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In the campus, the medical practitioners had given up on the apparently dead students, having applied all the skills they had at their disposal to no avail. It was twenty-four hours since the incident took place.
The dean was very much interested in the goings-on more than any other staff. He was thumping here and there for solution, though all his hope was on the arrival of the duo.
The head of the doctors had told him that the corpses were dead, but the dean had rejected his conclusion, believing that the patients were just in an inexplicable comatose. The head magistrate in Gyrus had told him that something of such would result after twenty-four hours.
“Professor, they’re dead, no two ways about it. These corpses are just occupying the bunks. Sir, we’ve got lots of sick ones out there who need to be admitted,” the doctor had said.
The dean was annoyed, since it was the third time the man would be complaining that day.
“What do you know, Doctor Clifford?”
“My profession—I know my profession. These are corpses,” the Doctor replied boldly, tapping Susie’s lifeless right hand. “There’s no two ways about it.”
“Keep shut!” the dean raged. “Don’t you know who I am? I’m Professor Wilson Genius. I said these victims are not dead. If you won’t treat them then I’ll come treat them myself. In fact, I’m still on the cure.”
“But sir, you know nothing about medicine, do you?” challenged the Doctor.
“How dare you tell me such a thing? Combination of six disciplines, I’m sure is better than just medicine alone,” said Professor Wilson. All of a sudden his temper became calm.
“Doctor Clifford, I’m sorry for my manner of approach, but it’s the truth—they’re not dead,” he said, tapping the Doctor’s shoulder lightly. Then he whispered after looking at his watch, “In twenty-three hour, thirty minutes if they’re not up yet, then you can go on declare them dead and evacuate them from here.”
As the dean was walking out of the hospital, many of the relatives of the victims were already waiting in the lobby to ask him what was going on.
“They’ll be alright,” the man assured the weeping ones as he passed by them.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN JOURNEY TO SELEMIS Ted and Henry landed in a thick forest. “Is this Cyprus?” Henry asked in terror as they walked fearfully along. “I don’t know,” Ted replied. “All I know is here’s a forest.” “Do you still remember our mission?” Henry asked in a silly manner and Ted responded, “Yes, to fetch the Rose flower.” “I thought you’d forgotten,” Henry said. Ted replied, “I’m not like you who forgets things easily; forgot himself in Gyrus, forgot it was Halloween and forgot the seventh question.” “The seventh question! You don’t remember that too, do you?” Henry was in his elements again. “The seventh question?” said Ted uneasily, in a manner that was showing that he had never forgot the question at all. “Yes, you told me you’ve forgotten it too.” “Y-y—” Ted was just about to tell a lie by saying ‘yes’ when they suddenly saw a very huge Lion, whose mane was almost covering all the parts of its body. It was far bigger than any ordinary Lion they had seen in wildlife documentaries. “Henry, a Lion!” yelled Ted as he gave Henry a nudge. Henry had seen it too, before Ted cried out. His mouth had then been wide agape, not knowing what to do. They fleeted away quickly as fast as there feet would do. For the first time, Ted ran faster than Henry. “Ted! Wait for me!” Henry cried, forgetting that he’d once boasted to Ted that he had won the yearly racing competition in the high school three times. Maybe Ted’s hormones were more sensitive to danger than Henry’s own going by the way they had run, but no one could tell. However, both ran with all the strength they could muster, but the speed was far less than the one they utilized in Gyrus, though the effort exerted was more here. The Lion chased tirelessly after them but they forged along relentlessly. The Lion had closed in on them when they came out of the forest, yet it was chasing after them, increasing its celerity. Henry and Ted noticed an Island very close to them. They plunged into the water to get to the Island, but the Lion continued the chase. As soon as the boys got to the Island, the Lion jumped on Henry and began to tear Henry’s fearnought apart. Since the cloth was considerably thick, it retarded the rate at which the Lion would tear Henry to pieces. Ted, who had run far ahead, mustered courage and ran back to rescue Henry, if he could. Though intimidated by the Lion’s awful physique, Ted managed to stay somewhere not very close to the Lion and tried to shoo it away by making some nonsensical howls. It seemed it worked because the Lion suddenly looked away from Henry to Ted, then it ran away, plunging into the muddy water to get back to the forest. The boys were surprised. Ted rushed quickly to give Henry a hand. “Henry, are you hurt?” “No!” said Henry, “Almost.” But a little quantity of blood was seen flowing out from a cut on Henry’s forehead. “You saved my life,” Henry said, hugging him. “It’s nothing,” Ted replied, forcing out a smile. “Did you use the magic—to chase that thing away?” “Oh, I forgot,” said Ted, expressing shock. “I did that physically.” “I forgot to use mine too,” Henry said glimmering in shock. Then he remembered something again. “My sharp beards; I should have exploited it… to stab the Lion.” They stood, looking like idiots. “Where are we?” asked Henry suddenly. “I don’t know,” replied Ted. “What are we here for?” Henry asked further and Ted said, “I’ve forgotten.” The two friends stood still, gazing around the sandy island. They did not see any trace of such place being habited by anything. “Ted,” Henry called again. “Why are we forgetting everything?” Ted shrugged in response. Then they began to shudder in fear as they looked at the solitary beach. “Why are we forgetting everything?” They cried out and got several responses—the echoes of their voices. Amazingly an answer came after the reverberations: “Because you are in the Island of forgetfulness,” they heard a calm voice behind them. Turning to see the owner of the voice, they met the eyes of a hairy old man, whose face had no wrinkle at all. The boys were able to recognize that he was an old man due the grayness of the hair on the man’s hair and entire body. He was dressed in the ancient manner, putting on a long robe and a woven hat to match. Since the man was not having any cattle around, the boys were unable to pass him for a cowboy. The man had white full-grown beards and moustache; and eyelashes, which were bushy too. “Are you afraid?” asked the man. “You shouldn’t, because you’re in a very friendly environment,” said the man with a grin, in the Cypriot Greek accent. He waited for a response, but the boys were indisposed to speak. “Here is the border of Selemis where you are going,” said the man. “No one lives in this island and die at a young age.” “Why sir?” they asked. “As the name implies, it’s the Island of Forgetfulness. The only kind of food here is wine. It will make you healthy and strong and you’ll forget your sorrows.” The man grinned and continued, “Can you tell me why people die early in this earth?” “No sir,” they replied. “It’s because people remember past sorrows and focus too much on present troubles to the extent of forgetting past and present joys—and even the future ones. They don’t forget offences committed against them.” He paused to smile. The two boys were attracted to his wrinkle-free face. His skin was smooth too, like that of a fish. “Here, you’ll always easily forget about the offences made against you.” “Is that so?” their eyes bulged in wonderment. “Yes my son,” the man said. “Drink wine and rest. Tomorrow you shall depart.” If the boys had remembered that the ‘tomorrow’ mentioned by the man for departure was going to be the same day the victims in CCUL were going to die, they would have objected to it. However, they followed the man’s instruction tractably as they helped themselves to the wine in a gourd. They gulped it down rapidly. As they drank, the old man kept nodding his head and smiling in a satisfied manner. The boys soon fell to the earth and slept off, snoring away their sorrows.[

I began to live in my aunt's place. She took me along with her after the court case. My hobby became crying. I couldn't do without it.

Rachael asked me to stop thinking about my mother. She told me that my mother would just be fine.

"I can't live without her!" I said. "Let me go and live with her in the prison."

"You can't go there, Rose. You can't!" Rachael told me. "God will see us through."

When my aunt mentioned 'God' I frowned. What was God looking at when my mother was incarcerated? Was he sleeping or what? I need not ask my aunt those questions thumping hard at my heart, else an endless sermon would begin, taking me through Genesis to Revelation.

My aunty loved to take advantage of any little situation to share her gospel message. I don't know if Jesus was paying her salary for that. There wasn't anyone I haven't challenged with questions that seemed bigger than my age. Everyone I directed my questions to, except her, hadn't been able to supply any tangible answers. But I dare not ask her any question, else she would do Job's life story into my eyes again.

I wiped my tears and sat up to 'hear' my aunty speak.

"Rose, I was in your class teacher's home yesterday."

"How's she?"

"She was fine."

"Did you tell her about mother?"

"Yes I did," I said. "She was mad at Toyosi."

"Was she there with you?"

"No, Rose, but Mrs Oyin was asking for her home address. She said she was going to fight her in her home. She asked me to give her Toyosi's home address."

"And you gave her, didn't you?"

"I didn't!" my aunty said. "She was going to go to Toyosi's house to fight her."

"You should have given it to her!" I said in annoyance. "Why didn't you...?"

"Do I know Toyosi's home to start with? And even if I knew, I wouldn't allow somebody to go and foment trouble in another person's matrimonial home."

"But...but Toyosi did that in our own home!" I began to sob. The event of that gloomy night had set over my face--that night mum and I were in that dark room. I had even composed a poem of sorrow concerning that. I 'sang' it whenever my aunt was not with me.

Beside me sat a gaze
Her hands tied with rope
Then tears down my face
There seemed not a hope.
What could she rather say?
How would I hear her speak?

I knew I could write poems but I haven't put my pen to paper at any time to give it a try. Now I just had to do it because it seemed to be the only thing that was cooling off my tension.

I spent time standing in front of the mirror, demonstrating it.

My aunt tapped me suddenly.

"Rose, Mrs Oyin would be here tomorrow morning," said my aunt.

"To see me?" I asked.

"Yes," she said. "And to also come and get you ready for your graduation ceremony next month, August."

I fumed. I didn't want to here anything concerning that graduation. How would I be having a graduation ceremony without my mother's presence?

"I don't want to be there?" I replied her.

"Why, Rose?" my aunt said and came close to me. "Rose, you have to be there. Okay why don't you want to attend your own graduation ceremony?"

"Because my mom isn't going to be there," I replied.

She scrubbed my hair as if I was a baby. She began to scratch something out of the centre of my head with her index finger.

"What's that?" I asked her. She stopped scratching and said, "A white substance, Rose. What's that?"

"I don't know," I replied. Immediately my aunt had begun to bind and loose again. She wasn't expressing it with sign language anyway. When she was done with her exercise, I asked, "What was that? Why were you dancing like that?"

"You called that dance?" she said. "Anyway, it is not dance. I was praying for you. You know, that white thing, who knows how it got on your head? Toyosi your stepmother could have done something terrible."

"It's not any Toyosi," I said. I have just remembered something; I was playing with chalk earlier. "I was playing with chalk."

"Ha! Ha! Ha!" she began to laugh. I joined her in it. It was the first time I would laugh since my mother was imprisoned.

Mrs Oyin came to my aunt's place as promised. She assured me that my mother wouldn't suffer long in the prison.

"We are going to appeal it," she said.

"Appeal?" my aunt said. "Will it work?" she was just skeptical about it.

"It should," she said.

"I just believe that there is nothing prayer cannot do," she said. "Let's just commit everything into the hand of God through fasting and prayer. He will do it."

My teacher put out an angry face. The next ten minutes was a silent moment for me but a rowdy one for them. They had thrown the sign language behind them and now it seemed they were shouting at each other. I watched them opening their mouths in rage. I knew what was going on; my aunt wanted everything settled divinely but my class teacher was not supporting such idea.

After they had argued it out between themselves, they turned to me again with a smile. I had shut my eyes so I wouldn't 'hear' them.

“You said that Ted! You’re no more a friend, isn’t it?”
“I never said that,” Ted moaned. “I’m your friend; you know I always am. But since you joined this cult I’ve never had a day rest. Before you came I was enjoying myself.”
“So—Ted is it my fault huh?” Henry said in anger and Ted responded, “It was all your fault.” He gnawed at the back of his hand and said, “You didn’t wait to listen to my warning—that you should not show up before people here.”
“When was that?” asked Henry genuinely.
“After the meeting in Gyrus; I’d screamed your name to give you the warning but you were so much in a hurry then that you just—”
“You never called my name. What I heard was ‘hen’ so I thought maybe you’ve seen some chickens roaming about in Gyrus.”
“You are not serious,” said Ted trying to nudge Henry, but his elbow struck Henry’s spiky beards. Ted’s arm was bleeding.
“Upsy-daisy!” Ted screamed, seeing the bleeding arm.”Your beard’s just injured me.”
“I’m sorry,” begged Henry. “It’s as sharp as a sword now and hard too—like diamond.”
“Who said that?”
“The dean,’ said Henry and added immediately, ‘How to get rid of it is a second mission—we’ll get a Diamond Knife from the Nile River.”
“You’re not serious Henry. Your first mission I’m not sure of going with you let alone another.”
‘Ted you’d better be sure,” Henry said. Then he quickly sized Ted up with the look of his eyes and said, “Ted you’ve always guessed right in the past. Things you utter from those lips had always come to pass, so, Ted, you’ll tell me that the mission is possible and that will sure make it possible. C’mon say it!” Henry gave a clap to prompt Ted into action.
“What if I say it’s impossible, does it change anything?”
“Yes. If you say so, then I’d be sure it shall be so, because you’ve always given right predictions.”
“Like which ones?” said Ted as if he never remembered doing such.
“Like—Kim’s going to lose and—many more.”
“Oh, I’ve forgotten about that—such a fool!” recoiled Ted as if Kim was yet living. “No pity for Kim.”
“I was surprised Harrison won,” said Henry digressing, but Ted said, “I wasn’t here for that, was I? I thought you said you called me here to assist you.”
“I’m sorry,” Henry confessed. “So, Ted are you coming with me?’
“I don’t know. Just tell me more about the first mission.” He was out of patience.
“We’ll get a Rose flower in a cave in Cyprus. The liquefied form of the flower will be injected into the bodies of those patients. Ted, it must be done within two days, else we’ll lose them.”
“And my uncle’s confession shall come to pass,” deduced Ted.
“Why d’you say that?” asked Henry in disappointment.
“Uncle said it,” said Ted. “And his predictions had always come to fulfillment.”
“It will not this time,” responded Henry nervously. “According to the dean, the journey’s easy and free. No danger is involved at all. We’ll just go there and pluck up a strand from the root.”
Ted was doubting Henry, so he said, “Wait a moment, in the cave, do we have just a stalk of Rose flower growing?”
“No, there are many—”
“So, why can’t we pluck as much as we like?”
“We can’t do that,” replied Henry promptly. “Professor Wilson said if we pluck more than a strand we’ll be attacked by some creatures. I’m sorry I’d forgotten to tell you this earlier.”
“Can you see what I’m saying?”
“No, I can only hear it,” replied Henry humorously, but Ted ignored him.
“You’d have put us into trouble again,” said Ted. “I won’t take chances this time, that was why I probed you further.”
Anything more?”
“Nothing more; just that I want you to say that this mission is possible.” said Henry, regarding Ted as a Prophet. “Say that now, please!” demanded Henry.
Ted said, “This mission is Imp—” but Henry instantly put his hands across Ted’s mouth to stop him.
“Stop! Stop!” Henry yelled. “Don’t say that.” Henry’s eyes bulged out for fear.
“You can’t stop me,” said Ted, who had just managed to remove Henry’s hands from his mouth. Henry blocked it again, this time with more effort.
“Ted, I beg of you don’t say that.” Ted was almost suffocating, since Henry’s palms were blocking his nostrils too. He raised his arms as he struggled with Henry.
“Ted, promise me you won’t say that,” Henry said, not ready to leave Ted alone until he had agreed. Ted waved his two hands, gesturing his surrender. He let go of Ted’s mouth, but the latter yelled angrily at him.
“Henry, are you crazy? You want to suffocate me with those rat smells from your palms?” panted Ted.
“I’m sorry Ted,” pleaded Henry.
“I’d wanted to say the mission is important but you just…You’re not patient enough to hear.” As Ted mentioned ‘patient’ Henry called back to mind the words of Grandwala:
That’s why magicians are powerless; they lack patience.
“Grandwala was right,” said Henry softly, but Ted heard him and was intrigued.
“About what?”
“That all magicians are impatient.”
Ted ignored him.
“Oh, you’ve never told me your adventure in Gyrus,” reminded Ted, adjusting and fixing his gaze on Henry’s face, getting ready to hear him.
“They’re just too many Ted. By and by I’ll unfold them.”
“Just brief me, I’m eager to hear something.”
“Okay, Grandwala said you’ll provide the answer to the seventh question,” said Henry hilariously to Ted’s displeasure.
“That’s if you tell me the question,” said Henry. “How can I give an answer to a question not asked?” Trying to change the topic, Ted said, “Tell me something, did you die in Gyrus? The darkness I saw…”
“That was a strand of the Spider’s cobweb. It’s very black.”
“No wonder,” Ted said, then he realized that the ambience in the room had been permeated with the pungent odors from Henry’s body. Ted said, “C’mon let’s talk about the mission or didn’t you say they’ll die in two days?”
“It’s true, but Ted how do I get to Cyprus, by flight? I’m stinking, and take a look at this,” Henry stroked his beards and said, “They’ll suspect I’m a terrorist aboard.”
The door flung open as Henry spoke and the dean got inside.
“Henry, Ted, time to go,” said the dean.
They began to hear sounds of people howling in protest from the outside. Then the Professor said, “The whole campus is turned upside down now; journalists everywhere coming for you—we’ve only managed to keep them at bay. Boys, it’s time to leave.”
“How?” They expressed their surprises, knowing that they would be noticed as soon as they stepped out.
“So, Ted you don’t know how? You’re into magic for over two years, nothing’s in your head,” abused the dean, expressing surprises as he took out a well-folded paper from his shirt pocket. “Have it,” he said as he reached for the door.
They were shocked, not knowing what to do with it.
“But how?” they said and the man replied in annoyance, “Can’t you see Cyprus in there? Touch it and speak out your desire to get there. Bye!’ said the dean, getting out and shutting the door quickly.
“He’s not in anymore,” the dean lied to the angry students and the Journalists who had crowded around the place.

"Listen Henry, the only solution is in your ability to do the impossible.”
“Do the impossible again?” screamed Henry in horror and his response intrigued the dean.
“Why d’you say ‘again’ as if you’ve done something impossible before?”
“I stayed in Gyrus for five months, have you forgotten? I opened the Power House.”
“It’s true,” whistled the man and dangled his head slowly sideways as if dancing to the tone of the whistle. Then he put his hand forward to have a handshake with Henry.
“Congratulations!” he announced at last. “You are capable of doin’ it.”
Henry was displeased. He was not feeling like going for any impossible task anymore.
“Sir, I can’t do any impossible shit,” Henry rejected. “My stay in Gyrus brought me nothing—but you promotion.”
“Hey, will you keep silent? You got a record with it, isn’t it?”
“Which record was that?” Henry asked ignorantly.
“The greatest Gyrus liar,” said the dean with a grin.
“It’s bad record,” Henry dismissed.
“Bad record or not, Henry it’s a record. Hear this, when I said I had forty awards then what d’you think I was saying? It was the addition of my magical, physical and academic record—both good and bad.”
“Hmm!” said Henry revealing a smile, but it was short-lived.
“Now pay attention, I have something to tell you. Concerning this issue, I made a mirror-communication with the magistrate. He told me that the odor on you is magic odor, which you’ve allowed the spider to bath you in.”
“The spider never did that,” Henry cut in.
“Keep shut,” commanded the dean. “It’s the same whether Grandwala put them on you or you got them for your long stay. All I know is that they came on you in Gyrus.” The man took a long intake of air, not minding the stench in there.
“He told me those victims will die in two days.”
“Jees! What’s the—?”
“The thing’s that you’ll have to fetch a Rose flower. It will be liquefied and injected to their bodies—that’s all.”
Henry’s heaves knew no bound.
“Sir, you scared life out of me. Why didn’t you say this all the while? I’ll be right back,” Henry said standing up.
“Where are you going? I—”
“To fetch the Rose flowers of course! I know where to find lots of them here in the Campus garden.” The dean pulled him back to his seat.
“You want to kill more people out there?” said the dean. “Just take a look at yourself.” At last the man whispered to Henry, saying, “It’s a Magical Rose flower—can only be found in Cyprus. It has just a single species.”
“Cyprus? What the hell?”
“I didn’t say it’s in hell, I said—” the man paused to see Henry scratch his head in horror. The man suspended the joke he had initially wanted to raise. “Here,” said Professor Wilson and gave Henry a map.
“Map! For what?”
“Go ahead, locate Cyprus in it.
“I know where Cyprus is; I don’t need a map. Jus’ let me know where in Cyprus, please!”
“It’s in a cave, called Selemis Cave. Ordinary ones cannot see this particular cave.”
It dawned on Henry that he was in for big trouble.
“Ain’t no dangerous thing in the cave?” Henry showed some manliness and waited for a response.
“There is,’ said the dean. “But only if you invite there troubles by plucking more than one stalk of the flower. Listen, Henry just one strand is all you need; else the keeper of the flowers will be after your life.”
“I’m afraid I can’t go there anymore.” He was petrified with fear.
“Then I’m afraid you shall have your name broadcast as a murderer of twenty, two days from now.”
Henry’s hot temper became calm by the man’s speech. He kept silent, but the dean was making him feel uncomfortable by stroking his beards.
“You look funny, Henry,” the man smiled. “I don’t think my beards can be as long as these till my death time.”
“I’d tried shave off the bullshit, it’s breaking the razors—shattered ten already,” vociferated Henry, but was not done yet, “The beard’s just too strong. The stain and stench on my teeth have deferred all kinds of abrasion.”
“Lest I forget, Henry to get rid of that—”
“Maybe you should keep that for now.”
“Why? It’s just as simple as the first.”
Henry had a change of mind.
“So… What’s it?”
“What’s the hardest mineral you know?”
“Diamond—so what?”
“That’s the object you’ll use to scrape off your beards.”
“It’s expensive,” expressed Henry, “can’t afford it.”
“If it’s ordinary it had been better. It’s a diamond knife.”
“Knife!”
“Yes, preserved under water for donkey years.”
“For who?”
“For who to use it. It could be you.”
“You think it’s me?” Henry lacked self confidence.
“Yeah! ’cos you need it.”
“Where’s it?” he asked promptly.
“Inside the Nile River.”
“Nile in Egypt?”shouted Henry for fear, but the dean replied, “Exactly. Besides, you’ll have to take your bath in the river too, to get rid of your body smells.”
Henry said after keeping silent a little, “I’m afraid I’m not going for any Diamond Knife. I’d better remain like this—” he glanced at the dean, “for the rest of my life.”
“Then I’m afraid you’ll have to die of your own body smells three days hence. The magistrate had also warned that he mustn’t spot you in Gyrus till you’re normal again.”
“He should have confronted me to tell me that to my face,” Henry said with a feeling of pride, in a way that had suggested that he was such a prominent figure that the magistrate was not able to say such directly to him. Henry soon got to know the reason why the magistrate had avoided him.
“He wouldn’t want to risk his health speaking to you,” said the Professor as he reached for the door.
The Professor’s departure left Henry thinking hard:
“Ted’s a betrayer, didn’t check on me at all,” Henry pondered.

“Ted, here’s the newspaper, see for yourself,” said Ted’s uncle eagerly.
Ted read it out:
“Thirty-five persons died in the Halloween festival in CCUL today. A boy, who had taken up the appearance of a smelly old man had caused this sudden death while trying to scare his mates…”
“You see what I’m saying,” said Willis Brown, Ted’s uncle.
“I see nothing, uncle didn’t you tell me thirty died earlier, but in here it’s thirty-five, how come?”
“The first news was on TV hours ago,” said Ted’s uncle. “This paper was just printed now. Perhaps five more died later.” Then he looked at Ted and said hilariously, “You’re lucky, else you’d have made the thirty-sixth—if you weren’t home.”
“Shit!” said Ted directing his anger to the reporters in absentia. “Newscasters are lie casters,” he deduced thoughtfully.
Ted felt a great urge to go look at his mirror. He acquiesced instantly by deciding to leave, saying, “I’ll have my bath.”
“That’s good,” remarked his uncle who was engrossed in the thing he was reading in the newspaper, “Wash all those Halloween enchantments away from your body.”
Ted rushed to the bathroom, looked into his mirror and found Henry’s hostile face in it.
“You’re no good friend,” Henry greeted cruelly. “You abandoned me when I need you most.”
“It’s not like that—”
“Where are you now?”
“Home—with my uncle.”
“Why?”
“He heard about you on TV and was scared. He sent for me immediately,” Ted said, speech sounding funny, since his nostril was blocked. “Are the victims now awake?”
“No Ted, that’s why I’ll need your help now.”
The smell was saturating the air, having been transmitted through the magical mirror. Ted began to perceive that his uncle would be sensing the smell soonest, so he said to Henry, “Henry, let’s use the phone. Your smell over here’s thick. My uncle’ll soon be here looking for—” Ted’s voice became almost inaudible, having heard something.
“Ted!” his uncle was already at the bathroom door, knocking. “Is any rat dead?” he asked, but no answer came from Ted in the bathroom.
“Ted! Ted!” cried the horrified man, knocking incessantly.
“I’m here,” said Ted at last coming out.
“You scare me. Why didn’t you respond in time?”
“I chose not to,” said Ted. “You promised me you won’t come to disturb me in the bathroom anymore.”
“Oh, Ted, I’m sorry,” apologized the man. “I was perceiving a smell—rotten smell. Can’t tell where it had come from.”
“Humph! I perceived it too. That was why I’ve not turned the knob yet to have a shower. I was scared.”
“What was the smell?”
“I don’t know,” lied Ted. “Uncle let’s get in, I’ll take my bath later.” Willis Brown led the way to the lounge, Ted followed behind.
Ted’s action of wanting to rush into the lounge was only to pick up his telephone, having conjectured that Henry would be calling any moment from then. Ted was already privy to what Henry would say.
As envisaged Ted’s phone began to ring even before the duo got into the lounge. Willis heard it first and said, “Ted, you have a call.”
“Thanks,” replied Ted as he walked to the table to pick it up. He stooped over the well-polished wooden table, and took the phone. Setting it to the loudspeaker mode so that his uncle would hear it too, Ted began the communication.
“Hi Ted.”
“Hi Henry.”
“Ted, where the hell are you? You just disappeared that way.”
“It’s uncle, he’s scared of the Halloween,” said Ted loudly so his uncle could hear.
“Uh—Halloween! How I wish everyday is like it!” said Henry slowly.
“You’d better not let my uncle hear that,” Ted warned, intending to let his uncle hear his voice.
“Why?” asked Henry. “Halloween is great fun of a thing. There’s no day like it.”
“I say don’t let uncle hear that, he’s Samhainophobic,” said Ted loudly and his uncle lifted his face from off the newspaper and looked towards Ted direction.
“It’s serious. Ted, today’s Halloween was the best I’d ever witnessed in my life. Joseph’s Halloween appearance caught three persons unaware today and they all fainted. They’re all awake now, laughing heartily and chasing Joseph all about.”
“As if I don’t know that too,” Ted said. “Uncle will never believe such a story. He said thirty and thirty-five people died in our campus today.”
Henry guffawed aloud as Ted ended hid words.
“Ted, you’ve got such a funny man as an uncle. Where had he had such a false story?”
“Stop it!” Ted shunned pretentiously. “He’s here with me. He’ll be embarrassed.”
“Ouf! I’m sorry. You should have told me that earlier.” Then using an impatient tone Henry said, “Anyway, why I called was to tell you we’ll be writing a Professor Wilson’s test exactly seven a.m tomorrow. Bye!”
“Hey, don’t you hang up yet!”
“Why?” said Henry pretentiously. “Got no credit to burn. I’ve got to begin studying right away—for the impromptu test.”
“You’ve got to speak with my uncle first. He’ll not believe me if I tell him this—just hang on a little.” Ted quickly passed the phone to his uncle, who had heard the conversation already, but had not been moved a bit by their talks.
“Young dude, are you sure of what you’re saying?” sounded Willis Brown’s voice into Henry’s ears.
“Yes sir, that’s the truth. The dean is such a mean fellow.”
“Young man, you know what?”
“No, I don’t know what,” replied Henry immediately.
“All you’ve said is a conspiracy between you two to deceive me,” said Ted’s uncle to their confusion. “I’ll call the dean myself to confirm this.” He cut the call off.
Ted was scared. He started protesting silently:
“I’m going back to school right away,” he grumbled. “My books are there, I’ve got to prepare for the test tomorrow.” His uncle gave no heed to his grumbles, being occupied with what he was doing; he was dialing the dean’s number. He had dialed it for five times already but it was engaged those times.
Ted had rightly guessed that Henry was the cause, discussing with the dean what to answer Ted’s uncle. At last Ted’s uncle’s call was through to Professor Wilson. The Professor’s statement corroborated the duo’s claims, admitting that he would set a test truly. The poor man was convinced.
“Ted, you can go now,” he had declared.
“Thank you uncle,” Ted replied, clinching with the elderly man.
In a short moment Ted was with Henry.
“Henry, why do you want me to come?”
“Can’t you see what’s on ground? Professor Wilson had just told me that those twenty will die in two days if we can’t get a Magical Rose Flower in a cave in Cyprus.”
“Stop fibbing,” said Ted waving a finger at Henry. “He never said ‘we’ I know, so I’m left out of this. You initiated this trouble, isn’t it?”
Henry was shocked.

Dybala11:
We're waiting OP.

I'm on the road. Will do it when I'm settled.

Ajela, your updates are here. Do enjoy them.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN~~~~

My mother's case was heard in court. She was pronounced guilty, despite all her pleas. I didn't hear her but my aunt made effort to interprete every bit of her speech to me:

"Mrs John Hannah, can you tell this court what you were doing in Olabode's room at exactly 2:30am on the fifteenth of July of this year, 2000?" the plaintiff said.

"I--I was sleeping in my room with my daughter when she woke me up to say that she had a dream."

"And what was the dream?" she asked.

"She said she saw a woman calling Bode's name. We were shocked so we rushed to his room to check his well-being. It was strange to us when we didn't find him in there."

"Mrs Hannah, we want you to cooperate with this court. Can you tell us why you scattered his room?"

"We were looking for him desperately."

"Why?" she asked.

"Because of the dream my daughter had. More so, I was the one responsible for his welfare; his mother isn't living with us in the house."

"Is that why you want to kill your step daughter?" the plaintiff challenged her. "Stepmothers like you are supposed to be put to death by hanging!"

When I saw my aunt's sign, I did what my mouth could do best--screaming. All heads turned around at me.

I saw their mouths moving. Two security men came close to me. My aunt obstructed them. She pleaded with them on my behalf. They understood her. She must have declared my status to them.

"My lord, this is a wicked woman," the plaintiff said, pointing at my mother. "She doesn't deserve to be living among human beings."

"Enough!" the judge shunned the plaintiff. "Are you the judge? Do you want to dictate judgment to me or what are you trying to say, Barrister Tinu?"

"I am very sorry my lord," she bowed her head in respect.

I gave them all some covetous look. How I wish I was the one having those wigs on my head; that woman, Toyosi, would no more be among human beings. She would be right behind bars for life.

I remembered the proverb my class teacher always told me those days in sign language; if a farmer doesn't catch a thief on time, the thief would catch the farmer. Such was the case here--Toyosi was the real criminal here, not my mother.

John was called out to say what he knew about it all. He spoke and my aunt interpreted. We were sitting at the left hand corner of the hall, at the back. Toyosi was leering at us from time to time. Those wicked eyes, I just wished they fell off their sockets.

John grabbed the big bible with a hand. He began to pour his swears on it. I was saying amen inside me because I knew he would tell some lies with his confession.

"I am John Adegbile by name, husband of Hannah Omorodion. This woman is a wicked soul. Right from the time that she knew I have a second child from another woman, she has been trying to kill her son. I don't know why she is as jealous as this. She also has her own child, so I don't see the reason for her jealousy."

"Did you marry the second woman in a ceremonial way or how?" the plaintiff asked.

"Em--not really. It was a mistake; she got pregnant for me and I have to take the child from her. This woman Hannah accepted the child in good faith then, but now she wanted to get rid of him by all means."

My eyes were filled with tears as my father spoke. If I had pebbles I would hail them at him; cobbles would be better, or even a big rock. What a wicked father!

"This is not their first time of attempting to kill my son," John said in a critical manner. His veins had wrinkled his forehead, giving him the outlook of a caricature. His broken teeth was made the cynosure of my eyes. His toothgums looked exactly like a thick black 'evostic' gum.

"You don't mean it!" the plaintiff put up a serious face. "So tell us something about the past murder attempt."

"She has once sent her daughter, Rose to kill my innocent Bode on his bed while having a nap. Rose held the knife over his neck, about to rip off his neck when my innocent boy thumped up from sleep."

Everyone in the court opened his mouth wide at his confession. I believed many had already begun to pass judgment on us. We were just two, myself and my mum, but we have many judges already.

My aunt could no more interprete for me at the back of the court hall. She broke into tears.

"That was not all, my lords," my father said. "She sent her daughter the second time to hang my son in the air. Her daughter gripped my son at the neck and raised him high up until his legs couldn't make contact with the floor anymore. Bode my son almost died that time, and since then he had lost his health. Now my son had to live with inhalers in his pockets every day of his..." Father had broken into tears.

"Do you have anything more to say, Mr John?" they asked my father.

"Yes sir," he said, bobbing his head like an agama lizard. "Please can this court help me ask my wife the reason why she was not beside me on bed that night, because for the past twelve years of our marriage now, we have always been sleeping together at night on the same bed? Can this court also help me ask her what she was doing with a juju calabash I saw with her?"

"Can you hear that, Mrs Hannah? What were you doing with a calabash at night? Why were you not on bed beside your husband that night? Please answer us because the time is not on our side!"

Mother held the top of the dock with her hands. She knew there was nothing to say to get anyone convinced. She knew she was going to be declared guilty in the end.

"Madam, talk!" they shouted at her. "Or is he lying against you?"

"It is true," she said amidst tears, nodding her head.

"So madam, do you now accept that you are guilty?"

"No," she said. "I am innocent."

"Keep shut, woman!" the jury shunned her. "You may not speak anymore woman. The truth is established already. Who else has something to say?"

When I saw the interpretation, I raised my hand as well as my aunt too. We both had some things to say.

"Only one person among you shall speak," the judge said. My aunt asked me to go. I began to move towards the front. My aunt followed me. The judge spoke some words in anger, but I didn't hear him. He struck a hammer against his desk. I wonder whether he was a carpenter. He must have been enraged that my aunt was following me. He needed just one person and not two.

Every mouth in the court was wide agape at our effrontery and defiance. I wonder what was wrong with them all. Two security men in police uniform accosted us. My aunt spoke something into their ears. They passed the message to the judge. I knew what the message was--they had just notified him that I was deaf mute and my aunt was only there with me to do the interpretation.

A policeman pointed at a bible to me. It was lying fallow on a dusty pulpitlike woodwork. I picked it up and dropped it back to give me enough allowance to express myself in sign language. Then I began to do the sign.

I saw the hilarious expression on everybody's face. They seemed to be screaming. My aunt later told me what they were saying;

We didn't ask you to do choreography for us

Is she conducting a music or what?

Is she insane?

It was their last expression that got me angry when my aunt was relaying them to me after.

After all I said to defend my mother that day, she ended jailed for two years with hard labour. I rolled on the floor and hit my head against the hard wood of the leg of a pew. Blackout!

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CHAPTER FOURTEEN

We remained in the house until 9am when my father returned with some police with Toyosi. They loosed my mother and replaced the rope on her hands with handcuffs.

I screamed. No one paid attention to me. John pushed me out of the way. My mother was led away despite all the gesticulation she was making.

Rachael my aunt came to time. She was shocked when she saw my mother on handcuffs. Her head gear toppled over and fell on the table in the sitting room. She put her hands on her head.

What was the count charge against mother? Who would let me know? My father began to point at my face. His face was coarse. He must have been shouting, going by his Adam apple which was bouncing up and down in his jugular.

My aunt held me by my right wrist and began to pull me out of the house. It was as if my father had instructed her to take me with her. I weep when I saw my mother being sandwiched into the police peacock van.

"What happened?" I asked my aunt.

"Let's get home first," she said.

As soon as we arrived Aunty Rachael's home, she changed her clothes and got prepared to go out.

"Where are you going aunty?"

"To the police station," she said.

"Aunty, what's my mummy's offence?" I asked.

"Wait for me to return," she said and began to hurry away.

I folded my arms. My eyes had seen too much already. To die is better than to live. If only I have my life in control I would rather have taken it.

Tears poured out of my eyes; maybe blood I didn't know. I wiped my tears with the back of my left hand. I felt lonely.

It was getting to 11am before my aunt returned.

"Welcome," I said in haste. "What about mum?"

"She's--she's there..." my aunt said and burst in tears. "Rose, tell me...tell me...what really happened?"

I narrated the whole event.

"It's your fault, Rose, yourself and your mother's fault. I--I told you Toyosi is dangerous, you didn't listen to me..."

Rachael patted me on the back. She told me exactly what the charge against my mother was.

"Rose, do you know what really happened? Your father charged your mother for attempted murder."

"What!" I screamed.

Rachael told the story to detail: Bode saw a woman sitting beside a herbalist and moving her hands over a calabash of water. He said that the woman he saw was your mother. His own image was inside the water they were looking at. Bode woke up and rushed to meet his father in fright.

"Hmm," I sighed with my hands when my aunt ended the story. "Aunty, that woman Bode saw is his own mother, not mine."

"But who in this world will believe that?" Rachael replied me. "It was your mother and yourself they heard your voices in the night calling Bode's name; when your mother made use of sign language to call Bode to death in the spiritual, the boy didn't respond because he is ignorant of the sign, so you resorted into calling his name in the physical!"

"Aunty!" I shouted in sign language. "Do you believe that?" I was in great shock. My mouth remained open wide as I expected a response from my aunt.

She burst into tears and arched her back. She grabbed me and folded me in her bossom. My head was right below her bony chin. Her long hair carressed my unclad shoulders. Her tears fell in drops and then in excess on my body. They were cold. She disentangled. I knew she was about to use the sign language--the British sign language:

"I don't believe every bit of their story, Rose, but no one else wouldn't believe it; indeed Bode had the dream because he fled to his daddy's bedside: your mummy wasn't beside your daddy at that dead of the night, where was she?"

"Em--em, she was beside me on my own bed," I said.

"And what were you both doing in Bode's room in the dead night? They said your mother wanted to kill me physically when he didn't die spiritually, that was why you were in his room. They said you didn't find him and then resorted into searching his room, perhaps he was hiding somewhere in the corner of the room--so you scattered his bed, his wardrobe and everything in there in desperation."

I sobbed. I didn't seem to see a way out of this.

"And lastly, your father said he found your mother carrying a calabash. Rose, what's that for?"

"We found it there," I said.

"Did you people do all these things at all? Why did you go scattering Bode's room?"

"It was true we were looking for Bode, just because of the dream I had; it was the same dream Bode claimed he saw, but it is a blatant lie that it was my mother who did the sign language in it; rather it is Bode's mother, Toyosi."

"Toyosi?" How? Why would she be calling her son's name?" she asked.

"Yes she's the one. She was asking me to tell her my name in sign language; I told her Bode's name instead, remembering that you have asked me not to tell her my name if she asked. Then she was calling her son's name in the dream unknowingly."

"Hmm. Now I understand, my aunty said."

We were silent for some minutes.

"So what next?" I asked.

"Your mother would be charged to court for attempted murder next week."

I screamed and fell to the floor.

ajela:
Do you have the continuation��

Why not? I'm the writer of the story, so how will I not have it?

ajela:
Continue naa!!�

Okay I will, thanks for following

Dybala11:
Mr OP, thanks for the mention. I can't imagine the extent of the horrible smell from Harrison's body, for it to permanently knock out those school mate of his.

Anything from Gyrus is in the most concentrated form. Fear Gyrus o

ajela:
Waiting....

OK, but pls you don't have to quote my entire long post. You can just mention my username Sammy and make your comment. Thanks and pls are you enjoying the story?

Henry’s pop-eyed view was roaming the room, especially the floor where the half-dead bodies laid.
“Henry what—?” the Professor said, but had to stop abruptly when he perceived the putrid smell. He soon opened his mouth again to speak, but his nostrils were secured by his fingers this time.
“What’s all these? Where d’you—?” He had to pause again, but this time with a latent intent.
“I—I…” Henry stammered with his palm guarding his mouth. He was wishing that the man would speak for him, and surprisingly, the man got the message.
“Okay, Henry you mustn’t need talk ’cos your mouth is smelling some kind of Hydrogen Sulphide gas, Isn’t it?” asked the man pretentiously. Henry nodded in the affirmative.
“And you’ve got some Nitrogen Oxides sprinkled all over your body too. In short you have a mixture of Hydrogen Chloride gas, Ammonia, some dangerous Peroxides, Turpentine, Camphor, Astatine, Carbon monoxides and lots more, on your damn body. Don’t you think such reaction’s going to bring about a very dangerous product? Don’t you know your genes can get mutated with such, or do you want to tell me that you haven’t had those things on you?” Henry made a gesture with some slow nods to show to all that the man was right.
“You’ve also exposed yourself to excessive Gamma rays, isn’t it?” Henry agreed still, like an android.
“Then you shouldn’t have been here! You’d better be in the fumed cupboard!” the dean shouted at him, feigning utmost annoyance. He commanded the on-lookers to drag out all the victims and shut Henry in thereafter. They obeyed in haste, shielding their nostrils from allowing the passage of the odor, just as a scientist dealing with radioactive substances would want to be shielded, having made their hands some ‘pieces of lead blocks’. The victims were bundled to the clinic.
Ted was about to get Henry’s door opened with the magic (so they could rub minds together) when his phone rang. Before he could pick the call the ringing stopped. Ted fastened his eyes on its screen and screamed, “Oh, It’s Uncle. He’d called for twenty times already.” Another call came again and Ted picked it up sharply.
“Hello Uncle,” Ted said, curiously expecting a response, but he heard a sigh instead:
“Urgh!” sounded his uncle, “Thank God you’re not dead.”
“Dead? Why should I be?” asked Ted in an unimaginable state of shock.
“I’ve called twenty times if I’m not making a mistake, but you didn’t answer any.”
Ted was slightly peeved, so he said, “Was that enough reason to think I was dead?”
“No Ted, I heard some breaking news on TV just now about an event in your campus. It was reported that a Halloween Ghost, in form of a bedraggled old man, had killed thirty people, so I put those calls through to you to confirm if you weren’t among the dead victims. I had almost given up on you when you surprisingly picked my twenty-first call,” elaborated Ted’s uncle with a tone of gladness.
“Uncle, no one is dead here in the CCUL—only three students fainted,” Ted lied. “Just that they were taken unawares by one of our students’ horrible appearance—not a Halloween Ghost at all—there no such name.”
“Sure?” his uncle asked wanting to get an assurance from Ted, but before he could reply a boy began to struggle with him, shouting, “Ted I’ll kill you! You pushed me like that? I will show you that I’m a true wizard right away! I’ll kill you!” Ted’s phone went flying in the air having been hit by the boy. The boy was one of those Halloween clowns Ted had pushed forcefully to the ground earlier in front of his door.
Ted had to pacify the boy perseveringly before the boy finally gave it a thought to forget about it. However, the boy parted with some of Ted’s cash, which he had given him in order to promote and facilitate the rate of the settling of the scores.
Ted boggled as he picked up his phone again. He was sure that his uncle would misconstrue the issue. He had to switch on the phone again, which had gone off by its impact on the floor. He put a call through to his uncle again:
“Ted! I thought you are dead! So you’re still alive?”
“Yes uncle, that boy was only joking with me.”
His uncle’s voice became harsh.
“Joking? Come home immediately!” said the man to Ted’s wonderment.
“No sir, I can explain.”
“I demand no explanation, just—” the man paused having heard Ted’s voice come in tandem with his. Then he said again, “I’m waiting for you right away!”
“Please uncle, the boy was only making some Halloween jokes with me.”
“Halloween jokes will result in Halloween death and it will make thirty-one dead students today. Get here in an hour, or else forget about me having anything to do with you. I’m hanging up now.”
“Uncle don’t!” yelled Ted. “Uncle! Uncle!” he vociferated continuously into the mouthpiece but there was no response from the other end anymore, since his uncle had ended the call.
With such threat of disownment expressed in an indirect manner by Ted’s uncle, he suspended the visit he had intended to pay Henry and rushed away to get a cab home. He would not want to be without any family member by disregarding his uncle’s instruction.

Henry, who was under house arrest, was fixing his gaze on things in his rooms malignly as if they all had hands in his current predicaments. He cogitated that the life he was leaving before getting into the magic was better than the one he was now living, which had been full of troubles trouble-infested since initiation day.
Henry had taken his bath many times to get rid of the smells on him, but it seemed they persisted. Henry had now put on a new outfit to cover up the smells, but it seemed he was just playing the fool, because the stench seemed to be retained more that way. His teeth still smelled despite the thorough brushing he had given them. His body remained raddled and unkempt even after the thorough and scrupulous baths.
Seated on his sofa, chin leaning on palm like someone in a lobby of an industry who was waiting to be called upon soon for a job interview, Henry’s door suddenly flung open with a jolt. His guess at the visitor was wrong having thought that it was Ted.
“Henry,” the visitor called after shutting the door behind him. It was Professor Wilson.
“Oh, it’s you Professor,” said Henry in exasperation.
“Yeah, it’s me as you can see. You still smell, why? Haven’t you had showers?”
“I’ve done that five times already but the odor persists. I’ve made use of five sponges, brand new.”
The man chortled silently and said, “Henry, you’re mischievous. Why did you stay back in Gyrus planet?”
Henry expressed shock at the man’s words.
“Sir, did you just mention Gyrus planet? I thought you didn’t believe my story back there.” The dean chuckled and said, “Why won’t I believe you? I had intended to have a mirror communication with you two nights ago, but you never showed up in my mirror. All I saw was abject darkness. I tried for over five times but later gave up thinking you’re dead.”
“Was that enough prove to have you convinced that I stayed back there?”
“No. Not until the Spider and yourself came to testify to this.”
“But why did you believe it when no other magician does?” Henry probed, fixing his gaze squarely at the man as if without doing that he wouldn’t hear the man’s voice.
“Henry, from Grandwala’s speech I got a clue. The Spider said he made a web to capture you. I’ve witnessed Grandwala’s web once, long ago. It’s very black isn’t it?”
“Yes, you’re right.”
“Isn’t a strand of it wider and thicker than an Elephant’s leg.”
“You’re right sir,” testified Henry to it.
“All these gave me the clue that the darkness I saw was only a strand of the web. You know how puny you were in it, so it’s not possible for me to have seen you in it. It overshadowed you.”
“Now I understand.”
“If any of my co-lieutenants and Magistrates had tried check you out earlier, perhaps they’d believe your story too.”
A great silence took over the atmosphere, which Henry ended:
“The Spider predicted that they will not believe me. He told me that all magicians are liars and believe in lies too, is it true?” asked Henry.
The man fumed in reply, “Don’t you bother your head over an ordinary Spider’s talk. Have you forgotten your Biology? Primates are higher animals, most intelligent and the wisest of all. Grandwala is no primate, so it’s neither intelligent nor wise.”
“But I think he was right,” said Henry, “because they never believed the truth as he’d predicted.”
“Hey, you’d better forget about Grandwala and thank me instead—for saving your life.”
Henry said, “Thank you sir—and Grandwala too.”
The man raged:
“I don’t even know if Grandwala had bewitched you. I suggest you get married to it.” Henry was excited, so he replied, “Is it a lady?” The Professor was vexed the more.
“I’ve got no time for balderdash; can’t bear your smells anymore.” He spat at the floor.
“I coined all those things out in the presence of those students just to put their minds at rest that you weren’t really a ghost as they’d initially thought, but here you are doting out meaningless talks, ‘ said the Professor in a serious disposition. “There’s big problem here,” he added.
“Big problem! How? Are they not awake yet?” The man chuckled briskly and said, “Don’t mention that. I don’t think they’ll rise up again.”
“Why?” Henry asked in great trepidation. “Ain’t it ordinary shock?”
“Who told you that? Listen to me, those smells from your body are too strong for them.”
“But many perceived it in Gyrus—none fainted, not even Dolly, the frail—”
“Shut that thing! Gyrus citizens are not ordinary, but earthly ones are. What I’m saying in excess is that the smell’s too strong for non-magicians.”
Like a death sentence came the dean’s words to Henry. He stooped low, looking at the floor as if expecting the solution he’d earlier planted in it to bud.
“Isn’t there a solution?”
“I don’t think so,” the man said in sympathy.
“But why? Why wouldn’t there be solution? I thought you told me in those days before joining the cult that there’s solution in magic?” In silence the man replied, “You’re right, I said that.”
“Then—”
“The problem here’s an exception.”
“Why?” Henry asked.
“Because you’ll not be able to do the impossible.” At the word ‘Impossible’ Henry’s heart lurked vigorously.

Dedicated to Dybala11 for listening to my song "My Juliet" and for commenting often.


CHAPTER FOURTEEN
HALLOWEEN GHOST

The distance from Gyrus, together with the speed of travel of Henry, could have possibly made Henry to forget how bedraggled he was. His plan was to quickly have a shave and a cool bath as long as he got to earth. He was still thinking about what the plan was when he began to hear sounds on the door:
“Who are those? Come inside,” said Henry. The door wrenched open and two dozens of people rushed inside. They had on them strange attires and their bodies were fashioned in such a way that one would be scared, but not Henry, whose appearance was far more horrifying than his visitors’ own.
Susie was among the Halloween clowns who had paid Henry a visit. She seemed to have led them there. They were combinations of males and females in an even ratio. They had red and black teeth. Their hairs were green, red, blue and some other colors that make them appear like witches and wizards in folktales. Some had swine-like and cow-like noses.
As they got into the room, Henry, knowing their intentions, said, “Welcome, you’ll make my dinner.” Henry had forgotten how horrible he was; if he remembered, he wouldn’t have appeared before them.
The smells from his body, his teeth especially, got to the snout-like noses of his visitors. They were engulfed with fear and were enervated too, by the strong, nauseating smell and with the thought they had; that they’d seen an old man—a wizard. They made shrilled noises as they fell, but only two of them escaped, having jostled their way out of the room.
It was then Henry came to the realization of what had happened.
While Henry was dealing with the Halloween visitors, Ted, having returned from Gyrus too, was walking towards the door to leave the room. His thought was to get to Henry immediately to warn him not to show himself to people until he had got rid of the whole lot of mess on him, but it seemed Ted was late.
As Ted made for the door, he began to hear some familiar noises. They were the same voices he was hearing before his departure to Gyrus, who were calling themselves bloodsuckers. They had now been staying at Ted’s door for two minutes (since the equivalence of the hours spent in Gyrus that day was only two minutes earth time) knocking hard at it to open it for them.
“We are the bloodsuckers! Come to us or we will come to you!” persisted the voices monotonously.
“Nonsense!” muttered Ted who was in a hurry. He pushed open the door and pushed his way forcefully through the bunch of Halloween clowns at his door. Some of them fell down feebly to the floor like some humans without backbones.
On getting to Henry’s door Ted met a large crowd making a lot of hullabaloo. Ted sensed trouble immediately seeing how each person was holding tight his or her nose. In a matter of minutes, the dean, being sent for, had arrived.

Dybala11:
Yep, the chorus goes as thus - let me be your Romeo and you be my Juliet, your hero...
Thumb up though!

Thanks for listening. The song is derived from a lyrics from a story called Bella Benson which I wrote in 2015

[center][/center]

Dybala11:
Thanks for the update OP.

u are welcome bros. Have you listened to my song?

Harrison wished he was seated among the congregation at that instance. He would have stretched his leg again to bring them down, so that they wouldn’t meet the demand of the magistrate, which was a microsecond.
“Henry, Ted, you guys are bosom friends I know,” said the magistrate as though he was going to set them free for that reason. “The judgment is—” he paused without any conspicuous intention. “You shall both died here and be buried together,” he announced at last.
The boys did not lay down any protest but Henry was having a silly thought concerning the burial mentioned by the man.
“We shall not be buried, the Spider will feed on our corpses as well as Kim’s own too,” thought Henry.
Still in the thought, Professor Wilson stepped out uninvited.
“Sir, don’t let’s do that,” he reasoned.
“Why? They’ve lied against the guard.”
“You’re right sir,” said the dean. “But don’t let us forget that their duty in Gyrus is to tell lies, so we should be glad they’re doin’ it quite well. Remember—two greatest liars in Gyrus.”
At the man’s words, many applauded him, clapping their hands with all their strengths.
“Yes! Yes! Yes! Professor Wilson is just too wonderful today—always wonderful,” said the pliable man, who himself was applauding the dean. “He shall earn thirty points for his speech.”
As usual, the citizens were glad about it. They seemed to be glad for the dean’s attainments that day.
The magistrate resumed his speech.
“Harrison is innocent,” he concluded. “He shall now be naturalized and take up Kim’s seat. He’s won twenty-five points now, and he’ll need to earn thirty-five more points later for him to become a mystery maker like Kim.”
Harrison was carried away by the tender speeches of the Gyrus nurses who were carrying him away for treated.
“The clinic’s quite far young man, but never worry we’ll get there soon,” they assured as they bore him away on a stretcher until they had vanished from the eye range of every one.
“Henry and Ted, get back to your seats now,” the magistrate said. “Both of you have never earned a single point all your lives, so there’s nothing I could subtract anything from. Just get out of my sight.”
As the raced away Henry thought, “What’s my business with magical points? I’ve only come here to get academic laurels and—that’s all.”
“I shall be calling this meeting to a close now ’cos of Henry’s smell—” declared the magistrate and many never waited for him to make an end of the statement before exiting Gyrus.
“And the remaining fights shall be postponed till next Gyrus day; Happy Halloween!”
Ted was walking swiftly to catch up with Henry in Gyrus. He had wanted to get some facts from Henry about Grandwala. Just then, he had the perception that Henry was ready to take off already. To stop him, Ted shouted, “Hen—” but paused when he realized that Henry had vanished.

Kim placed a leg on Harrison’s tummy and laughed. He opened his shirt and tucked his hand into it to take out another wand.
“Harrison this is the Power Guard’s wand I collected from you back on earth,” he whispered to Harrison’s hearing alone. Kim transformed it into a banana, peeled it and ate the edible thing in it. Then he guffawed cruelly:
“Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! The man’s wand is gone forever. Now I’ll turn my wand into a truncheon and hit you to death.” He transformed his wand into a very huge truncheon as he had said and began to bludgeon Harrison with it. Kim thumped Harrison’s legs severely and they were swollen.
“Those legs of yours, you’ll never use it to walk up here anymore.” Kim persisted in the brutal deed, having hit Harrison’s body to the point that they were bleeding profusely.
“Please! Please!” Harrison shouted as he dragged his body slowly on the floor, trying to reach the wand. Kim noticed he was still trying to have the wand, so he said, “You still need your wand? Maybe I’ll allow you have it, since you insist.” Kim kicked the wand to his reach and Harrison took it quickly. Harrison managed to get up on his feet. After three attempts he was able to get up on his feet, but was unsteady like a toddler.
“I’ve got my wand back!” screamed Harrison gladly.
“You’ve got your death,” Kim replied. “Don’t delay, use it.”
“I will,” said Harrison, staggering for balance. Then pointing the wand at Kim, he said, “Trilus mac lin tal camis.”
The wand beamed a great White light toward Kim, but this time around, the speed of the light was far far greater than the theoretical speed of light; perhaps it was emitting a radiation that was not belonging to the range of the visible light, but the Gyrusers could see it because of their great optical skills. It seemed the light was massive, going by the way it had lifted Kim far into the sky. He landed back to ‘gyrus’ with a fatal crash (gyrus was the term representing ‘earth’—meaning ‘ground’—in Gyrus).
He made a statement before he died:
“The Magic Power Guard helped you.”
Though the voice was very faint with negligible intensity, yet it was audible for everyone in the hall, thanks to the Automatic Gain Control, one of the laudable inventions of the Power Guard. The amplifier was able to magnify sounds up to thousand times the original sound. It also had the ability to bring down a deafening sound down to a negligible intensity. As the name implied, the great gadget worked automatically.
If not for the AGC that had lowered the voice of the spider, perhaps the gargantuan sound would have broken to pieces the mirrors of the citizens when the sound was transmitted through them some hours ago.
“I did it!” Harrison leapt, blood all over, but the magistrate was not paying attention. He was pondering on Kim’s last statement.
“I heard Kim say the Magic Power Guard helped you, is it true?” asked the man in bewilderment.
“It’s far from the truth sir,” replied Harrison in fear.
“Well—”said the magistrate, “Maybe it was just a hallucination.”
“It’s not,” yelled Henry angrily. “The Power Guard helped him.”
“Shut up!” rebuffed the man sharply. “I said don’t open your mouth here today again. The whole planet smells rotten eggs each time you open your mouth.”
“Alright,” said Henry.”
“Don’t say alright,” shouted the man again. “Say nothing.”
“Nothing!” Henry said and the whole planet went laughing.
“Are you crazy?” the magistrate blushed with anger and Henry knew he had to keep silent to avoid imminent trouble.
The magistrate said, “If it’s not a hallucination, then I’ll like to hear the playback. Control room, get to work in a second,” he commanded and Kim’s voice reverberated instantly from the control room, now very audible:
“The magic power guard helped you!”
“The magic power guard helped you!’
“The magic power guard helped you…”
At last the magistrate said, “The magic power guard helped you.”
“No, I didn’t help anybody,” said the guard, appearing in all mirrors.
“Step out here Kent Robins and defend yourself.”
The Power Guard obeyed.
“Just as I’ve said, I didn’t help anybody. It was even Kim that came to me for help. I told him it’s forbidden in this kingdom but he promised to betray me. I believe he was the one who bewitched Ted and Henry into coming against me at first. My lord, Kim testified to it himself that I didn’t help Harrison, but when he saw that he was going to die he changed his word.”
“I see,” said the magistrate, already seeing senses in the man’s words, but Henry and Ted shouted simultaneously, “The guard is lying!”
“What! Henry, Ted, I give you one microsecond to be right here at my presence,” said the magistrate and immediately they were out.

Dybala11:
Kim is really the mystery maker, he took the form of the power to deceive Harrison and exchanged his wand with another that will work against him.

You're on point bro.

dlawsamesq:
This breakfast is not satisfying o. We need more of it, remember this is weekend so we need something to keep our appetite wet. Thank you in anticipation.

Hmm

“But, but—” objected Ted.
“But what?”
“Someone raised a false allegation too, today, but he wasn’t killed,” protested Ted.
“And who was that?”
“Henry,” said Ted quickly, “He told a lie and earned a title with it instead. The reason why I raised the allegation was because I needed to break Henry’s record as the greatest liar.”
“Wonderful!” the man’s face gleamed with excitement. “I’ve got to consult my magistrates and lieutenants to hear their views.” After a silent discussion, the dean was up again to speak:
“I believe what Ted said concerning breaking Henry’s record. Ted is the right-hand man of Henry, so he had always enjoyed sharing same things with Henry. As we all know, a snail and its cocoon can never move in separate direction. I suggest that Ted should be set free and awarded like Henry, but should also be warned not to do such a thing anymore.”
“Ted, you’re freed,” declared the magistrate at last.
“Thank you sir,” said Ted already moving to his seat in a hurry.
“Ladies and gentlemen, I declare Ted Manuel the second Gyrus greatest liar!” Shouts of ridicules followed.
Ted sat again on his seat. Then his mirror began to fly to him. Ted was already incurious about the fight; not supporting any of the fighters anymore, since they had both contributed somehow to his almost-dying risk. He was about to take a nap, his head on his desk, when Henry’s voice came up in his mirror.
“Ted,” called Henry and the foul-smell followed, but this time it was Ted alone perceiving its concentrated form, since he was the one Henry was directing his speech.
“Thanks Henry, for your help,” Ted said, covering his nose.
“No thanks, your ignorance almost killed you.”
“How?”
Henry smiled, anticipating a fresh argument.
“Kim will win, no matter what Harrison has done.”
“Why d’you think so?”
“Because Grandwala the Spider told me this indirectly; he said the wiser of the two shall win. Since Kim’s a Mystery Maker he’s wiser, so he will win.”
“You think so?” said Ted disbelieving him. “Have you forgotten the proverb, a word is enough for the wise? I warned Kim day and night, he wouldn’t heed my warning. If he’s wise, a word should have been enough for him. He’s definitely foolish to have turned deaf ears to my collection of words—not just a word now.” Then angrily, Ted declared, “Whoever wins is none of my business.”
Henry was glad, anticipating that he would win the argument.
“I’ll win you now and our argument score will become infinity—two.”
“Shut up!” shunned Ted. Henry’s smell was becoming unbearable for the boy, who had wet the floor beneath him with spittle and had to raise his legs a bit so as not to hamper the activity of the mop, which had been thrown there to work by itself by a quick lady-cleaner on the gangway.
Kim and Harrison had not yet performed any action. Each was waiting for the other to make the first move.
“Fight!” the magistrate had shouted over and over again, but the two had appeared deaf to his compelling bellows.
Eventually Kim whispered:
“Harrison, that wand you’re holding’s fake. If you try use it against me it will work against you.”
“I don’t think so,” Harrison replied audaciously.
Kim launched forward at once. He stretched his hand toward Harrison and the latter was lifted whole from the ground. He landed again with a heavy thud. His wand fell off far away in the process. Harrison crawled rapidly to have it back, but Kim was blowing it off with a little draught of breeze he was letting out of his mouth as soon as Harrison’s hand was almost touching it. The boy kept crawling in a silly way, like a creepy-crawly.
Henry said to Ted again smiling, “I’m winning.”
“Leave me alone,” responded Ted, whose head was resting on his desk, not watching the fight.
When Harrison was fed up, he yelled, “Kim, you’re a coward! Why can’t you let me have my wand?”
“I won’t let you have it ’cos it will kill you. It won’t be to my honor, because I’ll prefer to finish you up with my own hands rather than allowing you commit suicide.”
“NOooooo!” screamed Harrison and jumped at Kim immediately holding his neck tight. “If you won’t allow me have my wand, then I’ll strangle you.”
Kim hunched his back swiftly, letting Harrison fall in front of him, over the resultant convex curvature made by the hunch. He was unable to get up.
Every moment Henry howled in joy, Dolly doled out hard slaps on his back to ask him to keep shut, but Henry was carried away in the euphoria.

Breakfast


The Gyrus roared to life. It was a great deal of pleasure for them watching such fights, but Henry was sad about it, bowing his head and shaking it in pity for Suleiman, thinking that it had made the fifth new person Raul would be killing that month alone, October. Henry received a disdainful leer from Harrison yet again.
Ted didn’t witness the fight. He had no mirror to watch such.
“Who won?” asked Ted from the Black American man sitting next to him.
“Ask your mirror,” the man shunned him
The voice of the magistrate came up again.
“Raul has just earned five points for killing Suleiman, making twenty-five points altogether this month alone.”
According to the rule in Gyrus, no old member was allowed to challenge a member who had not spent up to six months in Gyrus. Such fight could only come up if the new member had taken up the challenge himself. But it remained a mystery how new-comers, who had only spent less than a month were picking up challenges with Raul almost every week.
“We shall not spend more than Five hours here today,” said the magistrate. “So that we can all go to earth to participate in the on-going Halloween festival. So, without wasting time, I bring to you the next thing on the agenda; it’s the fight of Naturalization between Harrison Burton of America, the US and Kim Park of China. Harrison Burton is the only son of the most respected Sergius Burton, my predecessor.”
“This is the first fight Harrison’s taking up since becoming a citizen in Gyrus for almost eight months,” said the magistrate. “Kim Park’s the famous Mystery Maker in Gyrus. He had created almost fifty mysteries to defeat his opponents. Now he would be fighting Harrison, though Harrison never asked for such fight initially. If Kim wins, he earns five points, but if Harrison wins he earns thirty points and gets Kim’s seat among the Gyrus Chinese; but he’ll have to earn more points later to take up Kim’s position as a Mystery Maker. Let the fight begin!” he cried out.
Ted began to shout out from his seat.
“He’s a cheat! Harrison’s a cheat! He’s been assisted by the Power Guard; the fight should be cancelled.” All looked into their mirrors and the screen ahead to see who was whispering, but saw no one. Ted persisted but his voice was almost inaudible still. Harrison and Kim were already looking at each other, getting prepared for the fight.
To be heard Ted quickly turned his mouth towards the mirror of the unfriendly negro sittng beside him, who had yelled at him few minutes ago; then he shouted, “No! The fight should be cancelled. Harrison has been assisted by the Power Guard!”
This time his voice was heard by all but he was not visible still, since he was not staying in a position conspicuous enough for his image to be reflected by the mirror.
“Who’s talking?” questioned the magistrate in awe. “Show yourself.”
Ted was scared so he kept quiet.
The magistrate said, “Gush! It was a hallucination. Let the fight go on.”
“No! No! No!” came up the voice again.
“Then show yourself you bloody voice,” cried the magistrate with utmost annoyance. Ted rushed to the podium instantly.
“Shit! It’s you,” said the magistrate when he noticed that it was Ted.
“Yes sir.”
“So—”
“Harrison’s dangerous. He’s been helped by the Power Guard. He’ll defeat Kim.”
“Little boy, are you sure of this?”
“Very sure,” Ted replied.
“Shall we call the Power Guard to speak for himself?”
“Yes, call him,” Ted said confidently, but he heard one of the fighters said, “Don’t call him.”
It was Kim Park.
“Kim, Harrison will hurt you,” warned Ted again, now facing Kim head-on. Kim grinned grimly and whispered to Ted, “He’s got no power. Have you forgotten I’m the Mystery Maker?” Then he raised his voice even louder and said, “Listen everybody, the Power Guard did not help Harrison; he didn’t help anyone. Take my word.” Kim bowed his earth respectfully to the magichood after ending his words.
Ted, confusedly began to stammer, “Em—em, Kim y-you are making a mis-mistake,” having realized that he was in trouble. He made to go but the magistrate hindered him.
“You’re going nowhere! Remain where you are!”
”I’m saying the truth but Kim isn’t realizing it.”
“You’re telling a lie. You shall die!”

And the story continues from here

Hello all followers of this story. Sammy is back online with the username SammyLuvin.

This story will continue from where it stops. The song rendered by Bella Benson and Benjamin above is now out for real and rendered by Sammy Luv and Graymama.

Now all you need to do is follow the link below to listen to the song, then return here to continue enjoying your great story, Bella Benson. https://audiomack.com/song/sammyluv/my-juliet


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Dybala11:
I'm following your narrative OP.

Thanks and I'm ready to serve you more.