Ibinu

Chapter 4: Dog days.

SS3.

The sun was glaring brightly, the concrete floor outside the hostel was extremely dry, causing its colour to appear a muted grey, a drop of water fell on it producing sizzling sounds. 

The inside of the hostel was stifling, causing sweat to flow down the bodies of its inhabitants and making them cry out in agony for a gust of wind, a sudden downpour, or for the power company to bring light, the latter being the most unlikely.

The girls of  Anike house were lounging on the veranda, some on mattresses, some at the doors, others on the concrete fences and even more were on their beds within the hostel but without a doubt, they all tried their utmost best to wear the bearest minimum.

 Some wore simple underwear, others wore bum shorts and bra tops, while most seniors like Lola chose to leave their upper body bare.

As they looked across the common ground, they saw that the same situation was occurring in the other 4 hostels. Finally, the power holding company decided to take pity on them and brought the light, "UP NEPAAAAAA*!!!" Jubilant shouts echoed in the various hostels. 

The fans started twirling and the ACs started working, the seniors immediately fighting for space under the fans and ACs as well as bunks being adjusted to the prized relief spots. 

After a while, it was obvious that the cooling devices did little to reduce the heat and many regretted leaving their shaded spots on the veranda as the spots ended up being occupied by others.

"Senior Lola! Senior Lola, senior Amandi said I should call you!" All heads swivelled in the direction of the little girl shouting, some people even started shaking their heads in pity for her. 

"Who's that one that's raising head like an agama lizard, shouting senior Lola, senior Lola from the common ground* like someone that doesn't have home training? Will you come here, my friend!

Ahan, see this fool oo, is it because I added my friend that you think it's a suggestion? If I count to 10 and you are not here, I promise to give you a baptism of slaps that I'm sure you've never received in your life.1 -" A girl from Moremi hostel could be seen shouting from the steps at the entrance.

The little girl barely managed to reach the position of the senior at the count of  9, after running like her life depended on it, because it did, "Senior, you called me." The junior girl managed to reply, in between puffs of breath with her hands on her knees and her body hunched over.

"Will you stand up straight! How old are you that you were shouting your senior's name like that?" The hostel prefect put her hands on her hips as she thundered at the junior girl.

"I'm sorry senior, it's because I didn't know the hostel of the person they asked me to call." The little girl couldn't even look the senior directly in the eye and as her eyes landed on her senior's singlet clad chest she quickly shifted her gaze and looked sheepishly at the floor.

 She was like a little mouse in front of a lion. What made the situation more comical was that the senior was shorter than the girl by at least a good 5 inches.

"See your mouth like did not know, you can not ask the person that sent you message, abi you did not know that it's your SP's* name that you were shouting anyhow!"She continued to eye the girl as she shouted at her. 

The junior girl knelt on the floor with a bang and started begging while trembling.

"Oh-oh,  so now that you heard SP you know fear abi? It's not me you're meant to be begging, go and meet your Senior Prefect there." Titi pointed across the common ground to Anike house.