SMALLVILLE COLLEGE (SMC) 2

SMALLVILLE COLLEGE (SMC)

EPISODE 2

WRITTEN BY: LIZZY OYEBOLA OYEKUNLE

Good evening dearest reader. I am so sorry for just getting across to you with the second episode of this beautiful story. Kindly forgive me as it was not intentional.

In order for the story to be refreshed in your memory, I would like you to follow this link and re-read the first episode (https://www.de-raconteur.com/2017/10/smallville-college-smc-1/)

If not, here is a recap. If you can remember vividly, the people who said the following, you are free to proceed to the next episode. God bless you and I greatly love you!

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“While I checked the brochure sir, I couldn’t but wonder why you chose that university for me of all places. See UI, OAU, UNIBEN, why SMC of all schools sir?”

“Rape is without your consent. I am giving the consent. You are my daughter. I own you. Do anything he says you should do!”

“I love tough girls really! She is even tougher than her mum!”

“Beverly, well, my husband and I are doing this for you out of gratitude. I don’t know what you have passed through that has made you this paranoid but be rest assured that we mean no evil”

“Ah! I trust you! You that could spank our daughter in our very presence for being rude? Chai! You will show them wonders in SMC!”

“Dad, until you need something urgent from outside, never step out of the house please. I still need you to be very much alive dad. You are all I’ve got asides my siblings please”

“So, what will happen to Somto?”

“I kept something in your bag also. Thank you my daughter. Thank you Beverly”

“Beverly Jones, Lizdera Block Room 10”

“Follow the motor. Your roommates have a spare key, make sure you get it from one of them.”

“Who is your father?”

“Only the poor wear this look! The look of regret! The look of anger against their wretched parents for bringing them into a world of impoverishment!”

“Isabella, open this door! You’re gonna kill someone! Open!”

“Glory to God. He has commanded us to love”

“I told you that I want a room to myself and you not only allowed Ava but you allowed a poor rascal who doesn’t even know what Froshol milk is into my room dad. I can’t deal!”

“I will teach you a lesson today Bella! The lesson is that, money is not anything. See me beating you now, your money can’t even save you. Be kind! The money you are proud of isn’t even yours, right?”

“No one has ever taken my blood before, not even a hospital! You’re gonna pay for it.”

“Don’t avoid my eyes girl!”

“Whenever you are in any situation that seems out of control, just remember to call the Blood of Jesus! It has never lost Its potency!”

EPISODE 2

“Who is that girl?” I could see hands pointing at me but I focused on my books deeply so I wouldn’t look up.

“Who are you? You didn’t hear me, d’you?” I heard a voice ask, almost shouting, tugging at my shoulder.

I looked up at image standing right in front of me and my heart skipped a beat. He looked so good! Clad in blue jeans trousers and a white top with a golden jacket on top, I couldn’t help but blink in appreciation as I wafted in his well scented perfume.

I had never seen a man who looked that young and rich, but here was one standing in front of me!

“Wow! She is pretty!” He said and made to touch my jaws when I woke up from my fantasy, stood up at once and caught his hands. I held them so tightly that he screamed. I looked into his fearful face and smiled wickedly.

“My name is Beverly Jones, a 20 year old girl from Boki Local Government, Cross Rivers state. Are you clear? Be a good boy and just settle down in your seat. Don’t lets cause a brouhaha” I eventually let go of his hands and sat down gently- as if nothing had happened.

There was silence in the classroon- awkward silence!

As I tried to inhale some more fresh air, I heard a round of applause from behind me and when I lifted my head, some guys were right before me, clapping with such gusto.

“Here comes our class rep!” They chanted like a song and I blinked hard to understand what they were saying and who they were talking to.

I looked back at the fine guy I had just given a tight squeeze. He was holding his hurt arm and when he saw me, he smiled and winked!

What was that?!

“I second the motion that Beverly Jones be our class rep” A familiar voice said from behind and when I looked back, it was Isabella! She started walking towards me.

“Huh?” I muttered out of shock and she smiled as she raised my right hand up.

“I present to y’all, my bestie. Treat her kindly” She said and there was a loud round of applause and some oohings.

Bestie?

I still couldn’t understand what was happening and I think Isabella understood as she walked up the podium.

“Beverly, you are welcome to SmallVille College. We are all new students but some of us here are already acquaintances as we attended the same secondary school, The Vine Ville Academy (VVA). Of the fifty classmates we had then, twenty of us are here, studying Medicine while some others have travelled abroad and others in other departments or institutions as the case may be” She explained and I nodded.

No wonder they all behaved so closely.

“With the way she is, I pray she wouldn’t be beating our lecturers to stupor! How can a pretty lady have evil hands, huh?! What an evil beauty!” The fine guy exclaimed and everyone laughed. I could only smile as I stood up to face the class.

“Let me introduce you to like three most important people in this class” Bella said and I nodded.

I was becoming so comfortable with the way she made me feel so special.

“The guy you beat right now is called Cole. He is like the proudest person…hahaha..if there is a word like that in this whole school. Treat him gently” She said and everyone burst out laughing.

I turned to look at the ‘proudest guy’ and he winked again at me, his head tilted to the side. I gasped in irritation.

He must be feeling himself too much!

“So also, we have the Queen Bee in the person of myself, Isabella. I could be a very spoilt brat. Treat me well” she said and covered her face in a shy manner.

I smiled. She didn’t need to tell me how spoilt she was. I had had a fair share of her rotteness.

“And we also have the brainy of our class…” the class didn’t allow her land before they started clapping.

“That’s the momma!”

“Brainy for life!”

“Seven times brainy, brainy forever!” I heard Cole say also and I looked towards the east side of the class where they all faced.

“That’s Shirley” Bella said and I nodded. The poor girl had her head on her desk and I could see a book on her laps. She was obviously reading and her mind was out of the class.

“She has never dropped from 100 percent from Primary five when she joined our school. She is intelligent like that. Her father is the Honourable minister for education so you can tell why she must be intelligent” Bella explained on and I nodded.

Wow!

“Every other person is very important but I can’t start talking about them as papilo will soon be in the class…hehehe…” She said and almost everyone giggled again.

“Come have the podium” She said and I stood up, sighed and walked up the podium

“Thank you all for choosing me as your class rep. I had looked forward to having that position as I can see that majority of you will need discipline” I said and paused to see their reactions.

They murmured amongst themselves, some frowned, there were just different reactions from them and I smiled.

“I am not a president’s daughter, nor have I seen a governor before. My parents are small scale business people and I don’t have the best things of life. Nevertheless, I have what you people do not” I said and searched their faces. They looked so dumbfounded.

“What is that?” Some asked. Others looked insulted for hearing that they had a lack- especially from a poor lady!

“Contentment and experience!” I said and they muttered amongst themselves.

“You have money and desire to have more. You compete with your colleagues to have the best of all things and you aren’t satisfied. You people run miles to shed off weight from the excesses you have accummulated while I run miles to get just some crumbs on my table” I said and felt like a poor star as all eyes was on me.

“Its my first time seeing a poor person upfront” A lady said, looking so innocent as she spoke that I could only smile.

“And as regards experience, look at the veins on my hands! They weren’t gotten by watching cartoons and playing computer games! Experience!” I said and smiled again.

“Since you all look younger that I am, I think I would be right to say I am well older than you all are and I ask that I earn my respect from you. I am twenty years and you all look like teenagers.” I said, smile some more as I went back to my seat.

“Twenty in first year? That’s kinda old tho” I heard someone say.

“So, you don’t wear designers?”

“How poor are you? Like, do you not have anything?”

“How did you get into SMC?”

“Are you proud of being poor?”

“If you become confronted with large money too, will you still talk as you do?”

They threw so many questions at me that I didn’t know which one to start answering.

“Let’s not throw so many questions at our newbie just this morning. We can further discuss on the Class WhatsApp Group later this evening. I also want to learn. Good morning Class!” A young man who just strolled in said.

“Class, greet!” Bella ordered and I jumped up.

“Good morning sir! You are welcome to this class. God bless you. Amen” I said loudly as I remembered my secondary school days.

The roaring of the class made me look all around me and it dawned on me that I was the only one standing.

I looked at the teacher too who had a short smile on his face and smiled. I was kinda embarrassed.

“Can I say something sir?” I asked the teacher after some seconds had passed and he smiled.

“Yes miss” He said and I gasped. The ‘miss’ kinda thing seemed to be everywhere on campus.

“Class, as long as I am your class rep, we will have a unified way of saying hello to our teachers. They come in, I stand to order the greeting and you all chorus ‘Morning sir or ma!’ and end the greeting with a bow. Taken?” I asked firmly and surprisingly, they all chorused ‘Yes!’

“So, lets greet now. Just watch me” I said and sat down. I stood up and banged the desk.

“Class, greet!” I ordered.

“Morning sir!” They all chorused and afterwards bowed their heads.

“Sir?” I heard someone call from the east side of the class and it was Shirley.

“Yes Miss Shirley?” He asked and she stood.

“I would have issues with the CR banging the table to order the greeting. Why not just stand and order, why bang the table? I find it archaic!” She said and there was murmuring in the class again.

“Would it disturb you or is it the archaic part of it you have issues with?” Dr. Earl asked and she sat down abruptly, hiding her face in her locker again.

I looked at Shirley from head to toes and she looked so sophisticated but her face looked sullen. I looked at her with pity and stood up.

“Sir, I think by looking at Shirley, I can tell that she is going to be prettily much disturbed by my banging due to the way she reads.” I said and I could feel everyone turning to look at me.

“What do you mean?” Dr. Earl asked and I swallowed.

“When one crams, one has the highest possibility of forgetting what one reads so easily with the slightest noise. I will henceforth just rise and order the greeting. I am so sorry” I said, bowed and felt great as the class clapped in appreciation of my smooth talk.

“Great! I think that settles it Miss Shirley?” Dr. Earl asked and she nodded. I noticed a glistening on her face and could tell she had shed some tears.

Why?

“Good morning class. I am delighted to be in your midst..” Dr. Earl’s words jolted me back to reality.

Something seemed different about the teacher that I tried to figure out. I turned to look at the fine guy and I could see a semblance but there was more to it. I wasn’t satisfied.

I sat down nonetheless and picked up my pen.

“For this new academic session, I will be the caretaker of this class. I will be working closely with your class rep so that we can have a smooth sail. This first year is nine month long with a two week winter break and a one week spring break. I am Dr. Earl Bello. Kindly press the red button on your lockers for your note” He said but I was carried away with adding one plus one together that I couldn’t carry out the order.

Bello?

I had heard the name before!

Where was it?

The more I racked my brain, the more it became more blurry.

“Snap out of daydream gal!” I felt a tap on my shoulder and startled. It was Dr. Earl. I bowed and pressed the red button.

What greeted my sight threw me off balance that I exclaimed in surprise.

“Wow! Now, this is awesome!” I said as a lever pushed off from the locker right in front of me an Apple writer, headphone and electronic pen. I was awed!

My classmates laughed again at my awe but would I mind?

“You have this type of locker in your rooms each also. All you do is, type your usernames and state of origin as password and you have access to your class notes and all. Taken?”

“Yes sir!”

“Fine! Let’s have a quiz session first so that afterwards, you can go through the curriculum and get to know your courses. You get the questions correctly and you will win free meal tickets for a month and get to attend the medical conference with me tomorrow morning!” He announced and my eyes widened.

For real?

If I could get the highest marks, I could save the few thousands still remaining in my account!

“Medical conference? Wow!” I heard some of them murmur and I wondered what was so special about a medical conference.

“Question one, give me ten standard equipment in a theatre. I mean a standard theatre like ours. Anyone?” He asked and as I was about throwing my hands up, Shirley did.

“Tongs, scissors, suction, table…” She started and I watched the doctor’s face for reaction.

“Miss Shirley, I mean, you are in a standard theatre right now, what standard euipments would you find?” He asked somewhat kind, somewhat stern.

I watched as Shirley’s eyes became dim and she sat down abruptly, her head on her locker again.

What a kingsway doll!

“Any idea? Miss Beverly?” He asked and I woke out of my irritation at Shirley. I stood up.

“X-ray mobile, ultrasound (3 scopes), colonoscope with halogen light source, electrocardiograph 3 channel, operating theatre light that contains 5 spotlights, operating table that has trauma and multifunction- must be electric or hydraulic driven, Anesthesia trolley with ventilator and monitor, syringe pump, suction pump, operating instrument set containing opening scissors170mm, 140mm, 230mm, sharo tips scissors, dressing forceps, surgiical forceps, abdominal depressor, tissue forceps, rake retractor and so on. Defibrillator is also important. Another thing is pulsoximet…” I was going to say when I heard a round of applause behind me. I looked back and it was Cole.

“Wow. I thought she was asked to mention ten. Weren’t those up to a thousand?” Another lady asked, looking so perplexed. I smiled as I surveyed the different looks on their faces.

“It was as she mentioned them I actually did picture all I had seen in the theatre numerous times. Wow! CR, na you o!” Another guy said and I couldn’t actually cover my pride any longer. I started blushing as I smiled.

“Order!” The teacher pressed a bell and I faced him.

“You want to take over the class from me?” He asked and the class ceased all giggling.

“I have only asked a question and there is this kind of noise?” He asked again. I couldn’t read his face- was it anger or a smile he was trying to suppress?

“We are sorry sir!” People roared and I bowed too.

“Question two. Remember, nothing should be said till after the quiz!”

“Yes sir!” We echoed.

“Now, will you look up from your self punishment Miss Shirley? If you give up now, what would the result be?” He asked and I looked towards Shirley as she raised her head and shot out a hand.

“I have something to say…” She was saying but Dr. Earl waved his right hand down, signalling that she put down her hand.

“Wait till the end of the class” He said and he looked sternly at us again. Shirley placed her head on the locker again. I was shocked.

What a duck!

“Question 2. In what case and how do you administer CPR. Also what is CPR?”

“Let me briefly talk about the hands-only CPR. It is mostly used during cardiac arrest after a shock, during surgery, after drowning and so on. So, assuming Mr A. falls suddenly on the street and I was just there to help, I can do without placing my mouth on his mouth or nose. After calling the hospital, I will get on my knees, place the heel of one hand in the centre of the chest, place the other hand on top, lock my elbows and push. I will keep pushing hard and fast till help comes. CPR means cardiopulmonary resuscitation.”

“Wow!…ah…sorry sir” I could hear Bella say quickly as she covered her mouth.

“3, What are the major types of blood types?”

“Type A, Type B, Type AB and Type O” I replied confidently. Even a child could answer.

“Talk about Rhogam and Pregnancy. Someone else please” He said and I knew he meant I should have my seat. I felt odd as I was enjoying being in the spotlight.

“Sir, since you said one person who gets the 5 questions completely will have all the rewards and Bev has answered 3, why not continue?” Cole asked and I smiled inside.

He probably enjoyed my talk!

“Cole, I know what I am doing. Thanks” The teacher said and Cole started laughing.

“You too dey vex bruh!” He exclaimed and continued laughing. I looked at Dr. Earl’ face and it became more gloomy.

“Cole, it is obviously wrong to…” I was saying when Dr. Earl touched my shoulder mildly to sit.

“Let’s continue and leave all distractions” He said.

“I am the distraction right? Wow! Wehdone!” Cole said again, clapping like a fighter. I frowned again.

What guts!

A student dared talk anyhow to a doctor anyhow??? Wow!

I looked round at all the other students to see if there was a supporter but everyone looked informed.

I must be the odd one out indeed!

“You caused it! Because of your newness to this school, your matter is causing issues amidst everyone. It is my first time seeing you and of course I hate you!” Shirley stood up and charged at me. After delivering her hate speech, she was running to the door when Dr. Earl stopped her.

“Hey Miss, where do you think you are going?” He asked, obviously shocked.

I was the shockest if there was anything like that. I had never seen anything like that before.

“Doc, its not fair. You gave the newbie a better chance than me. I was even looked down upon” She started crying.

My stomach constipated at that!

What?

“When did I look down on you?” Dr. Earl asked and she sniffed.

“You asked a question and I answered. The newbie mentioned the same answers and you marked them correct!” She said again and I pulled at my cornrows thinking of the possible ways I could come into the situation.

“Tongs, scissors, suction, table were what you mentioned. Operating table that has trauma and multifunction- must be electric or hydraulic driven was what she said while describing the table which you just mentioned casually.” Dr. Earl explained calmly.

I smiled.

“She said opening scissors 170mm, 140mm, 230mm, describing it in details. Miss, if a layman were to hear you while you talked, it seemed like you were talking about a hair dressing salon! Get it right and lay all sentiments aside!” He said and I could see the veins rising up on his neck and head. He was obviously stressed out!

“I guess I have to call it a day here. Miss Beverly, you have the food tickets and conference attendance. Meet me in front of the senate chambers by 10am so we could attend together. Good morning class” He said, picked his two textbooks and electronic gadgets and started walking to the door.

“Its not fair” Shirley started crying as she followed him.

“Grow up Miss! Grow up!” He said, paused and scanned the class.

“Cole, follow me!” He said and left.

Shirley ran back to her desk, picked up her fine hand bag and followed after him while I watched on in amazement and sadness.

“Cole, it was wrong for you to have answered him that way. No matter your sentiments, he is your brother, your only brother!” I heard Bella question Cole.

“He is no brother of mine! Just bastard! That’s who he is” He said and I saw the classmates muttering to one another in groups of twos and threes.

Brother?

Realization dawned on me then at the resemblance Cole and Dr. Earl shared.

“Dr. Earl Bello…oh…Isabella Bello…Ava Bello…Cole Bello…Wow!” I muttered to myself as I was able to reach a reasonable conclusion.

I stood up at once and walked up to them. I faced the overconfident Cole and smiled.

“Are you a man?” I asked and he gasped.

“What’s that?” He smirked

“Let’s fight then. With one blow, you will be down flat!” I said as I bounced and landed on his locker.

“This isn’t a wooden locker wretch, it is computerized! Any damage is…” He was saying and my eyes widened as he tried to push my buttocks away.

I caught his two hands and gave them a quick twist while others watched on.

“Mouth is all you have! A man is known via his fist- the way he can use the hands and brains. Of course you are just empty! Fight me nah, take your hands off my grip” I shouted into his hurt face.

“You will pay for this, evil wretch! You will!” He said, his eyes becoming so red as he struggled.

“Please Bev” Bella begged on his behalf and I lessened my grip.

“Go meet your intelligent brother and apologize. He is better off than you, bastard or no bastard” I ended and pushed him off till he staggered and fell off the chair.

“Bully! A bully has arrived the school” He pressed a bell and I could hear a voice via an intercom.

I could tell them he harrassed me by pulling at my buttocks.

Oh how shameful!

They would ask how I got to his locker.

He was insulting our teacher.

Gosh! It seemed to be no business of mine since the teacher didn’t even punish him.

I picked my handbag and jumped out through a high outlet.

“Woooow!” I heard Bella say from the top as I squinted to see her face. She gave me a thumbs up and signalled for me to shift to the back. I moved behind a wall and bent down.

I should avoid problems as the school’s director’s warning rung in my ears after dealing with Isabella on the day of my arrival.

“The day you are caught touching an ant belonging to this school, talkless of my children, you will be destroyed, you commoner!”

I raised my nose and rolled my eyes at that. Like father like children!

As I pulled at the grass underneath my shoes, I heard a sniffing and a struggle, then there was a smashing.

“What are you doing?” I heard a familiar voice.

Dr. Earl!

I stood up and moved close to a nearby window where the noise was coming from.

“I will kill myself. If you don’t acknowledge me, I will kill myself!” Another familiar voice said, obviously crying vehemently. I racked my brain further.

Shirley!

“I want you to grow up Miss! Grow up!” I heard Dr. Earl say again.

“You love the newbie, don’t you?” She asked again amidst some sniffles.

I blinked at that. What! Why do students have chicken brains in this school?

“What are you talking about Shirley? I have more important things doing than thinking that way. I am a child of God and…” He was saying when I heard another bang against the wall. Then, a scream.

I threw my bag round my neck and ran swiftly to the room where the noise came from- the laboratory.

I saw Shirley on the floor, her right wrist covered in blood. Dr. Earl looked shocked at the figure on the floor, his eyes so wide you would think he had seen a ghost.

I scanned the whole room and found a first aid box. I ran, picked some materials and ran towards the suicidal girl.

“Don’t touch me! If you touch me, I will kill ma…” She held a broken bottle close to her throat and I looked at Dr. Earl in shock.

Slowly, her eyes dilated, the broken bottle dropped from her weak hands and her eyes closed.

“Oh God! What is this?” Dr. Earl started.

“Sir, let’s do something. She is bleeding”

“Give me cotton wool and call the sick bay. That’s my phone on the slab” He said as he rolled up his sleeves and bent beside Shirley.

“Quick!” He cried out and I quickly did as he had asked me.

Soon, the bleeding stopped and he stood up, sweating profusely.

“Where is the ambulance?” He asked somewhat agitatedly and as if the ambulance could hear him, we heard the siren and the door was flung open as a stretcher was rolled in.

“Follow us please” One of the nurses told Dr. Earl and faced me almost immediately.

“And you too” She nodded at me authoritatively. We followed almost immediately!

In my mind as we were being driven to the hospital, I couldn’t even imagine what had happened!

With sufficient food, wealthy parents, comfortable houses and all, why would an intelligent girl think of confronting her teacher in proposal and even contemplate suicide on top of the matter?

I couldn’t even fathom it!

If there was anyone who should have committed suicide long time ago, it should be me!

Poor family, blind father, notorious and promiscuous mother, my sister, Bailey had to even became a maid, wretched environment, raped at 18, have a child out of wedlock!

Who was supposed to be crying and even commit suicide? Chai!

I eyed the unconscious girl lying on the chair. She would be fine, I knew as she didn’t nick an artery.

“Immediately we get off this van, pick up your bag and go to your hostel” Dr Earl told me sternly.

Beautiful!

I loved stern men the most. They can’t bring you nonsense and even if he did…

I chuckled.

“He’d be dead!” I said and smiled again- I knew it was a wicked laugh. I had developed a bigger hatred for older men after the dual rape of Mr Boma and Emekan.

It was when I could perceive a very strong silence did it dawn on me that I was thinking aloud. I smiled sheepishly, adjusted my gown and arranged my falling twists.

“Did you hear me?” He asked and I racked my brain- blank.

“No sir”

“Immediately we get off this van, pick up your bag and go to your hostel” He said and I nodded absentmindedly for a while, studying his face.

He looked famished- not of food but what?

I knew he obviously thought about how weird of a lady I was that kept staring into his face and I had to shake my head back to reality.

“Are you okay sir?” I asked, suddenly remembering that we hadn’t paid any attention to him at all.

“Did you hear me at all?” He asked and as I was about talkng, the van stopped and the door opened.

I saw two men standing afar off and a woman who suddenly started rushing at us, shouting some words inaudibly.

“Go!” Dr Earl said to me again more earnestly and I smelt a rat.

The more he told me to go, the more I wanted to stay.

The stretcher was rolled out and both of us jumped down too. As I was about following the stretcher, a hand caught me suddenly and I saw the red substance dropping- blood!

I looked up and it was Dr. Earl. I was startled as I looked at the hand. It was tied with his tie obviously and I knew for sure that it was a major issue.

“Hey nurses, get another stretcher. This doctor is bleeding. He is seriously bleeding” I started shouting. I looked into his eyes and I knew life was running out on him.

“Isn’t anyone coming?” I shouted out again when I saw everyone rushing after Shirley’s stretcher.

Dr. Earl shifted towards me and held my right hand suddenly, squeezing it as if it was a python’s prey.

“Go!” He shouted vehemently till I felt his grip loosen from my hand and found him falling lifelessly on my shoulder.

“Help!” I screamed as we went down together, guarding his head from banging the floor.

I looked round and saw noone coming to his aid.

“Somebody help!” I cried out again until I saw a police van drive into the hospital compound.

“Thank God. Police, come help this man. Help call a nurse. I can’t stand up from where I am. He is heavy. Please help” I cried and saw a policeman running towards us.

I heaved a sigh of relief as he helped pull him off me but I was shocked when he started carrying him away like a dead goat.

I flexed some muscles and started running after them.

“Sir, the man is unconscious. He is bleeding. If you leave him like that, he will die” I started saying. I saw as they lifted him into the back of the van and started driving him away.

My eyes widened.

Were they kidnappers?

I looked towards the hospital and found Professor Bello, their father. I sighed and started throwing my arms in the air.

“Sir! Hello sir” I started screaming.

He looked towards my side and waved.

“Leave the bastard alone!” He shouted back and I was almost peeing in my pants as I saw him entering his jeep which drove the other way instantly.

I was growing crazy. I turned to look at the police van and I knew I might not be able to meet it again.

I removed my shoes and started running as far as I could go- I had won different races in different school’s competitions just to earn some money to keep my family together so I knew I could do it.

As I ran, my head grew light as I checked the time. Calculating since the time I rushed into the laboratory till now, thirty minutes had passed.

Oh my! He had less than twenty minutes and he would be gone!

That realization made me increase the speed again, following the van madly till I arrived in front of the School’s district of the Police Force.

There were just so many policemen guarding the front and I knew it would be impossible to get in.

I raised my nose at them.

What job do they really do sef?…hian!

I quickly made some calculations, turned to the back of the station and started tiptoing to see if there was a gap to go in through.

“Its less than twenty minutes he has sir. We should still leave him that way?” I heard a masculine voice ask inside and my inside froken up.

Why? Why?

“Sir, you said it was a rape assault? Dr. Earl really did that? Ah!” The man continued and I was confused.

What should I do? I was the only one who knew what had ensued.

“Sir, Dr. Earl has an arterial hemorrhage. Let’s not care if it was rape or not. Let’s save a life. Please whoever this is should allow me have a time with Dr. Earl. I can save him” I said and immediately ate my words.

What have I said?

“I don’t know who it is sir…I wil check her out now” I heard him say and heard the creaking of a door.

I couldn’t stop.

“You can see that the man has entered into a hypovolemic shock. I have to stop the hemorrhage. Allow me please!” I was saying when I felt slap at my back. I turned suddenly and it was a huge man and two police officers.

“I guess it is the girl you talked about sir. Not too short, wearing a white gown.” The huge man said and he eyed me from head to toes.

“Allow her!” Even I heard that. I smiled and held my bag to my chest.

“Sir, are you sure about that? I don’t think this lady has ever held a knife ooo” He said and my heart dropped.

What was my confidence?

I had only read about these things in books…oh my God!

“We need to put the death on someone right? Let her do it!” I heard someone say on the phone again.

“Sir, you are sure you want Dr. Earl gone?” The huge man asked again and I heard a shout from the phone.

“Better gone than have me disgraced!”

The huge man pressed his phone hard and faced me. He was obviously angry.

“Carry her inside!” He ordered and like a big dead frog, the two policemen carried my shoulders each and walk me down the cell ‘aisle’.

If this was what SMC was all about, I’d rather not stay! What filthiness!

__________

I looked around me and everywhere was colourful! I couldn’t hold my joy as I started entering the first,second and third gates.

“Is this paradise?” I asked aloud and my voice echoed like it was in the water.

I saw a swarm of colourful butterflies and started following them, running gloriously. I saw my mum seated in a chair and I jumped at that.

“Mum!” I called out suddenly as she looked up. Her eyes widened as she jumped from her seat and started approaching me, her arms spread wide.

I was seeing my mum for the first time after how many years!

Tears couldn’t even form in my eyes at the joy.

“Earl” She called out happily as she was about holding me.

“Dr. Earl!” I heard a very thick voice call out and everywhere became dark again.

Who called me?

Who?

I couldn’t even bear the sorrow.

__________

I opened my bag and poured out the content. I had only a scapel, a scissors, cotton wool and disinfectant.

I had heard Dr. Oladejo (My sponsor) say it is very essential to have some few medical things handy even as a doctor in training and he had bought me few things which he told me never to use until ordered to.

But I had to do something and I had less than ten minutes!

I had done a pressure dressing with my scarf, using a ruler as a windlass and that has helped control it a bit.

I raised my head and saw the huge man who I found out to be a military medical personnel and some policemen looking at me as if waiting for the pronouncement of his death.

What do I do?

I needed some IV fluid bags.

“Hey, give me two Ringer’s lactate solution, fast!” The ‘fast’ was so sudden and sharp that even I felt it.

There was no movement.

“Prof said you shoulg give me everything. I need Ringer’s lactate solution and tourniquet. Fast or I break this place down!” I cried out, shaking the rods of the cell vehemently.

I didn’t mention it earlier but we were both thrown in a cell- but a quite neat one anyways.

Soon, I was done, his pulse returned and I knew he would need surgery.

Everyone looked so shocked when I declared that he was alive. It was no wonder that they quickly opened the cell and allowed me take him into an awaiting ambulance outside.

_______

As the stretcher was being brought down from the ambulance, I met Prof. Bello and so many residents waiting for us- probably.

Wicked man!

I bowed slightly and was following the stretcher closely when I heard a calm but firm ‘Stop!’

The stretcher stopped and I had to stop too.

“Hey girl, you are a hero!” He said and I gasped.

It wasn’t normal to be talking gibberish when someone’s life is at stake!

“Let me ascertain your intelligence doc!” He said and bowed slightly. I rubbed my hands together and gasped.

Was he making fun of me?

“As he is, what is the next step if you were the attending doctor?” He asked and I swallowed.

That was quite easy. I had been in Dr. Oladejo’s hospital the day someone who attempted suicide was rushed in and he had explained things to me and even gave me video excerpts of the surgery.

“Right now, it is essential to get the physical examination of the hand done so we can see if there is no damage to the nerves. He would need a suture afterward. Afterwards, we need a CBC (Complete blood count) done, BMP (Basic Metabolic Panel)is important and after which he would obviously need a massive transfusion” I said like a professor that I aspired to be and the look on his face showed that he was wowed!

“By Massive transfusion, you mean?” Prof asked and I swallowed.

He really didn’t know or he was whining?

“The infusion of blood products including red blood cells, plasma and platelets” I said as if to slap him. If not because we were outside, I definitely would have risen up to face him squarely!

Wicked soul!

“Also, a repair of the blood vessel would be definitely done” I added and he frowned slightly.

“Compulsorily?” The prof asked again and I raised my nose.

I was only answering because the quicker I answered, the earlier my lecturer could get surgery.

“It is not compulsory. The surgeon may opt out from repairing it since the ulnar artery actually is the one that provides the most flow to the hand.”

“So?”

“He can decide to ligate the damaged radial artery!” I concluded and Prof started clapping, his face filled with much awe that I blushed.

Of course I knew I was so blessed with great intelligence that baffled me but how I remember things I had read line by line beats me hands down!

“This girl is a genius!” He proclaimed and the students doctors, residents and fellows all around him started clapping. Some with amazament, some with blank faces and some probably sadly.

“Sir, can he be scheduled for surgery immediately?” I asked sharply and he smiled.

“Have you been in any surgery before?”

“No.” I said curtly and he smiled.

“Will you like to be in attendance of this one?” He asked again. The niceness on his face scared the hell out of me.

“Sir, over ten residents will be in the theatre. don’t you think it would be too crowded sir?” A lady asked. I looked down at her white coat and saw she was a resident. Resident Bianca.

“Dr. Bianca, I have the right to…” Prof was saying when I cleared my throat.

“Sir, sooner or later, I will start attending surgeries. I am very much intelligent” I said and pointed a finger at my head.

Many people chuckled angrily while Prof burst out laughing.

“She is my kind of person! Wow! There is a medical conference tomorrow. You need to attend! Glory me!” He exclaimed and some wanted to raise hands. I smiled.

“Dr. Earl promised me that earlier after winning some tough questions” I said again, stirring up anger in my seniors.

I actually didn’t give a damn.

“Take the bastard to the theatre Dr. Bianca and make sure he lives! Dr. what’s your name again?” He bent his ears to hear and I smiled.

I was finding myself at the top already.

“Beverly!” I said and he clapped.

“You are more intelligent that I am and I am the best neurosurgeon in Africa. Of course these people are grasshoppers to you” He said, laughing out loud.

I started laughing out too. I was enjoying the banter.

“Please follow me. We need to discuss” He said and the smile disappeared from my face. I looked towards the disappearing doctors pulling the stretcher away and shook my head.

“They will take care of him, don’t worry. You can come back afterwards” He said and I nodded even if I didn’t want to.

I entered the car and the driver zoomed off.

________

I was about carrying a spoon of cornflakes to my mouth when the door flung open.

“Ava!” I heard Dr. Favour call sharply as she jumped into the room , her face looked so unhappy.

“What’s the matter?” I asked her softly. She was my senior in the medical school though I am older than her for two years.

She pulled out a chair and sat down. She stood up spontaneously again and walked to the in built fridge.

“You wouldn’t want to hear what news I have with me here” She said and I gasped.

Dr. Favour was used to exaggerating. What she said was a bad news might actually not be.

“Tell me” I said, smiling.

“One girl like that, Beverly, a new student is going to attend the medical conference tomorrow! In fact, he almost was in the attendance of a surgery today” She said and it was like a knife lacerated through my heart.

What!

I swallowed severally, panting hard as I asked myself deep in my spirit- ‘What would Jesus do?’.

“Who is Beverly? My roommate you mean?” I asked stil trying to be calm.

“Ah, she is even your roommate. One proud girl like that” She said and my heart couldn’t stop pounding.

God had given me the Grace to be the best medical student SMC had produced but even when professors nominated me to attend conferences and surgeries, my father would never agree! Never!

“Who told you?” I asked again. Wanting to confirm if my dad intentionally said it so that the news could reach me.

“Yes. Right in front of the medical complex as they pulled the stretcher in, Prof told the girl.” She said spitefully and I smiled.

Lord, help me not to use this issue against Beverly. Help me rather to show Your Light in this seemingly hard situation Lord. Amen.

“Well, it isn’t just God’s Will yet for me to do those things. I will keep working with the cadavers till my time comes” I said plainly but my heart hurt.

What wrong have I done my father?

“No! You have to challenge him. I am like the dullest doc in school, fine but I won’t tolerate anyone treat you like trash. Confront him and demand your right!” She said angrily.

I was thinking of what to do exactly when the door flung open and Sandra, Favour’s sister ran in panting heavily.

“Have you heard the news. Of course you won’t be sitting if you have. Dr. Earl was stabbed as he tried saving Shirley from cutting her wrist.” She said and I jumped up suddenly, pushed my cup away, picked up my crutches and started running off the door like a mad man.

“It can’t be true in Jesus’ Name” I said as I rushed on.

“He is in surgery sis.” I heard Sandra say and I turned to face her.

“That serious?” I asked, my jaws shaking vehemently. The fear on her face told me things weren’t fine.

I ran back inside the room, picked up the remote control and tuned to Surg 101, our theatre station and right before my face laid my heavily anointed biological brother surrounded by doctors.

Lord Jesus!

I blinked severally as I started praying, repeating continuously ‘Mercy Lord. Mercy”

________

“No. For real, if I knew she is this intelligent, I would never have done what I did to her when we first met. Help tell her that we should be best friends dad. Convince her.” I heard Bella’s voice from the recorder and I chuckled.

For real?

“Bitch!” I muttered and we (Prof. Bello and I) burst out laughing.

“Did she know you took her voice down?” I asked and he started laughing.

“Of course she doesn’t.” He said and faced me seriously.

“Would you be my daughter’s best friend?” He asked and I shook my head, lost in thoughts.

Eventually, I spoke.

“Sir, I actually have mixed feelings about your family. The way you descended on Ava when she helped me from Bella, the way Cole talks to Dr. Earl anyhow even in the class, the way you wanted to even allow Dr. Earl die after the accident in the lab and the dark look in your eyes when you bent to look into my eyes the other day. They all leave me speechless sir” I said, confidently.

I had never been known to fear anyone and it wouldn’t start now.

He smiled.

“Are you done?” He asked and I nodded.

“You will soon understand why I saved you from the hands of those witches” He said and I frowned a bit.

Witches?

“I am their father and I know them more than anyone does. Earl and Ava have what they call emere (evil spirit).” He said and I gasped.

For real?

“Didn’t Earl tell you to leave immediately the ambulance drove you down to the hospital?” He asked and my eyes widened.

“He did!” I almost screamed, wondering how he knew.

“That is how the emere makes him faint almost everywhere. If you check his chest, you will have the marks there, where he had severally stabbed himself when the fits start” He said and I swallowed.

Impossible!

“They have severally hit Bella and Cole in their emere fits and that is the reason why those ones appear to hate them.” He said and I started nodding as I understood.

Wow!

“But sir, Ava loves me. Immediately I got to that room, it was even…” I was saying when he started laughing

“Speak of the devil. Lets see if she really does” He said as I looked towards where his face was directed and saw Ava with her crutches in the TV.

Different gadgets filled the whole school!

“That isn’t a TV. Its an announcer that beeps when there is a visitor. It captures the face and thumbprints of whoever presses the bell” He explained and I nodded.

“Remain here while I go to attend to her in the second office. You will hear whatever transpires. Don’t worry” He said and I nodded. I was waiting for the magic that would make me hear what was going on in the second room despite the sound proof door.

________
I knew immediately I saw my father that he had won a jackpot but I wondered what sort of jackpot it was.

I had finished praying so that God would give me utterance before him and decided to come see him in his office.

“Dad…” I started when he pulled in his lower lip, squinting.

“Go straight to why you are here”

“Its about the medical conference” I said and he started laughing hard.

“See, I understand the fact that you are envious of Beverly and of course you have all the right to be my dear”

“Daddy, why?” I asked again as tears welled up in my eyes.

“Why did I choose Beverly? See…” He was saying and I had to cut in. Why was he mentioning envy and Beverly?

Why?

“Dad, stop mentioning envy and Beverly, please!” I cried out and he started laughing.

“The name infuriates you?” He asked again and I started panting.

“Beat me again fool! Wouldn’t it make it the tenth time you’d beat your dad?” He asked and I started crying heavily.

He liked saying that so much and I had never laid my hands on him before.

Who could I even beat?

Who?

“Dad, all I ask for is an opportunity to attend the medical conference. I ask for nothing more. Thank you!” I said and stood up.

“You want to walk out on me?” He said again and I was wondering what the glitters in his eyes were all about. Why was he exceptionally happy?

He was a man of few words, why was his mouth running??

Why didn’t he even allow me land before mentioning Beverly every now and then?

Why?

The bell rung and the door flung open. It was his secretary.

“Sir, Dr Earl’s surgery is completed but he suddenly has an arrest” She said and I gasped as I swallowed hardly.

“Get a CT Scan and let’s have a look at it” I said, so confused.

The door to dad’s second office opened and I saw Beverly come out.

I was doubly shocked.

Now wonder dad was so glad! He must have fed the poor girl with some lies.

I smiled at her but she looked away sharply and faced the secretary. Dad winked at me and smiled.

What evil!

“Let’s have an ECG (Electrocardiogram) quickly. Echo should follow…” she was saying when the secretary’s phone rang.

“Sir, its a second arrest” She said and I knew that was the end. If he had the third arrest, it was death!

I watched as Beverly bowed slightly before my father and ran off. I fell into the cushion and started gasping for breath.

Since I was discharged from the hospital three years back, I still suffered from seizures due to long dependence on the oxygen tube.

If Bro Earl should die, Lord, take me Home too! Please!

I am really tired of the family I was born into. I am stired and so tired!

 

 

 

PS: DON’T FORGET THAT THE STORY IS 30% NON-FICTION AND 70 FICTION!

 

I HOPE YOU ARE ENJOYING IT.

 

THANK YOU STAYING TUNED. I AM SO SORRY FOR THE DELAY. IT WAS NEVER INTENTIONAL. IT WILL BE FASTER HENCEFORTH. THANK YOU.

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