THE THREAT

It was night time and Michael's room mate was in Wonderland sleeping and muttering words that the dictionary could never find its meanings. He fetched Andrew Darrien's phone number from the class group chat and used it to link to one of Andrew's social media handles. He checked for any recent post or notification from Darrien and what he wanted was right there. Being someone of that nature, there was a high possibility that he spent most nights in clubs and parties.

He did not have to break a sweat because what he wanted was offered to him on a platter of gold.

Andrew Darrien had taken a picture at the Indiano club. It was a club where prostitutes were made available and dressed up like Indians but the edge was that they showed too much skin - ruining the heritage and pride Indians are known for.

He dressed in his combat uniform, the one he wears whenever upcoming trailblazers are meant to train. He wore a mask that covered his face and his hair and even wore contact lenses to decrypt the colour of his eyes. He wore a Romanian boot and wore gloves over his hands. Inside the mask he was wearing there was a small microphone facing opposite his mouth that changed the tone of his voice and made his voice sound a lot weird. Knowing his roommate was someone who once asleep, definitely does not wake up, he prepared to walk out of his room.

"Where are you going by this time of the night!" Tyler asked. Michael slowly turned around, like one being chased by the cops. When he turned around completely, he was expecting his usually frightful friend to jerk at the scary mask he had on his face but the boy did not. Instead he walked towards Michael and hugged him. Michael had forgotten that his friend is a somnambulist - one who sleepwalks - and had somehow fallen for the fact that his friend had caught him. He had a back up lie already created in his head and was ready to tell his friend that, "this is the secret I have been hiding from you all. I am actually a cosplay actor!" That sounded smooth in his head because there was no other appropriate excuse.

He carried his room mate, princess style and Tyler held onto Michael's neck like he was in a rom com drama. Those movies he has always immersed himself in were actually showing their true effects and Michael cringed. When he placed Tyler on the bed, he covered the dude up to the neck before leaving the room.

When he got to the Indiano club house, he stayed on their roof, patiently waiting for the doors to be opened by midnight. He laid on the roof for two more hours till the doors were swung open and people began to leave. He crawled to the edge of the huge duplex club house and held onto the edge as he sneaked a peek at all those that we're leaving. After some seconds, a boisterous guffaw was heard and the special contact lens that Michael was wearing, helped him to zoom in on Andrew and captured the face of his target.

"Target detected!" Michael heard it clearly in his left ear and he began to jump roof tops as he stalked Andrew mother fucking Darrien!"

Andrew was about to make a turn into his house when Michael dropped in front of him and covered his mouth with one of his hands, causing the scream that had left Andrew's lungs to sound as a mere murmur.

Michael had dragged Andrew and the guy had fallen to the floor. There were small portholes that contained dirty water but Andrew did not mind as he crawled backwards in them, ruining the back of his new Gucci trouser he had bragged about to his friends. He would gladly turn it to a rag as long as it guaranteed his life.

"Are you…are you here for my pants. I can give it to you and gladly walk home in my briefs. Please spare my life" Andrew said at the verge of breaking a dam. Michael rolled his eyes behind the mask because what in GOD'S name would a Gucci trouser he could comfortably buy and its designer store, make him go this far. Andrew was actually cheating him from the time he should be using in adding more knowledge to his work and that in itself was a crime.

Andrew's brain was working over drive as he crawled back and the monster before him casually walked towards him like it was in no rush.

"I am a hundred percent sure you are wondering why someone is doing this to you. You might even say things like "but I'm a decent guy", "I have never physically hurt anyone in my life." While that might be minorly true, it is majorly a lie. You had spoken rudely to someone that is worth more than your entire generation today and I have come to take you with me" Michael said in a voice that was triple times more hoarse than his normal voice, making his voice sound like that of Poseidon in Odysseus. Andrew was beyond terrified and he stopped crawling as hot unsustainable pee left his

urethra and spread on his favoured Gucci pants.

He went on his knees as he knew his trying to escape was a lost cause and the pee began to drip out from him.

"You know you look pathetic right?" Michael asked as he regarded the all time bully before him. It is true what they say, "a bully just needs one major encounter to humble him".

Andrew began to cry as he said in between sobs and planted his head on the tarred path. "I really…really do not know who I have offended. Please sir, is it Cara or Anthony or Zul? I would do anything". Michael was taken aback, this dude had a list of those he troubled. Wow!

"Never knew you had so many persons you troubled in this manner. You missed a name though.." Michael said.

"Please who sir?" Andrew said and tried to lift his head up but Michael swiftly placed his right boot on Andrew's neck, causing a shivered filled yelp to leave Andrew's lips.

"Do that again and I would gladly pay you what you deserve" Michael threatened between his teeth.

"I'm sorry sir"

"The person you offended is a lecturer. Your new lecturer…Samantha Klaus!" Michael said and dread filled Andrew. It seemed the threat she had made concerning the authority she had was not just over his grades…but over his life also.

"Miss…Miss Klaus?"

"Yes Miss Klaus. She did not order this but I want you to do something for me. When you get to class tomorrow, you wait till the class is filled to its brim and then you stand before the class and make an open apology. Understood?" Michael asked.

"Yes sir. But…but, how would you know when I have done it?"

"I would be watching. And also, all those persons you have hurt in the past, make a list of them and apologize tomorrow…unfailingly. If my statistics show me you omitted one person, I would be waiting wherever you lodge tomorrow"

"Al…Alright sir! Is that all?"

"Apparently so. Something might convince you that this would end in threat my dearest perpetrator…" Michael said as he squatted down and placed a Beretta 92FS silencer gun on the spot where his boot was.

Andrew shivered as understanding of what the cold metal on his neck was and he laid flat on the floor without raising his head.

"Please forgive me Sir!"

"Till tomorrow dearest perpetrator. This is a silencer that would kill you in a second if I target a sweet jugular vein. You would not as much as say an alphabet before you find yourself fellowshipping in hell. I guess my message has been duly delivered"

Clumping down the saliva that had gathered in his gullet, Andrew answered like he was out of breath.

"Yes Sir!"

"Very well! You may lift your head in seven counts from behind" Michael said.

"One, t.. two…"

"Not what I said dearest Andrew. From behind, be a good student for once!" Michael said with a chuckle.

"Alright sir! Sev…seven…six..five…four..three…two…on..one" Andrew counted. He was still too scared to lift his head and he started again.

"Seven…Six…Four, I meant five sir…Five…Four…Three…Two.. One"

He lifted his head gradually to see that he was the only one by the path and whoever that was, was long gone.."Hello! Hello!" Andrew called out to be sure.

He jumped to his feet and did not stop running till he was in his house in a record speed of five seconds. He bolted all the bolts behind his door and was panting hard as he gripped his chest in fear.

In the safety of his room, he began to write out the list of all the persons he had been a pesky fly to - never going away. Miss Klaus' name was the first on the list. He barely got any sleep that night and when dawn was creeping in, he was awake and started the business of getting ready for school. He was the first to get to his class and he chose the front seat to sit down on, so he would not have to hassle to get to her.

When the class was filled and Miss Samantha cat walked in. He did not let the class salute her or her salute the class before he jumped out of his seat from his desk.

"What nonsense is this again Andr…" Samantha tried to ask but before she was done, Andrew was on his knees, facing her before the class. She was stunned to say the least and the whole class gaped in surprise. Well, except a certain orchestrator who felt proud of himself and folded his hands before his chest as he enjoyed the view, till Samantha bent down.

"What…what is going on?" Samantha asked as she squatted to his level. Michael was looking at her squatting before Andrew and his blood boiled.

"Please rise up ma or else I would not be able to do what I want to do!" said Andrew still with his head bowed.

"The boy finally became sensible over night" Michael said in his heart as a hidden smile crept on his face..

"You have to tell me what…" Samantha started but Andrew cut her off politely.

"Please just do that ma!"

Samantha could sense what had happened. She knew that a bully does not change overnight, courtesy of her ex husband and that whatever made Andrew Darrien, the boy who she had heard was a big bully in the school, to come to this position, it meant that he had encountered something greater than him.

She stood up and glanced at the class as she tried to know where Michael was seated. She needed to see the expression on his face to know if he was the one that had done it because apart from herself, she knew no one that could fully stand up for her.

"Alright! Go on" Samantha said and stood up standing straight..

"I want to apologize sincerely from my heart for speaking to you in that low manner. I do not deserve your forgiveness but I dearly hope you would!" Andrew said and his voice sounded croaked and cracked like he was about to cry or he had cried all night.

"I do not hold grudges, Andrew. I have forgiven you since I scolded you yesterday. Please rise up on your feet!"

Gradually Andrew did so and faced the class and took a deep bow as he said,"if there is also anyone I have treated wrongly before, please expect my apologies and if I do not come to you, kindly leave a note in a place I can access and I would duly find you"

The whole class clapped for him in amazement and the bullied ones were grateful to whatever force had caused this reaction.

"Thanks so much Andrew but please let's go to what we have today. Our time has been far spent"

As Andrew went back to his seat, he hoped that whoever that was last night had seen him fulfil a part of his promise.