C9 Getting tough

Screams resonated round the room. Ify covered her ears, still on the floor, her heart beating wildly in her chest. The noise and the screams kept resounding in her head and she squeezed her eyes shut, tears pricking her eyes.

“Ify.”

She raised her head to see Naeto and Ebuka's faces looming over her.

“Its over.” Naeto spoke, pulling her up gently.

She looked around, noticing that everyone was on their feet, talking in fear filled voices; a few looking in her direction.

“What happened?” she asked.

“I don’t know. It sounded like a gunshot." Ebuka responded slowly, looking her over. She had suddenly leaned against the wall. She looked away from his probing eyes.

“A gunshot? It was too loud and terrifying to be a gunshot.” she responded, looking away from Naeto’s eyes as well. His eyes were no less probing.

“A bomb?” Ebuka suggested, "But the building does not seem like it’s falling.”

She rolled her eyes at his unserious answer.

"Maybe its exploding from the front and would soon get here." Philip said.

They all looked at him.

"Like the movies." Zubi added after a moment of shocked silence.

"And like the movies." A.J spoke, "We'll gymnast our way out of here."

Everyone chuckled.

"If it doesn't kill us first." Jide said boredly, sitting back down on the floor.

"Kill ke?" Zubi exclaimed, clapping her hands dramatically accompanied by dissapproving looks from the others at Jide.

Why was he always so pessimistic?

" Thats when you'll know i can fly." Aisha bragged, from where she was beside Lizzy.

Everyone gradually returned to sitting on the floor as they, the 15 remaining captives, chatted and laughed; the terrifying moment forgotten.

******************

Sir Auctor's face was that of wonder. He stared at the screen a few moments longer, unblinking, before shaking his head. Turning to the functioning laptop beside him ,he stole a glance at the sound buttons before he began to type.

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Fear, that horrid emotion that weakens one, subjects one to levels below that one would never have succumbed to. It was surprising how it was easily acquired;by the loudest of sounds, by the slightest of sounds and by even no sound at all.

It had stunned the children, shaken them to their bone marrows.

There are quite a few reasons as why that would be but it would be best to write that which pertains to their situation.

Which is?

Because the fear had always been in them. From the minute they lost their freedom to become slaves of the unknown; fear had always been in them. So it took just one push, one menacing sound in this case, for that inbred fear to leap up to the surface, such that even the bully spoke like one with reason.

*******************************

"Sir Auctor."

Sir Auctor glanced at Mr Sam before focusing his attention back on the screen. The children were still talking freely among themselves.

Mr Sam moved to stand behind Sir Auctor; ever in his immaculate white suit, his Amadeo Testoni shoes glistening in the light; his hands ever behind his back.

Mr Sam watched the scene playing for a few seconds before speaking again.

"Don't you think there is something wrong?" Mr Sam asked, still staring at the screen.

Sir Auctor did not reply. They kept watching in silence.

"Lacks drama." Sir Auctor commented after a couple of minutes.

Mr Sam gave a satisfying grin, moving to stand beside him.

"I was wondering, sir, if you would..."

"Make things more interesting." Sir Auctor cut in.

"Yes sir." Mr Sam replied, his grin turning nasty.

Sir Auctor cocked his head, thoughtfully, watching the girl named Ify and her guy friend share a laugh.

"That would be...very much appreciated." Sir Auctor spoke, a small smile forming on his face.

"Lets see how tough they can get."