Ghost Point: Crossover (Episode 3) (Part 1)

"I'm guy", he said.

Davis releases Musa from the cuffs and they walked​ into the house.

"Like I said earlier, I'm here to save you guys from the impending doom, you're about to face. I'm hardly the enemy", Davis said.

"Who do you say sent you again", Musa quizzed.

"The Author. He is the owner of this reality we live in. That is why I was able to do what I did to you."

They all sat. Guy brings Davis water to drink. Musa shuts the door and brings them blankets.
"About this Author, tell us more about him", Musa said with a curious askance.

"He is the Author not just of this reality but of my very own. The reality I come from. The Author calls our reality, novels. My reality he named after me: The ghost of time. My very narration of this story is his handiwork. One very day, something happened that enabled me to meet the Author in person. It enabled me access to his reality. That was how I met him."

Their faces looked stunned as if they had seen a ghost. A silence ensued. They were reluctant to ask further questions but Guy muttered, "who or what are you, and why did he send you here?"

"It's a long story", Davis replied.
"In my experience, long stories are short stories that one doesn't feel like sharing", Guy retorted.

"I will have you know I am the one hurting here: the only one who is supposed to be angry. If I had my way, wouldn't be here. I am here... I am here..."

Musa gesticulated, urging him to tell his story.

"I am the ghost of time. I was sent here to protect you guys like I said earlier. After I met with the Author, I asked why he discontinued my reality and why he killed off my girlfriend. He explained why he couldn't continue with the ghost of time: my reality. But he gave me the chance to live again— to find a new purpose. And that's why I was sent here. I am also here because I made a bargain. If I come here and save you guys, he will bring back my girlfriend. And that's the reason I agreed to come."

Davis laid on the couch and decided to sleep. Musa went into the armoury to get some weapons. He gave arms to both Davis and Guy.

Musa went up to the watch tower to keep watch. He stayed up until morning. The night was short.
It soon became morning.

He went into the house and found them asleep.
"Bloody civilians."
Musa went into the kitchen; boiled some water and made tea for himself. He finished eating, yet, they were still asleep. He went into the bathroom, got a bucket of water and poured on both of them.

Davis flipped, and before he knew what was going on, he went back in time. He went back in time to the previous evening.

Musa had just gone to the watch tower and they were about to sleep but their eyes remained wide open.
Guy muttered, "who is the ghost of time?"
Davis replied, " it seems you don't plan on going to sleep this night."

Guy replied, " I don't think we could, even if we wanted to. There is so much trepidation in our minds. Enough to drive sleep away."

Davis sat up. "There was a boy who wanted a peaceful and tranquil life. All that changed the day he fell in love with Princessa. He had just gotten back from school. He was sitting in his room reminiscing on her beautiful face when it happened for the first time. He went back in time to the exact moment he was reminiscing about. He was staring at her not realizing he had gone back in time. It was so confusing."

"Wow! That's a cool gift. So, poof! Just like that you went back in time?"

"It's not as​ cool as it seems", replied Davis. "One has to re-live every time he travels back to. And I can't travel to the future."

"Why", Guy asked.
"Because each time I travel back in time, I erase every future that ever were. Not just my own future but everyone else's​.

The Crossover: Groot Vs 'Davis met Princessa'

"For a soldier you cook good."
He laughs a little as he said,"a soldier is good at everything."
"We can't afford to be average while the enemy is above average. Because one's life depends on it. It's not a matter of choice. It's a matter of necessity."

"I see your point."

Musa got his pistol out and asked, "do you know how to use one of these?"

"In real life, no. But in video games, hell yeah."

"This is not a video game. You get shot, you die for real. No second chances."

Suddenly, there's a tremor and the building sort of transforms. A bright light shines from out the where the window now resides. The light soon fades. Musa and the other guy seems shocked and confused. They hear footsteps and Musa picked up his pistol. He drops the pistol and picks up a rifle.
He moves close to the new entrance...
"Please don't shoot. I'm not a zombie or a woodie or anything creepy."

"How did you get in here", Musa quizzed.

"Hmm. Hmm." Davis shook his head in confusion of what sane response to give."

"I appeared here."
Musa pointed his rifle at him now with a stern countenance.

"Don't shoot. Don't shoot!"
"Then start explaining", said Musa.

"My explanation will make no sense to you. I was sent here to help you."

"Who sent you?"
"The Author."
"The author of what? What do you mean the 'author'?"

Musa was visibly losing patience. The other guy stood behind Musa, mute and dumbfounded.
"You better start giving me rational explanations or I'll..."

He fires a warning shot past his ear.
"Okay. I've got an idea."
Davis thought to himself.
"The author sent me here, that means he's listening. So therefore, I can talk to him."

"I'm going to say some things and they are going to happen, but don't shoot me", Davis said.

It was past 9pm. And the night as getting cold.

"Musa, your rifle is gone", Davis said.
Just then, his rifle disappears.

"Shit!" Musa assumes a combat position.

"You are in a handcuff, Musa."

At once, his hands where cuffed and he fell to the ground.

The other guy runs into the house with fear written all over him.

"Who are you?"
"Now you are asking the right questions.
I am Davis. The ghost of time. You are Musa. And I was given the privilege to name the guy that just ran into the house.
He will be called... Hmm... Guy.
If you doubt me call him by this name and see what happens."

"Guy, come out", Musa shouted.

"Are you crazy, said Guy, do you want to get me killed."

"Guy, if you don't come out, I'll tell the author to kill you off", Davis threatened.

"Guy come out. He's not joking." 

"He can do it", Musa pleased.

"There you are."
"What's your name", Davis asked with a smirk on his face.

"I'm Guy", he said.

To be continued...

Groot: the untold story (episode 2)

Transforming to walking trees.
He said to himself, "the watching is over".
He ran like he never ran before.
I ran to a point where there were too many people causing a human traffick. He was stuck. He said to himself, "Taa! I'm the mean character, I just can't die at the beginning of the story! I'm not Ned Stark."

He managed to get himself to side of the now overly crowded road and shouted, "look, there is another one in front!"

Fortunately for him, only a few people cared to look before running. There was a stampede. Before long, his path was clear.
The road lead to cul-de-sac, surrounded by very expensive houses with high fences.
"Shit! I'm not dying today."
He ran around for a while till he came across a hidden alleyway. The alleyway had a little gate which he forced open.
The sound of dogs barking came from the left fence of one of the two fences that formed the alleyway. He jumped over the little gate at the end of the alleyway only to meet a...
"Hey! Stop there!"
"Where do you think you are going", quizzed by a face with a countenance that suggested a trigger happy individual.

Pointing his gun at him, his grimace still demanded an answer.
"I... I... Something was chasing everyone. It's killing people and turning them into..."

"Were you affected. I mean, has the greenish substance touched you, he asked still holding his gun firm.
"No! I'm one of the lucky few to escape."
To be continued...

Davis met Princessa

I was in the shower having my bath. And midway into it, I heard a knock on the door. I quickly watched my face and tied a towel. I peeped through the window to find out who it was.
Realising it wasn't someone I know I said, "give me a minute."
As I was about turning around, his countenance flashed before my eyes and formed an eerie perception.
I felt I knew him more than anything but I was at the same time very sure I've never seen him before.
I cleaned myself up and put on proper clothes. I opened the door and went outside to inquire proper who he was.

"You might want to let me in. What we have to discuss isn't something you'd want hear while standing", he said.

"Who are you", I rebuffed.
"I am Davis Richards. The only son of my single mother. The bereft lover of Pricessa Okafor."

At this point, I fainted.
I woke up, with my head aching badly and body soaked with water. I remember discussing this particular scenario with a friend a week ago. After which she tried to scare the hell out of me with imageries of its possiblity.

"Are you okay", he inquired.
I waved my hand in the affirmative.

"Are you telling me you are Davis Richards, the ghost of time?"

"Yes."

"How... How are you real? How are you able to have a form?"

"You stopped writing my story after gaining admission into the university. But that wasn't what made me have form. You gave the book to someone, and she altered the book terribly. That action sort of magically gave life to me."

"Hmm. Are you sure, I asked.

"Truthfully, I'm not sure. But that's the closest conclusion."

"So did you find me Davis?"

"It was quite easy. I'm the ghost of time remember?"

"It don't think that has anything to do finding someone, I retorted."

"Ok. I reversed psychoanalysed you."
"How?!"
"You designed me to reason like you remember. I sort of even think like you. In fact, the only difference between you and I, is that I'm the ghost of time and you are... You."

"Stop sounding proud. I made you, remember? I'm not a 'You'. I am your creator."

"Take your own advice already. If I'm proud, it's because you made me so, and if you made me so, it's because your are proud."

"You still haven't told me why you came."

He suddenly became silent and sullen.

"You killed Princessa. And as I was about going to the past to bring her back to life, I froze..."

"Oh. That was where I stopped writing the book", I interjected."

"I've been miserable alive in this sad, real world. Seven years, I looked for you. Seven years!"

Tears run down his cheeks while started disappearing and reappearing erratically.
I became intensely scared.
He started to calm himself down when he saw I was scared out of my mind.

"I'm so sorry. I forgot you are used to seeing this in real life. I'm so so so sorry."

"It's fine", I replied.

"But why did you kill Princessa?"

"As it turns out, you are not the only one who loved her."
A confusion struck across his face.
"How do you mean", Davis quizzed.

"Princessa isn't just a fictional character. I know her in this real life. I stopped writing the story because we broke up. I lost the muse. So I abandoned the book. I couldn't bear to write a story using the name of someone who broke my heart."

"Why didn't you just change the name?"

"You don't get it? She died to me. Meaning she dies to you also. I had to let go and move on. If had ever changed the name like you suggested, it will no longer be Princessa. Not exactly though. Though you would still love her nonetheless.
I guess, I didn't know you could actually autonomously have feelings."

"So what are you going to do? You need to continue the story, please please."

"Davis, the story would have ended with you in a heartbreak. Spoiler alert— she dies eventually."

"Why?!"
"I've seen Game of thrones, that's why. In addition, I'm no longer that guy seven years ago. I've grown and my heart's not fragile and 'fairy tales-squed'."

"I'm so sorry Davis. I can write you a different story though. One where you use your superpowers to the fullest. I just started the story."

"What about Princessa and bring her back?"
"Forget her. I'll find you someone else. There 7 billion people in this real world. But there are an upteenth number of persons in my imagination. I'll create someone 100 time more beautiful than Princessa. See it as an upgraded version."

"Hmm. Adventure. A chance to feel the rush of Adrenaline. A chance to meet someone entirely much more exciting?"

"Yeah!"

"I'm doing this for you. But when I'm done. I want Princessa back. She broke up with you, not me."

Story continues in the crossover: Groot—the untold story.

Groot: The untold story

He stood at the cross roads and kept looking for a taxi.
The environment was tranquil and peaceful. At a point, he shrug off the thought that a taxi would come his direction.

As he was about to take a step, he heard screams from behind him.

"Ahh! Run! Run for your life!"
"What is happening", he asked.
But no one took notice of his presence, as they all fled for their lives.

Just then he looked ahead I saw what looked like a tree. And it was moving. Moving and somewhat talking.
"Ahh!!!"
It spat a greenish substance from what seemed like it's mouth. As soon as the substance touched humans, they started transforming to...

To be continued.

St. Valentine's absence in the ordo.

The current “ordo,” the church’s official annual calendar of feasts, lists Feb. 14 as the feast of St. Cyril, monk, and St. Methodius, bishop. They were blood brothers in the ninth century who are known as the “Apostles to the Slavs.”

They began by preaching the Gospel in Moravia (in the eastern part of what is now the Czech Republic) and translated the liturgy into the Slavonic language. (Feb. 14 was the date of St. Cyril’s death.)

In the 1962 missal of Pope John XXIII, Feb. 14 was marked as the feast of St. Valentine. As closely as can be determined, Valentine was a priest of Rome who was martyred in the persecution under the Emperor Claudius, probably around the year 270.

Legend says that Claudius had issued a decree forbidding his military troops to marry and that Valentine defied this decree by urging young lovers to come to him for the sacrament of matrimony.

Further legend has it that during Valentine’s imprisonment, he befriended the blind daughter of his jailer, converted her and her father to Christianity, restored her sight and, the night before his execution, wrote her a farewell message signed, “From Your Valentine.”

In the 1969 reform of the liturgical calendar, the church reduced the number of feast days of saints for whom hard historical facts were scarce, including St. Valentine.

His popularity persists, however, along with age-old customs of cards and candy — and if you surveyed Catholics as to whose feast we celebrate Feb. 14, probably 99 percent would answer “St. Valentine’s.”

Reference:
By Father Kenneth Doyle

Of the Rings: The Lords and Frodo Baggins

That eerie view from a ravine. Staring at Isingard. That enemy's lair.
One must venture out of the shire of his comfort and do things that must surpass that that his Bilbo Baggins did.
Being a Frodo and saying yes, even with your heart still saying no. "This ring I must bear I said."
Support came from more than just friends.
I had an Elf, a Dwarf, a wizard, a ranger, a warrior, and best of all, three God given best friends.
We fellowshipped till I realized— trusting is no virtue.
But that wasn't all I learnt. I also learnt that, no matter how much you push away a friend, he will never leave.
The burden was growing by the day. The weight— too strong.
A ghost followed us. A living testimony of failure.
The one called Smeagol possessed by the gollum.
It was destiny that we cross paths. He was a constant reminder that we must never fail. That we must never give in to the temptation.

He crawled on all fours and ate raw games.
Sam never fell for his treachery, but I, told by another to pity him. And I pitied him.

And why would one not?
It's wasn't my place to judge him for who he now is. I showed him love where hate formally resided.

Samwise would scold him now and then.

We got captured by Faramire, the warrior's brother.
He too was tempted to take the ring from us but Sam screamed, "the ring drove you brother mad!"

He apologized like they all do after they realized their temptation.
And he let us go.
Smeagol was beaten and we lost his trust, just when passed a temptation for over fifty years and rebuked the spirit the tormented him.

We climbed up the steps at Minas Morgul, and Smeagol smeared my elvish cloak with the elvish bread we had in our backpack.

Smeagol convinced me, preying on my pity for him. And I sent Sam away. Alone, I went into the tunnels. Smeagol disappears and a vile looking creature appeared from the darkness behind me.
I brought out the gift bestowed to me by the so-called elvish witch.
"This will be a light for you when all other lights go out."
I fought the eight legged beast and made it out of the cave.
Smeagol wrestled me but fell into a Marianna-like pit.
Unbeknownst to me, the big spider stung me from behind and rolled me all up with its thick web.

But Sam discovering Smeagol's treachery had ran to my rescue. Thinking I was dead, he left because some orcs where coming.

Realizing how silly he had been for leaving after hearing the orcs saying I was only paralyzed and not dead, he came charging to their tower.

Now, at last, the eye of Sauron was diverted away from us. We made it into Mount Doom.
But not without the help of Sam.

"I cannot carry this ring for you, but I sure can carry you."

Then came the great temptation. I couldn't throw the ring into the molten fires of Mount Doom.

Smeagol came charging at me and bit off my finger. We wrestle some more and he fell into flames of Mount Doom together with the ring.
But not without the fake drama of Hollywood.
"Take my hand Frodo. Don't you let go."

Haba, over molten magma. Fresh one oh. E never even dey cool, nai person dey e never get first degree burn?

They made it, eventually.
There were times he said it was impossible.
This is life at its worst.

And they all lived happily ever after in elvish heaven except for Sam who is going to star in the third book.

Don't ask me the title.
Am I the one writing it?
Maybe; maybe not.

Proof Of Honesty

I finally got paid on 'MMM United' yesterday night. Sometime ago, someone made a statement on how a white person trusted him and gave him his 'MMM United' Account details to confirm himself. Same day some derogatory comments were made against our people by our own people (Nigerians). Well, the event that happened yesterday proved those derogatory statements wrong. I was matched to be paid by this guy (Justice, a Nigerian living in Nigeria) on Wednesday. I called him same day and got the response– "I will get back to you". Same response I got from a from a guy last year who ought to have paid this pending GH order but failed to, before 'MMM United' started witnessing hitches. Wednesday passed and came Thursday (yesterday). I concluded within myself, "another business as usual". I will have to wait for a re-match. Thursday night, exactly 22:20 GMT, I received a call from Justice. "Hello, is this Ojukwu Chukwu? I am meant to pay you on 'MMM United'. I am going to transfer the Bitcoin to your wallet now, when you get it, please confirm me." I said, "ok". He transferred the Bitcoin, I received it, waited for minutes (maybe 15 minutes) before logging in to my 'MMM United' account but found out he hasn't uploaded his proof of payment and as such, I can't confirm him. I called him to notify him about that, but he knows nothing on how to go about the Transaction ID. Two Admins in this group knew my ordeal the day I asked a friend and my referrer to help out on this (that's story for another day). I tried explaining to Justice but still he couldn't do it. So I had two options in mind, wait till his time elapses, and he gets blocked, then I will transfer his Bitcoin back to him and wait for a re-match, or he sends his Bitcoin Wallet account details so I can login myself and do the Transaction ID task myself. "To a stranger?" You might have asked right? Well, I suggested the latter only and the former as plan B if he refuses. He sent his Bitcoin Wallet Account login details and authorized me, so I logged in to his account successfully. You might say, "maybe there isn't much Bitcoin in his wallet. Well your guess is as good as wrong. He has over 10BTC in his wallet (you sure know the amount in there and he trusted me with it). I got the Transaction ID for the Bitcoin Transfer he did to me and that of numerous others he paid yesterday night. He offered to give me the details of his 'MMM United' account to help upload the Proof of payment but I didn't oblige to the request, but suggested he does that himself and learn how to do it while I guide him. I guided him successfully.

There are still many people in Nigeria who trusts strangers. The whites are not better than us, let's emancipate ourselves from that mental slavery.

Article by Ojukwu, Tochukwu

The Thing Around Your Mind

The Thing Around your Mind

So I applied for Mars 2030. I was just pranking these guys when the sent an email. They said, "congrats! We have been looking for you. Let's go build Mars together".

See me see trouble. I don't want to go oh. I was joking. "Person no fit follow una play again."

Two days later, I was coming back from morning mass, then I saw  a mail in the mail box. Curious, I opened the box and got the mail out.
"Welcome to Mars 2030 project. We are glad to inform you that we have your suit ready. Since we didn't have a suit your size, we had to make a bespoke suit for you."

"These guys serious oh", I said to myself.
"They didn't interview me sef. You sure say them no wan use me do experiment?"

Then at the end of the mail they said, pay a flight fee of 100,000 naira into first bank account.

I shouted, "Taa! 419."
😁😁😁😁😁😁

Before then I was busy listening to this song: Wish me well by Timi Dakolo

Personify This

Rivers are colourless
Roses have thorns
Ashes are made of black and white
Life and death are mirror images

Flaws are a story
Drama are betid
An experience is made
New alliances forged

Soldier go
Soldier come
Barracks continue their existence
No one remembers the sendoff

We all are as useless
As we are as useful
Are as glorious
As we are as dust

No more than a pack of breathing meat
Truly, truly, personify this.
A crown on a deceased king.
A crown on a dull.

Finding Nemo

On that boulevard not so far away.
Time passes like the illusion that it is.
Trying, is not everyone's best fit.
And this isn't poetic.

I'm trying to find a spot in my head.
This has a sentence in English
Finding my muse.
Cloaking cloaking cloaking.

Hunting for reason.
Hunting for intelligence.
Hunting for wisdom.
Finding little but enough

Creating sentences as they come
Whilst listening to a melancholy themed song
Always worked, ten on ten.
Create, I must; creating, I am.

Scribbling as I go.
Unembroidered, are the words I pen down
Ugly, Uninspiring, uncreative.
Was always the way I created beauty.

Slowly but surely
I twitched an eyelid
Spot found.
Muse filled

PS: Create what you want. Someone was the pioneer of that you now call beautiful.

THE CHAPTER WITH THE ONE THAT GOT AWAY

I brought out a piece of paper out of my missal. I cleaned the dust off of half of the pew. My roommate sat next to me— at the edge. Before long, two other guys and a girl sat on the pew. It was full by now. The girl sat right next to me. Somehow she kept on a hyperactive temperament.
"So you too, don't know how to speak Igbo, abi", she said.
I turned to see if I was the one being questioned.
"Hey, I'm getting better. You should have seen me way before now. You don't seem like an expert yourself."
"Don't mind me. I like teasing people."
"I'll report you to the priest."
"You're making me talk at mass", I chipped in.
"My mistake."
As usual, at the sign of the cross, I packed my things and started leaving.
I even forgot I came with a friend. Half way trekking alone with a favorite song in my ear, I realized something or someone was missing.
On getting to the hostel, he kept asking whether I got her number.
Then I realized he thought I ditched him for the girl.
It was useless trying to correct what seemed like the obvious scenario.
"So na where you take know am?"
"Na today be the first time wey I take eye see am. Wetin make you think say I know her before?"
"From una conversation."
"I don't know her. I just met her as you did today."
"That seems unlikely. With this your bone bone and wosky face. How she take gather mind follow you talk?"
"Guy, as you see me so, na how to chop dey my mind. You seem overly interested in her", I said giving him a suspicious countenance.
" I no fit talk about girl again?"
"No worry. I go track her down and get her number for you. Make you for rest."
"Guy I no send you oh. Besides, how you wan take track am down sef."
"Google it", I replied.
" You know, 'Google it' is not the answer to every question oh."
"Guy na wa for una oh. Una go church go dey chase girl", said another of my roommate.
" Guy, you no go church. We better pass you."
"The day wey I go ready to go church no be girl I go go chase."
"Guy na John chase the girl oh", I replied.
" Mr. Holier than thou, no be you the girl follow talk, wey you still come escort am?"
"He he he. Fowl nyansh don dey open oh, smirked the guy that didn't go to church.
" I no escort anybody. I come house straight. I no get strength for this talk. Believe anything wey you like. And you, no go church next Sunday. Dey here dey accuse the brethren", I slammed.
"I think I hit a nerve", said the guy that didn't go to church.

Let's call the guy that didn't go to church Ben. And the friend that went with me John.

Later that evening.

I was strolling to the ATM. I checked my card into the ATM and...
" You again. We met again. "
"Hey!"
"You seemed to have vanished after the mass ended."
"Ya. I think I do that subconsciously.
I don't really walk with people because I've got my music to listen to, I explained.
"A loner I see."
"What about you. You're a strong sanguine."
"How did you know that", she said with some level of surprise.
"Because you reek of it. But in a good way, of course."
We talked and talked.
Two sanguine meet. What do you expect.
Somehow, everything she said seem to make perfect sense to me. Even the weird ones. We were like mirror images of each other. By the time I checked my phone, I had spent four hours discussing with a stranger that really didn't seem strange.
But she would be the one that got away because one thing. Two like characters would tear up each other in time. It's one of the laws of nature.

THE CHAPTER WHERE I MET MY TIME PIECE.

'Twas 7:30am on a Monday morning. I had left home to trek for approximately thirty minutes to school.
I was Midway when I met a face, new at the time, but of noteworthy beauty.
It was Tuesday. I had left late for school. She would intercept paths with me really close to home.
I saw her whisking off, hoping she wasn't late. I had no time piece on me. I peered sternly at a clock in a shop and the time was 7:50am. I was really late. I hastened my footsteps and tried to walk faster than everyone in front of me.
A week later, it was Tuesday, I hadn't trek to school the days preceding today because I don't want to get flogged.
It was 7:20am. I was walking at my normal pace. I had walked past Midway the way to school when I met a face. Her face immediately registered as the girl I use as my time piece. I have her a smile but she didn't seem to quite notice. She was right not to notice. It wasn't for her.
I was satisfied by my earliness. I smirked all the way. I met a dusty class on my arrival. I hid myself in the wardrobe to avoid the assembly. When they were all downstairs, I came out. My coming early wasn't so I'll attend an assembly of students. It was to avoid the whips.
The next day I was to cross paths with her midway and this time she stopped me.
"You look familiar. Do I know you," she said.
"I don't know you, though each time I see you, it's either in late to school, or I'm early."
"Oh. And now?"
"I'm neither late nor early."
"And why do you say that?"
"I met you half way, you met me half way."
I never asked for a name. I never did need a name.

THE CHAPTER WHERE IT WAS INSOLUBLE.

'Twas evening on a Thursday. It was the penultimate day before my extra moral classes would seize. The mathematics teacher had just entered the class and then concocted a mathematics question— I think it was off measuration.
He was solving his example and as one well above what he was teaching, I realised it couldn't be solved. So I wanted to see what his answers would be.
Well, you could say I wanted to learn how he could prove me wrong.
He solved and solved. At that point I just watched carefully to see how he would escape the mess.
I wasn't one to let it go easily.
Alas, he would use a word I had only heard once before and it evoked uncontainable humour.
Two awkward intervals of silence later, he voiced out, "it is 'insoluble'".
" Hahaha!"
I literally laughed on top of my voice.
The term 'insoluble' reminded me mostly of a substance that can't dissolve.
I never really cared that it had a second meaning.
"Get out of my class, and I don't want to see you in my extra moral classes ever again. You lack etiquette!"
"Well, Sir, I think you mean 'social etiquette'. The word..."
I was still trying to finish when he charged towards me. I could be seen running towards the main road.
It was only a day before the end of the month, so it didn't matter that he drove me then.
Though I did apologize later, I can't understand why I was arrogant, with the fiendish display of knowledge.

A GUN, A GHOST AND TWO OLOKPAS

Lying down with my face on the floor. I felt the orifice of a gun on my head. A voice kept screaming, "so you think say you big pass this gun abi?
I go burst your brain now."
"Johnny calm down na."
"Oya Roger us the money now or we lock you for cell."
I made no movement. He hit the tapered end of my scapular. I wanted to scream but I was too angry to.
I believed I did nothing wrong.
"I don't have any money on me."
"So with all this oyibo you no get shishi?"
"We no dey joke oh. Bring money come out now", said the second guy.
"Lie down there."
It is 8.00pm
I'm still furious. I already killed them in my mind. Still on the ground, I felt sand in my eyes. But that didn't matter. I was too angry to care about that. I wished I could snap their necks.
"Guy, I dey hungry oh. Use that your one thousand that buy us roasted yam and bolle."
"You never pay me for the last time oh."
No worry I go use the money wey this guy go give us take pay you."
He crossed the road and minutes later he's back
"Guy money no reach."
"Na wa for you oh. You no get gun again?
Just show am gun and she go reduce the money for you."
"Abi? I no even reason am."
"As soon as I heard that, I realized this people can kill me, then create some crappy story about what happened.
I muttered a few hail Marys. Fear had gripped me. I realized they could kill me and get away with it. And nothing is holding them back.
Just then, a man walks in. He asked what I did, then paid the so-called ransom.
I laid there still confused who the man was and why he would help me. I couldn't fathom how a stranger could just come help me. I was even more scared.
"I hope I'm not going to be kidnapped for real", I thought.
" Young man, get up. You're free to go."
I stood up quietly, and just started walking away. The stranger followed me.
"So you no know say that place na no go area?"
I didn't realize how shocked I was till I tried opening my mouth.
"Yes sah."
Just then something bit me on my thigh. Turn to scratch it and at the same time I said, "thank you sah."
I turned around, and I could find no one with me.
A cold wind swept passed me and my head swelled.
"Ifite?"
Boarded a bus back to my hostel. As I sat on the bus, I could not stop thanking God.
"Ole ole ole ole ole ole!"
I just passed the common room and Real Madrid won a match. I stepped into the room and took my shirt off.
"Guy die by black hole!"
"I'm not in the mood for this."
"Die by mood."
Minutes later, I stepped into the bathroom.I scrubbed and I scrubbed. I could feel tears welling up just above the bottom lid. I got out of the bathroom and slipped into a blanket and slept off.

PS: This is a work of fiction. It is not connected to real life event.
Genre: Realistic Fiction.

A NIGHT CALL

I stood still for hours hoping the call would come in.
My name is Frank Alexander. And what I'm about to tell you is no fairy tale.
It is thirtyfirst of December, 2009.
I had left for church. There was supposed to be held a night vigil. The night was cold.
As I stepped into the church, and someone ran like in a scene of these romance movies and hugged me. It was both shocking and embarrassing. I stood there wrapped around by her arms and mine down as if being held strong by gravity. She didn't mind that I felt awkward by the whole arrangement. It was just too fortuitous. She said she has been hoping to run into me for like the past ten years.
I swallowed a thick big ball of sputum.
It's five minutes into meeting her and I haven't said any words yet.
She kept going on and on and I kept on nodding in the affirmative.
No doubt, she was pretty.
"I was going to go into the church."
"Are you coming?"
She said,"why, it's great out here."
"It's cool out here. And you know I'm not a catholic."
"She kept on trying to make eye contact.
I did often differed the gaze with a countenance decountenancing the gesture.
"what happened to your blue eyes?"
"What? Blue? Eyes?"
"Are you wearing contacts or something?"
"I totally don't understand what you mean."
"Ehn, what's your number? It would be horrible if I did forget."
"Zero seven zero eight one nine eight one eight two four."
My phone buzzed in my pocket. I was about to save her number when I got stuck at the name."
So I punched in the name Jane and saved it.
"You don't remember my name?"
I thought I discreetly saved her name to the contact but I was wrong.
"It's been ten years! Who would?"
"I didn't forget yours. Douglas Okoro", she said.
"And who is that?"
"You!"
"That is not my name! We are birds of a feather after all."
"What are you talking about.
Your full name is Douglas Chukwuebuka Okoro. Born on 14th July. From a family of four: three sisters and one boy. You are the only boy. Are you still in doubt?"
"No no no. Your making this up. None of that is true. I was birthed on 15th October.
One sister; three other brothers. My full name is Allen John Chukwuemeka Johnson.
Though you got the Chukwu correct."
"We attended the same school in Jos."
"No no. I've never been to Jos."
"I've never left Port Harcourt."
"But my parents moved down from Jos. But that was before they got married."
"So if what you're saying is true, how come you were talking to me like you know me. Why didn't you try to leave."
"I'm a gentleman. I can't let a beauty pass by even if it was a mistake."
"Akuko."
"To be frank, I'm seeing you for the first time."
to be continued...

"Five, four, three, two, one!
Happy new year!"
They both forgot what the discussion was and got lost in the euphoria of the new year.
"So what's your new year resolution", I asked.
" To stop hugging people until I'm sure they are known to me."
They both laughed.
"You are very funny. For one, I didn't freak out though."
"Thank God you didn't", she said with a shimmering smile.
"So do we just forget something is amiss here, she asked."
"I'm still pondering on who the person you knew was", I answered.
"Could it be a twin or just someone that incredibly resembles me", I wondered aloud.
"we would never know", she replied.
It was 12:30am now and the church compound was now almost empty.
They said their goodbyes and parted ways.
As he jumped on his bed, he murmured to himself.
"lying has never been this fun."
My name is Frank Alexander. And this is the story of my friend, Allen.
The time is 4:30am, and I just dropped a call from my friend Allen.
The End!

A Stolen Episode

He stepped in with grace, like one who has a million dollar to his name.
"I would like a ticket for that movie."
After starting at the brochure for minutes, he made a move for the movie with 'Thor' on the poster. As he was about leaving the booth, a girl stepped in, and stepped on his foot. He turned, taking a look at her, he saw she was giving him a countenance which seemed to read— "you no dey see road?"
Being a gentleman of some degree, he motioned to get his pop corn.
There he was, collecting the 'swear' of a pop corn and the vicious lady nearly knock it off of his hand, but for the almost instant intervention of his reflex.
"Shit!"
He walked into the viewing room only to realise he was being stalked by someone. He didn't turn to check inorder not to summon an ambience of awkwardness. As he stepped into his seat, a voice said, "may I sit?"
"Most certainly," he said.
"So he stood you up right?"
"You would know, wouldn't you," she retorted.
"There are very few instances that lead a lady here alone."
"Really," she replied.
"He said he was going to show up, then he thought better of it."
"So I'm not worth meeting?"
"Good. Tell that to him."
Then he continued.
"He most likely got himself a nice believable excuse for when next you two meet. You are always early in everything you do and obviously the heart of your 'relationship', so you made it earlier than the rendezvous time, only for him to stall. Now you're already here, I'm guessing you are the type that can't let a moment go to waste. So you bought yourself a ticket and almost ruined my evening in the process.
" Is that all, or you still have some divining to do? "
"Wait, let me ask Ifa."
"You're a nairalander," she cut in almost immediately.
"Yah."
"Shh!"
Someone shushed them from in front.
"Shut up too, or I don't believe it," she slammed.
They both laughed as she used the colloquial nairaland phrase.
Their 'shusher' got up, moved to another seat and sat there.
"You do know your boyfriend is not around, right?"
"I've got you."
"Ha ha ha. You don't 'gat' me," shaking his head as he gave her a dissuading countenance.
"Make I here," she said smiling while calling his bluff.
The movie was soon over with neither of them glimpsing at the big screen. They both stepped out of the cinema and he made as if to leave.
"You didn't even tell me your name," she said.
"Okay then. I'm Guy Xander."
"Really? I meant your real name."
"That's short for Gaius Alexander."
"Oh. I'm Jane Janet. That's my Facebook name."
"I thought we were exchanging real names."
"Well, who said I believed Gauis Alexander is your real name,"she said as she bade her farewell.

PS: Intellectual property of Antonio Francesco

The Mistake Of Venial Sin

The mistake of venial sin. Mistaken as a not a sin at all. Just because your heart is blooded, doesn't mean the law of God has changed.
Venial sin: Any sin that was not committed willfully. Sin that doesn't kill the soul.
After fully explaining venial sin to a friend, he said of it, we are doomed oh.
"I'm struggling to keep from mortal sin and here is a type of sin I never thought was sin at all. This heaven sef, fit make am".
And I was like, let me help with that. It's easy to sin because you hold on to Satan and his life style. Hold on to God and it will be that easy to say, "I can make it".
The only problem as you climb n the ladder of holiness is that the work you'll to do increases as you go up the ladder.
Which with God's grace in time ceases to be a problem.
Purgatory is only reserved for the people you call holy, I said. Meaning, those without mortal sin but with venial sin.
Venial can be explained as , for example:
Someone of opposite sex walks passed you half naked. You stare at him/her, at some point your guardian Angel nugdes you and corrects you, then you chose to look away, you have chose willfully to not committed a mortal sin but a venial sin. For the image of him/her remains and helps its way to become a temptation. So ultimately, what the naked guy/girl couldn't do in person, his/her image did it later.
Mortal sins leave a scar, that even after a confession, you need to gain indulgences to wipe them away.
Restitution: A particular man sold a CD plate to a sister at a prayer ground. Now the sister forgot to collect the CD plate. Later the man died and went to purgatory. He was given the grace to appear to a friend in a dream. Who later went in search of the sister who paid for the CD plate.
When he found her, she shed tears. Later that night he appeared to the friend thanking him.
"The sin of the flesh makes war on us all. The greatest of them all have been it's victim."
The grace of God and our willingness to accept God grace will win us salvation.
Benedicamus dominus!

Tales of a Biafran

Do not go gentle into that cold night!
Rage, rage against the dying of the light!

Though the dictates of one man
Holds you captive
Your words fade not
Though you may not make it
Your dream is alive our hearts

No they cannot shut us up.
Like their brother's did Charlie Hebdo.
Our pen, our voice, our hearts will do the needful.
While they break the law, as do ISIS.
As do boko haram.

Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
The darkness that is Nigeria.
The darkness of their dedication.
Dedicated at festac to the demons of their fathers.
Biafrans refuse the hell concocted as a country.

Rage, rage against the dying of the light!
The light died along the way.
Few still see the truth.
Nigerians on hell's part.
The metaphor of darkness enshrouded in PHCN blackouts.

Rage, rage.
Equally yoked with the minions of a demon of their dedication.
Nothing good will and can come out.
Out of this relationship from the gates of Sheol!

In time, in time, the Biafrans will break us free
Free from the slave name:Nigger Area.
Free as when Saul took on the name Paul!
Free from their demonic rule
Free from the demonic change!

Rage, rage, for you're tied to a nation than you choose to believe. Your salvation is tied to your nation.
No job= you'll conceive more evil.
No light= no job, hunger, buying more fuel, increase and cheating customers due to hardship.
No road.
No school= makes it easy to keep you in ignorance and inherit your inheritance: both spiritual and physical.

Don't take my word for it.
See if you can finish Chinua Achebe's "THERE WAS A COUNTRY".
And realize you are living below your best.

Sin Against The Holy Spirit

Anything that separates us from God is sin.
There 7 cardinal vices(sin):
1. Pride
2. Greed
3. Lust
4. Envy
5. Gluttony
6. Anger
7. Laziness

There 6 sins against the holy spirit:
1. Presumption
2. Despair
3. Resisting the known truth
4. Envy of a brother's spiritual good
5. Obstinacy in sin
6. Final impenitence

What makes these sins unforgivable?
You know, God's grace has an expiration date.
These sins, every sinner must pass through them and at the last: final impenitence. At 'final impenitence' he or she does not seem to have the grace of repentance.
Before I go further, let me explain grace.

There are two primary categories of grace:
1.Actual grace.
2. Sanctifying grace.

1.Actual grace is extrinsic to the soul, meaning that it is an impulse to do good or avoid evil that is sent by God and acts upon the soul much like a tugboat gently nudges an ocean liner to move in a certain direction. Sometimes the nudges aren't very subtle, as in the case of Saul who received a massive blast of actual grace on the road to Damascus in Acts 9:1-8. This actual grace "nudged" him to convert to the Catholic faith.

2. Sanctifying grace, on the other hand, is intrinsic to the soul, meaning that it inheres or takes up residence in the soul. When Saul surrendered his heart to Christ and entered the Church the Holy Spirit infused his soul with sanctifying grace.

Okay, now that we understand grace, let continue.

When you get to final impenitence, you have lost the grace of repentance.
It means you can no longer desire repentance.

You didn't know?
People think anytime they want to repent they will.
But it is not so.

Let continue by explain the first: presumption.

1.Presumption: You commit a sin and presume that Good will forgive you. He's all mercifully and forgiving, yes.
You say one more. One more won't kill me nah. After one more, another more, on and on and on.
CCC (catechism of the Catholic church) 2092: There are two kinds of presumption. Either man presumes upon his own capacities, (hoping to be able to save himself without help from on high), or he presumes upon God's Almighty power or His mercy (hoping to obtain his forgiveness without conversion, and glory without merit).

2.Despire: now you've realize you've failed to do the right thing and want to do the right thing and now are actually thinking it's impossible to repent. Seeing as it's difficult to keep from sinning.
The frustration of falling into sin, now leads you to despire.
CCC (catechism of the Catholic church): 2091: The first commandment is also concerned with sins against hope, namely, despair and presumption:
By despair, man ceases to hope for his personal salvation from God, for help in attaining it or for the forgiveness of his sins. Despair is contrary to God's goodness, to his justices — for the Lord is faithful to his promises — and to his mercy

3. Resisting the known truth: you found out that since you can't stop, why make yourself feel bad about yourself?
So you resist the known truth.
When someone says that dress is immoral you say, impossican't. You no long see anything bad in a something that used to be a sin to you. You see how despair has graduated you to this sin?

4. Envy of a brother's spiritual good: brother here refers to all Christians.
When you see someone doing so well in his or her spiritual life, you envy them.

5. After committing a sin for a long time, you actual have made your body accustomed to it.
You don't even think before you soon anymore. It seems your conscience is dead.
Before telling he truth, you lie.
Terrible unholy words are now your 'how far' and 'what's up'.
Amongst all this, you still want to change. You carve change. Not repentance though.
Only PRAYER can gain you the GRACE (CRAVING) for repentance.

6.Final Impenitence: this part scares even the author. The grace of God has deserted you.
It means you no longer have sanctifying grace. But just the grace of survival. You are not dead yet, but you are dead in the spirit. Which is what gives the physical, life.

CCC (catechism of the Catholic church) 1864: "whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never had forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin."-Mk 3:29; cf. Mt 12:32; Lk 12:10.
There are no limits to the mercy of God, but anyone who deliberately refuses to accept his mercy by repenting, rejects the forgiveness of his sins and the salvation offered by the Holy Spirit. Such hardness of heart can lead to final impenitence and eternal loss.

But there is hope: PRAYER.
“Come to me, all of you who are tired from carrying heavy loads, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke and put it on you, and learn from me, because I am gentle and humble in spirit; and you will find rest.  For the yoke I will give you is easy, and the load I will put on you is light.”
Matthew 11:28-30 GNBDK
http://bible.com/431/mat.11.28-30.GNBDK

Bring nothing but your wholehearted self. Don't worry if you will not be able to finish what you start, just come. Don't worry if you are not sure you want to, just come. Don't worry if you think you cannot do away with what is keeping you from Him, but come. For in time, His grace will break those hindrances.
Benedicamus Domino!