Nosiku let out a puff as he exhaled a huge ball of smoke from his mouth. He put the long roll of marijuana back between his lips and inhaled. On this cold April night, the heightened sense of wellbeing that the marijuana raised him to was helping him to keep awake and alert as he guarded this house. He stood up and took his traditional walk around the premises. He walked around the main house, and then checked around the servant's quarters as well before going to the gate. Then he looked at his watch, which he was given as a gift by his former boss upon retiring. The wristwatch read 23 12 o'clock.
He had just walked past the verandah towards the east when he saw a stealthy movement underneath the gate. He paused and squinted in his left eye. He expected someone to knock at the gate. No one did.
When he saw another movement in the same area, he knelt down and then stealthily crawled to the shrub away from the house. He drew out his AK 47 gun and aimed it steadily at the gate. His heart was beating audibly as he lay motionless.
"In this military fatigue, the witchdoctor said I am invisible. I will blow off their heads one by one, then call the police," he whispered to himself.
When he heard whistling near the gate followed by a second whistle signal about ten meters along the frontal wall fence, he put his trembling finger on the trigger. Sweat flowed freely underneath his armpits.
"Show yourselves you buttocks," he dared them. He heard light movement as though someone was trying to scale the wall fence directly ahead of him. He waited, ready to pull the trigger as soon as he saw a human head above the wall fence.
"Drop your gun. Slowly!" ordered Phil, pressing his pistol firmly into Nosiku's neck from behind. Trembling visibly, Nosiku slowly laid his gun to the ground.
"Raise your hands and lock them behind your head."
Nosiku went onto his knees and did as he was told.
"How many are you here?"
"Alone," replied Nosiku. Phil whistled loudly and three armed cops jumped over the front fence into the premises. They immediately ran on the lawn towards the front door and waited with AK 47 guns in their hands. Phil joined them near and door and shouted, "This is the police! This is the police. This house is surrounded!"
There was dead silence.
"You are ordered to open the front door slowly and surrender!"
There was still no response. Phil looked at his men, one positioned on either side of the door. Nawa positioned himself near Nosiku, but his pistol was aimed at the windows of the house.
"I shall count up to 3 and if you don't open, we are moving in! I repeat, surrender!"
Phil looked at the two cops and they both nodded.
"3...2..."
Phil shot one more look at Nawa whose eyes seemed to be relaying fear.
"1!"
There was a loud bang as Phil released a single shot into the lock of the door.