WAZOBIA: A Tale of Two worlds

In the dorms

"Inspection!"

All the girls in my ward scrambled to get up and stand at attention beside their respective bunks once they heard the stomp of our mistress' boot on the floor and her call to order.

This was the time of the day when she came to check if her students were neat, future government officials or filthy pigs.

The door to our ward swung open, allowing an average height, white, blonde woman holding a wooden baton, step through.

"Stop slouching young lady," came a stern command, addressing short Brenda, whose posture really wasn't her fault.

The woman, whom we all called UnderDog, walked with strong steps, looking around the room for anything that could be described as 'filth'.

She finally came over to my bunk.

Her eyes darted around till she spotted something black on my bed and made her way to it.

It was my Bible. The UnderDog looked at it and then looked at me as if to ask why it was there.

She picked it up and analysed it, then, without warning, threw it on the floor.

The sound made by the impact of the hard leather on the tiled floors made my roommates flinch, and then straighten themselves up almost immediately.

She then came over to me and peered into my eyes with a stern look on her face.

"Get rid of it, or I will" were the last words before she left the room.

The door slammed shut and my roommates relaxed, giving sighs of relief. My bunk pal, Sarah, helped me pick up my Bible and climbed back onto the bed.

"Why does she like troubling you?" Sarah said with a concerned look on her face.

"Because she a bitch, that's why" My friend, Danielle, shoved her gun under the bed.

I remained silent, stretching out my hand to carefully put my Bible inside the drawer while Sarah busied herself trying to rest her back on my propped up legs.

She finally succeeded.

"Somebody oughta teach her some manners" another one of the girls said.

"She'll get her punishment"

"That's right - in hell!" Roared Danielle, laughing and giving Sarah a high five.

I smiled.

"So, Simbi, seems you and Adams are having chemistry" Danielle gingerly blurted.

I could see the thought of it gave her trills. She was a busy body, what Nigerians called amebo.

"Oooo" , came the silly unanimous high school dummy response from the rest of the girls.

I hissed and picked up a book I was reading just to prevent myself from yanking out my gun from under the bed and throwing her head one solid shot. And I never missed a shot.

Danielle laughed.

"Stop that" Sarah slapped Danielle on the arm.

"You know she doesn't like that kind of talk" scolded Sarah.

"But what's wrong with you girl, men is good " Danielle stressed.

I continued reading, trying to keep my anger caged lest I throw Sarah's head of beautiful blonde hair harshly to the ground.

I couldn't start revisiting my history again with Danielle. She could be such a pain in the ass.

"Sometimes I think you just ungrateful" she spat.

"Almost every girl in our set has a crush on that guy and you just gonna, I dunno, act bitchy and stuck up?"

"Of course I am" I finally said in annoyance, raising my shoulders in a very matter of fact, sarcastic way.

"I told you, no men." I looked at Danielle straight in the eye.

"So what, you interested in women?"

I got up from the bed, threw the pillow angrily and stormed to the bathroom, hissing all the way.

"That ain't gonna solve yo' problem Sim', you just gotta stop acting like a bitch and be normal for once." Danielle finished as I slammed the door behind me.

She just loved to be annoying. If everyone in the world was stereotyped, we'd all be like living computers.

Danielle was an idiot.

She wasn't above her foolishness. She couldn't be. Besides, I already had a lot of things on my mind and I couldn't let her creep in. I was going to make my escape next week and that was enough to think of already.

"Simbi"

Sarah entered the restroom to see me looking at myself in the mirror, my hands on either side of the sink.

"Don't bother about Danielle, "she said, coming over to place her hand on my shoulder. Her pure cream colour contrasted clearly with my ebony black skin.

"I've just got a lot on my mind, you know, next week"

"The graduation?" She asked

"No. The Escape" I replied.

"Oh, well, I'm sure you'll pull through."she said

"God willing"

"Now come on, let's go back" she nudged me.

"No way" I said

" Come on, Danielle said she'd apologise. Please" her almond coloured eyes suddenly got bigger as they stared into my face. That was definitely a lie.

"Fine", Sarah led me out of the bathroom.