The Sting - Chapter 11

Chapter 11


Tope heard a click and the phone came alive with a soft but sleepy voice say “Hello” and her brain went blank. She could not come up with a response and she did not know what to say. She had dialed the number without having a plan and she was unprepared to hear his voice again. The phone was connected for more that 30 seconds and in that time, she still could not bring herself to say anything and the line went dead on the other side.

Damn, she told herself, now she had flunked the first chance and not only that, he has the number on his phone so if she calls back, he would know she was the one who called him and she would sound desperate.

She got out from under the tree and started walking back towards her room when she realized she had made another mistake. When she left the room, she left Wale and Wunmi alone which meant they were probably having sex or at least making out inside the room right now. They would probably think she left the room to give them some time alone. Now she cursed at herself, she hated what she did.

“I should have at least left with my car keys or at least wore something decent enough to go out with. Now I might have to wait for those two to finish whatever it is they are doing before going in”.

She walked back towards the hostel and met John on the way. John was a friend to a member of the Skulls who she had dated at some point but broke up with because he was too controlling. He had once tried to collect the password to her ATM card and that’s when she decided she had had enough. Ever since then he had continued to disturb her about a reunion she knew would not happen even if there was a gun to her head. He still told everyone she was his girlfriend though and she did not mind as long as he did not say it where she was and no one disturbed her over it. Life was complicated enough without having to fight over what some airhead said to people.

Tope looked like the average girl next door to everyone but those closer to her knew she tried to fit into school most of the time. She is intelligent and academics came to her easily but the fact that her father was a millionaire had made it difficult to make true friends in secondary school. When her dad called her and asked what University she wanted to attend, she had chosen to study in Nigeria for reasons she could not explain.

Her father did not understand why but he had only two children and he made it a point of duty to spoil them silly. He agreed with her and she ended up here. Making friends came naturally to her in her secondary school days as she had things to discuss with the girls and guys but here was a different scenario. Wunmi was the only one she connected with and every friend she made in school was through her and it has always gone smoothly.

John saw her coming at a distance and started smiling at her. His steps changed as he tried to make himself more attractive.

As if it will make you look better, she thought to herself.

She got close to him and brought her phone and pretended to be typing something on it and he called out to her.

“Tope, will you pretend as though you did not see me?”

She had expected him to call her back so she was not surprised. She looked up and feigned surprise.

“Sorry, I got an important message and I was replying it. What were you saying?”

Now the look on John’s face changed a bit, it was obvious the she was lying and was trying to ignore him and he hated it when she did that.

“Okay what message would be so important that you could not even mutter a simple hello to me, If you did not do this on purpose”.

She walked closer to him and put her phone inside her pocket.

“Now what law in the world or this country makes it compulsory that I say hello to you and when I see you? You are not my father so why are you pained?”

She threw her hair backward and continued.

“I don’t want to say hello, simply get that into your skull and move the f**k on. Don’t you have any dignity as a man? You tried to scam me and steal money from my account but instead of getting you arrested and making sure you spend time behind bars like a monkey, I allowed it to pass and you still act like the world belongs to you. Stop pestering me and walk on fool”.

A little crowd had gathered as her voice was slightly raised and when she saw this, she smiled at him.

“Good afternoon John, I hope you are satisfied now” and with that she walked away.

It took John some moments to react to what she did as he could not believe the calm and gentle girl he dated could explode like that, and the fact that she just said all that and walked away make him a lot more crazy. The crowd was gathering and his hurt and anger grew and suddenly he moved towards her. The people who had gathered around saw that there was a chance he might beat her up and they made to stop him but Tope suddenly turned around, looking at him straight in the eyes.

“You would hit me, I dare you”.

And she turned around again and walked away leaving the people laughing at John and his ego completely crushed.

She walked back towards the hostel and saw that the door to her room was opened and she strolled in to meet Wale bent over their reading table studying with Wunmi.

She frowned.

“You both should not tell me you have been studying all this while and could not come to my rescue”.

Wale chose to ignore the statement thinking it was some kind of talk between them when there was a loud knock on the door and someone turned the knob.

Without thinking Wale reached for his gun behind him and kept his hand there while he waited for whoever it was to enter. He stood directly opposite the door in the space between the girls and the door as the knob was turned again. That was when he realized that Tope had locked the door when she entered.

He looked back at her.

“What is going on?”

Tope fell on the bed unconcerned.

“There is no need to be worried, it is probably that idiot John coming to teach me a lesson because I ignored him”.

Bear still did not let his guard down as there was another knock at the door and this time, it was louder as though the person was trying to scare whoever was inside the room.

He stood there with his hand still holding his gun when he saw Tope get up from the bed and move towards the door.

Wunmi went to stand behind Bear as she did not believe Tope’s story of John coming to beat her up.
Tope walked to the door and opened it. The first thing she did when she opened it was to step back and cross her arms over her chest.

“What do you want now? Have I not made it clear that I don’t want to see you?”

John stepped into the room in company of two other guys and when Bear saw their faces, he pulled his hand off his gun, looked back at Wunmi and sat down.

John started to talk.

“What gives you the right to talk to me anyhow? You had better watch your mouth next time or else, I will shut it for you”

Tope started laughing.

“Did you just say you will shut my mouth? Dude, you will spend the next 7 years of your life behind bars if you even lay a finger on me. Ever heard of the term assault? It is a big word, maybe too big for you dumb head to comprehend but I promise you that if you so much as touch me, the next person you will be talking to will be in uniform”.

John could not believe he was been spoken to so brazenly, by a girl of all people, he had shown restraint because he  knew she will go through with her treats of getting him arrested but his anger was getting the better of him. There was an increase of blood into his head and he could not think clearly.

He took a step towards her and she still did not move away she just stood there watching and daring him to do whatever he wanted and just as he raised his hands to hit her, a voice came through.

“If you don’t have respect for the people who gave birth to you, would you also deny my presence?”

(...to be continued)

(Mynd is a final year student of Mechanical Engineering at one of Nigeria's universities. When he's not busy being a nerd he spends his time writing, playing basketball, listening to music and laughing! You can reach him on mynd44@gmail.com)

This Is Not The End

Dreams hardly ever come true but when it does, boy isn't it worth all the effort and struggle!

Even in my lowest moments I can't seem to ever let up on dreams because without them, I feel like I'm letting myself down and that, I don't want to do. It took me a while to get here but I'm glad all the same. I'm finally getting to my dreams, its becoming tangible and I'm mesmerised by it. I wish everyone with a dream would realise it at the right time. Timing is key. 

I once had a dream which was to make others fulfill their dreams. I guess living my dream takes me closer to fulfilling that doesn't it? Once one dream is settled another one comes into play. Or can I dream more than one dream at a time? Is that wise or suicidal? Sigh. One day at a time. Right now I'm putting this sticky note on my wall. 

"To fulfill my dream takes me one step closer to fulfilling the ultimate dream - Making other peoples dream come true".

So you see? I can't be slack about my dreams now. I need to move to the next dream which feels even more exhilarating!

The Sting - Chapter 10

Chapter 10


The bus pulled up at the last bus stop. Sunday alighted and covered his nose. Since the new governor took over the affairs of the state the state has been turned into one massive construction site with roads being extended and new ones built but the downside of it was that there was a lot of dust everywhere as the dry season was still very much around. The dust at the bus stop was enough to cut visibility considerably and make breathing almost impossible. Sunday realized he was hungry and that made him remember a larger problem; he was running broke. His mum had not sent money to him in 2 weeks and even when she did, it was barely enough to take him through that week.

He had always survived through Tayo’s goodwill but Sunday had not asked him for money in a while out of some silly arrogance that he should be his own man. Of course he had not told his friend about his resolve but he had made a resolve within himself to reduce the gifts both monetary and otherwise he collects from Tayo and learn to manage the funds his parents send him. Doing a mental check, he calculated a thousand Naira left in his bank account and that was barely enough to take him over the weekend as he was out of foodstuff at home. He used his hand to cover his nose as he walked hurriedly towards the ATM machine.

Sunday felt renewed confidence after the encounter with the guys on the bus which had some kind of effect on him. It made him a lot calmer and he was not too shaky. However, it also made him aware that people he did not know were aware of his presence. If these guys can recognize him then it is likely that someone who wants to harm him would also recognize him and that might be disastrous.

He passed in front of the ATM but decided against making a withdrawal as the number of people waiting in line were too much. The sun was still beating down mercilessly and he could feel his throat drying up. It would be better if he went home and got some rest then come back to make the withdrawal later. He brought his phone out and dialed his mum’s number. She picked it up after sometime.

Sunday’s mum is a widow. Her late husband used to work for the local factory but he came home one day with his temperature so high, one would assume he had been sick for a long time, things began to change for Sunday and his mum. Although he did not make a lot of money, Sunday’s dad made enough to provide for his wife and young son. He had considered the fact that he does not have enough money to raise another child and so despite pleading from his own family, had decided not to have any more children. He focused all his attention on his family and even managed to open a convenience store for his wife not far away from home so she could help with the finances of the home.

He came home early from work that day as he complained at work about feeling sick, he used some malaria drugs and went to bed. His wife came back with Sunday to meet him on the bed still sleeping and decided not to disturb him until she finished preparing dinner. When dinner was done, she woke him up and he ate a little food before he complained of been too tired and went back to bed. He never woke up from that sleep.

Ever since his father died, his mum was responsible for his upbringing from the proceeds of the shop and most times, the money realized was not enough but they managed. It always pained him that he had to call her to ask for money but he was broke and he had no other source of income except her.

When she picked up the phone, her voice was as clear as though she was speaking from beside him.

“My son, how are you? It has been a long time you called. Can’t you make these calls a little more frequent?”
“Ma, sorry but I want to concentrate on my studies here and I don’t like spending money on airtime so I can do other things with the money instead”.

She paused for sometime perhaps to attend to a customer.

“I wanted to send you some money today but by the time I remembered, the banks here had closed but I will pay it into your account tomorrow morning”.

The fact that she always knew why he called amazed him but he tried to hide it.

“I was not even calling because of money ma. I just wanted to know how you are doing and say hi to you”.

“Thank you son. Let me let you go now so you don’t spend too much on airtime. God will continue to be with you and the future will be as you want it to be as long as God is in heaven. Just don’t forget to pray and go to church regularly”.

 “Yes ma. I will call you some other time. Bye.”

He hung up and started walking towards his house again. He felt like a heavy load had been lifted from his shoulders with what his mum said, at least some money will be paid to his account the next day and he does not have to ask Tayo for money.

*********************************

Tope dialed Sunday’s number immediately Wale finished calling it out to her but the response she got was that of a busy line. She looked back at Wale suspiciously.

“Are you sure you gave me the right number?”

Wale did not answer at first as Wunmi was sitting on his laps once more and they were lost in a barely audible conversation and smiling. She hated disturbing them but she just needed to know.

She faked a cough and asked again.

“Wale, are you sure you gave me the right number?”

He answered without even looking at her. “Yes that’s his number. Why do you ask?”

“I just called the number right now and it told me it was busy”.

Wale did not understand the reason why Tope was so interested in speaking with Sunday and it was beginning to get to him.

“Maybe he is talking to his girlfriend or something”.

The mention of girlfriend made something inside Tope turn and she replied almost coldly.

“He has a girlfriend? How come you did not tell me that before?”

Wunmi too then joined in the conversation as Tope was beginning to get on her nerves. All through the night all she wanted to know was the strange and not so good looking kid but right now was certainly not a good time to start again.

 “I am sure he does not have a girlfriend but he might have been receiving a call from his friends or something. That does not mean the number is wrong or anything. Just try again later.” Wale replied.
He looked towards her and added, “And my girl and I are trying to have a quiet time here so please stop disturbing”.

At that, Tope got out of the bed and went outside, pissed off at the both of them and even Sunday for no just reason. Once outside, she started walking without any direction. She just needed to waste some time and call back and perhaps she will be able to get in contact with him.

While walking, she started thinking about why she wanted to speak with Sting. She had felt a sharp pain in her stomach when Wale insinuated that he might have been speaking to his girlfriend. It was clear to her that this is going beyond wanting to say thank you and that she might actually like him. The thought scared her and also brought a smile to her face. She had only been in two relationships all her life and they had been with close family friends and sons of her father’s business partners. Even then it felt like they were not the ones dating but the families. She never really liked any guy like this but she was not the conservative type and didn’t see anything wrong in a girl going after what she liked.

She walked past her car and remembered that she left the key inside the room. She was not planning on going anywhere but sometimes when she needed to clear her head and be alone sitting inside her car helped a lot. The sun was still hot although its heat had reduced it was still considerably hot so she moved away and sat down under a tree.

She picked up her phone and dialed the number again and to her delight, it rang!

Sunday walked into his room tired and thirsty. He bought some cold water from the shop in front of the house and drained the content into his dried up throat. He allowed his bag fall from his back and he flung his phone onto the bed while he took off his shoes and trousers then he joined the phone on the bed. He had started drifting into another world when the ringing of his phone brought him back; he checked the caller ID and saw none.

A voice told him to put the phone in silent mode and go back to bed but he overcame his fatigue and answered it.

“Hello” he spoke into the phone and no response came.

He held the phone for more than 30 seconds and when the caller did not say anything he hung up and went back to bed.

(to be continued)


(Mynd is a final year student of Mechanical Engineering at one of Nigeria's universities. When he's not busy being a nerd he spends his time writing, playing basketball, listening to music and laughing! You can reach him on mynd44@gmail.com)

The 'Fine' Lie

It has become so easy to appear cheerful on the surface. To smile and respond with a 'fine' when asked. Not everyone wants to know whether you are fine or not, neither do they care. Its just a formality and so I put on a big smile and say 'fine'.

It is during those quiet moments, in bed, completely shut out from the world that the soul feels safe to come out. No need to pretend here. It starts as an itch at first, then a sting swiftly followed by a tear and before you know it racking sobs escape. Why? I don't know. Maybe I do but don't want to think about it. My head turn to a dance hall with a master DJ. David Guetta has nothing on this guy. The crowd is going ballistic with euphoria and the DJ cranks up the volume emanating a shout from the crowd. Hard punching beats so loud I lose consciousness.

I wake up the following morning and try to access the level of damage in the mirror. Only slightly puffy eyes, nothing makeup can't hide. Good. After a pep talk and a smile, I head out feeling 'brave' again. I smile to the neighbour in the elevator and its game on! I whip out my gold-tinted sunglasses feeling fly, jump into my ride say a quick prayer then zoom off with music blasting from the stereo. I feel the sun on my face and in that instant there's genuine joy, I feel connected to something powerful, something good, something...PURE. A tear threatens to escape but I shake it off. It's a beautiful day.

A few minutes later I'm behind an endless line of cars moving a quarter of an inch every minute. Well, there's no use being grumpy about traffic, I best settle in and besides, nothing feels better than a good jam in the morning. I don't know what the rest of the day will bring but for now I am just going to enjoy being alive, fresh air, the rays of warm sun on my face and nature. Sigh.

Weird: Dogs Wearing Pantyhose??!

Aah! When will I ever learn not to get blown away by what I read on the world wide web! These days nothing should surprise me but once in a while they find a way to strike hard at me. Are they for real? Dogs....pantyhose? Well, its China so I guess I shouldn't be surprised. Thank you Huffington Post for sharing, we really needed to see this :-/

I just feel sorry for the animals having being inflicted with such owners. I get its for laughs but have we run out of things to laugh at? With the 'Oga at the top' stunts, Justin Bieber, Tonto Dikeh's 'Hi' track, Goodluck Jonathan, Romney and most things made in China.
C'mon now, people! Hehehe!

The Sting - Chapter 9

Chapter 9


Wale shook his head and smiled at her before walking over to Wunmi to give her a hug. He held her for some seconds and just soaked in the smell of her hair when he noticed the Tope was behind him with her hands at her waist. He drew away and sat down on the only chair in the room while Wunmi sat on his laps. He moved a strand of hair that came to her face and planted a kiss on her lips. He looked into her eyes and saw the look of worry on her face.

“Everything is going to be alright. I am on top of it to make sure it is under control”.

That did not make the worried look on her face leave as she was still in shock over what happened the night before and could not believe how close she was to being killed over an issue she knew nothing about, and the thought that Wale was not worried about it or that he was not even scared made her more worried. She had heard rumors of things like this happening but she had never witnessed it before. 

It was like a scene from a movie and she still could not believe she was in it, yet she was. She had tried to sleep the whole day off but she kept tossing and turning on the bed, startled by any sound she heard. Even though Wale had told her that the environment she lived was dominated by the Skulls, she could not help but be worried that something might happen. 

When he dropped them off the previous night, he said he wanted to go sort some things out with the other members of the fraternity and something told her that might be another fight even though he said he doubted it. She just wanted him to hold her all through the night and she would be sure he was safe in her arms. 

However, she knew who and what he was from the moment he asked her out. He never hid the fact that he belonged to a fraternity and she had come to love him irrespective of that. He had being good with her and gentle but the events of the night before shook her more than anything. Worse was that she couldn't discuss it with anyone. 

Tope her roommate too was scared but had always envied that Wunmi was dating a top guy and she was more excited about the events than scared. Perhaps because she had not witnessed it all as it went down.

Wunmi was brought back from her thought by Wale’s voice and she faked a smile.

“I am sure it is. So I hope this will not cause the school to be closed. I cannot stand going home for now”.

Wale had not thought of the possibility of that happening and he did not factor it into his arrangements but one thing was sure, the events happened outside school grounds so it was in the jurisdiction of the police just like a usual crime and so the school cannot be affected. 

He saw the smile on her face and he knew she faked it to make him think she is okay. He did not know what else to say or do as she had seen too much the night before and she was strong if he really thought about it. Most people would be shaken right now but here she was seated on his laps as if all she needed was for him to be with her.

He knew she wanted him to spend the night but he was too busy, he had to make sure the fight did not blow out and if it did he had to make sure the other members knew what they were up to and not caught by surprise. He was the most senior member to witness the fight which meant he also had to report to the top guns so they could assess the situation. 

He had no doubt that she loved him and he began to regret that he invited her to the party. He looked over to Tope who sat on the bed, fiddling with her phone trying to avoid and ignore them. She looked happy enough and he was not surprised. She did not see what really happened and she probably had Wunmi tell her but that could not be compared with the trauma Wunmi went through. His thoughts went to Sting, thinking how he had been the one who noticed him and became friends with him, introduced him to Skulls and almost had him killed. No doubt after the incident Sting is going to be promoted within the ranks of the fraternity. He showed incredible bravery no doubt and saved his life more than once.

“Hey, wake up!”

Wale looked up towards the voice and realized that Wunmi had been watching him.

 “You need to get more sleep”.

He smiled and nodded. “Well checking on you is more important that sleeping, I have to make sure you are alright plus I missed your voice, the smell of your hair and the feel of your skin. I love you babe and I am sorry you had to pass through that last night. I really am”.

“Hey don’t worry; I had a nice time at the party though before those thugs decided to crash it. So how is your friend? I trust he is okay”.

At this Tope joined the discussion. “Wale you still haven’t told me where you hid him ooo. I have to say my thank you to him personally”.

Now Wale was lost.

“Who are we talking about here?”

Tope almost did not allow him finish the question before answering.

“The charming guy we went to the party with last night. You introduced him to us as Sting and from the stories that Wunmi told me, he saved our lives”.

Wale allowed himself to smile a little, “Well he should be in his house right now. I called him when I was coming here and he said he was heading home to do some silly assignments. But he is okay and I will send your thanks. Now if you girls are not too busy, perhaps you can prepare something for me to eat. I am starving”.

“My food is reserved for Sting you can asked the doll sitting on your laps to prepare you food” with that she went back to her phone.

Wale looked and Wunmi as she gave him a kiss and headed into the small kitchen in their one room hostel.

Tope pretended to be busy with her phone but she was more preoccupied with other things. She had made Wunmi tell her what exactly happened in the hall over and over again and each time she heard the story, she felt jealous and curious. Jealous because she had never had anyone that was as caring as Wale, she had always thought Wunmi was the luckiest girl in school. She was curious because she had never heard of Sting before. She had met most of Wale’s friends but this new guy, who from the stories saved everyone, was strange and something in her pushed her towards him. A little voice inside her whispered she liked him but she dismissed him. It can’t happen, at least not with someone she barely knew.

Well she might not know him but what stops her from getting to know him better? Wale was here and he could give her his details and stuff, even if it is just to say thanks to him, she did not mind as long as her curiosity was satisfied.

She rolled and saw that Wale was already eating while Wunmi was sitting on the table, they were talking in hushed voices and she rolled her eyes.

“Hey Wale, can I use your phone for a second?”

Wale removed his phone from his pocket and tossed it at her and went back to eating while Wunmi frowned.

He looked up and saw her frowning. “Why are you frowning?”

Wunmi was not about to hide her discomfort at Tope’s request for his phone and the fact that he gave it to her did not make her comfortable.

“Don’t worry, she will return it soon” he added.

Tope caught the phone and was about going through the contacts when she discovered that it had been password protected. She looked up, upset.

“You should have told me you couldn't give me. What is the point in giving me your phone when I don’t know your password?”

Wale took his last spoonful from the plate. “You did not really think I would just give you my phone without knowing why, did you?” 

“Okay fine, I want Sting’s number; I want to say thanks since I don’t trust you to do it for me”.

Wale looked to Wunmi and she nodded. 

He collected the phone back, unlocked it and read out the number to Tope who saved it on her phone with all eagerness.


(Mynd is a final year student of Mechanical Engineering at one of Nigeria's universities. When he's not busy being a nerd he spends his time writing, playing basketball, listening to music and laughing! You can reach him on mynd44@gmail.com)

Reel Addiction!

I have been keeping an eye out for good Nigerian short films and I haven't been disappointed so far. I am impressed by how our film makers has grown, not just in content but production and picture quality.

Some of them include:

• Down and Out
• Blink
• 6.30pm
• Dara Ju
• Unspoken
• Enitan
• The Promise
• When Fishes Drown
• To serve with all our strength
• 4-1-9
• Quacks

If you haven't watched these films then you are doing yourself a huge disfavour!

Came across this promo video a few days back and I want to get me hands on the full film. Please, somebody help!!

FUNNY!

I saw this and couldn't stop laughing. What was the guy/dad thinking?!

50 Shades Of Surpise

I hated people who walked around with their face buried in the phones as they pinged/browsed or whatever it is they did while I shook my head at them feeling sorry for humanity. Guess what? I am one of them now :( HOW DID THIS HAPPEN? When I'm not on my laptop I'm on my phone Whatsapping, twittering, Facebooking, reading, yes, reading! I'm the worst form of hypocrite.

Notwithstanding the appalling person I have become I decided not to let it get me down and I said to myself one day, 'no more' (It sounded cooler when I was thinking it). So I looked around and found a book I have been ignoring for a while and decided to have a crack at it.

I finally got down to reading the book 50 Shades Of Grey and boy was I surprised! There was so much hype about the book when it came out but I refused to sucked in to the mass consumerism our culture has become (not that its a bad thing, I'm just being stubborn) and raised my nose in contempt concerning myself with *coughs* shopping. Many hyped materials don't always turn out to be that great, except for Lord Of The Rings, Harry Potter and fried chicken, which is why I wasn't so pumped about the book in the first place. Hmmm, I enjoyed the book o.

Some of the things I learnt from the book was:

Staying a virgin counts as you might end up with a Christian Grey to explore your carnality.
Sex is amazing (duh!)
BDSM never looked more appealing
Girls can overthink everything
I didn't know the words 'oh my' could be overused
I'll kill any guy who makes me taste my period!
I was constantly reminded of church. Wish they used a different name :(
No means yes
Yes means yes
Pain is pleasure
The toughest guys can be brought down by the simplest things
Rich people have it all
Money can buy anything
Money can't buy everything
If a guy is good in bed, 50 percent of the time his girl will stick with him no matter what.
Love is subjective
The days of love first and sex second is over and in this case overrated.
Sometimes you have to leap before you look.

I think that's it...yeah I'm definitely picking up the remaining 2 books. It's a trilogy I think. Yay!

The Sting - Chapter 8

Chapter 8

His heart skipped a couple of beats when he saw the caller ID. He was in the midst of a little crowd and trying to answer the call right there did not seem like a good idea so he walked on a bit to get himself isolated. By the time he got there, his phone had stopped ringing and Sunday wished he had picked it and told Wale to hold on or call back.

He was about getting out of the bush and into the road when his phone rang again. This time he answered it immediately.

“Hello Bear, what’s good. Is anything wrong?”

There was a pause and Sunday looked at his phone wondering if the line was dead.

“Does anything have to be wrong before I call you bro?” was the reply from Wale.

“Well, I was just worried that’s all, nothing else. So what’s good?”

“Not much, I want to go see my girlfriend Wunmi. She is still shaken up about last night, you were shaken up too so I wanted to check up on you and if you like, we could go together”.

“I am fine thank you. I was just heading home too.

“Okay man, remain safe and if anything happens, give me a call, you know we watch out for one another”.

Sunday hung up and one thought lingered, that he had Bear watching his back. He made his way out of the bush and headed straight to where the shuttle buses were parked. He was glad that at least this time he did not have to wait long before getting a bus as the buses were all parked and waiting for passengers to enter.

He inquired about the routes as there is no specific parking space for a designation route and just when he was about entering the appropriate bus, he heard someone call his name, not just his name.

“Sting, how are you today?”

He froze from the inside as he felt his blood go cold. No one other than Bear calls him Sting, and the thought that another person will call him that in public was scary. He sat down in the bus and he tried to look at the person calling him and he did not see any face he recognized.

Someone in a red shirt came and sat down beside him and offered him a handshake while smiling but Sunday could not take the handshake and all he did was look at the person. He did not recognize him even though the person seemed to know him enough. His face started going white as he tried to say something but his throat was dry and no words came from his mouth.

Three other people entered the bus and sat behind him while the remaining seats were getting filled, all of them chatting amongst themselves but still Sunday could not relax. Different thoughts ran through his mind.

“What if the other people in the bus were in on this? What if they were there to kidnap him and torture him or worse? What if they were police or security operatives?”

The events of the previous night had left a lot of people dead and it is not inconceivable that a special security squad had been called in to investigate what happened.

He thought of calling Bear but his phone was in his pocket and getting to it might be hard.

The guy still had his hands stretched waiting for his hand to be shaken and he was looking at Sunday with suspicion in his eyes.

One of the three who sat at the back seat leaned forward.

“What’s wrong mate, don’t you remember us anymore?”

Sunday looked back the guy who spoke looked sort of familiar, he tried to place his face but it was difficult until the guy raised his right hand up to reveal a green wristband and suddenly, Sunday placed his face. He was one of those who dragged the body of the person he shot at his initiation.

“Now can I get my handshake? You are beginning to make me look bad”.

Relief came his way as he took their hands one after another and he apologized.

“I did not recognize you and I am just getting used to being called that, please I am sorry”.

“No problem” one of those behind said.

“So you stay off campus?”

Sunday answered nervously, “Yes I do, it is quieter there and less friends to disturb me in case I want to read”. They all agreed that it was a great reason.

The remaining spaces in the bus started to fill up and before long they were all caught up in a conversation that ranged from the road conditions to house rent in school to the weather. They all avoided speaking about the fraternity and Sunday picked that up and just went with it. All four of them got off the bus but not before they had exchanged number and real names. They got off and Sunday was glad. He was beginning to know more members and they did not seem like bad people, just ordinary people who liked ordinary things.

**************************

Bear did not like the sound of Sting’s voice that morning one bit. The boy had displayed bravery he had not seen in a long time the night before but his vice just sounded off. After the call to him that morning, he thought of driving to his house to go pick him up but he had more important things to do.

The night before had created a big mess that needed to be dealt with. Immediately, he dropped Sting, he had gone to see the top guys of the Skulls and brief them on the event. They had also met the Royals in a bid to see if the fighting was to continue or if they were willing to drop the fighting, after all they did not have an outstanding fight so the attack on them at the party was not called for.

He could not attend the meeting with Royals because he had to head a delegation to see the police commissioner that night so as to help the whole issues of keeping the policemen quiet and stop them from harassing any of their members. He also delegated some of the guys to tell every member to be ready for possible attacks from the Royals. It is always good to be prepared for any eventuality he thought to himself.

The meet with the Commissioner went well; he used to be a member of the Skulls while he was a student but in another university so what they asked for was easy. The Commissioner even asked if they wanted the police to arrest the Royals for the death of the slain individuals but Bear was not for that. The order from the top was for the issue to die down and that was what he did.

He got home in the early hours of the day and sank into his bed; he reached beneath it and put his gun there. He always slept with a gun under his bed ever since he became an active member and since the incident was far from over, he wanted to take no chances. He said a little prayer for the dead souls (Catholic by birth) and slept off almost immediately. He had woken up late in the day and made that call to Sting on visiting Wunmi.  He promised to come see Wunmi that day after classes and thought of killing 2 birds with one stone by checking on Sting.

The drive to Wunmi’s house was not one he liked, her house was on campus but the road leading there was bad and he hated having to take his car there. She on the other hand always wanted him to bring his car there so she could show off to her friends that her boyfriend drove a fancy car. Taking the car there also had its advantages though; he could always keep a gun in the car instead of carrying it around in his bag.

He pulled in front of her house and said hello to a couple of people idling in front. The hostel was dominated by Skull members and his greetings took a while. He walked to her door and knocked.

“Who is there?”, a voice he did not recognize replied from inside the house.

“It is Wale” He does not use Bear when he was alone with her as he liked keeping the two lives he lived separate.

He heard the door unlock from inside and Wunmi was standing at the door.

“Why did you come this late? I have been so worried about you. I thought something else happened” she muttered as she sank into him.

He saw Tope in the room too and she whispered a “Hi”.

He nodded in response and she looked behind him as though she was expecting someone else. Wale also looked back trying to see who she was looking at.

 “Well, where is he?”

Still confused Wale asked, “Where is who?”

“Well, my boyfriend and knight in shinny amour of course. Where is Sting?”

(Mynd is a final year student of Mechanical Engineering at one of Nigeria's universities. When he's not busy being a nerd he spends his time writing, playing basketball, listening to music and laughing! You can reach him on mynd44@gmail.com)

This Life

Life is worth living and fighting for. Most times. 

This year started with such a rush but now it looks slow, or is it moving so fast that it seems like its moving slow? I guess that's possible. 

Its not how long you've lived but how well. One of my greatest fears is dying without accomplishing my dreams and not doing what I enjoy. People say, 'Life is short, do what you want cos you might get hit by a bus tomorrow'. How many people will actually get hit by the bus after 'living the life'? They forget about what happens after. Forget that there might be consequences for their actions which they might be held accountable for.

The whole thing is about balance I think. Enjoy your life and stay true to yourself but do it with love and respect. Respect for yourself and others. Easier said than done? Well, I'm also figuring it out as I go.

My Oscar Moment

Watching highlights from the Oscars which took place last night, it pleased me to see my favourite movies and actors receiving awards. Anne Hathaway's performance in Les Miserables, Argo winning Best Film was deserving. First Lady, Michelle Obama looked so beautiful by the way.

The award that made me smile though was hearing the name of Daniel Day-Lewis called out for Best Actor for his role as President Abraham Lincoln, in the movie Lincoln! This is the 3rd time he's winning an award in this category and nominated thrice for the same category. Daniel has amazed me ever since I watched him in a film when I was much younger (can't recall the title) then I watched him in Gangs of New York and I fell in love. This is an actor who knows how to pick a role and its so obvious how hard he works to be in character. I once read in an article that he carries out a lot of personal research to play his roles, staying in character throughout his shoot, even at the risk of his health. I hope he doesn't end up like Keith Ledger, but why I think that will never happen is because he takes time off, away from the industry to be with his wife and 3 kids. I think that is his balance and I admire him for that.

Daniel Day-Lewis acts once in 5 years but know that that film will be epic. I'll be silly to miss out on any of his films, I just hope he gives me a dozen more before he calls it quits. I can't imagine Hollywood without actors like Daniel Day-Lewis. He's a living legend!

Another actor that I know to work hard to stay in character is Viggo Mortensen (Aragorn from LODR). He prefers the theatre to Mainstream movies and the only reason he played Aragorn was because his son begged him to, hahaha!

Do you see a pattern here? Its the best of these actors that stay away from the limelight and spend more time honing their skills. I like being reminded of these people because it helps me stay grounded and aware that personal fulfillment is much better than cheap publicity. The reward speak for itself!

The Sting - Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Sunday had just two classes that day and they ran concurrently. One was a 3 unit course while the other one was a 2 unit course which meant he had to sit down in class for 5 hours straight, the first course was Thermodynamics while the second was Fluid mechanics. Both were real serious courses which demanded concentration from the lecturers and the students. 

He was particularly happy about this because it helped him keep him mind busy  but even then he had flash backs of the Royals gunned down without mercy and how one was shot when they discovered that he was still alive. The thoughts that he was close to losing his life also got into his head and occasionally he had to bring himself back to class forcefully.

The hours went by slowly and he heaved a sigh of relief as he carried his back pack and made his way to the door at the end of class.

”Guy, how are you?” Tayo called out.

Sunday stopped and waited for Tayo to catch up before answering him.

“I am fine. How are you doing bro?”

They exchanged handshakes and Tayo looked at him funny.

“Dude, are you sure you are fine? I was watching you throughout class and you looked distant/ like you were caught up in a world far away from here mate. What’s up?”

“Seriously, I am fine. I was just studying last night and did not get enough sleep that’s all”

Tayo shrugged, “If you say so, I have no problem with it bro”.

Sunday nodded his head and answered “I say so”.

They walked side by side until they were walking on they own away from listening range of everyone else when Tayo said something that shook Sunday to the bones.

“Did you hear about the clash night? I heard it was one between the Royals and the Skulls”.

Sunday tried to sound and look as uninterested and surprised as possible.

“Really? I noticed that the security at the gate today was sort of tight and we were all searched but I did not know they had a clash. Where did it happen? Was it on campus?

“No not on campus, I heard that it was at a party in town”

”But yesterday was a Wednesday na, who throws a party on a Wednesday? Some people are just insane” was the reply Sunday could give.

“Well, Wednesday or not, they said a fight broke out because of a girl and a lot of people were killed”

Now Sunday was interested.

“They fought over a girl? That’s something else. Something very silly”

Now it was obvious that Tayo was excited either because he felt he was the one who knows the story itself, Sunday could not tell.

““The girl was said to have come to the party with a Skull member but a member of the Royals wanted to dance with her and trouble started”.

The both got under a tree and they took a seat on one of the benches available for students to sit down and take shade from the sun.

“It happened that both fraternities had already had beef before and so when they saw a fight had broken out, the members joined in and it turned into a free for all. I heard the guns and other weapons were used and about 20 people died”.

Sunday still tried to sound as uninterested as possible.

“20 people died? Where was the police?”

“It happened and ended so fast, the police did not have enough time to react”.

Sunday managed a wow.

Although the story was flawed, it had some elements of truth in it as the death toll might be near that number and the thought that 20 people died scared him more but he calmed down and just tried to relax. But another thought passed through his mind, even though the story was not totally, true, somebody might have seen something and might talk too and that will be the end of him.

Well he had to know who fed Tayo with the news so he’d know what to do so he asked.

“And why is it that you know so much about this incident? You talk as though you were there when it all went down. Or were you?”

Tayo looked back with a serious face.

 “I wish I was but I was not, Sandra’s neighbor was at the party and she told us everything. She was invited by a friend of hers and they both got home separately. She got back around 1:30 this morning and was screaming like she was being chased like the devil.

A thought passed through Sunday’s mind, “Yeah the devil. He got that one right”.

Then Sunday was drawn to something Tayo said and he ignored.

“Wait Tayo, you said the girl who told you all this came back around 1:30 am and she is a neighbour of Sandra right?”

Tayo answered “Yes”

“Well what were you doing in Sandra’s house at 1:30 dude?"

A grin appeared on his face as they both knew the point they were trying to make and suddenly, they forgot the whole gunfight issue and started laughing.

Sunday broke the laughter, “So did you sleep with her last night or the screaming girl stopped you?”

The answer to the question was simple enough but Tayo did not want to let it slide out easily.

”A gentleman does not kiss and tell”.

“Dude, since when did you become a gentleman? Guy, give me the gist jorh”

Tayo settled down well and started his tale.

“When you left yesterday, we talked for a while and then that witch Anita said she was bored and wanted to go home so we left. Then at their house, they had some assignments which they found difficult so I offered to help out with but I had to go home because wanted to sort out my course form.

“I went back around 8pm and I met Sandra and another friend there and I helped them solve the questions. When we finished, she saw them off and we spoke for a bit before she asked if I was hungry. actually, I was not hungry but I thought what the heck, I might as well eat and then leave later so I waited for her to cook and by the time she was done cooking, the time was almost past 11 so I suggested I spend the night with her and the rest my friend is history”.

Sunday had sat down and listened to this jealously not because he wanted Sandra but because he was jealous of what she and Tayo shared. He wished he had someone to share the same thing with but the only girl he had developed enough courage to talk to did not like him one bit, treated him like he did not exist and insulted him at the slightest chance. That bothered him but he shrugged shook Tayo’s hand.

“I am hungry, will you get me something to eat or do I start going home?”

“Let’s go get a bite. I am supposed to meet my baby very soon at her place too, you want to come along?

As much as he enjoyed the company of Tayo and Sandra, he was sure Anita will be there and he was not in the mood to be insulted by anyone and there was also the issue of the girl who was at the party and his face might be recognized.

“I think I will simply go home and sleep a bit and then try to solve that Fluid Mechanics assignment”.

At the mention of that Tayo’s face brightened. “Can you please help me copy it out and write my name on it?”

“No I can’t help you do it as my writing will show on both. Tomorrow is lecture free and I will be it to school so you can copy it yourself and we can submit it together. That will be the only thing I will be doing in school tomorrow in fact”.

“That is also a great idea but please come a bit early since we are submitting by 10am, I don’t want to start writing fast because time is running fast!”

Sunday gave him a warm smile.

”When have you ever came to school before me? I will be around by 8am and that should be enough time to copy the whole thing and still submit it in time”.

Suddenly, Tayo had a crazy idea.

“Why not spend the night at my place and I can copy as you solve it. That way, it will be easy on both of us you would not have to waste money to come to school tomorrow”

It sounded like a great idea but with the tension in school he would rather spend the night in his room where he know if anything happens, he has a gun hidden in the television he can use.

“The textbooks I want to use are at home dude, don’t worry, I will come early”.

He walked to the car park and was about boarding a bus when his phone rang, he checked who was calling and it was no other than Wale AKA Bear.

(Mynd is a final year student of Mechanical Engineering at one of Nigeria's universities. When he's not busy being a nerd he spends his time writing, playing basketball, listening to music and laughing! You can reach him on mynd44@gmail.com)