I'm back :)

Its been a while diary! Don't ask what I've been up to but 2013 has not been dull at all!

Valentines day was eventful, it promised to be a good day with good company, good food and a good time but somehow the universe had to throw its spangle in the wheel and put a pause on things. Well, I'm alive and I have my health (touch wood) so I am thankful.

The train called Life is still tooting on at a fast speed taking down anything in its path and I can't help but wonder where I'll be at the end of the year. Its only the second month in the year and already I have heard of the death of 3 Nigerian artists, the fourth one died today, all due to some illness. A lot of new businesses have opened, friends getting opportunities they have been struggling for the last year, Kim Kardashian was in Lagos couple of days ago (yawn), work is about to get crazier and 2013 is having non of my marriage phobia nonsense. I feel trapped. What is happening this year? Things are moving at an alarming rate and I don't know when its going to stop or if I want it to.

We entered Lent without my knowing, that's how bad it is. Last year I had attended mass and fasted, doing my Christian duty. I feel guilty I haven't been better this year but I will make the most out of what is left. I'll try at least. It's a good thing God is merciful, haha.

In addition to my raving rant up there, why does temptation come when you are in a relationship? Its easy to say its just this one time but from what I know, Karma is a bitch. *Doing the sign of the cross* get behind me, Satan! :D

My question for the day. Why are many people clueless about what they want in a relationship?

The No Nonsense Wife by Abimbola Dare

I read this today and found myself sighing with relief and laughing. A good break on a dry day.

“Biyi hasn’t worked for that long?” Dayo’s voice drips with resentment. “For real?”

“He’s been trying,” I say in feeble attempt to defend my husband. “You know how the economy is.”

My husband and I had vowed never to bring in a third party into our relationship but with a bank account screaming for revival, I need to share my burden with someone else. I grip the phone. Dayo is unusually quiet. “You still there?” I ask. “Hello?”

“I am here,” she says. “I just didn’t know things were this bad. And all this while, I thought Biyi was providing for the home.”

But he is, I argue silently. Well, maybe not financially for now, but in every way else, Biyi is a rock. “It’s not that bad.” My words sound frail.

Dayo clucks her tongue. “You might as well be a widow.”

The words hit me like a fist.

“Na you I blame,” she continues, oblivious to the damage her words have caused.

“Me? Why?” She is blaming me for this? Seriously?

“Why do you keep paying the bills?”

“Because there is no one else to do it,” I protest, upset.

“For real? He drives your car too?”

“He needs it,” I mutter. “To attend job interviews and stuff. He gets back late sometimes.”

“How late are you talking?

“Nine, ten…ish.”

Dayo pauses for a second. “I hate to say this gurl, but your husband spending your money on another woman.”

Whoa! Hang on. Where did that come from? “Haba, Dayo. Biyi would never—”

“Look, I know men,” she slices in. “You are his moneybag and he will take you for a ride as long as it takes. Where is your dignity, gurl?”

Ride. Dignity. Moneybag. Ouch. “But he’s a good guy,” I manage. Can my husband be using me? It had never crossed my mind in the past, but I now wonder if Biyi is actually having an affair.

“I trust my wonderful Dennis…,” Dayo is saying. I barely listen. My eyes are on the clock. It’s almost midnight and Biyi isn’t home. I force myself to hear what Dayo is saying about Dennis Ono, her multimillionaire-oil- company-golden-husband. Gosh I envy her life, her perfect marriage.

“My marriage is wonderful,” Dayo says, as if in affirmation to my undeclared words. “But only because I show Dennis who the boss is. He cannot try nonsense with me. Abi, you think it’s easy to get ten thousand pounds a month as pocket money?”

She really gets ten grand a month? That’s like, my entire annual salary in my crappy job plus bonuses. Life is unfair. Honestly. “I am Biyi’s wife,” I say. “I cannot just desert him.” Or can I? At this rate…

“In that case,” there is an edge to her voice now, “give him an ultimatum. He gets a job in two weeks or you are out of that marriage.”

“I—”

“Look, I know his type,” she says with conviction. “He conveniently won’t get a job as long as you keep dishing out your money.”

“But—”

“Starve him,” she adds. “No sex. Make life hell. You are not an ATM machine.”

Keys jangle in the hallway. Biyi is home. “Talk later,” I say to Dayo. “He’s back.”

“Stand your ground,” Dayo whispers menacingly. “Ultimatum. Two weeks.”

I hang up with a sigh. My husband is leaning against the door frame. For a second my heart falters. He looks tired, drawn. But Dayo’s words punctuate my compassion.

“Where have you been?”

Biyi gives me a side smile. “No hug?”

I jerk my head at the wall clock.” Its midnight.”

“I had a job interview in Birmingham,” he says. “I called you tell you I was stuck in traffic but I kept getting your voicemail. What’s wrong?”

I cock my head. Is that a whiff of female perfume? It is. Dayo is right. He has been with another woman. With my car. Spending my money. My head spins.

“Biyi,” I glare at him, “Where are you coming from?”

He steps back, surprised. “I went to Birmingham—”

“Did you get it?” I screech. “The job?”

Biyi shakes his head. “I didn’t—”

This is the last straw. I wrench my hand out. “My car keys.”

He gives me a hard level stare. “What is wrong with you, Toni? Did I offend you?”

“Pass my keys!”

He thrusts the car keys to into my palm. I push past him, grab my duffel bag and stuff my overnight things into it. I know I am acting crazy but I have to show him that I would not be taken for a ride. That I am not a moneybag. That I have dignity. I zip the bag up and spin around. My husband is staring at me.

“Is everything all right with you, sweetheart?”

“Get out of my way.”

“Where are you going with that bag?”

“I need to clear my head.” I am still yelling.

“Can we talk first?” Biyi suggests.

“I don’t want to talk. Get out of my way.”

He moves out of my path. I swipe a hand across my face, smearing my cheeks with mascara. “Don’t look for me. I will be back when my head clears.”

I rush out of the house, jump into my car. My rage doubles as the feminine scent permeates the car. He has been with a woman in my car. I feel like an idiot.

                                                            * * *

I pull up in front of Dayo’s mansion. Her husband’s Porsche is in the driveway, and the porch lights illuminate my dreary form as I reach the door. I ball my fists to knock, but a scream freezes the motion.

“Kill me!” I hear Dayo scream. “Good for nothing idiot. Womaniser of the century!”

Whoa. Momentarily, I am unable to move. My hand hovers in the air.

Dull thuds, muffled screams. Dennis curses. “I warned you never to serve me stew that is not freshly cooked!”

“Am I your slave?” Dayo yells back. “If you want fresh stew, get your PA to cook it for you. Or you think I don’t know about her? You think…”

Dayo’s words are silenced by another thump. My hands fall to my side as a flurry of blows stifle her cries. I want to call the police, do something…anything. But I cannot move. And so I shut my eyes tight and listen as my friend is pummelled by her husband. The beating stops. I should dash to my car, but something holds me back.

“I am sorry I got you upset darling,” Dayo finally says. Her voice is laced with pain. “It is my fault. I should have cooked for you. I…Toni wouldn’t let me get off the phone…its her fault.”

“Next time you talk to me like that, I will tattoo a punch on your forehead,” Dennis growls. “Get into the kitchen and make me fresh stew. And do something about that leech you call a friend.”

That is enough for me. I sprint back to my car and drive home.

                                                            * * *

A knock sounds on the window. Biyi. I wind down and he gives me a smile. “Head clear now?” he asks.

“Leave me alone,” I mutter. Dayo’s wonderful Dennis beats her up? And she never mentioned?

“I will leave you alone in two seconds,” Biyi says. There is a twinkle in his eyes. “But first, get out of the car.”
I oblige, grudgingly. “What?”

He reaches under the car seat and pulls out a small basket. “I didn’t come home straight from the interview. I stopped over at the Perfume shop to get you this.” He hands the basket over. Inside is a range of exotic feminine perfumes and a small card. I pull the card open, read the words:

“Thank you for your support during the hardest times of my life! I love you.”

“That’s why I was late,” he explains as he pulls me into a warm embrace. “You have been so good to me, Toni. I couldn’t have asked for a better wife.”

I can’t reply. My throat is lumpy.

“When you left the house to clear your head, I got a call back from the recruiter,” he says with a beam. “God answers prayers, babe. I got the job. It’s a package you won’t believe. Let’s go in. I’ll tuck you into bed and you can tell me what’s bothering you?”

                                                           * * *

I awaken to a text message from Dayo. “Dennis is flying me to Seychelles this weekend. This is what you get when you stand your ground. You have to be a no nonsense gurl! Don’t you just love my life? Ciao sweetheart xxx.”

I type a quick response back: “Ciao!” And then I promptly delete her number from my phone.

The Sting - Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Sting could not sleep even though he was bone-tired. Bear had slipped a gun into his hand when he dropped him off just in case he needed it or he was attacked. Bear was sure the Royals would have suffered enough losses that they would not contemplate an offensive but it was not granted. He had to speak with the top boss to find what to do and do it fast too.

Sting stayed for the larger part of the night wondering how it happened. He played the event in his head over and over again and realized he might as well have been killed if he had made a mistake or something close to a mistake. He had kept the gun under his mattress where his hand could easily reach and he kept the light off just in case with his ears open until he drifted away into a well deserved sleep.

He was woken up in the morning by the crowing of the chickens owned by his landlady and even at that, his hand first reached for the gun. He peeped out of his window and saw that the sun was lazily coming out of its hiding place and he was hit by the first rays of the sun. His mind went back to last night and he made himself a mental note.

“Next time Wale invites me for a party, I am not attending, I don’t care whose party it is”.

He remembered that he had classes that morning but he was not in the mood. School is where there might be reprisals and police arrests. He was not sure if the hall had security cameras and maybe he had been caught on one. This was the time he had to think faster and think well. He picked his phone to make a call and Wale answered almost immediately

”Hey Sting, how are you doing? I hope you are fine today”. His reply was not with as much energy as the question.

“I am fine I guess. Just shaken up”

 “Shaken up? Did anything happen after I dropped you off?”

“No man but I am scared, the police might be on our trails and the Royals might even be planning an attack.  I don’t think I can come to school today”

Wale answered with a cool voice. “It has been settled. The police are keeping this quiet as the elections are close. We contacted those flea bags Royals and told them that any attempt to even look at a Skull  sideways will result in an all out war and besides, with the number of men and ammunition they lost last night, they won’t even want to try it. Go about your normal business without worry but keep the gun I gave you save and hidden”.

“Okay man, I will be in school then”.

He reluctantly went to the bathroom and took his bath. Throughout the process of preparing for school, he wondered if the event of last night would just be swept under the rug, forgotten or would there be a backlash?

He took the gun from under his mattress and hid it inside his television set.

“No one will think of looking in there” he thought and he went out his door and off to school.

As he walked the 15 minutes journey to the bus-stop, he could not help but look at the faces of everyone he met on the way and he was scared. He kept thinking someone might recognize him from the club and point him out.

He got to the bus-stop and it felt like everyone was looking at him and he felt uneasy. After waiting 10 minutes for the bus a police patrol truck passed by, Sunday almost froze on the spot as his conscience kept going off and his imagination went wild. The patrol truck stopped in front of him and he almost ran when he saw that they actually stopped to pick up some bean cake on the road side and did not him. He wished he could just travel back home until this wind blew off and he felt safe again but lectures can’t be ignored like that, he had already gone for a week and asking Tayo to do his tests and assignments for him would almost be asking too much so he sucked it in.

Finally, a bus came around and he boarded while looking at the faces of everyone in the bus to make sure he was not recognized before sitting down. He looked at the green wrist band and something told him to take it off but he did not. He saw how much respect the wrist band got him the first time he wore it and he wanted that respect again.

The bus pulled up to the school gate and everyone was told to come down by the school’s security corps as they were all searched. The guys were searched by male officers and the females by a female member. Sunday avoided eye contact with them so his eyes will not betray him and suspect that something is wrong. When they got to him, he was still wearing the wrist band. He wanted to take it off again but realised if they saw him do that suddenly, suspicions might arise and he would be in trouble. He was tapped down and his bag was thoroughly searched. They demanded for the identity cards of all of passengers and when they were satisfied, they were all told to get back in the bus and continue.

The bus pulled into the park on campus and everyone alighted, paid and went their way.

He was heading straight to his faculty when he heard someone called his name.

“Sunday how far na?”

He turned around to see two of his classmates walking towards him. They also stayed off campus.

Handshakes were exchanged and before Sunday could remember anything else, they were lost in a conversation about their crazy “fluid mechanics” lecturer and his crazy lectures. A couple of jokes too and he forgot all about the previous night.

By the time all three of them got to class, lectures had begun and they were 15 minutes late, luckily, the lecturer had not taken attendance and they quickly settled down at the back of the class.                                 

Stories of the clash hit the school that morning as some people who attended were the first to mention it at their hostels but the picture was not clear enough. All that was known in school was that there was a clash between two fraternities at a party held at a hall outside school premises. Different accounts were circulated and no one had an exact story. Everyone was just echoing what was told by the previous person. Of course, there were people who knew the truth, the members of the Skulls were briefed about what happened before and were told to be careful around them as there might be reprisal attacks from the Royals or the police might link them to incident and start making arrests. Whatever the situation was everyone should stay calm and not do anything sudden.

The Royals who had sustained the biggest loss in men and weapons could not do anything about it. The top members had been visited immediately by the police after the fight and brought in to explain what happened. Members of the Skulls were also present and the police commissioner who was not interested in seeing a full war had appealed to both parties to let it go. The Royals did not like the idea of being tossed around but with a lot of the people dead, a war against the Skulls was not a good idea, so they took it and licked their wounds.

The school authorities were also notified and they ordered that a search be conducted on everyone before entering the school premises to prevent anyone coming in with any type of weapon. The only people excluded were the agriculture students as they would use their cutlasses in the school farm and even they had to show their identity cards and sign some forms at the gate before they were allowed to bring them in.

A police patrol truck was parked at the gate with armed uniformed police men at the gate to watch out for any break down of security in any way. The policemen there had been told not to engage in a shootout but their presence was more of a show of force there as the commissioner had already met both parties and they had promise to be good.

At least for now.

(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 Sting - Chapter 5

It's been quite a week. Finally had the time to do some reading!

Chapter 5

Those words hit Bear hard. The Skulls don’t run but he realized he had to get out first. He got close to the guy in the dimly lit entrance and just we the Royal member looked back, he caught across the face with the butt of his gun. The guy dropped noiselessly to the floor.

Bear signaled to Sting and Wunmi to come and they were outside in seconds with Bear in front. Safe. He was wrong. There were two more outside; one was carrying a gun and the other a baseball bat. Immediately they saw Bear coming, the one with the gun raised it and fired.

He missed him.

Bear raised his and shot wildly at the one with the gun as he was the one posing the most danger. Three shots and he fell on the ground screaming in pains. The other one jumped towards Bear and wrestled him to the ground.

The gun was out of Bear’s hand now and they were rolling on the floor while the Royal members inside the hall ran towards the entrance to check what was happening.

Wunmi ran. She ran like she has never done, her shoes did not even hinder her and the thought that she might break her ankle did not occur to her, she just ran into the night and did not look back. She just wanted to get out of there, out of everything and she went screaming

Sting did not know what to do. He saw Bear shoot the guy but did not know if the guy was dead or not. But when he heard the screams, he knew the guy had been hit. When the other one jumped at bear and knocked the gun out of his hand, he thought about running back inside thinking there were more Royals outside but he saw that three Royals already coming his way. He thought of leaving Bear there but he could not bring himself to do that.

He then remembered the gun Bear gave him when they were coming into the hall to get Wunmi. He reached in to his jacket, pulled it out, stood at the entrance and started shooting at the Royals coming towards the entrance. He did not take aim as they were close, and they did not seem to see him.

 He squeezed the trigger about nine times as he could not control himself. He just shot wildly and randomly and before he knew it, the hall was filled with screams and gunshots. The sound of bullets hitting the door came from somewhere in the hall. Sting ducked and continued firing until the gun he held was empty.

Then he felt Bear pull him away and told him to run. He dropped the gun and did as commanded with Bear behind him.

At the car park where the remaining Skulls were gathered, waiting for Bear and Sting to return. They had heard the first three shots and moved to a spot closer to the hall waiting for Bear to give the signal. They knew he might be inside but trying to go save him would be dangerous and risky so they stood their grounds. The gunshots increased and they still waited patiently. But when they saw Wunmi’s insane run, they knew that had to act. They approached the hall, all 15 of them, guns drawn approaching the hall which seemed to have exploded into a barrage of gunshots. They increased their pace and when they saw the figures of Bear and Sting come towards them, they were relieved. But they also saw about 7 Royals after them. Those were easily taken care of as they did not know they were walking into a Skull Calvary.

Bear ran behind Sting not because he was slower but because he wanted to make sure Sting got to safety first. He looked up and saw an arrangement of people in front of him, instinctively his hand went to his waist and then he remembered that he had no gun on him, seeing as Sting slowed down he ran to catch up with him. A couple more meters ahead Bear recognized the people in front of him as his members, they had obviously heard the gunshots and decoded to come and save them. He heard them call to Sting who had run past them without the intention to stop. These are his people and Bear knew that with them all facing the Royals this would be easy.

He stopped when he got to them and the immediate superior threw a gun to him. In the darkness of the night, the desert eagle shone with a glistering darkness when it was thrown to him. His right hand reached out instinctively and caught it in mid-air; he turned and signaled to the others to spread out while he stood in the middle. The immediate superior was beside him as they marched towards the oncoming Royals who did not have a clue.

When they got close enough he did not have to give the order to shoot, they followed him now and they will do that to the death. That was their code and they lived and died by that code. He took his target in the dark and he fired. Not one but he kept firing. At the sound of the first shot from Bear, the others opened fire and did not spare their targets. Gunshots filled the air as the black night was lit up by sparks from the weapons they carried.

When the last of the Royals fell, the Skulls walked to where the bodies lay with their weapons drawn. Some of the victims were not dead yet and they were finished off. One of the Royals, obviously a leader, was arrogant about the situation and was demanding for his death. Bear gave him a swift death as he shot him twice in the head. Their weapons were picked and they turned around and headed towards the cars with Bear at the rear

………………………………….

Sting did not wait to look back when he ran past his mates in front of him. Rather he ran faster. This was not just fear but by then, he had lost his thought and only one thing ruled his brain and mind and that was to keep running. He ran beyond them and was past caring what was going to happen when the two enemies met. He was almost getting to where the cars were parked when he stopped, more because of fatigue than a sense of safety, also because beyond the cars was a thick bush which a calmer part of his brain told him would be stupid to go into as he could get lost or run into another ambush.

He stopped and looked back as he could make out images of the Skulls separating and spreading out, he did not know the reason but he ducked behind a lone tree there. It might be fool hearted to stay in the open in case a stray bullet came flying his way. Some seconds later, he heard the night give up its silence to another barrage of gunshots and screams for help. The gunshots continued but lost its intensity and were reduced to single shots.

He heard voices beg for their lives and he heard one particular voice asking to be “finished off”. After the voice begged, another shot and then silence. He then heard silent whispers and footsteps in his direction he spied Skull members walking towards him and he felt relieved as it seemed like the worst is over.

They walked past where Sting was hiding and Bear saw him stand up from behind the tree as he joined them. Sting could not recognize their faces but one feeling came on him. He belongs to a group that will do anything for him, killing included. Bear walked up to Sting and patted his back. He tried. Someone else would have left him there and ran away and he is probably the reason a large population of them is leaving this party alive right now, he reasoned to himself.

They arrived to where the cars were parked and each of the guns they held and collected where hidden in the trunks of their cars. Sting found Wunmi and Tope hiding inside the bush not far from the park and he told them it was all right now and it was safe to go home. When Sting came back with the girls, Bear was in a conversation with another member but on seeing him they broke it up with a handshake and got into the driver’s seat of his car while Sting got in beside him and the still shaking girls got into the back seat. As Bear dropped Sting home last, he followed him to his door.

“Thanks Sunday, you saved me today and I will never forget it”.

Sting looked back at the older guy and shook his head.

“No bro, you saved me first, I was just returning the favor. I guess this is what happens when you are with the skulls, you watch out for one another. It’s Sting by the way, not Sunday.

With that, he entered his house and went to sleep.

(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 IMSU Diary - 4

Suspicious...... Serious sociological students studying at love garden? Okay oo!! Hope those guys don't have any agenda on their mind though. Lets cross our fingers and keep watching, hehehe.

And what do you know! Female students doing what they does best. Gisting/Gossiping/Gbeborun (G Power!). It would be wisest not to interfere in these 'study' sessions! Just minding my own business.

-Chimezie

(to be continued)...

To Get Or Not To Get A Crystal Ball?

I wake up every day not knowing what it holds but I go on with my plans with the conjured premonition that it will be good and back to my bed for the night.

My meeting with A which was on the schedule and not too noteworthy proved to be the opposite. After getting over the rude shock I realised it was a blessing in disguise. Not exactly the way I'd hoped but I guess I don't have a say in how these things play out.

You know that dry month spell, when you've reached your budget spend or saving up for something, you walk into a mall and all the clothes and shoes on display are exactly what you've been looking for your whole life! You then have all this cash to throw away, head back to those stores to pick up these treasures only to find that on closer look you hate them? Yup, it’s one of those frustrating things but nothing wrong with having the cash though. 

It's like a superhero who has a power, like knowing how to tell when others are in danger, but can't tell when  he's the one in danger. Tsk! 

Sometimes, I wish Life gave us a monthly review of what to expect so that we can be better prepared to have the rug pulled from underneath us. Come to think of it, I wish God gave out report cards so I could see where I'm trumping and where I'm not. When it's not a matter of life and death then living for the moment and surprises can be a welcome in fact.

It is funny how easily I make decisions when it’s a crucial moment. It’s all about what is necessary, everything else is an accessory. Makes me wonder why I couldn't see the essentials earlier till this moment. I guess that's a way to view unforeseen situations just go ahead with the necessary and get the job done.

The Sting - Chapter 4

Chapter 4

The music was still blaring out from the speakers at the highest volume and most part of the hall might not have heard the gunshot but that did not mean they did not know what was going on as the usual commotion associated with gunshots took over. The first scream, panic, then people running at the same time, tumbling over bottles on the floor, the massive crash of human bodies to the floor not to mention chairs getting in the way leading to more people hitting the ground faster than anyone could have thrown them.

At the other end, those who did not hear the gunshot or probably thought the noise was from something else stood, looking ahead to figure out what was causing all the commotion. Some strong hearted ones even attempted to walk in the direction of the commotion to see if it is a fight they can pacify so as not to spoil the fun while those who are not so strong at heart just looked on and tried to figure out what could be causing the ruckus when another gun went off in another corner.

At this point, it was clear as day what was happening. Clear to all that there was either a gun fight or someone in the hall was getting killed.

Another gunshot. But this time, it was not met with the same reaction as the first group as some made for the windows, some for the exits and some just decided to lie face down on the floor wishing to be spared.

At the time Bear grabbed Wunmi’s hand and made for the door without uttering a word. Sunday followed behind him when the gunshots started. The first jolted Sunday right into his pants as he ran in the direction everyone went and lost contact with Bear. Bear on the other hand was not new to this and he was not about to let himself be intimidated by his enemies so still clutching Wunmi’s hand, he looked back, and held her head down. He turned around hoping to see Sunday behind him but he was gone. Bear spotted him run in one direction, he was hard to miss.

He thought of leaving him behind and going out with just Wunmi but what will be said that him, an Elder leaving behind a recruit he introduced and was handling at the mercy of the enemy so he grabbed Wunmi who was scared beyond words, still holding her head down and went after Sunday.

Sunday found it difficult to wade through the population. It was a filled hall and everyone trying to get out of it at the same time can’t be easy at all. The thought that he was there with Bear did not cross his mind. He just wanted to go out. The bravery he had to walk back and tell Bear about what he saw was gone; it fizzled out the moment the first gun went off. This was way beyond him and nobody prepared him for this. His mind was going wild with just one thing going through it which was to run, find an entrance/exit and get the hell out of there and keep running. As he ran his mind was still filled with survival when some guy in black suddenly stopped him.

“What is going on?”

Questions better left unanswered. He did not even have the thought to answer; he just kept struggling, trying to make head way from the shots. He looked back and saw the guy go in the direction he was coming from.

He shook his head; some people just have death wishes.

Bear still clinging onto Wunmi who by now was sobbing loudly headed for Sunday. He was big so it was easy for him to shove people out of his way and the fact that he had the strength was also working. He kept moving people off with one hand and the other hand was holding Wunmi whose brain has registered a couple of things. The place was not safe anymore, she had to get out or do something and Bear was there to save her. He tucked her head down once again which meant her head should stay down and follow him wherever he pulls her to. Not much thinking was going on in her head but that was the panic message her brain was sending to her.

She followed him without even stopping just like the proverbial sheep going to the slaughter house. While Sunday just kept going.

When Bear heard the second shot, the hand he was using to shove people out of his way went to one place alone. Underneath his jacket. He had kept a gun there and with the way things are going in this room, he might need it if he intends to walk out alive with Wunmi and Sunday.

He looked up and did not see Sunday ahead of him, he panicked, the thought of Sunday lying down in blood went through his head but he thought against it when he saw the Royal member standing on the chair. They were still making an introduction to get people in the mood. To make them fear.

Fear was something he knew about and dealt in. He had done things like this too so it did not really matter to him; he knew he still had some time before they started looking for all the Skulls in the hall. He was sure of it.

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

When the second gun went off, Sunday was still trying to get away but this time it seemed like the gun went off in front of him. He looked up and saw the shooter, short and bulky but he could move. The shooter had jumped on top of the nearest chair and was shouting some commands. His voice was drowned by the music coming from a nearby speaker. Sunday ducked behind a table and thought to himself, “Shit this is getting serious. What am I doing here?”

He remembered that there was still one entrance left and the thought to make for it came to his head but his legs will not move. He was shocked and scared. He was in despair and panic was setting in. The mood all around him was not helping at all as everyone was either running around or lying face down.

He thought of lying down but he was not that person. He had to leave here right now not just because of the guns going off, but because he knows what the shooters have in mind and the scary bit dawned on him. He was a target.

This did not help his fear at all. What will he do?

What if they know he is a member of the Skulls?

What will be his fate?

These thoughts plagued his mind and did not get him thinking straight. He was still lost in these thoughts when a firm strong hand gripped him like a vice!

Bear spotted Sunday sitting on the floor doing a good job of staying out of sight but a bad job of trying to survive. He walked up to him and grabbed him.

Sunday jumped and looked at him scared. His face had turned white and his eyes had lost color which Bear could not miss. If not for the situation, it would have been a perfect Kodak moment but such thoughts can’t be given prominence now. The third gun went off with Bear kneeling in front of Sunday. Wunmi was beside him lost in some land far away.

The music from the speakers stopped as the DJ turned it off and started to pack his equipment into his bags. He was familiar with this university and their usual fraternity fights. There was always a rule to respect the DJ but when bullets start flying around, it is better to be safe than dwell on something that might not happen.

Bear motioned to Sunday to follow him and this time, he brought out his gun from his jacket. The gun was silver and the steel shone in the lights of the hall. He put the gun and his hand under his shirt; no need to show everyone what he carrying. It will only come to use when he needs the situation gets insane. To him, the situation was still in control.

Sunday tried to understand what Bear was trying to say but his brain could not focus and when he saw the gun in Bear’s hand, some parts of his senses came back.

Bear got tired of that means of communicating with his hands and said “Come with me”.

Sunday’s eyes betrayed a lack of trust as he swallowed hard.

“Come with me or else you are a dead Skull”

The thought of him dead ran through his whole body and pumped adrenaline back into his system. He nodded at Bear in acknowledgement who looked at him again just to be sure before he turned and moved in the direction where the third gunshot came from.

Bear thought to himself. “This is crazy”  but he realized that if they blocked all three entrances, and he had no way out, he might not be able to shoot his way through and he was not sure if the members outside might try to shoot their way inside the hall. It would be too messy.

He had only one chance and that was to get out and once outside, well, this can really go anyway. He was still holding on to Wunmi who was lost in some world and he preferred it like that. It was better than her freezing off or being hysterical. This was better; she should just shut up and follow. Sunday was behind him now. His only wish is that he does not cower again and run off. He might just leave him behind.

Sunday found himself following Bear for reasons he did not know. He just knew this guy had a plan and he had to go with it. As long as it was still good that is.

A voice called from the center of the hall, “We are looking for the Skulls. Anyone know where they are?”

Bear got near the entrance and noticed that it was guarded by one guy in purple. He looked around and saw that others in the club were either lying down or being slapped and hit by the guys with guns. They were also beginning to shine torches at people’s faces looking for their enemies. This was his moment and he had to take it now.

He released Wunmi’s hand and faced Sunday. “You are Sting, a member of the Skulls. You need to start acting like one. He ordered quietly. “Watch her; let me try to move this guy out of our way”.

He snuck up on the guy at the door who was distracted by his other friends checking the faces of those in the hall.

A voice yelled angrily, “Where are the Skulls? I know they are here, or did they realize that they are not strong enough and have run away?”

(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)