Behind The Mask Episode 3
*The night club mystery*
” _Hello SP, Thanks for your affection towards me. I equally do feel the same for you but I didn’t want that to interfere with our administrative work that’s why I rejected all your offers. But one thing is for sure, if we are really meant to be together, we will. Take care. Yours in love, GP_”.
After reading the letter, I felt some joy within myself. I met her on campus that evening and together with my three friends, we visited a night club located at Asamankese to have our first date. We left campus around 8:30pm and because of our statuses as SRC executives, the security man couldn’t stop us from going out. The club was full of immoral activities at it’s fullest peak; ladies dressed almost naked, the air in the room was a mixture of weed smoke and alcohol. It will surprise you to see how crowded the place was with youths of our dear motherland.
Me: Charley guys, I’m not comfortable around this place? Let’s leave with immediate effect.
Eric replied with a disappointed look
Eric: Hey, hey! What is your problem? Is this your first time coming to an environment like this? Stop that hypocrisy life here and chill up. Remember you have a date with our first lady.
Me: Who is the first lady?
I quickly remembered my mother because that was how we’ve been calling her home.
Enyonam: Guys what’s happening here?
Me: Dear, I’m not comfortable with this place. Just look at how the whole place is covered with smoke? I can’t stand the smell of the weed.
Enyonam: You mean we should go back to campus? Okay I understand. I suggest we hang around for some time and then go back since we’re already here.
Amos: GP I beg leave this *John* guy alone. No wonder that’s his name. Do you know the risks involved to be a man?
All these while, Joshua went into the club to get a place where we could sit since the place was full.
Joshua: Hey guys! I got a very nice place inside. Let’s go and make ourselves comfortable. Hi GP, you are looking very gorgeous.
Enyonam smiled and thanked him for the compliment.
Me: Joshua I don’t feel like going inside again. Let’s go back to campus.
Joshua: Ah! ah!! You again. Why do you always try to quench our happy moments. Look, I’m not sure we can have such nice times after school oo. This is your time to chill the hell out of ourselves.
Before I could say the next word, Amos and Eric took the lead. Enyonam looked into my face, held me by the waist and said, “sweetheart let’s go inside. We won’t keep long”. I nodded and made her put her hands under my arm and together with Joshua, we went to sit at the place he found.
There was more to drink and eat. Enyonam requested for Guinness. She took two full bottles of it within a short while. I looked into her face and smiled. I was actually surprised for a young girl like her drinking that quantity.
I requested for smirnoff and Eric said…
Eric : Look at how your date is even enjoying herself and you are here saying all you want is Smirnoff. Masa add this 8PM and see how nice this world is. He poured some of his 8PM into my disposal cup and I took it. He himself was almost drunk. Soon, I moved Enyonam to the dancing floor. So funny I was doing that “pentecost elder” dance where they move their legs in an orderly manner. That’s all the dance I know because back at home, all I know was church. The alcoholic drink started working in me so my dance this time around had no formula. People around me started laughing at me. They took me for a comedian. They were not wrong. My dance was very funny. The lights were put off so people were doing whatever pleases them in the dark. My friends found some ladies at the club and were also having fun with them. I started touching Enyonams sexually sensitive parts but she made no sign of displeasure. I think my hands even went under her dress. Hmm God have mercy. Gradually, we were both getting aroused and honestly speaking, that was my first time to experience those feelings. I felt excited of this arousal. It was something sweet was moving inside my body and making me funny inside. All our expenses was also on me. Enyonam suggested we go get a lodge to satisfy the horny feelings that has taken over us. I told her my money left was not enough to fund that but she said she would take care of that part. I decided to check the time on my phone. My vision was actually distorted by the alcohol but I was able to see that it was almost midnight. As soon as I put the phone back in my pocket, a call came through. Surpringly, it was my mother calling. “How on earth should mum be calling me this late?” I asked myself and left the call unanswered. At least that would show that I was asleep. She called for the second time so I excused Enyonam and went out of the room since the music was very loud to receive the call.
Me: hello
Mum: my son I hope you are doing well?
Me: Yes Please I’m fine mum.
Mum: But where are you at this time that the background is very noisy like that?
I actually didn’t know how to respond to that so I pretended that the network was not good so I couldn’t hear her.
Me: mum Hello, please are you there? hello, Hello! I cut the call and felt very bad. It was like I knew I was becoming a stubborn child which was not usual of me. She called back.
Mum: I said where are you? (With a bit raised voice.)
Me: …but mum you know I’m in School so why that question? (with an innocent voice)
Mum: I meant the noise in the background. Where is it coming from?
Me: oh Sorry mum I forgot to tell you that we are having some handing over party today on campus so that’s where I am.
Mum: Ohk. John I just had terrible dream about you right now and I want us to pray. Your father and I are awake just to help you in prayers so get somewhere less noisy and let’s pray.
Me: …and mum what is the dream about?
Mum: My son it’s difficult for me to narrate but the long and short of it is that, in the dream, We were called and you were reported dead in school. So my son let’s pray and cancel the spirit of death.
In fact I got scared when I heard that. My intoxication vanished immediately. I ran abit away from the club and told mum that I was ready so we could pray. She started with a song and I could hear my dad also singing in the background. They started praying.
As my eyes were closed and in the mood of prayer, I started hearing people screaming and shouting for help. I opened my eyes to see what was going on only for me to see the club house in flames of fire. “Jesus Christ!!!!!”, I exclaimed louder for the shock and with speed, I ran towards the place to see if my friends were fine. The fire service and the ambulance were around to do their work. Due to the number of people inside with only one entrance, some people were stucked in the fire and burnt into ashes. Eric was very drunk too by then. From a distance, I saw Joshua and Amos panting and restless. I ran to them and asked of Enyonam and Eric. They said they don’t know their whereabouts. “What! You should be joking. ” I said with noise. All this while, my parents were on the phone praying and listening to what was happening in the background.
Amos: Look… look, that’s Enyonam being carried into the ambulance.
We ran to the ambulance and truly, she was the one. She was unconscious. I asked the military nurse how he was able to find her and he said one guy was trying to save her and we went to also help, but it’s unfortunate we couldn’t save the guy himself. Am afraid he is dead.
Eric was the one the nurse was referring to. He tried saving Enyonam and died himself. We cried and felt very guilty for his death.
This time around, my mother realized I’ve forgotten I was on a call. She hanged up and and called our house master and asked what was happening in our school whiles we also followed the ambulance to the hospital where Enyonam was taken to. The house master reported that there was nothing like a party going on in the school so her son was telling lies. The house master came to knock on my door but there was no response. He called an assembly for every student in the dorm that night and checked the role. The SP and his friends were no where to be found. He called the girls house mistress to do same at her end and the GP was also no where to be found. They asked the security and he revealed that we went for a meeting in town so we were not back. My mother kept calling my phone but I never answered. I, together with Amos and Joshua, were at the hospital to make sure Enyonam survived. At dawn, one of the nurses came to tell us that she had gained consciousness. We went to see her and she was fine but got her face burnt but not very severely. I cried when I saw her in that state. Early in the morning, the news was everywhere that the was a gas explosion in the kitchen of the club that led to the fire outbreak. It was reported that all staffs in the kitchen could not make it and about 30 people died in the flames and more than 100 people were on admission and in critical conditions. Eric was part of the people who died. May his soul rest in peace.
My parents drove to campus early that morning to see what was actually going on. We went to report ourselves to the Housemaster and he also took it to the administration. I explained everything to them and I was blamed for everything. My dad gave me a very resounding slap on my ear after I narrated what happened. It went into the newspapers that the School Prefect of Asamankese Senior High School led his colleagues to a night club leading to the death of one student and the Senior Girls perfect on admission at the Accident and Emergency unit.
Everybody who heard this news got surprised because they didn’t know about that behaviour of me. My father said he had nothing to say so gave the school the go ahead to apply their disciplinary actions for me to learn from my behaviour. My mother could not withheld her tears for once. Eric’s parents also heard the news and came to the school. I regretted ever being on earth that day. I wished I rather died for Eric to live.
For the wages of sin is death but with grace and mercy from our lord, he makes us a new creature.
