Plunged into total darkness, fear gripped me. I wandered, my body shaking uncontrollably, calling out Amanda's name. There was no response. I increased the volume of my voice, shouting her name several times, yet still, silence.
Like prey trapped in a spider's web, overwhelming fear took hold. My mind clouded with terror; all I could think was that my life was in danger.
This lasted only a couple of minutes before laughter suddenly filled the air—not just one person's laughter, but a chorus of voices. I couldn't believe my ears; the fear intensified, suffocating me. My breath staggered, panic gripping me like never before. Instinctively, I knew Tutor Beatrice and her accomplices were near. It felt like a setup, though I refused to believe Amanda was involved, blinded by my trust in her.
As the laughter subsided, seven candles suddenly illuminated the room, revealing the faces behind the mocking voices. Seven figures stood dressed in long black garments, each adorned with similar patterns, reminiscent of witches and wizards from Nollywood movies. Their faces bore a dark substance, resembling the eerie depictions of covens in movies.
I stood speechless, feeling a presence behind me—it was Amanda, silently present since the darkness fell. Her footsteps approached, her face close to mine as she whispered, "It was nice being friends with you, spending time together. You'll always be in my heart, even as you leave this world. I hope you find peace in paradise." With a tap on my left shoulder, she passed me, a smile on her face, joining Tutor Beatrice and the others. It dawned on me—I had been deceived.
"Is today my fate to die?" I wondered, glancing at the door. Seeing Tutor Beatrice and her accomplices a distance away, I seized the chance to escape. Close to the door, I tried to unlock it but failed, realizing something was wrong. Turning back, I locked eyes with Tutor Beatrice, her reddish gaze fixing on me—she was blocking the door.
"Don't waste time, Paul. Come quietly, like a good boy, and let us proceed. I might call you a fool for falling for Amanda's deception, but our plan was flawless, meant to succeed. Did you know she signaled me with her eyes when she turned away from you to face me yesterday? Shocking, isn't it? We read situations well, adapting easily, always ready with another plan," Michael concluded, laughter echoing around us as the group joined in.
Words became more precious to me at that moment, beyond my reach. I stood there, feeling like prey surrendering to a lion's feast.
"Mom, can you see that your grandson is making you proud?" Tutor John asked, facing Tutor Beatrice after the laughter died down.
At that moment, I was paralyzed with shock at what I heard.
"How can a woman younger than a man possibly be his mother?" That thought struck me. Soon enough, I realized Tutor Beatrice was an old woman who consumed children's lifespans to maintain her youth—to stay young. It then dawned on me that Tutor John and Michael were related.
My mind wandered to whether Amanda might also be connected to them.
As if reading my thoughts, Tutor Beatrice interrupted, "Paul, don't waste your thoughts. Amanda isn't related to us; she's just one of our most reliable assets. So, Paul, why don't you spend your time thinking about the afterlife? Consider the happiness you might find there rather than pondering this. Just accept your fate, Paul, and let your mind rest in peace before you eventually rest in peace." Her smile mentally weakened me.
"Mom, I can't wait to devour his flesh. I bet he'll be the tastiest human meat we've ever eaten," Tutor John suddenly said. Michael quickly chimed in, "Dad, Paul himself has tasted human flesh before. He thought I was bluffing then. Well, I made it sound like a bluff, but in reality, I subtly let him know he was eating human meat," Michael said, laughing aloud. Others joined in the laughter.
I couldn't believe what I heard. I felt like vomiting at that moment, but my mouth betrayed me. It was overwhelming to think I had actually eaten human flesh served as meat in Michael's house. Who could have guessed that Michael, his dad, and grandma were all cannibals? "How dark is this?" I wondered. I also pondered whether the others were cannibals too, including Amanda. But knowing didn't matter; reality showed I might die soon. "If I'm meant to die, so be it," I thought inwardly.
"Now let's begin," Tutor Beatrice said, staring at everyone in her midst.
Shortly after, Tutor Adisa and Tutor Fungawa appeared beside me. They took me by the arms and disappeared back to where they were standing. Without much thought, I already knew they intended to take my life, but I wondered how.
"Now let's begin our ritual. Both of you, bring the ropes and tie his hands and legs to those pillars," Tutor Beatrice commanded, fixing her gaze on Tutor Steven and Martha before shifting her gaze to two pillars on opposite sides. Until then, I hadn't noticed the four pillars.
Still in the grip of Tutor Adisa and Tutor Fungawa, I gulped nervously, sweating profusely at the thought of what they were about to do to me.
Tutor Steven and Tutor Martha went further into the room and returned with four long ropes. As instructed by Tutor Beatrice, they bound my hands and legs to the opposite pillars. The binding made my position on the floor resemble a cross, with my arms and legs stretched wide. Tears streamed down my face from the pain of the restraints.
Michael, standing nearby, saw me crying. "Don't be a crybaby, Paul. Man up and accept your fate," he said sarcastically.
Later, they all left me and ventured deeper into the room, returning with more candles. They arranged the candles around me in the shape of a cross and lit them with matches. The heat from the numerous candles intensified, causing my tears to flow uncontrollably. It felt like extreme torture.
Shortly afterward, they stood around me, completely encircling me. All eyes were closed except for Tutor Beatrice, who held a black book. She stood near my head, chanting strange words from the book in a language I didn't know existed. The others chorused along, repeating after her.
As Tutor Beatrice continued chanting from the book, time seemed to stretch endlessly. I was already in excruciating pain, the desire for a swift end growing within me.
Eventually, she stopped, and as they drew closer, I noticed their eyes all glowing a dark red. During those agonizing moments, my thoughts drifted to my mother, imagining her worry and searching for me. Though I couldn't be sure of the time, I guessed it was around 7:30 to 8:00 PM.
Tutor Beatrice locked eyes with mine and slowly bent down, her expression deadly serious. With her right hand on my forehead, her thumb pressed firmly, she whispered, "Now, your lifespan will be mine."
She motioned for the others to bend down and touch any part of my body. I resigned myself to death, closing my eyes as they prepared to seize my destiny as well.
Seconds passed, and I felt life draining from me, as if something vital was leaving my body. Then, in a shocking instant, a loud thunderclap reverberated through the room, accompanied by a powerful gust of wind.
Everything halted abruptly. The sound of bodies hitting the floor filled the air. Silence enveloped the room, broken only by my ragged breaths. In that moment, I realized the power of God had struck Tutor Beatrice and her accomplices dead.
Moments later, overwhelmed by the prolonged pain and ordeal, I succumbed to unconsciousness.
YOU ARE READING
A School Of Weirdos
Mystery / ThrillerPaul Ikechukwu left Ibadan with his mother to move to the shore of Lagos, where his mother had found a new job. Since Paul's father had died years before, Paul had to adjust to life in a new city with his mother. Paul was in JSS 1 and started the s...
