The Miscreants/C3 Episode 3
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The Miscreants/C3 Episode 3
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C3 Episode 3

"Thomas! Thomas!! came a voice, ringing through my dream world. I answered, still dosing.

"Thomas!" came the voice again, now more real, and I woke up from sleep and raised my head to know who was calling me. It was the ORD members. Sir Herbert, Sir Pedro and Sir

Robinson. I was a little surprised to see these men in my cubicle at that time of the night. It was

about 2 a.m in the morning. However, having been informed earlier, I wasn't unaware of their

mission.

"In which hostel is Antonio Samson?" asked Sir Herbert who was dressed in a white long

sleeved shirt with a spotted long tie.

He is in Abraham Hostel, cubicle one," I replied and as they left I lay down again to

continue my sleep. But I heard another voice,

"Senior Prefect, please come along'". It was Sir Robinson. I stood up and looked under my bed for my bathroom slippers.

"Where is the hostel of your deputy?" Sir

Herbert asked me.

"He stays at the storey building, Joshua Hostel, cubicle four". I described and followed

them as they left. I was somehow excited as someone called to witness an arrest.

We went straight to the hostel of my deputy, Francis. When we got there, the door was locked from behind. I knocked and opened the door.

"Come," said one of the teachers.

Francis followed us, surprised why he was called out by this time. He became suspicious and as we moved along with the three Master he tapped me from behind and asked, "what

the matter? It was a quiet night and sound traveled at a high frequency. So I whispered him not to begin discussing the issue because didn't know the exact mission of the teacher even though I had a little knowledge of it. We followed without talking. All we knew was that something was afoot.

We moved to Antonio's hostel and straight to his bed where he lay deeply asleep. Sir Pedro flashed torchlight on his face and then hit him with his cane to wake him up.

"Where is the Slum Book?" asked sir Herbert. I was watching to know if he knew anything about the so-called slum book and to my surprise he really knew what it was.

"It's not with me", Antonio replied rubbing his eyes with the back of his palm.

"Where Is It?" sir Herbert inquired again,

"I gave It to Melvin and he took it home,"

"When did you give it to him? asked the master.

"It was When we were going home. I told him to hold it for me and from there he took it

home".

"Then, why did you give him the slum book? Sir Robinson asked.

"I told him to put it in his bag for me, said Antonio samson, calmly replying the questions that were being fired at him by the three teachers.

"What and what did you do with the book? "asked Sir Herbert.

"Excuse me Chairman please, Sir Robinson cut in, "At what place did you give the book to Melvin? You told us that you gave it to him to put in his bag. Before you gave it to him, where

was it?"

"I was holding it in my hand, replied Antonio, and I gave it to him when we went to the browsing centre at Idora town".

"And you did not make use of the Slum Book at all?" interrogated Sir Pedro who had

been flying his cane in readiness for a flogging exercise.

"It was Melvin who used it," Antonio confessed and this made the teachers burst into brief and mirthless laughter that denoted progress in thelir investigations.

"Then, why didnt you collect it after the browsing? asked Sir Robinson, pointing his cane to the floor.

"I forgot to take it back when we parted Samson Antonio asserted.

"Now listen Samson," said Sir Herbert,

"If we go to Melvin and he says the Slumn Book is in your custody or that it is even in this

School premises, you are gone. I mean you are finished".

"That's the meaning," agreed Sir Pedro.

"We have to go immediately to Melvin hostel, Sir Robinson resolved as we made our way out of Antonio Samson's hostel. He lay down again on his bed as we left.

"Where is Melvin's hostel, S.P?" Sir Herbert asked me.

"We are all in the same room at the first hostel," I replied with the eagerness to know more about the case on ground.

"The teachers, Francis and I left for my hostel to confirm from Melvin what Antonio had said.

The hostel was quiet as many people were sleeping. A few of the students were already awake especlally Michael and John who were awakened at the sound of our entry. The light in the room was on. I pointed to Melvin's bed and gave way for the masters to get there by themselves.

Melvin was such a notorious boy in the School. He was rude and unruly. However, he sounded so polite each time he denied an allegation that one would Scarcely argue with him. Yet, he could be the very devil. Many staff members had one Complaint or the other against

him. Melvin had little or no regard for authorities.

He was strong on the city life. The masters knew the person they were about to confront.

Stories also had it that Melvin's elder brother was a very bad boy in the days he was in

the school and had narrowly escaped expulsion.

He gave teachers so much headache that tales of him were still on years after he had left the

school. His younger brother, Melvin, seemed to have taken after him.

Sir Robinson tapped Melvin with his cane and called his name, David Melvin, get up."

Melvin looked behind as he was lying with his face on the pillow. Seeing the men that surrounded him at this time of the night, the

sleep vanished from his eyes. He was suddenly alert.

"Where is the slum Book that Antonio Samson gave to you? asked Sir Herbert. Melvin looked at the stern faces of the masters which appeared to be hewn out of granite, as though he were at a loss.

"I don't know what you are talking about sir Melvin said.

"Do you mean to say that you did not understand my question or that you have not

heard of Slum Book before? Sir Robinson queried.

"I mean, it is not in my custody", Melvin said, gesticulating as if to prove his innocence.

The teachers laughed for it was obvious he was lying through his front teeth.

"Okay, come with us", ordered Sir Herbert

They moved away from the hostel and my deputy and I followed them. We were merely watching the drama, observing the interrogated and the

interrogators. Everything happened without any trace of it coming to our notice. That was very unfortunate.

In a jiffy, we were at Antonio's hostel again.

He was lying down in deep thought-on his bed waiting for the feedback on the information

gave.

Antonio, Sir Herbert called.

Sir Antonio answered, trying to wear a deep pan expression.

"You told us that the Slum Book was with Melvin

"Yes, Sir, I gave it to him".

"You gave me whatl'"Melvin exclaimed.

Didn't I give you the Slum Book? Why are you denying it, Melvin?" Antonio asked.

"I hate someone accusing me of what I did not do, Melvin tried to justify himself.

"During mid-term break, do you say that I did not give it to you and you returned and told

me that you left it at home?" Antonio became more specific and made a sign to Melvin with his eyes to accept that the book was at home.

The masters were then watching both of them as they argued back and forth and accused each other. Then Melvin suddenly accepted that he received the slum book from Antonio but forgot it at home while returning.

"Oh, have you now accepted that you collected it?" Sir Pedro mocked. "I thought that you didn't even know about the book".

"Samson", called Sir Herbert, "I hope you know you are in already trouble with us"

"Yes Sir"

"Well, take note of that. Even when your father brought you back to school, right there

and then, you were caught with a blue film disc.

You are already a disgrace to your father and your family", said Sir Robinson.

"No, he is trying to be" contradicted Sir Herbert. This was because he was closely related to the family of Antonio. Moreover, he was a Pastor and Samson Antonio's father was also a highly respected Pastor.

That notwithstanding, this case was not the type to be treated with kid gloves. "Get ready, this morning, immediately it is 7a.m., come over to my residence for a permission card to travel..

You are going to bring the Slum Book back to school today. Take note that every information in

the book is well known to us. We know everything written there, all these questions we are asking are merely for necessity sake, only to confirm what have already," Sir Herbert said in a

clipped tone.

"You can go back to sleep," said Sir Herbert. Melvin left for his hostel and we left also for other hostels for another set of the midnight arrest.

On reaching my hostel, more students were awake by because of the noise we were making. The masters inquired from me where the beds of some of the culprits were. I directed them to the places.

Daniel Rufus was one of the major prefects of the school. He was also wanted for one or two cases leveled against him. I had also reported to the teachers that Rufus was making use of a radio set in the hostel which was a very

serious offence in the school. Even though I was their overall leader as the Senior Prefect, I had respect for my executive members. As a result of this, I didn't report Daniel Rufus immediately. I kept warning him and threatening to report him.

He however paid a deaf ear and refused to put the radio away. It was now that I was being

accused of not bringing reports to the authorities about all these nefarious and clandestine activities taking place in the school that I decided to prick the bubble.

Fortunately for the masters, this sets of boys were all birds of a feather. They slept in one Corner. Some slept on the top bed of the bunk while some slept on the lower one.

Daniel Rufus, Larry Jeffrey, Frank Scott, Eric Alfred, Edwin Jeff and Chad Collins were awakened from sleep and fished

out.

The hostel was becoming rowdier. More students woke up; they could not understand the

sudden events of that night which were reminiscent of the Spanish inquisition.

We followed the masters to the front of their interrogation room where they stayed to query the apprehended boys.

"Thomas Mike", Sir Herbert called me and said," we want you and Francis, to be here and witness what has been going on in a school.

To Be Continued...

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