TITLE: BEYOND OUR REALM
Author: Elugoke Xahid
Dear readers, ur constructive criticisms and comments will always be appreciated as we go on with d story. Together, we can make this thread the bomb.
Synopsis: Just like flies caught in a web, he became totally clueless and woe betides him if he took the threat for a bluff. Obviously, he spilled the beans after weighing the options. Like an african he is, he made his blood the pro and his image the cons. With this decision, there might not be another time.........
The story commences later in the day. Cheers!

ONE
"Ladies and gentlemen, this is to announce the arrival of flight 231, landing in five minutes. I repeat, landing in five minutes."
The distinct female voice pierce the surrounding air of the Murtala Muhammed airport. As a norm, families and friends were seen waiting impatiently for the arrival of their relatives. Friends anxiously waiting to behold a presumd bulkier figure than the one they waved for the last time, a very long time ago, families happy that a worthy breadwinner of the family has arrived if the expected had struggled to make it out of the country. The feeling might be different, if the sojourner had made the journey the easy way because such family might be happy their kid made it back to his father's land in one piece.
Regardless of the kind of people awaiting an arrival, it's safe to say only few could have awaited an arrival in a sad mood.
The information from the airport's public address system was taken as the gospel by the people awaiting arrival as they vacated their seat before the announcer could say; 'I repeat'. This was followed by the movement of the expectants towards the terminal where the plane is expected to come to a final halt. Ignoring the scanty rainfall that could hardly soak a tissue paper, Rafael among other people moved to the ter minal to receive his friend.
Rafael could not understand what is happening. Why is he the only one doing this for his friend. "There is no doubt we've been best of friends, but doesn't it call for reasonable thought that his parents are not here?", he thought as he moved towards the terminal being the second to the last person from the rear as about twenty people move to the terminal. He knew something is not right, going by their last conversation and the last text message he sent to him that morning. He brought out his Nokia C3 cell phone, scrolled with the D-pad to the message icon and down to the inbox. He clicked on 'Rambo'. 'Please, keep this a secret for now, you can't tell anyone yet. Our plane should land by 1100 hours Nigerian time". He read the message again as he approached the terminal. "Whatever it is, he'll tell me when he gets out of that plane". He thought as he fixed his gaze on the decelerating plane as though the birdlike machine symbolises Rambo.