Read Episode 41 here…
“Hello how are you?” the commandant asked, smiling at me.
“I’m very fine, thanks” I replied politely, wondering the reason he sent for me.
“Hope you enjoyed the morning drill?” he asked, studying me keenly.
“Oh yes” I murmured with a deep breathe.
“I saw you for the first time, the day I inspected the quarter guards, and you kind of looked familiar. It’s like I have seen your face somewhere, did you graduate from Unilorin?” he asked searchingly. I quickly shrugged, shaking my head.
“Not at all, I haven’t even been to Ilorin” I answered, telling him the name of my school.
“Oops, I’m very sorry” he apologized politely. “you can now return to your hostel” he smiled.
“Alright sir” I breathed and headed to my hostel immediately.
“He really is a nice guy” I reasoned, wondering if he was married.
As I passed through the camp Clinic, which was situated beside the pavillion. I ran into my helper {the camp official}.
He quicky blocked me with a smile.
“Good morning” I politely greeted.
“Good morning dear” he replied calmly..
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“I saw you speaking with the commandant, hope all is well?, what did he say to you?” he asked curiously.
I scoffed and looked away, angry over his question. I couldn’t believe he was monitoring me and his question which sounded very innocent, offended me alot, but I quickly controlled my anger.
“Nothing much, I have to start going, you know we barely have time to rest and prepare for another camp programme” I said quietly, avoiding his question.
“So are we still seeing this evening?” he asked,
“It all depends on how free I will be when your call comes through, moreover I have a Church Fellowship to attend this evening” I explained before walking away, smiling as I headed to my hostel. I couldn’t help but notice how the smile on his face quickly disappeared, with the answer I gave him. I felt he realised that moment that I won’t be easy for him.
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The rest of my days at the camp really was eventful with lots of camp activities and as the 3rd week of our stay slowly approached, we began to enjoy camp life more and more. From one exciting activity to another. Drama, cultural dance, platoon cooking competition, etc. Hmmmm my greatest moment was winning ‘Miss Pretty Legs’ for my Platoon.
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My friendship with Bisi equally grew with each passing day, we became very close that we were spotted together almost everywhere. We shared everything, including some of our shocking secrets.
The camp official on his part tried his best to get close to me, but I already was used to manipulating men. I never fully gave him my attention, and I continued playing him until I got my posting letter.
I couldn’t believe my eyes when I read my posting letter. I was posted to a Secondary School at Agudama, Yenegoa.
“Finally I made Yenegoa, I made the state capital” I screamed happily, searching for my friend Bisi.
Not everyone was as happy as I was that fateful day. Many were crying, especially girls who were posted to Brass, Southern Ijaw, Nembe and other remote Riverline Communities.
My heart seriously pounded as I searched for my friend. I murmured quick prayers for her.
“Yenegoa things my dear, posted to the State Ministry of Education” Bisi exclaimed excitedly as soon as she saw me. We hugged each other happily.
“Oh my dear, I really was very scared for you. I couldn’t imagine seeing you on a speed boat with life jacket on your chest, heading to Brass” I joked happily.
We finally headed out of the camp, straight to Yenegoa. I never got to thank my helper {the camp official} if actually he was the person that helped me secure such a good posting. Well I guess sometimes we girls hardly appreciates a good favour.
Together Bisi and I headed to Yenegoa with our hopes up. I couldn’t help but imagine what the future had in store for me..
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After being accepted in the school I was posted to, I hurried with the paper work that followed, opened an account, before rushing home for a little break.
My parents were over-joyed to see me. Mum danced while Dad smiled happily. I wasn’t a disappointment to them.
As usual mum was very eager to listen to all the stories I had to tell her. I told her almost everything, keeping only but few details to myself.
“Oh my dear, I envy you alot. I never got to enjoy life nor see places like you” she murmured after listening my stories.
Mike showed up three days later, when I was alone at home, surprising me with his visit. Mum went to Market that fateful day, while Dad was at the capital for a business transaction. I was all alone in the house.
“Wow I can’t believe little Cynthia is now a corper” he joked as he hugged me strongly. Tears of joy fell from his eyes, I couldn’t believe he could be so emotional.
“I’m so happy for you. Cynthia I’m very proud of you” he poured out seriously. I breathed deeply, breaking away from him.
I still felt something strong for him, and couldn’t afford losing my guard. To me he was nothing but a friend, he has a family, a life and an obligation to fulfill {which I wasn’t ready to stand in the way}. He tried to come close again but I quickly sat on a couch, stopping him.
It has been long, I last had sex, and I knew my body was very weak with desire. I hated being alone with him, but couldn’t send him away either.
Traditionally he still had a stake in my life, because of the formal introduction that was done between our two families when I was still an under-graduate.
“Stella is finally out of my life, my daughter is also under her care. Everything has been settled and I did it all for you” he informed me seriously, squatting by my side. I couldn’t believe my ears, I stared at him speechlessly.
“Oh yes my dear. I finally was courageous enough to pull it off. It really was terrible living with that girl. It was hell for me” he poured out, holding my hands. I swallowed hard, unable to say anything.
“I love you my dearest. I know you need time to digest all that I have told you. I know you suffered alot all the time I was living with her. So take your time and don’t say anything” he said calmly, while I breathed deeply.
Somehow I felt happy hearing the great news, but deep down I felt very empty and uncomfortable. I didn’t know what to imagine.
“Dad and mum will be happy to hear the great news, don’t you think so?” he asked,
“Of course they will” I answered truthfully, wondering how my story will end. Chike’s image instantly appeared in my head. I closed my eyes, feeling dizzy and sick.
My new year resolution was on fixing all my mistakes with a fresh life, but It seemed as if my past was replaying itself all over again..
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“You know this is the new begining I have always prayed for?” Mike said confidently as he ate the beans I served him while waiting for my parents to return. The look on his face was that of a very happy and contented man.
There wasn’t any doubt how happy he was. I couldn’t help but wonder how he finally managed to settle issues with Stella and her family. I felt very sad remembering how the obnoxious girl ruined everything for me, totally destroying my marriage plans with him. She really dealt me a heavy blow, but I guess some disappointments do have a hidden blessing. But was mine a blessing??” I wondered, breathing deeply.
“What are you thinking? You appear lost” Mike suddenly asked, interrupting my thoughts. I forced out a smile and stared back at him.
“Of course I’m lost, you really don’t expect things to suddenly be as it used to be between us?” I answered.
“I feel nothing strong for you, how do you even expect me to eeh??” I asked seriously.
“I perfectly understand you my dear” he smiled, trying hard to appear calm, but I quickly interrupted him.
“No you don’t understand a thing, moreover how am I sure there isn’t any other surprise waiting for me at your house. Please just let me be” I exploded.
“Just take things very easy my dear, there isn’t any surprise waiting for you. Calm down my love, I promise to win back everything I lost. I’ll get back your love, trust me” he said confidently, facing his meal once again, while I stared at him unable to say anything.
Things really appeared very easy to him, and I had a very tough decision to make. There are other things to be considered in life apart from love. I wasn’t a teenager anymore and my clock was ticking fast.
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My mother was the first to return that day, giving Mike the opportunity to hint her of his motive.
“What do you think?” She asked me in his presence after listening to all he said, but I couldn’t say anything reasonable, not with his pleading eyes on me.
“We have to wait till dad returns” was all I could say.
“Well you have a point my dear, but still know that everything lies on you. You are the one to marry him, not your father” Mum advised.
My dad returned from the capital much later in the evening and wasted no time in having a serious discussion with Mike. I hid behind a door and eavesdropped like a little girl.
I could have joined them in the sitting room, but choosed not to.
“Cynthia, Cynthia!” Dad finally called for me. I quietly answered, walking to the sitting room with a fast beating heart.
“Mike is here for your sake. He wants to continue with the marriage proceedings, what do you have to say?” he asked seriously.
All eyes were on me.
I loved Mike a great deal, but so far all he has been able to offer me was Love and Sorrow at the same time. I was scared of the sorrow that came with loving him..
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“Dad I think we should leave the marriage issue pending for now, I’m not yet ready for it” I answered quietly, while dad breathed deeply. Mike sprang up with a worried look.
“Cynthia I beg of you” he cried, but my dad instantly held him back, smiling calmly.
“Let her be my son, it isn’t right to rush over things. You still have a lot of time to settle things with her. Don’t be in a hurry, you can’t run faster than your shadow” he advised, calming him down with his words..
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“What you are doing is totally unfair. You just spoilt my day” Mike said unhappily as I walked him to his car, minutes later. I rolled my eyes, saying nothing.
“You won’t say anything right?, is it a crime to love you?. I sent my daughter and her mother away so that I can be with you, I even got a new three bedroom apartment where we can start a new life. Cyndii I’m angry” he said seriously, while I shrugged.
“I know you are doing the right thing, but you see there are many things I have to consider first as a woman before accepting your proposal, moreover you took a long time in fixing your problems” I truthfully said to him.
“So should I be hopeful or not?” he seriously asked. I rolled my eyes and smiled.
“By Friday evening, I will be at your apartment. You will have your reply then” I answered calmly. He shrugged, and left without another word.
Amara visited the following day, looking beautiful and hot. We hugged each other with tears of joy, our friendship really came a long way, through many obstacles and paths. We spent the whole day gisting and laughing. Oh it really was a very memorable day.
Early Friday morning, Chike’s phone call woke me from sleep. I rubbed on my eyes as I answered his call. I really was very surprised because he had never called me so early. He spoke to me of love, dedication, commitment and faithfulness, even reading to me the poem he wrote with my name. I was close to tears as I listened to his words.
‘Only if I could learn to love him very strongly’. I wished as I thought over my life. His way of showing love really was of a style foreign to we Africans. Very cool and awesome, not necessarily expensive but yet breathtaking. Such a wonderful guy never deserved me.
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Friday Afternoon
Mum walked into my room as I was preparing and dressing up to visit Mike. She smiled and sat on my bed.
“You are now a matured adult, I have no advice to offer other than for you to be careful and reason not only with your heart. Use your head and heart together. The heart is not a good thinker, and please don’t allow the devil to cook pepper soup with your destiny” she concluded with a joke. I laughed out loud.
By 5:30pm i found myself in Mike’s apartment. He really was overjoyed to see me, hugging me tenderly.
“I came here because of two things, the first is to keep my promise and the second is to tell you about Chike and give you my reply” I said calmly, but on hearing Chike’s name, he instantly frowned, looking very serious and mean.
“God help me” I prayed..
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TO BE CONTINUED
Read Episode 40 here…
Just like Bisi predicted, two boys from her platoon showed up, keeping us company as we enjoyed the indomie, equally paying the bill when we were done. I really was uncomfortable, but had no choice than to relax since the boys were only interested in my friend.
“So you see my dear, things worked out just like I predicted. What do you have to say about it?” Bisi asked confidently as we returned to our hostel by 9:30pm, {thirty minutes before lights out}.
“Well I’m impressed, but the way the other fair guy was looking at you, plus the vulgar words that kept coming out from his mouth. I fear ooo” I replied, shaking my head with a smile.
“You mean Victor?, don’t mind him. He will keep on dreaming of having me till we leave this boring camp” she laughed, while I shrugged, laughing equally.
We soon ran into a camp official who helped me with my registration on my first day at the camp. Seeing him brought back the memories of that stressful day. I stopped, greeting him very politely.
Seriously he single-handedly did almost all the registrations for me when I had given up hope due to the large crowd present. Just like a dream, he walked up to me that fateful day like an Angel.
“Hi you look troubled and tired. Are you coming from a far place?” he had asked. I simply nodded, unable to say anything..
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“Actually I work here, I can help you if you don’t mind” he offered, smiling and scanning me with his small eyes.
I shook my head, rejecting his offer because I thought he was going to ask for money in exchange.
“What?” he asked in surprise as I shook my head.
“I think I can manage, I don’t have enough money to give you” I murmured, while he scoffed.
“Common I’m not asking for anything, my spirit just wants me to help you. I know you haven’t gotten your mattress yet or have you?” he asked curiously. I nodded, a bit confused with myself.
“Hand me your credentials and go get your mattress with the number you collected before entering this hall. I’ll be at the computer {registration} table over there, waiting for you” he sort of ordered.
I quickly handed him my file gratefully, and dashed out to get my mattress without saying thank you or even bothering to ask of his name. I wasn’t myself that evening because I truly wasn’t used to such stress.
However after securing a bed, I rushed over to the computer table where he told me he would be, luckily was there.
He quickly beckoned on me to come forward as soon as he saw me. My papers were already cleared, and all that was remaining was the computer registration which I quickly did and got my tag/reg number. He never asked for anything in return, not even my phone number. I truly felt very indepted to him.
So seeing him, really brought back everything to my head. He responded to my greeting, smiling and holding me by the wrist.
Bisi gave us a little distance, giving him an opportunity to relax as he stared at me.
“So how have you been doing?” he asked.
“Very fine” I smiled politely.
“I really have been searching for you after that day. You know I was very busy to even ask of your phone number” he said, glancing at my cell phone which I held with my left hand.
“Which platoon are you in? I hope you won’t be posted across water, though I can help influence your posting” he continued, while I stared at him speechlessly, my heart beating very fast.
As we all know, Bayelsa State is a settlement surrounded by water. We heard the state was infact 88% water, which really scared many of us. No one wanted to be posted to a riverine area because we heard it was really bad over there.
We were but few days old in the camp yet very well informed. And so with my helper offering to help me again, I really was short of words. I felt he was going to ask of something in return this time around, because he wasn’t a father christmas..
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“Oh I guess its almost lights out” he sort of exclaimed as he brought out his mobile phone.
“We will discuss more tomorrow, just type in your phone number in mine?” he said, offering me his cell phone.
I quietly did as he requested, which brought more smiles upon his face.
“I’ll call you tomorrow, do have a wonderful night” he said as he collected his phone from me.
I nodded and murmured a reply before joining my friend who was patiently waiting for me.
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“Hmmm you are really a very lucky girl ooo” Bisi exclaimed after I narrated to her how I was helped by the Camp official as we returned to our hostel.
“But come to think of it, I think the guy has other things in mind, just that he hasn’t been able to say it out” she concluded seriously, while I shrugged.
“And what do you think it could be, since he said he isn’t after my money?” I asked innocently.
She scoffed and shook her head.
“Don’t be a naive little girl. What else does a guy want from a beautiful lady huh?” she faced me with a sneer.
“I even heard that these camp officials you see everywhere are more randy than all the male corpers put together” she murmured with a soft laugh.
I shook my head, a bit stunned by the revelation.
“But that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t accept favours from them. Most times they turn out to be saviours, just thread cautiously they are very gullible” she winked at me, while I rolled my eyes.
I really sacrificed an hour sleep that fateful night, thinking over Bisi’s words. The camp official’s intentions equally wasn’t left out..
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Surprisingly he never called me the next day like he promised. Instead surprised me with his phone call a day after we were sworn in as corpers. I really was dressing up for evening parade that fateful day when his call came through.
“Can we meet at the clinic by 7:30pm this evening?” he asked.
“Sure I will be there” I replied.
“Write down your name and BY NUMBER {reg number} on a piece of paper and bring it along when coming” he requested before hanging up.
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By 7:30pm I nervously stood in front of the camp clinic. I flashed his phone number twice before walking into the clinic.
I felt a hand on my left shoulder from behind, which made me turn quickly. There stood the official, smiling in his usual manner.
“How are you?” he asked as he led me to a less busy corner.
“I’m fine” I smiled, avoiding his gaze.
“Hope you wrote down your name and reg number?” he asked searchingly.
I nodded and gave him the piece of paper which he quickly glanced at.
“I saw you among the quarter guards yesterday” he said, smiling. I rolled my eyes and laughed softly.
“Yea my platoon commander made me join the squad” I explained.
“And do you like it?” he asked.
“I really don’t have a choice, do I??” I murmured.
“Fine I will help with your posting. Yenegoa right?” he asked.
“Yea thanks alot for everything. You are a very nice person” I answered gratefully. He shrugged, saying nothing.
“I guess I should be going?” I asked anxiously. He nodded quietly, still saying nothing even though his eyes were fixed on me.
“Thanks again for everything. Good night” I said politely, turning to leave.
“Wait Cynthia, there is something else I have to tell you” I heard him say. I instantly froze, my heart furiously pounding.
It really took him quite an effort to say those words, and so I knew whatever he wanted to say was something extremely important.
“Could Bisi be right once again?” I wondered as I turned to face him..
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“I hope you can trust me?” he asked, studying me seriously.
“Of course I trust you” I replied politely.
“From the first time I saw you, there was this spark that ignited in me. I picked you out from hundreds of girls that fateful day because I saw your innocence. I know you are a very nice girl” he said and smiled. I silently listened, clueless on what to say.
“I will so much love for us to be good friends. Very good close friends I mean” he proposed. I breathed deeply and nodded.
“But we are good friends already” I replied innocently, while he nodded.
“Yes I know” he murmured, drawing closer to me.
“Can we hang out together tomorrow?” he asked. I swallowed hard and shrugged.
“I guess tomorrow will decide. You have my phone number, I’ll hang out with you if I’m free, moreover where are we even hanging out in this small camp” I replied and asked.
“Don’t worry about that, I’ll call you tomorrow” he replied..
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I breathed deeply as soon as I left the clinic, breathing in fresh air. I smiled to myself as my head replayed all that went on between the camp official and I.
I knew I really was going to have a hard time keeping him at bay, but I couldn’t afford pushing him away nor bringing him too close. I needed his help but hated the direction he was heading with it.
I quickly halted as I almost collided with a boy who intentionally blocked me. I instantly discarded my thoughts and stared at the boy who looked a bit familiar.
“Cynthia how far nah? I saw you heading out of the hospital, hope you aren’t sick already?” he asked, while I smiled, trying hard to figure out his face, the dark environment equally wasn’t helping either.
“Please I can’t recall your face” I asked politely.
“We met sometime ago at mami market, actually you were with your friend enjoying indomie that evening, while I was with my friend. Do you remember Victor?” he explained and asked. My eyes quickly lit up in rememberance.
“Yes of course, I do remember” I nodded.
“Kelvin” he murmured his name smiling.
“Yea Kelvin” I repeated slowly.
“I’m heading to my hostel, I’m so tired” i said politely, trying to discharge him.
“Your phone number please, I forgot to ask of it that day” he begged.
“What do you need my phone number for?” I asked, rolling my eyes and smiling.
“Please, please” he begged. I calmly obliged him and we went separate ways….
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My friend Bisi was anxiously waiting for me at the hostel when I got back. I wasted no time in telling her all that happened between the camp and official and I. She listened very attentively.
“Hmmmm I said it, I knew the guy was helping you for a purpose” she smiled when I was done with my story.
“Just play safe, I bet he won’t dare touch you in this camp” she advised, winking at me.
“Sure I will” I replied with a laugh.
The next morning however brought another surprise which totally shocked me. I couldn’t believe my ears when the ‘man o war’ guy in charge of our morning drills told me that the camp commandant was waiting for me at the pavillion.
I couldn’t believe my ears. I only had exchanged glances once with him and it was on the day he showed up to inspect us {the quarter guards before we were sworn in}.
I heard he was a very respectable guy, but my mind wasn’t at ease as I walked up to the captain. I wished Bisi was with me…
TO BE CONTINUED🙄
Nathan Baba +2348113908494 