Did they hear the shot?

Two shots were fired last night,
two shots echoed in the hills last night.

The first one – very loud and resounding,
brought me to a stop.
My ears were trying to adjust to the environment,
my brain trying to decipher the sound.

I can hear prayer utterance in the night,
the Church next door is having an overnight.
Did they hear the shot?

Another one rings through the night,
bouncing off the hills again.
The second one is not as loud,
but definitely close by.

What do I do?

What do you do when you hear shots in your neighborhood?
Years ago, there used to be patrols in the neighborhoods,
do they still do so? Did they hear the shot?
I saw an army patrol group walking near-by one time,
Did they hear the shot?

The phone rang,
it is the guy who helps with the garden.
A shop in the trading centre was robbed,
someone has been killed.

9pm.
It was 9pm.
How many of us get home after 9pm?
How many of us walk home after 9pm?

I am scared,
I will not lie.
I do not feel safe,
honestly, would you?

Oh Uganda,
may God uphold thee…