Chapter 5 Stranger's help

"Am not a prostitute!" Mara replied seemingly furious as she pulled out her gloves to put them on.

"Then I suggest you start walking off this park before the sex hunters get hold of you at this hour" he replied [Coughing].

"Am waiting for someone to pick me up and he said I wait just right here"

"You can choose to take my advice or wait... Hello? ...Or wait and be like one of these ladies over there" the man replied, pointing at the lady Mara first approached while trying to open conversation with the person on his phone line.

At this time, Mara was beginning to welcome the idea of leaving the park as soon as possible because the old looking man never seem like one who was joking all the while they both talked with each other.

She kindly appreciated him for his advice and hurriedly moved out of the park. The dark night almost made her appearance crystal clear that she could not at all be hidden from anyone even if she did fall into a ditch.

The more she walked, the further apart she went from the park and there was no sign of a vehicle in sight; it was past 2am in the morning and the cold intensified continuously. He heart continued to beat faster than usual, though she did not notice she was beginning to feel overwhelmed with panicking signs all over.

About thirty minutes of walking down the road, a dreadful feeling overshadowed her as she noticed four men closing in from behind her. Her steps increased to ensure a maximum pace between her and the strangers following on her tail. The faster she walked, the quicker they followed her from behind and soon she began to take on her heels.

"Hey Lass! Wait up" one among the young men screamed as they began to chase her.

Mara had no choice than to run as fast as she could, hopping at first in order to take off her shoes. The minute she saw an incoming vehicle, she entered the middle of the road so as to bridge the car from moving past her to come to her aid.

As soon as the bright light from the car's headlamp shone on her directly, the men behind her did as if they were joggling at that hour of the day which made the incoming car bypass her immediately, turning leftwards and off it went. Mara then turned to see if the men where gone, but to her greatest surprise, they were even more closer than expected. Soon she could no longer continue the game of running for her life, so she stood still waiting for whatever may to come.

In a couple of minutes, the men encompassed her round about muttering and chattering in a fuzzy manner; then exclaimed one of them who seem to be the boss,

"Running from me hah!" He said spitting on her and in a split second, grabbed her by the hand and with his left hand pulled her by hair downwards to make it hurt so that she raised her face up to the sky.

"Come on Diago, let's take her off the road" another said voraciously.

At this time, Diago was beginning to uncover her from the shoulders when suddenly a vehicle drifted behind them in full speed and stopped, thereby breaking the tensed atmosphere and causing Diago to let go of her.

A full grown man came out of the car suddenly in a manner that shows he was ready for a combat and definitely he did attacked them aggressively, using a long black rod held firm to his right hand on the two young men closest to him in other to scare the rest of them.

His appearance however was no match for Diago and his company, so they fleed for their lives instantly, letting go of Mara who was already in shock for fear on the ground weeping and subbing quietly.

The young man quickly lead Mara into the car he arrived with, wiping off her tears and covering her properly in the gown she was putting on; though the gown seem a little bit thorn at the upper right corner. He drove off in the direction at which Mara was coming from - to Tx. An Khê - without saying a word to her and Mara as well was still not relieved at the time until he drove right into the park where Miguel the taxi driver alighted her earlier.

"No, please not this place again" She said softly, feeling dizzy, she turned her face towards him, pleading frightenly. But he appeared really focused on his present assignment that he glanced at her, smiling and trying to get out of the car the minute he stopped the car.

Mara quickly held his right hand to get his attention, but he was being too serious that he said to her in a hurry

"I'll be back in a minute okay, just stay in the car."

He locked the doors to ensure she never got out until his return.

Mara could see him walk towards the phone booth and talking to the old man she once encountered who made her leave the park at first. And after sometime, he kept meeting everyone else hanging around the park, mostly the females.

To some extent, Mara was beginning to feel uncomfortable about the stranger and about everything that had happened since she left the Martins house. Lost in thought and feelings of anxiety, she did not notice as the car door swung open again, and when it did, the young man came right back into the drivers sit looking worried and uncomfortable as well.

Mara for once could feel safe with him the minute she noticed how his attitude has been. She then asked him where he was heading to from the Park which made him to start noticing her presence as he returned from his worrisome thoughts.

"I have no idea, I mean, I was supposed to pickup someone from the park and am very much worried I couldn't make it on time."

"Where were you coming from then?" She asked inquisitively.