No wonder the students kept staring at me. i quickly took my bags from the ground and hurried inside.

That night was a messed up one because i was restless,if i thought of running off tonight but the threats the said capon gave me is just so fresh in my head.

i really have to stop bothering my head over this because there is nothing i can do about it. if i decide to go to the police what would they do,i even heard some of the police belong so my hands are tied.

I continued lectures in my usual mode,always sad and ashamed.mr mike had really given me a bad mark and made me a mockery in my department.

Soon saturday was here,i washed my dirty clothes and began to sleep due to thinking.i couldnt even eat,i have no friends though i like making friends but the early stage insult made me calm and almost turned me to a sadist each time am in school.

Matchety’s voice woke me,i couldnt believe i slept from afternoon to 11. I opened my door and saw him standing on black up and down,back flat shoe and socks and black beret

Matchety:ah so you never ready?

Me:am ready

Matchety:ready to where?

Me:what kind of question is that

Matchety:who you dey follow talk,you wan may i give you back hand slap? You wan follow me go black men meeting with red and black! go wear black and black jawe

Me:i dont have black T-shirt o…he removed his own and gave me,he was on black singlet

Matchety: oyah wear this one

Me: (this is serious)ok thank you…i wore the shirt and my black pam slipers

Matchety: lets go

Me:how do we go and where are we actually going to

Matchety:how we go go? We go disappear malu(cow)

Me:i mean the gate is locked…he kept quite,walked close to the fence and signalled me over.i walked close to him and he instructed me to climb his hand(which he had already joined together with each finger crosing the other)and jump over the fence.i did as instructed without questions and preteniously laid flat,then he jumped over too.a black car was parked outside.

Matchety:stand up lets go

Me:my leg has broken(lies)

Matchety:lets go jawh

Me: (boldly)are you deaf? my legs are broken

Matchety:iffah match you eeeh your head go correct(he went to the car and brought out a cutlass)e be like say you nor no say i wicked pass butcher abi,(shouted)oya get up sharper

Me:sorry,i was just joking(stood up)

Matchety: hmmm,i just like you,dont know why but dont change me

Me:thank you sir…we got into the car and drove off.got to a particular area he pulled over,blind folded me and drag me into the bush. we walked for some minutes before i began hearing voices singing.we got to the place and he made me kneel down,i knew i was close to the fire because it was hitting me badly.they continued to chant their song that doesnt even make a single sense to me

*today today,tomorrow no more,iffah died today i will die no more* was the song

Me: (shivering.God forbid i would not die o)…then the capon’s voice came

Capon:BLACK MEN

All: (except me)we are your shadows Capon:BLACK MEEEN

All: (except me)we follow you anywhere you go Capon:BLACK MEEN All: (except me) but nothing goes for nothing…then everywhere became calm.

Capon:loose the blind fold and let him see[someone helped me loose the blind fold]you are welcome to this fraternity tonight…i looked around and saw the place was filled up with men all on blacks with weapons of all kind.

Me:where are my?

Capon:in the intiation field. observer bring the calabash…observer brought in the calabash,to cut the long process short,they used a new blade to cut my thumb and my blood was added to a liquid content already in the calabash

Capon:drink from the calabash.

I took the calabash and drunk a little from it Capon:finish it…i took it into my mouth and emptied the last content in it.its just tastless.

Capon:good.you have now taken the oath of the black men fraternity(oath!)and any day you disclose what just happened here to anyone,you would die.

Some other things were done,i was given mark close to my shoulder(intiation mark)

Capon:from today onwards,you are one of us,who touches you is inviting us.we are from today your shadow and your shadow can never leave you even in death.here are the rules of this brotherhood 1) you must not cast your self for casting is a sin to this brotherly fraternity

2)betryal of a brother is a sin

3)blood for blood etc…he mentioned so many rules of about 23.

Capon:from today your name is sky because the sky is clouded and is atimes unpredictable.

congratulations sky…the members shook hands with me one after the other before they began to sing again.another song entirely

**this is the way i wanted to be o this is the way i wanted to be oh i want to remain a black man (x3) this is the way i wanted to be**

they sang on and on for some time then ask me to join them.

**********

i got to my lodge around to 4,i jumped in through the fence due to the gate was still locked.i opened my door,got inside and shut it,i laid down on my bed feeling great pains as a result of the kicking i received as part of the intiation.my legs where shaking.i did not know when i slept off.

**********

when i wokeup i was so hungry.i prepared bread and tea for myself,ate before getting rice into fire to boil,made stew.after eating i just stayed inside.no church for today,i cant even walk.then a knock came on my door. i went to the door and opened without askin who it was and behold its matchety

Matchety: (smile)hafa

Me:am fine

Matchety: (handing me something in a black bag)take

Me: (collected)what’s this?

Matchety:just got you a phone because i observed u have none

Me:wow thanks

Matchety:so how was yesterday?

Me:my legs are broken

Matchety:sorry,it a normal thing to make you strong.the pains would stop soon

Me:thanks bro

Matchety:so sky hope we are friends

Me:why not.(i opened the bag,brought the phone out of its pack,it was a screen touch)am greatful

Matchety:later we go get sims for it

Me:yea thanks.never thought you were this nice

Matchety:bros english time don finish abeg give me food first,i dey H…we both laughed.myself and matchety became friends. we gisted and laughed along.he told me how he joined black men due to school intimidations and all that.he really gave me mind.we flowed well.later we both went to buy airtel sim and glo for my new phone.walked around ,as he kept showing me every bad guy we come acrose

*********

I couldn’t attend lectures on monday and tuesday because of my legs but today wednesday i got to the lecture hall before mr mike,feeling different and new.when he came he lectured for sometime and then made the errors of his life.he did not know i had become a changed man,no longer scared nor ashamed.i bet he wont forget today in a hurry.I walked into the lecture hall as everyones’ eyes turn one me.they must have missed the guy they use to make mockery of.

I sat down,not minding the eyes.before,i would had become ashamed but now am happy they are staring at me showing that am a celeb.mr mike walked in

Mr Mike:hello class

All:hello sir

Mr Mike:who can remind me where we stopped…i looked into the course outline that had writen down(mr mike is our Economics lecturer but left for me alone i would call him our Economics preacher because he can’t even teach or lecture)a girl raised her hands up

Mr Mike:no no not you,where is that boy(the whole class knew he was referring to me so they all faced me with most of them already laughing,he followed the multitude’s eyes and found me)yes.so where did we stop?

Me:demand sir….he looked at me for sometime then start teaching.i sent a message to matchety

Me:hi matchety,where are you,i want to come meet you… and he replied

Matchety:no stay,i know why you want to come,because of the lecturer in your class

Me:how did you know

Matchety:common am your shadow so i know,just stay in,capon just imported(invited)people to take care of him

Me:ah,bado but hope he won’t be killed because i dont want that

Matchety: ok no qualm,but delete this messages,ama delete mine too should you be suspected

Me: ok…i smiled to myself and relaxed.after some minutes mr mike started.how i wished he knew what awaits him he wouldnt have dared

Mr Mike:where is that boy(i kept calm though i knew he was referring to me,he sighted me)yes you,stand up(i stood up with all boldness)you look neat today,you finally found who to borrow clothes from(the eve ready to laugh class bursted out with laughter)whose clothes is this?

Me:hmmm sir

Mr Mike:is hmmm an answer(the class laughed more louder,then a voice answered from outside)

Voice:na your papa cloth the guy borrow…i looked to see who it was but saw no one,even the whole who were now lost in laughter and mr mike looked to see who would surface from outside but no one did

Mr Mike:who is that idiot?…two guys entered with others standing two two in each of the four door post all on black holding long guns.fear gripe my course mates

1st Guy:na you be idiot,you be josing man

2nd Guy: (turned to the class)hey stop shouting,we are not here to harm any of you,we are here for your lecturer,just stay calm not to make use change mind(the class went dead but students were shivering,even some girls were crying)hey you(me)come out(i did)

1st Guy:u nah josing man,ur student wehy u suppose dehy respect and talk maturedly in front of am so dem go respect u nah im u make dehy regret why im kom we skul

Mr Mike: (shivering)am ju..ju..sst joking with him,you can ask him

Me:yes its true(dont mind me,am just acting in other not to be suspected)

2nd Guy: okay we don hear but

Mr Mike:thank you sir

2nd Guy:da ke jare(keep quite jare)i still dehy yahn

Mr Mike: (shivering)sorry sir,am quite sir

2nd Guy:i wan make you borrow am your clothes so begin pull am now infront of the students

Mr Mike: ah ah

1st Guy: (cracks his gun)oyah begin pull…i laughed at mr mike inwardly as i watched him hurriedly unbuckle his belt,pull his trouser and T-shirt

1st Guy: oyah remove your singlet and boxers.he wan borrow am too

Mr Mike:ah ah i would be naked!

1st Guy:i know but nah you say if person no get make the person borrow so help the boy out…mr mike removed his singlet and shamefully removed his boxer and here goes mr dickson dingling like a bell and the whole class shouted out aloud…then something happened,mr mike collapsed.