Demon In Me

I was in the studio before the chat show started, watching as two blind cops and one physically challenged cop in a wheelchair were interviewed.

They emphasized the difficulties they had at camp: there is no department for physically challenged corpers, they do not receive special assistance on camp, and they had to beg for someone to take them around even during registration.

It was amusing when the blind corper grumbled about not being able to march with the others.

He insisted that facilities for corpers like them be established, with staff hired to attend to them.

When the live show started, the anchor asked about our general impressions of camp, our thoughts on the nysc program, and various ways to improve the plan.

We all made our arguments while the officials talked about how and why we needed to be excellent corpers, representing the country everywhere we went and serving our motherland faithfully in the sun and rain.

I went to the lectures after the chat show. The speakers were determined to sell their materials, including certificates.

I saw corpers purchasing certificates from them and signing them with a pen. Some lecturers insisted that the certificate was all you needed to get a job.

People are getting more certificates in two weeks than I did in six years of school! I was thinking to myself. I called Oge after the lecture to inform her of the threat, and I was prepared for it in the evening.

"I'm sorry, but I won't be around this evening." She informed me of this. “Why?” I inquired. My worst worries were becoming a reality.

"I'll be quite busy." She let out a snort. I hung up and considered the situation. Oge was obviously hanging out with another guy.

Was she making fun of me because of the guy? I considered myself and her. We didn't have a relationship because we didn't have anything in common.

It became more like sex after the first sex at Delta Restaurant and less like relating. We didn't hang out again, we didn't hold hands and converse like we used to.

Was this what she desired? I wasn't going to be concerned if I lost one of the girls I was tidying, but losing her to another guy at the same camp where i was suggests there was something I wasn't doing well.

Something another guy was doing well was a slap in the face to my ego. Or so I assumed... The evening was buzzing with activity.

The evening parade was rushed in order to keep football, volleyball, and other social activities going.

I watched the game between platoons 10 and 9. We lost our first match to platoon 9, but platoon 10 destroyed them in the first 45 minutes the next evening.

After scoring three goals in the first 45 minutes, I went to the volleyball court where our females were to play platoon 1. Once again, the female team outperformed their opponents, thanks to my shouts and screams issuing commands and calling time outs.

After the games, I went back to the hostel to freshen up. I called Wangu and told her I wanted to spend the evening with her, but she declined, saying she had other commitments.

For the first time during my stay at camp, I felt like I was losing it. It was as if something had pierced my ego. Was I emitting something? I needed to make sure I wasn't cursed, so I called Jane.

"I'm sorry, I'm tired and need to rest my head." That was the response I received! Calling Ms Enoh was a long shot, but I needed to make sure that no strange evil spell had been cast on me. I called Ms. Enoh but s She did not answer, and after three trials, I gave up.

There was a last option! When I called, the ugly one answered. If the girls are going to be dissing me, there's always a friend in need... Alcohol.

I drowned myself in alcohol for the first time at camp. I'm not sure what happened or how it happened, but when I woke up the next morning, I was on top of my hostel bed.

I awoke early in the morning and discovered myself on top of my bed. I tried but couldn't recall how I got there.

I recall going to mami with the ugly one and his friends, as well as the military guy. They must have noticed how depressed I appeared when they asked what was bothering me. I didn't even consider telling them because I didn't see the point.

I stayed with them, and with a heavy heart, I found solace in the endless bottles of alcohol on the table. Soon after, I felt lighter as the burden began to leave me.

The more I drank, the better I felt, and before long, I was speaking freely and even dancing with some strange corpers hanging out at the bar.

I must have blanked out at some point since I awoke on the bed, without knowing how I got there. As I lay in bed that early morning, I realized that my semi-frustration was the result of desperation.

I resolved not to think about the girls any longer. I had planned a girl detox! There will be no more girls until I leave camp! Enough already! I reminded myself.

As I climbed down from the top bunk, I felt a minor headache, but I shrugged it off and went to my locker. "Are you feeling better now?" It was the ugly one checking on me.

He was completely awake. “Yes.” I responded. I considered asking him how I got home, but I decided against it.

I was afraid that if I made a fuss, the ugly one with his gloating tendencies would surely rub it in my face.

**********************

Wednesday, Day 15

**********************

The rest of the day went as planned. Morning devotion was followed by drill and the parade.

The RSM organized a special marching session for blind and physically challenged corps members.

As they marched to the beat of the band, the two blind corpers were well separated. As they marched along the street, everyone stood and applauded.

The physically handicapped were up next, with their wheel chairs. They received the same cheers as they rolled along the parade route in their wheelchairs, stopping only to salute the RSM, who reacted with a smile.

Wangu and other committee heads approached me after the march for a brief talk. So far, we have balanced the accounts, allocating funds for the necessary initiatives.

Wangu remained after the meeting to speak with me privately. "I apologize for last night; I was busy, then I grew exhausted, and then I drifted off." She said to me, seeming innocent as she spoke.

I told her she didn't need to explain anything. I observed Chifawu standing nearby, staring in our direction.

I quickly disregarded Wangu and approached her. As I approached Chifawu, I noticed she was staring at me.

"You did fantastic yesterday!" As I approached her, she exclaimed. “Really?” I asked, shocked. “Yes.

The anchor had to specifically thank me for convincing you to come." We went to the skills acquisition center and talked while watching corpers do various tasks like bead making, cotton spinning, dyeing, and so on.

I felt content having an innocent talk with Chifawu, with no plans to get into her trousers.

Even without make-up, she was stunning. When I inquired why she didn't wear make-up, she said she didn't see the point. "Of course you're inherently looking beautiful already."

I complimented her, and she smiled back. "Is this your first time seeing me?" She inquired. “No. But this is the first time I've had the audacity to tell you." She blushed again as she smiled again.

I was tempted to use more of my charms to attempt to win her over, but I remembered my resolution. There will be no more messing  around with girls again  until after camp! Furthermore, she was decent, and I had always admired her decision of chastity.

"I'd like to take you out to thank you for inviting me to the radio program." I made a request.

"Are you sure it's simply a compliment?" She made a joke. "OK, I enjoy hanging out with you, so any opportunity to do so is welcome." She smiled as I responded.

"Please contact me when you're ready." She stated. I was about to call her... But I'm not sure I trust myself with this new rule I've imposed... Can I just break the rule a little bit like I did on the holy day... I wish I had followed this new rule.

My first instinct was to disregard Ms Enoh's phone call later that afternoon. But when she called back, I had to pick up the call.

She invited me to her office, but I declined since I was too busy. "It's all about your ppa." She finally explained after much persuading.

"What do you think?" I inquired. I hadn't decided on the best option for me until that point. "Mrs. Okhi is transferring the files to the computer unit today so that they can begin processing them." She informed me of this.

"I'll be there right away." I said as I hung up the phone and went to my quarters. Mrs Okhi was in the quarters when I arrived. I welcomed her, and she whispered her response under her breath, as she always did.

Ms Enoh was working on some files, so I sat next to her, behind her laptop. "I called you last night, but you didn't answer." I asked carefully, making sure Mrs. Okhi didn't hear us.

She did not answer, instead she resorted in  typing  her response on her laptop. "I'm not your girlfriend." She looked at me with a smile.

My expression must have communicated to her that I was not in the mood for hide-and-seek. "I was in a meeting with several government officials." She eventually spoke up.

"What brought you here?" She inquired. I didn't know what to say. How could I explain to her that I had a peculiar evening where I felt cursed and every female friend I had avoided me?

"I was missing you and wished I could be with you." I managed to utter something, and she looked at me as if I had just said something heinous.

"Where would you like to do your ppa?" She eventually asked in an attempt to change the subject, which I sensed made her uncomfortable.

"Please tell me more about Federal Polytechnic." I asked. She told me so many beautiful things about the community, the school, and the people, 

"Most importantly, with my recent elevation, I may be the new Local Government Inspector, L.I for Idah," she said and beamed a smile.

Mrs. Okhi became alarmed and she stopped smiling when she noticed her. "Do you live in Idah?" I inquired. "No, but if I get the L.I, I'll definitely relocate to Idah."

It sounded like a good plan. Serving at a Federal Polytechnic, a school environment with unlimited opportunity, better pay with the hope of being retained after service, better pay than the 1,000 per month paid by most areas, a familiar L.I that would make things easier for me, and the school environment comes with a plethora of girls.

If I play my cards right, I'll be able to f'u'c'k as many girls as I want without alerting the locals, who I've heard are overly protective of their girls.

"That sounds good, and thank you for your help." "I'm going to enjoy the Federal Poly." I told her, and she nodded. "Make sure you get her a bottle of wine." She remarked this while pointing in the direction of Mrs. Okhi.

**********************

I watched the football game between my unit and platoon 5 that evening.

I stayed with them while Sanni gave his final instructions. He later spoke with me about his concerns about the club, particularly his second central defender.

Sanni was a central defender, along with another player who Sanni regarded as "too irresponsible."

"Why don't you find another person to play defense with you?" I inquired. "There isn't anyone else, and he's still better than the other possibilities we have."

The match was a little boring, which was a theme I saw with my battalion. No coordinated passes, tricks, or dribbling; always kicking the ball up and away.

I'm not a soccer enthusiast, but I do enjoy watching games when I have the time. What I saw on the field that evening was more like rugby than soccer.

Platoon 5 scored against us as the game went. I heard Sanni yelling angrily at his colleague in central defense.

"It was entirely his fault." Wangu said to me as she moved closer to me. Her eyes were dull, so she must have been sleeping.

I nodded as I continued to stare at Sanni, who seemed to be enraged at the time. "If he had left the 18-yard box before the ball was sent through, it would have been an offside." She went on.

I was perplexed as to how a girl knew more game rules than I did. It was simply a question of curiosity.

I didn't like for football; 22 players on a field is just a crowd definition. "You've been treating me coldly." Wangu said, staring me in the eyes.

"Is there anything going wrong?" She inquired. I considered it for a moment. There was nothing wrong at all.

We weren't on an exclusive dating relationship, and we didn't even define it. It was more like an affair that began because of the circumstances, therefore it would be unjust to ask her not to hang out with any other person. But that was just what I desired.

"We used to be quite close; I'm not sure why you're acting cold now." “How?” That was all I could manage to say. "You left me in the morning before we could conclude our conversation to see another female."

And you're still not replying to my comments. Is it because of the phone call from yesterday? "I told you I was exhausted and needed to rest." She bemoaned.

"It's not only about that," I realized I was saying.

"What exactly is it?" She inquired. The first half of the game was called off by the referee, and I went to join my platoon players who were resting.

She accompanied me. Sanni approached me after the team meeting and begged me to join the team.

"With your height and frame, you'll be an excellent defender." I attempted to joke it off, but he was dead serious.

"It's not that difficult; just follow my directions." He stated. I told him that the only time I had played football was on my street's monkey-post, but he assured me that I would be OK.

I was intrigued by his certainty and his decision to entrust the fate of the team to a newbie.