laykorn:

Hey Royver. I've been trying to get you by mail. No success. You'll give a short speech at the launch today. Its going to be 8pm. I'll tag you with the launch thread a few hours earlier.
Ayamlaykorn

Waited and haven't seen a launch thread. I'll be back by 9pm.

Royver:


Waited and haven't seen a launch thread. I'll be back by 9pm.

Check my posts. I mentioned you

Royver:
Mum made me and Sola hide under the bed then bravely stepped out.


“Where is your sister?” the voice said.


There was....

what the Bleep is this?? Why aint it complete??

OMG Royver! The end of the story has vanished into thin air! This is the first and only time I'd totally connect to a writer's stories- ALL of them. Please don't stop. And please don't hesitate to give us all those juicy stories you write.

Quick question though. Where's the continuation to Chukwudi the Great's story? Pleaaaaase complete it! Please please please!!! You are one hell of a good writer. You deserve literary awards! Keep doing what you're doing. The sky is the beginning for you!

I'm lost
Royver help me
How did the story end

Pressing ur neck
Deji was hit in the head
Ayo was hit too

Pls someone explain

Too bad for Tayo

Royver:
see me see wahala, was updating when nepa took light o, and no UPS here.
On my way home, will update as soon as i reach my room.
NExt update by 7.30pm

ROYVER!!! Please I am just reading the updates, been away for a while, and now I can see you have deleted them, starting from this page 22, how can I get them please!!!

Dear Mr Royver. Plz help!!!! Im crying profusely here. The last part of d story is gone. Plz help. Bt nawa sha u r really good oh. Haba! Na u biko. U too much abeg. Waiting anxiously lyk a hungry man waiting for a verry tasty meal.

whew!
thanks royver, waiting for mor

Royver:

Thanks Ruth. Yes it is the end. A new world begins for the Richards family and everyone else. There might be a sequel, maybe.

a sequel? Is that what i heard? Hark! I pray thee, may i not be left out of this when thou finally make up thine mind about this sequel

Ha, Rovyer its nt fair oh. We r still waiting for d last update nd u r nt saying anything abt it.

Been reading silently and Av got to say u wrote lyk u outta dis world,lyk u from Mars or sumfin.u good.pretty good.and please,am lost too,find us by updating pls

Royver:









...

Please chief, I've been held spellbound by this story all afternoon. Seems like you deleted the concluding part after Tayo's death. I and several others atop me would love to read the conclusion. Please, oblige our humble request. Thanks.

McSterling, cartertress, Mercylee, lupey, techno4life, christejames, meklex, fatalveli, chemmzy,
And many more too numerous to mention.

My Christmas gift to you. The Final Chapter. Merry Christmas.

updating...

[size=15pt]DAY 1: WORLD'S END[/size]


I was fast asleep around 1am when I heard the sound for the first time. It was a grating, low noise that temporarily broke the silence of this cold and quiet night. I was about dismissing it and going back to sleep when I heard it again. Someone or something was out by the window and moving to the front door. I sat up in bed, straining my ears to see if I would hear it one more time.


I did.


I rolled off the bed, being careful not to wake Sola as I didn’t want to alarm her unnecessarily. I tiptoed out of the room and went to the parlour.
The house was quiet, save for the fridge which was humming noisily in the kitchen. I went into the parlour and met Deji fast asleep on the couch, the parlour lights off. He was supposed to be on lookout but I guess tiredness from the day’s activities had overwhelmed him and he had nodded off. I was approaching him to tell him what I heard when a shadow passed by the side window. I froze where I was, my heart beating hard against my chest, my lungs barely working as I struggled to get my body moving again. I opened my mouth which had suddenly become very dry and tried to call Deji.


“Dej…Deji!” I whispered urgently, but he didn’t budge. He turned over and started to snore loudly and I heard a low chuckle from outside. More frightened than ever, I turned to run and get dad when strong hands grabbed my shoulder and mouth, preventing me from screaming out.


I looked up and saw Ayo, his eyes cold, his body taut. He put a finger to his lips indicating that I should keep quiet and I nodded, understanding.
He went forward and gently put his mouth over Deji and closed it hard, starting up a fake snore at the same time. Deji struggled for a moment then relaxed when he saw it was Ayo. Ayo continued to snore but gestured for Deji indicating that there were people outside. Deji nodded and timing himself with Ayo, picked up the snoring once again. They needed to make the outsiders think they still had the element of surprise on their side. Deji motioned for me to get back into my room and quietly picked up Dad’s gun that had been lying beside him. I went back to my room, trembling all over, wondering why the under-dwellers had decided to attack at night, how many there were, and if they had come with their huge snakes.


I was wondering how I was going to wake everybody without letting those outside know, and who to wake first. I decided to go to Dad’s room and let him know, he would know what to do. I made my way to the Master Bedroom and peeked through the door. Dad and Mum were fast asleep. As I was about to enter the room, a figure passed by the crack in the wall. It was only for an instant and the night was dark but I
immediately realized something.


Our intruders were human!


I stood stock still. Deji and Ayo were standing at the doorway, Ayo armed with a machete and Deji with the gun, waiting to ambush the people that were coming in, believing them to be under-dwellers! Maybe they were part of the vigilantes making their rounds! It didn’t occur to me that anyone would want to break into our house and rob us, not in these trying times. I was so relieved it wasn’t under-dwellers I ran back to tell Ayo, not looking at where I was going, and fell over a pot someone had left in the corridor.


The clanging woke the whole house. My dad shouted, demanding to know who was causing such a racket, Sola must have woken up and not seen me and started calling out my name. I raised my voice to answer:


“It’s me o, Dad!”


And then there was a crash as the door was knocked down by a heavy force.


There was a scuffle and grunts as if people were fighting and I screamed and got up and ran to Dad’s room with a wailing Sola appearing behind me. Dad got up and cocked his gun and made us sit there with mum who was now awake and wide eyed.


“Deji! Ayo!” he shouted but there was no response.


He limped out, holding his rifle at the ready. After a while we heard a strange voice.


“Oya, the rest of you should come out!”

Mum made me and Sola hide under the bed then bravely stepped out.


“Where is your sister?” the voice said.


There was no answer for a while followed by the resounding noise of somebody being slapped. Then my mum screamed and dad shouted out in indignation.


“Oh, you think we came to play, abi? Sista, if you no come out from your hiding place in 3seconds we go blast ya mama head comot!”


I hurried out of the bed with Sola coming after me. On sudden inspiration I pushed her back under the bed.


“They don’t know you are here.” I said simply. “Stay here.”


Before Sola could respond I straightened myself and stepped out of the room, into the corridor and entered the parlour.


Those three strangers that had been talking to Ayo were standing in our parlour. My family members were all on their knees, my mom sobbing
quietly and my dad looking like he would get up at any moment and murder them. But they had him at gunpoint. One of them pointed a crude looking rifle at Ayo and the other two were in possession of Dad’s and Deji’s guns.


“ehen. See the young princess! Please sit down.” The first one said, smiling wickedly. I obeyed and sat at the dining table.


“No! Come closer na, abi are you shy?” the second one said, laughing a little. I got up and came and sat on the Sofa while the second one sat next to me.


“Ehen!” Now you guys are complete.”


“General Richards abeg no vex.” The first one said. “We normally would not have come to disturb you for any reason, knowing you are an army man. But as you know, everything is upside down. There is chaos everywhere, no police station again sef, only vigilante groups. We need some form of order in these difficult times, I’m sure you will agree?”


My dad said nothing.


The first one went on. “Okay, everyone knows for order to be restored, a system has to be put in place. And there is no system that runs without money. Your son has been made the head of the vigilantes in this area, and that in itself is an office. An office cannot run without money. Also know that he has to answer to someone else who will be controlling his actions as well as the actions of other vigilante heads in these trying times. An Oga at the top so to speak.”


“We came to ask your son for a little token from the people he was protecting in this neighborhood, some small part of the appreciation money people were giving him. And he treated us like agberos!” the second one spat.


The third one watched all this, saying nothing.


“So you see, we were a little annoyed. We even begged him again, telling him it was a normal thing for vigilante heads to do, to submit small money for our overall oga so that the ministry can be moving…”


“Who appointed your Oga?” My Dad asked suddenly.


“THAT IS NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS!!!” The first guy barked violently, shaking his fist and pointing the gun at dad’s head. “Your business is to talk to your son to release some money for us or the world will end for you and your family right now!”


“Please put the gun down.” Ayo said and the second one walked over and gave him a hard slap.


“Shut up you!” he screamed, his spittle spraying my brother’s face. “Now you know how to be polite abi? Where is our money?!”


“I didn’t collect any money from these people…” Ayo began and received another dirty slap.


“But how is that our fault now? Didn’t we tell you to arrange money? If you didn’t collect it that means you have enough money by yourself to pay for everybody, yes! I hope for your sake you can provide it?”


“How much do you people want?” Dad asked.


“Small thing oh, general!” The first one said. “Two hundred thousand naira oh. That’s all.”


“But we don’t have that kind of money.” Dad said, “Most of the banks have been closed down or destroyed and the ATMS are not working…”


He received a punch in the face from the second man and he almost fell over. His injured leg meant he could barely kneel properly as it was. I screamed and rushed to him covering him from further assault as mum covered the both of us. The second guy started pulling us from each other, cursing and swearing.


“You guys should leave my family alone!” Ayo shouted even as the second guy came behind and hit him on the head. He stood to his feet in indignation but three guns immediately pointed at him.


“Oya do something stupid na, abeg.” The first one said. Ayo stood there, his fists clenching, but soon went on his knees again.


“This guy is stubborn sha.” The first one said. “General, did you know we approached your son to join our cult? Did he tell you?”


Dad looked at Ayo, surprised.


“Dad, Ayo told us he didn’t join!” Deji said and received a hard knock on the head by the first guy.


“Don’t worry, he didn’t join. He no get liver for that kain tin.” The second one said and they both laughed. The third guy managed a smile but
that was it.


“Yes oh. We told him we would take care of him, he would be popular, have any girl he wanted, but he refused oh. He even agreed to go through punishment if that was what it took to keep away.” The first one said. “I won’t be surprised if he came home everyday crying.”


The second stranger guffawed with laughter.


“And now, just because he went to show himself when these juju people from underground attacked, our oga said we should leave him. Can you imagine?” the first one spat.


“Is that your problem?” Ayo gasped. “Jealousy? I had no choice, I was going to protect my sister. I wasn’t trying to show myself. Your vexation is unfounded!”


“Shut up, Mista big words!” the second said, threatening him with his gun. “Everybody heard of your daring rescue and started to ridicule us, that it was the person we called a weakling that did all that. Can you imagine how oga insulted us?”


“We are talking too much, let’s do what we came to do and go.” The third one finally spoke.


“This one General is saying he doesn’t have our money with him, we must enjoy something oh. We can’t just have come here for nothing o.” the second said. Then he looked at me evilly.


“Shebi this is the sister you went to save?”


He approached me, grinning. Dad got to his feet.


“Touch her and you will die!” he shouted.


In reply the first one smashed the rifle on his bad leg. Dad shouted and fell to the floor, moaning in pain. Mum screamed and got to her feet and the second one slapped her while the third guy held a gun to Deji’s head and looked menacingly at Ayo.


“I don’t see all of you surviving this if you continue to remain uncooperative.” He said.


At that moment I caught a glimpse of Sola. She had sneaked out to the corridor and was watching quietly from behind the door. She moved her hand slightly and I saw that she was holding a pistol in her hand!


Of course! Dad kept all his weapons under the bed. She must have felt it when she was hiding under the bed. But what could she use it to do?
We were only secondary school kids after all, not hitmen.


“What are you looking at?” The first guy said. He obviously wasn’t expecting anyone else to be around so he barely glanced in the direction I was looking. I quickly turned my attention back to him.


“Leave my parents alone,” I said, standing to my feet.


I don’t know where the strength came from. Maybe it was because of all the stress I had been through, or maybe it was the desperateness of the situation, seeing my family manhandled so violently. But suddenly I felt very calm. There was no fear left in my body, no fright, no trembling. My heart became quiet and stopped pounding against my chest. I boldly walked up to the first stranger and asked


“So, what do you want from me?”


He stopped grinning. He looked uncertainly at the second guy who shrugged and gave him the thumbs up.


“Just a little sugar to calm me down baby.” He said, turning his gaze back to me and grinning slyly.


“There’s sixty four thousand naira under my bed.” Dad groaned, “It’s all I have in the house. Take it and go.”


“No thanks sir.” The first one said and grabbing me roughly he threw me on the sofa. “I prefer sugar!”


He pounced on me and I began to struggle. From the corner of my eye I saw Deji rise angrily to his feet and the third stranger pulled a machete from his face and flogged him on the face with it. Ayo reached for Deji as he fell and was hit hard on the head with the same machete. I saw a spray of blood.


My brothers were going to kill themselves trying to help me.


“Deji, Ayo, Stop!” I shouted, and everyone stopped to look at me. The first stranger was still on top of me but I no longer struggled.


“Don’t harm them, I won’t struggle.” I told him. I felt his fetid breath on my cheeks as he opened his mouth in surprise and glee.


“No wahala, just cooperate. My guys won’t touch them I swear.”


“Okay but let us go into the room.” I said. “It will be too much for them if you do ti here.”


“How that one take consain us?!” The second one said but the first shushed him.



“Our princess has decided to cooperate. It is better like this. Boys we are gonna enjoy ourselves before morning!”

Royver:
McSterling, cartertress, Mercylee, lupey, techno4life, christejames, meklex, fatalveli, chemmzy,
And many more too numerous to mention.

My Christmas gift to you. The Final Chapter. Merry Christmas.

updating...

Thanks, but I would really appreciate it if you could post the whole thing tonight(supposing you have typed already). I'm full of gusto tonight!

Royver:
McSterling, cartertress, Mercylee, lupey, techno4life, christejames, meklex, fatalveli, chemmzy,
And many more too numerous to mention.

My Christmas gift to you. The Final Chapter. Merry Christmas.

updating...

Thankyoooou!!! Merry Christmas!

McSterling:
Thanks, but I would really appreciate it if you could post the whole thing tonight(supposing you have typed already). I'm full of gusto tonight!

oops. Just seeing this. Ok Will post the rest now.

So saying he got up and dragged me along to the room. As we entered the corridor I saw Sola still trembling behind the door. I pretended to trip and fall to further draw his attention away from the door. He picked me up by the wait and threw me on the bed. Then he began to loosen his belt and take off his trousers.


“Baby I hope you are ready for me!” He said, taking off his jean trousers to reveal dirty brown boxers. “I took enough stout and powerhorse this night as well as some good drugs before we came on this mission. Cooperate and I swear na you go enjoy am pass!”


I said nothing, my heart in my throat as I saw Sola slowly come out from behind the door, her hands trembling violently. She could barely hold the pistol straight and I doubted she would be able to use it. As he fumbled with his shirt Sola suddenly dropped the gun and dashed out of sight.


I was devastated! She hadn’t been able to go through with it! I was left alone with this beast of a man, what was I going to do? As I racked my brain to come up with a solution that didn’t involve me losing my dignity or endangering my family, I saw Sola appear behind him again.


In her hands was the pot I had stumbled over in the corridor earlier. A heavy iron pot.


It glistened dully in the night light as she raised it high above her head, approaching him at the same time. I was sure he was going to hear her but he was either too occupied with what he was doing or he couldn’t care less what was going on behind him but he didn’t turn around. He pulled off his shirt, leaving a dirty brown singlet soaked with sweat.


“Am ready for you.” He said.


And Sola brought the Pot crashing down on his head.


She must have been very frightened because she used all her strength. There was a dull thud as the pot connected with the back of hi head and he fell down as if someone had turned off his power supply. He was still for a moment then started convulsing, his hands and legs making dull thumping noises on the ground.


“Hmm, ol boy take am easy oh, leave small for us!” The second laughed from the parlour and then his laugh turned to a surprised yell. There was a crash of metal and then a loud bang as a gun went off.


I screamed and jumped to my feet, running out of the room with Sola running along behind me. I grabbed the gun she had dropped and dashed into the parlour.


Ayo was struggling for the gun with the third guy and I was shocked to see a knife in the stranger’s belly. Deji was on the floor in a pool of blood and Dad was also on the floor, pulling on the rifle with the second stranger for all he was worth. He kept moving the nozzle away from him and the second guy was raining curses as he tried to point it at Dad’s stomach. Mom was nowhere to be seen.


I pointed the gun at the second person but couldn’t find it in me to pull the trigger. I had watched it many times in the movies where the heroine was with the gun but kept hesitating to use it and I had screamed indignantly at each scene. But now I understood why they hesitated. If I pulled this trigger I would become a killer, a murderer, there would be no going back.


Ayo saw the look on my face and screamed at me to go back into the room. Then he grabbed the knife and pushed it deeper into the third guy’s belly. I stayed put and watched in macabre fascination as the third guy didn’t even budge but instead yanked the gun away from Ayo’s grasp and point it at him to fire. Ayo lunged at him and attempted knocking the gun from his hand but he didn’t let go and instead fired off a shot which lodged a bullet in the wall close to Ayo. As he took aim again Ayo rushed at him and they both tumbled to the floor. Ayo grabbed the knife again and this time pushed up wildly in a wide arc. Suddenly the air was filled with a strange smell as the third guy’s intestines fell out. He screamed then and Ayo brought out the knife and stabbed him again and he was still.


The second stranger fired off a shot and dad let go of the nozzle. He took a few steps back, the gun pointed at Dad and shouting for his colleague. When none of them answered he turned back to dad, his eyes wild.


“Bastard! All of una go die today!”


He pointed the gun at Dad and was about to shoot when Mum rushed out of the kitchen, her mittened hands holding a pot of hot oil. He tried to aim the gun at her but she was quicker and threw the contents of the oil on him. He yelled and dropped the gun, clawing at his skin. It took him a while to realize the oil wasn’t as hot as he thought (mum had turned off the gas by midnight and the oil had cooled somewhat) but by then Dad had grabbed the gun.


He stood there for a while, dripping oil all over and clenching his fists. He raised his hands slowly and stepped back, almost falling over Deji’s body. He steadied himself, absent mindedly kicking Deji’s head out of the way in annoyance.


Dad shot him through the chest.


The force of the bullet threw him back against the door and out of the house, Just as some vigilante men appeared at the door.


“General, wetin happen? We heard gunshots…”


Dad ignored them and crawled to where Deji was and carried him in his arms. We all stood and held our breath as dad called out to him. Finally he stirred and moved a little and we ran to them as dad examined his wound. The bullet had gone through his shoulder at the deltoid muscle which was bleeding profusely.


“That was very stupid of you my boy!” Dad said and smiled. “I’m very proud of you.”


"Did that bastard..." Ayo shouted, approaching me.



"No," I breathed. "Sola stopped him in time. I'm fine."


Ayo went over and hugged Sola who collapsed in his arms like a rag doll.


"Thank you. Thank you." He said.


The Vigilantes came in and helped clean up the mess. The bodies of the second and third strangers were carried off and the first guy was revived and taken away for interrogation. Dad and Ayo briefed them on what had happened.


“How can people be thinking of robbing others at this trying time?” The head vigilante said. “It is beyond comprehension.” He turned to Ayo,
“Oga, I hope you are alright?”


“I’m fine.” Ayo said. “Please check on my father’s leg and my brother.”


“One of our people has gone to call the doctor.” He replied. We will keep a guard here till morning. You people should go and sleep. Sorry General.”


Dad nodded and the vigilantes left the house. Soon the doctor arrived, a dark complexioned, bustling fellow who swiftly went to work. Dad and
Deji were soon taken care of and pain relievers given. I looked at the time, it was 4am. Sola was sitting on the chair beside Deji as he rested his head against her shoulder, stealing secret grins at Ayo who sighed in exasperation.


“It’s almost dawn, let us try and get some sleep.” Dad said. “We don’t know how the morning will be like. Deji, I know you are injured and need tender loving care but allow Sola to go and rest so she can have chance to take care of you tomorrow.”


“Haba, dad…” Deji gasped, embarrassed. Sola smiled and got up and followed me to the room. I saw Mum sit beside dad, fussing over him like a mother hen. Ayo stood staunchly by the door and watched Sola go. He caught my eye and smiled as I shook my head disapprovingly.


“Your brothers are very brave,” Sola said as we lay down to sleep. “And a little mischievous.”


“Don’t mind them; they are just looking for your mouth.” I said.


Sola shivered. “I don’t think I will be able to sleep after everything that happened”


“Trust me, you will.” I said, covering myself with the blanket. “I didn’t think I would sleep after…after what Dare did back there in the farm but I
slept right off.”


“Did he…what you said…I hope he didn’t…”


“No he didn’t.” I replied, “HE was very…brutal…but he didn’t have the chance to go that far before you guys interrupted…”

We were silent for a while.

“I hope the world ends tomorrow.” Sola said, quietly.


“Why?” I asked, sitting up from the bed to stare at her. She continued to lie down, not meeting my eyes.

“We have been through so much…lost so many people…how do we go on?” She sniffed. “Wont it be better if everything ends tomorrow?”


“NO it won’t.” I replied fervently. “As long as there is life, there is hope. We will find a way to go on if we survive tomorrow. Don’t despair now
Sola, you are the only friend I have left.”


I squeezed her hand and she returned the squeeze and turned over to sleep. I lay down too, trying to blank my mind from thinking about this early morning’s adventure, trying to think positively about tomorrow and what it might bring. I was lucky, my family was still together and that gave me hope that no matter how bad tomorrow turned out, we would go through it together. I kept that hopeful thought in my mind and drifted off to sleep.

I woke up by nine o’clock to the awful sound of the earth rumbling and Dad shouting my name. The whole house was vibrating under the noise and Dad was hurrying to get everybody out of the house for fear it would collapse this time. As I ran outside in my nightgown, I realized Sola was nowhere to be seen. I screamed for her and she answered from the back of the house. I ran over and saw her with my mom as they tried to turn our huge gas cylinders on their sides. I ran to Mom and helped her out.


“You should have woken me, mom!” I said reproachfully.


“We didn’t want to wake you.” Mum shouted, her voice barely audible above the rumbling. “it wasn’t so bad before now and besides, Sola was helping out.”


We secured the gas cylinders and ran back to the front of the house where my dad, Ayo and Deji were sitting on the ground. I looked around outside our compound and saw a whole lot of people sitting or lying out in the fields, some praying, some crying, some very still and quiet.


“We were waiting for you.” Dad said as we sat down. “Oya, mum, lead us in prayer.”


And mom prayed. She prayed for each and every one of us, asking for the forgiveness of our sins, Thankful for our lives and how we had lived it, grateful for us all being together at what might actually be Earth’s final hours. She prayed for our survival or happy afterlife, she prayed for our neighbors and friends. She made us forgive anybody we had a grudge against, and admit any wrongdoing we had secretly kept. At the end of it all we were all sober but at peace.


“This noise is going on longer than the other ones.” I observed nervously and Deji nodded.


“The Americans said the world will divide into three. I guess this is how it all tears up” Deji said. He was sounding very brave but his eyes darted
around fearfully with each rumble. Ayo sat down quietly in a corner, his face blank.


“Maybe we should sing praises until the shaking stops.” I suggested. Mum nodded and Dad grunted his agreement. As we started, we saw those sitting outside our fence watching us and then starting their own songs. Others followed and soon we were all singing praise and worship, trying to make our voices heard above the shaking and rumbling. We all held hands and sang along, waiting for the inevitable.


And then the rumbling stopped.


We were silent for a moment and then shouts of joy rent the air. People started jumping up and shouting and cries of “It’s over, it’s finally over!!!” were heard here and there across the field!


“Is that it? Has the world ended?” Deji asked almost disappointedly.


“It seems so. The ground isn’t shaking again.” Dad said.


Ayo stood up. “Other people are standing up o! Dad, it’s like the thing didn’t tear anywhere, it just died on its own.


“That will be wonderful.” Dad said. “Let me check BBC news and see what they are saying.” But his voice was now drowned by more exuberant shouts of joy as people darted out of their make-shift tents and some coming out of Chief Akpati’s underground rooms. People rushed from one compound to the other, shaking hands, laughing and patting each other on the back. I turned and hugged my mom and Sola alternately, not knowing whether to laugh or cry.


The Radio whinned and a voice came over it “over, sudden trembling would indicate a temporary lull which we hope will last long enough to…”


“What are they saying?” Ayo asked , coming close and straining to hear above the cacophony of human noises.


Dad shushed him and continued tuning. I looked around, people were running helter skelter. I was tempted to join but before I could move Deji suddenly jumped up and shouted as if he had just realized it.


“It’s over!” Deji said jumping to his feet. “It’s finally o-“


And then a very loud and terrifying noise whipped through the air.


It came from deep underground, we could actually feel it rising to the surface and everybody quickly lay on their bellies in the grass as the whole earth began to shake violently again. The shouts of laughter a moment ago had been replaced with cries of terror as people braced for whatever was coming.


Suddenly the earth around us erupted and we were thrown high into the air. I landed painfully on my back and for a terrifying moment I thought I had been paralyzed as I couldn’t feel my legs and everything below my waist went numb. All around us the Earth shook and shifted and we looked on in horror as our house gave way and collapsed on itself with a mighty crash. The sky turned a strange purplish-blue colour and the Sun seemed to intensify its heat for a moment as if whatever was protecting the Earth from its scorching rays had disappeared for an instant. Everywhere became incredibly bright and hot and then dark almost immediately and then bright and hot again. And then the whole field began to rise up.


“Make it stop! Make it stop!” Sola screamed, her eyes shut tight as the entire landscape began to tilt upwards. It started gradually, almost unnoticeably and then with all the shaking and rumbling the entire field tilted at an almost 30degree angle. I started rolling down along with a lot of other people. Ayo grabbed on to some shrubs and steadied himself, same with Dad and Mum, but Sola and I were nowhere near any shrubbery when it happened. We rolled all the way down the street until we came to the point where it leveled out.
And then there was a terrific BANG! like a thousand bombs went off and for a moment everything went dark.


And then it was all over.


The Rumbling stopped and the skies slowly cleared and became bright again. I stayed flat on the ground for a long time, shaking uncontrollably as I waited for the ground to start moving again, but nothing happened. I looked across at Sola who was lying a few feet from me. She was hiding her face in the ground and sobbing uncontrollably but she didn’t seem hurt. I crawled towards her and shook her. She jerked away like she had been electrocuted and looked up, her eyes filled with relief that it was only me. We stayed there, looking at each other, daring the other to pick up confidence and stand up first. Finally she held my hand.


“We’ll both stand up.”


And we got shakily to our feet. All around us was smoke and fire and people, some standing, most still lying on the floor. Some of the people were missing. We looked up at the place where my house used to stand; there was only a pile of rubble now. I saw Deji standing up and helping mum and Dad being carried down the field by Ayo. They didn’t seem badly hurt.


“Is it all over?” I asked Deji as they all made their way down.


“Yes, I guess so.” Deji said. “We’ll listen to the news and see what is going on. Did you hear that terrible crack?”


“Even the deaf would have heard that one Deji” Ayo said, coming down with Dad. “We have to gather ourselves and our properties, let’s start arranging a shelter over our heads.”


All around us people were doing different things. Some of them were praying on their knees or standing up, others were arranging whatever of their properties they could find. The air smelt somehow different.


Dad fumbled around with his radio until he got a signal.


“This is a recent photograph taken aboard Air Space 1. The American government has already decided to sponsor the rebuilding of the planet, being the world’s largest donor to the WHO. It is estimated that building these intra-land bridges will take no less than a decade, providing of
course the landmasses do not shift further apart.”


“We need to get the TV.” Deji said. “We need to know what they are talking about.”


“And you think it will still be working after the whole house collapsed?” Ayo asked.


Deji shrugged. “It wouldn’t hurt to check.”


As he struggled back up towards the house, I sat on the floor with Sola. Mum was hugging dad and speaking comforting words into his ear as he
stared vacantly at our crumbled home. It must have been terrible for him to see his house destroyed like that. Finally he sat down helplessy on
the floor and Mum sat with him.


Deji came back with the television which was miraculously intact.


“Let me get the generator and an outlet we can plug the gen to.” Ayo said and ran back towards the house. He was soon back with a couple of the youths who were interested in what we were doing. Soon we had the generator working and the TV plugged but Deji was pessimistic.


“The satellite is damaged so there’s no way we can watch any of the foreign channels. Maybe if we made a pole for it to stand on…”


“and even if you set up a pole do you think there’ll be any signals?” One of the youth said. “We are probably not going to get network for days.”


Impulsively I brought out my phone and looked at it. There were no bars but a strange signal was there instead, and a prompt for me to accept connection.


“Dad, check your phone!” I cried excitedly.


“He fumbled in his pockets and Ayo and Deji did the same. We all had the same signal on or phones.


“They were saying on the news yesterday that they would set up a kind of worldwide wifi!” Deji gasped.


“I’m going to accept to connect.” I said and clicked ‘OK’


A software immediately began downloading on my phone and soon I received the message “Welcome to the World Wide Unity Uplink. All calls and text messages are free until further notice. If you need help, send ‘help’ to the emergency numbers of your respective countries you will be receiving shortly. If you need updates on the state of the world…”


“This is so cooool” Deji said as he uploaded his own too. Ayo shouted out to one of the youths that was watching us.


“Mutaino7! Tell all those that have phones to switch them on!” The youth nodded and ran off.


“Put on the TV, maybe it will work too.” I suggested.


Deji eagerly put on the television and to our surprise and delight all channels were showing freely, although most of them were not clear. The
NTA reporter that had been talking the day before was on the air, filming his surroundings and trying to describe his experience as it happened in Lagos. His eyes widened momentarily and he started running and shouting.


“Wait, what is going on?”


“Be quiet Deji!” Dad said as we all focused on the television. Other people had come to watch as well and soon a large crowd had formed.


The reporter seemed to run under a flyover and hide. His breathing was labored and the camera swung uselessly at the floor for a moment before he finally raised it up to his face which was covered in sweat.


“The Under-dwellers are coming out in large numbers! They are riding on big snakes, bigger than the ones that came out at Lekki! Where is the army? Isn’t anyone watching this? Where are the Authorities…?!”



There was a loud noise in the background and the camera went off.

There was a loud murmur among the crowd as people quickly began to disperse.


“We need to find shelther.” Dad said, getting up. “Let’s get to Chief Akpati’s house, I was offered one of the underground rooms…”


“Too late!” Ayo shouted pointing as a large shadow suddenly loomed above us.


It was a giant snake. It appeared out of one of the tears in the ground, a tight fit at first and for a moment I held my breath, hoping it would get stuck but it pushed its way out of the ground, tearing up the earth as it did so. Following it poured out an army of under-dwellers, like soldier ants. They wielded their weapons and hissed menacingly.


There was a loud outcry as people began to run helter-skelter. I had never seen the under dwellers in such a violent mood so up close before. In moments they had cut down most of the people around them as if they were nothing at all and blood flowed freely on the fields. Sola and I ran towards the remains of the house as Ayo tried to rally the youth together to fight.


“Form a line!” He shouted. He grabbed some of the youth and made them stand side by side with him forming a single line that kept getting longer
as more armed youths joined in.; this was the safety line and soon people started running behind it. Sola and I crossed it easily as the main fight wasn’t in our path, Dad and mum found it more difficult as dad was limping but he managed to fight off some of the under dwellers before finally being helped by one of the vigilantes as they got to the line.


“Don’t break this line!” Ayo shouted and the order was passed down. It looked like some sort of macabre game, as the under dwellers advanced, some would rush forward with their blades to try and break the line only to be pushed back, fought off or killed by one or more of the brave youth.


I was terrified of the snake. It just hovered in the air, with one of the under-dwellers astride its head, watching the whole scene from afar off as if it didn’t concern him. Deji had formed a kind of marauding band of seven youths that would charge at the under-dwellers to try and help those people who still hadn’t crossed the line. Dad got a hold of his gun, filled it with bullets and started shooting at random. The fighting continued and soon things began to look desperate for us humans.


“Temi. I’m going to fight.” Sola said after a while, suddenly standing up.


“With what?” I jumped to my feet and grabbed her wrist. “Leave the guys to handle it na, do you see any other woman going to fight…other than my mom?” I said as from the corner of my eyes I saw mum helping dad refill his bullets.


“But they need all the help they can get, we are too few and it looks as if the under-dwellers are just playing with us.”


I had noticed it too. Although we were hitting back as hard as we could, it seemed now the under-dwellers were just biding their time. They had stopped the violent killing and were making mock charges at our line of defence. They would rush forward vengefully and Ayo and the others would brace themselves then at the last minute they would run back with hisses that closely resembled laughter. Once in a while an over-exuberant youth would rush forward to attack and the under-dwellers would strike him down dead. They were definitely more seasoned in warfare than we were and our lines were methodically thinning out.


“I’m going, Temi. Stay here if you want but I’m going.” And so saying, she ran forward.



Well, I guess it has come to this. Who would think that a week ago, I Temitope Richards, daughter of General Richards , a two time class beauty queen and all round care free teenager would one day take up arms and go into battle against a group of barbaric underworld creatures? But that’s what I guess I’m about to do. Writing about it has really helped and it’s quite possible that this is my last entry. I’m actually sitting behind a large boulder as I write this with people screaming and running about all around me. Sola has been gone for a few minutes and I’m working up the courage to go and join the fight. If I don’t return, well, whoever reads this knows all that happened. The world has been torn apart and it seems we are on our own against these creatures. Dad is shooting beside me, Mum has picked up a handgun and is firing beside him. There is black dust on her face and her teeth are gritted together. I haven’t seen Ayo and Deji in a while. But there is a blade beside me, it belonged to one of the under-dwellers who tried to rush at Sola when she came out to fight, Dad shot it down. I’m going to pick up the blade and go and help those I can. I’ll leave the diary under this rock, would have buried it deeper if I had the time…

I’m rambling. Well, here goes. If I don’t come back, then, its goodbye.

guy i av bin readin xince around to 9 yestrday til dis mawin altho i went 4 vigil i read 4rm 1 til 28.u ar a gr8 writer.pls update

Royver:

oops. Just seeing this. Ok Will post the rest now.

I've read the most recent updates. It hasn't ended, has it?

Nice on royver, and tanks 4 d update... More pls

Royver, this is a good read please update, merry Christmas!!!

There you are diary! Found you at last! It’s been a grueling two hours and so much has happened. I survived as you can see, thank you very much. I’m going to tell you what happened after I ran off into the field, my machete in one hand and my courage in the next.


When I rushed into the field I saw sola swinging at some of them along with a group of young girls and I went to help. Our job was to bring in our people that were injured in the field and we did a good job of it. As more people let go of their fear and joined the fight, the under dwellers became more serious. They seem to enjoy combat a lot. I’m sure they were happier fighting our trained soldiers than fighting us…but I’m getting ahead of myself.


We fought valiantly, keeping our small circle together and helping those that we could back behind the fighting lines. I have never seen so much blood in my life, so many dying and dead people. I got splashed a lot with the stuff and even some green blood from the under-dwellers got on my clothes which are ruined by the way but I don’t care. I’m so happy, for the first time in a long time I’m happy.


We made it…we survived the end of the world. It didn’t seem that would be the case at first as despite our brave men and women fighting as hard as we could the under-dwellers were definitely getting the upper hand. Ayo had gone to defend Deji who had started bleeding again from the wound he sustained earlier this morning. The under dwellers finally broke through our line of defence and went for the ruins of Chief Akpati’s house probably because that was where we were carrying all the wounded to. The one astride the giant snake finally moved, devouring both underdwellers and humans who had lost their lives on the field and was heading towards the wounded when a burst of gunfire tore flesh from its sides. The snake turned around as did we all and we saw to our surprise and joy that the Nigerian Army had arrived! They came in pickup trucks and armoured vehicles with machine guns mounted on stands and when those things started firing it was as if another earthquake was taking place, the whole ground shook and vibrated and in a short while they had cut down a large number of the under-dwellers. The ones that remained turned as one and charged the soldiers and although they used crude weapons like spears and arrows they soon overran the soldiers and another life and death struggle began. A lot of soldiers were killed but mostly by the huge snake which struck down and overturned two armored vehicles before its head was torn apart by a hand grenade. Some of the Army boys ran up to Dad and carried him and mum to safety. He tried to tell them his children were in the field as well but they seemed more concerned in getting him to safety first. They later came back for me and one of them carried me roughly on his shoulder to a large truck where I got the shock of my life.


There, kneeling at the back of the truck, helping to clean up and bandage the wounded soldiers was Arnold and James! Arnold had a funny looking bandage on his head and his left eye was terribly swollen but other than that he looked okay. James didn’t seem hurt at all and kept asking for a gun but the soldiers refused. I was just dazed and looking at the two of them as they grumbled over another soldier that had been pulled out of the fight with an arrow in his gut.


“They won’t give me a gun, am I not mature enough?” James was saying.


“Leave them na, they are soldiers and you are a bloody civilian, let’s do the one they told us to do first.” Arnold’s voice, croaky but firm came to my ears.


“Arnold?” I whispered, hoping against hope that this wasn’t a dream and I wasn’t hallucinating in the middle of the battlefield.


Arnold turned around and James looked up. Both saw me at the same time and smiled, Arnold getting hurriedly to his feet. I felt my throat go dry and my heart beat painfully in my chest.


“Temi! Temi! Arnold look, its Temi!” James shouted.


“I know, I’m not blind!” Arnold shouted back and limped towards me. I couldn’t move, I was just riveted to the spot.


“Hey, Temi, It’s me, Arnold. What?” He asked getting a little alarmed at my behavior.


I rushed forward and hugged him tight , and yes I started crying like a baby.


“I thought you were dead!” I repeated over and over again.


Arnold held me and said nothing. James just stood in the background, grinning stupidly until the soldier on the ground called his attention.


“I didn’t know what happened,” Arnold said, still holding me. “I was trying to fight off one of the under-dwellers who was aiming an arrow at James when another one struck me on the head with something heavy and I passed out. When I regained consciousness James was dragging me into the bushes and blood was flowing down my head into my eyes, nose, everywhere. We found our way back to Sola’s mum’s place and James hid me there while he went around looking for drugs and food for both of us. We stayed hidden until this morning during the earthquake when we had to come out of the house when the whole thing started to collapse.”


“We stayed hidden in the ruins, watching those things come out of every nook and cranny in the ground but I couldn’t go and fight because your guy here was still not alright.” James added from his side by the wounded soldier. “We waited until we saw this convoy of soldiers passing through and we raised the alarm. We have been following them since then and they are even calling for reinforcements even though they won’t let me handle a gun!”


“Bloody civilian.” Arnold grinned and James grinned back.


“I thought you were dead.” I repeated once more, letting go of him a little.


“For where, I dey kampe. You don’t know this my gorilla head is strong?” Arnold said smiling at me.


And then he stopped smiling, looked me in the eyes and drew me to himself again. We kissed, it was the most natural thing in the world to do. James started whistling in the background but we ignored him.


“You like frightening me, don’t you?” I said afterwards.


“It’s not intentional, I promise.” Arnold said then stiffened suddenly. I turned to look at what had shocked him so and saw my dad and mum looking at us.


“You survived, thank God!” Mum said clapping her hands gleefully. James waved at her.


“Yes we did ma.” He replied then faced my dad who had a slight frown on his face. We realized we were still hugging each other and Arnold let go of me immediately.


“Sorry Sir.” He said.


“For what?” Dad replied, “For surviving or kissing my daughter once again in my presence?”


I covered my face with my hands.


“Both sir.” Arnold replied nervously, then “I mean…”


“Temi when you are through come and tend to your brothers. The battle is over, we managed to defeat the under-dwellers and drive the few survivors back underground. My boys are moving us to the barracks, they have an apartment for us to stay while we rebuild our place.” He gave Arnold a stern look and Mum whispered something in his ear. HE shook his head and laughed.


“Carry on, boy.” He winked at Arnold and limped off with mum. I went back into his arms as James shouted indignantly:


“But, I survived too na… no kiss for me?”


It was a worldwide victory. The Under-dwellers were pushed back into the depths from whence they came. It was so bad for them that the United States Army led an attack into their cities in the bowels of the Earth. They had to surrender and draw up a peace agreement. It is said that they have many minerals and raw materials that will benefit the Earth greatly. Also the Animal life down there is making scientists rethink the whole evolution theory.


Sanity has returned gradually into the world. Nigeria elected a new president, one of our leaders who had not run away during the crisis but had stayed to rally the army and executive government together to launch a counter offensive against the invaders and to also provide relief to places hard hit by the Earthquakes. Most of the other countries and continents followed suit with major changes in leadership. New technology hitherto hidden by the developed countries was deployed to make communication and rebuilding of infrastructure faster and more effective. Despite the fact that there was now peace between the under-dwellers and over dwellers, there was still some mistrust and fear that they might attack again especially during the night so the nation’s power grid was greatly enhanced to provide light mandatorily at night.
Every day we watch the building of the new bridges that will join the three land masses of what was once one Earth together. I can imagine if our geography teacher was still alive, he would have died with excitement at the way the world map had changed. We did memorial services for Bimpe and all the others we had lost during the crisis but all in all we knew this experience had made humanity stronger. Although ironically there were now three Earths, There had never been as much feeling of togetherness among the inhabitants of the Planets Earth as there was when it was just one globe.




My name is Temitope Richards, and this is how the new world began.



[size=14pt]THE END.[/size]

Wow!
*singing*
Royver u do good o, u do good
You give us good story, good story
Dis story sweet well well, good story
Dis story sweet well well, indomie

Did I just say indomie, Damn no, I meant good story!
Great piece from Royver, I doff my P-cap for ya bro...
Gracias
suxxman, kenwins, skimpledawg... Come and read the concluding part of this Great piece from
Great Royver... I salute u again, Ochio!

alberto2k:
Wow!
*singing*
Royver u do good o, u do good
You give us good story, good story
Dis story sweet well well, good story
Dis story sweet well well, indomie

Did I just say indomie, Damn no, I meant good story!
Great piece from Royver, I doff my P-cap for ya bro...
Gracias
suxxman, kenwins, skimpledawg... Come and read the concluding part of this Great piece from
Great Royver... I salute u again, Ochio!

OverBadness dey worri Oga Royver! D way he tells his own stories is outta dz world!
Api xmas Roy! Plz do tag me in ya nxt series biko

Held me captive for hours. In fact, I'm in love with the story. Thank you soooo much, Royver. God bless your intellect.

THANK YOU royver!, bless you!... you might not know this but I spent Christmas reading the cross,claw and tail on ya blog, beats going out for Christmas.... bless you loads

Standing ovation and rounds of applause for Roy, nice ending guy, I bow my head for you!


We'll be looking forward to seeing you soon, pls wen are u starting another piece

Wowww...

Ds s somthn else...
I tell u... THr re 2 ways 2 enjoy Visual Creative Entertainment...
1. WATCH Hollwood Series such as 24 and Game of Thrones.
2. READ Royverhood Series... It makes.
The l8r has proven very SATISFACTORY...
Makes u see thns odas dnt see... Lyk d Day d world Ended...
#**dashes strait 2 Oda titles by d Oscar Award winning Movie Writer & Director**#
Pls dnt stop ds trend. U hv a unique giftn... Its called:...
.
..
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ROY FeVEr!!!