REVERSE 2370

CHAPTER ONE

you were one of us," I spat bitterly

"no, I never was."

******

I grabbed my jacket and headphones from my bed where they laid and walked out of front doors ignoring my mother's loud call and Luipita’s snide comments.

Covering my ears with my headphones to block out the noise from the streets because I was very sensitive to loud sounds especially scrapping sounds.

People loitered the streets of the lower city. These city had about three hundred people, those from other kingdoms included. The upper city had about two hundred making us a total of five hundred peoples, we couldn’t pass the number not because people were infertile or something like that but there wasn’t enough land to accommodate more than this number.

About two centuries ago there was a cold war, a second cold war that that took with it the lives of more than half the population of people on earth and destroyed our lands. The damage the war caused was so bad that two centuries later we still have not recovered. Even after the war people died of starvation, some died fighting for food. The war turned the world into a field of barbaric activities. Our lands could hardly produce healthy plants and most of the lands weren’t safe enough to build houses on or even industries.

Papa said it took a while before the seven kings rose thereby dividing us into seven kingdoms. They made the law that no kingdom was to house more than five hundred, there was not enough land or food to sustain us. I’ve never liked or adored this kings the way people always did but I couldn’t deny the fact that humans truly gone extinct if they hadn’t intervened.

With shaky hands, I combed through hair. As always my pants were baggy and matched with a crop top.

As I walked no one paid any mind to me, no one stopped to ask about my parents, it wasn’t something new. Once, as a kid people would stop and smile and probably try to get me to say a thing or two but as I grew they began to ignore me they assumed I was too arrogant, too much of a snub they couldn’t associate themselves with someone like me, if I walked the streets with my any member of the family they’d stop to look at them with pity probably because they had a daughter like me, someone who never smiled or even tried to screech on the streets loudly like ‘normal' people would but I was a little different so being normal was kind of hard for me. Because I could hardly express myself well people distanced themselves from me but again people tend to hate what they did not understand.

However, that wasn’t my problem today, the bigger problem was what was coming. My problem was the kings had sinister intentions this time around. The festival of blood this time would not only snatch away seven people from their families but would claim every bit of normalcy left. As I walked down street after street my mind racer with different thoughts.

Taking the last turn once the large gold metal gate came into view. I stood in front of the large gate for a minute still unsure about my decision to ask for Laban’s help, the guy was slow-witted.

Sighing, I thought to myself. “I don’t have a choice.”

Pushing the gate open, I make my way towards the large double doors of the two storey building, my footsteps echoed throughout the compound.

Every single thing is this building screamed money, it wasn’t like it was my first time here neither was it my second or my third but the place never failed to make me feel so out of place. The exquisite, delicate beauty of Laban’s home was enough to make a person feel inferior.

We lived in the lower part of the city otherwise known as “the city of dead greens” in other words this was the place were us poor people lived in, we were the irrelevant citizens, we couldn’t get a good job in an office if it wasn’t that of a janitor the richer ones thought we were too dirty to have any of those big flashy jobs. So owning a glass door meant big in this part of town it wasn’t like there wasn't a few other houses where rich people lived in around the area but this one happened to be the biggest.

I’d rung the bell about two to three minutes ago but there still was no response, my patience was already wearing out so I rang a the bell twice again.

“I am coming dumbass.”

I rolled my eyes, only Laban will call a person a dumbass even though he was actually the dumbest person ever.

I rammed my hands on the door losing my cool, there were a lot of things to discuss so I really wished Laban will open up already

“only you Kuipita, only you.” he said the moment he opened the doors. His blue hair was in a disheveled form, signaling that he only just awoke.

My nostrils flared in anger as I took off my headphones and pushed him aside and walked in.

“city?” I stated. Knowing Laban’s parents, they must have gone to the upper city for some business meeting as always. He nodded in response.

“I need your help with something.” I announced.

He rolled his eyes at me. “wow happy new year’s day to you too K.” he took a seat on one of the large couch, “what do you need my help with though?”

Without bothering to take a seat I answered. “something big is coming and I need to find the buried bunker.”

“what bunker?”

“the one built during a war centuries ago in the country called Nigeria, it was an African country too so I’m sure it’s around here.” I explained quickly in one breath.

“where exactly?” when I didn’t reply he shook his head in fear.

“no way I’m not going to the outlands with you, are you crazy haven’t you heard about the things that go on out there?” the smile on Laban’s face was replaced with a scowl.

As always my face gave away nothing. “yeah I have but how do these people even know what’s going on out there if they’ve never gone beyond this land.”

Laban opened his mouth to reply but nothing came out, he gave me a displeased look knowing I made a point as always. “still, it’s dangerous, a no man’s land and don’t forget the kings forbade us from venturing into the out lands.”

“believe me you’ll wish you came with me when the time comes.”

Skepticism dimmed silver blue eyes. “sometimes I wonder how you’re my best friend, you do weird things.”

I gave him a mocking smile, “it’s not weird if you’re gonna be thanking me soon.”

“so you in or not?”

He sighed in defeat, a frown giving his beautiful face a different shade. “it’s not like I have a choice, you’d drag me out even if I screamed no at the top of my voice.”

“I’ll go straighten myself up, look like I woke up in hell.”

“do you really need to? No one’s looking at you anyways.”

“ha ha very funny K.”

I scoffed, “I wasn’t trying to be funny and we are in hell.” I called after him.

Thirty minutes later we walked out of his house. “we’re meeting my sister and her friends first.”

“ugh I hate your sister.” He mumbled.

“me too buddy.”

Instead of walking the Liupita’s regular hangout Laban insisted that we drive, more like fly since I’d woken him up from his precious slumber. On a normal day I’d opt for a walk instead. Today I preferred to drive instead of taking a walk didn’t mean I’d admit to Laban.

As we drove my mind trailed off to the events of the past. I was felt like I was stuck, I could hardly tell if all this were real or just a figment of my own imagination. The death of my mother, the death of papa, Liupita’s transformation and Zita’s loud cry as I left. The way I was bitten and the person who put that bullet through my chest, everything was a mystery to me and I could hardly comprehend what was going on.

However, that didn’t stop me from trying to prevent those things from happening. I had a family to protect and a friend I mustn’t lose therefore finding the bunker was essential inorder to survive. Maybe If we’d known about that bunker we wouldn’t have lost that much people, if we’d known the kings were corrupt we would not have put our faith in them. This time I won’t stand idle and watch my loved ones perish in a game created by selfish people.

“what’s gonna happen if we get caught?” his sudden question broke me from my reverie.

Silence filled the car as I thought of a suitable answer to give. “we’ll cross the bridge when we get there.”

His eyes flashed, “is this some kind of joke Kiupita?”

I turned to face Laban, “no but if you feel you can’t do this with me then you better say so.” He gripped the steering wheel until his knuckles turned white.

“and leave you to do something stupid?!”

I looked away and gave him a shrugged my shoulders indifferently. Laban sighed and pulled over in front if an uncompleted building. “we’re here.” He announced gruffly before turning his engine off.

I climbed down the car and started at the building but I noticed Laban wasn’t at my back.

“Laban? Aren’t you coming in?”

“nope,” his p popped. “Liupita and her friends are scary, I’d pass.”

I glared darkly at him, “well come out before I come drag you out myself.”

He returned my glare with equal venomosity. “no I’m fine here!”

After exchanging words for a while he finally caved in and walked with me into the building however he didn’t fail to fill the place with bad energy, letting me know he wasn’t happy about being forced into coming here.

“just so you know doing all this doesn’t make you some kind of noble.”

“good thing I don’t give a s**t what you think this will make me.” I snapped angrily, “how about you stop grumbling and just follow.”

“I never said I wanted to come anyway so I don’t get why you’re being so arrogant." he snarled angrily.

I walked closer so our chest were touching. “I’m not being arrogant Laban, I’m trying to help us. Our kings are about to betray us and feed us to the dogs. But maybe we’ll be able to escape from the coming danger, after all we stand within their danger.”

Fear flashed through his eyes but it was immediately replaced with angry. “this better be worth it Kiupita.” He brushed past me towards the part of the building that had a door.

Without bothering to knock, he wrenched the door open. Even in his anger he gave way for me to come in first.

The people inside screamed in fright as they struggled to put on their clothes. Laban who stood behind me burst into a fit of laughter.

“what is this? Competing to see who pumps harder?” he asked in between laugh

“there’s something called knocking Kiupita,” my sister snapped as she picked the last article of her clothing.

“okay whatever.”

“what do you want now?”

“I need you to come with me.” looking at her friends I continued, “you as well as your friends.”

“why would we follow you?” Jaya scoffed from where she stood beside her boyfriend.

“wow Jaya I hardly noticed you, it’s like you blend into the greys of this walls.” Jaya’s face darkened with my blatant insult

Laban covered his laugh with a cough.

Looking into her eyes I continued. “it’s not like you had a choice anyways.”

“that’s a bit rude, don’t you think so sis?” Liupita smiled but I could sense the anger in her voice.

I walked closer and touched her hair, my lips pulled in a sarcastic smile. “that’s a bit funny, don’t you think sis?”

She slapped my hands away from her hair.

Barrack spoke next, “we’d do what you want but only on the condition that neither you or your friend there would discuss what you just saw here.”

My shoulders went up in a shrug, "you’re really not in that position where you give out conditions but since you’re actually the only reasonable person here then alright.”

“but babe do we have to follow the weird girl?” Jaya clung onto her boyfriend Barrack like he was her lifeline.

“no time to be babied, it’s a two day journey into the outlands.”

The room became cold and silent, they all looked at me like I had two heads.

“outlands?” they shrieked simultaneously.

A hand pulled me back with force. “are you f*****g crazy?” Liupita shrieked, “do you know how dangerous the outlands are? And you want us to follow you there. Okay I know you don’t have feelings but this is too much okay.”

“I’ve heard about those stories but they’re all baseless claims and we’re going to go see for ourselves.” flashing my wrist watch at them, “the earlier we start the better.”

They were going to argue but I waved my hands. “I honestly don’t care about what you think about this, we’re going anyways.”

“do you even know the way there.” Abayomi asked.

“does it matter? Come on let’s move.”

Taking one last look at Laban, "this time we walk."

He frowned and stomped his foot as he always did when he didn't get what he wanted. I blame it on his parents.

We entered a dark alley, just as I could vividly remember from the time before, that the army camp was located just beyond this alley. If we were going to the outlands we needed to go with those army trucks.

“What is this place, it’s so dark and creepy?”

It wasn’t so clear out here but I was a hundred percent sure that Jaya clung unto Barrack and as always Barrack was trying hard to pry her hands away from him.

As we neared the end of the alley, I turned to address them. “before we leave this place remember that here you must be smart, do not scream or act like a f*****g p***y we wouldn’t be needing it.” my eyes held those of Jaya as I spoke, Laban tried to cover up his laughter with a cough…again but I knew he’ll be the one screaming if I said what I wanted to next.

“we’re about to enter the army’s camp.” Liupita had me on the ground in the blink of an eye, her hands were wrapped around my neck and her eyes held fire, she was furious.

“first you said the outlands, now it’s the army camp.”

“months from now you’d be grateful about the fact that we prepared months early.”

“why don’t you explain what all this bull is about, because I don’t care if mama and papa found out that I was shagging someone in an uncompleted building. It’s life over reputation Kiupita.” she spat my name out, “incase you didn’t know that.”

Looking at how her chest rose and fell rapidly as she let out in anger what she felt about this.

Looking up, my eyes immediately found those of her boyfriend, Abayomi.

“maybe you should get your girl off me so we could discuss things.”

Abayomi pulled my sister off my body and then offered to help me up but I rejected his hand and stood up by myself. Looking at everyone now, their eyes were wide opened and they gapped at me, I think that was the reaction for shock.

I rubbed my hands together, it was a habit of mine, I did it all the time it was some sort of comfort the way my hands warmed up when I rubbed them together made me feel a little normal. I had no idea how they would have felt if I had let them walk right there without even informing them first.

I run my hands through my wavy hair frustrated that I was already getting it wrong.

“the festival of blood is close,” I started.

“what has that got to do with all this?” Barrack asked, his eyes too held a mild fire, he was trying hard to conceal his anger.

Without taking my eyes off his I divulged. “at the blood festival as always, people of a particular profession would perform to entertain the seven kings, last ten years eighteen clowns were sentenced to death for telling a bad joke and therefore angering the self-righteous kings. This year a group of scientists will perform and…”

“how do you know that?” this time it was Laban who asked.

“clowns, teachers, dancers, musicians, astronomers, doctors and even chefs have performed in the blood festivals but not the scientists, they skipped them on purpose. They plan to use an experiment of these scientists to create something they want.”

“which is?” Liupita asked

“a new world,” I stated simply

Their faces showed how confused they were, each of them except for my sister, had their brows furrowed, “in other for a new world to be born the old one must be eliminated. You’ve heard of wars before but this isn’t a war it’s something else.”

“long time ago the hiatians were able to turn a person into a living dead through a few process that I can’t recall. However, a few chemicals would added to this formulas.”

“so you’re trying to say that this scientists are going to go through that process and possibly add a few chemicals to make it even more effective.” Barrack said, his voice carrying a strange tone that I could hardly recognize, it sounded like he was serious but wasn’t at the same time.

“yes that’s what I’m saying.”

They all threw their heads back in laughter, I watched as Liupita held Abayomi for support as she clutched her stomach.

“how is this clown your twin, Liupita?” Jaya asked in between laughs

Liupita cleaned the small tears that fell from her eyes as she laughed, “I ask myself the same thing all the time, we don’t look alike and we definitely have no similar character traits.”

I tilt my head and observe them closely, I wanted to feel bad that they spoke things like that but I couldn’t because I just couldn’t feel anything.

Laban clutched my shoulders as he too laughed. “that was so funny Kiupita, why, I didn’t know you told jokes this days.”

Instead of stressing myself with explanations, I pulled out a paper from my jacket and shoved it in my sister’s face.

“what’s these?” the rest gathered around her like flies, to see what was in the paper I just handed over to her.

“earlier today before leaving the house I was able to hack into the database of the inner camp, what you see there is the progress with their experiment, they’ve tried the virus on more than twenty prisoners and it ended up killing them instead but they’re not done yet, they are still making more of that.”

Abayomi looked up from the paper and asked. “where’s the phone now? And how do you know all this, they wouldn’t kill anyone just for their own pleasure.”

“to answer your first question, the phone is broken. And secondly, never forget that seven people are uprooted from their homes every ten years.” I looked directly into his eyes, “injecting prisoners with this virus is nothing to them. As for his I got to know them, that’s none of your business.” I removed my gaze from his.

“these scientist have no idea that they’re nothing but lap dogs, they think this is all for entertaining the kings, they think it’s a sport but this things are going to be releases on us every unfortunate thing that’ll happen eight months from now has been premeditated. After this experiment is done they’ll either be killed or thrown to the creatures they have created to bitten.” I looked around me, “so you in or nah?’

"what are we doing here though?" Abayomi asked.

"trucks, we're here for the trucks," they all looked at me like I was crazy. I rolled my eyes at them. “we can’t walk there now or can we?” Barrack will ride with me since he's eighteen, Laban drives so Liupita and Abayomi will ride with him."

Jaya didn't look pleased that I was riding with with Barrack, "what about me?" she asked with a pout.

"you'll join us," that put a smile on her face.

“how many trucks are we taking away from this camp?” Liupita asked with her arms folded, I couldn’t tell what she was feeling or thinking as she kept her face blank, even her eyes gave nothing away.

“just two, enough to stuff the bunker.”

“I hope you know the dangers of what you’re doing, we can’t steal from the army without going unscathed.”

I blinked at him, “no worries, I messed with their system s9 they wouldn’t even know we’re here and Issa would keep them busy for me.”

Laban was in my face the moment he heard Issa. “who’s Issa?”

“someone,” my answer was short and came out a little harsh than I wanted it. He grumbled before moving away.

“I don’t really like the idea of taking orders from your autistic ass but I’ll do anything for my loved ones, so please lead the way.” Jaya stepped away for me to pass

I gave her a tight smile, for the first time I agreed with her. “me neither Jaya, me neither.”

“how many trucks are we taking away from this camp?” Luipita asked with her arms folded, I couldn’t tell what she was feeling or thinking as she kept her face blank, even her eyes gave nothing away

“for now just two.”

“I don’t really like the idea of taking orders from your autistic ass but I’ll do anything for my loved ones, so please lead the way.” Jaya stepped away for me to pass.

I gave her a tight smile, for the first time I agreed with her, “me neither Jaya, me neither.”

We walked out the alleyway into the light, I knew not many of the army in this camp would be out by this time since some had gone to be with their families, you could tell from the scarce amount of tents in the area.

I closed my eyes and allowed the events from then play in my memory, the left wing held a number of trucks, the right wing was where they kept the firearms. Most of the soldiers where stationed at the center of the camp and If we were going to get past them we needed to create a distraction, Jaya would do.

“Jaya,” I called.

“what now?” she groaned.

“we need to create a distraction.”

She smiled a sly smile, “I love this kind of jobs,” she flipped her long hair. “how much time do you need?”

“five minutes would do but please don’t over do anything.” Laban answered for me, he knew stuff like this even more than I did he’d be able to hot wire any car without breaking a sweat.

“the building right at the middle that’s where you should go, Issa is in there he knows about us so he’ll help you out.” I informed her, with a nod she ran her manicured fingers through her hair before taking off, as she walked her hips swayed from place to place in a seductive manner. I rolled my eyes at her before motioning for the rest to follow.

Laban tried the doors and found they were open, he scoffed and said something about the army being dumb before he got to work.

I moved on to the truck next to it and began to pull wires, I disconnected the GPS first. Laban’s truck was the first to start but mine wouldn’t even bulge so I asked him to just go after hesitating for a little bit he started to drive out. Seeing as I was finding it difficult to start the car Barrack asked me to leave it to him just as Jaya ran out of the building the truck started. Without wasting anymore time Barrack pulled out of there. I kicked the door open so Jaya could jump seeing as she was cheer captain it wouldn't be difficult for her.

She jumped onto the truck and shouted at Barrck to drive faster. Once we were out of there she sighed in relief and then relaxed. “I am never doing that again, goodness gracious,” she turned and looked around the car. “where are the rest?"

"with Laban obviously," Barrack answered in a duh tone.

Jaya threw him a glare before flipping her hair and looking out the window.

"Laban is already waiting at the uncompleted building, the soldiers lost us already and people hardly know the area I also disconnected the GPS so they won't find us." Barrack nodded in understanding as he continued to drive.

Laban always kept car sprays in his car, he claimed he liked to spray his babies whenever he was bored. Anyways, it came in handy , we used them to spray the truck. We stopped by Mama Amma’s store to get a few snacks before continuing our journey.

By midnight we still hadn't got there, I had to listen to Jaya whine about mosquitoes for hours unending. "the windows are winded up Jaya, no mosquito bites I promise," Barrack assured her.

Jaya might be a horrible person but the boy she dated loved her still. Love. I could never understand how it worked in this two favor, they were polar opposites to begin with.

"we will stop here for tonight," I announced.

"phew! I though we were going to keep going." Jaya sighed in relief before turning to look at her boyfriend, a look I was sure meant worry was stamped on her face, "your arms must hurt like bad babe, you can finally rest them," she passed me a look like it was my fault.

Without bothering I stepped out of the car to tell Laban to stop but it seemed they knew what to do already.

Standing in a distance with my back to a big tree, I watched as they gathered around Laban, like hungry dogs they struggled for food.

"Wait wait wait," Laban held the bag high, "Jaya you act all sophisticated but here you are fighting for food like you've never had it in your life." he mocked at her.

Jaya huffed and folded her arms, with her nose in the air she started to walk in a different direction just as she stepped on a branch, we immediately heard the hiss of a snake.