Echoes of my youth

Chapter six

The next day I started telling people that I was a witch, like up till this moment I never knew what got into me, First, I said I was initiated into a witch coven by a female friend in primary school,named, Cynthia George.I even had to lie about my involvement with people in my so called delusional coven.

At first I thought it wasn't going to be serious, until I was ostracized from my classmates, in the dormitory, in the refectory and Mass. According to the chaplain during one of his sermon,

"Suffer not a witch to live "

"The society said it's either they're stoned or banished from the world" Those words hurt.

I didn't understand why I said so, I have never been to a witch coven, but here I was giving people that narrative that I had been to one before, or still going to one.

"How many people have you initiated into your coven" The chaplain asked me after the morning mass.

Still in shock, or can I say, not in my right senses

"Five father " I can't believe I just said that

I don't even know who this five people were and I haven't seen them before.

immediately the chaplain requested for the senior perfect, the deputy chaplain, the dean of students and instructed them to accompany me to look for the other five.

Now if you would be wondering, how am I going to see those innocent people am about to destroy their life's.

My first pick was My friend Arnold. He was surprised hearing the frictional story about him being initiated into a witch coven which I said was using biscuits and chocolate.

I felt sorry, I even had to be apologetic, but he wasn't listening to me. he was furious.

My second pick was just a random weird kid by the name, Oscar Thomas. When I picked him, nobody argued with it, because he had been acting strange right from the first term. He wasn't even surprised. I feel like stopping here, because the third person was totally different from the two. He was an orphan and always do jobs ranging from carrying people's luggage to their car, and his uncle was mainly sponsoring him because of the fact he had promised his late brother. Clinton was his name.

The words he said that day remained evergreen

" Am not a witch, my uncle won't sponsor me if he hears that you are accusing me of being a witch" "Please sir am not a witch" he continued as he was forced out of his sit by some of our classmates, who didn't want to listen to him.

He wept throughout our trial, while I just stood there motionlessly without a single word.

The fourth person, Sebastian. He was a class high than me. The last one was the infamous bully, Jeremiah. the stare he gave me when I called him out was frightening, it had this message all over it" You will pay for this"

The whole school were then summoned for an assembly, The five boys were given a suspension and asked to embark on a penance. My own verdict had to wait till the next day for my parents to get there.

I couldn't even look at Arnold's face or Clinton who even started cursing me for ruining his life.

All this happened in a space of one day and on the 7th of February, my parents were invited to our chaplain's office and when my Dad heard of the confessions I was making, I saw him shed a tear. it was odd, Because I hardly see him emotional, nor crying. My mum on the other hand screamed so badly that she removed her slippers, wanting to run mad at that instant.

It took pleading from the chaplain and his deputy to calm the situation.

"Sir" said the priest to my father

but he didn't listen, my father was shocked at this revelation about his first child.

"Am sorry to say this, but on behalf of the Bishop of this diocese, We have hereby expelled your son from this school"

My father couldn't take it anymore, he wept bitterly, I wept too. My hope of being a priest was shattered.

"I would suggest you take him to a mental hospital for check-up, then a strong spiritual institution for prayer and divine intervention " the chaplain added

When we left the chaplain's office, my dad didn't even speak to me, he told my mom to accompany me to get my luggage at my dormitory. As I was packing my clothes into my box, I could see my corner mates laughing at me, it wasn't the laughing that was my problem, it was the sudden flashback I had,

"You will never amount to anything " Those words echoed in my head.

We left shamefully and throughout our journey home, my parents didn't say a single word to me. nor to themselves. When we got inside the house, my dad got into his room and locked it. my mum helped me unpack my clothes, together with my remaining provision.

I didn't even bother to ask my mum if my father was angry with me, because I knew it would cause a serious beating. so I kept mute as I watched my siblings play together and keeping me aside. I was now the black sheep of the family