oaths ep 1-2
Episode 1&2
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In less than three weeks, four death-related cases had been confirmed again, making it altogether six premature deaths for the whole month. Unilorin wasn’t getting safe anymore, neither were the students.
The rivalry between gangs and various cult groups placed many in danger. People no longer felt safe during day-time anymore, talk more of at night. Most people even boycotted classes and lectures just to avoid stories that touch.
However, so far so good, none of the impending danger and chaos of the school seemed to affect me. I stayed off campus alone by myself, until Miracle, my friend and course mate, decided to join me over. She was visibly terrified and scared like I was but didn’t show it out much. I admired her confidence.
Nevertheless, in as much as I did fancy and enjoy her company with me, it also brought in more disturbance and an awful bearing of pressure from her friends who became aware of her stay with me. They wanted using that opportunity as an advantage to themselves, to persuade her into convincing me towards making out space for them to move in, but I always declined; due to the fact that the room was small and already crumpled up. Taking more people in would mean forfeiting my own convenience and privacy to satisfy others. I wasn’t willing to do that, not yet, at least.
Also judging from the type of lifestyle I lived, most people would normally say I act too reserved like a Jew-man who knows nothing, probably because I didn’t keep friends and associate more socially like my peer. Some considered it pride. Some said it’s low self-esteem. Some even went further to say it’s probably religion taking its toll on me, just for being an introvert. To show you how funny people could get at times.
However, be it as it may, I specially enjoyed the criticism and sceptical buzz they made. It made me feel special in a kind of way.
After all, I was in my mid-twenties; old enough to make choices of my own. I rarely used make-up. I avoided dressing extravagantly. I also avoided being too lavish and pompous unnecessarily. Yet, people still talk.
I wasn’t holy, neither was I pure. But I liked being neutral! In other words, I loved being natural.
I took after my father’s height. I was tall, but not too tall like he was. Likewise my late mother’s chocolate skin complexion. I was a complete replica of her in many ways. One would mistakenly take us as sisters on a normal day if care wasn’t taken. She looked so young and vibrant and was very healthy that, in fact, I never predicted her dying any time soon. It just happened.
She slept and didn’t wake up again, just like that. Since then, I ceased faith in God. He never existed to me.
That was years ago.
In less than a week, the third semester examination was to begin. I began getting prepared little by little by taking study sessions with Mimi when she wasn’t occupied. Or most times, I just spent time in the library alone.
We used to have a group study session at night in the Lecture Hall before, where majority of students do gather and click heads together to brainstorm. Everything changed since the recent slaughter here and there in the school. Nobody had the guts to show up again.
On a particular day, almost at dusk in the evening, I had returned home from the library with some chips and noodles which I got on my way. I was very famished and tired. I met Mimi sprawled up on the bed with books scattered all over. She didn’t seem to notice me enter, as she seemed too engrossed with whoever it was she talked with on the line. I just shrugged and made my way to the shower for a bath.
After that, I changed into bum-shorts and a casual T-shirt then proceeded to the kitchen to cook. It wasn’t that much big of a kitchen though, but it served us good. It was convenient.
I placed a pot of water on fire and took out the basin where we stored food items into to take out onions, but there wasn’t any. It was empty. I then checked the cupboard too but didn’t still find any.
“Did you use the last onion here?” I echoed from the kitchen to Miracle, but she didn’t respond.
“Did you use the last onion?” I repeated.
“What?” She answered.
“I said did you use the last onion here?”
“I can’t hear you. Speak louder!”
I didn’t respond again. Instead, I grabbed my purse and took the back door to the passageway which led to the streets.
The atmosphere was pitch black and dark. I had barely walked half a kilometre when three flashlights suddenly beamed upon me from different angles.
.
.
.
In less than three weeks, four death-related cases had been confirmed again, making it altogether six premature deaths for the whole month. Unilorin wasn’t getting safe anymore, neither were the students.
The rivalry between gangs and various cult groups placed many in danger. People no longer felt safe during day-time anymore, talk more of at night. Most people even boycotted classes and lectures just to avoid stories that touch.
However, so far so good, none of the impending danger and chaos of the school seemed to affect me. I stayed off campus alone by myself, until Miracle, my friend and course mate, decided to join me over. She was visibly terrified and scared like I was but didn’t show it out much. I admired her confidence.
Nevertheless, in as much as I did fancy and enjoy her company with me, it also brought in more disturbance and an awful bearing of pressure from her friends who became aware of her stay with me. They wanted using that opportunity as an advantage to themselves, to persuade her into convincing me towards making out space for them to move in, but I always declined; due to the fact that the room was small and already crumpled up. Taking more people in would mean forfeiting my own convenience and privacy to satisfy others. I wasn’t willing to do that, not yet, at least.
Also judging from the type of lifestyle I lived, most people would normally say I act too reserved like a Jew-man who knows nothing, probably because I didn’t keep friends and associate more socially like my peer. Some considered it pride. Some said it’s low self-esteem. Some even went further to say it’s probably religion taking its toll on me, just for being an introvert. To show you how funny people could get at times.
However, be it as it may, I specially enjoyed the criticism and sceptical buzz they made. It made me feel special in a kind of way.
After all, I was in my mid-twenties; old enough to make choices of my own. I rarely used make-up. I avoided dressing extravagantly. I also avoided being too lavish and pompous unnecessarily. Yet, people still talk.
I wasn’t holy, neither was I pure. But I liked being neutral! In other words, I loved being natural.
I took after my father’s height. I was tall, but not too tall like he was. Likewise my late mother’s chocolate skin complexion. I was a complete replica of her in many ways. One would mistakenly take us as sisters on a normal day if care wasn’t taken. She looked so young and vibrant and was very healthy that, in fact, I never predicted her dying any time soon. It just happened.
She slept and didn’t wake up again, just like that. Since then, I ceased faith in God. He never existed to me.
That was years ago.
In less than a week, the third semester examination was to begin. I began getting prepared little by little by taking study sessions with Mimi when she wasn’t occupied. Or most times, I just spent time in the library alone.
We used to have a group study session at night in the Lecture Hall before, where majority of students do gather and click heads together to brainstorm. Everything changed since the recent slaughter here and there in the school. Nobody had the guts to show up again.
On a particular day, almost at dusk in the evening, I had returned home from the library with some chips and noodles which I got on my way. I was very famished and tired. I met Mimi sprawled up on the bed with books scattered all over. She didn’t seem to notice me enter, as she seemed too engrossed with whoever it was she talked with on the line. I just shrugged and made my way to the shower for a bath.
After that, I changed into bum-shorts and a casual T-shirt then proceeded to the kitchen to cook. It wasn’t that much big of a kitchen though, but it served us good. It was convenient.
I placed a pot of water on fire and took out the basin where we stored food items into to take out onions, but there wasn’t any. It was empty. I then checked the cupboard too but didn’t still find any.
“Did you use the last onion here?” I echoed from the kitchen to Miracle, but she didn’t respond.
“Did you use the last onion?” I repeated.
“What?” She answered.
“I said did you use the last onion here?”
“I can’t hear you. Speak louder!”
I didn’t respond again. Instead, I grabbed my purse and took the back door to the passageway which led to the streets.
The atmosphere was pitch black and dark. I had barely walked half a kilometre when three flashlights suddenly beamed upon me from different angles.
Episode 2
.
.
.
“Stop there!” I heard a voice beckon to me.
I wanted running but, on a second thought, I considered them being vigilantes. So I just stopped.
“Who you be?” The same voice drew nearer and flashed the torch to my face. I couldn’t answer.
“You deaf?” Another one asked fiercely. Yet I couldn’t respond.
“You think we are joking?” The first guy asked again in a more ferocious tempo. But I couldn’t still talk! I was too traumatized.
“Look,” a third voice came from nowhere, “it’s best you comply with us. We don’t want to hurt you, and we don’t intend to. But if you push us to, we will. Do you concur?”
I just nodded.
“That’s nice. So let’s start afresh! Who’re you?”
“I… I am Lydia,” I managed to speak up.
“Ly- What?”
“Lydia!” I repeated.
“Liar!” He cussed aloud and stomped his feet to the ground three times repeatedly. I became frightened. The other guys began laughing.
“You think you’re smart?” He asked.
I didn’t reply.
“You really think you’re smart?” He asked again, laughing this time. I became terrified.
“She no dey look face at all!” One of the guys said to another as they both cracked up.
“You see how they’re laughing at you? You could’ve simply said the truth, plain and simple; and maybe we’ll let you go. But you chose to lie. What do we do now?” He asked the other guys who gave him signs and inaudible whispers to his ears.
He stood transfixed for a while with his gaze placed on me, and then shook his head sardonically.
“Go home!” He muffled quietly.
“I… I need to get onions,” I heard myself say next.
“You said what?”
“I need onions. It’s why I’m out here.” I repeated.
He turned around and looked at me in a rather abrasive manner. His countenance changed all of a sudden.
“Don’t make me change my mind.”
He sounded stern! The look he had wasn’t inviting either. I just had to turn around and head back home.
“Where’ve you been?” Mimi questioned the moment I got in. She was eating one of the chips I brought back.
“Nowhere.” I responded.
“Nowhere?” She asked.
“Yes, nowhere,” I answered and made my way to the kitchen to put down the water and turn off the stove. I had lost appetite.
“Are you alright?” Mimi curiously asked as I returned to the parlour and made my bed to lie.
“I’m fine.”
“Are you sure, Fifi?” She asked again.
“Trust me, I’m fine.” I assured her. I didn’t want her aware of the presence of the cult guys in the area. She was fond of panicking unnecessarily.
“Alright, if you say so! Won’t you join me?” She stretched the plate full of chips to me. I declined and bade her good-night.
The next day, after lectures, something strange happened. A group of guys stood by a corner in a very heated argument. Suddenly, one out of them ran towards the cafeteria, grabbed a bottle and smashed it onto another’s head. It developed into a fight. When they eventually got separated, we were amazed to know that the cause of their brawl was of Football and nothing more.
I later got home and freshened up. Mimi wasn’t back yet. I made stew and a minimum quantity of rice for her, myself and my landlord’s daughters. They were the only friends and neighbours I had managed to maintain since I moved in.
Ijeoma was my favourite among them all. She was more mature and clever in attitude and habit. We were very close and it didn’t fail to show.
In fact, I did help her most times with her studies and preparation for Utme when I deemed it fit.
We all sat inside the compound’s premises talking and gisting as we ate when all of a sudden, a guy barged into the gate hurriedly with blood on his clothes.
Gunshots were being fired outside.
.
.
.
“Stop there!” I heard a voice beckon to me.
I wanted running but, on a second thought, I considered them being vigilantes. So I just stopped.
“Who you be?” The same voice drew nearer and flashed the torch to my face. I couldn’t answer.
“You deaf?” Another one asked fiercely. Yet I couldn’t respond.
“You think we are joking?” The first guy asked again in a more ferocious tempo. But I couldn’t still talk! I was too traumatized.
“Look,” a third voice came from nowhere, “it’s best you comply with us. We don’t want to hurt you, and we don’t intend to. But if you push us to, we will. Do you concur?”
I just nodded.
“That’s nice. So let’s start afresh! Who’re you?”
“I… I am Lydia,” I managed to speak up.
“Ly- What?”
“Lydia!” I repeated.
“Liar!” He cussed aloud and stomped his feet to the ground three times repeatedly. I became frightened. The other guys began laughing.
“You think you’re smart?” He asked.
I didn’t reply.
“You really think you’re smart?” He asked again, laughing this time. I became terrified.
“She no dey look face at all!” One of the guys said to another as they both cracked up.
“You see how they’re laughing at you? You could’ve simply said the truth, plain and simple; and maybe we’ll let you go. But you chose to lie. What do we do now?” He asked the other guys who gave him signs and inaudible whispers to his ears.
He stood transfixed for a while with his gaze placed on me, and then shook his head sardonically.
“Go home!” He muffled quietly.
“I… I need to get onions,” I heard myself say next.
“You said what?”
“I need onions. It’s why I’m out here.” I repeated.
He turned around and looked at me in a rather abrasive manner. His countenance changed all of a sudden.
“Don’t make me change my mind.”
He sounded stern! The look he had wasn’t inviting either. I just had to turn around and head back home.
“Where’ve you been?” Mimi questioned the moment I got in. She was eating one of the chips I brought back.
“Nowhere.” I responded.
“Nowhere?” She asked.
“Yes, nowhere,” I answered and made my way to the kitchen to put down the water and turn off the stove. I had lost appetite.
“Are you alright?” Mimi curiously asked as I returned to the parlour and made my bed to lie.
“I’m fine.”
“Are you sure, Fifi?” She asked again.
“Trust me, I’m fine.” I assured her. I didn’t want her aware of the presence of the cult guys in the area. She was fond of panicking unnecessarily.
“Alright, if you say so! Won’t you join me?” She stretched the plate full of chips to me. I declined and bade her good-night.
The next day, after lectures, something strange happened. A group of guys stood by a corner in a very heated argument. Suddenly, one out of them ran towards the cafeteria, grabbed a bottle and smashed it onto another’s head. It developed into a fight. When they eventually got separated, we were amazed to know that the cause of their brawl was of Football and nothing more.
I later got home and freshened up. Mimi wasn’t back yet. I made stew and a minimum quantity of rice for her, myself and my landlord’s daughters. They were the only friends and neighbours I had managed to maintain since I moved in.
Ijeoma was my favourite among them all. She was more mature and clever in attitude and habit. We were very close and it didn’t fail to show.
In fact, I did help her most times with her studies and preparation for Utme when I deemed it fit.
We all sat inside the compound’s premises talking and gisting as we ate when all of a sudden, a guy barged into the gate hurriedly with blood on his clothes.
Gunshots were being fired outside.
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