It’s 8 pm on August 15, 2014. The World Cup is underway, and there’s a match you’re eager to watch, but as a Form Four candidate, you decide to skip it to focus on your studies.

Being in a day school, you have the opportunity to study and then return home to sleep.

As you immerse yourself in your books, a loud bang pierces the air, followed by the unsettling sound of gunshots.

You’ve never heard gunfire before, nor have you seen a gun up close. Growing up in a peaceful environment, the only security personnel you’ve ever known are the local watchmen.

The gunshots are soon accompanied by terrified screams and chaos, and that's when it hits you — something is terribly wrong.

In a panic, you flee the classroom and rush home amidst the confusion. Once there, you lock yourself inside, too afraid to sleep. That night, no one shut their eyes.

The next morning, the horror unfolds. You find the bodies of your neighbours and relatives, lifeless with gunshot wounds and neck injuries — clear signs they were slaughtered. The trauma is unimaginable.

This is the story of the men who survived the 2014 Mpeketoni attack. Read the full story.