Tales By The Brothel

Episode 18

The negative result meant that I was qualified and set for military school.

I couldn’t describe how happy I was at that moment. I felt like jumping up and grabbing the sky with both hands.

General Obianodo congratulated me cheerfully when I announced to him the outcome of the results in his office.

“Go and start packing your things gradually,” he advised. “You will be leaving for Zaria next week.” He informed.

As soon as General Obianodo mentioned Zaria, the happiness that was playing around in my heart disappeared and feelings of fear and uncertainty took over.

I was going to embark on a journey to the north where I knew nobody and had no relations around.

The thought alone scared me.

“Is anything the problem?” General Obianodo asked when he noticed the change in my countenance.

“Not at all sir,” I lied forcing a smile.

“You don’t want to go to military school?” General Obianodo asked trying to read my mind.

“I want to go sir,” I replied still smiling.

“I understand how you feel,” General Obianodo commented. “But don’t worry you will enjoy the experience.” He assured.

The General’s words of encouragement relaxed me a bit and I felt better.

The fact that I had a General backing me would make things easier for me, I thought to myself.

“Thank you so much sir,” I greeted rising from my seat. “I need to get home and start getting my things together.” I announced.

“Ok no problem,” the general replied. “You’re welcome anytime.” He added.

I left the office and headed home.

As I sat inside the bus, my mind raced up and down. My major fear was the uncertainty of what I was going to face in the military school in Zaria. I’ve heard countless stories of people who died on the training ground and also of the severity of the punishment soldiers were capable of meting out to new recruits should they break any rule. All these thought summed up to add to my fear and trepidation.

The bus soon got to my bus stop and passed but I didn’t know as I was deep in thought.

It was when I looked out of the window to check why we hadn’t reached yet that I realised that the bus had long reached and passed.

“Let me drop, let me drop,” I shouted at the top of my voice.

“U no hear wen we call bus stop?” The conductor lashed back.

“Make I drop abeg,” I insisted hitting the roof of the bus.

“Abeg make we drop this mugu,” the conductor begged the driver who slowed down to allow me alight from the bus.

I jumped down from the slowly moving bus, crossed over to the other side of the road and boarded another bus to take me back to my bus stop.

Throughout that week, I gradually bought the things I needed for the travel and arranged the ones I already had.

My mum wasn’t aware that I was travelling and I didn’t tell her either because I knew she would object to my joining the military.

My dad died when I was still a baby and I didn’t know much about him and strange enough, my mum hardly talked about him.

I was the last child and only son of our family. My other siblings were females and were all married now.

My mum lived in the village with one house-help which one of my elder sisters brought for her.

My education took me to the city after I completed my primary and secondary education in the village.

With my university education and youth service over, I got the job with the bottling company and rented the one room apartment were I currently lived.

That was all my mum and sisters knew about.

I didn’t tell them anything about my joining the military. General Obianodo had been my guardian and parent in that aspect.

My travel drew nearer as the week dragged by and I gradually but steadily got ready for the journey.

A day to the day I was to travel, I suddenly started having strong urge for s€x. The feeling was so strong and all I could think of was about the brothel and about the pretty prostitutes there.

I remembered the promise I made to God and hesitated but the urge refused to die down.

My d!ck stood at erect intermittently throughout the day and as night approached, I couldn’t endure it anymore and I locked the door behind me and set out for the brothel…