Boomerang Episode Two

Title: Boomerang
Story by O'nezer

Episode 2

Holy Child Secondary School was all shades of difference! The school had been operating for ten years. The school Principal addressed the new students as they assembled in the school hall looking lost in a corner of the room.

It was a school with the standard of a University or let us say a College. Apart from the strictness, Students love the school. New students were required to make an oath to adhere to the rules and regulations of the school and that kept each student put, so I thought until I got to Jss 2.
***
I had a friend whose name was Samson. It was a Christian school and it was normal to expect every child to be a Christian.

Each morning was like what I faced at home; devotion, take your bath, clean up, eat and get set for class. That was what my first year in school was like and Daddy was excited to know that I was always ready for devotion whenever I'm home for holidays.

Samson was just like me, he was from a strict home with every action of the family been detailed. “Don't touch, don't play, don't and many don’ts” was what his family was all about. All the freedom he had was in school.
We got so close from our Jss1 second term and he was like my younger brother Tobi. Loyal and collected, my bunk mate became like a shadow to me and all because we became classmates.

No School, no matter how perfect it seems still has its itches. That was the case for Holy Child Secondary School. Each time the School bell, which is situated at the center of the school compound was rung by a senior Student who always seem to be the clock himself, there was a change of class or we were to head to the dining hall for our meal.

While we the junior ones trooped towards the dining hall to enjoy our scheduled meal of bread and a watery tea in the morning, pap and moi-moi in the afternoon, and eba and okra for dinner, some senior Students, both male and female seem to have their dining set apart as they never joined us at meal, but we were less bothered. Our stomachs were contended with what the dining hall fed us with.

Soon enough, I noticed Samson withdrawing from being my shadow that he has always been. He was missing at meal some other days and all I could imagine was that “Did we have a fight? No, we never fought”. I could not say for sure and I could not bear to ask him.

Now we were in Jss2, the cool-headed Samson had become so bold and a Lion would bow for his kind of boldness. Approaching a Teacher was not a big deal to him and all that matters were 'his way' and anything that tried to get against him must be rebelled against.

Between our last school vacation and the resumption, Samson’s growth was rapid, and he looked more matured than everyone in his class. Well, I thought I was still his friend due to our little conversation as classmates and bunk mates, but it was always casual as he was either in a hurry to attend to something I wish I know or he wanted to sleep.

I would not have been bothered much with cutting ties with him until when our hostel Patron came in alongside the Principal. They started their search from Senior Patrick and Efe's bunk. Each bed was a two-bunk side by side in the School dormitory.

"Everyone," the Patron screamed "step outside and don't go out with ANYTHING!" he completed stressing the last word and we all obliged and found our way to the dormitory door staring in at what they could be searching for.
Some packs of cigarettes and rolls of weed that seems to have had maybe one or two draws were found in Patrick's bag right beside the bunk. Further search brought out more substance from different Student bag and some, under their mattress. Interesting enough, most of the culprit were away for their usual unknown adventure.

"This Student has turned another leaf entirely" the Principal said in a perplexed tone as the search continued.

They soon got to my bunk, well our bunk as the case is and my heart skipped a beat for Samson. I knew he was into something shady, but I was never able to place what it could be.

Samson's bag was searched and emptied on his mattress like others, but there was nothing.
"Thank God for you!" I heaved silently and turned away. I knew my bags were free and I had nothing to worry about.

The names of the Students that were not in the dormitory was written down and we were all asked to go back inside and arrange our clothing with immediate effect.
"Some of you are returning to your parent’s house before you turn this place to a slum", the Principal cursed out loud.

They made for the girl's hostel and the Principal placed a call from his mobile cell phone to count heads and write the names of all the Students in the library or those in class.

We all went in arranging our clothes that was littered on the bed. We all said a thing or two in aloud as we condemned those who we saw substance being brought out of their bags
"Even dry gun!" One of us snapped.

"And some will even be forming gentle and innocent" another boy shook his head as he dragged his bag in place to arrange his clothes.

I knew I didn't have any offence, you know pure and holy personality and I joined in the discussion until about half an hour later.

"If you hear your name" the Patron, a stout man with the look of a man in his late forties blared from the dormitory door
"Step aside and don't even try to make any funny move" he continued standing by the door like he was aimed at stopping any and every entrance as he called out names.

"Joshua Olabode!" I felt a something like an eruption taking place in my belly.

I had been sitting on my bed, holding a book I was obviously not going to read since he stood there calling out names, but I was unperturbed as I knew I was free from such, but it seems everyone else was expecting to hear my name already as they gave a deep loud sigh that sent the hostel into a quiet mode.

"Is he also not in here?" Mr Patron as we fondly call him cried out, now more provoked as only three names from the names that read more about 25 had stepped out.

My limbs failed me as I stepped out from my bed searching aimlessly for the slippers that was right before my feet.

"That must be a wrong list" I silently encouraged.
"It might not even be what we think" I shook my head as I stepped beside the 3 Students who kept their cool beside the door as pointed out by the Patron.

"Or could this be why other Students gave a silent response to all my words against those who something was found in their possessions some hours ago" I couldn't process what was going on as I had turned away from looking at the outcome of my bag search.

We were all matched to the Principal office alongside some numbers of girls and to make it more worse, some parents were already waiting at the Principal door, while some were pulling in at the parking lot.
I really didn't know what to think, I just walked on.

What next?
Watch out for the next episode.
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