TEACHER NWACHUKWU (CRIMINAL LOVE) Episode 9 – Author Nath (Bright Daniel)
Heading: Access Strategy.
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“Dave!” Judith ran after him. She caught him on the way again in the presence of others, even Ada and Stephenie who stood side by side. The manner in which Judith held the boy back attracted all. Murphy and Obi had the same posture with Ada and Stephenie. Only Vivian stood alone, watching the two. Meanwhile, Cynthia and Daniella had not come out from the change-room.
Judith stared at Dave with her hand tightly holding his arms. He was taller than her, so as she talked, she looked up at him in the eyes.
“You need to understand that I was punished because I lied not because I didn’t sleep in my room. So she’s no way the cause of my punishment! Let her be.”
Dave said nothing, thinking and staring at Judith too. In that order, quietness surrounded the path of the boutique.
“Did she harass or molest you?” Dave asked fiercely.
“She did nothing, absolutely nothing to me. So stop!” she released his arm and placed her hand on his chest with a softer voice. “Please”
Just then, a male security came out, suspecting violence in the air. “What’s going on?” he threw the question in the air too.
“They’er dragging one cloth, sir.” Vivian took the ground with a fictitious smile, while others dispersed like criminals.
Bemused, the man rumpled his face. “A boy and a girl dragging one cloth?” he needed more substantiation for the chemistry behind that.
“It’s a unisex outfit like, you know, man and woman can wear it. Just like your shirt.” Vivian jokingly and hilariously adjusted the man’s shirt like a wife to the husband, glowing with smile. “You look handsome. Here..” she rushed her bag immediately and brought out a novel then stretched it to the young man. “You can have it, it’s a gift from the bombom of my heart.”
Meanwhile, the man had been blushing and shinning his thirty-two like an idiot, forgetting the tension that overwhelmed the place a few seconds ago. Nevertheless, he collected the book. “Thank you”
“Read it, it’s very inspiring. Bye” Vivian turned to see Judith smiling at her character. However, the man had gone back to his duty post.
“Young girl, I’m as surprise as you are.” Vivian told Judith as both stared at the direction the man followed.
“Babe, you just used teacher’s teachings about materialism for love on that security man and it worked!” Judith couldn’t believe it.
“That’s why I’m surprise. Legal bribery, it brainwashed him and brought peace. Ahh, i commot cap for teacher oh!”
They began to smile happily but Vivian frowned, folding her hands and facing her. “Are you telling me what I want to hear or not?” she requested.
Judith understood that she was talking about Dave and her. Before she could say anything, Cynthia passed with her selected clothes as if she didn’t see them.
“Cynthia, are you through? I love your clothes!” Vivian told her, yet she never looked back. “What’s wrong with her?” she turned back to Judith.
“May be she…”
“Look at mine!” Daniella’s voice interrupted Judith.
“Hey, they’re beautiful!” Vivian examined the clothes with Judith who also complimented on them with a low voice.
“Ella, what’s wrong with Cynthia?” she purposely asked her.
Daniella glanced at the direction Cynthia followed. “She’s… she..” she glanced again. “I guess i offended her.”
Hearing that, Judith smiled and admired her degree of sincerity.
“I’ll apologize to her anyways.” Daniella walked out.
Vivian turned back to Judith. “Young girl, you think I’ve forgotten that I asked you a question.” she folded her hands for the second time.
Judith chuckled. “Amebo! I’ll tell you when we get home. Let’s go meet the cashier. I’m done so that teacher won’t spend all his money.”
“Hmm.. wife material!” They laughed, leaving the place.
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However, Ada had politely taken Stephenie to clear her doubt regarding the phone call. Both could be seen in a very lonely path of the large boutique, standing like twins.
“I hope there’s no problem.” Stephanie asked her.
“No. I’m Ada..” she paused. “May I know your name?”
“Why?” Stephanie was becoming impatient.
“I.. I.. just want to know if you’re… umm..” she swallowed hard. “Um.. if you’re Stephen’s sister.”
“Where did you know Stephen?” she became enthusiastic.
“Just answer me. Is he your brother?”
“No, he’s my friend, close friend. Do you know where he is. You know he’s missing, right?”
Ada’s heart accelerated. She didn’t know whether to reason why Stephen lied to her or whether to deliver his message. Teacher’s reaction struck into her mind too if he gets to know what he decided to do. She also remembered Obi’s words: “Ada, you see that girl in the arms of her savour, just ten hours of standing, she wanted to collapse. You’ll stand there for forty-eight hours.”
“Hello?” Stephenie brought her out of the thought. “Why do you think I’m Stephen’s sister?”
“Nevermind, please.” Ada ran out of the place suspiciously. She was the last to meet the cashier, teacher paid through his debit card then all headed outside, entering into a limousine with executive space inside.
Meanwhile, Stephanie, haven suspected Ada, she dialed the number that called her last. Fortunately for her, it was in front of the female worker who gave Ada phone. It rang and the lady picked.
“Hello..” the lady said on the phone.
Stephanie did not only hear her voice on the phone she also heard it physically. She looked at the lady instantly.
“That’s my number calling you. How did you get it?” she asked as she was approaching the lady.
“Ahh, are you the one calling?” the lady looked at her phone. “I don’t know, a girl just used my phone recently. I guess it’s the same number she called.
“Which girl?”
The lady looked through the window. “The one entering that long car now.”
Stephanie stretched her neck to see her. Like flash, she zoomed off. Unfortunately, before she could get outside, the limo had set in motion. She began to run after it, shouting and waving “Hey, stop! Stop!”
The driver of the vehicle saw her through a side mirror.
Inside the limo, the orphans seated in a semi circle. The boys faced the girls while teacher sat alone on another chair, facing them. The setting was like a king and his elders in a palace. Teacher could see them smiling and discussing happily. Suddenly, the driver’s voice came through a speaker.
“Sir, a girl is running after us, waving for me to stop.”
Hearing that, the kids stopped murmuring. Teacher looked back see the very girl in quote.
“Stop the car.” he commanded.
“Okay, sir.” the driver pulled over.
Before Stephanie approached the tinted glass, teacher had covered his face with the sunglasses and his beards with a fabric. He whined down the glass when Stephanie knocked on it. Already, Ada had wished for the ground to open and swallow her.
“Young girl, what’s the problem?” Teacher asked Stephenie.
“I want to talk to her” she pointed at Ada, while others looked at her.
“Talk to her about what?”
“I will like to know how she got my number and also tell me how she knew Stephen, thinking I’m his sister.”
Hearing that, Murphy shook his head coz he believed that Ada accepted what he rejected from Stephen. Without being told, everybody had used his or her mind to understand what was going on, even teacher Nwachukwu. Hence, tension paved inside the car. Obi could see Ada’s legs shaking in fear. All waited to know what teacher would say. Of course they already had it at the back of their minds that he wouldn’t take it likely with her.
“Ada” Teacher called. “Go and answer your friend.” He opened the door. All watched Ada reluctantly stepped out from the car and the door closed behind her.
“Driver, take us out of here.” Teacher commanded.
“Yes, sir” the car sped off.
Ada, who was standing with Stephenie couldn’t believe it as she stared at the moving car….
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Several miles of running on the way, the kids neither laughed or smiled or even talked. Obi kept looking at teacher while Daniella read his mind already.
“Obi, teacher won’t change his mind.” she told him by breaking The silence.
“But we can’t leave Ada behind.” he said then turned to teacher. “Teacher…” he wanted to plead even if he knew that it would be like pouring water on a stone, but teacher’s glare sent him back to his shell.
The limo stopped in front of a white beautiful building that looks familiar to the kids. It was the one drawn on the board for them. They wondered why they stopped there.
“Teacher, you didn’t tell us that we’re coming for the mission.” Dave said. “And we didn’t even get prepared.” he added.
“Work according to what’s going to happen at the gate of this building. Show love, make peace and meet me at the beach” teacher told them.
“What?” Cynthia became as confused as others.
“Get down from the car.” Teacher commanded. Murphy was the last to leave. Teacher handed some money to him and said, “Bring your siblings to the beach after getting pass ticket.”
“What ticket? Teacher, this is confusing.” the boy lamented.
“Be smart, Murphy.”
Both stared at each other. Murphy collected the money and stepped out too. The car sped off.
The kids followed passerby along the road. Obi began to lament.
“So teacher’s plan is to leave all of us behind. First it was Ada and now us. Where did we go wrong?”
“Quiet, Obi!” Murphy instructed him.
They could see securities at the closed gate and people passing like they did. Suddenly, two cars sped from opposite directions as if they fell brake, running to hit people at the gate. The securities ran away, the kids smartly, saved others whom the cars would have killed before hitting the fence of the building. The drivers came out safe. No life lost. People began to clap for the kids.
Murphy met the drivers who sat on the floor. “Are you okay?”
The man kept breathing hastily without replying.
He brought out money and gave to him. “You need to go to the hospital now.” he stood up. “Somebody call the ambulance!” he shouted.
Others followed him in shouting. He met Daniella and gave her some amout of money. “Take, give to that woman to take care of herself.” he said.
Daniella understood what he was doing instantly likewise others. So they did not only bring peace there but also showed love. That marvelled the securities. Due to the act, the kids were taken into the building. All stood before a man.
“You kids worked wonders today.” the man said.
“No, the glory should be given to God and small to us.” Obi said flinging and clapping his hand like a psychic.
“Life equals love. You save life when you show love. That’s what happened at the gate.” Judith lectured.
The man became amazed. “There’s a get-together-party soon. It’s mostly for big men but I’ll give you kids pass tickets to attend as a gratitude to what you did today.” The man called on a security man…
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Immediately the kids gets to the beach, teacher put them on an helicopter. They flew home, leaving Ada behind.
The Sun had set when the chopper landed on the basketball court as usual. They all stepped out. Stephen looked from the window to see that Ada wasn’t among them, so his heart sank down to his stomach.
However, the kids refused to enter into the house. So when teacher noticed it, he turned to them dramatically.
“Teacher, we know you planned everything just for us to get the tickets.” Murphy broke the silence.
“Yes, that was access strategy because the day of the party is the day your mission begins. The tickets are what takes you into the building.” he replied.
“I got two tickets. One is for Ada. I lied to the man that I have a sister.” Cynthia used that to brings up Ada’s topic.
“Teacher, why did you leave her behind?” Obi asked sadly.
The man didn’t answer. First, he took a step to them and stared into their eyes.
“I believe Ada is in the police station by now?” He began. “We all would have been there with her if we hadn’t left her behind.”
“How?” Judith asked.
He raised his voice. “That’s a stupid question, Judith!” The kids became scared at the moment. “When will you be smart!? If we hadn’t left her, that girl would have suspected us all and take our car plate-number. That would have been the beginning of our failure and search!” he turned to leave.
“Teacher, we’re not going for this mission until you bring back Ada” Daniella boldly said.
Those words rang like a bell in teacher’s ears. So he turned back again angrily……..
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TEACHER NWACHKWU
(CRIMINAL LOVE)
EPISODE 10
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By author Nath.
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Heading: Hotter than Fire!
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Like an angry Spartan warrior, he turned to the students. His eyes fierced dangerously like a sapent, walking closer to them and, at the same time, taking off the fabric round his neck. His footsteps was like a lion targeting its prey in a wild forest. Oh, the kids didn’t know what would become of them, seeing him in such uncharacteristic charisma especially Daniella who uttered the words. All seemed so scared like a fearful hunter encounter with the king of the forest not only in a close range but also in a lonely road, no where to escape! Teacher stopped before the person who’s voice he heard. His voice carried power like an amplifier; deep and sound.
“Daniella, what did you just say?” he asked her.
The girl went dumb, breathing hastily. One could see droplet of sweat on their foreheads.
“I’ll ask you one more time. What did you just tell me?” he repeated with the same dangerous tone.
Daniella swallowed hard. “I… I said we won’t embark on that mission if you don’t bring Ada…”
A slap from teacher Nwachukwu did not only send back the remaining words into her mouth but staggered her around like one under anointing. Tears began to flow from her eyes instantly.
“I picked you all from gutter to raise you to be smart not stupid!” Teacher’s voice could be heard by Stephen from the window.
“You picked us to use us!!” Daniella challenged again unabashedly.
Teacher glared at her without knowing what to say because those words broke his heart. His voice bacame higher and angrier.
“For all my life I’ve dedicated myself for this and I can’t allow someone as stupid as Ada to ruin it all!! You think I’m using you?! I do all i do because of all of you coz you’re the only family I have!!” he kept pointing fingers at the teenagers. From the tone of his voice, possibly, nearby animals in the forest had stood at a place wondering the cell that biologically formed such a man.
“A racer has a finishing line” he continued. “He keeps running until he gets to the line. What do you think he will do to a tree that blocks his way? He’ll pull it off and throw it behind him coz it’s an obstacle that wants to stop him! When you’re determined to do something in life, you don’t look back! You keep away distractions and obstacles! Ada has proven to be an obstacle and I can’t go back to her coz going back is failure, period!!” Teacher began to walk inside angrily.
All the kids had started shedding tears already especially Cynthia without taking a step forward into the house. Their shopping belongings could be seen on the cemented floor of the basketball court, even Ada’s. They were surprise to hear teacher’s voice, coming back again.
“Do you even realize that if Ada’s face is seen by the police, it will automatically disqualify her from this mission?” He glared at Cynthia. “I’m asking you?! You that collected a ticket for her!”
The girl bent down her face shamefully. Therefore her tears started dripping on the ground.
Teacher was disappointed by her stupidity, so he spread his hand. “You see how dumb and stupid you are? You can’t reason with your brain.” he walked inside finally.
The kids sluggishly carried their bags to the house. They could hear the guards dragging Stephen upstairs. They locked him up inside the void room.
However, the pilot of the helicopter hadn’t taken off coz he was invited by teacher for a dinner.
The kids met in one room, the boys’ room precisely. None sat down. They were only looking at one another. Obi faced a window thinking about Ada, her quarrel-mate. But the truth of the matter is that Obi was gradually falling for her.
“You all know that we can’t leave Ada there.” Daniella broke the silence. “She’s going to suffer a lot especially if caught by the police. We must do something.” she concluded.
Obi turned from the window. “I have an idea.”
They anxiously looked at him to proceed.
“Teacher is a genius. We can rescue Ada using the little he has taught us.” he said.
“You mean love?” Murphy frowned.
“Yes, but another aspect of it.” he paused then continued like teacher himself. “We saved lives today at the gate of that building, even though it was planned by teacher. That is like giving a gift to those securities, the man that gave us the tickets and every other person that saw us. Hence we’re heroes to them.”
“So what’s the point?” Dave asked.
“The point is a decimal point” Obi smiled at his own words, closing his two fingers as if grabbing a mustard seed. “Cynthia has already told the man that she has a sister. So is just for her to get back to the man and explain to him that her sister has been captured by the police if actually she has, and boom!” Obi flipped his fingers. “The man will take care of the rest because we have already bribed him legally and brainwashed him with the gift of life and love we showed at the gate.” he began to smile broadly. He could see others smiling too.
Judith couldn’t hold the joy within her, so she hugged Obi tightly. “You’re a genius too” she said on his shoulder.
“A boy cannot be greater than his master. Teacher still has the cap” He patted her back.
“But how can Cynthia get back to the city?” Murphy asked.
Obi opened the window curtain widely. “I think I can fly that thing before the pilot comes out with angry teacher” he pointed at the helicopter….
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A FEW HOURS EARLIER.
Ada, who was standing with Stephanie couldn’t believe that the limousine drove off without her. She wore a jean trouser, polo and canvas.
“Why did they leave you behind?” Stephenie asked her.
“Coz I didn’t come with them. They were just giving me a lift.” she replied, gently rubbing one of her arms as if feeling cold.
“How did you get my number?” Stephanie asked her.
“I picked the paper on the floor of the boutique. So… So I said let me try it and see who has it.”
“Is that why you also thought I’m Stephen’s sister. How did you come about that? How did you even know him?”
“Aaah..” she was interrupted by police siren that just arrived. Stephanie had called them before then. Sheriff Margaret came out with her men. Ada kept staring at Stephenie as she was handcuffed.
“Young girl, follow us to the station for interrogation.” Magi said.
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Hours of interrogation, Ada said nothing to Magi inside the interrogative room. She placed her hand on a metal table before her while Magi sat opposite her.
“Who are your parents?” She asked again.
Ada kept mute staring at her.
“Where did you first meet Stephen?”
No response.
“Do you have any relative?”
Silence.
Magi got tired to stand up but a door opened. A man entered with Cynthia and Obi. When Ada saw them, her joy began to floor like a river in her heart. They could only change eye contact as the man and Magi was discussing. After the discussion, sheriff said to Cynthia, “You said she’s your sister?”
“Yes, ma’am.” he replied.
“And i’m her brother” Obi added.
“Alright, I’ll take you back to your parents” Magi volunteered.
“No oh, we can find our way home.” Cynthia objected.
“No, I personally wants to see your parents.” Sheriff insisted. That was another problem.
Ada was released. Three of them entered into a police car with Sheriff. Ada seated at the front seat while Obi and Cynthia occupied the back seat. Though the car had an air conditioner but the kids were hotter than fire.
“Where is our destination?” Sheriff asked then ignite the car….
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TO BE CONTINUED.
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