Janet's POV
I sighed happily as I joined the crew is sitting on the grass. Everybody looks happy, well who won't it's our last paper already. Jimmy yelled happily laying down on the grass, Craig followed suit, we looked at Jason.
Shaking his head "No, I'm not doing that with them"
"Vibe Killer" Jimmy sat up
"I can't believe we are now graduates!" Lami squealed
"Of which University abeg?" Craig asked grinning
"See, you just started life. Now your journey to life has begun" Jimmy spoke like a motivator
"Shut up there, so all the time spent from Kindergarten to Secondary school is not journey abi or my life has not begun then," Lami said looking at Jimmy ready to slap him on the head
"Why are you looking at me?" Jimmy asked moving away from her
"Well, if it's the beginning of our life, then we've crossed the first bridge," Amarachi said
"Exactly!"
"Elle are you not going to say anything or you're not happy you're leaving this hell called school?" Jason asked, we all faced her
"I'm going to miss you all and I'm happy very happy to be leaving this hell" She cleaned her nose as tears trickled down her cheek
"Group hug!" Lami yelled
We rushed to her, holding each other tightly and dearly. We pulled away to catch some fresh air
Clearing her croaked voice Elle said chuckling, "Thank God somebody's hands are clean"
"I feel for the next set of students coming in," Amarachi said wearing a sad face
"I think we all do. They wouldn't know what they are getting themselves into till they enter," Elle began
"When they enter and see what's going on, they would probably find out they can't leave so they get stuck," Jason continued
"Then they come to school every day with fear, praying that they don't be the next to be kidnapped because they don't know when he will strike," Lami continued
"After hearing the stories they would come to know that he strikes once a year," Craig continued
"When they hear a student has been kidnapped, they breathe a sigh of relief unknowingly, and immediately pray to God to ask for forgiveness and protection" I finished
"God help us, Amen" Jimmy added
"That was intense" Elle laughed
"We sounded like those poets" Amarachi smiled
"You and who sounded like those poets?" Jimmy asked squeezing his face
"Jimmy your line wasn't supposed to be at the ending " Lami held her face muttering some incoherent words
"What do you mean? That was the best place for it, it sounded more like a prayer" Jimmy defended
"But we weren't praying," Lami said still holding her face
"Well following Janet's line, it matched," He said
"It's okay! Whether his line came last or first. It is okay" Craig tried settling the dispute but looks like he failed
"Don't talk when your elders are talking" Lami twisted his ear while Jimmy gave him a slap at the back of his head "Ouch!! I'm sorry"
"Was it only me that had trouble refraining myself from opening Elles' gift?" Jason asked smiling cheekily
Everybody started talking together, "I'll go first" Amarachi suggested
She cleared her throat " It wasn't easy at all, I wanted to see what was inside. I fought with temptation yesterday but I conquered"
" Welcome to How We Overcome, today we'll be sharing our experience on how we overcame temptation from opening a gift" Jason talked with enthusiasm as he stared at an invisible camera like those OAPs or Tv presenters.
Turning to Amarachi "so Miss Amarachi mind telling us how you conquered this temptation you fought with" He stretched a rolled exercised book that served as a microphone
"Well, I thank the Lord" Amarachi began " it wasn't an easy battle at all, I was fighting with temptation face to face, it would slap me I would slap back, punch me I would punch back"
"Thank you very much Miss Amarachi, any words for your fans out there?"
"Hey, fans! Don't forget violence is not an answer or does not provide an answer but using your fist will" She smiled at the invisible camera waving at it
Jason looked at her confused" What's the difference? Anyways next is Miss Lami"
He turned to her " Hello Miss Lami, please tell us how you conquered the temptation" he stretched the mic to her
"As an obedient student and child-"
Everybody snorted at the statement she made, Amarachi was the loudest,
She continued" It wasn't hard following the condition that came with the gift"
"So are you saying that those who really fought blow to blow with the temptation are not obedient student?" Jason asked
"Well you never can tell" Lami answered
" Any words for your fans out there?"
"Uhm, I love you guys!!" She sent invisible kisses at the invisible camera
"People that have sense" Elle snorted
" I'm sure your fans out there love you too. Thank you very much, Miss Lami. Next is Jimmy"
He smiled at him " I doubt if our Rv. Father here has any challenges with the temptation because I'm sure he knows how to fight temptation very well but let's hear what he has to say"
"God bless you" he said doing the cross sign " brethen,like they said a jobless person is the devil's workshop-"
We burst out laughing " Father it is not 'a jobless person' oh , it is 'an idle person'. Jobless ko" Elle corrected
"Thank you, my daughter, an idle person is the devil's workshop. I was idle as of yesterday and the gift kept staring at me, 'open me, open me' it kept whispering to me but 'No!' I shouted I grabbed my Bible and started praying fire fire-"
"Thank you very much Rv. Father Jimmy, I bet it was such an amazing battle" Jason cut him off before we start praying fire fire
I didn't have any temptation opening the gift nor did Craig have
"Thank you all for watching today's episode of How We Overcome." Jason smiled at an invisible camera, waving at it. Amarachi, Lami and Jimmy joined him in waving while we stared at them like...
"That was also intense" Elle laughed "Thank you guys though,I'm really happy at the extreme steps you guys took to fight off the temptation"
"This one said she was obedient" Amarachi pointed at Lami, everyone laughed.
"I'm obedient na, you think I'm like you guys?"
"No oh, we think you are worst" Jimmy answered
"Before you start another bickering the bell has been ranged. Time to go home" Jason settled the dispute
Lami groaned "because of this boy, we didn't even get to discuss about our Graduation party which is three days from now!"
"We'll discuss it tomorrow Lami" I yawned
"Tomorrow makes it two days from the graduation" She whined
"I don't have the strength to discuss any Graduation party oh!" Jimmy warned
"I thought you guys have been planning it from ss1?" Elle asked totally confused
"We have of course, but we need to go over the preparation" Lami answered
"From Ss1??" The boys looked shocked, they looked at each other " Oh boy! We don't even know what to wear and you girls have been planning this from Ss1 and you still want to go over it!!"
"Well, you guys don't have an issue" Lami said " We'll discuss this tomorrow and nothing, I mean nothing should make us not to discuss it"
"Yes Ma'am"
"Bye!" The boys waved at us, we waved back
Channelle's POV
"See you girls tomorrow!" I waved to the girls, I walked towards Maris who looked like she had been there for the whole day waiting for me
"What took you so long!?" she stomped her feet
"You haven't been here for more than a minute so stop making noise" I walked ahead of her
"So you'll be leaving school by next week" She came closer to me
"Yeah, our Graduation is in three days" I smiled at her
"I'll miss you" she smiled back
"Well you'll be seeing me at home"
"Yeah! But I don't have a sister in my school again"
"Live with it" I opened the car door and hopped inside
"So harsh" she flinged her bag inside then came in
"Uncle Harry is staying for some few more days" she moved her shoulders rhymtically
"And it doesn't bother you? Or you don't think there's a reason to that?" I asked, I felt my anger rising
"Chill sis, I think he's staying because he wants to spend some time with us!" She smiled from ear to ear
"Who knows maybe till he visits us again would be still next year" she continued
"You're so dumb" I muttered
At Home
"Aren't you coming in?" Maris asked before twisting the front door knob
"I am, I just need to speak to Uncle Harry" I stood beside the car feeling very nervous
"Well, he's inside so you have to come inside" she motions her hand inside the house acting like that guy on TikTok
"I'm coming, I'm trying to gather my speech and courage" I said to her
She leaves the door open and walked to me " what do you have to discuss with your Uncle that makes you so shaky and trying to gather your speech and courage?"
I was about answering her, when she cut me off " it doesn't matter, let's get you to Uncle" she goes behind and starts pushing me towards the door
"Hey hey!" I tried freeing myself from her grip
She succeeded in pushing me to his room door, smiling sweetly she said "Here we are! Do you need help going inside too?"
"No, I'm fine"
"See you later" she walked to her room, opened it and banged the door making me flinch Gosh! I exhaled and inhaled, I'm so nervous
I knocked on his door, "come in" I heard him say
"Good afternoon Uncle"
"Hey Chula! How are you?" He smiled at me, probably a fake smile I returned the smile
"I'm fine, school was also fine" I answered knowing he was going to ask about School next
He chuckled "so..."
"So..." I cleared my throat, not knowing how to begin, I decided to ask "How are you?"
"I'm good just stressed from work and all"
I laughed " Uncle, do you know that I trusted you..." I began, I felt my courage rising
He looked confused, " You don't trust me again?"
Deciding to ignore his question that sounded not worth answering, did he not go to school? I continued with my rant "I thought, oh maybe I have somebody on my side" I felt my anger rising within me
Go, girl!! you got this!
"What do you mean?" He asked, looking like a confused Uncle
" Okay, I'll go straight to the point and save us the stress, the phone call you had yesterday about the target, who were you talking to?" I asked,
I'm getting relaxed, is this a good thing?
He still looked confused
"Stop pretending!!" I yelled hitting the glass cup on the table, it fell to the floor with a shatter
ghen ghen. My mommy will kill me
"I don't know what you're talking about" he defended
"Okay, let me help you remember. Yesterday you had a phone call with somebody talking about the target and I know you were referring to my school, Great Height Academy"
Looks like he remembered, I don't know how a young man like him would forget things so easily
"Oh Chula! You shouldn't have eavesdropped at all" He shaked his head furiously
"You know, I found it a little strange you coughed when Maris told you the name" I sat on the chair, sliding down to my comfortability
Everything is not by shouting
"Oh, God! Anything could have made me cough"
"Don't blame me, I find everything strange" I shrugged my shoulders, " The call, what was it all about?"
" Things you shouldn't know" he held his head
" it's about my school" I shrugged my shoulders again, sitting up to hear whatever he has to say
"Okay, I'm carrying out a private investigation about your school"
"Why?" I asked,
"I'm sure you know the reason" he smiled at me
I rolled my eyes, " Yeah! Because students get kidnapped every year"
"Good girl, your Principal has done a great job keeping it away from the public. Somehow , somebody was watching or kept tab of the students that went missing, the person made sure he visited each student's parents. I don't know much of the story but the person created a group for these students' parents, and he added a parent when their student gets missing. They hired me and my crew to investigate the matter"
"Wow! So someone was and is watching" I muttered
"I'm sure the reason you and your friends have a tracker is for protection incase any of you gets missing"
I smiled sadly, nodding my head. "So what are you supposed to investigate on?"
"Well, I'm supposed to find out who the next target is, and probably catch the kidnapper"
"From the information you've gathered so far, who do you think has a hand in it?"
He looked at me strangely " I don't know anything about that, I'm technically not doing anything. Just overseeing everybody working in my crew but there's an insider"
My eyes lit up with curiosity and excitement, "what do you mean?"
"Going through the information from recent abduction, whoever is the insider is the one who does the job and brings the abducted to the suppose kidnapper. I'm sure you student always thought it's the kidnapper that does the abduction"
I nodded slowly gathering my information and trying to bring pieces together. "What about the target you talked about on the phone?"
"I was referring to the Kidnapper, I felt he knows that he's been monitored so I'm guessing he's going to hasten the abduction"
I stood up slowly, " I think I'm going to go change"
"I'm sorry Chula, you've known too many information" he bows his head
Right now, I'm the one looking at him confused
He shakes his head " you've known too many information that can endanger your safety, I'm really sorry Chula" he looked concerned and remorseful
I smiled sadly " It's okay, I was never safe anyways" I whispered the last part.
********
Guys!! Lots of apologies.
So... we know who Uncle Harry is, phew I thought he was the bad guy.
I'm speechless, anyways I hoped you enjoyed this chapter.
Who's the insider?
Detectives I hope you guys are ready to blast anybody suspicious, okay Amarachi said no violence but! we can use our fist!
RQ: What's your favourite genre in movies and books?
Mine: Comedy, Mystery/Thriller, Drama.
Lemme read yours, you have to comment for me to read it oh.
See you in the next chapter, Adios.
Vote oh!