JUDGEMENT DAY.

  "Why does this seem so vividly real?" Ohinoyi was uncertain about the situation. He found himself within a village enclosed by huts crafted from mud. Despite the daytime, not a soul was visible outside, a peculiar sight. As he continued walking, he encountered a young child who clung to his legs, burying his face between his knees. Ohinoyi approached the boy and crouched beside him, reaching out to touch him.

"Are you alright?" Ohinoyi inquired.

The boy raised his head.

Ohinoyi gasped, stumbling backward to the ground in shock. The boy's face was smeared with red paint, and his eyes, lacking any pupils, were pure white.

"There's no time remaining. You must wake up and come help us."

Terrified and bewildered, Ohinoyi began to retreat slowly, using his elbows to move away.

"Wake up! Wake up! Wake up!" The voice began to transform, sounding gradually more feminine, akin to that of a young lady. "Wake up! Hey! Wake Up!!" The voice grew louder, accompanied by a loud bang on his door, jolting Ohinoyi awake. Startled, he leaped from his bed and tumbled to the ground.

There's only one fool who'd bellow like that," Ohinoyi muttered to himself as he attempted to rise from the floor.

Abruptly, a loud bang echoed from his door, heralding the arrival of his younger sister, Bisi.

"What now?" Ohinoyi shouted, his irritation palpable.

"Hey, Your Highness! Come out, breakfast awaits," Bisi's voice dripped with sarcasm.

"I'm on my way," he grumbled, scrunching up his face in response.

"Oh, and today is judgment day," she remarked, her tone laced with a sly edge.

"Oh no, it's today... the judgment day," Ohinoyi lamented silently to himself.

The judgment day marked the occasion when children gathered at school to receive their end-of-term results. For Ohinoyi, this particular judgment day held significant weight as it marked the end of his tenure in junior high school.

"If you feel like it, come; if not, that's fine too. Personally, I hope you opt for the latter," she retorted before storming off.

He sighed. At times, he pondered whether it was wrong to entertain the idea of a shark devouring her whole.

Heading down for breakfast, Ohinoyi found the entire family already seated. He exchanged greetings with his grandmother, parents, and older sister before taking his place at the table.

"How was your night?" Ewatomi, his grandmother, asked with a warm smile.

Despite her age, her beauty remained captivating. She possessed stunning, large grey eyes, a slender nose, rosy cheeks, tall and slender legs, and a complexion so light it bestowed upon her an air of a beauty goddess.

"I had a good night, Grandma," he replied, returning the smile.

As they continued their breakfast, the family's eldest daughter's phone began to ring. Her expression soured, signaling her irritation.

"What's wrong, dear?" Eniola, their mother inquired, concerned.

 "It's nothing, just some irritating boy from school," she responded, her face contorted with irritation.

Her exceptional beauty garnered her numerous admirers, making her resemble their grandmother even more.

Their father wore a somber expression, his face twisted as though he had tasted something bitter.

"Tell him to stop bothering you, or I'll step in myself," Ozovehe, their father, said with a tinge of anger in his voice, his dark brown eyes squinting as he took another bite of his breakfast.

"Don't worry, Dad. I can handle it," she reassured, offering a calming smile to pacify her concerned father.

After finishing breakfast, they made their way out and settled into the car. Each family member took their respective seats. Ohi's heart raced so rapidly and loudly that it drowned out other sounds. His legs felt numb, and breathing became a struggle.

"I should've studied," he murmured to himself.

Observing Ohi's distress, their father caught a glimpse of it in the rearview mirror. Without a word, he started the car, and they set off on their journey.

 As they traveled towards school on the highway, Bisi, his bothersome sister, broke the silence. "Daddy, what will I get if I secure the first position?" she inquired, wearing a mischievous smile.

"You mean, when I secure the first position because there's no chance you'll come first while I'm in the class," retorted Abeni, the calm and gentle twin sister, flashing a sheepish smile that earned her a glare from her twin.

Competing for the top spot in their shared class was an ongoing rivalry between the two sisters, always vying for supremacy.

Meanwhile, Ohinoyi's heart continued its rapid beats, silently praying not to be drawn into the conversation.

"Don't argue. Let's wait for the results first," Ozovehe intervened, swiftly putting an end to the potential conflict before it could escalate.

 Bisi turned towards Ohi with a wicked smile, aiming to engage him. "What about you, Ohi?" she taunted.

"I'm in trouble," Ohinoyi thought silently to himself, feigning ignorance. But Bisi persisted.

"Dad, what about Ohi?" she pressed on.

"Ohi, what would you like as a reward for good grades?" his father asked, hopeful for his son's success. However, Ohi's response struck a painful chord.

"Dad, don't bother. My grades will probably be as poor as they usually are," Ohi admitted, his gaze wandering towards the vast expanse of the sea the bridge crossed.

His father remained focused on driving, but his expression spoke volumes, silently conveying, "How can I assist this boy?"

 Ohinoyi gazed at the river, resting his chin upon his knuckles, when suddenly he witnessed a woman's head emerging from the water as if she were leaping out just like a fish. Stunned, Ohinoyi questioned whether he was seeing things, but the lady had a fishtail for legs. Startled, he gasped and involuntarily let out a shriek of fear when their eyes met. Bisi noticed the color drain from her brother's face.

"Ohi, what's the matter?" she inquired, concerned, but he remained fixated on the river until they drove away from the riverside.

"Didn't you see her?" he stuttered, trembling with fear.

Bisi discerned the terror in her brother's eyes, capturing the attention of their father and Abeni. His son appeared lifeless, eyes brimming with fear as if he had encountered a ghost. Sensing something amiss, their father abruptly halted the car, turning with concern to look at his son.

"What's wrong?" their father asked, his voice laced with concern, as he gazed at Ohi.

Feeling the weight of everyone's gaze, Ohi comprehended that he was the sole witness to what he had just seen. After a moment's contemplation, he made a decision.

"It's nothing," he replied.

Bisi scowled in frustration, turning away and muttering to herself. Their father maintained his gaze on Ohi for a brief moment before resuming their journey toward the school.

 As they departed, the mermaid emerged from the water, revealing her slender, alluring legs that exuded a captivating charm. Her once razor-like teeth were now arranged flawlessly, displaying a face radiating innocence and beauty.

"A mortal who can see us, how thrilling," she uttered with an eerie and malevolent smile, one that could send shivers down anyone's spine.