Chapter 7: The Threat.

Students filled the hallway. Eventually four other students entered my classroom and took their seats, three boys and a girl.

They spoke with each other in whispers while giving me a strange look.

In my former school, kids were mostly wound up at the start of a class, boisterous, making it tough for the teacher to get everyone settled down. Not so here.

Nobody acted out. Or funny. They look very orderly and coordinated.

A small stature man with a dark complexion walked into class and closed the door behind him. The man glanced my way, walked to a cabinet, and withdrew a tablet computer. He laid it on my desk.

"My name is Mr. Akpan, the academy's math teacher," he said in a heavy Calabar accent which really made me concentrate because I had trouble understanding.

He spelled his name on the white

board for me.

"This is Algebra class. The tablet is all yours, Phood, while you remain a student here. Use it to take notes and also to access the academy apps and Web site where you will find assignments and students e-books."

Was he kidding me? A new tablet computer for every student to use? My old school was lucky to have one old obsolete desk top computer in the back of each room.

"Class, this is Phood, as in 'PH' not 'F' " He cleared and continued. "But his real name is Runso, but he prefered being called Phood. I'm sure you will make him feel welcome."

The kids all looked at me expressionless.

"Today we have a quiz," Mr. Akpan proclaimed. To me, he said, "You'll take the quiz, too. I realize this is your first day, but the results will help me evaluate what you have already learned in comparison with the rest of the class."

Right.

To me, it seems this class was likely far ahead of anything I had been taught.

He took his tablet on his desk and tap in few things on it.

"You may begin, you time starts now!" he said.

I sat there feeling stupid. Where was the quiz?

Glancing around, I noticed the kids tapping on their tablets. Mr. Akpan came to my side.

"The entire school curriculum, including quizzes, tests, assignments and exams are accessed from the academy's app or websites on this tab"

He took a few minutes to show me how to navigate the device and find the quiz.

I thanked him and began reading over the

questions. To my surprise, I realized that I had already mastered everything on this quiz. It consisted of ten simple problems involving the solving for X given Y and the slope of a line. It took no time for me to finish the task, and I hit the "submit"

button.

While waiting for the rest of the class to finish, I glanced around the room, trying not to appear obvious about it. The other kids all wore one golden diamond over their left breast except for the boy directly beside me. Like me, he had no diamond. A level zero. A nothing, according to Ekaiteh.

Did that mean he was also a new student?

I carefully Giraffe my neck to get a look at the label on his tablet. It spelt, Ebube. He gazed straight ahead, unblinking, as if in a trance. Brown eyes and nicely trimmed dark hair. He was stocky, but not fat. Just big boned and looks strong and chocolate in complexion. I must admit as a guy that he was handsome.

Zooming my Sneaking at Ebube's tablet, I noticed that it still remained activated and still on quiz question number one.

"Three minutes more to hit the submit button," Mr. Akpan said.

Why didn't Ebube proceed with the quiz? Was he really stuck on that question?

(3 minutes later)

"Time's up." Akpan announced. He punch some random things on his tablet and all the tablets went blank from the quiz interface to menu.

The rest of the class period, we worked on

variations of the quadratic equation. The teacher gave us a homework assignment just as the bell rang for lunch.

Everyone left in an orderly manner. Ebube legged out of the room, the last one to leave besides me. His posture was horrible, all bent over like someone who had been mobbed.

Ekaiteh waited for me at the door. "Let's go, pupil."

This girl is getting on my nerve. I've told her the ninety-nineth time to stop calling me pupil.

She led me downstairs to the cafeteria, a dining area filled with three rows of four tables. Four seats to a table.

Ekaiteh and I went through the line

together, three elderly ladies wearing hairnets served us from behind a stainless-steel counter.

Fried chicken, coke or milk, make your choice. The arena smelled delicious. We left the line, and I followed Ekaiteh while carrying my tray. She sat at a table of older kids, all of them wearing three or four golden diamonds. I was about to sit beside her.......

"What do you think you're doing, pupil," she said in a nasty tone.

I froze.

"These are my friends and Class," she said.

"You beta go find your level, delete!."

The statement reminded of my former school, I wasn't good enough to sit with the cool richer kids.

All of the other kids were bunched up making conversation. No matter where I sat, it looks like I was intruding. I seemed like an Alien.

I even saw a small group of no

diamonds gathered together, but they wouldn't even look at me when I approached, or say 'hello'. What was this? Is everyone here nut? Some sort of initiation ritual?. I imagined.

Fine. I'll sit by myself. Me alone. I decided.

It was then that I noticed Ebube sitting at a table by himself. Isolated.

Nice.

I took a seat directly across from him and attacked my fried chicken and coke without saying a word.

When done, I used a sheet of serviette to

wipe my lips, then another to wipe my face.

Ebube ate like a robot.

Fork to chicken, chicken to mouth. Like he was afraid the chicken might come back to life.

I drained my soft drink down my throat.

"Minus two," I said.

Ebube shot me a quick glance before retuning his gaze to the tabletop.

"The answer to the first quiz question. In algebra."

"I know that." Ebube said. Those were the first words I heard him utter.

"Ekaiteh tells me that we can eat as much as we want here without remaining, wasting or takeaway."

He just nodded like an Agama Lizard.

"I'm going back for some more chicken.

Coming with me?" I said.

I heard him mumble, "No."

"Suit yourself man." I got up and returned to the serving line with my tray.

The woman serving the chicken gave my a 'hungry man' look. I shot her a 'mind your business' stare back.

On my way back, Ekaiteh stood in the aisle and blocked my way. "Listen to me, Runso."

Her using my real name for the first time both pleased and rattled me because I knew at that instant she was upto no good.

"That boy is bad news," she went on. "Big time bad news. Stay away from him."

"Get out of my way. You had your chance to sit with me so as to tell me about it, but you downgraded me." I replied and stepped around her and took my seat again across from Ebube.

Deciding to get right down to it, I started in on him. "My name's Phood. It's my first day. The kids around here seem a bit harsh with JJCs(new commers). It would be nice to talk with someone."

I paused.

"Maybe I could talk to you."

Ebube met my gaze. In a monotone mumble he said, "Maybe I don't feel like talking."

The kid's attitude reminded me a lot of my

brother, Ayo. "All right, since you won't talk, I will."

For the next ten minutes I uploaded on him the chronological blow by blow of my family, what had happened at my old

school, the court and how I managed to end up here.

It felt as if I were talking to myself in a mirror.

Ebube listened attentively but said nothing.

Looking at my tray, I realized I wasn't hungry anymore. I picked up the remains of the chicken. Hence they said there is no wastage, I wrapped it in a serviette and pocketed it, also ignoring the no takeaway rules. Not even minding the cameras hanging at the four corners of the dinning. "

" what did you think about what I just did? " I asked.

Ebube said nothing.

I sighed. "okay. I've tried."

I stood and got ready to submit my tray.

"Phood" I heard my name. It took me a moment to realize that Ebube had said it. He was looking straight at me now. When I looked into his eyes, I saw despair. I recognized it as the same look I saw in Mom's eyes in the court-room the other day.

Something else, too. A hunger. A longing. Like the poor kid desperately needed a hug, to unburden his mind.

"Can't drink this without a straw," he said and pointed to the milk drink in front of him on the table.

"Right." I glanced at my used straw on my tray. "Let me get you a clean one."

"Don't bother, I'll just use yours," he said and reached out his hand.

I felt a little grossed out that he'd want to use my straw but handed it over anyway.

When done, Ebube pushed away the empty tray and laid one of his hands over his belly.

I tensed. "What's Wrong."

"Sugars don't agree with me, I do force it at times" he mumbled.

Ebube's eyes puffed up and tears rolled down his cheek. He wiped the tears with the back of his hand.

I hated people crying. It makes my insides melt like a wax.

"I will walk with you to the infirmary." As a

Support gesture, I curved my palm atop his wrist.

As soon as I touched him, Ebube yanked his hand away. Eyes going wide, he rocketed from the chair with such a force that it flew out from behind him.

Ebube's face turned pale, and he put one hand on each side of his face as if trying to squeez his head. Then he unleashed a pig like scream.

I Swear, I never heard anything like that scream in my entire life.

"What's wrong Ebube?"

Next thing I knew, I felt something like jaws clamp down on my forearm.

Ekaiteh, She had me in a death grip and began pulling me away from Ebube.

My ears hurt from Ebube's screams, and my arm hurt from Ekaiteh's grip. Dr. Dogonyaro had been right when he told me to never underestimate the fierceness of girls. This girl's grip was like iron man's grip.

Ekaiteh hauled me to a far corner of the cafeteria and yelled at me. "Your Papaaa!. I no warn you about that boy?! ... Shey you deaf?! " She pidgined her English.

"What's wrong with him?" I yelled back at her, rubbing the spot on my arm where she had grabbed me.

"He's a sleeping Cobra and you just woke him" She pointed at her chest. "Tm your mentor and am responsible for you. If this incident gets me into trouble or reduce my diamond, I swear I'll remove all your brown thirty-two."

I turned my attention back to Ebube. Mr. black Porter and two heavily loaded security personnel appeared out of nowhere and circled him.

Three huge men on one kid. The

guards grabbed Ebube from behind, and he elbowed one of them in the eye.

Bad for him. But didn't give up.

They soon had Ebube down on the floor and to my horror, one of them stuck him in the arm with something I suspect was a tranquilizing injection.

"What are they doing to him?" I panicked.

Ekaiteh's lips formed a straight line, and she just shook her head.

Ebube went limp in the space of five seconds. Each of the guards grabbed an

arm and dragged him away. While blackie trailed behind them like king Kong.

"To hell with this," I said. I looked straight at one of the ceiling mounted camera. "To hell with all of you here!."

Ekaiteh 's lower jaw quivered. She looked like she was going to give me a heavy punch.

I started toward the staircase intending to escape to my room. Not watching where I walked, I stumbled into Mr. Dogonyaro' s chest. I Bounced right off of him.

"oops! Sorry Sir" I said, startled.

"You're making quite an impression on your first day" he said. Then his voice grew low and cold. I see fury in his eyes.

"Follow me to my office. Now." he ordered. Beckoning to Ekaiteh, Dogonyaro said, "You, too."