“Name?” The officer sitting across him said, arranging the papers that were strewn all over the desk.

He did not answer.

“Mr Man! will you state your name.”

“Ben, Sir.”

“Is that your full name?”

“Benjamin Akanre.” His voice was almost a whisper.

“Better speak up before I slap you.”

He repeated himself.

They sat down in silence for a few minutes. The officer concentrated on the papers, occasionally putting down a few lines on a piece of white paper. He tried to make out what was being written but all he saw were long thin scrawny lines. He wondered how anybody could read it—the handwriting.

The silence in the room grew thick. It occupied the space between him and the officer, and when that was done it explored the depths of his skin. In fear of being choked by this silence, he spoke out.

“You should’ve let them Sir. It’s not my fault but you should’ve—” He was cut off by the sudden appearance of the officer’s stiff palm being waved dismissively across from him.

Without looking up from the papers, the officer said “When I’m ready for your statement. I’ll let you know.”

He observed the officer for the first time. He had a stern look to him but his eyes had a kind glow to them. His palms looked stiff but his fingers were slim and appeared tender. He wondered if the man’s personality was also split in polarising twosjust like his body and if it was, which part would he be interrogated by.

After what seemed like hours to him, the Officer addressed him.

“Okay...” he put aside the papers and then clasped his hands together.

The boy was about to say something when he was shut down by the palm again but this time it saidhold on a minute. The officer fumbled within his pockets, searching for something. He checked his left pocket, still empty. Then he tapped his breast pocket. He smiled at the boy, uttering an ‘Oh’ as he withdrew the device.

He tapped the screen, placed the phone on the desk, then flipped it over.

The conversation was being recorded.

“Okay...What’s that your name again?”He checked his papers.“Bennn B-E-N Ben.”

Ben nodded absently. His mind was focused on how to tell the story right, without any trace of prejudice or sentiment. To tell it the way it happened.

The officer adjusted in his seat.

“ So, why did you do it. What happened?”

The answer came almost immediately. “He asked me to do it.”

“Who did?”

“Victor.”

“What do you mean he asked you to do it?”

“He told me th—”

“Wait first. How old are you?” The officer retrieved the papers once again. He picked up the black bic pen besides it.

“Sixteen Sir”

Ben saw the scrawny lines appear again.

“Okay continue. You said he asked you to do it?”

“Yes Sir.”

“...”

“He came up to me one day after school. He said he had found a way to save his family and that he wanted to help him.”

“Save his family?”

“They were having issues. His parents.”

“What kind of problems, Financial?”

“No Sir. It was an abusive relationship.”

“Oh you mean the man was beating his wife.”

“No Sir....I mean Yes Sir. They were both abusing each other. Sometimes Victor got caught in the middle of it and he would appear in school with red marks all over his skin. They lived opposite us so I knew they were having serious issues.”

“I see. Go on.”

“So he came up to me. He was smiling, a radiant breath-of-fresh-air type of smile. I remember that. Anyways he said he had found a way to save his family and that I was the only one he could trust. ‘Ben it’s only you that can do this for me’ that’s how he put it. I myself began to share his joy. Victor had suffered. Suffered sef is an understatement. The things he had been through. Kai...I felt he deserved some happiness at least and if he said I was the only one that could lead him there, Who was I to say no.

The officer sighed. “Your friend asked you to poison him and you stupidly went along with it. Don’t you see how stupid it sounds.”

“I know Sir, that’s exactly what I told him. I said it was crazy, that he was crazy, that he needed medical help... But he insisted, kept on insisting, begging. Said his family needed that near-death experience to finally come in terms with how far gone they were.”

“Far gone?”

“Yeah, like how bad things have gotten. That’s how he put it.”

The officer nodded.

“Anyways I still refused. I said it was dangerous, that what if he died. He said that people would be around when the effects started so there’s no way he could possibly die. He pleaded with me. He said if I loved him, I’ll do this thing for him. How could I have said no.”

The officer reclined in his seat. “If you loved him?”

The boy averted his eyes. He looked disgusted by the officer’s statement. “I’m a Christian Sir, I’ll never entertained such thoughts.”

The officer laughed. “See this boy o! But Christians can go about poisoning people’s children abi? You don’t want to answer eh?

The boy staredblankly at the wall. He just wanted the entire thing to be over and done with.

“What’s that news of a letter I heard you screaming when I found you. You know you’re lucky I came the time I did, if not fiaaaaam”—he drew a line across his neck—“Those people for just burn you. Anyways what letter were you talking about?”

The boy took a deep breath then spoke. “BeforeI agreed I asked him to write a letter addressed to his parents, just in the case of something like this occuring. That’s what I was trying to explain to them but they didn’t want to listen.”

“Ah Oga Christian you even took preventive medicine.” He chuckled to himself. “So where’sthis letter now?”

“My house. In the ceiling.”

“Ceiling?”

“Yes. There’s a hidden spot I keep my things”

“Christian indeed.” The officer looked around, “Oya get up make we go collect this letter.”

The Boy nodded and stood up to his feet. He glanced around the dank room, suddenly wishing that he could stay in here for a few minutes, allowing the coolness and darkness to map his skin before the harsh rays of the sun outside ravaged it.