We were in the hostel chatting, maybe you wouldn't call it chatting because basically our voices could be heard from far away Mogadishu and Kampala. Guys with so much stored up testosterone don't speak in hushed tones. Never!

Then this guy walked in with a stick into our room. The first thing I saw was his army pants. I looked at him and continued with what I was saying. Between the hours of 1400 to 1550 was for our rest, so I didn't think we were breaking any law at that moment.

He walked slowly towards our position and as he got closer, I saw his face. I haven't seen him before, he was new in this camp. He had a pale disillusioned face, maybe he was among the soldiers who had witnessed first hand of man's inhumanity to man in the battle with Boko Haram, maybe he has experienced what the horrors of war looks like or maybe he has lost a very close buddy that was dear to his heart in this same battle.
I was still wallowing in my thoughts when he screamed like he was the Sindell of Mortal Kombat.

"Bepour I count t three, all up you should go outside and go down flat on your stomach "
"1......2........ we ran like hell! We ran without looking back and found ourselves on the ground. There was gravel scattered all over the ground. Some of us weren't even putting on shirts. It hurt!

I have always known me to be someone who wasn't allergic to anything or maybe I have not yet found something I was allergic to.

As I lay on that ground with the pains, I felt the air passing through my nostrils into my body thin out each time I breathed in. I was gradually choking.

Where was all the air?
Has the government privatized oxygen?

As I forced myself to breath, my throat started swelling from the inside.
What was happening to me?

One of the guys that lay there with us, seeing me in my agony stood up and tried to help me out. The soldier now rushed towards our direction and kicked "my knight in shinning armour" and he lost his balance, fell face front to the ground and writhed in pains as he clutched his broken knee in his hands. My condition wasn't still getting any better.
I managed and stood up. The soldier took a glance at me and turned away.

I stood up and ran towards the Mami-market. I know Living things needed air to survive and I was gradually loosing all the one I had. The last time I checked it wasn't for sell but I had a strong belief that I will find help when I get there.
I ran and continued running.

The Mami-market was now closer. I approached the first woman and made an "I am thirsty" gesture with my hand, she brought out her hand and also made a "give me your money" gesture. I wasn't with any money, so she refused to sell to me. The second woman thought I wanted to make joke of her business and she also refused to sell to me.
I used my last strength to get to this place. I was already exhausted and gradually slipping away into oblivion before I saw the third woman. She held water in her hands and rushed towards my direction.
Help was now on the way but maybe it was too late. I staggered front a bit and fell down backwards to the ground.

As I lay there on the ground, I could feel the emptiness. My mind now moved in circles around a large mass of cloud. I was slipping away. After I fell, some corp members gathered round me and instead of calling for help, they brought out their phones and started taking pictures of me. They wanted to be the first person to report the news about a fallen corp member. It was that bad.

Then I felt a quick pain on my back, which was followed by another.
Then I heard "Mumu boy, you will not wake up now. These soldiers will soon start chasing".
It was my bunk mate.
Then I woke up.


I am presently in NYSC camp, Delta state.

Daydream or nightmare

Lol....9ce 1...we use 2 lock our rum bk den 4rm d outside...nd sleep inside till other corp members cum bk...it was fun sha....