Episode 11 - What happened that night

Episode 11

He pushed the chair against the wall, walked towards the door and tiptoed into the passageway. He wrinkled his face as he squeezed his eyes through a narrow hole in the passage door. It was 12am and counting. The sky was raging and the thunders reverberated across the town. He looked through and saw nothing but darkness, thick darkness covering the sitting room except for the red led light beaming from the electricity meter. Ade felt an unusual smooth touch and was startled when he saw his younger siblings staying close to him. 

"Ife, Seun, get back to the room!"

"Shh...stop ranting or we will shout. We are in this together." They chorused. 

He was pained but there was nothing he could do. They stood close to the wall like an army wanting to attack a city. Slowly but steadily, he held the handle of the door and opened it. Then he lifted it, adjusting the door so it won't make a sound. They filed out, each to a strategic point. Ife went to the door of the other passageway, checking to see if there was any movement in their parents domain. Seun went for the socket: he removed the extension box and connected the TV set directly. Gently, he pressed the switch and the television came on.  

Ade quickly took the remote control and adjusted the sound control until it was zero. So they sat down, close to their points of engagement. Ade surfed through the channels and opted for football but his choice was met with rebuff from Ife. She wasn't a fan of football and therefore, totally uninterested in it. 

"I want Nickelodeon!" she said. 

"I'll slap your face, I'm your elder brother. 

"I'll cry oo." she protested. 

"Nonsense. Don't let me deal with you." 

Seun was just gazing sarcastically at the two of them. 

Fast forward twenty minutes, they were all laughing, silently though. They had to switch to an African movie channel for fairness and impartiality. Ife covered her face with a pillow as she couldn't bear with the pains of her laughter. Ade covered his mouth with his hands while Seun was not a man not attached to emotions. Even if laughter was a man,  they would never be friends. 

This was not their first time of doing so. It was outrightly prohibited for any of them to watch TV once the night devotion has been done. However, they weren't happy with it, so they had to devise crooked means and ways to enjoy this fallow commodity. 

Suddenly, they heard a sound. It was the their father! One could hear him standing up and yawning. The room was in disarray. Sockets off, laughter halted. 

"What do we do," was what Ife shrieked. 

"Behind the chairs. Go behind the chairs and lie flat." the confused Ade opined. They all ran and lied on the floor, close to each other, Ade at the middle. 

Their father came out. He was feeling thirsty so he had to get a bottle of water.  He got to the dining room, switch on the light and sat down. He got a bottle of cold water but it wasn't enough, so he took the rice that remained in the fridge; got some stew from a pot in the cupboard and started to eat. 

Far away from him were the three lad hiding behind a three-seater chair. If their father finds out, they knew they would be in a big trouble, so they had to lay low, at least for the time being. 

Ade was so scared. It was yesterday he got to know that he failed his Junior WAEC examinations. He was heavily scolded for that. He was supposed to be in a state of utmost sobriety, reflecting on his failure and the way forward but here is he, in a crime he wasn't supposed to commit. He felt so sad and closed his eyes.

Wake up, you these good-for-nothing fellows – was the voice he heard. He stood up, with his siblings beside him. It was 6am! They had slept off behind the chair.Their parent stood in front of them, with a cane in Mr Tobi's hand. They looked one to another and knew they were in big trouble.

Comments, questions and commendations? Drop them in the comment box. 

Written by: Jegede Samuel Whyte 

Edited by: Livingwitness writers 

Copyright of Livingwitness.