“My mummy o!” Destiny screams running to hide behind the curtain, clinging to it like a protective shield.
Life has a way of deflating one’s shoulder pads, leaving them hanging limp, worn out, defeated.
Yesterday, when Gowon told us about the new horror movie, “Skin” that just came out, we decided it was best to host a movie night at our lodge and invite a few of our friends. It is a two bedroom flat, at Newton Street, Benin City that houses 6 of us: I, Gowon, Harry, Destiny, Shadrach and Felix.
“Look right, look at your right!” I shout at Destiny, pointing out a shooter on the opponent's team who was aiming his gun at his player.”
“Victory! Christo001 and Desty010 wins¡” The video game’s animated voice announces.
“Yes!” I drop my video game console on the centre table in front of us and pump my fist into the air in excitement.
“Omo, thanks bro, that was a close one.” Destiny says.
“Anytime, bro,” I reply, nodding my head in affirmation and restarting the game.
We're in the middle of the second game when Gowon, Harry, Shadrach and Felix come in with the popcorn, snacks and drinks for the movie night.
They plop them all on the table in front of us, obstructing our view of the television in the process.
“Harry get out of the way!” Destiny shouts. Harry looks at him and in a bid to be naughty, hugs the television, using his entire bulky frame to cover our view.
“Sammy565 and Donny686 win!” The animated voice says, making Destiny hiss and throw his gaming console on the table amongst the pile of snacks.
“Can you see what you just caused!” Destiny accuses.
“Chill bro, you were already losing afterall, I just helped you.” Harry says, laughing.
“That's true, though.” I reply, joining in the laughter. We were in a hopeless situation when Harry obstructed us.
“You guys should forget this game and focus on what's more important: tonight's movie. Do you think it's as scary as they're hyping it to be?” Felix asks.
I shrug before replying, “It's possible. The horror movies they make these days have been worth the hype.”
“Omo, I heard that someone screamed, ran out of the movie theatre when watching it, and jumped over the banisters of the 3 storey building to his death,” Shadrach says. There's a quiver in his voice.
About four voices overlap each other, some in agreement and others in disagreement to the authenticity of the rumour.
When the voices die down, Destiny says loudly “Well, there's no single movie on this earth that can make me do as much as flinch in fear.”
“That's a lie!” Felix counters. “Did you watch “The nun?" he asks.
Destiny hisses, “That one na child’s play na.” He says in the pidgin language downplaying the whole scenario
“Ah! Bro! That movie messed with me real bad o,” Gowon says.
“Me too,” Harry adds.
“Oya, what about “IT”, that Stephen King's movie?” I ask.
Destiny bursts into laughter. “That cartoon? Find something better, please.”
“Wow you must have a high tolerance for horror then. That's great.” Felix says in awe.
“Horror movies are like children's cartoons to me. They don't faze me at all. And I'm sure this one won't move me at all.” Destiny brags.
“Na you o, bros,” Harry hails him using pidgin. He looks at his wristwatch and announces “It's almost 8pm. Let's get ready for movie night.”
As everyone moves to go about their pre-movie night activities, Destiny says “You all should get ready to scream in fear, scaredy cats!” He bursts into laughter, picking up the game console to continue from where he stopped, this time, playing solo.
“My mummy o!” Destiny screams running to hide behind the curtain, clinging to it like a protective shield.
Five pairs of eyes turn to look at him, surprised by his actions.
I pause the movie.
“Bro, what's up?” Felix asks.
“Didn't you see how the creature tore off his face?”
“We all saw it there's nothing there.” Shedrach says.
As if realizing that he had lost his cool, Destiny bursts into a laughter that is clearly forced.
He comes back to the couch to sit, avoiding eye contact. “That’s true. I was just showing you scaredy cats what you'll do when the movie gets supposedly scary.” He says.
We shrug it off and continue watching.
“Don't go inside there, guy!” Gowon shouts.
“He will stupidly enter.” Harry says quietly
.
“That's how they do. Why will someone see a basement where an eerie voice is coming from, and carry his/her two legs to enter? Silly people.” Gowon adds.
“That's how they are” Harry says, shaking his head.
We watch the young man walk into the dark basement, search along the wall for a switch, switch it on but it doesn't switch on, turn on the flashlight of his phone and proceed into the basement.
“Ahhhhh! Mummy ooo!” Destiny screams again as the skin eater pounces on the young man and starts tearing his skin off his body.
This time, Destiny throws himself on the floor, buries his face into the floor rug, using his hand as a blockage from what's going on.
I pause the movie again.
“How far guy, be like you go just enter the room go sleep o.” Harry suggests in pidgin that he should go to bed.
“Exactly!” The others say in unison.
We watch the rest of the movie in silence with Destiny not moving an inch from where he is on the floor.
“Is it over yet?” Destiny asks an hour later in a small voice from the floor.
“Since about 20 minutes ago,” Felix replies.
Destiny stands up and brushes his trousers “Why didn't you tell me na?” He asks.
No one answers.
As if previously rehearsed, we all burst into laughter.
“That cartoon?” Harry mimicks through his laughter.
“Horror movies are like children's cartoons to me.” Felix adds, laughing really hard.
“My mummy o!” I add, using the back of my hand to clean the tears off my eyes.
The laughter increases in tempo.
An embarrassed look fills Destiny’s face.
“Make una leave me abeg,” he says in pidgin meaning he should be left alone and heads into the room, the sound of our laughter greeting his back.
Oh, what a night.
A humble pie truly got served.
