Chapter 3

The Fight, The Defeat

As Adrian and Martin were quarreling, Richard issued from the dormitory. The flap-flap sound of his brown sandals was only heard by the juniors as he dismounted from the steps. He was in his college’s hostel wears: blue trousers and white long-sleeves T-shirt, clean but not ironed. He was piling some text books under his arms—a real bookworm.

‘’Hey guys,’’ Richard’s hailed, gesturing widely like a rapper on a stage.

His hailing was not loud to beat the murmuring of the students and the quarrel between Adrian and Martin. He shifted his spectacles to his nose and speedily rolled his small, bloodshot and slightly impaired eyes around the juniors. He saw Adamu and dropped his books with him. He removed the medicated spectacles and put it into his breast pocket.

"Hey, Black scorpion, Addie what is going on here?’’ Richard continued talking, his voice louder and commanding this time around. His shoulders rose up and hands waving in the air like an American rapper, "What’s up with you guys, uh?"

"Warn your roommate, Richie!’’ Martin’s words were accompanied by pompous gestures. ‘’I’ll break his head in this school if he doesn’t cease crossing my path!‘’

"Break whose head?’’ Adrian’s voice rose in a crescendo. Seeing Richard has made his morale high. He flexed his tiny muscles as he spoke. "May be I would be dead before you could do that!’’

"You’ve known me for long before him...'’ Martin said, facing Richard who has now stood two feet away from them. "You know what I’m capable of doing. Warn your friend to desist from toying with the tail of the scorpion!’’

"Boys, you aren’t misguided girls,’’ Richard said calmly, waving Martin’s bragging words aside, ‘’I’ve been in the hostel, getting myself stuck into my books but your rants wouldn’t let me have a moment of peace. For several minutes your quarrels was playing hide and seek in my brain, hindering me from concentrating. Damn it! Real guys don’t quarrel this long.’’

"What do real guys do then? Tell us! What do real guys do?’’ Martin’s eyes became redder, but towards Richard.

Fear unexpectedly gripped Richard’s heart. Immediately, he thought he should say a favorable thing before the Black scorpion stung him. He’s not the type that could withstand a charged rage like Adrian.

"Richie, its better you stay out of this, okay?’’Adrian was trying to shield Richard from Martin’s rage but the later wasn’t listening to him. The fear of Martin had deafened and confused him.

"Eh… eh… I think fighting would be better.’’ Richard stammered, ignoring Adrian.

Richard was scratching his balloon-shaped, skin-shaved head in confusion. Martin loved fighting and would thank him for saying that. He knew that. He added, "I mean to know whose might is greater and should be respected more within the school premises...’’

"Yes…yes, you’re now talking!’’ Martin interrupted Richard elatedly, nodding and punching the air his spare hand. "May be you should be our ref then. But mind you, don’t dare separate us---O. I might count it as if you have taken sides with him. And I swear, if you dare separate us, you won’t find what I will do to you funny at all.’’

"Alright, but first of all, throw the stone in your hand away,’’ Richard said, almost like pleading.

Martin promptly obeyed.

Richard suddenly has developed a second thought. So, he said patronizingly, ’’reason with me guys, don’t you think it’s uncalled-for to fight while the junior students watch? That won’t be a good example to show at all.’’

"You’ve talked like a man before and I was proud of you,’’ Martin’s voice was raised, looking dagger at Richard, "why such womanish talk again…eh? Where did that cowardice words flew out from?’’

"I’m sorry. It’s just a slip of tongue.’’

"That’s better!’’

Adrian’s mind skipped beats as Martin looked prepared for a show down with him. Though, he didn’t like fighting but definitely he was not a coward. Before leaving the village, he knew how severely his parents had admonished him. He did not want to do anything that would jeopardize their guidelines.

"I’m not fighting,’’ Adrian resolved calmly, turning towards the dormitory.

As he counted two steps up the staircase, with one hands, Martin surged forward and pushed him violently! Adrian would’ve crashed his teeth on the staircase if not for his smartness. His outreached hands went to the ground first, giving him the look of a lizard, jumping down from tall tree.

"Black scorpion! Black scorpion!’’ the junior students hailed.

"You coward!’’ thundered Martin, feeling on top of the world. He molded his palms into clenched fists; bouncing and up and down, moving back and forth, throwing punches to the air, gesticulating like a professional heavy weight boxer.

"I thought you’re as sharp and as your tongue..’’ Martin continued talking. ‘’Oh, look how you prostrated flat before the staircase just because of a mere hand push. What a poor feather weight you’ve got! Ha-ha-ha...! Common, leap up boy! Let’s see who box other’s brain out!’’

"Black scorpion! Black scorpion!’’ the junior students’ hailing continued. They were enjoying the unblushing encounter between the two seniors.

As if the juniors hailing of Martins had borrowed Adrian some muscles with the tiny ones he’s gotten; he rose up gallantly! Just like a shooting arrow, he sailed towards Martin. Martin tried to block the onslaught but he was too slow or perhaps Adrian was too fast. He struck a terrible lightening across his face! Nose, mouth, eyes, cheek, ear…none escaped the full-palm slap. The sound echoed around the half-empty dormitory compound, sounding like a mini thunder-clap..."Par!"

Martin staggered backward as twinkle, twinkle little stars were flying off his eyes, blurring his vision.

Meanwhile, Adrian stood a bit apart, at alert, clenched his slender fists and gesticulating like an amateur feather weight boxer.

After the numerous sparks which were flashing out of Martin’s eyes have subsided, like a mother hen attacking an intruding hawk, he limbered towards Adrian.

He grabbed him as a hawk would grab a chick. Anger had made him forget he had wanted to box initially. Like a judo fighter, he held unto Adrian, not allowing him to throw any punch or make any move.

Adrian tried to free himself from the grip of his big-statured opponent. But it was too late. Martin picked him up as if showing him to heaven, saying: "God, here is your creature!’’ And batched his buttocks to the ground!

The junior students yelled again, ‘’Black-scorpion!…Black-scorpion!...'’

Richard wanted to separate them. He was worrying that his friend might be defeated. But he remembered Martin’s warning and held back. Shortly like a flash or rather like a magic; before Adrian’s back could touched the ground, he held Martin tight to himself and tumbled him over, sitting on top of him comfortably.

Within few minutes of scuffle, the amount of mud which entered Martin’s mouth was enough to make his stomach full, if he was not spewing them out! But the slaps and punches on their own could be counted in tens.

Seeing that Martin could sustain serious ailments from the beating; Richard mustered all his strength, held Adrian by the waist, pulling him from Martin’s chest. As Richard was dragging Adrian, Martin threw his leg in a Jackie Chan's style and hit his left cheek. Adrian did not mind the kick anyway. It hurt him not much at all. He just defeated his fearsome adversary. The sweetness of that had covered any pain at that moment. So, he suckled unto the side of his mouth interior where Martin’s kick had landed and spat out some bloody result.

The junior students led by Adamu, rushed towards Adrian. Without minding if he was a senior and should fear touching him. Without caring maybe he could be angry for roughing him. Shoulder high, they picked him up, carrying him towards the dormitory staircases and singing:

‘’Winner OOO…winner, Winner OOO…winner,

Senior Addie you’ve won the fight O, winner…

Forever and ever you will be the winner O…winner…’’