Chapter 24

On A Dangerous Path

What did they call him for?’’ on his way to the Dormitory, Adrian was asking himself, wondering why they had called Richard back.

One part of his mind informed him that they wanted to bribe Richard into convince him to accompany them to town; the second part said it’s not so, may be they wanted to tell him to change his hostel wears to mufti. Anyway, Adrian concluded, he has no business with whatever they wanted to tell Richard. He is pleased with the decision he has taken concerning their frivolous adventure.

Before Adrian got to the hostel, Richard had met him on the way. He had raced with all his might. So, he was too tired that he couldn’t open his mouth to reprimand Adrian for breaking his promise of waiting for him.

In the dormitory-A, Adrian and Richard found the door locked from the inside. They knew instantly that Adamu was in the room. They knocked for about 70 seconds but the door refused to open. They became worried or perhaps surprised about what might have happened to Adamu, preventing him from responding to their loud knocks for so long.

Richard was thinking maybe the little boy wanted to play pranks on them. He swore in his heart to beat crap out of him if his guess becomes true. However, Adrian guessed that the poor boy might have gotten tired after playing too much with his friends, hence he slept deeply off. And didn’t hear them knocking. They continued knocking until the door finally opened and Adamu staggered out, scratching his bushy, woolly and uncombed hairs. His eyes red, sleeping wrinkles cut across his face, looking like a jute sack. He was naked from head to waist, displaying his sweaty bony body.

Anyone who saw Adamu and Adrian together at first glance would think they were twin brothers. They had the same slim stature except that Adamu was shorter and less-matured. Their "V’’ shaped pointed noses and flat short lips looked alike but Adrian’s bulging eyes countered Adamu’s, which were small and narrowed into their sockets. Adamu’s parents, who were Fulanis, were educated and loved education so much. They had brought him from the northern part of the country to study in the west. They had the belief that being far away from home would reduce his obstinacy and make him more serious with his education. Besides, they were dealing in cattle ranching and sales across the country and had no much time to ‘’put eyes’’ on Adamu, so they registered him as a boarder.

Adamu and some junior student were present in the school during the holiday period because they lived very far away, and their parents haven’t come to pick them yet. The school authority was aware of their presence in the school and took care of their feedings.

Adamu staggered, yawned, stretched and stood beside the door, the two seniors brushed there way pass him into the room. Adrian’s guess was right. It wasn’t long he came from Dormitory-B where he’d gone to play with his friends. He’d been sleeping as a result of tiredness from too much rough play.

"What kind of siesta were you having that took eternity for you to wake up?’’ Adrian asked Adamu in gentle voice as he dropped his books on his bed. "Are you sure you’re alright?’’

"Yes…yes sir…’’ Adamu stuttered, his eyes were still heavy for sleep. "Good afternoon…good morning…evening sir...’’

"Bad afternoon to you!’’ Richard countered in annoyance. ‘’If I discover you’ve been dirtying and crumpling my bed, you won’t like the badness that would befall you today. You would leave your sweaty and smelly bed to waddle on mine anyhow you wish, in my absence."

"No…no sir, I didn’t!’’ Adamu protested, sleep has cleared off his eyes now. ‘’I slept on my bed not yours!’’

"You liar!’’ shouted Richard after checking his bed vividly. "How come is my bed is crumpled and roughened so? You’re like the proverbial mouse who would rejoice, jump, dance around the house, messing everything up when the cat travels, thinking the cat won’t come back again!’’

"Not…not like that sir!’’ Adamu protested. "Chika came with me and…and he sat on it. I warned him not to sit on it but…but he wouldn’t listen…’’

"Adamu, I’ve been warning you. Beware of that boy!’’ Richard held unto his own ear, his temper subsiding, feeling the boy might be saying the truth. He loved hearing the truth. He continued, "and don’t ever let me see my bed this rumpled again. If I meet it like this another time, you’ll see how I will deal with you that day.’’

"It was…it was Chika who crumpled it,’’ Adamu murmured aloud, trying to clear all Richard’s doubts. ‘’I have stopped sitting or laying on it since the day you…you warned me against that…’’

"I have no business with your unruly friend, perhaps you brought him here to stain and roughen my bed. Either you’re responsible for it crumpling or not, make sure it’s always clean and neat...’’

"I…I...I want to easy myself," Adamu said, rushing out, holding the zipper of his hostel uniform trouser. He just used one of the excuses he always used to free himself from Richard’s nagging.

"Silly boy, you wouldn’t know it’s time to pass water until someone wakes up, eh?’’ Richard said, hissing and taking a mock swoop towards Adamu with his pillow. ‘’Just try and pee on my head from your ‘upstairs’ bed one day, you’ll see may be I won’t skin you alive that day.’’

Adamu kept his lean body to a safe distant away from Richard as he was backing out of the room.

Adrian’s mind wasn’t clear. He was still standing, leaning on his bunk bed. He was meditating over the choice to comply with the boys’ enticing but risky offer, or stay back in the school and eat his watery beans and unpalatable concoction rice. He didn’t have the time to wade into Richard and Adamu’s cat and rat attitudes this time around.

Richard dropped his books on Adrian’s bed to dress-up his. And that reminded Adrian that he was still standing. So, he sank into his bed wearily, besides his books. The thought of Martin’s offer still clung to his mind. Would he be afraid of ‘mere’ boys like Martin and Taj? The boys he could beat altogether, peradventure they both attack him at once. His past victory over Martin has falsely raised his self esteem. May be he should go with them so they wouldn’t think he was afraid of them, he thought on. Haven’t he heard his father saying risk-taking is what made up successful men?

May be he should try and see what would happen, he thought on. Perhaps, if he does and the boys wanted to try anything funny, at the worst, he will bolt for safety. That’s if, eventually, he couldn’t overpower them all alone or with the help of Richard. The thought of his parent’s present conditions and the admonitions suddenly sprouted in his mind now. No, he can’t betray their trust! His mood has swung. He won’t go, no he would stay back in the school, he concluded finally.

"Hey boy, I’m bouncing out now,’’ Richard announced. He’d changed into mufti of fairly new black denim trouser and floral long-sleeved T-shirt. "Do you still insist on not going to town? Common, you’re a brave boy, not a weakling. You’re still afraid may be Martin and Taj might harm us in revenge of the fight, aren’t you?’’

Adrian didn’t give him a reply, didn’t know what to say. To say no, would be a lie. To say yes, would sound cowardice.

"If you’ve been thinking, stop that now, okay?’’ Richard continued talking. ‘’Can’t you see, they’re completely changed boys, and are good friends now.’’

"Richie,’’ Adrian said aloud, heaving deeply. It was just as if Richard has read his mind, he thought. "Your guess might be partially right, but not that I fear the boys. You know, the risk is very high…’’

"Let’s go, boy!’’ Richard held Adrian’s arm and drew him up from his bed, cutting him short. "They don’t have four heads and we two. You’re just being pessimistic about the trip. Note this, if they can escape from any bad outcome, we would too."

Adrian didn’t look convinced, his eyes and body language showed he won’t still go.

"Perhaps,’’ Richard continued, sensing that Richard won’t bulge, ‘’if we discover they’ve been pretending to be our friends just to avenge the beating or injury; we’ll stand against them collectively. They are two, we’re two also. They can’t defeat us in a fight, trust me!’’

"Alright, alright I’m in,’’ Adrian said suddenly. He liked and felt convinced by Richard’s unexpected bravery. He didn’t know he was acting on the script Martin and Taj had drafted him.

"Yes…yes,’’ Adrian screamed, punched the air, giving Adrian a brief side hug, ‘’that’s my man!’’

"But, first of all,’’ Adrian remembered something, "tell me what they told you when they called you back on our way here.’’

"Oh, that? They said I shouldn’t take long,’’ Richard lied. He scratched his closely shaved oval head before adding some truth, "and also, we should put on mufti so no one recognizes us as GBC students in the town. You know someone might see us and report us to the college authority.’’

"My guess was almost right then,’’ Adrian said in his mind; and aloud he added, ‘’now let’s go meet them so we wouldn’t keep them waiting for too long.’’

Adrian went his wardrobe with the speed of lightening. He changed to his sport wears. That had been the only mufti he’s got besides the whitewashed tie-and-dye cloth, sewn into shirts and trousers he had worn from Lagelu when he resumed from the last vacation. The cloth was a special gift from his mother during last Christmas celebration.

"Hope these go well on me?’’ he asked Richard, dusting some slight dust clinging unto the clothes.

"Yeah, not really that bad,’’ Richard said, secretly squeezing his face into grimace to show an unsung displeasure in Adrian’s dressing. The clothes, the colors were quite fading away quite fast and its fitness worn out. Adrian’s slim shape, coupled with the wornout sport wears gave him the look of a rain-drenched chick. Well, that’s all he’s got, Richard finally thought, he wouldn’t go and steal just because he wanted to wear expensive clothes like him.

"Thanks boy,’’ said Adrian, feeling glad.

"Oh, it’s nothing,’’ said Richard. "What about mine, does it kills it?

"Yeah, you’re dressed to slay,’’ Adrian said, nodding in approval. "You look very much alright, boy.’’

"Thank you, Pal. Let’s bounce out now.’’

The boys held each others in arms akimbo as they went out. Richard slammed the door behind them.