Chapter 2: the beginning
It was a Saturday evening I laced up my shoes and tightened the laces. I grabbed my water bottle and took a long swig. I stretched my arms and legs, getting ready to hit the court. My heart was racing with anticipation. I could feel the adrenaline pumping through my veins.
Well I play volleyball and I've been playing it for years now, I'm 6'3 foot tall.
(In the volleyball court at Government secondary school Romi)
The coach blew the whistle, and we all got into position for the drill. I could feel the sweat on my brow, and my heart was still racing. As we started running the drill, I could feel myself getting into the rhythm of the game. I passed the ball to my teammate and he sets it to me, I saw the ball coming towards me in slow motion, and I knew exactly what to do. I jumped up, timing my approach perfectly. I spiked the ball with all my might, and it flew across the court, landing perfectly in the other team's court. My teammates all cheered, and the coach gave me a nod of approval. I felt like I was on top of the world.
Ezekiel came up to me after practice, a big grin on his face. 'Hey, man, have you seen the movie 'Rise' yet?' he asked me. 'I've heard it's really inspiring.' I shook my head, curious about what he was talking about.
Ezekiel started telling me about 'Rise', the story of Giannis Antetokounmpo, and how he went from being an unknown player to one of the greatest basketball players in the world. He talked about how the movie was inspiring and moving, and how it made him believe that anything was possible if you put your mind to it.
I was intrigued by what Ezekiel was telling me about 'Rise', and I told him that I'd definitely check it out. 'I've got to get home, though,' I said, glancing at my watch. 'I'll catch you later.' I hopped on my bike and started pedaling home.
As I pulled into the driveway, I noticed that something seemed off. The front door was slightly ajar, and I could hear the TV blaring inside. I felt a sense of unease creep over me, and my heart started pounding. I slowly dismounted my bike and approached the front door. I pushed open the front door, my heart racing. 'Hello?' I called out, my voice sounding uncertain. There was no response. I took a deep breath and stepped inside, looking around for any sign of what was amiss. The living room was a mess, with pillows and blankets strewn about, and the TV was on full blast. Something didn't feel right. I felt a chill run down my spine as I stood frozen in the doorway, surveying the scene. It was like a tornado had blown through the living room. My mind was racing, trying to make sense of what I was seeing. And then I heard a creak from the hallway behind me I stood frozen, my heart pounding in my chest. The creak came again, this time louder and closer. My breath caught in my throat, and I was too afraid to move. I had the sudden, terrible feeling that I wasn't alone. The creaking sound grew louder, and I could hear footsteps approaching from the hallway. I didn't dare turn around to look, but my imagination was running wild with all the possibilities of who, or what could be approaching, It all started to make sense. The strange voice, the mysterious figure, the ominous tone... it was all too perfect to be real. I felt a mix of relief and annoyance as I realized that my brother had been pulling my leg the whole time.
As I was trying to process the realization that my brother had been pranking me, my mother suddenly appeared in 'Samuel, where have you been? It's so late! Do you know how worried I've been?' she said. I tried to explain myself, but she wasn't interested in hearing my excuses. Instead, she started lecturing me about the recent kidnappings in Kaduna and how I needed to be more careful, I knew I was in for a long night.
I somehow fortunately escaped my mother's lecture and retreated to my room, feeling a bit annoyed and defeated. I slumped down in my chair, staring at the ceiling and thinking about everything that had happened, But my thoughts kept returning to Anne. I couldn't get her out of my head. I was wondering what she was doing, and if she was thinking about me too.