HOSTS

CLUTCH IN THE TOILET

Edwin.

After Jamine's action, I became more heartless. People kept quiet whenever I was around them. Even lecturers were extremely careful dealing with me. I didn't take it lightly with anyone who crossed my lane. Except last week Monday, when I got to the class and met a young boy on my donkey seat.

I was ready to eat him alive but I saw the fear in his eyes. Looking at him closely, I realized he was new. So I approached him with a smile. “Hello fella, I am Edwin.”

He stood up, “And I am…”

“you must be very comfortable on that donkey. Oh please sit, I'll just get another one”

“Thank you… Edwin”

I got myself a different donkey and sat as the whole class went mute once again. Our tutor soon arrived. Mrs. Emma. Quite too fat to be an art tutor, her shoes made koink sounds like a tied toad at night. She came with my favorite model, Stephanie. Steph has all the curves you need as a man. With her dark skin, it's quite easy to deal with my chiaroscuro techniques. I was ready for this as everyone knew I was always the best in the studio.

We brought out our sketch pads and started to position them on our drawing boards. Right on the donkey's head. Steph took a position that would rather keep some guys on their seat even when they were done with the drawing. McTony was already shaking beside me. He's such a kid… can't control himself when he sees a beautiful lady posing. I carried my donkey and moved to a position where I could get a breathtaking view.

The drawing started.

I went for the light pencil, highlighted the heads with an oval shape as my led made riffs and runs on my cartridge. In no time, I was done with my sketch. I reached for the 4b pencil and started shading the dark parts. For the darker parts, I applied pressure on the 4b as I didn't have a softer or darker pencil. I blended it up with my stump and give it detailed lightning with my electric eraser.

I gave special emphasis to her hips and bust. It was looking way more beautiful than the model herself. I couldn't tell if it was because of the heart brake or I was just try to impress the newbie on my donkey. I casted the shadows without fear and rolled out a nice signature on the right lower corner of the page. The girls came again to peep. They were murmuring in amazement of my artwork as the model blushed for a moment.

Mrs. Emma started to go round, making corrections and giving marks. She soon reached my place. She took off her glasses, looked deeply and put them back on as she scoffed. The cut a little part of the hips out with her pencil and gave me seventy-five. We all knew she gives marks in percentage.

Well, seventy-five wouldn't have been a bad score if the new guy had not gotten 98. The whole class was on fire. His work was just like a picture. You can't tell the difference. I was shocked to see such an aesthetically detailed work with an ordinary pen. Every focus of the class turned to him. The tutor commented him greatly, “Weldon Fred. This is one of the best works I've seen in a very long time.”

Fred had become a threat so fast.

Why did I not smash his face when I had the chance, when I had the right excuse, why?

I left the classroom in anger and I met with Griff in his department. “We have a situation Griff”

“Oh brother, you know I've been waiting for any means to make you happy since the snake bit you, tell me about it”

“How strong are your fists?”

“Better than yours bro. Are we hitting a tank?”

“If that's how you see it. I need terrible throws”

We went to the male toilet and waited for him.

We waited all day but he didn't show up. We missed him.

However, we didn't miss him on Tuesday. He walked right into our trap. I was in one of the toilets while Griff was at the entrance. He came right in and entered the space beside mine. A guy was also using one of the toilets so we waited till he left. Remaining just me, Griff and Fred my friend. Griff locked the door.

Fred had no show of fear. He just came out and started looking at us. He said no word and I wasn't ready to exchange words either. I gave Griffmore the “go ahead” as Griff pulled the boy by his collar and landed him a death punch on his face. Fred was beaten till blood was all over his body. His lips were torn and his nose broken. I saw it with my own eyes.

I didn't want him to die in our arms so I pulled Griff. He washed his hands and we opened the door. Then, for the first time in my life, I witnessed true Dark magic. Griff suddenly fell right at that entrance. I tried to help him up and then I realized he was covered in blood. His nose was broken, lips torn, head swollen.

People rushed towards us to help him as he was taken to the college hospital. I looked back at the toilet and saw Fred, clean and fresh like nothing ever happened to him, coming out of the toilet as he gave me a wink. I couldn't get it over my head but I had to follow the crowd to the hospital to make sure Griff survived. The big guy kept crying all day at the hospital like a baby. It was hilarious but I dared not to laugh. I had to keep a straight face for my friend in agony.

On Wednesday, I went back to class. I saw Fred and he smiled at me. I was still using my donkey. Everything seemed to be happening for the first time. I was scared to talk to him even in my anger. I called a crew meeting and met with my gang. I explained all that happened to them and they agreed to deal with Fred. But first, to check on Griff at the hospital.

Getting to the hospital, we saw Griff coming out with bandage on his face. POP on his hand and a crutch under the armpit of the other hand. “Is it now that you guys are just coming? Since! I can't stay here. I'm fine.” He staggered towards us as he made his way home. Everyone started laughing. At this point, I was dying to join them.

Then he looked back.

“So the best you could do now is laugh? Once I'm back to my feet, you will all suffer for it.” The laughter became louder.

Then Griffmore faced me. Oh my! He noticed I was holding the laughter as he spoke with a soft voice.

“Ed, I swear to god you're not about to laugh at me” I stifled my face with every ounce of my strength the wrinkles of my eyes gave way to the bracket formed round my lips from my cheeks. I was shaking like I was gonna die. The other noticed and couldn't control their laughter either.

“Ed!!!”, Griff shouted as his saliva splashed on my face. I exploded an atomic laughter. I couldn't take it anymore. Pissed off, he removed his clutch and tried to hit me with his one hand. We both fell to the ground laughing as he also laughed in pain. It's a memory that gets me laughing whenever it comes to mind. We all went to his house and made sure he was fine. We promised to take care of Fred. He insisted on following us but we made sure his mom kept him at home for a few days.

Thursday. How do I explain this? I have had many impossible experiences in just one week. But Thursday took my skin off. Thursday was the day we all decided to deal with Fred. We met him in school with his blue shirt. We waited till he was done with his lectures.

We followed him as he went home, I doubt he noticed. He walked home and we trailed after him secretly. The journey was so long that some of us left on the way. Finally, he reached a house that seemed to have been broken. He ran inside like he was running from us. Immediately, I went after him. I rushed into the house.

I noticed everything was Scattered. Some pictures were burning in the house. There was a sign of terrible chaos in that house. From broken stirs to fallen chandeliers. It seemed I had entered the wrong house. I looked back and couldn't find any member of my crew. I was left alone.

I looked back into the house and there he was. He seemed to be walking deeper into the house as he turned his back on me. I summoned the courage to take a step closer.

I was right behind him, as he stopped and turned. He faced me and I noticed his eyes, now glowing golden red. His muscles seemed to be morphing rapidly under his blue shirt with uncontrollable anger, as I heard a voice, “Run!”

But it came rather too late.