The evening sky cast an orange glow over the serene waters surrounding Makoko, fading into a deeper blue as dusk settled over the village.
The students, having completed their evening meditation, began to filter out of the courtyard, moving toward their dorms.
Among them were Adunni, Lekan, and Taiwo, three first-rate souls who walked side by side, their steps slow, their expressions thoughtful.
As they approached Akeh's dorm, Lekan, ever the bold one, knocked on the wooden door. Silence. He knocked again, louder this time, but still no response. He glanced back at the others and smirked.
"Looks like even the new guy, Akeh, isn't around," Lekan said, leaning against the doorframe.
Taiwo's brow furrowed, glancing around the dimly lit path.
"Something's not right. How can both of them be missing the whole day? We even checked the dump yard...no sign of him training there like he usually does."
Lekan chuckled, his tone dripping with satisfaction.
"Maybe it's because of the beatings we gave him yesterday while he was meditating. Decided to go off the radar. Who knows? Maybe Altine took him somewhere new."
Adunni, always observant, crossed her arms, her eyes sharp as she added.
"You guys beat up the new student?"
"Yeah, we visited him at the dump yard yesterday, we didn't beat him up too much tho" Taiwo chuckled with Lekan
Adunni sighed at their actions but she still felt like Akeh deserved the beatings he got.
"That could explain why Altine didn't show up to train us today. She must be tending to his injuries in the chiefs' house."
"That can't be possible..." Lekan said with a hint of doubt in his tone.
"Right?..." Lekan questioned
There was silence as they all exchanged glances, none too eager to be caught snooping around the chiefs' quarters. But curiosity gnawed at them. Eventually, they decided to wait nearby, convinced Akeh would show up sooner or later.
Climbing onto the rooftop of a nearby building, the three of them settled in, giving them a clear view of the chiefs' compound.
The evening stretched on, with the gentle hum of night settling in. As they waited, the conversation turned to familiar territory.
Adunni, her voice soft but firm, broke the silence.
"I've always been thinking about this." Adunni said
"About what?" Lekan asked
Adunni turn to look at both Lekan and Taiwo.
"Why do you guys like bullying? Is it fun? Or there's something deeper to it" Adunni questioned them.
Lekan and Taiwo exchanged awkward glances. They laughed, trying to dismiss the question, but Adunni's piercing gaze made it clear she wasn't going to let it slide.
"Come on, to call it bullying,"
Lekan said, scratching the back of his head.
"Akeh's just… he's too arrogant, you know?"
Taiwo nodded, adding, "Yeah, the guy thinks his special because purist altine is always fawning over him. It pisses me off."
Adunni narrowed her eyes. "So you're both jealous, then?"
Lekan shot her a look, defensive.
"Don't act like you're all innocent. You bully Juwon all the time just to impress Segun."
Adunni's eyes widened in shock, but before she could protest, both boys burst out laughing.
"It's so obvious," Taiwo said, shaking his head.
"You like Segun."
Adunni scoffed, folding her arms tightly across her chest.
"Shut up, y-you don't know what you're saying."
They continued teasing her, the banter lightening the mood as the night deepened.
Hours passed, and soon it was nearing midnight. Adunni, growing restless, yawned and stretched.
"This is pointless," she muttered, getting to her feet.
"I'm going to bed."
But before she could leave, Lekan grabbed her arm, pulling her down.
"Wait, look! Lower your head."
The three of them crouched down, eyes narrowing as they focused on the chiefs' compound.
Slowly, the door to the chief's house creaked open, revealing a sliver of light spilling into the courtyard. From within, a shadowy figure emerged, and the three watched with bated breath.
To be continued...