Ivan Livinus 1 year ago

@Ivee 5 min read Write a comment #short-stories

Kagwo (the Mediator) Ep4

Kagwo is a village boy who's taken to a school in town to register for SSCE, a secondary school where cultists operate freely because both the school authority and the students are scared of facing them. Single-handedly, Kagwo decided to stand out to face the cultists squarely. This story is written from the actor's point of view.

"You heard what? What happened?" I asked. "That you and Don C with his boys fought yesterday. How did you escape them?" He asked. I became shocked. How did he know about it? I didn't expect anybody saw us at that time. So, who told him about the fight? I don't know. "Hmm, they attacked me, and it's only God that saved me o. So, where is Chabe?" I asked. "I have not seen him. Is like he's not in school for now". He said. We were talking; I heard someone shout my name from my back. "Hey, is this Kagwo I am seeing?" I turned and looked back; it was Nzome and her friend. "Nzome. So... Ah ah, are you in this school?" I asked. "I should be asking you that question. You didn't tell me you were schooling here..." She laughed. "Awww, I am happy to see you again." She said. "Happy to see you too," I replied. The timekeeper now rang the bell for assembly. "Oh, it's time for assembly o," I said. "O yes. Please, we shall talk later. What class are you in?" Nzome asked. "SS2," I replied. "Oh, my senior." We laughed... "Everybody run to the assembly before I count five, or you'll be in my pot of soup." Said one of the seniors.********************

Chabe didn't come to school that day. After we had been dismissed from school, George and I decided to go to Chabe's house to go and see him. Nzome also followed us. It's actually a normal thing we do as friends; once one of us doesn't show up in school, we'll follow him to his house after school in case he has a health challenge, then we'll now dispatch him to our houses. Reaching Chabe's house, we met his mum seated outside their parlor, at the passage beside the parlor's window. "Good afternoon, ma!" We chorused. "Afternoon, my children. You're welcome!" "Thank you, ma!" We replied. "Ma, is Chabe at home?" Asked George. "Yes"... She turned and peeped through the window. "Look at him lying down there." She said. We turned and looked at each other. "Is he alright? Because we didn't see him in school today," I asked. "He has been sick. He woke up this morning with a headache, and he has vomited like three times now. We went to the hospital, and they said it's malaria." She said. Weak in her voice.

Chabe's mother is the type that speaks slowly and carefully, like a professor in an English class. We moved inside the parlor and saw Chabe lying down on a mat. He wasn't sleeping, actually. "Chabe, how are you feeling now?" Asked George. "Hmm, I am feeling better o." He replied, stretching his body. "Ah ah, why you allow this malaria of a thing enters you sef, you no-knock am commot your body? Asked George teasingly. "See this one, o. You, why did you allow that sickness to enter you the other day?..." I asked." Why you no-knock am commot your body that day?...

"But for me, I went to school that day now, at least I shook the sickness off my body before we dismissed from school that day, but him, he's still lying down and shivering here like one old papa that has been sick for three months. Look at him..." "You're an idiot," I replied George. We laughed. George is actually a kind of funny person, too comical. "Sorry, dear. Don't mind these crazy friends of yours. We pray you get up soon and shake malaria off your body." Said Nzome. "We are now crazy, abi? After insulting people, you come dey pray, do you think God would answer your prayer". Said, George. We laughed...*******************

It's 6 PM; Don C is seated under a tree in their compound with a broken left arm; he sighted one of his guys coming... "Crusher man! D only man that can crush and squeeze water out of any mugu wey, go wan cross him path!!!"... The guy continued hailing until he reached where Don C was seated." How far, Pupa." Said Don C. Pupa, the guy's name. "Anything for the boss?" "Boss, the rotten egg in the bottle has broken and is smelling bad inside." Said the guy, speaking in code. Don C looked at him. "Smelling bad; open the bottle, let me perceive the odor." Said Don C, speaking in code too...

To Be Continued...