Camp
1856 Words
There was a look of uneasiness in Layla’s eyes as she stared vacuously at the ceiling fan. Rabi was sitting silently, smoking and sipping wine. She glanced at Layla from time to time and realizes they may be nursing the same fear.
Sharon just lay on the sofa, unaware of what was going on in the two girls’ minds. Zina had said she was going to withdraw the Jibril-money since the money received from Babawo was in her possession. Layla had no trust for Zina. She may have left with the whole money. Her closeness with Zina did not mean anything. She had come to feel that Zina had no true love for anyone. Besides, the heist was Zina’s brainchild. She had played the most risky parts and difficult parts. She would not have a heart of giving them what she actually promised them.
Her mind wandered to Devon. Only God knew where he was now. He just left. She did not blame him. He would not feel safe with them around. He had to abandon his house. She wished something developed between them. She just could not take him off her mind. He was not a fool and Zina should have known by now. He was careless but meticulous.
“What are you girls thinking about?”
The three girls were taken aback by her sudden voice. None of them heard her come in.
Zina smirked.
“I guess you may have been nursing a crazy idea.” She said.
“How?” Rabi asked.
“Double-cross, betrayal or just something crazy.”
“Not me.” Sharon said and she was telling the truth. Rather , she was lost in fantasy, thinking of how she was going to enjoy her new life.
“I know right but my dear friend, Layla and Rabi can’t say the same. I am not blaming you though.”
Layla did not try to deny. She just tried press down her feeling of shame.
“Thank God for one thousand naira notes.” Zina said. “I would have needed a truck to get the money here.”
The girls all sat up. A wave of sweet sensation erupting and that feeling of disbelieve. Were they really millionaires?
Zina went to the refrigerator and brought out a non-alcoholic wine. Layla got wine and served the other two girls.
They tossed.
“To independence.” Zina said.
“To independence.”
They cheered.
“I must commend you girls for your bravery, smartness, strength and loyalty.” Zina began while they sipped. “I love hanging with people who say things and back it up with actions. A lot of girls would have chickened out and call it mission impossible. With soldiers like you, we succeeded against all odds. We beat the formidable opposition. We crossed the obstacles. We got the fuckin* money and we are now independent of any dude. Fuc* them all! Fuc* the sugar daddies, blokes who take advantages of their money to rip girls apart on bed. We don’t fuc*ing need them. We got our own chedas. “
“Whoooo!” Rabi exclaimed ,raised her glass up in the air, a cigarette between her fingers. “You are the bomb Zee-baby.”
Zina drew the bag closer. It was big and heavy. She threw some bundles of dollars on the floor.
“That is the equivalent of forty million naira. Sharon, that is your cut. Congratulations.”
Sharon began to shiver. Was she dreaming? Was it real? Was the money truly hers? She could not bring herself to touch it at first. Forty million naira!
Zina threw some close to Rabi.
“Yours Rabs baby.”
“Whooo!” Rabi exclaimed. “ Just whoooo! I am a murder fucki*g biiiig girl. I ma rock my world.”
Sharon was packing hers into a smaller bag. Rabi did the same while she danced.
Zina looked at Layla.
“I only brought theirs. This is a cheque. “
Layla collected it. One hundred and sixty million naira.
“I think I am done with crime.” Zina said. “I only plan a onetime hit.” She was worth over three hundred million naira. She had owned one hundred and fifty thousand naira at once. She was the first child of her parents. Her father was a very honest banker who lived a modest life. He was not rich but placed in the middle class. He got into trouble after a n error led to the loss of two million naira. This happened five years ago and he had been in prison since then. Life became a heal for them. During this moment of despair, her mother died. Some of her relatives took care of her siblings. Her parents were devoted muslims but Zina never took religion seriously. She never really cared to perform salat five times a day. She was known to be very reserved, quiet but unfriendly. No one knew the evil thoughts going on in her head.
Rabi increased the volume of the music. Layla had just poured some codeine into juice. They began to dance.
Zina sat, shaking her head to the rhythm while she laughed. It was the first time Sharon saw her laugh aloud.
Independence.
While they jubilated, trouble was stirring up somewhere else.
Immediately the sun set and darkness began to cover Earth, the operator put on the generator and the NYSC camp was lit up. It was the last week of the orientation camping and more private parties were been organized.
The camping had been a success though not without some set-backs. The corpse members had fun. Coming from different schools and backgrounds, there had been exchange of ideas, the lies, truths, and swaggers.
The level of casualties was low during the physical exercise. The cleaners had complaint of having to sweep too many used condoms. A cleaner said if there was a market for used condoms, he would have become rich.
Layla was strolling slowly with her boyfriend whom she met in camp. She was considered one of the biggest girls on camp. She drove an alloy wheeled Sportage, wore expensive designers had expensive wines. She got the respect and attention she always dreamt of.
Her boyfriend was the son of a billionaire and a former Minister of Petroleum.
“Layla.” He called her softly as they moved slowly, on the busy camp boulevard.
“Yes, Baby.”
“You have done something to me.”
“What did I do to you?”
“You got me crazy. I am crazy over you.”
She giggled.
“How crazy are you?”
“Two hundred and fifty degrees Crazicious.”
She laughed.
“Crazicious. That must be the SI unit for measuring craziness.”
“Yes, ma’am. It is so severe that everything appears to be dark except you. You are the image in my dreams, in reality, in my subconscious and conscious. It is so serious that I don’t want to be cured because that will make me sad and bad.”
“Hmmm…How many girls have you said this to?”
“I have never felt like this so …none.”
“Awwwnn….you are so sweet, Bally. I thought it was just a camp adventure.”
He stopped walking and gave a quizzical stare.
“I am going to get a knife. Open my heart, if you don’t find your name boldly written on it, with a stamp that seals it indicating that it is just for you, then don’t stitch it back.”
She laughed.
“You are so funny.”
“I love you, Layla.”
“I love you too. I hope you know that you got me. You won my heart and I promise to be there for you. Don’t just leave me.”
“Leave? In our relationship, there is no such lexis. The closest I know had an S which is leaves. That is the plural form of leaf right? We got leaves because we got them in our love garden but there is no leave. We are bonded.”
He held her hand and was about to plant a kiss on her cheek.
“Subahallah!” A Muslim brother, who wore his trousers modestly which stopped just a little above his knees exclaimed. He quickly walked away.
“What was that for?” Bally asked.
“You were crossing the boundary.”
“It is a modern world dude.”
“He does not see it like that.”
Layla saw some corpse members practicing Judo.
“What sport do you play?” He asked her. He could see some girls on the lawn tennis court.
“I used to be a gymnast. I played volley ball but the only thing I do now is play billiards.”
“I play football.”
She gave him a sharp glance. He was tall, chubby and heavy.
“Really? You look heavy though.”
He laughed.
“I was only kidding. I play table tennis. You call it King-kong, right?”
“No, it’s Titan.” She chuckled.
“Okay, Ping-Pong. “ He giggled. “ I also play snooker. Back in those days, B-ball was my thing and don’t let my size deceive you. I am light when I want to be.”
“Talking about B-ball, there are boys playing over there.”
“Let us give them a ten minutes watch. I cab’t wait to visit your house for the first time.”
“First time.”
“Not that first but first. Okay, I have been there but we have never been alone.”
“So? Don’t even think about it.”
He smiled.
“Just on the surface. No hitting of the spot.”
“We better don’t start.”
“Okay, but we are still going, right?”
“Now you get me scared.”
“Trust me.”
“Like the fox?”
“Nah, like the loyal dog.”
“Let’s see.” She smiled. “Don’t worry, I will take you to my house tonight.”
They walked doen the steep and got to the basketball court. They ahd only watched the game for about five minutes when someone came on the court.
“That guy is my favorite.” Bally said.
As he talked, the ball was passed to the guy and after he dribbled two players, he jumped, sky-walked and slammed the ball. Spectators clapped.
“Jay!” a man shouted.
“That was stainless dude!” another guy said with force.
“I told you.” Bally said. “The guy is good.”
“As the guy jogged back, Layla saw him from a clearer point of view. A sudden waves crawled up her spine. She felt cold and hot inside her. There was no doubt, that was Devon.
- Writer
