Chapter 2

Punishments and Repercussions

When they arrived at the SS3 dorm, it was empty. The beds were all well-made, the double bunks stood immaculately, and the white lights reflected on the smooth cement floors made the room seem really clean. It was a sharp contrast to the JS1 room which was almost always in a turmoil especially before dinner. In fact, if no senior made them pick up, then it was swept only once a day – during morning chores. Chidinma closed the metal doors behind her.

Jennifer was still sniffling. Chidinma knew there was nothing she could do to stop the tears. She herself had found it hard to cry. Her grandmother always made sure to drill it in her that crying was a useless act that solved no problems at all and she’d sooner drop it than waste more time crying. So, she wasn’t good at crying but she was also not good at consoling people who cried.

She placed a hand on Jennifer’s shoulder and squeezed it affectionately. Then they knelt down on the smooth cement floor.

“What do you think they’ll do to us.” Jennifer squeaked.

“Remove your mind from it.” Chidinma said. “You don’t have to put your hands up now. If you start now, you’ll be exhausted before they arrive and that their discussion usually lasts a long time.” Jennifer was unsure of this. Chidinma knew she was already scared of crossing Snr Swanky again. She shrugged at her as if to ‘say do whatever you want’ and turned away. In the corner of her eye, she saw Jennifer’s hand droop and fall beside her.

They were kneeling in front of Snr Dee-dee’s bunk which she shared with her best friend and demon in disguise – Snr Swanky. Chidinma had knelt down in front of this bunk more times than she could count. She and a lot of other JS1s but she was easily the one with the most punishments. Not that she cared anyway. She always seemed to attract punishments.

It was past eleven when Chidinma heard the voices of the first seniors coming back. She signaled Jennifer sharply and they raised their hands as the occupants of the SS3 dorms started to trickle in. They seemed quiet and tired and most of them went straight to their lockers to change into pajamas. They passed by them without sparing them more than an eyesight. But of course, it was not new to see students kneeling in their dorm. It was a regular occurrence and Chidinma was a re-occurring culprit.

Senior Dee-dee walked in with Snr Swanky last. They saw the girls kneeling. Snr Swanky walked over to Chidinma and bent down to meet her face. “Do you mean to tell me you’ve been kneeling with your hands raised since you came in here.”

“Yes.” Chidinma lied without hesitation.

“And you expect me to believe you?” Her voice was dry and airless. Chidinma looked at her face. Her slanted eyes and small nose gave the impression of an underfed cat. The slanted eyes moved sharply to Jennifer. “Jennifer, did you bring down your hands at all?”

Jennifer whimpered. Chidinma met her eye and quickly pulled away. “No. our hands have been up since we entered here.”

She heard Snr Swanky chuckle. “This your friend is now teaching you to lie. Don’t worry, I’ll remove that spirit from the two of you one day.” She left them and went to her locker. When she came back, she was in her pajamas, she climbed the bunk she shared with Snr Dee-dee. Snr Dee-dee finally came and sat on the lower bunk bed.

“So. What should I do with the two of you now?” she said, “But you this girl, how come you’re always in one problem or the other? What kind of human being are you? Why did you leave the dormitory at this time of the night when you know it’s against the rules? You now went to school and announced yourself by running like a cow. Who was chasing you?”

“Nobody.” Chidinma mumbled.

“Who?” Snr Dee-dee asked sharply.

“No one was chasing us.” Chidinma repeated louder.

“So why were you running then?”

“We thought someone was chasing us.”

“Like who? You thought you saw spirits and ghosts. Eh? Was it Madam Koi-koi or baby bush, which one?”

Chidinma was a bit confused. Were these names supposed to mean something? Jennifer sniffed beside her. Her whole face was puffy now and her nose was runny.

Senior Dee-dee looked at her. “This one that is already crying like this before the punishment. Is there even still any need for the punishment?”

“I’ve told you to stop being so soft on these rats.” Snr Swanky’s dry voice came from the bunk above. “If you continue like this, they’ll soon grow wings.”

“If you’re going to punish them, please be fast about it, so that we can turn off the lights.” Said a voice from across the room which Chidinma recognized as Snr Catherine who was as large as a hippo.

“Catherine, you swine, can you just mind your business for once?” Snr swanky snapped at her.

“What do you mean by that? Why would you insult me because of what I said?”

“Did I insult you, I just called you what you are. You eat like a pig, think like a pig and sleep like a pig, you’re just a collection of pigs. A swine.” Snr Swanky’s voice was steady as she delivered these blows. The room stirred. The tiredness was leaving their eyes little by little and they turned quietly in their beds to hear the argument a little better.

“Swanky, I swear, I get you there, I will finish you.” Snr Catherine’s temper rose into her thick voice.

“Finish me? You think I’m a plate of food.” A few giggles and chuckles escaped from different bunks and that was what it took to send Snr Catherine spiraling. She heaved her heavy legs onto the ground and sat up and started firing insult after insult at Snr Swanky.

“This ugly baboon. What do you even know? Because you’re friends with head girl. Stupid idiot.”

 The other girls in the room gave up on pretending to sleep now. They sat up and laughed. Some cheered her on. Some tried inciting Snr Catherine to return fire. Chidinma was enjoying herself and the tears had even disappeared from Jennifer’s face. Snr Catherine fired on. “Who do you even think you are? Let me tell you, I’m not your mate. Don’t you dare talk to me anyhow. Do you hear me!!!”

Chidinma wondered why Snr Swanky wasn’t replying. She looked up at the bunk and saw that Snr Swanky was smiling and not even looking her way. She seemed content enough to just allow her drone on.

“Catherine, that’s enough.” Senior Dee-dee said.

“How can you just stand there and allow this girl insult me…”

“Catherine.”

“Did I do anything wrong…?”

“Catherine.”

“Why will she be doing such a thing…?”

“Catherine!” Snr Dee-dee said loudly finally stopping Catherine who was holding back tears now. “Catherine, I’m sorry. I’ll send them off so that we can go to bed. Don’t mind Swanky. Don’t listen to her.” She turned to the girls. “The both of you are going to sweep all the SS3 classrooms and wipe all the louvers. Is that understood?”

“Yes Senior.”

“Good, now get to your dorms before I change it for you.”

Senior Swanky spared them a look and rolled her eyes at Senior Dee-dee. “You should have just let me punish them.”

Chidinma and Jennifer were out the door in a flash and tumbling down the wide hall to their dorm. Her stomach growled as if to remind her that it had been deprived of attention long enough and will not stand for such again.

They got to their dorm and pushed the metal door. It was already lights out and all their roommates were fast asleep. They traced their way quietly to their bunk so as not to wake anyone. Chidinma thought of finding her locker and changing from her daywear into pajamas but she was too tired and so she helped Jennifer climb to the top bunk before settling into her own.

 As she lay, questions bubbled back to the surface of her mind mixing itself delicately with clouds of sleep.

“Chidinma.”

“Mmhmm?”

“Thank you for today.”

“Go to sleep.”

When rising bell woke them the next morning, they didn’t feel rested at all. They brushed their teeth and joined their roommates to the massive hall where there had their morning rosary. Then they did their morning chores, had their baths and dressed for school. Then the bell rang again for breakfast.

The refectory was bright blue that morning. The Senior Students in their black skirts and light-blue short sleeved shirts and short ties each person’s hair immaculately weaved. The juniors wore a black pinafore over their blue shirts and their hair was cut short. Breakfast was sizzling hot tea with 4 slices of bread.

She took a seat at the edge of a table in the JS1 group of tables with her food.

“What punishment did they give you?” Chidinma turned to see Chisom, another JS1 girl. She was dark girl with really thick short hair which seemed to glitter beautifully without the need for external light. She had a pair of eyes which seemed to be scanning everything at every time. But she was also very lazy except when it came to gossip. There was a joke that Chisom’s shining hair was as a result of her hair picking up gossip from the air like antenna.

Another girl sat beside Chisom. A really smallish quiet girl who rarely spoke and seemed to be frightened about everything.

“She said we’re to clean all the SS3 classrooms today this week and we’ll wipe their windows.”

“What?!” Chisom said enraged. Chidinma was touched by this show of support. “Only the SS3 classrooms? You should have done only the JS1 classrooms seeing that you’re a JS1 students.” Chidinma rolled her eyes. Of course, she was only trying to get someone to do her work for her. “Just say that you don’t want to do your work today.” It was Jennifer who spoke. She seemed better this morning.

“It’s not even that. Wait first who gave you people the punishment? Dee-dee or Swanky.”

“Senior Dee-dee.”

“Seriously? In fact, just tell me what happened.”

“Chisom, I don’t have strength for that now please. I’m still tired and hungry.”

“Okay, if you do it, I’ll give you two slices of my bread.”

Chidinma sighed and looked at Jennifer. Jennifer shrugged and continued eating. Then she told her everything that happened.

Often with good gossipers, you get one of two talents; firstly, a good listening ear, and secondly, good questions that unravel the plot. This second one is especially important for the gossiper so that when they tell the story, they can answer questions that follow up or even expertly avoid the questions in the first place.

Chisom was an excellent gossiper who possessed the two qualities to expert levels. She didn’t interrupt Chidinma’s story until she ended.

When she ended, she sipped her tea.

“That’s it?”

“That’s it.” She collected two slices of bread from Chisom’s plate and folded them together.

“You’re sure you heard footsteps coming down the stairs but you didn’t see anybody.” Chisom’s eyes were pointed now. It was the look she had when she was digesting well-cooked gossip. She leaned forward on the table and supported her head with her hands. “And the footsteps sounded like high heeled shoes dragging on the ground?”

Chidinma ignored her and wolfed down the remaining slice of bread. She’d already wasted enough time talking.

“Chidinma, I think what you heard yesterday was a spirit.” Her voice was calm and quiet and she was not even looking at them as she spoke. Chidinma on the other hand choked the last slice of bread and started coughing violently. When she finally swallowed, beads of sweat appeared on her forehead and her eyes were red. She looked at Chisom. Chidinma heard a slight gasp from the girl on the other side of Chisom.

“Are you crazy? Spirits and ghosts don’t exist.” Jennifer said.

“So, you’ve not heard of Madam koi-koi.”

“Madam what?”

Chisom looked at the both girls. She had a bit of concern on her face. She was going to say something else, but then the bell rang. It was time for school. “Don’t worry, we’ll talk after school.” The girl on her side stood up and left the table stiffly. She turned to her food as if remembering it for the first time that morning and she was about to start on it when she remembered something else that she had to add. “That’s if you can try not to get into another punishment today.”

Chidinma and Jennifer looked at each other. Then packed up their bags and left the refectory. “There’s probably something loose in that girl’s head.” Chidinma said.

“Hmm. Let’s just get to morning assembly on time. It’s almost eight o’clock”

*

Another day of school ended by 3pm. Loads of lessons were partially learnt and loads of homework were given. The students left their classrooms made for the hostels for lunch. Afternoon refs were different in that you could come directly from class for your meals still dressed in your uniform or you could go back to the dormitory and change into your daywear before coming to the refectory.

So, the refectory was always a mixture of blue-black school uniforms and bright red checkered daywear gowns.

Chidinma and Jennifer were the only students left in the block because they had to wait till all the SS3s were gone before they started sweeping. There was no lunch for them that day. They went upstairs and got a bunch of keys from the Labour prefect. A muscular looking SS3 girl who had a mean dark face, short hair and a really deep voice.

“Make sure you return them to me before I ask.” Her voice sounded like a threat even when she made no actual threats.

They swept each classroom together and they wiped the windows together too. Starting from the stair case end to the other end. But the last classroom at the end was locked with a very hefty padlock which didn’t open with any of the keys in the bunch.

“Is it supposed to be locked.” Chidinma said.

“I don’t know, but if it were supposed to be open, one of these keys would open it.”

“But that means that SS3 block has only five classrooms. But every other block has six classrooms.” She put her face to the window to get a closer look. The outer surface was dusty but the inner surface was completely painted black. She couldn’t see through. She went back to the lock and took a closer look at it. It was rusty and heavy. There was a key-shaped hole for the key underneath but at the top, there was also another hole. But it didn’t fit any keys in the bunch.

“It’s probably just a store. Let’s just go. I’m tired.” Jennifer said.

Chidinma dropped the padlock but she couldn’t shake the familiar feeling she was having. A cold shiver deep in her spine.

They left the SS3 block. It was already past six when they got to their dormitory. Siesta time was about ending. Chidinma collapsed on her bed still in school clothes and drifted off to sleep. She woke up to someone shaking her.

“Wake up and change, we’re going to miss dinner.” It was Jennifer. She got up and looked at the clock. It was seven pm. She hadn’t had up to an hour of sleep. The room was rowdy, some girls trying to get out as fast as they can some just lay on their beds unconcerned about the food. Chidinma shifted herself heavily, to her locker and got dressed into her daywear. Then she pulled herself to the door and was on her way to the refectory.

This night was not as busy as yesterday’s night. It was easy to see that a lot of the girls would easily give up the Moi-Moi and pap that was being served.

When she got her food, she looked around her table for Chisom but she wasn’t there. Maybe she was one of the girls who didn’t want dinner.

Jennifer soon came to join her with her own two wraps of Moi-Moi and plate of hot pap.

Chidinma decided to ask her. “Hey, have you seen Chisom?” she asked.

“No.”

“Hmm. Okay.”

“Don’t tell me you’re still thinking about what she said in the morning.”

“Well, no. I’m just asking.” Chidinma said and immediately started focusing on how good her pap looked.

“She went to her sister’s dorm. Probably to gossip.” Jennifer said nonchalantly.

“She has a sister?” said Chidinma, surprised.

“You didn’t know? How do you think she had all those gossip about JS2 and JS3 girls?”

Chidinma shrugged. She’d never really given a thought to the source of any of Chisom’s stories. Maybe it was a testament to her skill that when she told you something about someone, you just believed she was there and never doubted her.

“She has a sister in JS3.” Jennifer continued.

“Are you serious?”

“Yes! everybody knows!” Jennifer was sounding dumbstruck like she’d just given the most obvious news that even a newborn would know. “Anyway, I saw her leaving the room when we came back and she told me that was where she was going. We’ll probably see her in night prep. Seriously, you need to be more attentive.”

“I’m attentive, I just don’t like gossip.” Chidinma said trying to defend herself.

“How is this one gossip.”

“Okay at least I know now.”

“Yes, thanks to me. Say thank you Ma.” Jennifer said with a mock dignified air.

“Please just eat your Moi-Moi in peace. See your small head like ‘Ma’.” She made a funny face as she said the ‘Ma’ Jennifer chuckled.

After dinner, they went back to their rooms. Chidinma checked quietly for Chisom, but she was not back yet. She ignored the gnawing feeling in her gut and took her bag to the Junior students reading room.

It was a large hall for JS1 to JS3 girls. Each table was meant for two students and they were arranged in rows and columns. A table was set in front which faced the rest of the room. This was where the SS3 in charge of maintaining the reading room sat for the week. They were to make sure the students were quiet and also answer any questions the junior students pertaining to schoolwork.

Actually, this job was originally meant for the Hostel mistress, but somehow had found its way into the hands of the SS3s and as with most tradition, nobody bothered to trace when and with whom it began. Actually, in Mother of Mercy girls’ college, the hostel mistress did little of the job and the SS3s were really the one in charge. Of course, it is true they still did answer to the Hostel mistress. But it would have to be a serious matter. Not something as trivial as the welfare of Junior students.

Chidinma and Jennifer took their preferred sits in the back and were bringing out their homework when they heard a scream. Everything stopped moving in the reading room and every girl’s face was lit with fright. They listened again intently. The voice screamed again. It was pained and filled with despair. Some JS3 girls rushed out of the reading room. Some JS2 followed them. Chidinma dashed after them. Outside she could hear the voice sobbing. It was coming from restroom stalls beside the JS3 dorm. Some girls were already there. They were trying to console someone who was obviously the source of the scream as she trashed herself around on the ground.

When Chidinma got to the small crowd she slipped through and found someone on the ground evidently lifeless. A thick cello tape covered her mouth and something was scrawled across it in thick and thin splotches. It spelled

‘T-A-L-K-A-T-I-V-E’.

Chidinma recognized the thick short hair immediately. It was Chisom.