Chapter 10 - The Drawn Line

We had a short break by 11:00am when we could buy snacks from the Tuck Shop but we had to sign out part of pocket money from the Cashier first. Then we had Lunch break by 1:30pm and we learned till 3:30pm when we closed with a brief devotion led by the Chapel Prefect.

It was now time to return to the Hostel. My heart began to beat fast again, I was scared. I could do anything not to return to the Hostel.

Tolu and I walked to the Hostel with our hands linked. We spoke no words but our hearts spoke the same thing; We feared the unknown in the Hostel.

"Tolulope Adediji!!" A voice called out.

Not Again!

We turned to see Senior Ima.

"Good Afternoon Senior" We greeted.

She stretched out her hand to Tolu.

"Let's go" She said then clutched unto Tolu's hand firmly.

Tolu waved me because Senior Ima pulled her along. Senior Ima always walked Briskly so in no time, they were out of sight.

"Avoid that girl before she drags you into trouble"

A girl said as she caught up with me and held unto my upper arm like we were friends or something.

It was Alexandria, she was in my arm, JSS1 Tulip. In fact she sat just beside me in class. I noticed that she had tried to start a conversation with me different times but I wasn't interested. Don't get me wrong, I just had a lot on my mind.

I didn't respond to what she said and her hand still bothered me. I tried to shake it off nicely but she was hell bent on keeping it linked to mine.

"If the Seniors mark you as her friend, you won't like yourself."

Who did this Alexandria think she was? My Mother?

"I'm in Hostel 9 also and I've heard things. I stay at Tolu's wing."

She continued.

"So what do you now want me to do?!!" I asked rudely.

Aproko!

She didn't say anything. Then she spoke up again.

"Will you come out for Prep?"

"Do I have a choice?!" I barked

"Okay" She said.

I didn't respond. I had bigger problems like My bunk mate and Tolu's safety.

Just then every Student began to run. I was confused. I didn't hear any Prefect count or chase us. My heart began to beat faster.

That was when I saw Senior Odinaka, the Punctuality Prefect running angrily towards the Hostel Gate.

Then I got the memo, if she got to the gate before us, we were in soup!

I ran as fast as I could after brushing off Alexandria's hand. I didn't know what exactly would happen if she got there and I didn't want to know.

Unfortunately, she got there before I did and closed the Hostel Gate immediately.

"All of you are mad!!!!!

All of you are mad!!!!!

But I'll show you that na me crase pass!

In fact, start by kneeling down!!"

I knelt down along with everybody as I sobbed. I was scared, I didn't want to be here.

Why didn't I try to walk with Senior Ima and Tolu?

Some Senior Students opened the gate and went into the Hostel and Senior Odinaka said nothing. I presumed that they were her classmates. Some stood beside her smiling like they had just caught a very big fish. Well, of course they had, we were about 200 students kneeling down.

"All of you are high on cheap weed!!!

So because nobody was counting, you girls decided to stroll to the Hostel right?

You don't know it's Siesta time. You think it's time to stroll?

By the time I'm done with you girls, your brain will reset.

Crawl into two straight lines Now!!" She ordered.

We immediately began to form the lines.

She continued,

"After palming you girls, you will not try this rubbish again"

I sobbed even more.

Which one was palming again?

The Seniors began to use their two hands joined together to slap those kneeling down on their backs. This made a loud thudding sound. I began to cry more and it wasn't even my turn yet.

*****

"Good Afternoon Senior Irene" I greeted as I got into the corner.

I tried to hide the fact that I had been crying. The Senior palmed me two extra times because I shook and it was very painful.

She didn't respond. She was taking off her Uniform. I did the same and climbed my bed.

Senior Kechi was already asleep along with her bunk mate who was my side mate.

I closed my eyes and tried to sleep. At least that was a little way of escape. Sadness and fear was all I could feel.

"Get down and fetch me water from the Dispenser" My Bunk mate ordered as she used her leg to push my foam from beneath.

I climbed down immediately and she handed me her Cup, it was glass and fancy. As I walked out of the door, I peeped at Tolu's corner.

She wasn't there!

*****

It was 5:30pm and Laundry time which was leisure time for most of the Students. This was because we were to send in our clothes to the Laundry rooms situated behind each Hostel where the workers would spin the clothes and return it to us later in the day.

I was sad and alone, Tolu was nowhere to be found. I missed my Parents even more.

The Hostel was pretty noisy. This was the time that students were free to do whatever they wanted to. The Prefects didn't have any reason to punish, chase or exert their power in any crazy way because we weren't supposed to be doing anything now.

Some students continued sleeping while others shared themselves into groups and discussed, laughing loudly from time to time. Even the Prefects took part in the leisure. It was a peaceful moment in the school.

Or not.

I heard some people shouting outside. It seemed like a quarrel so I came down from Tolu's bed where I had been awaiting her return. I went to the front of my Hostel and I noticed that I wasn't the only one attracted by the noise as people trooped out too.

"I say if you try me Ehn.... I go change am for you!!!

You dey hear me so??!!

I go change am for you!!!

See ehn, nothing Senior Prefect fit do!!

So just use your brain!!"

Senior Hannah, the Labour Prefect screamed in her indigenous Warri tongue.

Warri people and the mentality that they are the smartest and can never carry last sha. It was in all of them. I would know, My dad's elder sister married a man from Warri so I have a bunch of cousins from there. But what was my own? I enjoyed their Vernacular, it was too fleek.

I tried to overlook her Warri aura, she was over-doing it. When did Vernacular even become acceptable in this school? The same Prefects that warned us about it used it frequently. But that was by the way.

What was in the way now was that it was Tolu she was shouting at.

"Hannah!!!

Let us stop embarrassing ourselves. I swear on my late mother's grave, this girl is not scrubbing that gutter ever again!!

This madness must stop!!" The Senior Prefect, Senior Ima screamed at Senior Hannah, the Labour Prefect.

This must have been hot. Senior Ima had her hair scattered and she was still on her Uniform. Her shirt not tucked into her skirt and not buttoned completely.

Some Seniors tried to calm the Senior Prefect down while others screamed at her asking her if she was the boss of them.

She still held unto Tolu's hand firmly.

Senior Hannah then moved back to her, pointing her finger in her face,

"Then this battle line has been drawn Imabong

You dey hear me so?" she said in a low scary tone.

More than ever, I began to fear the unknown...