Chapter 2

Caught Unexpectedly

Stop there!’’

A high pitched, shrill, bell-like voice stopped Adrian as he mounted the stairs. Immediately, a cold shiver ran through his spine. His body vibrated, feeling as he just sneezed heavily. Untold fear enveloped his mind. The voice he heard belonged to his arch antagonist. He needed not to turn back to know. How did materialized behind him without him knowing? Adrian asked himself. He did not know all the time he was running his heart out "Black-scorpion’’ has taken an unpopular short route to double-cross him. He had been hiding besides the dormitory building for some seconds, awaiting his arrival.

Martin was known as Black Scorpion in Government Boys College, Iddo. Like most of the students, he had imprinted ‘’BLACK-SCORPION’’ on his classroom seats as his nickname. That was right from his junior class days. And that had matched with his bully, venomous manners, very dark complexion and intimidated physic to make other students agreed that he had picked a befitting nickname for himself.

"If you move an inch, consider your skull shattered with a stone!’’ Martin thundered again with his high bell-like voice, lifting up a stone a bit smaller than a basketball from the ground.

"What…what do you want from me?’’ Adrian blurted out in an anger-packed stutter.

He turned to glare at Martin with his owlish eyes which was flashing unseen fire. Adrian was like African rains. It would come today with full gentility and would unexpectedly come another day with hostile storm, thunder and lightning, pulling buildings, trees down.

Martin shivered with fear, losing his words. He face swayed around to see if his friend and accomplice, Taj, was at an arm’s length, but his nowhere to be found.

The juniors started hailing Martin, not out of love, admiration or respect but out of fear. They wanted his attention. Who knows, he might recognized their faces and decline from bullying them in future.

"Look here,’’ Adrian continued, ‘’it’s high time you realize we are classmates and should stop bossing around me! We’re both final year students; get that into your tick skull and stop raising your shoulders high!’’

Boom! That was the sound Martin experienced in his heart. Like a bullet, the guts just showcased by Adrian hit him. He staggered backward in fear. But he quickly summoned courage and stood his ground.

Though they were both 6feets,1inch tall, but the muscles and flesh with which Martin was blessed were almost times-three of Adrian’s.

"This slender and fragile looking boy,” Martin boasted in his mind, "I would twinge him between my fingers within a twinkle of an eye.’’

Adrian started making his way again, seeing that Martin looked defeated. He felt it was time to away before he woken up from his unexpected slumber.

"Are you talking to me in such rude manners?’’ Martin thundered, he had succeeded in prevailing over the cloud of fear Adrian had casted on his heart.

Adrian turned back and swiped his owlish eyes on him from head to toe. Martin’s voice and his physique were totally irreconcilable. Anyone who hasn’t heard him speak would think he would have a deep, barrel-like voice. Not high pitched, shrill, bell-like voice.

"Can I know why you accost me always?’’ Adrian’s demanded in anger. ‘’ This is the third time! What do you want? What do you want from me?’’

"Do you remember Taj and I warned you severely to stay off the pitch unless the sport master is around?’’ Martin asked in a subdued tone.

"Yes, what for?’’ Adrian bellowed, his cocking his small head in anger. "Answer me now, what for?’’

"Your presence on the field nauseates me! It makes me feel so sick and sad. So, you must be off the pitch, except if it’s most necessary for you to be there, that’s when Mister Friday is around.’’

"Does the pitch belong to you? Are you the government or principal? Who do you think you’re to restrict my movements?’’

"All the students of this college know me, if you don’t.’’ Martin turned to the juniors slowly with pride, cat-like manners. "Who I mine, boys? Tell him my nickname in case he’s been deaf and dumb and haven’t heard of it before.’’

"Black scorpion!’’ the students chorused.

"Yes, I’m the Black Scorpion.’’ Martin said, beating his chest repeatedly, his face tightened into grimace. "I could sting such person to death and nothing would happen. Anyone’s parents or teachers can do to me nothing! Even the principal can’t do me anything!’’

Martin bragged in such fearful manners to renew the fears he had injected into Adrian before. Though, he knew the largest chunk of his threats were as void to Adrian as ‘’P’’ in psychology.

"How have I wronged you is my main question, tell me, how?’’ Adrian’s voice became mellow. He was not really comfortable with the juniors watching them quarrel. "You have been blocking my way, giving me the same warning. But you did not give me a reasonable explanation. Why…why?’’

"Oh, you don’t know why?’’ Martin produced a short cackle. He was thinking Adrian’s subdued voice was due to a sudden cowardice. "Have you forgotten the injury you gave me on the pitch last term, during the Governor’s cup final training-match?’’

"But that was a mistake, not deliberate!’’ Adrian shouted. He couldn’t belief his ears. He felt Martin was making a mountain out of molehill.

What actually happened was that the Government Boys College, Iddo, had been drifting backward in academics and sports, especially soccer, before Adrian won scholarship to the college. For complete ten years they were unable to win a tournament. Martin had been the college team’s most skillful player and captain before Adrian gained scholarship to the college but could not do anything to salvage the plight. When Adrian came, he added a lot of flavor to the school team with his talented football skills. Eventually, he was able to assist them to the final of the Governor’s cup, scoring almost all the goals his side had.

Consequently, Adrian became so famous in the college over Martin. The principal, teachers and students held him in high esteem. What trilled most of the people was that he was also doing excellently well in academics.

However, Martin was not sound academically but football only. He had abhorred Adrian for his achievements. But, his hatred for Adrian took a new turn when he mistakenly injured him while they’re vying for football on the pitch. It was a "warm-up" football match. He had mistakenly stepped on his right ankle with his iron-soled soccer boots while vying for an aerial ball and that had resulted to a painful shift in Martin’s ankle joints.

The Governor’s cup was held biennially among all the colleges in the state. Martin had boasted that he would cut his teeth as a future superstar footballer from the Governor’s cup finals. He thought he would be chosen among the three best players of the tournament. But the injury had kept him in the college sickbay for a whole month, hampering him from playing in the finals; thereby narrowing his hope of being choosing among the best three. Though, GBC won the cup but Martin saw it as a lost because he did not participate in it. And eventually, he was not chosen among the best three players.

Adrian was chosen as the MVP of the tournament and highest goal scorer. Surprisingly, he declined from being registered among the potential National under-17 team players. What could have been the reason for such decision? Wouldn’t he wish to become professional footballer, despite his great talent? Many who heard had wondered.