C6 Episode 6

I knew he was lying because just the previous night I heard music from that radio. These boys were terrible!.

"Please Todd, go to Pastor Reberto's house and inquire from him. Perhaps he should call his

wife on phone to confirm from her, Sir Herbert told Sir Todd. "And, listen Clarence, if he goes

and asks and this man spends his money to call the wife and she proves you a liar.. Mhn.

Ahh.. "Sir Herbert left it hanging

"Of course, he knows the implication added Sir Pedro.

"Clarence, if you know the truth say it now before it becomes late", Sir Todd advised him.

"Do I go with him?" Sir Todd asked.

"No, just ask Pastor Reberto if he is aware of any boy who gave a radio set to his wife and if possible, let him call her and find out". Sir Herbert said again.

While waiting for Sir Todd, Sir Herbert asked, "Where is the S.P?"

"l am here Sir"I said.

"Are there other radio sets with you apart from these ones we are looking for?"

"Yes, Sir, Let me get them. I went to my corner and brought three radio sets. All eyes turned towards me. As I was coming, everybody was gazing at me with their mouths wide open.I was happy with myself for having done a good job and I knew the teachers were delighted.

here was murmuring for a short while. l put the three radios with the one Clyde brougnt from

Daniel's Corner only to confuse and fool the teachers.

He had brought a spoilt radio with the impression that it could be mistaken for the one

Daniel was using. Sir Herbert asked him where he brought it from and he said that it was from

Daniel's corner. Sir Pedro collected the radio and looked at it, then dropped it on a near-by bed.

I was mad at Clyde's action. That is not the radio"I said. I went and examined the radio and shook my head in disagreement

Sir Herbert raised it up and said, "This is not the radio. This particular one is dead and gone. The radio we are talking about is still alive and was turned on recently.

After a while, Sir Tidd returned and announced that Pastor Reberto said he could not get his wife on phone that moment. He promised to call her again tomorrow, said Sir Todd.

"Take the radio sets back and hold them till I ask you to bring them", said Sir Herbert to

me. I took them and put them in my cupboard.

Every student was still at attention, watching the interrogating team. Then they ordered Daniel and Clarence to lie flat on their beds. When they

obeyed, they flogged them brutally and finally released them on condition. this meant that they ware not completely exonerated from the case.

Many of my classmates could not believe their ears and eyes, watching the drama unfolding before them. They were so astonished that immediately the episode was over they ran to my corner and clustered around. Some were supportive while some were antagonistic.

"Thomas, well done, but one thing I am telling you is that you should be more careful and

prayerful so that you will not fall, said one of my prefects to me. He said it and went away. I never

wanted to hear him because he sounded confrontational to me though I didn't actually get his point.

"Na wa for you o, Thomas" said another voice. They were saying a lot of things but I was

not interested in whatever any person was saying at that moment.

I left the hostel for where Clyde and were kneeling down. That was another episode of the event. Clyde Glen was already

receiving strokes of the cane as he refused to produce the Slum Book. He didn't travel after all

because he didn't even ask for the permission card that was to be issued to him for his journey

However, the teachers knew that the slum Book was in the school compound. so Sir Herbert was

determined that night to Keep flogging him until he produced the book. Several times even befors he started, he warned Clyde to Just promptly

confess to avoid making a confession and submitting the book when his back had been

battered.

"I will make sure you receive twelve strokes every hour until it is dawn if you refuse to bring out this Slum Book, Sir Herbert threatened. Clyde had already received several strokes but

he continued to deny that the book was in his custody or in the school. When it dawned on him

that the music had changed and Sir Herbert had resolved to beat him black and blue, he confessed. And the master, being a man of his words, gave up the flogging and asked him to go and get the book. Glen Clyde finally produced the Slum Book and that was how it was retrieved from them.

That same night after torturing ,

Craig Alan, a member of the BBC, was summoned for a preliminary torture for his

arrogance. He came out of the interrogation room with livid welts on his body.

In like manner, Daniel Samson who was the originator and organizer of the Slum Book

was also left with very conspicuous bruises on his

back and upper arms; the bruises were bloody as Daniel was fair in complexion. I pleaded with

Hectori Shane who I considered a friend to say whatever truth he knew about the man.

"Please Hector", I pleaded as he was kneeling in front of the torture room" tell them the truth. Disclose every secret to them. Also bear in mind that whatever they ask you is already known by them. All information is already

with the teachers. Therefore, there is no need beating about the bush. To avoid attracting any

form of fiogging, just answer their questions.

This is how far my influence goes". I whispered to him and quickly left the place lest any of the teachers should see me and began to suspect that I was in alliance with them.

Hector took heed of my counsel and emerged the only accomplice that did not receive

a single stroke during his interrogation.

In the light of the above, the ORD team had a policy that if an individual would tell the

truth and give correct responses to the questions asked, nobody would flog him, But if otherwise,

he would dance and writhe around the room in agony.

I was coming from the toilet when I stumbled on Clearance Vernon who had claimed that he had given his radio to Pastor Reberto wife to give his aunt to keep for him in town. He shame-facedly smiled at me with that very radio set in his hand "S.P" he called, still smiling and

said, "I'm afraid. Please I have brought the radio, here it is. He pleaded with me to help him taking the radio to Sir Herbert

"Bring it, if you want, I told him curtly as l was hot in the mood for smiling that night.

I took the radio to Sir Herbert and toid him that it was Clarence who gave it to me. He smile and shook his head ruefuly at the foolishness of the boy and the level of his dishonesty. He took

the radio to another of the staft, also a hostel master who lived in the hostel premises, and he

brought out a battery and fixed it in the battery compartment to confirm. He turned the radio on

and it was Working.

The following day, being Saturday, Antonio slept in my corner. I Was becoming very

Compassionate though I never at any time condoned their offences. I became a mediator

between them and the school authorities.

Antonio could not wake up with other students that morning. I deliberately left him while I woke others and mobilized them for morning devotion. He was Worn out and could not move his body. He had bruises on his back

and upper arms. One would ask if those patches of blood were inflicted on him with the cane or

knife. 1 felt for him, yet I knew it was as a resuit of his mischievous and dubious character. Later that

Same morning, he approached me and requested that I help him write a letter of apoiogy first to his guardian, Sir Herbert and then to the Director of the school. I was not surprised that Samson Antonio grinned and bore the pains. He was not

complaining about it, rather he exhibited some remorse. He sought for a means or ameliorating his wrongs.

"Thomas, please I need three plain sheets of paper, he said. I did not hesitate to meet his need. Moreover, I had a bundle of white plain sheets of paper which I used for my official work. I opened my cupboard and gave them to him.

'Do you think they will accept your apology?" I asked him. Nevertheless, it depends on the nature of the letter. As for me, I don't have problem in communicating through writing. In fact, that is my best way of

communication. The reason is that, in writing, I can tell you everything I have in mind, quite

unlike expressing it orally".

On hearing that, Antonio pleaded with me to help him write the letter.

"But I don't know what you have in mind to write. So it would be better if you do it by yourseif, I said.

"Please Thomas, you know you have been writing letters to the school, so you are acquainted with the techniques required for a standard official letter", he beseeched me.

Finally, I reluctantly accepted to help him even though I was going to be very busy thnat day,

l had to make out time to fulfill my promise to him despite the inconveniences. Antonio decided to give me points to write on. Among the points were, that he was very sorry, and mindful of the level of disgrace he had brought particularly to his father as a pastor and to his family generally.

Also, he made known to the recipients of his letter that he had no other school to attend

except ZIC and begged not to be expelled.

When I read that point where he said that he had no other school to attend, I smiled and noted that. I did this because of their earlier bragging. On several occasions that I confronted some of them for one offence or another, they would tell me with such brazen insouciance that if the worst happened, it would be expulsion, that it wasn't a big deal.

I recalled a friend I loved so much, who indulged in some acts that contravened the school rules and regulations. I cautioned him

severally and warned him of the consequences of his act. He was unruffled and with a careless

shrug of his shoulders, he told me that at most he would be expelled which was no problem as there were so many other schools in the city better than Zion International.

Then, I reminded Samson of tha worthless bragging of theirs. He smiled and said,

"Leave those things. It was all to show that one belonged. All was boasting".

"I thought they were saying that they did not like the school, why are they now panicking as their fates are uncertain?"I taunted.

"Thomas forget that", said Antonio, shaking his head grimly.

Later, Antonio concluded the letter from where I stopped. He gave it to me to submit on

his behalf to Sir Herbert. On account of my being too busy I Could not pass on the letter

immediately. It stayed with me for a few days before I despatched it. Samson was no more his former self as the situation ate into his bones. He

would lament from time to time, " I am the first person in my family that is facing expulsion. If I

am finally expelled, my father would finish me.

He will lay a curse on me and my future".

From that nignt when Antonio was battered, he never slept in is hostel. He began

to sleep in my corner together with Hector Shane.

l had to leave my bed ror Hector because I as the person who brougnt him to my hostel to curb

the level of his association with other classmates who had some dubious character. While he slept

on my bed, Antonio slept on the top bunk.

Antonio had abandoned his duty as the hostel prefect of Jss 1 and followed Hector to my

hostel and I accommodated him

as well.