&

THE DRUG LORDS

2nd Edition 2004
Copy right © 1993
Billy C Sichone

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored

in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means,
electronic, digital, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise,
without prior written permission of the copyright owner.

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 Arthur, Elias and the Drug Lords Billy Sichone iii
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 ompiling a comprehensive acknowledgement list is one of the most
arduous tasks a mortal can ever engage in. Arduous in the sense that one
runs the risk of ommitting some contributors or not sufficiently thanking
them. However, in this case, the work is far much easier because very
few people were intensely involved in during that three week strenuous
writing spree way back in September 1993.

I clearly recall the “team” that rallied around my writing table as I wrote
while others remotely cheered me on and to all these, I say thank you.
Their names appear below:

My parents:

Brian and Theresa Sichone(For allowing me to use and mess up the

dinning table!)

My kid brothers and sisters:

Brian Chambwa Sichone (Cheer leader!)
Chusa Sichone
Mulenga Sichone (Mc Mule!)
Brown Sichone
Veronica Kangwa Namonje
Jean Namonje
Isabel Namonje

My friends:
Chikondi Phiri (Proof reading)
Anne Msimuko Phiri (typing manuscript)
Twandi Given Mpazi (Fellow sojourner in trying time)
Muki Phiri

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The scourges that threaten to engulf our world are more than we can count on our
fingers. Among the many is the issue of drugs which has advanced to almost alarming
levels.

This book was born out of a realisation and great fear that the youths of today (and
the exposed) are the very ones to carry the torch into the future. If our prospects are
thus threatened, it is then imperative on us to place some antidotes to prevent the
further advance of this vice.

As such, this is a humble but scanty effort by the burdened author to add his voice to
the fight against drug abuse. May he who called us in Christ use this means to deter
some soul from certain destruction!!

Billy Sichone
September, 1993

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 Table of Contents

EMERGENCY! ........................................................................................................................................ 1
THE DEN .................................................................................................................................................. 6
KIDNAPPED! ......................................................................................................................................... 12
THE RAFT BRIDGE............................................................................................................................. 15
INMATES ON CHILUBI ISLAND...................................................................................................... 21
THE PRECIOUS "MX” ....................................................................................................................... 23\
NEW YORK HERE WE COME! ........................................................................................................ 28
WHAT A GLORIOUS MASSIVE CITY!........................................................................................... 33
DOPED! ................................................................................................................................................... 40
TROUBLE! ............................................................................................................................................. 42
HOME AT LAST! .................................................................................................................................. 52
EXHORTATION.................................................................................................................................... 54
Bibliography............................................................................................................................................ 57

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 CHAPTER ONE

EMERGENCY!
The ambulance came accelerating through the hospital gates, made a sharp right turn
and skidded to a halt in front of the Casualty Admission ward.

Immediately, the rear ambulance doors flung open spontaneously, two male nurses
jumped out, pulled out a stretcher and rushed into the ward. Some motionless body
was covered. They quickly entered the ward and headed to a room marked "Private”.
In a split of a second, a police car also burst onto the scene with the horn blasting as
well as the siren blindingly flashing. The car also screeched to a halt and two police
officers emerged from both hind doors. A frail looking teenager staggered out of the
vehicle and stood tottering between the policemen. He was handcuffed, sweating and
shivering as if his frame would dismantle itself anytime. They dragged him to the
private room with his tottering scurfy walk.

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I had been on Lunch break when all this little drama occurred. I had been cracking
away some nuts as I sat basking in the sun, waiting patiently for the fourteenth hour
when my shift would begin. I looked at my watch. It was thirteen fifty-one hours and
I was getting myself together to attend to my patients as the doctor on call.

Without delay, I dashed into the private room hoping to help because the scene
appeared more of an emergency to me. Upon entering, I found the person on the
stretcher uncovered but still motionless.

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Not even a finger seemed to move. I asked a few quick questions and got busy.
"What's up? Where are they from?” I asked while taking the patient's body
temperature. "Boy! the temperature is surely high!" I exclaimed. They told me that
they had been alerted by some school authorities that the boy had been acting strange,
riotus and violent lately. They further said that the boys were erratic at school, lost
interest and on that particular day, they had gone to the toilet after fighting where one
of the boys fainted and fell unconscious.

I came to learn that their names were Elias Sakala and Arthur Phiri. They lived in
Mansa, "Kumayadi". The boys were in grade seven and were preparing for their final
examinations.

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 As I searched and examined their bags, Arthur, begun to convulse violently. He
began to utter meaningless things that I could not perceive. Gradually, he began
sweating with his protruding eyes while gasping for breath. He shivered violently and
laboured to inhale. I thought he was choked, so, I moved closer to comfort him but he
suddenly sat up erect and vomited blood.

All of us in the room stood aloof and watched helplessly. He vomited profusely for
about five minutes and then fell back on the bed. He fell silent again.

Sensing danger, I swung to action checking the vital life indicators. I felt his body
temperature, it was falling rapidly.

His heartbeat had stopped. I used my stethoscope to detect his pulse but it was stone
quiet. The computer screen was a straight line. All systems were off. I opened his
upper eyelids, the pupils had gone up and the lids were turning yellow. Immediately, I
knew that the boy was gone. He was dead. How sad I felt! The cold hand of death had
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claimed yet another young tender victim through the drugs this drug scourge as I
slowly looked up to announce the sad news. I instructed the nurses to take the body
away while I signed the death certificate. Taking a deep sigh, I announced to the
attentive officers that the boy was no more. Their countenances fell instantly with
sorrow.

I turned to Elias and told him: "Lad, your friend's kicked the bucket", I said in a low
sorrowful tone. "You must be kiddin’ Doctor, Arthur's just too decked" The boy
replied rather unconcerned. For the first time, one of the police officers spoke a
word..."Doctor, please certify that this boy is doped". I told him that I would take a
blood test immediately. But after I had taken the sample, I realised that the boy was
heavily dependent upon the drug such that he had to be admitted immediately or risk
perishing. Elias was admitted in the side ward and everyday, I went to visit him. His
parents came often and were always weeping and grumbling about their son. They
told me that ever since his return from Lusaka, he had been acting very strange...

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 CHAPTER TWO

THE DEN

One day when Elias was feeling better, I visited and questioned him.
"Hi, Elias, How ‘re you?'' I smiled as I warmly greeted him.
''I'm better, Doc'', he replied warmly though he did not return the smile.

I begun asking him a few general questions and then asked him how he had got
involved with drugs. At first, he was hesitant to tell me but I managed to sweetly
persuade him to tell me. He grumbled a little that he was tired but he was going to tell
me. He sat up, cleared his throat and begun to narrating:

''D' you really wanna know doc'eh?''

Doctor : '' yes, yes! very much''
Elias :'' what for? .... I mean .... why bother?''
Doctor : '' so that I can treat you better!''
Elias :'' OK, I'll tell you' but it is a long story''
His tale was long yet very interesting...

''You know Doc, one day in grade five term three, I was temporary staying with my
elder brother. Joe works for the local Hospital as a Pharmacist and as a result, he has
a lot of drugs around his house. Every evening, I used to see him taking some
sleeping tablets and sleep very peacefully.

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 He made sure that none of us knew where he hid the medicines, but I discovered the
''TREASURE CHEST'' where he hid the drugs.

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They were kept in his wardrobe in a big black box. At first, I only snatched one tablet.
when everybody was fast asleep, I took that tablet and fell asleep.

My sleep was very deep and for the first time, I slept without a headache.

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Blissful sleep was as scarce as a jewel or pearl of great price!

The next morning, the servant disturbed my slumber:

''Iwe Elias ! wake up, it's late" .

''Wha...what?'' I mumbled, blinking my eyes rapidly. I cleared my face as I sat up.

"It's 11 o'clock and I want to sweep your room, wake up!" "sorry, I overslept", I
replied, yawning and stretching myself. I quickly jumped out of bed and dashed to
wash my groom face.

In no time, I was knocking at Arthur's home, across the street.

I told Arthur about my new discovery and he thought that was an excellent find. He
wooed me to steal some more tablets for our "experiments".

We sneaked to my brother's bedroom where I stole six more tablets. While Arthur
kept the servant busy by chatting away with him, I crept out of the house through the
back door and then whistled to Arthur to come over.

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We scurried away laughing and giggling as we talked excitedly. "Have ya 'got' em
eh? How many? Gimme' some". He could not stop talking. Asking a hundred
questions in a minute? We shared three tablets each and headed for the "Den" - our
usual smoking spot. Nobody could ever discover us there.

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It was about noon when we arrived. The sun was blazing high in the clear sky. We
scanned around to ensure that no one was hot on our trail. The surrounding tall grass
was a perfect cover as we sat. I removed the plastic cup from the bag and a water
container. “You take 'em first" I suggested to Arthur.

He smiled and gulped one tablet. I followed suit. After a little while, my eyelids felt
very heavy as if they were made of Iron or it was bedtime. I was drowsy. Arthur
perched down on the grass while I sprawled myself against a tree. We fell asleep.

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 CHAPTER THREE

KIDNAPPED!

I opened my eyes later only to find that we had been besieged. As I opened my eyes,
I could hear some voices... trying to open my eyes wide, I failed because a very
strong blinding beam of light was pointed in my face. I covered my eyes with my
arm…the men laughed and teased at my feeble action. "Ha! Ha! Ha! What are you
doing here you bags O' bones?", one of the voices roared. "Answer me chaps!"

The man yelled and kicked me with his boot. Arthur was on my right, he too was
wide awake. "We ca..... came t...to play". "What? rubbish!! To play at this hour?"
The man scolded and sounded suspicious. "You must be spies eh?" ''Who sent ya?"
"No .. No! ... We ... We are not". I managed to stammer out some words. Before we
could say anymore, the man ordered his friends: "tie up the bastards and pile them up
in the Hilux, on the double!"

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Two rough men grabbed us and hauled us towards a stationery white pick up. We
could vividly see that it was night, a clear starry night indeed. The roughians bound
both our hands and feet, then they blind folded our eyes and bundled us in the vehicle.
The van was partially loaded with an unknown contraband. We lay helplessly
prostrate as we waited for our uncertain fate.

It was certain that we were captives. (The men conversed in low inaudible tones for a
few minutes and then they entered into the cars). Instantly, the car engines roamed to
life at one stroke and we begun to move. The trip was long, tideous and
uncomfortable because we were traveling on rugged terrain for the greater part of the
journey. Traveling progressed all night until at last the engines ground to a sudden
halt.

"This is the "Hx 6", We will rest here for two hours OK!" The familiar deep hoarse
voice declared.

They slammed the car doors and their voices faded with the distance. The sun was
high and scorchingly beating on our foreheads. We had no idea where we were. Later
on, they brought us some food that we munched hungrily because we had starved for
ages.

The blindfolds were unknotted and for the first time, our eyes lids could blink freely
and gaze at the grim faced captors. They uniformly wore blue caps hats and overalls.
Two of them were plump, heavy weight and had exceedingly wrinkled faces. They
did not smile or laugh. One of the other men had a deep scar stretching right across
his entire forehead- like a rift valley or the Muchinga escarpment (or the Grand
Canyon). - A mark, perhaps, of many days of roughness.

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Then the man whose hoarse voice we had often heard since our seizure appeared on
the scene. He stared at us and grinned suspiciously. His sharp eagle eye balls rolled
from corner to corner of his pear shaped eyes (as he interrogated us).

He had a large diastema between his teeth. It appeared to outstretch the mouth. A
number of his molar teeth were missing too...As he spoke, smoke gushed out from
both his mouth and nostrils because he was smoking. He looked like a human
chimney. More of such would dangerously pollute the atmosphere!

"Ooh!" He said, "you skinny hyenas are in for it! Mwapya!ℑ"as he growled and
narrowed his big red eyes a jar giving us a penetratingly suspiciously stare. Arthur
and I trembled as his ugly face lingered in front of ours. "You see this," showing us
the cigarette, "this is the "bhang", you will test it soon... Ha! Ha! Ha!" The man burst
into a spasm of laughter and then beckoned his men to get ready to hit the road. They
blindfolded and re- bound u. The journey had resumed...again! Destination?
Unknown to us.
1

ℑ
Mwapya-A vernacular word for “ You are in for it!”

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 CHAPTER FOUR

THE RAFT BRIDGE

We travelled for a long time before stopping. (They loosened us and ordered us to
clear the track). It was deep into the night but the unrelenting men were determined to
proceed on and as we cleared the way for the three vehicles, we reached a stream.

"That's the Pongo river," The boss announced.

"Now Mfuti, go and get some O' those foolish villagers, quick!"

The Hilux immediately reversed and disappeared into the pitch darkness. An hour
later, it returned with ten villagers, all of them half dressed.

They were commanded out of the vehicle at gunpoint and axes were thrust into their
hands. "Now boys, it ye' love yo' life do as I say," The boss roared at the villagers who
shuddered with clattering teeth in great fear.

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(Arthur and I were also handed axes to cut down the trees). We worked continuously
for almost five hours none stop.

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What toil! What labour! What agony!

We were constructing a raft bridge across the stream and after which the three
vehicles crossed the stream one after the other.

All but the villagers crossed. They were ordered to run for their lives back to the
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village. "On the double!!" The men yelled as they fired warning shots in the air. The
primitive villagers scuttled away for their lives like misdirected missiles.

We were not blind folded anymore but they still knotted all our limbs. The drudgery
journey continued and that time, it was dawn and the first signs of sun rise were
appearing. We scanned around us, noting that we were deep in the forest, in the
middle of nowhere!

There were no established roads or paths. The thought of being pioneers filled our
ego with pomp.

The only noise audible was that of the engines as the machines ploughed their way
through the virgin thickets. We could see birds in the sky and monkeys and serpents
in the trees. The whole natural habitat seemed to have been disturbed for the first time
by our trespass. Some wild insects buzzed around our faces and ears but we could not
shrug them off. Our hands were knotted. Some of them bit and stung us as they flew.
How unmerciful those insects! How disturbing! We gnashed our teeth, shook our
heads in disgust and anger but alas, it was useless. Worse more, our throats were dry
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like a hot desert and we were hungry like the starving masses in war torn Africa.
"Where are we?" Arthur asked miserably in a croaky dry voice. “I don't know". I
answered equally looking blank. We went on talking and then suddenly, the vehicles
halted. (The boss instructed one of the five men to check if the "coast was clear".
When he signalled that all was well, the journey continued).

We joined a tarmac road and accelerated towards the left. The journey was now
slightly more comfortable though it took long. It was getting late.... We both lapsed
into troubled sleeps...

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 CHAPTER FIVE

INMATES ON CHILUBI ISLAND

The boss woke us up telling us to unpack ourselves out of the Hilux. The vehicles
were driven on board a ship whose cargo bay was open. We boarded the vessel and
immediately, the ship left harbour. They flung us into a cabin and locked us up. After
eating the sumptuous meal, we felt better and refreshed. We began discussing our
plight. Both of us were scared and wished to get home but it was impossible now.
Sleep was impossible too because of the chronic fatigue. "Hey, the drugs!" Exclaimed
Arthur suddenly, "let's take them and get a wink eh?" We searched our pockets and
found them neatly preserved. Our water container was lost but they had served us
with some. We took the valium2 tablets and in no time, we were snoring...

"Wake up Eli... Wake up!" I heard Arthur as he shook me. He told me that we were
not on the boat anymore. We discovered that now we were in a proper jail with tough
looking guards manning the gates. The interior was gloomy and very poorly lit. There
was only one bulb in the corner of the cell and it shone rather faintly. This is "mu
macell" - Meaning "in the cells", we said to each other almost simultaneously as we
recalled the stories our friends, like the way tell us. He used to describe the police
cells exactly like the way we saw them. In vain, we tried to befriend the guards but
they did not answer us, instead, they moved further away. How unkind those Villains!
For the following three weeks, we were confined to the cells and never left. Our
delicious food was brought regularly three times a day and there was a chamber pot
for our toilet. It was replaced every morning. The weak sunrays filtered through some
cracks near the roof of the cell.

The boss came rarely to see us... and always he would be smoking the "Bhang". We
thought he was the major single pollutant in the building. His eyes were constantly
red all the time. We tried to make friends with the guards again but they were unco-
2
valium: white, yellow or blue tablets (three sizes), also as capsules, syrup and
injection solution ampoules in the family of benzodiazepines opiates.
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operative. Our only friend was the maid who brought us the food. She was kind to us
but never spoke a long time with us because the suspicious guards always interrupted
any long conversation.

The maid revealed to us that she herself had also been kidnapped like us. The men
had then employed her as their slave who cleaned the house, cooked and did every
other menial work. She informed us that they were drug traffickers and manufactured
dangerous addictive drugs. Each day, she told us more information as she was serving
us. She always hoped that one day she could escape or be rescued from her deep
misery that she had endured for a long time. Arthur and I could not see any loophole
of escape as at the time. The cell was too well guarded. We had contented ourselves
to be inmates of that gloomy dungeon.3

Frank Wilson " counseling the drug abuser" (pp118)

3

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 CHAPTER SIX

THE PRECIOUS "MX"

At the end that long dragging month, the boss stepped in with his two well built
bouncers and had a long talk with us. He questioned us who we were, where we came
from and what we had been doing at the "Den". We told him everything he demanded
but he still seemed suspicious. He went away but returned early the following day. He
flung the cell gate wide open and beckoned us to follow him. We were relieved to
leave the cell at least! But what was he going to do with us? Questions raced through
or little minds as we followed him. At every turn, we found a guard who saluted
tremblingly at seeing the boss.

We finally entered into a room that was full of huge massive machines. There was
much activity going on and all the people seemed engrossed in their work. They
worked industriously like ants. "You see this?", the plump man pointed at the
machines, "this is my factory!" he pointed at his "smaller than tummy chest" proudly.
We followed him as he majestically walked further into the room until he halted.

He picked up a white tablet and showed as, "Do you know this?" He grinned and his
over-sized eyes widened as he spoke.

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When we said we had no idea, he smiled, holding his waist, he said... "Hmmm... the
precious "Mx" it can knock ya' out". Whatever that "Mx" was, it certainly seemed
important to the bold headed old man. He cracked it into two and gulped one half.
"Ah!.. mmm... How nice! mmm... tasty!, do you want some?" We tasted but quickly
spat it out in digust. It was bitter and we scunnered.

The man laughed loudly as he patted his hippo shaped pot belly. We went to other
places of the complex and saw many valuable things. They began to train us how to
handle the "Mx" and the "Bhang". The boss often called the "bhang" the "holy herb".
This, he asserted, was the herb that Bob Marley smoked. This was infact " Chaamba"
- Dagga. We discovered that we were on an Island called Chilubi and the plot on
which we were had a dagga plantation.

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The same was heavily guarded twenty- four hours a day. In the weeks that followed,
they disclosed to us that they manufactured "Mx" and grew "other commercial crops"
for sale.
The boss informed us that we were going to join the trade whether we consented or
not. He announced this one Friday the 13th. The following Sunday morning, we went
to a church and all sat sanctimoniously. It was the Cantankerous Charismatic Church
where a 3,000 member praise team graced the occasion.

In the afternoon, we were scheduled to fly out to new York. Everything had been
arranged for us. Before we left, the boss commanded us to swallow some packets of

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"Mx". They were packed in soft but strong plastics that could not easily burst. At first
we tried to resist but the tyrant threatened to blast our brains out!

"Swallow damn you! or I will blow yo’ brains out!" The monster roared angrily. His
eyes sparkled with rage.

We had a tough time swallowing such that we begun sweating in the process.
Sweating from fear and the difficulties in swallowing.

I swallowed the first two packets and then shoved in three more. I could feel them
slide down my gullet and then slowly settle. "Good boys!" He smiled broadly with
wide teeth gap clearly visible. His countenance had risen in a flash.

"Now, make sure that ye' don't spill the beans or else you are dead meat right!" He
sternly threatened us with his big deformed forefinger. We nodded in agreement and
trailed behind him. Having got into a Porsche Mercedes Benz "5" class and we
proceeded to the airport.

All through the journey, we were trying to clear our throats. I felt nauseated as if I
would throw out any time. The boss soothed my chest and cooled me down. "Cool it
boy, cool it! that's the way it goes first time!",

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He said to me as he grinned coolly.

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 CHAPTER SEVEN

NEW YORK HERE WE COME!

We arrived at the airport just before nineteen fifteen hours as our flight was
scheduled for twenty hours. Having checked in, we sat in the departure lounge for
thirty minutes. The "rules" of the game did not permit us drink or eat certain foods.
The boss had strongly warned us against that.

We passed through the departure exit and shortly were comfortably seated on board
the plane. The journey to New York was about to begin. Arthur and I had never
boarded an aircraft before, therefore, we were filled with ecstatic joy to the bream.
Jubilation was written all over our faces. We had only read about aeroplanes whilst in
grade four. Arthur and I had also seen many on T V and on pictures. The two of us
chatted excitedly and endlessly as we waited for the take off.

A voice through the intercom interrupted our conversation. It was the captain's voice:
captain: “Welcome aboard the Nkwazi! I am captain speaking. Miyambo is my name
and we are heading for New York on flight Qz 0034. Hope you have a pleasant flight
as we start off. The engines are warming up, please fasten ya' seat belts... over”. The
intercom fell silent and the soft music slowly flooded the atmosphere. The engines
roamed to life! "Arthur, we are off now! It's happening!" I whispered to Arthur
excitedly. He was equally thrilled with joy that he unsuccessfully tried to suppress.
The Nkwazi begun to accelerate along the runway and off she went! She majestically

took off like a mighty eagle.

The buildings because smaller and smaller as we ascended the skies. Everything
seemed to sink and dwindle into insignificance as our altitude increased. At first, we
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felt nauseatic but felt better later on. In about ten minutes, we, were above the clouds
and could not see the ground anymore.

All of us dozed off but I awoke up three hours later.

As I opened my eyes, I noticed that most of the passengers were snoozing in their
seats.

Others were wearing head phones and dark goggles over their faces. They seemed to
be captivated by something. They giggled frequently as though watching a movie or
cartoons. I took my set of goggles and wore them.

Ah! There was a movie on it! It was the "woody wood pecker show" cartoon! How I
loved cartoon! I changed channels and another movie “Star Trek" came on.

I decided to watch star Trek first and then the cartoon later.

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So engrossed was I that I ever forgot about Arthur and the rest. The film was
captivatingly interesting but was interrupted by the captain's voice near the end.
Damn it! I felt bad! Captain: "We are hovering over New York and are due to land in
five minutes... please fasten ya' seat belts.

In a few minutes, it was all over, we had arrived at our destination.

The passengers chatted happily as they trooped out of the plane...

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The captain and his crew stood at the door and shook our hands as we exited the
plane. "Hope you enjoyed yo' flight", the captain said to each one with a broad
friendly smile on his face.

We were chauffeured to the airport building. Man! The airport was extensive and
massive!

There were numerous gigantic aeroplanes everywhere!

The Nkwazi looked like a small tit bird compared to them.

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Some were taking off while others were landing, and that, simultaneously! Back
home, only one plane at a time was allowed to either land or take off. The opposite
was true here!

Some scanners were passed around our luggage pockets to detect for weapons or
drugs but we were declared clean! We passed through Scot-free and went outside the
building to catch a cab.

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 CHAPTER EIGHT

WHAT A GLORIOUS MASSIVE CITY!

We were in United States at last! New York to be specific!

When we got to the cab rank, the boss did not beckon for any, instead he told us to
stand still and wait.

In a short time, a large shinny silver coloured limousine pulled in and stopped right
where we were standing. The driver courteously opened the door for us as though we
were (kings or presidents) of Royal blood.

We drove through the congested streets of New York. To our surprise, we used the
opposite sides or the lanes unlike back home. The sky scrapers were towering
gloriously to the skies on both of the traffic congested highways and avenues. The
obscured sun's rays weakly filtered above the immaculate buildings. This indeed was
the great New York City! So much heard of and talked about world over.

We drove 30 kilometres out of town and then turned at a very high wall fenced house.
The gate automatically opened and we slowly cruised in. "Wow! Boy, that's great!''
Arthur commented in amazement as we drove through the gates.

We went into the big posh house that appeared like a castle or palace. Rest was
inevitable. We rested for an hour and then the boss knocked at our door... "Boyi, it's
time ta' get ta work!” He said in his usual deep hoarse voice. " Work?", we asked
almost simultaneously. "Yeah, let's get cracking, come!" we jumped out of bed and
followed him. At this time, he was more friendly to us than initially. He no longer
cast a suspicious eye on us.

After the lecture, he gave us strict orders to use only the chamber pots he assigned to
us for toilets.

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He commanded us to empty our bowels in them and not meddle with them thereafter.
After we had used them, the packets came out! Hmmm...so that was his plan eh? - To
avoid being detected at the airport? How clever! How sly!
The chamber pots were taken away by the boss almost immediately, he grinned as he
walked away “mmm...Good, good, good!" He sung and whistled happily as he exited
the room.

We went to the large well-furnished living room where we found a feeble looking
man convulsing like a disjointed skeleton stuck together by bubble gum.

He seemed in frenzy. Shortly afterwards, the boss walked in with a syringe and
calmly said, "Here goes Jack, you should be OK soon! Easy man... Easy Ah... That's
good baby!''

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He injected the man in one of his veins in the right arm.

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Jack sighed and then relaxed. He lay on the sofa for a few minutes.

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Suddenly, he shot up and shouted:
"Hey chief! I am OK! Thanks for that shot!" He stuffed a bunch of dollars in the boss
hands and zoomed off.

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We saw him almost every night and each time, he seemed weak and frail. But soon
after the injection, he went off happy and charismatic.

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Indeed he was hyperactive. What a dramatic drastic chance! What a contrast!

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 CHAPTER NINE

DOPED!

Attracted by the phenomena, one day Arthur injected himself with the little drops
that were left in the syringe.

He came tottering into the bedroom appearing intoxicated. But from where did he get
the liquor? I asked myself as I watched the boy crawl into bed and snore away.

Obviously, the next morning he had a tale to recite.

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Henceforth, we watched carefully how the solution was prepared from the "Mx".

Then we begun to “manufacture” and “cool” it felt! We felt as if we were the kings of
the earth! We felt exhilarated in spirit!).

Each day, we thirsted for more. Our intake steadily increased daily. The boss did not
know about our activities until the night before we flew back to Lusaka. He noticed
that we appeared dazed and lazy. The old man sternly warned us and charged us not
to take any dosage until we got to Lusaka.

We flew back and all went well.

From that time, Arthur and I begun even to smoke the "Bhang" too...

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 CHAPTER TEN

TROUBLE!

One day when we were about to leave for New York, we saw some police officers
hurrying towards our direction. The boss spotted them through the corner of his eyes
and quickly glanced around. His swift eyeballs quickly moved in all directions. He
alerted his bouncers and then spoke audibly.

“When I say "split!" we go in separate directions OK! The cops are hot on our tail'…
"split!",

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He shouted and within a split of a second we all scampered in different directions as
the police approached us.

We scattered in separated directions, and soon disappeared in the crowds of people.

However, one of the bouncers bumped into a person and crashed headlong like a
missile to the ground.

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 Arthur, Elias and the Drug Lords Billy Sichone 44
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Then almost instantly, he took off and bolted. He dashed to the gents while coughing
hard.

A piercing pain ripped through his bowels suddenly. Soon, He dropped dead and
worms were feeding on his cadava. The latex membrane housing the Mandrax had
burst in his gut.

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 Arthur, Elias and the Drug Lords Billy Sichone 46
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The boss escaped unscathed.

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 Arthur, Elias and the Drug Lords Billy Sichone 48
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 Arthur, Elias and the Drug Lords Billy Sichone 49
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Meanwhile, Arthur and I bumped into each other at the cab rank and jumped into one.
We zoomed off immediately for the town centre.

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The police never arrested us.

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 CHAPTER ELEVEN

HOME AT LAST!

We got to the town centre and then headed straight for the intercity bus terminus. We
boarded a bus bound for Luapula Province and within a day, we were in Mansa with
our kinsfolk.

We had been away from home for almost a whole year. When we arrived, we
extracted the drugs from our bowels and started taking them. Little did it occur to us
immediately that we had slowly become dependent on the mandrax and dagga.

Intensively searching, we located a drug peddler on Chilubi Island who became our
regular supplier. We continued school but our concentration became poorer each day.
It was characteristic of us to miss many lessons, doze or insult anybody. We became a
menace both at school and at home. All that ever interested and amused us were
drugs, drugs, drugs! We had no time for anything else.

Now no that night before the fateful day, Arthur and I took an over- dose. Feeling
very "decked'', we slept. But the next day, we were rushed to hospital from
school…N... Now... My friend is dead ...Oh how sad, how sad!"... Sniff, sniff…," I
wish I had never started those drugs. But it is too late now"... Sniff... Doctor', I can't
stop these tears flowing, I think this is enough for now..." Elias covered his head with
the pillow as he soberly wept.

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"OK, thanks a lot Elias, you may now rest, everything will be all right soon..."

I left the hospital bed deeply depressed. I clenched my first in sorrow as I exited the
ward. When will our people ever learn?

I shook my head as I walked...

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 EXHORTATION

CONCLUSION

Young people, drugs have ruined many people's lives. They destroy the body both
physically and mentally such that you become useless without them. You can become
a human cabbage, a slave to your passions. Have mercy on yourself! Arthur is a vivid
example of what can happen to you and others. Addiction is a dangerous slavery
leading to dependence. Therefore, beware of those little drugs and the unsterilised
instruments that you toy around with. Apart from addiction, you could contract other
deadly infections such as HIV.

They may seem pleasant for the moment but not for long. For, they are a chocolate in
the short run but a cancerous Leukaemia in the long run4. No matter what form, size
or shape, they are equally devastating in their effects, so avoid them at all costs! Use
them only on a Physicians’ prescription. It is almost impossible to escape unscathed
in drug abuse. Addiction is no helpful abiding friend of the body but an abiding
canker or gangrene in the end.

4
coined by author
Arthur, Elias and the Drug Lords Billy Sichone 54
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Remember: Once you get "hooked", the process is almost irreversible! Flee to the
mountains while you can!

Arthur, Elias and the Drug Lords Billy Sichone 55

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!" #

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Arthur, Elias and the Drug Lords Billy Sichone 56

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Bibliography

Wilson Frank Counselling the drug abuser, Lakeland, 1973

Times of Zambia

Zambia Daily Mail

Zambia News agency (Zana)

The Post News paper

Arthur, Elias and the Drug Lords Billy Sichone 57

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 About the Author

Billy Sichone trained as an Accountant and worked as a Program Accountant at one of World
Vision Zambia’s large scale Area Development Programs for seven years. Billy has also
worked as Coordinator of an HIV and AIDS focused grant before taking on a Program
management job at Mpika, Zambia. He holds several qualifications in business studies.

He is married to Jane and they have a daughter together.

Among his interests are studying, research, reading, meeting people, art, projects, astronomy
and adventure.

He has done several presentations on various subjects that include Strategy, entrepreneurship,
TQM, motivation and many other related subjects. Visit his U tube site on:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n2vu-QE0Oj4 to sample some of his presentations.

Arthur, Elias and the Drug Lords Billy Sichone 58

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