CHAPTER 2: RED BEADS, RED EYES
705 Words
Jayden no go lie — as he step out the gate of Crown City High, breeze blow, but e no cool anything. The tension still dey press his chest like e no wan shift.
He walked toward Dustown, bag over his shoulder, shoes tapping on dusty concrete, mind running like generator.
That face — Skully's face — still dey his head. Calm. Too calm. Like a lion wey no roar but still dey kill.
Jayden knew boys like that.
They don’t bark. They break people quietly.
> “I don show myself today... now make dem come.”
"If na this be how it starts, then I go finish it bloody."
---
Back in the Slum – Dustown
As Jayden reach their compound, he noticed two boys chilling by the gutter. Black durags. Jeans sagged. Red bead on one wrist.
Red Skullz.
They no talk. Just watched him pass like say they dey size coffin.
Jayden walked steady. No glance. No fear.
Inside, Mama Chioma dey cook okra soup. The scent hit him, but his brain no follow.
> “Dem don dey mark me,” he said, washing his hand.
“You no expect say Skully go give you trophy for eye contact?”
“I no go fold hand.”
Mama sighed.
> “Jayden, remember say revenge dey sweet only till e finish. After that, you go still dey hungry.”
He didn’t answer. He knew this hunger. And it wasn’t for food.
---
Enter: Malik “Codeboy” Bello
Later that evening, his guy — Codeboy — pull up at the local betting shop where Jayden dey chill.
Codeboy dey different. Glasses too big, jeans too tight, and fingers wey no dey stay one place — always pressing keypad like e dey hack world.
> “Guy, you don dey trend for school oh,” Codeboy said, laughing.
“Na so e dey start. First fame, then funeral.”
“Relax, I get plan. You wan take down Red Skullz, abi?”
“I no go run. That’s the plan.”
“Good. Because I just tap into Crown City’s staff portal last week. You go shock who dey protect Skully.”
Jayden’s eyes narrowed.
> “Talk your own.”
> “The principal dey work hand-in-hand with Skullz. The gang dey clean things for am — silence boys, move ‘errands,’ you gerrit?”
Jayden’s hands clenched.
> “So this no be just cult... this na system.”
---
The Threat Comes Early
Next morning, Jayden wake up to noise. He stepped outside and saw it.
Their small door — painted with red chalk:
> “Blaze go burn.”
Mama Chioma screamed.
Neighbours murmured.
Area boys watched.
Jayden wiped it clean with his palm.
> “Dem wan scare me? I no be breeze.”
“I dey come like rain.”
---
As he entered the school compound, students parted way like say he carry disease.
Kamsi met him at the corridor.
> “You okay?”
“Dem decorate my house.”
“You should leave this thing, Jayden. Skully no get mercy.”
“I no dey look for mercy. I dey look for justice.”
“Justice no dey live in this school.”
He leaned close.
> “Then maybe na time to build a new one.”
She stared at him, half afraid... half impressed.
---
At lunch, Codeboy pulled Jayden behind the lab building with a small book.
> “See this?”
He flipped pages. Drawings. Symbols.
“Na initiation manual. Every Skullz member dey write part of their sins here. If we expose this...”
Jayden took the book.
> “Where you get am?”
“I borrow am. Just one night. From one guy wey dey regret him life.”
Jayden flipped to a page with shaky handwriting:
> “Tega Okoro. Assignment. Complete.”
His hands trembled.
> “I go bury all of them, Code.”
“Start with Skully. But use head, not gun.”
---
Just as the last bell rang, a message was passed to Jayden.
> "Field. After school. Come alone."
He smiled faintly.
> "So e don start proper."
- Writer
