ADVENTURE OF SALVIN SAWYERR

AT YOUR MIGHT... PICK OFF

  Twelve years old Salvin, Femi, Destiny, Victor and Joshua were sweating profusely and giggling like faulty generators as we cracked jokes, while clearing off the space we'd just played football in. The place was just down the road (the road end, actually) and was ideal for ball since the arrival of vehicles were less anticipated.
  Femi was racing the ball from one leg to the other, showing off his skills as we prepared to walk home. He was on a jersey, as well as Joshua. Destiny and I, by coincidence, were on red tops. Victor was wearing something out of the blues, literally...
  As we walked back, Destiny heard a dog bark from behind a large, estate gate. Guess what the fool did... he bent himself low, and began to push stones at the feet of the barricaded dog (his almost-greatest mistake in life).
  Femi threw a word, as he put the ball between his arm.
  “It'll be like a movie when the dog jumps out at you. Don't forget dogs hate the colour red, they'll chase you for eternity.”
  I smirked. I couldn't tell how true that was, although I was sure of having heard something similar in the past.
  “He should jump out nah!” Destiny stated undaunted. He then added in West African pidgin, “I go fire im Papa!”
  Joshua was normally irritated by this, and began to walk away, while Victor joined in the fun of pushing stones to enrage the dog. And just as Femi and I began to walk away to catch up with Joshua...
  ‘Boom!’
  Turning around in a split-second, I saw a terrifying bulldog push the metal gate with its forehead and diving straight for the boys behind.
  Before I go on, I must state this, that on a normal day, I, Salvin Sawyerr, have always been the slowest in a race between these counterparts. However...
  ‘Vroom!’
  Femi was startled as he ran, when he felt a puff of air pass him.
  “Ah, Salvin! You have superpowers?”
  I ignored him and ran with all my life. Imagine me, being faster than Femi, it wasn't even a thing that could be dreamt of, not to talk of happening.
  I was beginning to tire, but brother... on looking behind me at the bouncing cheeks and slinging saliva of the resolved dog, strength beyond all understanding, ran through my soul. Hallelujah! Brother... I zoomed. It was an, “At your might, fly fence, go!” for me.
  That— that was one the scariest day of my life. It's when death comes that one begins to think of all those guys who still hadn't returned one's toys. And that ‘suya’ man who's barbecues you'd saved for, tonight... and...
  “Salvin, slow down! The dog has turned away!”
  Femi's voice dragged me to the present. I looked at the crowd in my area and felt somewhat embarrassed. One fine, slim girl like this, Winnie was what she was called, she began to laugh. But on remembering what Joshua said few days ago about her — “You wey wrapper go round hundred times, and material go still remain.” — it was my own turn to glare my teeth.
  I smiled as I turned around to the panting boys, and to the dog grumbling under its breath as it returned home in the same amount of speed it chased us with, under the setting sun of dusk.