.

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrnxDFZ5DEs

He was a boy who loved football.

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRNDqIcycCB

A boy who dreamed of becoming a pilot.

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNOKeTaQmH7

A boy who would never celebrate another birthday.

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrOfNccjn4b

The realization made Daniel angry.

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTXrcL33NLZ

Not because tragedy existed.

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtE6ntm8cof

Every nation experienced tragedy.

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrkK49Fddy5

But because so much suffering had become preventable.

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhWbBxmmf7W

Corruption had stolen resources meant for development.

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9nTJWtfnYF

Greed had weakened institutions.

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0RT8BSl0Qi

Self-interest had replaced service.

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdDTlCcgUiR

And ordinary people paid the price.

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKcD47RmQ7X

---

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8fYv95ZxdW

The next morning, Daniel visited a government hospital.

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK0zMQd8BDk

What he saw there shocked him.

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSTzdyKMO7B

Patients filled the hallways.

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUBRBYObjiN

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

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl4aR41BEQG

Others waited endlessly for treatment.

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3oBe14hryM

Families struggled to afford medicine.

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgUclp3w9fr

Doctors worked tirelessly despite limited resources.

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2ToM8Rquuu

The building itself seemed exhausted.

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCSzgsqymqX

Peeling paint covered the walls.

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa9TBxZ5IVQ

Broken equipment sat unused in corners.

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpa34n4sJEh

Leaking ceilings revealed years of neglect.

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8IKGnNBQg3

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

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsqVw8GNBiZ

She couldn't have been older than ten.

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfLqUSYBhlS

Yet she carried herself like an adult.

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRibPKoMHk1

She held her mother's hand tightly.

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD7zvATaBT2

Refusing to let go.

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqsRn5D6h3n

Refusing to show fear.

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFN1FJitkw7

Daniel approached gently.

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz3EpRhggQu

"How is your mother?"

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡINRay0KSNq

The girl looked up.

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsW2XbwzOcH

Her eyes were tired.

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCXomiyrEGk

"She needs surgery."

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBKqbquduwU

"Will she get it?"

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOhVoQceH8m

The child hesitated.

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg6JKJSzbSc

"The doctors said we need money."

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc6eUdUJIu5

Daniel felt his heart sink.

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6BG3MhBXdj

Money.

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0PIUgx20FT

Everything seemed to come back to money.

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKFjAEtgm9L

Not because the nation lacked resources.

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcdrDsu8c1s

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

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNZqqf4H1jK

Money meant for hospitals.

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3bnhfOhhVr

Money meant for schools.

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtiYO4panOH

Money meant for roads.

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmUJzQMlIxs

Money meant for security.

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjP1nSvbPbt

Stolen.

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4wMqeI2li8

Lost.

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9Y02VtJuJR

Wasted.

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBI0kJVz2ab

Meanwhile, ordinary citizens suffered.

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe8OZvsosfe

---

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6gCmmXflSY

Days later, another tragedy struck.

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5Bu4WFDYpA

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

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD2SqHlPJBu

Several students were injured.

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzXdTZjIyRm

One teacher was killed.

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡamNepX6T1j

Parents rushed to hospitals.

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDYgobluONI

Families filled emergency wards.

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXq2Ep8ZHTj

Fear spread through communities once again.

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0hH163R92s

Television stations covered the incident.

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBMCIgjNlHo

Government officials expressed concern.

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqgozkl7Fou

Citizens expressed outrage.

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH2ABtKEUrg

Nothing changed.

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP7vGzh3Sm0

Daniel watched the coverage with growing frustration.

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnwIdlnxD6T

How many tears would be shed before action was taken?

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIxkjlqIqYN

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

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsbSHOgxbQC

How many dreams would die before leaders remembered their duty?

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP4zEknFOEE

No answer came.

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHUPhoWEXZ6

Only silence.

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPhvQXo3dXU

The same silence that had followed countless tragedies before.

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7IErSCRAKN

---

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9lnRBBjkuX

That night, Daniel walked through the streets alone.

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLM2flxO4hE

The city lights flickered around him.

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXnuqkq8MDT

People moved in every direction.

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRSe5Ofck5Z

Some rushing home from work.

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDEOCuSw8Er

Some searching for food.

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPtBUOGMsFN

Some simply trying to survive another day.

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB6yp6MqjES

He noticed a young boy sleeping beside a closed shop.

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz1PwpiFqXf

The child couldn't have been older than twelve.

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1HxNaNLy4Y

A torn blanket covered his body.

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsFnEXiXj0f

His face was dirty.

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPsHrEJboBP

His stomach was empty.

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwtyRHVlM8F

Yet he slept peacefully.

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk5XnG4Y7rn

Perhaps because exhaustion had finally defeated hunger.

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn1Pi3KgLoE

Daniel stopped walking.

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS2msyO2UUs

The sight broke his heart.

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZyOxe64N8G

This child should have been at home.

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXKwgjHdsSd

He should have been safe.

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1PAsOndWcb

He should have had opportunities.

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8CJdtQCJiN

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

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNjBZFmyGf4

Another innocent paying for the mistakes of others.

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRC3cOkPalS

Another tear in a nation already drowning in sorrow.

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL6CtaBYHOl

As Daniel looked around, he realized something.

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxjN27aBA4l

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

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbnr7fz8uiL

The children.

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVM95iPLEUJ

The widows.

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3NVnV91QWL

The poor.

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCjHTJO9DtA

The forgotten.

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLxpRKDA8Ho

The innocent.

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD9lazCkOvL

And their tears were slowly flooding the nation.

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrw18j2kHIf

Tears of pain.

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡansLSzF7Ji

Tears of hunger.

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4IMYzkQPV4

Tears of fear.

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcibtE8RZpa

Tears of broken dreams.

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡawozU6oAk7

Tears that leaders rarely saw.

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIRhHQh8EwN

Tears that newspapers could never fully capture.

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9s2SbnwnMj

Tears that stained the soul of the nation.

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaXBtMU2BT6

Daniel lifted his eyes toward the dark sky.

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjrsXL9PGVS

The stars were hidden behind thick clouds.

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdKXx3nke92

Just as hope often seemed hidden behind suffering.

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8fRGPYL5MG

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

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrQmAk19U8c

A belief that one day justice would come.

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDNTYPrY24E

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

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJTd0Yx1gWd

A belief that one day the tears would stop.

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaoLEe2q1GL

Until then, however, the nation continued to bleed.

79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdXhzf07jjy

And the innocent continued to cry.79Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL3RqE6ExEr

ns216.73.217.139da2

Reading Theme:

Font Size:

Line Spacing:

Paragraph Spacing:

Load the next issue automatically