To tell or not to tell?

“Wee mguys, umeskia?’Voke blurted out.
“Hush they will hear…” Jay said almost immediately.
“Its that story…about Pato’s bro…” Voke tried to whisper.
“Iza bana, sasa unataka wajue tunamjua?" Jay said hoping to terminate the conversation.
“Kwani? si tunamjua.?’Voke responded almost shouting.
Jay now really agitated said “Skia Voke,ukidaisha tunamjua tutakuwa kwa list pia..infact (snatching away the ball on Voke’s hands) harakisha game itaanza..”
“Relax Jay…those guys are looking for Pato’s BROTHER…he is a wanted man….’
Walking ahead in a hurry. “Voke listen me siambi mtu kitu… Pato’s bro atajisort..he is a wanted man YES but are we the ones looking for him??..Plus hujaskia gava ni msumeno…hukata mbele na nyuma…so I won’t snitch…walk faster, you know am the referee today.’

Voke unruffled retorted “Pato’s bro, Roy violently robbed and shot down our teacher…Roy is armed Jay. We need to let the authorities know…at least for our…our…”
Jay now really angry cuts him short “NKT!!!SHUT UP Voke…Mr.macharia acted as if he owned the school…I…I… (grins) infact Roy is enroute to…to… Mo-ga-di-shu…heard that…MOGADISHU they won’t get him!

Voke tries to speak but he’s chocked by Jay’s stinging words, his tomach got fuzzy. His lips dried. He was numb. He barely kicked the ball and he left the pitch before the game ended. Pato was also missing from the game.

Peculiar.

Voke left with his head drooping, heavy with thoughts. As he passed the street they had overheard the men talk earlier in the evening, he saw a police officer on patrol.

He debated whether or not to tell…

SHOULD I…SHOULD I NOT??


 
“A-S-K-A-R-I…I think …I know something…” Voke’s sharp voice echoed in the deserted street…as he approached the police officer half smiling.

© Eunice Kilonzo