Chapter 31

Caught in the Trap

Richard has started dosing off on his seat, snoring silently. Suddenly, Martin and Taj became silent and calm. They were expecting Adrian to dose off too so they could neglect them on their seats and scram back to college.

After few minutes, Adrian eventually dosed off too. He was leaning his backs on his seat, while Richard was resting his head on the table, besides the pile of plates and empty bottles.

Quietly and carefully, like a rat about to steal from the kitchen, Martin went to the reception of the club and paid his bills. He and Taj buzzed off all the way back to GBC through the tick bushes, enveloped by velvet dark, fearful silent night.

Not too long, wide sounds of different vehicles zoomed into Magic Land Night Club carelessly. The atmosphere became tenser and bubbler as the loud speakers continued booming. This time around it was King Sunny-Ade’s song, ESUBIRI EBOMI that took over the stage.

The people who had been in the club before stretched their necks to see what was going on. Not less than seven young men and five ladies, age roughly between 20 and 25 had alighted from the five cars. Heart-rending hip-pop sound boomed from their cars as they opened their car doors; this coupled with the King Sunny Ade’s song from the club speakers to create an imaginary "collabo’’.

"Oh, these 'yahoo boys' again!’’ lamented a man of about 60, wearing only blue short. On the seat beside him was a young lady of about 21 in swimming suit, leaning on his shoulders. Anyone who saw them for the first time would think they were father and daughter but they were not. "They might have just hammered some bucks and want to lavish it as usual. Well, they didn’t work for it."

"Baby,’’ the young lady called out to the elderly man, "there’s gonna be some free booze tonight! I think we should wait a little longer before heading back to our lodge?’’

The man nodded aimlessly. He’s drunk and wished to retire to the lodge; a large building set apart at one extreme end of the night club, used as a motel. But he had no choice now but to wait. His sugar girl had suggested they stayed behind.

Just as if the young lady could ready the yahoo boys thought, they indeed ordered for free drinks for everyone in the club.

It’s midnight already, almost four hours since Martin and Taj had left Adrian and Richard in the Magic Land Night Club. Without having the clue of what was happening in their environment, without remembering where they were, Adrian and Richard snored soundly on their seats, saliva escaping from their gaped lips.

Magic Land Night club used to have different kinds of customers, but those who plied the club mostly were fraud-stars, armed robbers, kidnappers, hired assassins. Before going out on their daily "businesses’’, they would come to smoke Indian hemp and drink alcohol to make their mind devoid of any pity for their supposed victims. Then, after succeeding in heir illicit businesses, they would come back to celebrate with their proceedings. Sometimes, if they haven’t got a business to do, they would hang in the club to strategize on how to get a new one.

As dancing, drinking, smoking, idle chatter and music were ongoing in the club; a little fight was brewing underground. The few people who were able notice two boys arguing seriously only backhanded them. It was night club and anything could happen. Fight, quarrel, idle chatter and senseless argument are accustomed things. The clubbers weren’t new to them at all. If someone has gotten drunk and stuck his brain with different kinds smokes, including Indian hemp’s, he must lost all sense of shame, piety and dignity and commit dastard, shameless acts without thinking twice.

"But you saw me standing here with her, didn’t you?’’ thundered Ronald, the boy whom Martin had waved at. He was drunk and showers of saliva flew from his mouth as he staggered and ranted. Sandra, his girlfriend was trying to calm him down but he wouldn’t bulge.

"I don’t bloody care if you’re with her or not,’’ The boy standing in his front replied in anger. He was among the yahoo boys who have drove to the club. He was so drunk, so drunk, even more than Ronald. He was staggering as he spoke harum-scarum. "I saw the pretty girl, I liked the girl and I wanted the girl to become my girlfriend. Nothing you or anyone could do about it. I’ve enough money to spend on her but you…you got no dime to offer her!’’

"It seems you’re clamoring for trouble tonight,’’ Replied Ronald, his face fierce as he gritted his teeth and clenched his fists. "And if care is not taken I’ll give you double of the dose you required. I’m a student of University of ile-Ife. And to shock you, I belong to a cult group. Don’t try me; don’t dare step on a cobra’s tail! I belong!’’

"Even if you’re the Capone of your campus, I’m still your boss because I’d belonged before you. Do you think you’re talking to a 'jew man' or a novice who doesn’t know what’s up? You need to re-examine your ill-functioning brain, okay? I’m a graduate of University of Benin and you’re just an ordinary undergraduate.’’ He turned to some clubbers passing by, "can you imagine a fingerling challenging a matured fish to a swimming contest?’’

The clubbers just laughed and went their way.

"Please, stop quarrelling over me!’’ Sandra, Ronald’s girlfriend, pleaded with the two boys. "I don’t want you to fight at all, please.’’

"Step aside Sandra!’’ Ronald shouted, facing Sandra and pointing accusing finger towards his eyes. "Do you know you’re the root cause of all these embarrassments?’’

"How did I…?’’ Sandra has not completed her question before Ronald shoved her aside violently.

"Away from here, you slut,’’ Ronald screamed. ‘’If you had let us to go away since, this silly drunkard wouldn’t have seen you, to talk of dragging you to the dance floor or wooing you.’’

"But is not my fault,’’ defended Sandra. "I didn’t force you to stay. Perhaps, it’s not too late, we should go now. Please don’t fight.’’

She dabbled into the midst of the two boys again.

"I’ve warned you to stay away from here! This is boys’ matter not girls’!’’ Ronald said, getting became angered by Sandra’s reply. He pulled Sandra’s arms and shoved her aside violently from their midst. She staggered, almost fell to the ground before managing to stand erect, and shifted a bit far away from the quarrelling boys

"Why did you push her like that, u little beast?’’ the yahoo boy cursed, breaking his own silence. "I know you don’t love her, see how you’re maltreating her. You just want to use and dump her like rags. Perhaps, you’ve got no dime to spend or take care of her they way I could!’’

"She’s my girlfriend and not yours, okay!’’ Ronald pointed index finger towards the boy’s face. "Look here, If I’ve no dime to spend on her, how is that you business, you shameless internet fraudster?’’

"You’ve pushed passed your limit, and if you dare open your smelling mouth again…’’ Ronald interrupted him with a loud hiss and that made the yahoo boy go berserk. With an unexpected agility, he landed a hot full-palm-slap across Ronald’s face, sending numerous sparks flying off his eyes. As Ronald started robbing the spot the hot slap has hit him, the yahoo boy ranted on, "you little rat dared call me a fraudster? Well, good, I accept, I’m a fraudster. Are you aware that I could feed your entire generation with my fraudulent proceedings?’’

Sandra rushed to come between the two boys again, to prevent further fight but she was not strong enough to separate them. The guys flared unto to each other like two judo fighters. After few minutes of scuffle, Ronald hooked up the yahoo boy’s clothes as if a fowl had hooked up an earthworm and flung him into the swimming pool beside them. The "tumbling’’ sound of the boy in the pool attracted most of the clubbers, including other yahoo boys. They stopped making merry now and rushed in to the pool to save their friend’s life. Before he could be brought out of the pool, he’d swallowed enough water to make him drown. However, it wasn’t the water that actually posted a risk to his life but the wound he sustained from hitting his head on the pool’s floor. The wound was so deep in his head that the whiteness of his brain was apparent before a pool of blood gushed from there. Therefore, he was rushed to a nearby hospital immediately by his friends.

Ronald wanted to escaped but was apprehended by the club security guards and held down. The pool manager telephoned the police and they came. Though, it took almost forever before they responded, they had complained of lack of enough fuel in their vehicle tank. They only came after the club manager had promised to give them money for fuel if they come.

On hearing of the police vehicle’s siren sound, most of the clubbers had scaled the fence. By the club manager’s order, Ronald had been arrested by the club security guards, but surprisingly, Sandra escaped. Thereafter, the only clubbers left in the club were drunk and couldn’t differentiate between black and white or day and night, at that moment.

All the scuffles that were happening in the club were not known to them. Even when they were being whisked away from their seats and dumped in the police vehicle trunk, they still felt they were in sweet dreams. They were two young boys---Adrian and Richard!