₦airaland Forum

10


Although he could easily squash Nathan like a worrying bug, Vince knew he had to play his cards well. This troublemaker wasn't worth the effort.
“What are you doing here, too?” Vince asked.
Nathan flashed a permission card. “I took permission to come out for some pee. Now, what were you doing when I interrupted?”
The same anger flashed past his eyes again. He entertained the thought of punching this foolish boy, but he taught himself some restraint. Nathan wasn't worth it. Heck, the boy was looking for someone to hang his funeral on. Vince would never take that bait.
“Look, can you just leave me to mourn my parents in peace?”
Nathan looked him down; from Vince's brown leather sandals up to the collar of his shirt.
“Do you think I'm as foolish as the teacher or the other students? Which parents do you have that are dead?”
It shocked Vince. How did Nathan know? He struggled to hide his surprise. “Where are you driving towards, Nathan?”
He extended a finger at Vince, bony and long-nailed. “Don't you dare give me that facade. Don't you dare.”
Again, Vince contemplated punching the bloke. What were the odds of someone hearing them and reporting him?
It wasn't worth it. Simple.
“Nathan, you know I don't have your time. I'd rather you kept to yourself and not let something bad happen to you...”
“Again? Were you about to say again? I bet you. I would finish you up should we get that chance again.”
Vince laughed. It seemed to infuriate Nathan.
“You think it's a joke, right? You just wait till I get that to happen again. You won't believe what will happen to you.”
“I can bet my soul, you can't do anything to me, not when I can help it.”
Nathan pointed the finger again at Vince. “Wait and see. I'd watch my back if I were you. You never know when it will happen to you,” Nathan said, walking away.
Vince heaved a sigh of relief. Nathan was a pain in the ass, like a pimple growing where no one likes it. He wondered how much longer he could endure the arrogance.
Vince had to wait for a little over fifteen minutes. Every moment he waited was time wasted, time that he could use doing better things.
At last, he saw Mabel coming out of the classroom. He wasn't happy with her delay and told her about it.
“We were meant to go and return before the end of recess. Why did you delay? You know we don't have all the time in the world to go about this business. Or are you having a change of mind about this?”
“I don't know why you'd think like that. It wasn't easy getting out of the class. Mr. Pravat was teaching a topic he said was very important. He said everyone had to be present throughout to ensure that they all got it right.”

“Is that the reason why you wouldn't come out, or it's because you enjoy the class too much to miss it?”
Mabel rolled her eyes. “I don't know what you're driving at, Vince. I promised I was going to help in this case, and I meant it. So, quit your babbling and accusing, and let's get on with it. The one hour won't last forever.”
Vince sighed. He was angling to go on; to talk her down on what he thought was reluctance on her path. Yet, she was right about time.” Alright. Let's go.”
Vince led the way with Mabel playing catch-up. They rounded the block of classrooms and scampered towards the library.
“First up, we have to approach this with extreme caution,” Vince said when they were in front of the building.
“Ya ya, like I don’t know that already.”
“I just needed it to be clear,” Vince said.
Mabel ran a hand through her hair. “Look, you're wasting time. I want to do this fast so I can return to class. Unlike you, I don't like to miss classes.”
“Whatever rocks your boat,” Vince said.
They entered the library. It was empty as they'd expected. Throughout class hours, no one went outside, another change in the school that Vince had met. Before the current principal, it was not unusual to find one or two students outside of the classroom doing idle chatter. With the new principal, all that had changed. While he looked welcoming, he stood firmly for discipline and a sense of responsibility. He ensured the students took their studies seriously.
Vince couldn't be sure, though, that all of the changes were because of the principal. Maybe it was just the passing of time. After all, history said that time changes everything.
At the library counter, Mr. Lapwing slept snoring lightly. It had to be a deep sleep because he hadn't noticed when they'd entered, and when Mabel's leg had brushed against a chair.
Vince couldn't help wondering what kind of dream Mr. Lapwing was having that he couldn't notice their presence despite Mabel's negligence.
It was to their advantage, anyway. They could get what they wanted and leave without his notice.
Vince spoke in a whisper. “He's having one helluva deep sleep. I say we go right now and do the search. I believe we can get all the information we need.
“Vince, I feel there's something wrong here. I don't know, I can't place it quite well, but I think we should go for caution. We don't have to go on with this.”
Vince bit his lip. “Quit being a baby, Mabel. Do you know that I am at equal risk as you? Maybe more. Whatever happens here, we will both get the punishment. In the meantime, we have to rise to the challenge. Crayon is our brother.”
“Friend.”
“What?”
“Not brother. Friend.”
“Okay. I know Crayon may not have been that close with you, but he was more than a brother. And I can't just not do anything. I think it's my responsibility to ensure that I find him. Whatever way I can. This is just the first step.
“Hmm?”
“Yes. I think it would be a multiple of steps.”
Mabel looked up at Mr. Lapwing, who had saliva drooling from his mouth. “Alright, alright. You don't have to preach it to me. Now we're sure he's here. Let's get to the quarters already.”
Getting to the quarters took fifteen minutes. The place wasn't far from the school, but having to apply stealth meant that they spent more time than necessary.
When they got to the compound, they met the gate opened. Vince was grateful for this. If they had needed to draw the bolt and opened the iron gate, it would have creaked and given them away. Someone discovering they were students in the quarters would be disastrous.
Coming to the staff quarters was prohibited for students, more so when it was school hours.
“I'm scared,” Mabel said.
“You don't have to be.”
“But I am.”
Vince sighed. “Nothing will happen.”
“Whatever happens, the blame will never come to me. Promise me that.”
“Jeez, Mabel. I promise.”
“I'm doing this for you, and therefore I will not share in the blame. It will be your duty to cover me if something happens.”
She was full of petty. “Is that what you want? I thought you agreed to help?”
“I didn't say we'd share responsibility, whatever happens.”
“I don't think you are fair here.”
“Let's get on with this and pray nothing happens.”
They entered and got to the front of the quarters where a row of houses stood.
Red Marigold and Red Acalypha covered the front of each apartment.
That was the next problem
The four houses looked identical. They had similar structures, the same wooden chair in front, and the same flowers. Which was whose?
“Damn,” Vince said under his breath.
“This is bad.”
“I didn’t anticipate this problem before.”
“How then do we get inside?”
“If you ask me who am I supposed to ask?”
Mabel hissed. “How come you didn't see this beforehand? I can't believe all of that was a waste of time.”
“Don't talk like that.”
Mabel was frowning now. “Can we go back now?”
“How come you now sound so cowardly, Mabel?” You know, I never thought of you like that, but with what you're displaying right now, it’s shocking to see.”
“I don't want trouble.”
“Then, let's go back.”
Immediately he said it, they heard footsteps from outside the gate.
“Shit. We're toast.”
Mabel was going to have a panic attack.
“Calm down, Mabel. Calm down. No one's seen us yet. There's still something we can do.”
“What are we doing?” she asked, fisting and un-fisting her knuckles, and then slapping the side of her leg.
“Be quiet. The person isn't here yet. You keep talking, and you will get caught with me.”
“You think we're going to be caught?”
“No. I've not said anything like that. Just be quiet, and let's see if we can avoid any confrontation.”
Luck was on their side as the person still hadn't pushed open the gate. Maybe it was a lady. Perhaps, she was checking her bag for something.
They couldn't take another way. The compound had one entrance, and that was the one they'd used. The one someone was going to come through soon.
The person pushed open the gate that had swung close a bit. Vince held Mabel's hand, and together they ran towards the back of the row of houses.
From there, Vince took a peek. He was surprised to see who it was. Mr. Lapwing.
Vince was surprised. How could he be so fast?
How could he have woken from a deep sleep, walked here within such a short time?
It just didn't add up.
Or was there some sort of alarm system that had alerted him when they'd stepped in.
“How's this possible?” Vince asked.
“I don't know about that. What are we going to do now?”
“We need to get out.”
“We are going to be caught.”
Vince pressed hard on her hand. “We won't be caught.”
They waited until he had walked to one of the houses. “There it is.”
Mr. Lapwing walked to the first apartment on the second row of houses. He didn't waste time inserting the key into the lock.
“Yes,” Vince said.
Mr. Lapwing got inside, leaving the door ajar. He was in such a hurry that he didn't even care about someone tailing him.
“Let's go,” Mabel said, tugging him.
They sprang for the gate, getting out as quickly as possible, and then ran back to the school.

zaidavargas:
Here are a lot of happy birthday wishes from me.

9


Monday morning, classes had begun in earnest. It was Defence against Dark Creatures. It was a class Vince had grown to love. However, he wasn't feeling it today.
There was something else to do. Mr. Lapwing was the man he needed to be seeing. All of these were just distractions, things to keep him from his real goal. He didn't want that to happen.
Thirty minutes into the lecture. Vince found himself daydreaming. He saw himself go into the man's office and saw the man look at him from far away in the forest like he had the sight reserved for binoculars. Trapped in his trance, Vince didn't know when he slipped off his chair and fell to the floor with a thud.
The class erupted in delighted laughter. A sharp pain exploded on Vince's bottom, but he stiffened himself so he would feel less pain. He dared not show pain, especially as Mr. Zinfandel was now staring intently at him.
“You were sleeping in my class, weren't you?” his deep and sadistic baritone rung through the classroom.
Vince felt instantly sorry, not for the teacher, but himself. It was the exact scenario he didn't want. The other class demarcated from theirs by just a block of wall. It would mean that they would hear what he said. The news would spread, and he'd be humiliated. Worse, all eyes would be on him, and they would then have to delay their plans.
“Get up right now, you dunce,” the teacher commanded.
Vince got up and walked to the front of the classroom. Giggles escaped the mouths of his classmates as he walked past their seats. He didn't blame them. He would laugh too if he were in their shoes. What he concerned himself with was not making a fool of himself any further.
“What was that about?”
Vince knew whatever he replied would form the basis of the gossip that would go out.
“I was thinking about the death of my parents. They had been the best things that had ever happened to me. Today happens to be the exact day they passed away.”
Instantly, the class quieted. Everyone turned up with a sad look. He'd turned that one around.
The funny thing was that he hadn't prepared to say it. The words had flown out from his mouth as though he'd read from a well-revised script.
“Isn't that just so sad? I would never have imagined that. I feel your pain. If you don't mind, I could excuse you from class today. No one would penalize you. You could even take tomorrow off if you want. Just ensure you are in proper shape before you return.”
The words from Mr. Zinfandel were the kindest Vince heard from him since he became their teacher. The man was in the same class with the creatures he spoke about, creatures that ate their kinds and made meat of their families. Yet, kindness had looked so good on him.
“Alright, sir,” Vince said, wiping imaginary tears from his eyes. He had to put up the act. Although he realized at this point he didn't need it, Vince went back, as sluggishly as he could, to his seat. He packed his book into his backpack and, with his head down, exited the class.
Out on the corridor, Vince raised his head again. He had scored a significant point in deceiving the teacher.
Vince needed Mabel to go with him to Mr. Lapwing's quarters. The librarian had been fortunate enough to be given a housing unit just outside the school's premises. Vince had judiciously checked the schedule and knew the man would be in the school's library at that time. It was the perfect moment.
Yet, he couldn't do it without Mabel around. She would make it easy. Watching while he worked, she'd ensure that no one sneaked up to him without warning.
Mabel had a class on Mind tapping. Ever since she'd encountered James at the Outworld, it was something she'd taken a liking too. She'd never once missed a class and was determined to learn how to do the same thing within the semester. She was making fast progress.
How was he to get to her? There was very little chance he could just walk up to the class and ask to borrow her. That would score him some severe punishment, plus he would have to explain why he hadn't gone home directly to continue the morning. Gosh, they'd even get around to asking why Mabel herself wasn't mourning since they'd come up with the terrible claim that they were family.
Vince stood at a corner, very close to her classroom. He needed something out of the ordinary. Yet, something that would catch Mabel's attention. So, he decided he was going to do something no one else would suspect, but Mabel would catch.
Vince rubbed his palms together and breathed into it, preparing to start speaking the words of the charm. It was a lengthy one. It would require concentration to come out well. He was in luck as the passage was deserted, everyone inside their classes.
Vince closed his eyes. “Soman da'alia Fuxtus En Trapilia Dux...”'
The wind began gathering around him. It picked up a patch of paper that had been littering the corridor. Dust swept up, leaping into his hands as well.
The paper crumbled and, with the dust, began forming into the likeness of his pendant. The end tipped into spikes.
Just then, someone disconnected his palms. Everything fell to the floor.
Vince opened his eyes. Anger flashed between his eyeballs. Nathan stood in front of him, a smug expression hanging on his lips like a he-goat pleased with itself.
“I'd like to know what that was all about,” he said.

8


A ball of fire danced on Mabel's palm. She tossed it up and down like pebbles, catching it with the tip of her finger. It was the kind of stuff that made people gather around at circuses. However, Vince had seen it many times and was no longer in awe.
More pressing was the issue with the principal. For some weird reason, he knew the key to finding Crayon was finding the principal. Although Vince couldn't understand the logic behind his intuition, to give a reasonable answer for why he would follow that line of thought, he could see, like a scarlet thread, the connection between these two events.
Mabel had told Vince several times to let go of the connection between the principal and Crayon. Yet, he wouldn't stop. No matter how hard he tried to let go of the idea, he kept going back there. There was just nothing better than that. Who else was there to suspect? His train of thought kept heading back in that direction. He could never drop the subject.
Tapping his feet on the floor, he looked up at Mabel. He waited, hoping she would finish her exercise on time. She was counting from one to one hundred. Mabel hated stopping halfway. She was at sixty-five now and had thirty-five more to do.
Vince thought about doing something to distract her. He needed her attention right now. His was a more pressing issue than what she was doing.
What benefit would one derive from throwing fire up and down?
Thinking about it, Vince chuckled.
The serendipity of the event made him want to burst out laughing. How many times had he heard in the past that one should never play with fire? They'd even turned it into an idiomatic expression. If only they'd see Mabel at the moment.
Mabel, at last, stopped to look at Vince. She stood with her left hand akimbo. “What is it you've been waiting to tell me, Vince?”
Vince stared at her, dazed. His brows hung low like a loose clothing line. How'd she known? Was his thought just now open like a comic book?
Mabel saw his expression.”I'm not stupid, Vince. It doesn't take a soothsayer to know you've been itching to say something. Spill the beans now.”
Vince scratched the top of his head lightly. The way he'd planned it was to get their conversation towards that direction slowly. However, he needed to speak up since the opportunity had presented itself.
“I think Mr. Lapwing knows something.”
“I don't get you, “Mabel replied, settling down on the swing beside Vince.
“You're at this your suspicions again.”
“Sure, I am. I was correct the last time. Wasn't I?”
“You were, but you went about it the wrong way.”
Vince kept quiet. The wise thing was to allow her to win this argument. He required her help with the plans he had, not another quarrel.
“Alright, I was wrong. However, this is different. You needed to see the way he kept defending Mr. Lance. You'd never doubt what I think if you were there.”
“And yet, I wasn't.”
“You weren't, but you don’t believe me?”
Mabel rolled her eyes.
“Common, Mabel. I've not felt this close to the truth for some time. I need your help.”
“Why do I have to get involved?”
Vince held his head in his hands like it was threatening to fall off. “You don't have to be so difficult. You know quite well that two heads are better than one. I've been doing this myself the whole time. Maybe it’s time I get someone involved. I think with your help, I might finally be able to crack the lead on this. So are you going to help me or not?”
Mabel folded her hands on her chest. “You're trying to push my hand here. Give me some time to think about it. You don't expect me to just say yes at the moment. What if this gets us in trouble?”
“Crayon is missing, Mabel. What trouble could be more than that? You owe it to Mrs. Mantel to help her look for her son. She's been sheltering you and giving you food to eat. The least you can do is to help her, and by helping her, I mean helping me dig into the profile of this teacher.”
“You know you could have made a more valid point rather than trying to remind me of my condition. My parents may be lost and all that, but you don't have to keep reminding me about it like that.”
Vince cut a frustrated figure. “You're getting this all wrong, Mabel. I didn't mean to do that. Can't you see what's happening?”
She didn't answer.
Vince went on. “I'm really at this point where if I don't get this, I don't know what will happen. I'm scared to my bones. I don't want to fail Mrs. Mantel. Damn, I don't want to fail myself.”
Mabel sighed. Her hands came loose from her chest and rested after beating at her sides.”All right, Vince. I'm going to help you do what's necessary. However, I’m not going to jeopardize my future ever again. Last time, one mistake cost me more than five years of my life. I wouldn't want a repeat of that.”
“Nothing of such will happen,” Vince replied sharply. “You can bank on that. We will apply stealth and ensure that we stay out of sight. What I want is just to do some digging. I want to know who Mr. Lapwing is and who he has been. I want to know what relationship he had with Mr. Lance. That's all. After that, you can take your hands off the investigation.”
“Wait a minute are you trying to tell me that is going to be more after that?”
“Yes, of course. If I do find out he has a hand in Mr. Lance and Crayon's business, I want to know what happened to them and how I can get Crayon back. Isn't that the point of the digging?”
Mabel stood up. “I don't know what gives you these sorts of ideas, but you've got to be careful. Watch where you put your feet. Who knows, a viper might be waiting, eager to strike you.”
Vince watched her as she went into the house. That was two warnings in a few hours. Yet, the resolve he felt had grown even stronger.

annayawchee:
been good

Taking my time to read it, I no wan rush am,

Ann2012:
Thanks for the update Boss

I'm always looking forward to it