I won’t lie, I saw it coming. I sensed the oncoming dark clouds of death at a distance, a storm brewing within Gestapo’s cold, dark heart. The stench of death lingered, like a decaying carcass attracting flies and vultures from afar. Yet somehow, I never thought that it would arrive today. I never thought I’d be laying here, chained in a coffin, six feet deep. The blood that had oozed from my nose had dried, my body cried out in agonizing pain, and an absent tooth a testament to the brutality I’d endured last night, at the hands of Gestapo’s enforcers.

I couldn’t ignore the sinister symmetry of the situation. Those two hulking sentinels of doom embodied their role with a physicality that bespoke their lethal purpose. They truly looked like the ushers to my afterlife.

Between them was a podium, with a bible on it. Gestapo himself stood right where the podium was. His eyes gazed at me. His piercing, ice-blue eyes. His face, void of any emotions. It vexed me, that lack of emotion he exhibited. I would have been satisfied with twisted smile or a furious snarl, even a spit in the face. Instead, he chose this statuesque and frigid face to wear today. It sent shivers down my spine.

“How strange,” he remarked, his voice a cold echo in the air, “Most grovel for mercy when they betray me. But you? You’re different. Not a single word has escaped your lips.”

“I’ve borne witness,” I replied. I somehow felt surprised. My voice should be trembling. It should be as anxious as my racing heart, but somehow it has remained calm. “I’ve watched their pleas fall on deaf ears, regardless of how desperate they became.”

“Stealing from me,” he said, before he smirked. There’s the sadistic emotion I was looking for. A smile befitting a villain. “The audacity. The absolute gall. Why would you?”

“I overheard your last conversation with Nedezda,” I confessed, my words a mixture of defiance and cunning. “You know, the one where you planned to discard me after making you and the cartel rich. All this time, I’ve begged to you give me a seat in the cartel. Imagine finding out that what you wanted was being used as bait to lure you, like a poor old horse with a carrot. You refused to share willingly, so I had to seize what was rightfully mine. Call that fair play”

His lips curved in a knowing semblance of a smile. “Such a shame that your little plan fell short. You’ve landed yourself in this predicament, and you have no way out. How will you get out of this one, I wonder.”

My lips contorted into a nervous smile mixed with bravado. “On the contrary, Gestapo, I’ve got quite the escape plan. You know, I was inspired by how critical you think, how every action you take leads to the desired outcome. Do you know why?”

“Please,” he said, “enlighten me”.

I took one deep breath and replied, “Because you’ve imparted one crucial lesson for survival in this treacherous world: always have a contingency plan.”

No sooner had the words left my lips when the crack of gunfire echoed. Both of Gestapo’s imposing enforcers crumpled, their lifeless forms mirroring the chains that had restrained me. Gestapo fumbled with his handgun and tried to aim, but it was too late. A bullet went straight into his skull, sending his blood splattering all over my face. He stood tall before dropping his gun and falling into the grave, right on top of me.

I could hear footsteps approaching, and I could see a skinny-framed man standing above, with a rifle rested on his shoulder and a cheeky grin. Here comes the gun-crazed Ntshiza.

“You took your sweet ass time coming here,” I couldn’t help but exclaim.

“Better late than never,” he quipped, before laughing like a deranged hyena. “It’s funny because late also means dead.”

I let out an exasperated sigh that would usually be accompanied by a facepalm. Leave it to Ntshiza to ruin a moment with his tasteless humour. “Now, lend me a hand with these infernal chains,” I requested.