CHAPTER ONE
(THE DAWN)
Life in the campus was nothing but one with mixed
feelings. The good days were there for me to lean on at my leisure,
while the bad ones left sore in my throats. Was is the threat of
choice and freedom from the gangs who classified themselves as
the alpha and omega of us all, or the illegal and unlawful
imposition from the lecturers and most annoying hike in our
tuitions by the school authorities... there were many of such to
remember for years to come. Although, those mixed acts were not
unexpected as my father did fore told me of their comings, but
some of them were beyond my handling.

As days went by, months kept running like the wheel of a
moving train, years were burnt out like candle wax and all things,
excluding my unexpected, went as nature planned them. My face
was captured by every single eye in my department, my name was
on every tongue and so did the platonic love of my forms for me
knew no bound. Though my hardworking spirit and selflessness
earned me my mates regard. But I never allow all this into my
head. I was always the humble and easy-going guy they knew.
"Bigheart!!!", i remember that was how they called me back in the
days

All my form mates were my close colleagues, some of them were friends but only Dare, that I fondly called “Carson” for his love and unending passion for a book titled” Think Big” by Benjamin Carson, was my bosom. We knew and understand each other quite well because we were mentored through same system of ideology. Though, our turn-offs and turn-ons had both similarities and differences, perhaps those defined our uniqueness

It was like closing and opening my lids, I was in my
second to final year in school. I couldn’t thank myself enough for
riding through many challenges and dream-killing obstacles. Verily,
I knew I had my destiny in my palms. Being the architect of
bridging my dreams and reality was not far from my thoughts-filled
mind always. I couldn’t thank God Almighty enough. Although, I
clearly knew that there were still many huddles to climb and
deeper rivers to cross. If there was any personal appraisal I could
credit to myself, it would definitely be my spirit of persistency

“I need a gal to ride ride ride, I need a gal to be my wife, I need a….”, my cell phone rang and it was Carson calling. “We are to report to school auditorium tomorrow by 9 am for teaching practice orientation”, he briefly said and hanged up. I gave a deep sigh. “Wow! Master BH”, I silently whispered in my heart as I look through the suit of my shirts to pre-determine the match that would kill it all the following day. While rolling my dark coloured pupil, my eyes caught a white shirt with rainbow-colours linings. MY eyes persisted on sailing more through other suits, but my love for this shirt aborted its desire.

I dashed for my Blue coloured Iron which I always keep close to my also painted blue stabilizer. They were both kept side by side with my eleven inches Sony television. In the face of truth, my room was not one of the best of its types. But its simplicity and the proper arrangement of my stuffs was laudable. Most especially the combination of chocolate and cream colours paints that married my walls like Romeo and Juliet affection make it much attractive and identical to the pyramid of gizza which self- call tourists. Feelings of achievement filled my heart. I look at my white circular wall clock and wished its tics could move faster. I couldn’t stop hoping for another break in dawn. The thoughts and imaginations of how my teaching practice days would be, left me sleepless and lost in assumptions throughout the night. Scintillating my soul with “let it go” by Stranger, I lost myself to the dark night full of stars and doze off.

“Good morning sir”, the senior students of St. James greeted. I was received with a warm reception. The atmosphere was glamouring and self-welcoming. My well pressed shirt tucked into my black Chinese trousers which calmly rested on my black sewade shoes voted some confidence into me. I was taking round the school compound by one of the teachers-Mr. Ilori. My journey round the compound was that of a new prime minister taking all over the villa during transition. In the later hour, I was taking to the school cafeteria for lunch. The cold strawberry and pie that was served on my table were appetizing. My throat salivated and awaited the first taste of the cold berry. “BIgheart!!!”, Carson yelled. My eyes faintly opened and it was all a dream.

Glancing at my clock, it was already 8:47 am. I left hastily for the bathroom to wash myself. The bathroom of my hostel was always known for a long queue of students preparing for daily business. But I was lucky that there few people left on queue to hold for. It wasn’t like normal day when I spent tens of minutes washing myself. This time around, i rushed my sponge through my skinny body in a lightening speed. While preparing for the Orientation, the memory of my dream’s tale didn’t go away too soon. I dressed in my same dream-code mode. “Let’s bounce off”, I told Carson boastfully.

Leaving for school with Carson for Orientation was like a new dawn in my life. My happiness knew no bound. I was more than fulfilled and satisfied. Everything in life seemed different from usual. But unfortunately for Carson and I, Something critical happened on this fateful day CHAPTER ONE ENDS