I crawled out from under the hostel bunk where I hid, hoping to run out through the porch whenever I noticed the coast was clear. "Damn it," I cursed underneath as I hastened my feet to meet Senior Sarah, looking fierce and angry, tapping her feet rhythmically with a heap of dirty clothes beside her. She was a natural beauty, but her angry-looking countenance made me see her in an ugly sense. The message was clear already: I was going to wash all of their clothes, and I was certain the clothes of her favorite juniors were inclusive, pampering them while she enjoyed the predator-prey relationship with me. To say I abhorred her was an understatement; she seemed like the devil sent from the pit of hell to torment me. Why she had been mean to me from our first encounter two years ago when I resumed as a fresh student had remained a mystery, for she had claimed I walked past her without acknowledging or greeting her. Ever since then, despite interventions by her colleagues and favorite junior students, she has remained adamant about frustrating me, which she was succeeding at.
My friend Tanya had advised me to report her to the authorities, but I knew I would be at the receiving end eventually. My height was a little less than the average height of my classmates in junior secondary school, and my weight was one to be swung off the feet if a heavy wind blew. People knew me to be an introvert, minding my business and enduring the persecution from seniors, most especially Sarah. Sarah's height and physique were intimidating.
"What took you so long to come out? You are daring me!"
"I'm sorry."
"Better be sorry for yourself! Wash these clothes before tomorrow morning." Sarah ordered, pointing to the heap of clothes, and turned to leave for dinner.
"What about the buckets of water?" I asked purposefully, knowing she would flare up at my question.
"Why not turn me into a drum of water?" She responded with sarcasm.
I kept silent, knowing fully well I was at a disadvantage. There was no senior to bail me out, and most preferred to mind their businesses. I was going to lose my chance of eating dinner, yet I had a load of clothes to wash. The earlier I got to the washing, the better for me if I wanted a sound night's sleep. I picked up three buckets and headed for the manual-hand pumping borehole within the hostel compound, which was fenced and gated. Carrying the buckets full of water made me feel like I could collapse at any moment. I started washing the clothes around 7 p.m., and one hour later, I was already exhausted with aching hands.
"Hey Slim." A voice spoke behind me. The voice was Tanya's. She fondly called me that because of my slim body. Almost everyone called me Slim. I was glad she was around. Oftentimes, she bailed me out with some of the washing. She was the only true friend I had in the whole school, and I was glad to have her in my life. I shifted a little as she took a seat beside me and joined in the washing.
"I have something to tell you, babe."
"You've come again? Minister for information and mischief." I replied to her with a tease.
"Come on, we should try this." She continued. This time, my ears itched to hear what she had to say, suspecting either a prank or gossip. I listened attentively as Tanya whispered to me about how she plans to scare the living daylight out of senior Sarah. I gasped occasionally, wishing I had the courage to execute her plan. The thought of getting back at senior Sarah, however, motivated me, and with renewed energy, we hurried our washing, although some of the clothes were left unwashed, before heading to where Tanya had kept her Halloween costume.
"You know I love eating the human liver; let me have this one tonight." A voice whispered in low tones across Sarah's ear.
"No sister, the Queen witch demanded we bring her to the coven to be piecesed and shared!" The other voice replied.
"That's too bad; I just wish I could have a bite, even if it's just her ears, Helena."
"Come off it, Fiona! The queen witch wants her eaten alive at the coven. She has been torn from that little girl's flesh. Poor girl, what's her name again? Tolani right?"
"Exactly why I should have a taste of her flesh, sister. Sarah has suffered the poor little girl for no reason."
Sarah's trance gradually came to reality when she was faced by two horrid-looking beings groveling in the dark, with the distant moon casting a reflection of their creepy faces covered by stripped skeletons, sending an eerie sensation down her spine as both creatures lazily latched onto her skin with their fingers. Sarah jumped swiftly off her bunk bed as though a rush of adrenaline overwhelmed her. Tanya and I, disguised as witches, quickly sneaked out of the room while I resumed my washing in the court yard.
"Help, help." Sarah screamed, alarming the hostel, but nobody dared to come out to her aid. Sarah scrambled through the porch, caring less to put on her footwear, visibly shaking and panting, pointing towards her room. "Witches, demons, they're in my room." She said, panting, to a few of her colleagues that ran out to her. More students began to gather around Sarah; it was 3 a.m. in the night, and only a few students were awake. "They wanted to eat my flesh." The visibly shaken Sarah sobbed while catching her breath.
I walked up to her, feigning ignorance of what had just transpired, while Tanya withdrew to the crowd that surrounded Sarah after changing their costumes. "Are you okay, senior Sarah?" I asked with all seriousness and concern.
Sarah froze as she set her eyes upon me, words failing to come out despite opening her mouth. "I'm sorry, Tolani. I've wronged you! Please forgive me. Your coven came for me; forgive me, please." She begged.
I pretended to be confused, gesturing my difficulty comprehending what senior Sarah said, all eyes on me.
"I'm sorry, senior Sarah; I don't know what you're talking about. Let me go back to the clothes you asked me to wash."
"Clothes? Please leave the clothes. Just forgive me."
"I really do not know what you are talking about, but if you insist that I leave the clothes, all is fine," I replied and walked back into the hostel. My room was opposite Sarah's, and Tanya and I agreed to not meet till dawn.
I saw torchlights being shone into Sarah's room by fellow students, all scared to their marrows, but all that was seen was an empty room. Sarah slept in another hostel that night, and the following morning, she walked into her room accompanied by her friends like a scared little baby.
The following days after the incident, Sarah preferred to avoid me and not have anything to do with me. I could not thank Tanya enough for her brilliant idea. It was the best Halloween night for me, as it was also my night of freedom from oppression.
