NSUKKA'S RENDEZVOUS

1.  "I don't know why but I feel adamant about going to that town. I used to be eager but now I feel indifferent. I am also not certain about what the future holds for me there. A land of red earth and a beautiful sunset - It sure sounds like a daydream but what is the point of going to a place that is filled with uncertainty for the future? Who wants to lead a blind life. Who? I do not want to leave. Come Monday, I do not want to ride with that bus which will take me 200 miles away from the comfort of my home. My anxiety has never been more out of place. O ti rẹ mi gaan. Nsukka, I am not coming to you with open arms, rather I am coming to you with clinched fists, my anxiety and some money for okpa."

2.   The bus pulled into the park at about 9pm on Monday evening. It had rained for most of the journey and as the vehicle wheeled on the partially flooded roads, you couldn't help but feel like you were never going to make it. The two boys who sat behind you did nothing to ease your nerves. You first noticed them at Onitsha when the overly rude agbero would have a fit with a passenger, the boys would laugh heartly. It was annoying. They were speaking in Igbo and you didn't understand Igbo. When the bus finally snaked out of the park, that was when their marathon of frivolous talks commenced.  So, when it began to rain hours later and the vehicle was still in motion without Nsukka in sight, you were worried and wish the world with end with the boys dying first. 

3.  At Nsukka market, you boarded a shuttle that would drop you off at Ito Ike, a female hostel in campus. The streets from the First Gate of the school was beautiful with streetlights that illuminated the quite roads. It made it look like it was drawn out of book and slowly, you began to grow a soft spot for the town.

4.  When the shuttle driver stopped the vehicle, you paid for your fare and crossed to the other side of the road. You pulled out your phone and called Favour, the girl you were going to be spending the night with. She told you to hold on for a while, that she was on her way. It was freezing cold outside and you were beginning to tremble a bit. A call came through, it was from your boyfriend, Ubee.

Him: Hi
You: Hi
Him: How are you.
You: Cold
Him: Why?
You: Cause I'm at Nsukka
Him: Why? For what?
You: My POST-UTME examination
Him: Ohhh
You: Let's talk later.
*Beep*

Just like all your past relationships, this one surviving on thin ice. It had been that way with your past lovers. Why, just why did you have to be the one who took out life's trash can. You were hung over the one who had just passed away and that had been a student of the University. You had met him online but he couldn't wait for the both of you to meet in person before he decided that his life long dream was not-to-be-actually-alive so he committed suicide. He made a mixture; Biggie Apple and bleach then he drank the end product. He had always been a science student and even in death, you still admire and *cough* and *cough* and LOVE him dammit! But Ubee was in the picture now and you at least owed him your affection. You still broke-up with him that night anyways.

5.  While you walked up the stairs with Favour to room 321, you thought "This isn't all that bad." The hall didn't smell like the vagina of a thousand women the way you you had expected. Instead, it felt natural, the way people talked in hushed tones, the gigantic supermarket at the first floor next to the entrance, the big wall mirror that didn't look out of place and even the way you were greeted with warm faces as you stepped into the room. You felt as though it would work out afterall. That you would ace the exams and be accepted into the school and hopefully get a Corner B in one of the rooms at Ito Ike and that at least for once, everything would look like magic for you, just the way it did tonight.

6.  The examination was computer based and it held at Nnamadi Azikiwe Library. You wore a navy blue pants and a white shirt. You arrived early and for the two hours while you were outside waiting for the exams to officially begin, you pitched at a corner and looked at people as the walked into the compound in different all colours, shapes and forms:
The boy who came with his father. The father looked dapper with the way he held his car keys and his dark sunshade resting on the bridge of his nose. His son looked timid as he held a big brown envelope. You marvelled at the contrast.
The girl who's nipples popped through her plain T-shirt caught your attention next. She was beautiful, slim and tall. She looked like a force to be reckoned with and although looks may be deceiving, but you begged to differ.
The lady with the violin hips standing as if she was embarrassed at herself.
The guy who wouldn't stop touching his face.
The mother who was being too over protective of her daughter.
The group of nerds who had formed an irregular circle and were talking in hushed tones.
The extremely light-skinned girl with dark shoes holding a file clutched to her chest.

The sight blended in harmony of what you thought life should always look like. The contrast and how we are all either black or white. How we are all different.

7.  "I didn't come with money for okpa or even my anxiety. I arrived at your gates with clinched fists, drenched clothes and stormy eyes. I thought about him, surely he must have walked the same paths as I did tonight. Surely he must have seated in the back seat of that old rickety taxi, door nonexistent allowing the wind to carry droplets of the rain into the vehicle. Minsha or what was it called, she asked if I wanted it, it reminded me of you. You we bound to have taken one too many bites out of that snack. I refused to buy some, I didn't want your taste in my mouth. Perhaps I am being delusional, perhaps I am not. Surely, you must have stepped foot in the biggest library on campus. Perhaps you raced up the stairs or took slow paces not minding as your arms remained stiffed by your side. Did you walk past a lot of girls hostels? Simbi Hostel? Ito Ike? Could have, should have. I  would have loved to see the world through your eyes."

8.  After the exams, you walked back to the hostel with your head hanging low. Your anxiety had never been so out of place. You feared that you may get lost in the flock of the moving crowd. When you finally made it safely to the hostel, you crawled into Favour's bed and hid under the blankets. You stayed in there for awhile as you let your mind wander around before slowly slipping away into the hands of sleep.
There is a creepy noise outside the window.
"Who's there?" You called out but you were answered with silence.
You walked up to the window and drew the curtains. You saw the shadow of a man but you saw no man.
"Who's there?"
Silence.
You closed the curtains and went back to the bed, whispered a prayer and slept off almost immediately. It was when you stirred on the bed that you had a feeling someone was watching you. You opened your eyes to met a male figure looking over you in the dark.
"Jesus  Christ!"
"Shhhhh. Don't get your self worked up" The male figure said as he emerged from the dark.
Your legs were now in the cage of your hands as you sat up on the bed trembling in fear. "What do you want?!"
"Nothing much.." The djinn said in a sarcastic tone as he sat on your bed. "I promise this won't take time." He said in a chilling voice as he removed the cloak that was draped over his body to reveal his scaly serpent-like face and withered hands.
"Get away from me, please." You couldn't run, you froze up.
"I said I won't take much of your time." The djinn said, every word more coarse than the last. His hands were hairy, he looked like a bear. A serpent-beary-scarly man.
"What do you want? Why have you come here?"
"You summoned me, remember?"
"How, when?"
"Does, 'I want to see the world through your eyes' ring any bell?" He said mockingly.
"Get away from me, you're not him!"
"Okay." He rolled his eyes. "I lied. I'm actually here to do this.."
In a flashing moment, he grabs you by your neck and lifts you up so your feet are dangling in mid air.
He vanishes and takes you along. You're travelling through a tunnel, you're growing smaller and smaller, it is almost a renaissance.
He leaves you, you're falling, falling, falling.

9.  You wake up trembling. Maybe Ito Ike is not the most ideal place for you to live. Your panting eased up when you heard the chattering of a few girls trooping into the room. It was Favour's roommate and two of her friends. They made small talks with you; asking about how the exam had been. You told them it was easier than you expected. They assured you that you would pass and be admittedl. You nodded your head and smile. One of them, an esprit girl with a red midi dress on, laid on the bed and her dress hiked up her thighs. Her legs were hairy, she was light-skinned. Her panties were visible and you couldn't help but notice how damp they were. They were wet around the opening of the vagina. It was disgusting to see but you couldn't help looking. The more you looked, the more disgusted you were. As she giggled and stirred on the bed opposite you, her dress hiked all the more and you felt your nipple grown hard in the cave of your bra. She looks over at you and winked. You looked away embarrassed. But why? Why would you be embarrassed? She was the pig who wouldn't wear panty liners to help prevent her herpes from dripping out her birth canal na.

Me: Do you have an infection?
(The room grew silent.)
Girl-with-leaking-(synonym for punani): Yes. (She sighed loudly.) All this hostel toilet has infect me. This is why I want to move off campus so bad.
Other girl: Don't worry. I have something that'll wash away the infection once you drink it a couple of times, you'll be fine.
Girl-with-leaking-(synonym for punani): Ah! And you didn't tell since.
Lady-with-the-cure-to-leaking-(synonym-for-punani): Don't mind me, I always forget to tell you.
Favour's roommate: Alright na, let's go to her hostel so that we can get the drink.
Lady-with-leaking-(synonym for punani): Alright, let's go. Best of luck to you!
Me: Bye! Thank you.

But I can't be fooled, I know say na man cause that thing or woman, whatever she's into.

10.  Although you came with clinched fists and stormy eyes, Nsukka's rendezvous turned those fists into an audacious clap; stormy eyes to pupil that didn't need to see the world through another man's eyes. It showed you that a nightmare isn't always how a story should end. You will find love again, you will.

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Pleaseeeeee kind Ma/Sir, do leave a comment when you're done.