February 19
2010
Everbright Nursery And Primary School
3:30 pm.
It was a cool Friday afternoon. The school dismissal bell rang and the students started filing out.
The air was cool even with the heavy glare of the sun's rays.
Kelechi sat with some of his friends and a few other students scattered around under a big shade that was built by the school last year for students waiting for their parents to come pick them up.
Two teachers were assigned in weekly rotation to look after the children while they waited for the parents to arrive.
Under this week's rotation the two teachers in charge were Mrs Anna and Mr Franklin, though it was later changed to Mr Chinedu and Mr Franklin as Mrs Anna had an emergency a day ago and won't be available till the next two weeks.
Mr Chinedu is a new teacher who assisted with the main teacher of nursery 3. He is a young man of average height,build and even looks, someone that no one will look at twice. Today he wore a simple red T-shirt and blue jeans with brown sandals.
Mr Franklin is an old teacher. The one and only teacher of primary six and the head teacher. He had been teaching in the school for over 15 years now. He is a tall and lean dark-skinned man with a face that would look better without his usual stern expression that he had on all the time. He quietly stood by watching the children,a long menacing can under his armpit which didn't contrast with his office white shirt,brown trousers and dark brown shoes.
He was the reason why the children present were keeping their chatter at a respectable level.
"Kelechi! Come out! Your Uncle is here to pick you up!" The security man shouted from his corner.
"I'm coming!" Kelechi said excitedly as he immediately carried his school bag and slung it over his shoulder, waving goodbye to his friends who waved back before being escorted by one of the teachers,Mr Chinedu.
"Thank you uncle. Goodbye!" Kelechi said happily waving at the security man as they passed.
There was a dark blue camera 2006 waiting outside the school premises.
The door from the driver's side soon opened and a tall dark-skinned man with a rough and weathered face stepped out.
Kelechi immediately frowned.
"Good afternoon Uncle Clinton. Please where is Uncle Martins?" He asked as Clinton stepped closer to where they were, voice filled with confusion and a hint of unease.
"Oh, afternoon ma boy. Your Uncle Martins asked me to come carry you in his place as he had a sudden emergency. As you can see... I used his car to come here." Clinton said giving a toothy smile that increased the unease that Kelechi was feeling while pointing to the car behind him.
Earlier that week, Chikodi and Chioma received invitations to two separate and very important events. Chikodi received an invitation to go to the joint conference at Abuja which was meant for high company member and wasn't an event that he could side-step.
Chioma received an invitation for a joint meeting between large businesses owners that were women and it was being hosted by the governor's wife herself.
The two parents worried about Kelechi as the father left yesterday which was Thursday and was ment to come back today evening.
The mother's own was a bit simpler as she was to leave today that was why she was able to drop Kelechi off earlier today,but she was supposed to be back by evening time, though a bit earlier than the father who was to travel back.
She then asked her younger brother Martins if he was free to carry Kelechi back from school and drop him off at their mother's place. Chikodi thought about it for a bit before agreeing.
Martins agreed as he was free and they felt comfortable asking him due to how he was.
Martins is a tall fair-skinned man with handsome facial features. He looked like Chioma but a more male version. He is the older brother to Clinton.
Kelechi didn't know what happened but whatever happened had lead to this situation.
Clinton's eyes narrowed slightly seeing Kelechi's hesitant behavior before subtly looking at Chinedu who stood behind him.
"Alright then. Where are you dropping him off sir?" Chinedu asked politely with a small smile.
"Akachi junction." Clinton replied.
"Ohh,what a coincidence. My sister's place is around that side. If possible could I join you two?" Chinedu asked with a smile.
Clinton looked at him briefly then at Kelechi before replying.
"Alright then,no problem." He said with a slight frown on his face.
"What about you Kelechi?" Mr Chinedu said bending down slightly to talk to him,a warm smile on his face."Is that okay with you?"
Kelechi hesitated for a moment before finally nodding.
"Yes..." He said in a soft voice after the nod.
"That's good. Let me go and talk to Mr Franklin,wait a small minute okay." Mr Chinedu said, straightening before moving back to the small one or two people side of the gate.
At that moment he go up Kelechi saw a flash of something in his eyes and felt a brief discomfort before leaving it at that.
Maybe it was just his imagination.
Soon it was just Kelechi and Clinton standing alone together near the gate.
A minute or two later,Mr Chinedu came out of the gate this time holding a small brown leather bag with a handle which he used his hand to hold.
"I'm done. Let's go." He said.
The three moved to the car with Clinton opening the car door of the driver's side and entering inside before unlocking the passenger side for them.
For some reason Mr Chinedu followed Kelechi to enter the backseat.
After they both entered, Clinton locked all the doors with a soft click and brought down just his and the side by his right's window down a little.
He then turned on the car and began turning around and finally driving off.