ACT 4: JoJo Scene 2
1984
Nigerian military school Zaria, Kaduna.
It is break time. Jojo is wearing his military uniform sitting alone in his classroom as he began to write a letter to Helen.
JOJO:- (voiceover) so.. today's date is 20th September 1984.
Dear Helen,
I hope this letter finds you well. The second year at military school is harder, classes are tougher, and training is no joke But in it all, there is something I want to talk to you about that you alone can understand.
There is this classmate of mine Zechart that I have grown fond of. He's a twin, him and his brother, Thomas are very identical. Most atimes it's very hard to spot their difference but if you get to know them personally you will notice that they are very different in characters. Thomas is more gentle and kind, while Zechat is more of a bad boy a lot of senior boys have put him in their Blacklist which is why I think I'm drawn to him, I even heard that He sometimes jump over the school fence to meet girls in the barracks which is why I will be careful around him. But although, sometimes the way Zechat looks at me makes me confused. I can't really tell if he just want to be my friend or want to kiss me and lately I have noticed that he is nicer to me than to everyone. But still I will not dare tell him how I feel because what if he resents me and I don't want to think about what they will do to me if he reports me.
Anyways that is all I have to tell you for now, I will write to you next month ( he smiled) and say hi to your friend Esther for me.
your big brother
Joshua.
(As he finish writing the letter, Zechat walked into the classroom. Jojo immediately hid the letter in his pocket as Zechat walked towards him. )
ZECHAT:- what are you putting in your pocket?
JOJO:- what?!
ZECHAT:- Just now. you put a paper in your pocket.
JOJO:- and how does it concern you?
ZECHAT:- (he smirks) come on. is it a love letter? let me see ( he than tries to rip the paper out of JoJo's pocket)
JOJO:- ( he slaps Zechat's hand away from his pocket) stop! it's not your business!. now move away.
ZECHAT:- it's ok. I will leave you alone. ( he took a step away from JoJo and then quickly snatched the letter from JoJo's pocket)
JOJO:- HEY!! GIVE IT BACK!! ( Zechat quickly unfolds the letter and roughly took a glimpse at it) GIVE IT TO ME!! ( he then snatched the paper back from Zechat ripping the letter apart)
ZECHAT:- ( he smirk) so...not my business? ( Jojo Froze, terrified as they both stared at each other in silence. Break time is over as other boys walked in breaking the silence in the classroom. He then walked to his seat and sat down with his twin brother Thomas. Jojo nervously sat back down on his seat as the staring contest continued. They both continue to look at each other from their seats till their teacher walked into the class)
"our children" written by Isa Hafsat Hamtin
Later that day.
it is 10:00 p.m. and night prep is over. All the boys are coming out of class and heading to their hostel for the day.
ZECHAT:- ( still sitting on his class desk waiting for everyone to leave the class) Joshua wait.
JOJO:- ( Gathering his books, about to leave the classroom and then pause as he heard his name being called) what?
ZECHAT:- ( he walked towards Jojo) I want to talk to you.
JOJO:- about what?
ZECHAT:- ( he smirks) relax. come and sit down with me (he sat down while Jojo still remained standing) please. sit down ( the other boys have left for hostel living just the two of them in the class)
JOJO:- we have to go back to hostel before the prefects catches us still in class...
ZECHAT:- who were you going to send the letter to?
JOJO:- ( he calmly sat down next to Zechat) to.. My younger sister.
ZECHAT:- oh I see. And how do you think she will feel about the letter?
JOJO:- ( he smiled) she will be happy...(Zechat was stunned) ...to hear from me..
ZECHAT:- ( he laughed a little ) oh I see. well I guess I would be happy if I read that letter too
JOJO:- did you see anything in the letter?
ZECHAT:- oh I saw enough. that is why I'm happy. ( they were both silent as they stared at each other's eyes.)
JOJO:- ( breaking the silence) amm.. We have to go back to hostel before they start roll calling...
ZECHAT:- (he Softly touched JoJo's hands and draw himself closer to him) are you scared...of me?
JOJO:- ...yes
ZECHAT:- ( he looked around to see if anyone was near and he then slowly kissed him on the lips)
what about now, are you still scared of me? ( Jojo is shocked but takes some seconds to relax and then kiss him back passionately)
YOUNG THOMAS:- ( standing at the class door ) we have to go back to hostel now! ( Jojo quickly stopped the kissing and separated himself from Zechat) and Zechat, the girls in the barracks are not enough for you, you are chasing after boys now?
ZECHAT:- Thomas what are you doing here?
YOUNG THOMAS:- it took me about 2 minutes walking to hostel to realize that you were not behind me and you know you are a troublemaker if the hostel master doesn't see the two of us together he's definitely going to ask where you are and I see both of you are not Afraid for your lives that is why you are freely smooching each other openly in the class when there are prefects roaming around.
JOJO:- ( frightened as he walked towards Thomas) please Thomas, don't tell anyone what you just saw.
YOUNG THOMAS:- ( he laughed) if I had reported all the crimes Zechat had committed he would have been expelled by now and our father will kill both of us if one of us got expelled. so Jojo just be careful next time. At least both of you should do it in a hidden place like our hostel toilet or somewhere not so open. ( Jojo is shocked) Oya let's go to hostel. I'm tired and I want to sleep.
4 years later.
14th July, 1988
5:30 pm
NMS boys hostel. Jojo and Zechat are sitting opposite of each other on Jojo's bed as Jojo writes a letter to Helen.
ZECHAT:- ( smiling and staring at Jojo) you are lucky.
JOJO:- ( Focuses his attention on writing the letter as he respond) why do you say so?
ZECHAT:- well you have a sibling that you can talk to about...you know...( then he whispered) your feelings.
JOJO:- hey! you have Thomas too
ZECHAT:- ( he laughed) I know me and Thomas are twins but Thomas acts like he is older then me.
JOJO:- ( he laughed as he write the letter) well because sometimes you act childish.
ZECHAT:- No I don't
JOJO:- yes you do
ZECHAT:- No... I don't!
JOJO:- yes... you do!
ZECHAT:- Ok maybe I do sometimes but he bosses me around and we never talk about... you know...( then he whispers) us.
JOJO:- because he is not like us. he doesn't have the same feeling we have. That is why I connect with my sister Helen. She has these feelings too. I talk about you to her and she talks to me about her...( then he whispered) her girlfriend Esther. You and Thomas may be twins but you both don't have anything in common.
ZECHAT:- (sigh) like I said, you are lucky
JOJO:- ( he dropped his pen) Finished!
ZECHAT:- (smiling) let me see it ( Jojo handed him the letter as he looked through it for about a minute then he smiled ) Jojo are you very sure this is what you want after graduation?
JOJO:- ( he stretched fought his hand and held Zechart's hand) yes. ( exchange glances and smile )
ZECHAT:- ( he look around the hostel and separated he's and Jojo's hand and then whispers to Jojo) I wish I can kiss you right now but...
JOJO:- I know...( then he also whispers ) I want to kiss you too ( then the both smiled and then Jojo stood up) I will be right back.
ZECHAT:- where are you going?
JOJO:- I don't have any envelope to put the letter in and send to Helen. So I want to go buy it at the school shop.
ZECHAT:- the school shop is very far and I don't have energy to escort you.
JOJO:- ( he laughed) I didn't ask you to escort me
ZECHAT:- but I want to be with you all the time before our passing out parade next tomorrow. I want to spend every moment with you.
JOJO:- ( he laughed even more) I can see you are not serious. ( then he began to walk away)
ZECHAT:- ( he stops Jojo) ok wait. ( Jojo stood Steel as he ran to his corner, opened his Locker and came back to jojo's corner holding a super glue and blue cardboard paper) just wait let me fold this cardboard paper into an envelope. ( Jojo sat back down as he made an envelope out of the cardboard paper) see! it even looks way better than the one they sell at the shop.
JOJO:- ( he smiled) wow! And where did you get cardboard paper from ?
ZECHAT:- from my leftovers materials i used at Technical drawing class
JOJO:- I didn't know you offered TD class
ZECHAT:- oh yes I did. I am hoping to study Architecture at the Academy.
JOJO:- Architecture ? why not engineering.
ZECHAT:- because I want to design what engineers will build. ( Jojo then laughed) what about you? what do you want to study in the Academy?
JOJO:- well... I haven't really thought of it. I just want to be a regular soldier
ZECHAT:- but when you get to the academy you would have to pick a course to study. if you just want to be a regular soldier, then you go straight to depot like a low paying recruit.
JOJO:- hey hey!! calm down ( he held his hand) I go where you go. I'm sure when we get to the academy I will come around something that interests me. ok?
ZECHAT:- ( He then smiled) ok
JOJO:- ( he then put the letter inside the blue cardboard envelope and wrote an address at the back of the envelope and place a postcard on it) I know you said you are tired but at least escort me to put the letter to the Parcel Postbox outside the school gate.
ZECHAT:- can't you post the letter tomorrow
JOJO:- ( he laughed) I can see you're not serious bye-bye
ZECHAT:- okay okay wait for me ( he stood up from the bed and held Jojo's hand till they reached the Parcel Postbox outside the school gate. Jojo then put the blue envelope inside the Parcel Postbox and then they continue to hold hands walking back to school compound) you know... since graduation is next tomorrow, all our classmates are going to party with some senior officers tonight.
JOJO:- and you want us to go to the party?
ZECHAT:- yes we can go but...all the boys are going which means we can stay back in hostel alone together. ( Jojo then pause and Zechat stopped walking. Jojo then smiled at him and he smiled back. Jojo then reached for Zechat's hand as they continued to stroll back to the hostel, hands still intertwined as the sunset and a sense of warmth in the air.)