Survival 30 Please, I don’t want to do it. Aunty Amaka: This is too painful. I cannot take it anymore. It is too much for me. Out of three, no one is even close to me. I have lost one. Uncle Ike: Your boys are still alive. Stop talking like somebody that has lost everything in the whole world. Aunty Amaka: Just so you know, immediately I'm discharged from this hospital, I am going back to my parents' house. I have nothing to do with you anymore. Uncle Ike: Mychew! There are more important issues to be attended to than the nonsense you're talking right now. We need to plan a funeral, set aside money for this girl. Aunty Amaka: Plan it. Do everything you think is necessary to be done. I don’t want to be involved. Uncle Ike: What do you mean you don’t want to be involved? Are you the breadwinner of the family? This type of thing is better suited for people like you to plan. Aunty Amaka: Stay there and be waiting for people like me to come and plan something for you. When I said we are done, I meant we are done. Until I have my two sons by myself, nothing that you are saying matters anymore. At the Police Station DPO: Yes, I did so. AIG: After everything I told you? What is wrong with you? Why do you think you people have power? You don’t know how your predecessors behaved? Now even your subordinate went over you. You reported to me—now you want to do that to me? Do you think the IG will listen to you? DPO: Doesn’t matter what the IG thinks. They brought a whole lot of documents that can implicate this police station. So if you want the case transferred to Abuja, it’s now in your hands. You can send your officers from Abuja to go and rearrest him and let the cases be brought to the police station in Abuja. I will not have my name soiled. AIG: If I do exactly as you have said, just consider your name already soiled. Because your son is going to come up in the news and newspapers. DPO: I’m not afraid of you. Right now, if at all you bring up his name anywhere, I have the best lawyers in the country. I may not be able to pay them, but they are willing to work for me. Get ready to face the courts. AIG: Are you threatening me? Remember that I am the one that put you in that office, Benson. And today you are threatening me? So much for somebody that you trust. DPO: That boy is innocent. Put the old man that is guilty away, and everybody is going to be happy. AIG: Everybody is not going to be happy because that old man is not just an old man. He has knowledge of almost everybody at the senior quarters that have visited that place—so many people, including your vice president. So you see, your case is not an easy one. DPO: If big men are involved as you have said, chasing this poor boy away will not solve the problem. Because more boys will come up in the future that you would need to chase away. How many of them will you keep chasing away when you can just send the one person that you are protecting away and everything becomes easy? AIG: So you think it is that easy? Don’t you know what the old man has been doing for us? Some of those men, including myself, need those young boys to survive—some for pleasure, some for other things. Do you think most of us are sitting in these big offices just like that? Nothing comes easy, DPO. Even you know it yourself. That boy you are protecting, your son—if he thinks he has an opportunity, he will not only sell you, he will chew you in order for him to take over. Everybody has their price. And in case you do not know, by tomorrow morning, if you don’t send that boy over here, somebody will be replacing you in that office. You will be forced to retire or serve under your subordinate. DPO: I have a good house, I have some little businesses that can put food on my table, finished school fees for all my children—they are all graduates. I don’t think I need the job anymore. So you can take it away like you have said he provided for me. AIG: You cannot eat your cake and have it. You can’t come up now to say he provided for you but will continue to provide for you. You have done a lot of bad things and blood is on your hands. You cannot escape justice—it will come for all of us, including myself. There is no need for you to start playing righteous games now. You have 24 hours, or else you lose your job. Goodbye, Benson. The DPO drops the phone. Without even thinking much, he brings out a box of expensive cigars from his drawer, uses the cutting clip to chop off the head and lights it up. He places his legs on his table and rests his back in the chair as he looks out of the window. DPO: After all, I had just four years more in this service. Let them pay me all my money—I will be glad. At Philip’s Place Milo: Hello guys, I heard that he has been released. Vic: Are you serious? Is that true, Philip? Philip: I don’t know. His brother is here. Oke: I have no idea what you guys are talking about. Milo: One of the policemen in that police station told me that he has been released and it is going to cost the DPO his job. Vic: Just give us the full gist. Let us understand. Milo: Well, they said that he has been released upon warning from Abuja that he should not be released—that he should rather be transferred to the capital. Oke: That is definitely not going to happen. Because if he goes to that capital city, that place—nothing is going to happen. Azaman: Na wa o! Which kind Abuja? If any case gets there, na presidency oo! Oke: So there’s a possibility that he’s at home now, but they are keeping it hush-hush. They don’t want anybody to know because the DPO is trying to protect himself—not to be the one to give him away. They probably will come to the house to arrest him. Vic: You know that we do not have a lot of time on our hands. Why don’t you go home, get him, and go hide somewhere that nobody knows? Azaman: That is making the situation worse because everybody would think he is the actual criminal. There’s no need to run. Since our hands are completely clean, all we need to do is produce evidence from our own side—which you have already started collecting. Vic: Let us all go to the house and meet him so that we can discuss some things. Oke: Okay, I think that is going to be better. At the penthouse Chima: Moses, how old are you? Moses: I am 22, sir. Chima: Do you have interest in guys? Moses: No, sir. I do not have any interest in men. Chima: What if I give you four million right now? Moses: Sir, that is tempting, but I will still not take it. Chima: Why will you not take the four million? What are you afraid of? Moses: I am a devoted Christian. I am young. I know that I am looking for money, but there are things that I cannot do to get that money. For example, if I sleep with you for that money—who knows what you have achieved? You cannot just sleep with somebody and give them four million just like that if you’re not gaining something out of it. Maybe you want to use my destiny, or the blood that will come out of my ass will serve as the virgin to your ink pen. I don’t know—something like that. But it is too good to be true. Even those who practice prostitution don’t get paid four million just for doing it. Chima: Wow. Everything you said is correct. Everything you said is the truth. Plus, some people do get paid more than that, especially when it is their first time and especially when it’s not their thing to do. Moses: It doesn’t really matter. Right now, I just don’t want to do it. Chima: But you understand that we bring men here, do things with them, and then like you to watch? Moses: Please, I don’t want to watch. Just let me do your laundry, get paid, and go home. I don’t need all those stress. It’s actually none of my business. I am only here to work. Chima: So I can’t get you to my bed with funds, and I cannot even pay you to watch? Moses: Why will somebody pay another person money to watch him having sex with another person? Chima: I want to see your face. I want to see your reaction. I want to know if it’s going to make you hard. Let me confirm that you are really not into this. Moses: Please, I need this job. I don’t want to fight you so that I don’t lose my job. Stop forcing me, please. I already have a girlfriend. Chima: Okay. I’m very sorry for bringing the topic up. I want you to go back to your manager and ask him to send somebody else that is more willing to do things. Moses: No, sir. Please, no. The other guy before me has resigned. I don’t know if it’s because of this thing you did to him or with him. They have warned me that if you are not satisfied with my work, they still have no choice but to force me to leave. I need this job. Help me get this job and keep this job. Don’t do this to me. Please, I have a family. This content is the intellectual property of OurStory TB and the author, Whiteman Micheal. Unauthorized use, reproduction, or distribution without proper credit to the author or the page is strictly prohibited. Permission must be obtained before any use. Chima: What do you mean you have a family? You just said you are 22 years old. Are you talking about your father's family or your personal family? Moses: When I was in SS3, I got my girlfriend and classmate pregnant. Our both parents sent us out of the house, and we rented a room. We are staying together. I was 18 years then. My baby is 4 years old; he will enter Primary One. I want him to enter Primary School fast. He is very intelligent. That is why I need this job. I don't have handwork. I move from job to job, please. Chima: You mean you have a 4-year-old son and a lady, and house rent and bills, and you just turned down an opportunity of 4 million Naira just because you are straight? You are saving your ass? Moses: Yes, please. I've not done it before and I do not want to try it. Chima: Do you know that living with that girl that you have not married—I'm sure you have not done anything traditional on her head or even the white wedding—do you know that together you’re living in sin? And you don't want to commit this because it is a sin, right? But you are committing another sin. Moses: Yes, you are right. I'm living in one sin, and I don't want to increase the number of sins on my head. This one is already enough. To carry the burden of feeding the house, paying fees, paying electrical bills, paying house rent is not easy. I mean, anyone would literally take your offer. Give me another thing to do for you, I will do it. But I don't want to do anything sexual. I'm afraid. Honestly, the last time I did something sexual, I got sent away from my house. I lost my family. Everybody hates me now. I'm a man of my own now. That is why I'm trying to be careful with anything that I am doing. I don't want to do anything sexual again for the meantime, until I put my son through school and make him become somebody. Chima: So you believe if you sleep with someone else, something bad may happen, just like it happened with your present wife or girlfriend? Moses: Yes, exactly. That is why I'm avoiding anything sexual right now. I don't even ask to be... I don't sleep with any other girl again apart from the mother of my son. I respect myself right now. Chima: You are just 22. Your life cannot be over. Besides, you were in SS3. Did you finish the WAEC exam, or was it during the WAEC exam all this problem of yours started? Moses: Sir, I think everything started after WAEC. Please, I don't want to... don't make me do it. I would rather that I did not know and you had me by force, than me actually offering myself. Right now I'm in a state of confusion in my life. I don't even know if I am going forward or if I am going backward. I just know that since this baby thing came up, I have closed all chapters of happiness in my life to focus on training this child. Maybe when he is done with school, I will be able to start thinking of other things to do with myself. Chima: You are too young to shut yourself away from the world. What does she do, the mother of the boy? Does she sit around and wait for you to make money and come back every day? Moses: Not really. She sells buns and other snacks—donuts, cakes—in front of our house. Chima: I'm going out. If I see two or one… Moses: All right, sir. I will have everything prepared for you before you come back. Chima: What else do you have in mind that can elevate you out of this situation if you are not doing this job? Do you have any business in mind? Moses: Not really. I used to be this teenager that just played football, came home, ate food, slept, pressed my phone—you know, just the normal teenage life. I did not know that life was going to be like this for me. I could have denied the pregnancy, but I thought that my parents would accept it. I did not know that they were going to treat me this way. They really took the hard way on me. I was careful. Now I have to face it all. Please don't make me lose this job, sir. I beg of you. Send me to do any other thing for you, just not anything of sexual nature. Chima: If a man is not having sex, I wonder what he is doing with himself. Moses: I honestly don’t think sex can be everything. There must be some other things that can make life easy for a man or better or fun. Chima: This is Africa, not the foreign land where people take funny things—killing each other. I’m not a serial maniac. Moses: I’ll be waiting for you. And Chima left the penthouse. At the Village Ichie Vik: Yes, I heard, and I have spoken to the President-General of our community. He's going to write a report to the police officially from here, and they will send it to Lagos before it gets to Abuja. Mazi Eze: Eh? How did Abuja enter the matter? Ichie Vik: His master called me and gave me all the information. There are some people—very rich people—that want the issue brought to Abuja so that nobody will be able to release the boy. But we have to act now, and we have to act fast. Mazi Eze: It's all over for Ike. He will reap what he has sown. So he's no longer the manager, and the person who is in charge of the company now is that young boy who was serving as a houseboy. The whole community—we must spread the news fast so that everybody will also know how to come to his defense. As they were talking, their brother passed by and heard them discussing. Mazi Edu: My brothers, I agree. Ichie Vik: I know you—so run to your mother’s village. That is where they will accept you very fast. Mazi Edu: I have not committed any crime. Why will I be running away? Mazi Eze: Do you know that the police are looking for the owner of the hotel where your brother has been working and sending you money to sell those things? You say he's innocent—I hope you will defend him in front of the police when they come looking for you, because we were just discussing how the only person we know that is his right-hand man is you. Mazi Edu: Eh, Ichie, you cannot be discussing me like that. When was I his right-hand man? Was I born in December with him? He was just my childhood friend. Besides, I did not know he does all those types of things. This community and this brother here know that he was asked to watch over the company until the boy becomes of age to take over. So if he liked, let him deny it. If the police come, I will tell them what I know. Mazi Eze: He is no longer sending you money again. Are you not going to prepare yourself in case they want to arrest you? Mazi Edu: I am not getting arrested, and no one is going to harm me. My hands are clean. I did not join him in committing any crime. Mazi Eze: Now you have denied him. Before, your mouth would go any length in order to protect him. Now you are denying him. Just know that if the police come, we will hand you over to them. Mazi Edu: Stop calling the name of the police. You will not hand me over to them. I am also your brother, and I live here in the village with you. I have no politics with those living in the city. Ichie Vik: Mtchew. When your name is called, you will know if you have politics with those people in the city or not. When they were spending, you would not listen. Mazi Edu: I’m sorry for everything that I said again. You people, please do not use it to send me to the police station. I have some little children that I am training. I cannot go to police to suffer for something that I did not do. Mazi Eze: Please excuse us. I was having an important discussion with Ichie here before you came. Mazi Edu: Eh, so I should go? Ichie Vik: Yes. And he left them. Ichie Vik: He’s not a serious human being. He's trying to sit down, gather information, and go and send it to his friend. I cannot wait for the police to come and question us. I will hand him over to them as his accomplice. At Engineer Van’s House Engr Van: The main reason why we did not want anybody to know is because we do not want it to go viral. And then they will now come back to arrest him just like that. Azaman: Bros, so you are the one that we have been fighting for? I don’t know, but you fine ooooooo. Philip: Hey, you respect yourself. We came here for something. You've seen man, your heart, your mind—everything has changed. Vic: Ahhhhh, my friend, I know you use eyes to see a man. I smiled. Milo: Aww, see smiles na. Fine boy, abeg. Oke: Yeah, always welcome. So, you said you wanted to be here to ask him some questions so that you can facilitate how you help him? (Clears throat) Milo: Ehem. From what we’re getting from everybody, it's that you are a good guy. And by the time we defeat your uncle, there’s a probability that the hotel will be given to you—or not. But we know that you are going to get rich. And then you’ll be living your rich life. Me, I have family that I’m caring for, and this hustle is my hustle. I did not learn any handwork or do anything. I'm not going to school like your friend Philip. So if I fight for you and we gather evidence, are you going to pay me one big money to go away, or are you going to keep the hotel running so that we can make money? This content is the intellectual property of OurStory TB and the author, Whiteman Micheal. Unauthorized use, reproduction, or distribution without proper credit to the author or the page is strictly prohibited. Permission must be obtained before any use. Oke: No, we cannot do that. That hotel needs to be closed down; it has ruined a lot of people's lives. Azaman: It has also helped a lot of people's lives, boss. The people that it’s ruining their lives are the people that want their lives to be ruined. Me: So you're asking me if the business will still continue as usual? Vic: Yes, most definitely. That is what we want to know. Me: If I continue the business, how different will I be from my uncle? What will I be doing differently that he did not do before? Philip: See this business as selling and buying food in the market. Now, they have what you call the normal food—everybody has it, everybody can buy it on the road, everybody can buy in the market, everybody can buy it everywhere. Anger also sells the normal food. But then, your uncle is selling what we call exotic food—food that only a few people can actually eat with very, very deep pockets. Your uncle sells food that is untouched—untouched from the oven, if you know what I mean. Most times, these people are desperate, they want it by themselves. But other times, there are people who are forced—against their own will—to be served as food to these people with deep pockets. That is what you are not going to do. You just need to leave it and sell it like a free market. Whoever is willing to buy should buy what you have. Whoever is willing to sell, should sell what they have. Don’t do a direct link-up of sending somebody to somebody's house, because you will not be responsible for what is going to happen to that person—whether they use the person or not. But what my friends are trying to say is—they will fight for you till the end. But then, this is their source of livelihood. This is the source of feeding for their families. They are mostly fighting so they can go back to work and start earning. That is what we have brought to you now. Me: I am glad, at least, that you are able to stand up for me and give yourself to us—helping, gathering your evidence, and ready to go on social media for everything. I will definitely pay you back for everything you have done—either in this way that you want, or in a much better way. I promise you that. But right now, I cannot tell you if the hotel will stand. It is entirely not only up to me. I think I have to also consult my immediate family, which is the people that are in this room too. Azaman: Whatever you decide, we will stand for you. Me: Thank you so much. So what evidence have you been trying to build up? Milo: Come tomorrow morning. If those fools come back for you, we are going to release their photos on social media—very nasty old men. Engineer Van: Wow, that will be a whole lot of things to sing. Philip: National disaster. They will release him before the case will continue. They’ll make sure that they cover their tracks. Oke: Joseph is leading the social media team. They are going to give at least up to 100 posts every day. As soon as they finished talking and the aides had drunk, I bled them goodbye. My brother, who hadn’t had time to welcome me back immediately, got in after seeing them off and gave me a big hug—a tight one. He was just so happy. Me: Have they gone far? Can you call Philip and ask him to come back? He could still stay over here this night. Oke: Philip? Are you sure you need somebody to keep you warm? You know I’m capable of doing that. I smiled. Me: This is important. Just ask him to come back. He made the call and Philip came back to the house. Philip: Please don’t mind those guys. They are just looking for a place to be secured. But they are willing to work and help you out of this situation. Me: I know. I saw it in their eyes. And they’re also willing to sleep with me. Philip: Why not? You are a charming person. Me: That, I need to discuss with you. While I was in the police station, Engineer Van and Barrister Santos had an encounter with Inspector Isa. They saw a photo of a child who is being looked for—the mother is looking for him. And the child in the photo was 10 years old as at that time. Today, they’re expecting him to be around 20 years old. But I think that child looks like you. I was not sure, but I kept the photo. Engineer Van took the picture and gave it to him. Philip: I remember when this picture was taken. Those people are not my parents—my real mother. They took me away from her. Are you saying she has been looking for me? Me: Yes. And Inspector Isa gave us his number just in case you’re willing to come forward. He started crying and he fell on me while I held him. Philip: so I have a mother 😭😭 😭 😭 By Whiteman Michael Morals: Don’t forget to factor in yourself when a deal is being made. Don’t make decisions out of overexcitement. Take your time. Give a reason why you cannot give an answer immediately. Running away—especially when you are innocent—tells a lot of stories that are not true, yet makes them look as if they are true. In the process of helping another person solve a problem, don’t be surprised if you end up solving an even bigger problem for yourself. Don’t always hide from helping others. No matter the situation of the economy, no matter how bad things are—it is not everybody that is willing to break all their principles just to get rich or satisfy themselves with wealth as fast as possible. Some people have principles they are willing to take to their grave. Don’t use your money to try to force anybody to change who they are—especially when they have said repeatedly that they do not want to. No matter how long you enjoy the spoils of war, war will come to your doorstep too. By Whiteman Michael Please like share and follow my page of you like these stories thanks.