~°°~At the touch of love, everyone becomes a poet~°°~

Few miles away from Abuja, Nigeria. 18th January, 4:37 pm.

His steps were light against the floor as he crushed dried leaves on the path he walked. He was being careful so as not to step on a landmine, he knew with no doubt that there were landmines around that place.

Sayf was on a one man patrol giving his whole crew a day off even though Imran and Zanna had to go back to their base and report so they were absent that day.

He kept moving farther from their camp and deeper into the forest when he heard footsteps from afar. He stopped at his track and listened carefully so as to understand where the direction of the sound was. When he got the direction, he got his gun on his hand ready to pull the trigger at the person who was approaching.

He was confused of what to do when he saw the face of the person. She was wandering and didn't even notice him there pointing a gun at her and when she did, she shouted.

"Don't shoot, don't!" Tauhida shouted closing her eyes in fear. After some seconds, she opened her eyes and looked again, she understood that minute that he was a soldier because of his uniform.

"Who are you?" He asked in a warning tone while she raised her hands up in surrender. "I came to a camp picnic with my friends and got lost, can you help me find my way?" She explained and asked.

"But please, stop pointing the gun at me" she requested but that made him to remove the safety still pointing at her.

"Nashiga uku, shikenan Zan mutu baza'a ga gawana ba (I'm done for, that's how I'll die here and no one will see my corpse)" Tauhida said and tried to move away.

"If you move an inch, i'll shoot" Sayf said in a warning tone but if he was true to himself, he wouldn't dare do as he said. He couldn't believe it, someone that had been on his mind, he had to meet her again this way.

And because of protocols, he couldn't let her leave for in any army division, she'll be taken as either a spy or terrorist so he had to take her back to their camp and send her to their base for interrogation and investigation.

He didn't say anything that didn't make sense but she started crying and squared down at her spot, she was crying like a real baby.



"Why do you have to say that. Do you know how much I've suffered, I've not eaten anything since in the morning, I miss my family and I'm scared but you had to say you'll blow my brain off. Wayyo Maiyyi ta, please come and take me away from here" She cried.

"Let's talk this out please don't kill me, I don't want to die yet" she kept blabbering while crying making him to feel annoyed already, it had been long since he heard someone talk that much to him, he wondered if she ever gets tired of talking.

"Please shut up, will you?. No one will kill you if you quietly follow me back to our camp because as far as I'm concerned, you might be a terrorist or a spy" Sayf said hoping she'll stop crying and she did but the tears were there, so he returned his gun back to its place in the pouch at his waist.

"Why will I do that, just show me the way back to our camp" she said.

"I'm not going to do that" Sayf said with In a final tone. "Then I'll find the way myself" Tauhida said getting on her feets. "Suit yourself" Sayf said turning on his track, he didn't want to get into a deep conversation with her so he decided to let her go, no one will know since they were the only people there but he just hoped she wasn't a bad one because he'll be making a big mistake by letting her go Scott free.

"What do you mean by suit myself, you can't let me go alone" Tauhida said in disbelief, he wouldn't do that if he had a heart. What if she gets hurt?

"I thought protecting the citizens of the country is one of your priorities, so I demand you stay with me till I'm in a safe zone" she added when she saw he had no attempt to stop but he did when she said that sentence.

He turned abruptly to face her, she was already getting on his nerves.

"What in the name of Allah is wrong with you?" he asked with a sigh."You don't get me, do you?" he asked again trying to be clear.

"It is you that don't get me, if you did, I wouldn't be here in the first place" she voiced narrowing her eyes on him.

"Then leave" he seethed glaring directly at her. "Is that a challenge I hear?" she asked holding her waist with both hands.

"Take it as you think of it" he voiced walking away majestically. she groaned and murmured softly beneath her breath but it didn't remain unheard to him "He knows I can't, grumpy" she said and he found himself smiling weirdly to no one in particular.

She had no other option but to follow him so she did.

"Careful, there might be landmines here so follow my footsteps and don't wander around" he said intentionally, not because he wanted her to be cautious but because he wanted to see her expression and he did, the expression was priceless.

That sentence of his scared her to the core so she made sure that she placed her legs at the exact spot he removed his, in other words, she followed his foot prints on the soil.

After a distance of steps, they reached the camp and everyone approached them, well except the ones who were absent.

"Make her sit, she'll be sent to the base tomorrow morning" Sayf ordered. "I'm hungry" Tauhida complained making him to glare at her. "What? I can't say I'm hungry again?" She asked when she noticed the way he was looking at her, He ignored her.

"Sure thing major " Jalal said and Sayf walked away knowing that the team members will give her food and water.

"Waste of rank I tell you" she said rolling her eyes at the way he disappeared making the few people there to laugh a little at her sentence.

"This way lady" Jabir said indicating the way with his hand. "The name's Tauhida" she mentioned and he nodded. Jabir took her to the middle of their tents and made her sit on a boulder before getting her some food and water. It took everything in her to eat the food because she had never eaten something like that. And because of that situation, she remembered her brother feeling sorry for him, he was really trying, infact all soldiers.

After she was done eating, he came back and cleared the rubber plate.

"How did you end up here Miss Tauhida?" Aliyu asked when he and Jabir sat with her to keep her company. "Long story, I just happened to bump into your arrogant major and he mistook me for a terrorist. A whole me" she explained and scoffed while explaining, they laughed at that.

"You should be glad because the last time he found someone wandering at the forest while we were on patrol, he shot him on his leg before we went back to the camp with him. But I guess he sensed his intention, he was a terrorist" Jabir explained making Tauhida to gulp down her saliva, lucky her.

"In that case, I feel honoured that I'm still alive" Tauhida said truly appreciating the fact that he kept her alive. They kept on chatting for a while until she was left alone to herself.

~°°~At the touch of love, everyone becomes a poet~°°~

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After nine chapters, we've finally seen where our story description originated from.

What Tauhida went through in this chapter was funny but serious. Just imagine yourself getting lost in a forest, then you were nearly shot and finally you find yourself in the middle of soldiers. Nikam kuka zanyita yi😂.

Anyways, I hope you enjoyed the chapter. Please vote, comment and share my book to friends and family.

If you still haven't read my other book, then please do so. It is titled " A heart is made to share 🥀" Lots of love,

Deedi--❤️