Chapter 4: When Fire Enters Water
795 Words
Jayden no sleep well that night.
Not because of pain from the beating, but because of the voice.
That soft, tired voice of his mama through the phone.
That pause before the line cut.
> “Boys dey here. Say dem wan check light meter…”
Fake excuse. Real danger.
Red Skullz don enter their house.
---
Mama’s Room — 3AM
Jayden tiptoed into her room with his fists clenched. Mama Chioma was already awake, wrapper tied around her chest, sitting by the kerosene stove even though it wasn’t on.
> “Jayden, na wetin you drag reach our door?”
“I no drag anything, Mama. Na them dey test me.”
“Then pass the test and leave the exam hall. Don’t drag me into paper I no register for.”
He sat beside her. Silent.
For once, the fire in his chest quieted.
He held her hand.
> “I go protect you. Even if e mean I carry wound wey no fit heal.”
---
Codeboy's Corner – Operation Begin
Early morning, Codeboy dey tap hard on his keypad in the backroom of one abandoned store in Dustown.
Jayden stood over his shoulder as files loaded.
> “I break into the Principal’s cloud. My guy, you need to see wetin this man dey hide.”
He flipped screen: multiple folders labelled “Red List”, “Debtors”, “Transfers – Ghost Names”
Jayden's brows tightened.
> “Wetin be all these?”
“School money. Ghost students. Cult protection fees. The principal dey run things like cartel.”
“Skully dey collect for am?”
“Exactly. Na why nobody fit touch Skully. He be blade, and Agu be the hand wey dey swing am.”
Jayden exhaled.
The school no be just battleground. It was a whole empire of dirt.
---
Meanwhile – Kamsi Moves
At the other end of the city, Kamsi entered her father’s study without knocking. Chief Udoh looked up, surprised.
> “I go transfer school.”
The silence stretched.
> “To where?”
“To the street, if I have to. But I no go stay here, Daddy. You dey use money to clean your hands while boys dey die for nothing.”
He slammed the table.
> “Na that Jayden boy don corrupt you!”
Kamsi stood her ground.
> “No, Daddy. Life corrupt all of us. Jayden just dey try sweep small.”
She walked out. Her heart heavy.
But her steps were loud.
Because for the first time — she wasn’t afraid.
---
The Fire Comes to the Office
Next day, Jayden no wear uniform.
He walked into Principal Agu’s office like say he get appointment.
Codeboy was outside, ready with the phone recording.
Agu looked up.
> “Mr. Okoro. You no dey follow school code again?”
“Sir, na you start to break code. I just dey catch up.”
Jayden threw a flash drive on the table.
> “I know about the money. The ghost names. Skully’s protection runs. The beating squads. The Red List.”
Agu’s smile died slowly.
> “You dey play with fire.”
Jayden leaned closer.
> “No sir. I be fire. And when fire enter water, na steam go blind person eye.”
He walked out.
---
Skully Reacts
The news reached Skully before break time.
He smashed a locker.
> “That boy dey find death, and e go see am. Today.”
He sent out the call.
All Skullz. After last bell. Abandoned lab room.
Jayden Blaze. No mercy.
---
Last Bell
Jayden stood by the lab block.
Alone.
Codeboy had begged him not to come.
But some wars you no fit postpone.
He heard footsteps. Laughter. Slippers scuffing the cement.
Five boys appeared — red beads shining like blood in sunlight.
But Jayden no move.
Then one voice cut through the crowd.
> “Enough.”
Everyone turned.
Kamsi stepped out.
Red scarf around her hair. Fierce eyes.
She walked straight to Jayden and stood beside him.
> “If una go touch am... touch me too.”
The crowd murmured.
Skully laughed.
> “You think love dey stop bullet?”
“No,” Jayden replied.
“But sometimes love dey draw blood back from blade.”
Then something else happened.
Behind them, a teacher came. Then two. Then the school secretary.
And one by one, students began to step forward.
> Not to fight.
To witness.
Jayden raised a phone in the air — live video streaming.
The flash drive content Codeboy cracked earlier now public.
Skully froze.
> “You… you wan disgrace us?”
“No,” Jayden said.
“I wan free people.”
- Writer
